Revering the Word
Romans 15 Unifying the Church in doctrine.
Good morning, everyone. This morning, we are in Romans chapter 15, and I really enjoyed preparing to share with you the contents of Romans 15. I think it's an important message, not only then, but for today. You might recall in Romans 14, the conversation was much about Jews who were following the law in regards to maybe a Sabbath day, maybe regarding what they ate and what they didn't eat, things that God had instructed in the Old Testament. And Paul was bringing the gospel to the Gentiles, which that in itself was a challenging thing for Jews. I mean, to think of them being the family of God all these years, and now, and they tended to look down on Gentiles more than they should have. But now, what was being taught to them is that, you know, if anyone comes to Jesus, they are brought into the family of God, they're forgiven of all their sin, and they don't even have to become a Jew, and they don't even have to follow the Old Testament law. They just need to have faith in Jesus and then learn what it means to follow and obey him. It's a new way. There's a new dispensation, a new season, we're under a new covenant. And they don't have to follow everything that you guys used to follow as Jews, and they can come to the front of the line. And by the way, Jews, you know, you get to be part of the family of God too, if you come to Jesus, but if you don't, you're going to be cut off. Well, they were, they were kind of offended and they wanted the Gentiles to follow their long, preserved ways of following God. And as a result, there would be division between Jew and Gentile because, and even between Jew and Jew because some who grasped the gospel and that what was required now is born again, faith and the spirit coming in, those who believe. And forgiveness of sins through Jesus. And if they really got that, they would then be free from the burden as it became to follow all the Old Testament law. But some had a hard time letting go. So now you have this division, either between Jew and Gentile, what laws are going to follow or whatnot, or between even Jew and Jew, because some would say, no, that's all gone now. Now it's through Jesus, you know, now we have to follow what the New Testament says about following God versus adhering to the Old Testament law. So they could be in division about that so Paul has a great concern because is the Church of Jesus Christ going to be divided. And that's not going to be a good thing, right, if the Church of Jesus Christ is divided in an argument about all kinds of things. And, indeed, sadly, I would say that's the way it is today. We have denomination after denomination after denomination. And if the Christian Church could be more unified in give grace on doctrines that, you know, sadly, people learn things through their denomination through their upbringing. And then they think that that is the way that follow God and anyone who doesn't do it like them is doing it wrong. And then what you get is you get division and you get denomination different denominations and you have people focusing on certain specific areas and magnifying those and making it. And in some cases, much bigger or clearer than what it is. And I am thankful that people want to follow the Word of God and where it's clear, we want to obey and honor that word. But sometimes people only know what they've been taught. That's one of the things I feel like I've run into the most in especially the last 10 years. I've really become a biblical focused pastor that focuses on the whole council. Sadly, I think I bring somewhat of a unique perspective to teaching. And when I say sadly, it's because of the way that I've approached God and the Bible for 25 years is I've been reading through the whole council of God's Word. And when you read through the whole council, see, let me let me go with you don't, someone who doesn't, then they only know what they've been taught. So if you were raised up in a certain denomination, and you were taught a certain way. Well, that's the way that you're likely to think and you think that is the way. But if you had read or if a person reads the whole Bible. All of a sudden you start reading things and you start saying, wait a second, this is what I was taught, but these scriptures here don't seem to line up. Well, a lot of people don't know that so then they only major on what they've been taught, and they don't have enough knowledge of the Bible to say, well, you know what, maybe what I taught isn't as clear as what I thought it was. And the only way you would know that is to study the whole council of God's Word. And, you know, I would love to, you know, anyone who may not line up with say what I'm teaching. I'd love to be able to sit down with people and say, well, let's go to the Bible, because that's where I'm getting what I teach from. Let's go to the Bible and let's see what it says in completion. And let's say you think a certain way based on a certain doctrine. I'd love to show you some verses that don't line up with perhaps the way of thinking and what a lot of people do is they just ignore what doesn't line up. What I'm arguing for is adherence to the Word of God adherence to the New Testament word the whole Bible. But at times, not where there is uncertainty when you look at the whole council, all of the Bible on a specific doctrine that we would give a little grace and mystery in those areas. And love one another and be unified because we'd say, you know what, that is a hard one to discern and, and, and not be divided over things that we shouldn't be divided about, you know, I was, I came to Christ. In 1996 to 2024 right now, at an evangelical free church and I'm, I'm thankful for that upbringing and that's where I also have studied is that Trinity Divinity and Deerfield Illinois, and it's part of the evangelical free church and I'm not, I'm not a part of that denomination, our church is just a Bible believing church, you know, we try to go to the way we try to go to the Bible and just follow that. But what I like about the free church is they do that they try to major on the majors and they try to focus on the word of God, but they do allow grace and disputeable matters and I think, I think there should be less disputeable things and there is meaning really we shouldn't be disputing about things that that if you want, if you look at the whole council it makes it more clear or it makes it more mystery in the sense that we don't have to choose a camp. We can give grace to one another and the free church does a good job of that. You know I wish instead of all the denominations that we have we just say you know what I'm a Bible believing Christian and I believe in the whole council of God's word and I followed Jesus, the Lamb of God took away the sins of the world. And when I want to know what's true I'm not going to go to a doctrine or a denomination, I'm going to go to the Bible and we're going to, we're going to search the whole thing and see what it has to say so with all that. In the chapter 15. Now we who are strong. Now what he's referring to theirs you might recall in chapter 14 is if you weren't saying, like for instance, you're free to eat poor you're free to eat shrimp. You don't have to honor a Saturday Sabbath anymore. He's actually calling that strong understanding that you have freedom in Jesus to not be under the law anymore because he died to free you from the law. Now what's binding in the law, we need to understand that through a New Testament for understanding looking at what the word says about what still needs to be followed in the law in the New Testament. That's a kind of a lesson for another day but we've talked about that, you know, on reviewing the word more than one time. Those who are weak now we are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. And what he's referring to as weak is let's say someone said, well, you know what, I think we need to, you know, not eat pork or not eat shrimp or we need to honor this law or that law. It shouldn't be that way and that's actually weak to think that you have to go back to the Old Testament law to please God. But if someone feels that way let's not let's not try to create division as long as they believe in Jesus is the Messiah, the one who died to forgive us of our sin. And then he says to each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, his edification so let's say there was meat that was sacrificed to an idol. Now we don't really see that much today but back in that day if you knew there was meat, Paul's like really it doesn't matter, it's just meat because those are false idols anyways, but someone might be offended if you knew that the meat was sacrificed to an idol. So why not just not partake of it or buy that meat in the marketplace when you know that meat was sacrificed to an idol because you don't want to trouble your neighbor who might be offended by that, even though you might feel you're free and you are to eat whatever like you could do that just to honor your neighbor so in some cases, we're just looking to respect other Christians in our midst and not create division that that's really what he's talking about here for even Christ did not please himself but as it is written the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me quoting an Old Testament passage there but you know Jesus Christ died for us and for whatever was written in earlier times Old Testament was written for our instruction so that through the perseverance and the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ and I think man what a great word that is verse five and six you know that God wants us to have unity you might recall in John 17 when Jesus was praying in the garden he's like father that they may be one is we are one and he said that multiple times in that chapter in John 17 right before he was arrested and this says the same thing he got wants us to be the same mind with one accord and you know I want to encourage you that let's say if you're you know especially if you're in my proximity but let's say there's a doctrine that you're unsure of or maybe you think you are sure of it and you think well pastor Jay's wrong about this you know that's okay you know first of all let's love one another let's give grace to one another but second of all let's talk about it if you're within you know in our region here I would love to get into the word of God and share with me your perspective and let me bring some other scriptures to the table too that maybe you haven't considered and let's see because I really think if we took the time to do that there would be greater unity on so much and that's what God desires that his body of Christ that his church would be have greater unity because we can be if we're one and unified we can be a stronger light to this world who needs Jesus and needs the word of God. Verse seven therefore accept one another just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God for I say that Christ has become a servant you know this is where it's going to help you to see that what I've been talking about is really what Paul has been talking about for I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers and for the Gentiles to glorify God and so he's trying to say you know this gospels for all of us whether whether you know circumcised really meaning Jew or whether Gentile we all are now are supposed to be one in Christ. So then he says in verse nine and for the Gentiles to glorify God for his mercy as it is written and now he's going to quote Old Testament and why that's important is he's going to try to share with the Jew that you know what the Bible said it was we're supposed to be a light to the Gentiles that this gospel is going to come to the nations and now it is so don't feel like it shouldn't be to the nations because even your Old Testament that you're trying to honor said it was going to be therefore quoting now the Old Testament II Samuel and Psalm 18 as well. Therefore I will give praise to you among the Gentiles and I will sing to your name. And again he says rejoice O Gentiles with his people so again quoting Old Testament and again praise the Lord all you Gentiles and let all the peoples praise him see so the gospel was supposed to come to all and again Isaiah says there shall come from the root of Jesse by the way that's Jesus Jesse's David's father. And Jesus came from the family line of David that's why he was born in Bethlehem by the way the city of David the city of Jesse. He who arises to rule over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles hope and you know that can be translated sometimes nations too. And because a lot of times the Jews thought well we are the nation of God we're the family of God and in him shall the nations have hope shall the Gentiles have hope this gospel is going out to all nations and that's Jew or Gentile. Verse 13, now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit and hallelujah. You know the gospel gives us hope the promise of eternal life gets us gives us hope even you know when things may be in the valley or dark in this life we go through seasons that are hard, but we always have hope in Jesus and sometimes that's hope that you know what praise God this life is coming into end so that I can be with my Lord in heaven. Verse 14, in concerning you my brother and I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. I do that because people are in air in what they believe and we need to admonish one another, but I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again because of the grace that was given me from God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God so that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Again, you know, we don't struggle with that today. You know, but it was a big deal in Paul's day that he was considered a minister to the Gentiles and bringing the gospel to all nations to anyone. Even people who were not Jewish could come to Christ and that was a that was a lot for people to stomach in that day. It's not today because of the things Paul wrote. Now we understand that anybody can come to faith in Jesus Hallelujah. Therefore in Christ Jesus, I have found reason for boasting and things pertaining to God for I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word indeed. You might recall and we'll see that in the next chapter that that has really been the focus of Paul throughout the book of Romans is that as a result of faith in Jesus and what he's done that it would result in obedience by word indeed that we would become obedient to the faith that we now learn the new faith the Christian faith, the New Testament faith built on the foundation of the Old Testament, but now a new covenant and in that by having faith in Jesus and in what we've been taught that we would become obedient to it by word indeed that's that's the focus of the book of Romans. In the power of signs and wonders in the power of the spirit so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as illicorum. I have fully preached the gospel Jesus Christ and Paul was really a soldier of the faith man he gave his life to this gospel and traveled the world proclaiming the gospel. I aspire to preach the gospel not where Christ was already named so that I would not build on another man's foundation, but as it is written those who had no news of him shall see. And Paul, you know, tried to be a missionary taking the gospel to places where it wasn't and good for him I mean what an example for this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you that is Rome, but now with no further place for me in these regions and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you whenever I go to Spain for I hope to see you in passing and to be helped on my way there by you when I have first enjoyed your company for a while. Paul's planning to get to Rome and he's gonna eventually get to Rome, and he had planned at this point that maybe when he went to Rome he'd keep going sharing the gospel all the way to Spain. We don't know that he ever made it there and he was hoping that when he came to Rome on his way to Spain that they would provide for his needs because again he sometimes he worked to provide for his own needs but many times he was provided by the people he ministered to so that he could focus on the gospel. Paul was on his way to Jerusalem and that's actually what's going to lead him to Rome because he's going to get arrested in Jerusalem and then end up having to stand trial in Rome so that's how God's going to get him to Rome and that's what happens here he says but now I am going to Jerusalem and again when he gets there he's going to get arrested and that's where he's going to end up taking that ship to Rome for Macedonia and IKEA have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Saints in Jerusalem. Paul also took offerings from other parts of the world and would bring them to Jerusalem to provide for the church in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do so meaning the people from Macedonia and IKEA were pleased to give to the church in Jerusalem and they are indebted to them for if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things they are indebted to ministry them also on material things. I think one of the things that Paul was hoping is that you know what when he would bring money from Gentile nations and churches and then come to where the concentration of Jews were in Jerusalem and he'd say, hey this is from these Gentile churches that it would make the Jews in Jerusalem more willing to understand that this gospel is for all and it didn't actually turn out that way completely because when he gets to Jerusalem the Jews there who were unwilling to accept Christ are going to see that he gets thrown in prison. For when I have finished this and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs I will go on by way of you to Spain again that's what his plans were but it doesn't appear to have happened. I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ and he's kind of setting it up you know one of the things that you might not understand or people might not know is that you know some of this was fundraising. You know the letter to the Philippian church as an example was a thank you letter I mean he did a lot more in it but they provided for his needs while he was in prison. And Paul wrote them a thank you and then provided some doctrinal instruction as well. And even this letter he's prepping not saying that's the purpose of the letter. The purpose is really to share the gospel to the people in Rome because he hasn't been there yet. But he's also setting it up so when he's there hopefully they'll be ready to provide for his needs as a missionary. Now I urge you brethren by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the spirit to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me. So that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea that's the area around Jerusalem and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints. So that I may come to you enjoyed by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. He's hoping that his trip to Jerusalem will turn out good but I don't think Paul at this point had received the revelation that he later received because he later came to understand that it wasn't going to turn out well in Jerusalem and he knew that actually before he went. It doesn't appear that at this point he knew this was written more in the mid 50s but by the early 60s when Paul somewhere around there was on his way to Jerusalem he knew God had given him a vision that he was going to get arrested and eventually make it to Rome and that's exactly what happened. So, you know, God, Paul wanted to make it to Rome and he didn't make it maybe the way he originally thought he would make it but God made sure he made it there. And, you know, God's plans come true. Hallelujah. So, hey, what a great chapter. I think that, you know, we might not wrestle with the Jew and Gentile thing but we do wrestle with the nominalism and people get kind of puffed up on certain doctrine and think sometimes that their way is right. And I think it's really important that when we're talking about doctrine that we take in the whole Council of God's Word that we major on everywhere God has made things clear and I do that. Where there is mystery, we actually can be an heir and trying to be too clear on one side of a paradigm or another, because there's scripture that gives us a more complete picture. And in those areas where there's a complete picture, we should be more unified and trust in the beauty and richness and fullness and mystery of God's Word in areas where it gives us that. Instead of trying to so much so desire for clarity that we actually omit scripture that doesn't line up with the whole Council of God's Word. So much we could talk about there but, you know, any of you who are local and have questions regarding things like that. I'd love to visit more and perhaps in the future will talk about some of these areas where people wrestle with differing views of scripture. We be more unified, may we love one another and may we be a light to the nations both Jew and Gentile. God bless you all.