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Romans 15:1-7 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Good morning, everyone. Open up your Bibles to Romans, chapter 15.
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Well, I hope you've enjoyed going through Romans verse by verse.
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! I pray it's been a minister to your soul and encouragement to you.
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! In these remaining chapters, there's a lot of practical application of what we've been learning in the book so far.
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But really quickly, just by way of reminder, I kind of usually like to start with where we've been and where we're going
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to help get people focused and know where we're at in the book.
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But a lot of people will preach duty or obedience without a doctrinal foundation.
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And others will preach duty without doctrine.
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And both are kind of a worthless exercise. Both are essential.
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And as Paul does in all his letters, he begins talking about our great salvation in Christ.
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Talking about what Christ has done on our behalf.
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The great grace that he's shown us.
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And how we can have salvation and right relationship with God.
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How to honor God, love God, and worship God in our lives.
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He usually starts there, our identity in him, before turning his attention to just living obedience required by those who acknowledge those truths.
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And that's important.
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He's done that throughout Romans.
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He's, for many, many, many chapters, talked about our great salvation, our great redemption,
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and what has been accomplished by the grace of God in Christ.
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And now he's turning attention to you.
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Now, in light of these things, live this way.
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In light of the fact that you have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world.
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That you have been forgiven.
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That your sins and your death that stood against you, that condemned you before God,
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are now canceled because of the work of Christ.
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That you are now justified in God's courtroom.
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That you have right standing with him because of Christ's perfect life.
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In light of all those things, adopted into his family.
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A guarantee of eternal life.
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In light of all these things, live this way.
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And that's where these final chapters kind of take us.
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In light of all that Paul has said, now live this way.
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Our maturity means that our learning translates into living.
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It's not just for our head knowledge or for us to debate other people or to make ourselves feel smart.
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God's saving grace leads to a new life in Christ.
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And so Paul begins probably the beginning of chapter 12, all the way up to where we're at today,
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working out practical gospel living implications.
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But knowledge has to be laid down first in many ways.
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Matthew Henry, the Puritan commentator, once wrote,
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The foundation of Christian practice must be laid in Christian knowledge and faith.
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We must first understand how we receive Christ Jesus as the Lord.
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And then we shall know the better how to walk in him.
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So that's kind of where we've been.
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And all these things.
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So now where we're going today in chapter 15, Nathan did a wonderful job in chapter 14.
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Just so you know, like as a pastor, talking to other pastors, those are hard chapters to navigate and talk through.
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They tend to invoke a lot of emotion in the congregations.
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And so I'm very thankful that God used him to help work us through some of the previous chapters.
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And so where we're at today in chapter 15, Paul just continues expounding on what the new life in Christ looks like.
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All right.
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Every true believer is at the same place spiritually before God.
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Okay.
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As the saying goes, the ground at the foot of the cross is level.
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Like no one is better than the other.
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Every true believer has been justified, regenerated, loved, and accepted by God equally.
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All right.
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That is true.
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However, they're not all equally mature as it goes to our progressive sanctification.
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There are some believers who are further along in their walk with Christ and have a greater maturity.
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They have more holiness in their daily life.
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They obey with a greater fervor than other believers.
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And so, so you follow me, all were equally, all believers are equally justified before God, but not all believers are equally sanctified before God.
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As it translates into Christ likeness.
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And, you know, all it takes is for you to remember maybe when you first became a believer and you knew some of those who were just older in the faith and you just thought, wow, like, I hope one day I can walk as they walk.
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But then you find out they have their own issues as well.
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But that's okay.
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That's a normal thing.
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That's the thing that's recognized in the scripture.
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Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3, 1,
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But brothers, I could not address you as spiritual, meaning mature, spiritual men, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.
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So making this comparison that some of you are just very young.
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I can't address you as spiritual men or someone who has been grown up in the faith.
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So some just grow faster than others.
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And that's what Paul is trying to point out here.
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And in 14 and 15, Paul makes the distinction of those believers who are equally justified, but not equally sanctified.
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And he classifies them in two ways.
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There are the strong and there are the weak believers.
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So don't spend this whole time wondering if you're strong or weak or if the person next to you is strong or weak.
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That's not really the point of the day.
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But he makes a strong appeal to the strong to live in unity with those who are weak.
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So what is on Paul's mind in these last two chapters, chapter 14, chapter 15, is unity in the body.
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Unity makes the gospel more attractive to an unbelieving world.
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When they see our love and our care and our fellowship together.
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As it says in Psalm 133, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
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So unity, we would like to say, sort of adorns the gospel.
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And it glorifies God.
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On the other hand, whenever there's conflict, quibbling, and jabbing over minor secondary issues,
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it's repulsive to the lost world around us.
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Paul wrote to the Philippians that he longed to hear that they were standing firm in one spirit,
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with one mind, striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.
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That's Philippians 1, 27.
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And what's very interesting, and we agree that there are some major first-tier doctrines that we cannot compromise on.
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Like if you don't believe in the virgin birth, if you don't believe in salvation by grace alone,
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through faith alone, and Christ alone, if you don't believe in the inerrancy of Scripture,
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we probably need to part ways, right?
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But however, what's really interesting is a lot of the infighting that happens
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are usually over non-essential disagreements that cause conflict in the body.
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And Paul is saying here, the strong are called upon to bear with the weak.
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So he identifies them as strong and weak.
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And so as we get into this chapter 15, with that in mind, let's read 1 through 7 today.
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Paul says,
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We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak,
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and not to please ourselves.
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Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.
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For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written,
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the reproaches of those who reproach you fell on me.
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For whatever was written in the former days was written for our instruction,
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that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures,
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we might have hope.
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May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another,
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in accord with Christ Jesus,
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that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.
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Now, just some more background.
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I just kind of thought it would be helpful to kind of say this,
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particularly what Paul is addressing.
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It kind of translates maybe into some different issues.
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In our day, it was at this time,
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there were Jewish believers who were weak
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because they had difficulty abandoning all the rights and prohibitions
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that they felt compelled to follow in the Mosaic law.
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Dietary laws, certain days, Sabbath observance, circumcision,
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all these different things.
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They just had a hard time detaching from those things.
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Weaker Gentile believers,
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who were really steeped in their pagan idolatry,
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who worshiped the gods of Rome or the gods of Greece,
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Apollo, Zeus, Jupiter, Mars, take your pick.
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They had a hard time just coming in contact with anything
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that just reminded them of that lifestyle,
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like eating meat that had been offered up to pagan deities,
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and celebrating certain festivals or days,
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or just observing certain days that were tainted by idolatry,
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and immorality and adultery.
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So they just had to pull away from those things,
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but both had very sensitive consciences as new believers.
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They weren't mature enough to be free from those convictions at that time.
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However, the strong Jewish believer,
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who knew their freedom in Christ,
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understood that the ceremonial requirements of the law,
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the Mosaic law, were no longer binding on them.
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Mature Gentile Christians understood that these idols,
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that they had been offering up meat to,
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weren't real.
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Like, they could be knocked over.
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They weren't a live thing.
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So they could, therefore, eat that meat
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that had been worthlessly offered to them.
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Right?
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But saying, Paul is saying,
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act in accordance with your conscience on matters
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that are not specifically commanded or prohibited in the Scripture.
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So whether weak or strong,
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the motive behind the weak or the strong believer,
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that the motive is to please the Lord
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and for them to bear with one another.
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So that is the context, I guess,
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in which he's addressing these specific things.
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He doesn't want them to quibble and fight and divide over such issues.
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Again, it's those non-essential issues
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that often cause us to do that.
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And so, he addresses the strong and the weak.
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So in this first set of heartfelt appeals to the saints in Rome,
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Paul calls them to please one another,
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looking to Christ as the example.
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So there's just, I think there's just five different points for you today.
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But number one, just to help us walk through this,
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this could have been two different points,
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but I was just, as a good reform guy,
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I was trying to have five points.
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But the first point is,
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look to others and away from self.
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Look to others and away from self.
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That's verses 1 and 2.
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Let's read.
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We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak
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and not to please ourselves.
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Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build him up.
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So this is an exhortation.
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We see this distinction of those who are strong.
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So, I guess you could define those who are strong as those who are strong in faith,
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strong in truth,
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strong in their convictions,
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and in their character before God.
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He says,
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That word obligation that we see here means like an owing of debt.
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Someone that you are bound to repay.
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It's also used in John 4,
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the same word,
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1 John 4,
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Beloved,
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if God so loved us,
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we ought,
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there's the same word,
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to love one another.
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We have an obligation to love one another.
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And then you see the word that's used here,
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bear.
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We have an obligation to bear,
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which means picking something up to carry a heavy burden.
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It's used of carrying a pitcher of water in Mark
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and carrying a man in Acts 21.
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But those of us in the body who are strong have an obligation.
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We must bear for those who are weak.
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Paul wrote in Galatians 6 something very similar.
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He said,
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Bear one another's burdens and moral faults,
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and in this way fulfill perfectly the law of Christ,
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complete what is lacking.
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So the strong have a non-negotiable obligation,
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responsibility to graciously support those who are weak
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instead of making fun of them or belittling them
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or selfishly just trying to satisfy their own desires.
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So Christian living focuses on honoring God by serving others,
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by serving our brothers and sisters particularly.
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All right?
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So he says,
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that's the exhortation.
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Strong should bear the failings of the weak.
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Then if you notice,
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he says,
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pleasing ourselves.
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Man,
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there is a verse that wraps up what sin kind of does to us.
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This could be a good one.
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Our sin has corrupted us in such a way
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where we have a fallen inclination always to please ourselves.
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It is what we wake up with every day.
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It's what follows us around.
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And I'm not saying it's wrong for you to have,
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you know,
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desires that are God-given,
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but we're speaking in terms of those things
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where we seek to please ourselves at the expense of someone else.
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Some people,
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just without remorse,
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will stomp or ride right over the interest of others
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and pursue their own fallen selfish desires.
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Maybe others may use their intellect
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to maybe put on a cloak of humility,
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but in the end of the day,
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they use their intellect to manipulate the other person
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to get their own desires served in the end,
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pleasing themselves.
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And in a world that yells at us,
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you know,
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protect yourself,
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preserve yourself,
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promote yourself,
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entertain yourself,
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and comfort yourself,
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Christ comes along and He says,
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deny yourself,
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slay yourself,
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and follow Me.
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That doesn't just mean to not do certain things.
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It's this idea of relinquishing absolute control
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of our lives to Christ.
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And this includes that fallen desire to always please ourselves
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at the expense of others.
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All right?
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And so,
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the other side of that is,
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don't seek to please yourself,
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but please others.
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All right?
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If you look in the next part of this,
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but you see that the gospel beckons us,
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the us is connected to the strong,
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if you look at your pronouns
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and who he's referring to there.
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The us refers to the strong,
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the we,
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in verse 1.
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To please his neighbor.
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The neighbor is the weak believer here.
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For his good,
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to build him up.
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I love that word.
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The old word,
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if you have an older Bible,
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New American Standard,
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King James,
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or something like that,
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I use the word edification.
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Good old word.
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But it really just means
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this idea of almost building up a house,
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like building,
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strengthening,
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to build someone up.
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Instead of tearing something down,
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you should seek to build them up,
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to edify them.
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And this is done through teaching,
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through discipling,
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by humbly serving them,
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loving them,
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sacrificing them.
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So,
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sin causes us to please ourselves,
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but the gospel
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brings about this revolution
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in our understanding,
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our relationships,
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where we think of ourselves
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with humility.
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As Paul wrote earlier,
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if you just want to look
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back at chapter 12, verse 3,
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he just says,
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I say to everyone among you,
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not to think of himself
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more highly
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than he ought to think,
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but to think
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with sober judgment.
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To not have
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an over-inflated view
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of ourselves,
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but to think of ourselves
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in humility
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in light of what Christ
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has done for us.
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So,
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God has graciously sought
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our greatest good
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in Christ,
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so the goal of all true believers
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should be seeking
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the good of others,
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especially our brothers
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and sisters
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in Christ.
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Paul kind of echoes that
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in Philippians chapter 2.
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Let each of you
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look not only
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to his own interests,
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we're all familiar with this,
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but also to the interests
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of others.
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Have this mind
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among yourselves,
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which is yours
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in Christ Jesus.
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So,
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this is this idea
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of being built up
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such that believers
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will one day
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be conformed
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to the likeness
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of Christ.
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That's what
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the good is.
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That's what
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Christ's likeness
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is what Paul talks about
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as being the good
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in Romans 8.
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And so,
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we're not
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to merely just
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tolerate,
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that can be
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very like us,
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right?
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We may tolerate
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the failings
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of the weak,
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but we're not really
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helping them.
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Some people,
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I've done it myself,
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we can be just critical,
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condescending,
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rather than showing
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respect for their
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sincere views
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that they hold
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by not being that way
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and just agreeing
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like,
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it's alright,
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you know,
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we don't have to
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quite see eye to eye
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on things.
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We tend to like
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put our stake
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in the ground
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and want to show
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that they're wrong
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about everything.
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Rather than doing that,
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we genuinely love them
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in Christ.
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The way that Christ
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loves us
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is 1 Corinthians 13
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is love,
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Christ-like love
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is not arrogant
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or rude.
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It does not insist
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on its own way.
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It is not irritable
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or resentful.
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So,
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there's a lot
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in all this,
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but I think
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Nathan just covered
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so much of this
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so well
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that I've been
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just thinking
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through this.
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And if Paul is
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continuing to write
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about this,
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it's because he knows
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it's a serious thing
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that you should
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pay attention.
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some of you
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are older enough
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in the faith
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to witness
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divisions in churches
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and splits in churches.
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And most of the time,
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they're founded
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in like very
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non-essential things.
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It's people's pride
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being wounded
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is quivling over
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just earthly things
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that are in the church.
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and God is telling us
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to not act that way.
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So,
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that's why there's
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instruction on these things.
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A lot of these
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modern day things
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that believers
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may have disagreeing
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things on,
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I mean,
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the big one,
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obviously,
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is just alcohol,
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things like that.
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I personally
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don't drink alcohol.
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I think it's kind of gross.
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I just don't like it.
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It's just nasty to me.
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I've had it before
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in the past.
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But,
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there are,
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I kind of grew up
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in the,
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what you might call
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the young,
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restless,
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reformed movement.
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And,
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there was like
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this movement
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where
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they wanted to
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replace
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the Christian man
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who was like,
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kind of like
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quiet,
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meek,
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and
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dead fish,
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handshake,
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and
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didn't cuss,
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didn't drink,
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you know,
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and
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never fought anything.
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They wanted to
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replace him
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with the loud,
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beer drinking,
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cigarette smoking,
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or,
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you know,
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cigar smoking,
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you know,
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and cussing,
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you know,
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kind of guy.
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And,
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I just felt like
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something was just
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not right about
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either one of those.
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Like,
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wait a minute,
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this is not
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how Christ has
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called us.
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Eve had
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liberty in Christ
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to drink.
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they were like
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flaunting it around.
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They were like
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boasting about it.
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And wounding
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the consciences
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of a lot of
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other believers
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who still had
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an issue with it.
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Right?
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But I had,
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you know,
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one particular friend
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who did do that.
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He kind of boasted
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about his liberty
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a lot.
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And,
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another friend,
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a different friend,
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who was,
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I would classify
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as a strong believer,
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a mature believer,
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who liked to drink
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on occasion,
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usually just at home.
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We were out,
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we were out
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meeting with
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another brother
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who was just
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younger in the faith.
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He was a new Christian,
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but he had had
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kind of a past
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with alcohol,
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with addiction.
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And,
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before we actually
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went to meet up with him,
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I just told
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the strong brother,
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hey,
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like,
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let's not tonight.
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You know,
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let's just not,
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don't order,
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don't order a beer.
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Because,
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like,
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he,
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one,
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he may be tempted
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by it,
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but two,
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his consciousness
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isn't in a good place
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to see things like that.
23:11
And,
23:12
he was just like,
23:13
no problem.
23:13
Like,
23:14
I'll gladly just
23:15
throw it all away
23:15
if that would help him.
23:16
You know,
23:17
just a mature response.
23:19
Not like,
23:20
well,
23:20
I'm a,
23:20
I'm gonna,
23:21
I'm in liberty,
23:22
so I'm gonna drink,
23:23
you know,
23:23
and do what I want to do.
23:24
But,
23:25
he,
23:25
he easily just said,
23:27
no big deal.
23:28
I'll,
23:28
I'll seek to please him,
23:29
you know,
23:30
more than myself here.
23:32
And,
23:32
like,
23:32
that's,
23:32
those are the examples.
23:34
They extend beyond
23:34
a lot of things.
23:36
But,
23:37
we must please others.
23:40
We must seek to please others.
23:42
We can't control the weak
23:44
or difficult brothers,
23:45
but with God's help,
23:46
we can,
23:47
he can help control us
23:49
as we react to them.
23:51
And,
23:51
God often uses difficult,
23:54
weak brothers or sisters
23:55
to reveal sin
23:56
in our own life.
23:57
how much patience we lack,
24:00
how angry and irritable
24:02
we can be
24:03
with their issues.
24:06
It keeps us dependent
24:07
on God.
24:09
So,
24:09
that's the first one,
24:10
is look to others
24:12
and away
24:13
from ourselves.
24:15
Number two,
24:17
you knew this was coming,
24:18
look to Christ.
24:21
Look to Christ.
24:22
See this in verse three.
24:23
Now,
24:24
this is the reason,
24:25
right?
24:25
For Christ did not
24:26
please himself,
24:28
but as it is written,
24:29
the reproaches of those
24:30
who reproached you
24:32
fell on me.
24:34
So,
24:35
it would be great to know
24:36
what this looks like.
24:39
But,
24:39
in Christ,
24:40
we have the perfect pattern
24:41
to follow,
24:42
the perfect example
24:43
in Christ.
24:45
Believers are to follow
24:47
the self-denying
24:48
example of Christ
24:50
and thereby live
24:52
in harmony
24:53
with one another.
24:55
And,
24:56
get what Paul is saying here.
24:57
This isn't just a random,
24:59
just be like Jesus
25:01
kind of
25:02
exhortation.
25:03
He really means this.
25:05
So,
25:05
why is he
25:06
pointing this out?
25:08
He's trying to say
25:09
that someone
25:09
who was the strongest
25:11
bore the weaknesses
25:14
of those without strength.
25:17
No one
25:17
was as strong,
25:19
perfect,
25:20
and innocent
25:21
as Jesus.
25:23
And,
25:23
no one
25:24
was more weaker,
25:26
broken,
25:26
and guilty
25:27
than us.
25:28
And,
25:29
Christ denied
25:30
himself.
25:31
He didn't seek
25:31
to please
25:32
himself,
25:33
but to please
25:34
the Father.
25:36
You see that in
25:37
John 5,
25:37
verse 30.
25:38
John 8,
25:39
39.
25:40
My desire is to do
25:41
the will of him
25:42
who sent me.
25:44
It was extremely
25:45
difficult and painful
25:46
and eventually
25:48
cost Jesus'
25:49
his own life
25:50
on the cross
25:50
to seek to honor
25:52
and please
25:53
his Father.
25:54
So,
25:55
both in his life
25:56
and in his
25:56
agonizing death,
25:59
we vividly see
26:00
his utmost concern
26:02
to please the Father
26:03
and to seek
26:04
our good
26:04
and accomplishing
26:06
the work
26:07
of redemption.
26:09
He didn't look
26:09
to his own desires.
26:11
He didn't look
26:11
out for his
26:12
own benefit.
26:14
Christ,
26:15
I mean,
26:15
the ultimate example
26:16
of that is in
26:17
Gethsemane where
26:18
he basically just
26:19
prays like God,
26:21
Father,
26:22
with drops of blood,
26:24
right?
26:25
If there is any
26:26
other way
26:27
for this cup
26:29
to pass from me,
26:31
nonetheless,
26:32
let your will be
26:33
done
26:34
and not mine.
26:35
He has submitted
26:36
himself to that.
26:38
So,
26:38
Christ is the
26:40
highest,
26:41
supreme example
26:42
of living
26:42
for God's glory
26:44
under hardship.
26:45
And showing that,
26:47
he quotes a
26:47
messianic psalm,
26:49
Psalm 69,
26:50
verse 9,
26:51
which reads,
26:52
in its context,
26:53
For zeal for your
26:55
house has consumed
26:57
me,
26:57
or eaten me up,
26:59
and the reproaches
27:00
of those who
27:01
reproached and
27:02
insulted you
27:03
have fallen upon
27:04
me.
27:05
So,
27:05
reproach means
27:06
reviled,
27:09
persecuted,
27:10
insulted.
27:10
That's what
27:11
reproach means.
27:13
And Paul applies
27:14
this text to
27:15
Jesus,
27:16
expressing those
27:17
words of a
27:18
righteous man
27:19
who endures
27:20
insults and
27:21
scorn for the
27:23
sake of God's
27:23
glory.
27:25
We need to
27:26
understand that
27:26
it was Christ's
27:27
zeal and passion
27:29
for God that
27:30
brought suffering
27:31
upon him.
27:33
Passion actually
27:34
means the
27:36
degree of
27:37
difficulty that
27:37
you're willing to
27:38
go through to
27:39
accomplish the
27:40
goal.
27:40
That's what a
27:40
passion means.
27:42
It isn't like
27:43
rah-rah or
27:44
passionate.
27:44
It's like
27:44
whatever you
27:46
say, that
27:46
thing is worth
27:47
everything, worth
27:48
sacrificing for,
27:49
worth dying for.
27:50
And for Christ,
27:51
it was zeal and
27:53
love for his
27:55
father, and that
27:55
brought great
27:56
suffering upon
27:58
him.
27:59
And that's what
27:59
Paul is challenging
28:00
us with here,
28:01
for us to bear
28:02
the weaknesses
28:03
of others in
28:04
living to
28:04
please God by
28:06
pleasing our
28:07
neighbor, and
28:08
making real
28:09
everyday choices
28:11
of self-denial,
28:13
even limiting our
28:14
liberties if
28:15
necessary, giving
28:17
them up for the
28:18
spiritual good of
28:18
those who are
28:19
weak.
28:21
But it's almost
28:22
sort of laughable
28:25
though, to be
28:25
honest.
28:26
It's yet, when it
28:28
comes to us, by
28:29
comparison, that
28:30
scale is like
28:32
Christ gave up
28:33
all he had to
28:34
suffer and endure
28:35
for our good.
28:37
It just makes
28:37
what he's asking
28:39
us to give up,
28:40
just a little bit
28:40
of liberty, kind
28:41
of seems like
28:42
trifling a little
28:43
bit.
28:44
Almost just like,
28:44
yeah, I don't
28:46
have any excuse
28:47
to complain because
28:48
of all that he
28:49
sacrificed for me.
28:51
The scale of his
28:52
personal passion and
28:53
sacrifice in
28:55
comparison to the
28:56
restriction of our
28:57
liberty for the
28:58
sake of weaker
28:59
brothers is a
29:01
trifling thing,
29:03
really.
29:04
But he's
29:04
highlighting that,
29:05
like follow
29:06
Christ's example.
29:08
But how many of
29:09
you just the, I
29:12
kind of grew up as
29:14
a really early
29:15
Christian wearing
29:16
the WWJD
29:17
bracelet, and then
29:20
it just kind of
29:21
donged at me, I
29:21
really, really
29:22
stink at doing
29:23
what Jesus does.
29:25
And it kind of
29:26
occurred to you
29:27
that it's not
29:28
just be like
29:29
him and that's
29:31
it.
29:32
It can be
29:33
discouraging.
29:34
We all have
29:35
failed to live
29:36
like Christ
29:37
day after day.
29:39
And an
29:39
encouraging word
29:40
for those of you
29:41
who may feel
29:42
that way is that
29:43
it's been said
29:44
by Wiser
29:45
Man that Christ
29:46
is first our
29:48
Savior before
29:49
he's our
29:50
example.
29:51
All right?
29:52
So he, we
29:53
come to him as
29:54
broken sinners in
29:55
need of his
29:56
saving grace.
29:59
And he
29:59
transforms us
30:00
and promises
30:01
never to leave
30:02
us or forsake
30:03
us.
30:03
And he gives
30:04
us his
30:05
resurrection life.
30:06
Give us what
30:07
we need to
30:08
serve him as
30:10
we come to
30:10
him daily.
30:12
So if you're
30:13
having an issue
30:14
with that, he's
30:14
provided a way
30:15
for you to
30:17
follow him by
30:18
going to him.
30:19
So look to
30:20
Christ.
30:20
Then number
30:21
three, look to
30:22
the scripture.
30:23
Verse four.
30:26
For whatever
30:27
was written in
30:27
former days was
30:29
written for our
30:29
instruction that
30:30
through endurance
30:31
and through the
30:32
encouragement of
30:32
the scriptures,
30:33
we might have
30:34
hope.
30:35
So as it is with
30:36
all things in the
30:37
Christian life,
30:38
we are to look
30:39
upon God's glory
30:40
in his word and
30:41
be transformed
30:42
by it.
30:44
I think I fell
30:45
into a habit
30:46
maybe in the
30:47
last few months
30:47
of just more
30:48
or less reading
30:50
the scripture out
30:51
of duty rather
30:54
than delight,
30:55
more out of
30:55
obligation than
30:57
desire, and
31:00
failing to
31:01
recognize that
31:02
God will use
31:05
this to help
31:05
make me more
31:07
like Christ.
31:08
God will use
31:08
this to help
31:09
strengthen my
31:10
heart.
31:12
So although the
31:12
New Testament is
31:13
inspired by God,
31:14
that's a whole
31:14
other message.
31:16
Paul specifically
31:17
has in mind the
31:18
Old Testament
31:18
scriptures here.
31:19
He says,
31:20
for whatever is
31:20
written in the
31:21
former days,
31:22
and I mean,
31:23
just read Romans,
31:24
right?
31:25
Like he references
31:25
the Old Testament
31:27
many, many, many
31:28
times to prove
31:29
his point,
31:30
and he just did
31:31
by quoting
31:32
Psalm 69.
31:35
He's reminding
31:36
us of this
31:36
importance,
31:38
that full
31:39
confidence that
31:39
the Old Testament
31:40
was written down
31:41
for our instruction
31:42
in the encouragement
31:43
of God's people.
31:46
Sort of indirectly
31:46
implying that all
31:47
of God's words
31:49
scriptures are God's
31:50
words.
31:51
He inspired them.
31:53
He put them down
31:54
for us.
31:55
And those things
31:56
that were written
31:56
a long time ago
31:57
don't just serve
31:59
the needs of those
32:00
people, but continue
32:01
on to serve the
32:02
needs of his people
32:04
today.
32:04
It goes on for
32:06
later centuries.
32:07
So, saying to the
32:09
strong believer,
32:10
then, go back
32:12
and read the
32:13
scriptures.
32:13
If you're struggling
32:15
with being patient,
32:16
if you're struggling
32:17
with being discouraged
32:19
at the growth of
32:20
these weaker
32:22
brothers or sisters,
32:23
if you're struggling
32:24
with that,
32:25
if you feel
32:26
faint-hearted,
32:28
go to the
32:29
scriptures.
32:29
If you're feeling
32:30
exasperated,
32:32
in the scriptures
32:33
you will find
32:34
instruction.
32:34
That means like
32:35
teaching,
32:37
training,
32:38
to help us
32:39
know how to
32:40
bear with
32:40
the weaker
32:41
believers.
32:42
And then,
32:44
that will also
32:45
help us establish
32:46
endurance,
32:47
which this word
32:48
endurance means
32:49
to bear up
32:50
under extreme
32:51
difficulty
32:52
and to persevere.
32:55
So, just think
32:56
about it.
32:57
Does the Bible
32:57
have any stories
32:59
like that?
33:01
Many, many.
33:03
Noah,
33:05
Joseph,
33:06
Moses,
33:08
David.
33:08
Take your pick.
33:09
Like, all stories
33:11
of God
33:12
helping His
33:13
people bear up
33:14
under extreme
33:15
difficulty.
33:16
So, look to
33:17
those
33:18
in the
33:20
scripture
33:20
who look to
33:21
God to go
33:21
through difficult
33:22
times.
33:23
And then,
33:24
beside that,
33:25
if you're feeling
33:25
disheartened,
33:26
like massively
33:27
discouraged,
33:28
it says that the
33:29
scriptures can
33:30
give you
33:30
encouragement.
33:31
That means
33:31
comfort,
33:32
strength,
33:33
consolation.
33:35
So, far
33:35
beyond the
33:36
limited value
33:37
just for
33:37
Christians,
33:38
the record of
33:39
all God's
33:40
dealings with
33:40
His people
33:41
in the past
33:42
have been
33:43
deliberately
33:43
preserved for
33:44
our good,
33:45
our encouragement,
33:47
spiritual benefit.
33:49
There's just one
33:50
place I have for you
33:51
to turn today.
33:51
Well, actually two,
33:52
but before we
33:54
close, but look at
33:54
Psalm, hold your
33:55
hand in Romans,
33:56
but look at
33:56
Psalm 119.
33:59
Look at
33:59
Psalm 119,
34:03
verse 49.
34:04
Psalm 119.
34:06
The psalmist,
34:08
speaking of the
34:09
goodness of God's
34:10
Word, God's
34:11
law, he says
34:13
in verse 49,
34:16
remember your
34:17
word to your
34:18
servant in which
34:20
you have made
34:21
me hope.
34:22
So, God's
34:23
voice, God's
34:25
Word incites
34:25
real hope in
34:27
His people.
34:28
Verse 50,
34:30
this is my
34:31
comfort and
34:32
affliction that
34:33
your promise
34:34
gives me life.
34:37
Maybe go down
34:37
to verse 52,
34:39
the whole thing,
34:39
but really just
34:40
for sake of time.
34:41
Verse 52,
34:42
when I think
34:42
of your rules
34:43
from of old,
34:44
I take comfort,
34:46
O Lord.
34:48
The saying that
34:48
God's Word gives
34:50
us genuine
34:50
comfort and
34:51
life.
34:53
Verse 54,
34:54
your statutes
34:55
have been my
34:57
songs in the
34:58
house of my
34:59
sojourning.
35:01
So, God's
35:01
Word is the
35:02
song that we
35:03
sing as we
35:03
travel through
35:04
this foreign
35:06
land called
35:06
earth.
35:08
This life
35:08
that gives us
35:10
joy and hope
35:11
to press
35:12
forward.
35:12
It's to our
35:13
H81.
35:14
My soul
35:14
longs for
35:15
your salvation.
35:16
I hope in
35:17
your Word.
35:19
So, if you're
35:20
feeling discouraged,
35:21
you feel like
35:21
your endurance
35:22
is wavering,
35:23
God's Word is
35:23
meant to give
35:25
us hope,
35:26
to hold fast,
35:27
to cherish
35:27
hope,
35:28
so that we
35:30
will believe
35:30
that those
35:31
weaker brothers
35:31
or sisters
35:32
may one
35:32
day mature,
35:33
overcome.
35:35
Fourthly,
35:37
back in
35:37
Romans,
35:39
verse 5,
35:43
and he
35:43
goes from
35:44
talking about
35:44
the Scriptures
35:45
to prayer,
35:47
and Paul
35:47
says,
35:48
may the
35:48
God of
35:49
endurance and
35:49
encouragement
35:50
grant you
35:50
to live in
35:51
such harmony
35:52
with one
35:53
another in
35:53
accord with
35:55
Christ Jesus.
35:56
So, there is
35:57
a dependence
35:58
on God's
35:59
power here.
35:59
This cannot
36:00
be done.
36:00
Have you ever
36:01
just tried
36:01
putting up
36:02
with somebody
36:02
in your own
36:02
strength?
36:03
Putting up
36:04
with your
36:04
own friends
36:06
or family
36:07
that can
36:08
sometimes just
36:08
be hard to
36:09
deal with,
36:10
or just a
36:10
weaker brother
36:11
in the Lord?
36:13
Try doing it
36:14
in your own
36:14
strength,
36:15
and you'll be
36:15
pulling your
36:15
hair out
36:16
and throwing
36:16
things.
36:18
But God
36:18
gives us
36:19
what we need.
36:20
He alone
36:22
can give us
36:23
what we need
36:23
to patiently
36:24
endure and
36:25
persevere.
36:26
Whatever He
36:27
requires of us
36:28
in His commandments,
36:28
He gives us
36:29
the grace
36:29
to follow.
36:32
That famous
36:33
prayer by
36:34
St. Augustine,
36:35
Lord,
36:35
grant,
36:36
command what
36:37
you will,
36:38
but grant
36:38
what you
36:39
command.
36:39
Give us
36:39
the grace
36:40
to follow
36:41
your commands.
36:43
So,
36:44
God grants,
36:45
you see this
36:45
word,
36:46
graciously
36:46
supplies us
36:48
the ability
36:48
to live in
36:49
such mutual
36:50
harmony
36:50
and understanding
36:52
with one
36:53
another
36:53
in accord
36:54
with Christ
36:55
Jesus.
36:56
So,
36:56
Christ is
36:56
that unifying
36:57
point.
36:58
We all
36:58
come back
36:59
to Him.
37:01
So,
37:01
just sort of
37:01
stating it
37:02
very plainly
37:03
to wrap
37:03
this up
37:03
here,
37:04
your hope
37:05
and mine
37:06
is not
37:06
found in
37:07
our ability
37:08
or our
37:08
willingness
37:09
or our
37:09
resolve
37:09
to endure,
37:11
but in
37:12
God's
37:12
unshakable
37:13
enduring
37:14
commitment
37:14
never to
37:16
turn from
37:16
the work
37:17
of grace
37:17
in us.
37:18
our hope
37:19
to be
37:20
faithful
37:20
is that
37:21
we have
37:22
been welcomed
37:22
into
37:22
communion
37:23
with the
37:24
one
37:25
who will
37:25
endure
37:26
no matter
37:27
what.
37:28
Right?
37:28
So,
37:28
why is that
37:29
important to
37:29
learn?
37:30
It's important
37:30
because at
37:31
best,
37:32
our endurance
37:33
is just
37:34
spotty.
37:35
We forget
37:35
who we are
37:37
and we think
37:38
that grace
37:39
is just not
37:39
essential
37:40
throughout our
37:40
daily lives.
37:42
We get
37:42
discouraged
37:43
and throw
37:43
in the towel
37:44
on doing
37:45
good things
37:46
and serving
37:46
people.
37:47
We rebel.
37:49
There are
37:49
times that
37:50
we,
37:50
myself,
37:52
I fail
37:52
and I
37:53
attack those
37:54
around me.
37:55
Not because
37:55
I don't know
37:56
it's wrong,
37:57
but just in
37:57
that moment,
37:57
I just
37:58
don't care.
37:59
Sin has
37:59
caused me
38:00
to forget.
38:01
So,
38:02
our hope
38:02
of endurance
38:03
is not
38:03
found in
38:04
our own
38:04
strength
38:05
and character,
38:06
but in
38:07
God's
38:07
alone.
38:09
So,
38:09
Paul wrote
38:10
that to
38:10
the Colossians
38:11
that he
38:12
prayed that
38:12
they would
38:12
be strengthened
38:13
with all
38:14
power.
38:14
according to
38:16
his glorious
38:16
might,
38:17
for all
38:18
endurance
38:19
and patience
38:19
with joy.
38:20
Colossians
38:20
1,
38:21
11.
38:22
So,
38:22
may that
38:22
be our
38:23
prayer.
38:23
So,
38:23
Paul is
38:23
sort of
38:24
wrapping
38:24
that up
38:24
saying to
38:26
the believers,
38:27
despite your
38:28
differing views
38:29
on some of
38:29
these things,
38:31
be loving
38:32
and live in
38:34
harmony with
38:34
one another
38:35
with the
38:35
common Savior
38:36
Jesus Christ.
38:38
Right?
38:38
So,
38:39
what's the
38:39
goal of
38:40
everything we've
38:40
just said?
38:41
What's the
38:42
purpose?
38:43
That leads
38:44
to the
38:44
last point.
38:45
Look to
38:46
God's
38:46
glory,
38:47
verse 6
38:48
and 7.
38:49
He says,
38:49
so that
38:50
together you
38:51
may with
38:52
one voice
38:53
glorify the
38:54
God and
38:54
Father of
38:56
our Lord
38:56
Jesus Christ.
38:58
Therefore,
38:58
welcome one
38:59
another as
39:00
Christ has
39:00
welcomed you
39:01
for the
39:02
glory of
39:03
God.
39:04
And so,
39:05
Paul continues
39:06
praying,
39:07
says,
39:07
main purpose
39:07
here being
39:08
Christian unity,
39:10
the main
39:10
point of
39:11
unity,
39:11
being just
39:11
for the
39:12
sake of
39:12
other
39:12
believers.
39:13
That's
39:14
important.
39:15
But,
39:16
the purpose
39:17
is to
39:17
honor and
39:18
please God
39:19
both in
39:19
our
39:19
individual,
39:21
public,
39:21
corporate
39:22
lives.
39:23
So,
39:23
here's the
39:24
beautiful
39:24
thing.
39:25
When we
39:26
love one
39:26
another in
39:27
Christ,
39:28
when we
39:28
bear with
39:29
the failings
39:29
of the
39:30
weak,
39:31
when we
39:31
bear
39:32
patiently
39:33
their
39:33
failings
39:34
and their
39:34
issues,
39:36
when we
39:36
endure with
39:37
those who
39:38
are difficult
39:38
to live
39:39
with,
39:39
and when
39:40
we love
39:40
each other
39:41
despite minor
39:42
differences,
39:44
it reflects
39:45
God's unity
39:46
in Himself
39:47
and it
39:47
brings Him
39:48
glory.
39:49
And this
39:49
is the last
39:50
thing I
39:50
wanted you
39:50
to turn
39:51
to.
39:52
This was
39:52
Christ's
39:53
prayer for
39:53
us.
39:54
He prayed
39:54
this.
39:56
You could
39:57
say one
39:57
of His
39:58
dying
39:58
prayers,
40:00
one of
40:00
His
40:00
dying
40:00
desires
40:01
was for
40:02
unity.
40:03
John 17
40:04
verse 21.
40:06
John 17
40:07
verse 21.
40:08
He's
40:11
praying for
40:11
all future
40:14
believers here,
40:15
including us,
40:16
and He
40:16
prays in
40:16
verse 21,
40:18
that they
40:18
may all
40:19
be one,
40:20
just as
40:21
You,
40:22
Father,
40:22
are in
40:23
Me,
40:23
and I
40:24
in You,
40:25
that they
40:25
also may
40:27
be in
40:27
us,
40:28
so the
40:28
world may
40:29
believe that
40:30
You have
40:30
sent Me.
40:31
You see,
40:31
that idea of
40:32
our unity
40:33
reflects the
40:34
relationship
40:35
between the
40:35
Father and
40:36
the Son and
40:36
the Spirit.
40:38
Verse 22,
40:39
the glory
40:39
that You
40:40
have given
40:40
Me,
40:41
I have
40:41
given to
40:42
them,
40:42
that they
40:43
may be
40:43
one,
40:44
even as
40:45
We are
40:46
one.
40:47
I in
40:48
them,
40:48
and You
40:49
in Me,
40:50
that they
40:50
may be
40:50
perfectly
40:51
one,
40:52
so that
40:53
the world
40:53
may know
40:54
that You
40:55
have sent
40:55
Me,
40:56
and love
40:56
them even
40:57
as You
40:58
have loved
40:58
Me.
40:59
So in
41:02
conclusion,
41:02
when God's
41:03
people live
41:04
together in
41:05
one accord
41:06
and we
41:06
worship Him
41:07
together with
41:08
one voice,
41:09
we can
41:09
truly glorify
41:11
the God and
41:12
Father of
41:12
our Lord
41:13
Jesus Christ.
41:14
He's promising
41:15
to empower
41:16
us to do
41:17
that,
41:18
and therefore
41:18
He wraps it
41:19
up.
41:19
Therefore,
41:20
welcome one
41:21
another as
41:22
Christ has
41:23
welcomed you
41:24
for the
41:24
glory of
41:25
God.
41:26
God.
41:27
So whether
41:28
we're strong,
41:28
whether we're
41:29
weak,
41:30
whether we
41:30
need help,
41:31
we all
41:32
ought to
41:33
seek to
41:34
please one
41:35
another.
41:36
The mutual
41:36
acceptance of
41:38
one another
41:38
will bring
41:39
glory to
41:39
God.
41:41
Let's pray
41:42
together.