November 5, 2017
Morning Service

We finished up chapter 13 with Paul giving us wake up call to recognize the times we are living in.  It is really easy for us to be rocked to sleep spiritually by the busyness of our lives.  This was a message he mentioned in several of his letters to other churches as well.  We are truly challenged in this day and age of technology to slow down and take a look at our lives and make sure we are on the path that we want to be on.  Are we putting God first in every area of our lives?  If not, make the changes needed.  As we begin chapter 14 Paul again addresses another issue that faced the Roman church back then and is still one we face today.

Romans 14:1 And receive him who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.

·         A very important point that we all need to realize as Christ followers is that though we are all on the same path leading to God together, we are not all at the same point on that path.  Some of us have been walking this path for a many years and yet some of us may have just started.  It is only natural then that our levels of faith, knowledge and understanding will be different and we need to recognize that.

·          Paul here encourages us not to let that to become an issue among us in the body (church).  We are not to have disputes over differences of opinions or we could call them different convictions.  These can be very damaging to the church even causing division.  This is why Paul is addressing this here.  We all have our own testimony and journey with Christ.  Some of us were raised in church and some didn’t come until later in life.  Along the way, we all are taught things or interpret scriptures a little differently and that creates convictions on how we feel we can best serve Christ.  That is okay, but it is the attitudes that we create from those differences that matters.  Paul now explains further.

 

Romans 14:2-4  For indeed one believes to eat all things; but being weak, another eats vegetables.  (3)  Do not let him who eats despise him who does not eat; and do not let him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him.  (4)  Who are you that judges another's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. But he will stand, for God is able to make him stand.

·         This was a very big issue in these days because a lot of the meat that was sold in the market place had been previously offered to idols.  Some decided it was best to not eat meat at all and became vegetarians.  They perhaps may have come out of such idol worship and eating the meat was a strong reminder of those pagan days.  Some, knowing that idols are nothing, would eat the meat with a clear conscience.  That was not the problem; it was that each group judged the other to be wrong causing disputes.

·         Paul then makes a wonderful point I verse 4.  “Who are we to judge another’s servant?”  We all serve the same God and are doing what we think is best to serve and represent our Lord.  They are not trying to please us nor are we trying to please them.  We both seek to please the Lord.  If my conscience tells me to abstain from meat, then I must do it but I should not look down upon you if you choose to eat it.  Accept those differences and allow God to judge.  Rather than argue with a brother over something like this pray for God to show it to them. Share scripture with them that will give them greater understanding.  Study yourself to be sure you are right.  He now continues.

 

 

  Romans 14:5-6  One indeed esteems a day above another day; and another esteems every day alike. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind.  (6)  He who regards the day regards it to the Lord; and he not regarding the day, does not regard it to the Lord. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, does not eat to the Lord, and gives God thanks.

·         Another issue that still cause’s conflict is what day we choose to be our day of worship.  Some say we need to be faithful to the Sabbath day (Saturday) but most follow the pattern of the early church and gather to worship on Sunday.  It is God we are trying to please in all the choices we make.  We have the same goal in mind, but simply achieve it in a slightly different way.  In making our lives to be a “living sacrifice” and “seeking the kingdom of God” we must do our best to make choices that please God.

·         Verse 5 gives us the key to forming our opinions and convictions as he says we are to be “fully convinced in our own mind.”  I take that to mean that we need to study the scriptures on these issues and base our decisions on not what someone once told you, but on God’s Word.  Many times I think people create these personal opinions and convictions on things other than the Bible.  Our Bible needs to be the filter we run all our opinions and convictions through.  We must ask the question; “is what I am doing lining up with God’s Word?”  If not, we must be willing to say. “Not my will, but thine be done” and make the necessary changes.  We must admit that there is a possibility our opinion is wrong.  Building our faith is a process, how is it we grow?

 

Romans 10:17 Then faith is of hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.

·         Your faith is built by reading and studying your Bible.  Paul told Timothy this:

 

2 Timothy 2:15 Study earnestly to present yourself approved to God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.

·         It is important for us to be earnest in our study of our Bibles.  We should have a time of personal study daily and our doors here are open three times a week as we study together. We need to pray before we study and ask the Holy Spirit to help us to “rightly divide the Word of Truth.” It is from these studies that God speaks to us.  We speak to God through our prayers, but God speaks to us through His Word.

·         Our goal as you recall is to be a “living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service.”  Reading and praying gives us the base knowledge of what the really looks like.  Paul now gives us a perspective for us to adopt.

 

 Romans 14:7-9 For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.  (8)  For both if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore both if we live, and if we die, we are the Lord's.  (9)  For this Christ both died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and living.

·         Life is not about me.  I am not created for me.  Life is not about my happiness.  I am created for God.  I am the clay and He is the Potter.  If I live I am the Lord’s and when I die I am the Lord’s.  Jesus Christ paid the full price of my sins that I may be forgiven and live for Him and when I die I will be with Him.

 

Father create within us a heart that seeks Your will in all that we do and may we find peace and contentment in a life sacrificed to You.