WEBVTT 00:00:02.799 --> 00:00:04.240 May 27th. 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:16.079 Governor Ron DeSantis in Florida announces his plan to roll back property tax on every single primary residence in Florida. 00:00:16.320 --> 00:00:20.160 Now, if you have a rental property in Florida, you're still gonna have to pay property tax. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:27.920 But if it's your home that you live in Florida, he's working on a plan that you won't have to pay property tax. 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:34.479 Now, I understand the blowers are blowing and the sound's a little weird, so let me say that again just in case you misheard it. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:44.000 In Florida, they're working on a plan so that you won't have to pay property tax on your home. 00:00:46.320 --> 00:00:48.719 And all God's people said amen. 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:53.439 When I first heard that, I was absolutely stunned. 00:00:54.079 --> 00:01:02.000 And once I paused and re-listened, my next thought was, God must be calling me to plant a church in Florida. 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:07.120 Oh, seriously, I'm not planning to go anywhere, not plant a church there. 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:09.840 I am excited for us to plant a church here, though. 00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:19.040 And many of you were here in our family meeting, and we talked about next week kicking off 21 days of prayer over this church plant. 00:01:19.200 --> 00:01:27.439 That starts a week from tomorrow, next Monday, June 8th, 21 days of prayer, where we're praying over the place, the planter, and the people. 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:33.519 And the invitation for you is this will God call you to step out or step up? 00:01:33.840 --> 00:01:37.120 Some will be called to step out and be part of this new church plant. 00:01:37.280 --> 00:01:44.719 And as they go, there will be people needed to step up and serve in different ways or give in different ways or use their gifts in different ways. 00:01:44.879 --> 00:01:47.760 Here's the invitation: step out or step up. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:49.439 What is God calling you to? 00:01:49.599 --> 00:01:55.040 Look for more information next Sunday, some print materials guiding those 21 days of prayer. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:58.719 We kicked off the year with the prayer and fasting four by four. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:00.799 Continue that theme of dependence on Christ. 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.159 21 days of prayer coming up starting next week. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:08.479 All that's an aside from talking about Florida and property taxes. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:15.599 Now, when I first heard of Governor DeSantis' plan, it was remarkable to me for a number of reasons. 00:02:15.840 --> 00:02:21.039 One of which, you may know this, Florida already does not collect income tax. 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:32.159 And I just thought, I want to be part of a state that has a government that is so well run that they can look at you and say, we don't even need your money, we'll give it back to you. 00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:33.759 That's incredible. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:37.280 And I thought, and maybe imagine yourself in this situation. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:49.439 What if Governor DeSantis came to you two years ago and he said, Here's my plan to run a government at the state level so well that we can roll back property taxes. 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:52.479 Would you like to be part of building that plan? 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:55.360 Now, for me, that would be invigorating. 00:02:55.520 --> 00:02:57.439 Like, absolutely. 00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.840 That's a vision I want to be part of. 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:01.439 How can we do that? 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.919 It would be really, really compelling. 00:03:04.560 --> 00:03:08.879 You might even say it this way, and these are words you maybe never thought would go together. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:12.560 It would be a beautiful political vision. 00:03:13.919 --> 00:03:14.879 I think it would be. 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:17.439 Well, in Romans 14, you know what God is doing? 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:20.479 He's inviting you to create something beautiful. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:24.800 Way more beautiful than a state without property tax. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:37.280 God is inviting you to create this vision of a church where people with different convictions are loved and welcomed and celebrated. 00:03:37.599 --> 00:03:47.599 He's inviting you to create a church where our differences don't define us and our differences don't cause division. 00:03:48.080 --> 00:04:00.639 Instead, he's inviting us to create a church where our differences actually put on display the beauty of the gospel and a unity that runs much deeper than our differences. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:03.520 Let me give you a couple of examples here. 00:04:03.680 --> 00:04:15.919 He's inviting us to build and grow a church where homeschoolers and public schoolers and Christian schoolers actually like each other. 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:26.399 He's inviting us to build a church where wine connoisseurs and teetotalers enjoy dinner parties together. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:32.160 He's inviting us to build a church where IU fans and Purdue fans can. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:33.759 Okay, that's too far. 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:35.040 We're not going to go there. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:37.040 He's not wanting to do just that yet. 00:04:37.120 --> 00:04:37.360 Okay. 00:04:37.519 --> 00:04:38.480 No, what is he doing? 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:51.120 He's inviting us to build a church where the bond of unity in the gospel is so great that even strong views on debated issues do not define or divide us. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:55.120 Now here's the reality of Parkside Bible Church right now. 00:04:55.759 --> 00:05:06.160 Within a church this size, we have lots of people with lots of different views, sometimes very help, very strongly held views on debated issues. 00:05:06.399 --> 00:05:12.399 And that presents a constant threat to unity, a constant threat of division. 00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:14.160 We got to recognize that. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:19.439 So the main idea that I want to give you this week and next week, actually the same main idea for both weeks. 00:05:20.079 --> 00:05:23.279 If you have your bulletin, it's printed right at the bottom of the sermon notes. 00:05:23.360 --> 00:05:24.079 But here it is. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:26.959 If you don't have a bulletin, I want you to write it down. 00:05:27.120 --> 00:05:28.319 I'll say it slow enough. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:29.439 I hope you can get it. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:41.839 We glorify God by pursuing peace and mutual upbuilding instead of quarreling over opinions for the glory of God. 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:49.120 That's a slightly longer main idea than what I usually give you, but it's this week and next, so I get two weeks in one, is how I'm justifying it. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:50.480 Here's the main idea again. 00:05:50.560 --> 00:06:02.319 We glorify God by pursuing peace and mutual upbuilding instead of quarreling over opinions for the glory of God. 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:13.759 That is to say, we build a church on gospel harmony and love instead of building a church where we all agree on agreement on these secondary debated issues. 00:06:14.079 --> 00:06:16.480 Now, reminder of where we are historically here. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:28.079 The book of Romans, Paul is writing to a church in the most influential city in the ancient world, and this book of Romans, you might say, is all about one word: righteousness. 00:06:28.560 --> 00:06:40.480 It's a righteousness that is demanded by God, a righteousness that is missing in us, a righteousness that is revealed only in Jesus Christ, and it is received only by faith. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:45.519 Righteousness, demanded by God, missing in us, revealed in Christ, received by faith. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:54.959 And when you get to the end of the book of Romans, Paul is saying in chapters 12 through 16, here's how you live out the righteousness of God. 00:06:55.360 --> 00:06:59.360 He's saying this is how it will transform all of your life. 00:06:59.519 --> 00:07:02.639 It's a complete change of identity. 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:15.199 Your identity is no longer formed by your accomplishments, by your failures, or by your views on debated issues, but on this, have you received the righteousness of Christ? 00:07:15.360 --> 00:07:20.160 Now, if you are here and you're not a Christian, that is the most important thing you will hear this morning. 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:27.199 That there is a righteousness demanded by God, missing in you, revealed in Christ, and can be received by faith. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:35.519 And it will determine your eternal destiny, and it will determine your earthly identity and how you live as well. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:43.439 What Paul has been saying in this lax section, here's how you live out the righteousness of God, chapter 12. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:45.680 It all comes down to one word: love. 00:07:46.399 --> 00:07:51.279 He says the whole Old Testament can be summarized in this command: love one another. 00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:53.439 Let love be genuine. 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:54.879 Romans 12, 9. 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.120 Love is the mark of maturity. 00:07:57.279 --> 00:08:01.519 And it's as if the Roman church says, yes, Paul, we hear you about loving one another. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:08:03.439 We're serving with joy. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:05.920 We're seeking to show hospitality. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:09.120 We're trying to live at peace with one another. 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:12.319 And yet they have found this one problem. 00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:20.879 There are debated issues within the church at Rome that pose the threat of division, just like they do at Parkside today. 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:31.120 And what Paul will do, he hints at the right way to see the issue, but he goes full throttle on how to show love in disagreement. 00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.399 That's really important. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:33.200 You catch that. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:41.039 He hints at the right way to see the debated issue, but he goes full throttle on how to show love in disagreement. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:47.200 And that's the title of today's message and of next Sunday's message as well: Love in Disagreement. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:51.360 Part one this week, part two next week. 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:59.360 I actually thought we were going to push this all into one week, and the more I studied the passage, I said, I don't think that's wise for us to do that. 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:02.399 Let's take two, let's slow down and see what this has to say. 00:09:02.639 --> 00:09:06.000 Here's how I want to kind of outline the sermon this morning. 00:09:06.159 --> 00:09:10.960 Real quickly, I want to give some historical context about the issues that were debated. 00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:16.080 And then I want to give, again, quickly, an overview of the conscience, kind of the cliff notes. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:22.080 And then the third part, I want to say, what are some principles for how we show love in disagreement today? 00:09:22.240 --> 00:09:28.799 So the first two will be really fast, and then when we get to the principles of how we do it today, I'll slow down and linger there just a little bit. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:32.000 Alright, historical context, what was going on in the church at Rome? 00:09:32.159 --> 00:09:36.080 You had Jews and Gentiles together inside the same church. 00:09:36.240 --> 00:09:41.440 They came from different religious backgrounds and from different cultural backgrounds. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:47.039 Some had been taught God is honored when you avoid these things. 00:09:47.279 --> 00:09:51.840 Others had been taught God is glorified when you enjoy these things. 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:55.279 And there are three particular issues that come up in the text. 00:09:55.519 --> 00:10:01.759 It's whether you can eat meat or drink wine or observe certain holy days. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:11.120 What's important that we note is these are not core doctrines of the faith, and they are not things that are clearly called sin in Scripture. 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:12.879 So you need to recognize these two. 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:20.639 These are not core doctrinal disagreements, and these are not brothers or sisters living in clear sin according to the scriptures. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:26.240 That's why, if you look at verse one, it calls them opinions. 00:10:26.639 --> 00:10:30.080 Welcome the weak in faith, but not to quarrel over opinions. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:32.720 That's what that word is very, very important for us. 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:36.799 Sometimes these are called matters of conscience. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:49.759 The weak person in verse one most likely were Jewish Christians who thought that abstaining from certain items was the godlier choice. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:57.440 Now, the Roman church was not saying, you have to have my view in order to be a Christian. 00:10:57.600 --> 00:10:58.879 How do I know that? 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:02.799 The Galatian church seemed to adopt that view. 00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:05.200 You must have this view in order to be a Christian. 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:07.600 And Paul brings the boom on them. 00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:12.960 Like if you've read Galatians 1, he is so sharp in his critique and his rebuke. 00:11:13.120 --> 00:11:15.039 It's like, no, this is totally out of bounds. 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:16.720 It's not in accord with the gospel. 00:11:16.799 --> 00:11:17.519 Don't do that. 00:11:17.759 --> 00:11:20.399 His tone in Romans 14 is very different. 00:11:20.559 --> 00:11:25.279 So it was likely not them saying, you must agree in order to be a Christian. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:35.600 Rather, he's saying, I see within your church factions and separated groups, not a warm unity. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:43.279 And so what was a wisdom issue perhaps had become for some an obedience issue. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:54.000 And we notice over time the specific issues will change, but the enduring need to show love in disagreement doesn't change. 00:11:54.480 --> 00:12:03.200 That is to say, godly love in disagreement is more important than seeing the issue in the same way. 00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:05.679 I want to say that again because it's really important. 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:11.440 Godly love in disagreement is more important than seeing the issue the same way. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:20.960 Or to reiterate the main point, we glorify God by pursuing peace and mutual upbuilding instead of quarreling over opinions for the sake of the gospel. 00:12:21.120 --> 00:12:22.720 There's your brief historical overview. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:23.840 I told you I'd be quick. 00:12:23.919 --> 00:12:26.320 Now let's go to the conscience overview. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:30.960 This is the Cliff Notes from the book that is recommended in your bulletin. 00:12:31.039 --> 00:12:32.080 I highly recommend it. 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:34.399 It's simply titled Conscience. 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:37.759 Here's the survey of conscience, the Cliff Notes for you. 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:41.360 The conscience is an inner knowledge of right and wrong. 00:12:41.600 --> 00:12:45.519 It's an inner knowledge of right and wrong. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:52.720 Principle of conscience is all over Romans 14, even though the word conscience itself is not explicitly mentioned. 00:12:52.960 --> 00:12:59.440 The conscience is listed more than 30 times across the whole of the New Testament. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:06.720 There is a parallel passage you might want to go back and study later this afternoon or this week in 1 Corinthians 8 through 10. 00:13:07.120 --> 00:13:15.360 A conscience is something that's getting given to every single person, every human, not merely given to Christians. 00:13:15.519 --> 00:13:31.440 So in Romans chapter 2, Paul says that all people will be judged whether or not they have the Holy Spirit, whether or not they have the Bible, because they have an internal knowledge of right and wrong, telling them you have broken God's law. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:35.440 So they are judged by their conscience even though they're not Christians. 00:13:36.559 --> 00:13:40.240 The conscience, therefore, is different than the Holy Spirit. 00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:50.799 The Holy Spirit, as the third person of the Godhead, is inerrant and is infallible, it is never wrong, but your conscience can be wrong. 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:52.080 There's two ditches. 00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:57.759 A conscience can be oversensitive or it can be insensitive. 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:01.840 Both are ditches, both are warned about in Scripture. 00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:10.960 In fact, in 1 Timothy 4, we read that there are some whose conscience has been seared as with a hot iron. 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:22.720 It's very interesting that 1 Timothy 4 reference, those whose conscience has been seared are forbidding people from partaking in good gifts from God. 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:26.960 They say, No, you can't do that, because their conscience has been seared with a hot iron. 00:14:27.279 --> 00:14:32.320 And so we recognize our conscience should be calibrated by Scripture. 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:49.440 And yet our conscience is oftentimes calibrated more by a cultural moment or the church that we're in or the community that we're in, and all of those things come together, and so we're seeking to always be calibrating that conscience according to Scripture. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:56.000 Even as our conscience might be wrong, Scripture says it should be obeyed. 00:14:56.159 --> 00:15:12.639 So we'll see this more next week, but Romans 14, 23 says it is very, very important to obey your conscience, because even if my conscience is wrongly calibrated, the act of overriding it and going against my conscience is itself sin. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:17.039 So if your conscience is binding you, don't disobey it. 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:25.440 Follow your conscience while seeking to reform and recalibrate your conscience according to Scripture. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:32.320 Or as one pastor I heard say it this way: reject your conscience, wreck your life. 00:15:32.639 --> 00:15:34.960 This is what happened in 1 Timothy chapter 1. 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:41.200 There are people who'd walked away from the faith because they'd rejected their conscience and they had wrecked their life. 00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:42.639 Don't do that. 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:44.159 Listen to your conscience. 00:15:49.039 --> 00:15:52.320 And in the sense of listening to your conscience, he was correct. 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:58.960 Last thing on the conscience overview here: weak conscience versus strong conscience. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:01.600 This is often debated, what is meant by it? 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:14.320 This is not referring to weak or strong belief as a general overarching term, but instead to say, how much Christian freedom do I sense on a particular issue? 00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:20.080 So the weak conscience generally perceives less freedom. 00:16:20.399 --> 00:16:30.320 In the Roman context, the weak conscience could not drink wine, could not eat meat, and had to observe all the extra holy days. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:38.000 A weak conscience is more likely to accuse yourself or accuse others. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:47.840 A weak conscience is more likely to fret over things that shouldn't cause you anxiety as a mature Christian. 00:16:48.480 --> 00:16:51.360 It doesn't mean you're not a mature Christian. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:55.840 It just means you're sensing less freedom than perhaps what the scriptures grant. 00:16:56.080 --> 00:17:00.799 The strong conscience, on the other hand, has more Christian freedom. 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:04.640 In this context, they could eat meat, they could drink wine. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:08.240 They were free to not observe all the holy days. 00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:15.440 It's important to note here, having a strong conscience is also not the same as being a mature Christian. 00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:20.799 You could realize all kinds of Christian freedom and yet not walk in love. 00:17:21.920 --> 00:17:28.400 You see, it's not about belief in general, but how much freedom you're perceiving according to your conscience. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:38.720 And the goal over time is to develop a strong conscience, more informed by the Bible, to appropriately embrace your Christian freedom. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:40.720 This takes time. 00:17:40.880 --> 00:17:48.880 And so the urgency of the command in Romans 14 is how do you show godly love in the midst of disagreement right now? 00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:54.160 Because everybody can do that regardless of how your conscience is calibrated. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:57.119 There is your conscience overview. 00:17:57.279 --> 00:18:00.559 Much more could be said, but I want to get to some specific principles. 00:18:00.720 --> 00:18:03.920 How do we live this out according to Romans 14? 00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:09.039 I'm going to give you five principles for how to show godly love in disagreement. 00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:16.319 And what I want to do is I want to cite a particular debated issue in each of the five principles. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:20.559 That means we're going to have lots of opportunity this morning to be offended. 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:25.200 And especially with some extra ambient noise, some opportunity to mishear. 00:18:25.440 --> 00:18:29.680 Not by hardness of heart, sometimes just by extra white noise. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:49.519 Let me give you just a few of the ones I thought of off the top of my head this week: politics, school, alcohol consumption, what clothes to wear to church, contraception, dancing, music and movies, whether or not to participate in Halloween, fair trade coffee, modesty, child discipline. 00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:53.519 And that was before I sat down to really think about it. 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:56.160 So there's a lot going on here. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:19:12.480 Let me just remind you before we get into these five principles, in the book of Romans, the greatest letter ever written, Paul dedicates about 10% of the letter to helping us think through how to show godly love in disagreement. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:13.359 10%. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:19.119 In other words, let me make an analogy to this gym setup. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:25.279 We knew coming into this, it was gonna take a team lift to get the whole gym set up, right? 00:19:25.440 --> 00:19:26.480 It's a big job. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:30.480 Paul's saying to show godly love in disagreement, it's a team lift. 00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:33.440 It's gonna take all of us, and it's gonna be a lot of work. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:36.000 That's why he gives 10% of the letter to it. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:38.000 Alright, let's jump into the five principles. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:41.359 Number one, embrace a warm welcome. 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:44.640 Embrace a warm welcome. 00:19:45.599 --> 00:19:51.839 See, welcoming is the central word in how we live out this godly love amid disagreement. 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:53.119 Look at verse one. 00:19:54.720 --> 00:19:59.279 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him. 00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:01.839 Circle that word welcome in your Bible. 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:05.200 But not to quarrel over opinions. 00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:11.279 One person may eat anything while the weak person eats only vegetables. 00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:14.960 Now I want you to drop down beyond what we read this morning. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:18.640 Look at chapter 15 and verse 5 in your copy of the scriptures. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:24.559 I'm gonna read three verses here, and you're gonna see this word welcome show up two more times. 00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:42.880 Here's what it says May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:20:43.119 --> 00:20:52.880 Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:57.440 Embrace a warm welcome. 00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.960 This is warm embrace and fellowship. 00:21:01.200 --> 00:21:09.680 It's the opposite of excluding or canceling or simply failing to embrace. 00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:21.359 And what the end of Romans, well the beginning rather of Romans 15, verse 6 says that relational harmony sounds like a choir that's harmonizing with one voice up to God. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:25.119 Let me tell you guys, I loved hearing your voices. 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:28.160 I was so thankful John led us in some a cappella singing. 00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:31.440 Isn't that beautiful to hear the voices raised together? 00:21:32.079 --> 00:21:43.279 What God says is when you embrace a warm welcome, all 500 of us, it's like a harmonizing choir lifting up praise to the God of the universe. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:47.680 It's more beautiful than a state without property tax. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:51.359 It's a more compelling vision, even than that. 00:21:51.680 --> 00:21:59.759 And what's natural for me and most of us is that we gravitate to people like us, people who think like me, people who are interested. 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:02.400 In the things that I'm interested in. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:10.160 And the question is this will you go out of your way to warmly welcome people that are not like you? 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:13.519 Now, I said I was gonna get into specific issues. 00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:16.640 Let's roll up our sleeves and let's do that right here. 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.359 Let's talk about school choices. 00:22:19.599 --> 00:22:24.079 The Bible doesn't say what kind of schooling you should pick for your family. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:35.839 And you can look out at the public school and the private school and the homeschooling options, and there are stereotypes about each of them. 00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:43.680 Guys, let me tell you, the stereotypes for all three are grounded in reality. 00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:49.359 So somebody can look at your choice and be like, I don't know about fill in the blank. 00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:53.599 You've already heard it, you're starting to feel a little defensive about your own choice right now. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:56.079 Those are grounded in reality. 00:22:56.720 --> 00:23:03.599 And I don't have to despise someone or look down on someone because they've chosen a different option. 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:11.599 But it's more than not despising, not looking down, it's actively extending a warm welcome. 00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:27.599 I think one of the ways this often breaks down for us inadvertently is as our kids get older, the birthday parties and the times we're gathering over the summer, we're not warmly welcoming people outside of our school choice. 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:30.640 And it's not necessarily something we sought out. 00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:33.759 It's just your kids make friends at school. 00:23:34.079 --> 00:23:43.680 And so it takes intentionality to reach out and say, I'm gonna cultivate friendship with people in my local church that are in a different kind of school community. 00:23:46.880 --> 00:24:00.720 But it's way more natural for us to kind of cluster up in affinity groups and sort of cast some side-eye dispersions at people who make a different choice and not embrace a warm welcome. 00:24:00.960 --> 00:24:08.640 Maybe you're just gonna embody this by having a couple of families over for dinner who have all embraced different schooling options. 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:15.119 You say these people maybe are not naturally my people, maybe they think differently, but you know what? 00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:18.559 You weren't naturally Jesus' people either. 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.880 And he pursued you and he warmly welcomed you. 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:36.160 And what you're doing when you extend this warm welcome is you're saying in a posture of spirit, I see the righteousness of Christ in you before I see this issue that could divide us. 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:38.400 And that's our true unity. 00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:40.240 So we embrace a warm welcome. 00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:44.000 Second principle, here's how we show love in disagreement. 00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:47.920 Reject judgment and condescension. 00:24:48.079 --> 00:24:52.079 Now here I see this rejecting judgment and condescension in verses three and four. 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:54.160 Let's read from verse three. 00:24:54.640 --> 00:25:07.279 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:11.599 In a sense, this is the photo-negative of the first principle. 00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:14.799 The first principle, actively pursue this. 00:25:14.960 --> 00:25:18.480 The second principle, reject what's on the other side of it. 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:28.079 There is an easy temptation to judge the person who partakes or to look down on the person who abstains. 00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:32.720 And let me just say this very clearly, because this is important for us as a church to understand. 00:25:33.200 --> 00:25:40.000 The attitudes in our heart are far more important than the words coming out of our mouth. 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:50.559 An attitude of judgment or condescension will be felt by everyone around you, regardless of the words that you speak. 00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:02.880 So let's take another issue here and kind of unpack this, thinking of substances. 00:26:03.039 --> 00:26:13.519 Whether you want to talk about alcohol consumption or the use of tobacco, we're talking here within biblical parameters, so drunkenness is automatically out. 00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:17.759 Illegal substances, definitely out of bounds. 00:26:18.240 --> 00:26:19.119 That's clear sin. 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:21.119 That's not what's being talked about here. 00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:33.200 It's very easy for the person who abstains to look at the person who partakes and in their mind think, my goodness, they don't care about holiness. 00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:38.240 Don't they know the risks of drunkenness? 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:41.279 Why even open the door? 00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:43.119 This is unwise. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:45.519 Very easy for that to happen. 00:26:45.599 --> 00:27:00.240 And it's very easy for the person who partakes to look at the person who abstains and think, well, God clearly told us in his word, all things are to be received with gratitude through prayer. 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:02.240 That's what 1 Timothy 4 says. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:05.359 Why are you being so legalistic and so strict? 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:08.079 Receive what God has given as a good gift. 00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:10.640 Maybe you've had some of these conversations. 00:27:10.799 --> 00:27:13.119 It's very easy for that to take place. 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:20.240 Which is to say, it's easy to walk in a spirit of subtle judgment. 00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.920 How could you? 00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:25.200 Or subtle condescension. 00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.480 How could you not? 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:28.640 When will you get on my level? 00:27:28.960 --> 00:27:30.880 But what does Paul say in verse 4? 00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:32.480 Let's keep reading. 00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:37.440 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:46.640 It is before his own master that he stands or falls, and he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:49.839 In other words, you aren't the master. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:51.119 God is. 00:27:52.079 --> 00:28:00.960 One of the things we sometimes say in the cookhouse is this when one child corrects another, we say, We don't need two mothers in this house. 00:28:01.920 --> 00:28:02.960 One is good enough. 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:08.720 And it's like Paul is saying, we don't need two God the fathers in this house. 00:28:08.960 --> 00:28:09.839 One is enough. 00:28:10.079 --> 00:28:11.839 He's got it covered. 00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:21.440 And God very easily could have commanded full abstinence, and he very easily could have commanded full partaking. 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:31.680 And apparently in his sovereign wisdom, he thought it better to leave it as a matter of the conscience, where each person should be fully convinced in their own mind. 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:46.720 And so when you start to feel the spirit of judgment or of condescension, the move is to confess it to the Lord as sin and say, Lord, I'm starting to stand in your place as the judge, and that's not where I'm supposed to be. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:50.480 Would you help me to trust you as the judge here? 00:28:50.960 --> 00:28:52.400 That's the second principle. 00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:55.279 Reject judgment and condescension. 00:28:55.440 --> 00:28:59.759 Third principle, be fully convinced in your own mind. 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:02.160 Here we are in verse 5. 00:29:02.319 --> 00:29:03.759 Look back at Romans 14. 00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:12.880 Here's what it says: one person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. 00:29:13.119 --> 00:29:16.880 Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:23.599 It's as if Paul senses a response. 00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:29.359 Somebody says this, well, there's lots of disagreement on these issues. 00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:37.359 So maybe I shouldn't have a strong opinion on any of it, and it's all just kind of laissez-faire, live and let live. 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:39.839 And he says, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.680 That's not what's supposed to happen. 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:44.720 You need to be fully convinced in your own mind. 00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:49.119 So let's take another issue where this gets played out: media consumption. 00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:52.720 Can Christians read Harry Potter? 00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:55.920 Can they watch The Office? 00:29:56.640 --> 00:30:00.960 Or the issue when I was a kid, can they watch The Lion King? 00:30:01.680 --> 00:30:02.160 Right? 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.160 A lot of strong opinions here. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:11.920 And some will open their Bible to Acts 19 and say, look, these people got saved and they burned all their sorcery books. 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:13.920 Therefore we should not touch it. 00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:22.799 And others will turn their Bible to Acts 17 and say, Yes, but Paul was fluent in secular poetry to false gods. 00:30:22.960 --> 00:30:28.079 And he says in 1 Corinthians 9 that he became all things to all people so that by all means he might save some. 00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:30.559 And so you both have your Bible verse. 00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:34.000 You're both fully convinced in your own mind. 00:30:34.799 --> 00:30:41.039 For others, it's a little bit different when they hear a particular song or a genre of music. 00:30:41.200 --> 00:30:48.640 It takes them back to a time in their life where they were living totally contrary to the gospel and it becomes a stumbling block for them. 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:50.960 And so they say, I'm gonna set that aside. 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:53.599 They've become fully convinced in their own mind. 00:30:53.920 --> 00:31:04.960 The question, as you're seeking to be fully convinced in your own mind, is this to say, can I receive this with gratitude through prayer from God? 00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:07.680 I want to read to you from 1 Timothy 4. 00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:09.279 I alluded to this a couple of times. 00:31:09.440 --> 00:31:11.519 You don't need to turn there, just jot it down. 00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:16.559 This is the first five verses of 1 Timothy 4 are very, very important for this conversation. 00:31:16.720 --> 00:31:19.279 This is 1 Timothy 4, 4 and 5. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:30.000 Here's what it says: For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it's received with thanksgiving. 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:34.400 For it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:42.799 One of the frameworks I found helpful in thinking through, can I receive this with gratitude as a gift from God? 00:31:43.039 --> 00:31:47.359 Three R's that I kind of think through, especially on the media consumption side. 00:31:47.599 --> 00:31:50.160 Receive, reject, redeem. 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:52.240 Some things you just clearly receive. 00:31:52.319 --> 00:31:56.799 Like you go watch the movies about the Chronicles of Narnia, and you're like, praise the Lord. 00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:57.519 I love that. 00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:59.440 I receive it, no questions asked. 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:00.559 This is awesome. 00:32:00.799 --> 00:32:03.920 Other things are clearly out of bounds. 00:32:04.079 --> 00:32:05.119 This is reject. 00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:06.559 We don't need to talk about it. 00:32:06.720 --> 00:32:09.519 That is totally antithetical to the gospel. 00:32:10.160 --> 00:32:14.480 Most things are a little less clear, and they're kind of in the middle. 00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:17.920 And we're saying, can this be redeemed? 00:32:18.160 --> 00:32:30.880 There's certainly elements that are sinful involved, things that are not pleasing to the Lord, and yet how much of that can I engage in and still receive it as a good gift from God above? 00:32:31.680 --> 00:32:56.079 For some of you on this media consumption thing, you really need to re-evaluate today and come back to have I been mindlessly taking in whatever Netflix or Amazon Prime or whatever your streaming service throws your way and say, can I really receive that movie, that show, that podcast, that YouTube channel is a good gift from God. 00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:59.519 You must be fully convinced in your own mind. 00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:02.559 I think it's also important to seek out godly counsel here. 00:33:02.640 --> 00:33:05.279 Sometimes that's from other brothers and sisters in your life. 00:33:05.440 --> 00:33:12.000 Sometimes there are online blogs that we use, like plugged in online is one of these that perhaps some of you have used. 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:40.720 These are helpful tools to help you see if you have a blind spot, and yet I would be careful that you make sure you are fully convinced in your own mind, not just taking what someone else has said, and you kind of lob that grenade, and because Pastor Steve says one thing, because Pastor Scott says another thing, therefore they must be right, and it has to be this way, make sure you're fully convinced in your own mind, not just adopting what someone else has said. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:42.640 Fourth principle. 00:33:56.720 --> 00:34:00.079 Assuming those motives in others is what we're referring to. 00:34:00.240 --> 00:34:04.559 This is in verses six through nine, and let's start reading in verse six. 00:34:06.240 --> 00:34:11.280 The one who observes the day observes it in honor of the Lord. 00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:16.559 The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God. 00:34:16.719 --> 00:34:22.239 While the one who abstains abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 00:34:23.199 --> 00:34:35.679 In other words, as you seek to be fully convinced in your own mind, as you research an issue and decide upon an issue, it becomes harder to see other perspectives because you've become so convinced in your own mind. 00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:38.639 And Paul says, oh, hold on, hold on. 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:51.199 When someone reaches a different conclusion, assume they're embodying 1 Timothy 4 and receiving it as a good gift from God or rejecting it as a way to glorify God. 00:34:51.360 --> 00:34:53.599 They're giving thanks for their position. 00:34:54.000 --> 00:35:01.840 Now, my assumption is with the church in Rome, some people had pure motives, and some people had less pure motives. 00:35:02.079 --> 00:35:09.280 Like, some were partaking out of gluttony, some were abstaining out of illegalistic self-righteousness. 00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:14.719 And yet Paul says, assume God glorifying motives from the others. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:18.079 So let's dig into another practical issue here. 00:35:18.400 --> 00:35:21.280 Should Christians participate in Halloween? 00:35:21.920 --> 00:35:24.000 Different people, different convictions. 00:35:24.159 --> 00:35:29.360 How do I assume God glorifying motives in the midst of this conversation? 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:33.440 Well, you might resolve to pray for those in your church family. 00:35:33.599 --> 00:35:41.760 And if you choose not to participate in Halloween, you might pray a prayer like this that flows out of assuming God glorifying motives. 00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:58.639 Lord, I thank you for these brothers and sisters in my church who are dressed up today, and I thank you for the opportunity they have to be invited to the front door of their neighbors' houses where everyone in their neighborhood actually expects them to come to their front door. 00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:11.840 I pray you would bless those Reese's peanut butter cups they're about to eat for the glory of God, that it would result in salvations and eternal growth and people being baptized all throughout this community. 00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:16.320 Would you please make those peanut butter cups effective to that end? 00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:17.760 Something like that. 00:36:17.920 --> 00:36:25.360 And to the person who participates, you might pray over your abstaining brothers and sisters. 00:36:25.840 --> 00:36:37.119 Dear God, I thank you for the fellow members of Parkside Bible Church who have chosen not to participate in this Halloween because their conscience is bound by the Holy Spirit. 00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:46.800 I thank you that they are willing to stand up for holiness and they are willing to be counted as weird and outsiders by most in our culture. 00:36:47.039 --> 00:36:55.360 I pray you would strengthen more people at our church to put their foot in the ground for holiness and take a stand on what God has called them to do. 00:36:56.880 --> 00:37:03.039 You assume God glorifying motives while being fully convinced in your own mind. 00:37:03.599 --> 00:37:08.480 And what that posture of assuming God glorifying motives does, here's what it does. 00:37:08.559 --> 00:37:24.159 It says, I see the righteousness of Christ within you, guiding you, shaping you, compelling you, and for the sake of the gospel, I will seek mutual peace and upbuilding instead of quarreling over opinions. 00:37:24.400 --> 00:37:25.679 That's the fourth principle. 00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:27.039 Fifth principle. 00:37:27.760 --> 00:37:31.119 Trust God as the true judge. 00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:35.039