SPEAKER_01: Hey, I'm Pastor Steve Hole.
SPEAKER_01: I want to empower you today to walk in your true identity as a worshiper and warrior.
SPEAKER_01: Embrace the power of God's Word and the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_01: Today, be encouraged with a word from my guest speaker.
SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the Born for War podcast.
SPEAKER_00: So last time I was up here on a Sunday morning, I probably made a lot of you nervous by telling you that I had never done this before, that I had never spoken on a Sunday morning.
SPEAKER_00: Well, this morning is not my first time speaking on a Sunday morning.
SPEAKER_00: It's my second time.
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah.
SPEAKER_00: So you don't have to be nervous.
SPEAKER_00: I shouldn't be nervous.
SPEAKER_00: I'm a seasoned veteran, so we can all rest easy.
SPEAKER_00: But no, in all seriousness, I'm very excited for this opportunity.
SPEAKER_00: Thankful to Pastor Steve for letting me do this again.
SPEAKER_00: And I'm especially excited this morning because we're just going to continue our study in Romans and pick up, right, where Pastor Steve left off last week in Romans 13 with Romans 14.
SPEAKER_00: So if you have your Bible this morning, will you open it to Romans chapter 14?
SPEAKER_00: If you don't have a Bible, there should be one in a seat in front of you.
SPEAKER_00: Or you could probably find one on your phone, or you could probably look over your neighbor's shoulder.
SPEAKER_00: So either way, you can follow along with me in Romans 14.
SPEAKER_00: While you are finding that chapter, I'm going to open us up in prayer.
SPEAKER_00: So, God, thank you for your word.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for the truth that is in it.
SPEAKER_00: So, God, I just ask right now as we open up the word of God together, would you speak to each person in this room in a unique and powerful way, in a relevant way?
SPEAKER_00: Will you minister to us as we read your word?
SPEAKER_00: We love you.
SPEAKER_00: In Jesus' name.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: So this chapter of Romans, chapter 14, is really a continuation of Romans 13 that Pastor Steve preached on last week.
SPEAKER_00: And he ended with talking about love.
SPEAKER_00: And that's really what this message is about.
SPEAKER_00: It's a message about love and unity within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And it's also a message about passing judgment in our personal convictions and what we should do as believers with those personal convictions that we have in our hearts.
SPEAKER_00: And uh, but before we get into the text, I want to do a brief refresher on the context of Romans.
SPEAKER_00: And so, Paul, the Apostle Paul, is writing the letter of Roman, uh, this letter to the Roman church, and it's a long letter, right?
SPEAKER_00: It's always, we view these as books with chapters, but if you think of it in the context of like this was a letter, that's a long letter.
SPEAKER_00: I've never written a letter remotely close to that, right?
SPEAKER_00: So it's a long letter, and it's so long because he hadn't visited the Roman church.
SPEAKER_00: So he's got a lot to say in the book of Romans because he's never been in front of them like I'm in front of you, talking to them.
SPEAKER_00: He he's only ever written them.
SPEAKER_00: So he he's trying to put it all in this letter.
SPEAKER_00: And the Roman church was diverse, it was made up of Jewish believers and Gentile believers, and unfortunately, that was causing some issues within the church, causing some conflict, and unfortunately causing division.
SPEAKER_00: Well, good thing for us today, we don't we don't deal with conflict or division within the church today, right?
SPEAKER_00: That's not something we just kidding, we do, right?
SPEAKER_00: We do, as a body of Christ, deal with division and conflict, and there's a lot of things that divide us as believers today, and I'll name a few of them, but it's a long list and I won't hit them all, but things like just how we worship can cause division, right?
SPEAKER_00: Little things, right?
SPEAKER_00: The lighting.
SPEAKER_00: Should the lights be up?
SPEAKER_00: Should the lights be down?
SPEAKER_00: How loud should it be while we're worshiping?
SPEAKER_00: I personally like it very loud, so I can't hear myself singing.
SPEAKER_00: I don't sing well, but I like to sing during worship, I just don't want to hear it.
SPEAKER_00: So if it's loud enough, that's great.
SPEAKER_00: Um, new songs, old songs, right?
SPEAKER_00: Should we sing only hymns?
SPEAKER_00: Should we sing only contemporary?
SPEAKER_00: Should we sing a mix?
SPEAKER_00: There's a lot of opinions about things that we do as believers, including worship, and and some of those things do divide churches.
SPEAKER_00: Uh or what about this one?
SPEAKER_00: What version of the Bible should we read?
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: NIV, ESV, New King James, there's a lot of opinions, even in this room, about what version of the Bible we should be reading.
SPEAKER_00: What about how pastors should dress when they preach?
SPEAKER_00: I grew up in a church where you were only on the stage if you were wearing a suit and tie, whether you were the worship person or the announcement person or the preacher, you were wearing a suit and tie.
SPEAKER_00: And then towards the end of high school, my family switched to a church that was not that way, and everybody's wearing jeans, and I struggled with that for like a year.
SPEAKER_00: It sounds silly, but I really did.
SPEAKER_00: I'm like, they're wearing jeans.
SPEAKER_00: That's so inappropriate.
SPEAKER_00: Um, and I've come a long way on that.
SPEAKER_00: But still, even in my heart, sometimes like I spent way too much time last night trying to figure out what to wear today because I have that like background, and some of those things are hard to move past it, but they do cause division.
SPEAKER_00: Um, what about how church members should dress when they come to church?
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: Are hats okay?
SPEAKER_00: Are football jerseys okay?
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: Well, that one's easy if it's a Broncos jersey, yes.
SPEAKER_00: Anything else, no.
SPEAKER_00: Um, just kidding, right?
SPEAKER_00: But those things do cause division and rub people the wrong way.
SPEAKER_00: Um, and there's there's many more, right?
SPEAKER_00: Should believers drink alcohol?
SPEAKER_00: Should believers get tattoos?
SPEAKER_00: Should believers celebrate Halloween?
SPEAKER_00: Should believers listen to non-Christian music?
SPEAKER_00: And I'm sure you could find articles written by pastors on both sides of these arguments, right?
SPEAKER_00: And even in this room, you'll find opinions, different opinions and personal convictions on all of these issues, right?
SPEAKER_00: It would, if we raised hands, it would probably divide this room.
SPEAKER_00: Um, and that's what this chapter is about, not about those specific issues.
SPEAKER_00: It's not about Halloween, but it's about what do we do as believers when we have these personal convictions?
SPEAKER_00: How do we respond?
SPEAKER_00: How do we treat each other within the body of Christ?
SPEAKER_00: So that's the topic that Paul is addressing in Romans chapter 14.
SPEAKER_00: So let's start in verse one and read this text together.
SPEAKER_00: It says, Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things.
SPEAKER_00: For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.
SPEAKER_00: Let not him who eats despise him who does not eat, and let him, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has received him.
SPEAKER_00: Who are you to judge another servant?
SPEAKER_00: To his own master he stands or falls.
SPEAKER_00: Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make him stand.
SPEAKER_00: Paul was addressing conflict and division within the Roman church.
SPEAKER_00: And what we gather from the text is that a lot of the division and conflict was actually centered around what people are eating.
SPEAKER_00: And this goes back to the context that I brought up at the beginning, right?
SPEAKER_00: There's Jewish believers and Gentile believers within this Roman church.
SPEAKER_00: And the Jewish believers are gonna be coming from a background of following the Old Testament law and adhering to a rather strict way of eating.
SPEAKER_00: And the Gentile believers are not gonna have that background.
SPEAKER_00: And now here they are under the same roof, fellowshipping together, and where there's fellowship, there's often food, right?
SPEAKER_00: And so that could cause conflict and disagreements and how they're looking at each other and talking to each other, and it's probably gonna divide the room a bit, right?
SPEAKER_00: And so Paul uses the words, if you read these first four verses, he uses the words strong and weak to describe these believers within the church.
SPEAKER_00: Strong in the faith, weak in the faith.
SPEAKER_00: And what he's describing really has to do with personal convictions.
SPEAKER_00: And that's what this the list I read at the beginning has to do with as well.
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: A lot of these issues we feel strongly in our hearts.
SPEAKER_00: Like, as a believer, I'm not gonna do this thing that other believers are doing.
SPEAKER_00: Those are personal convictions.
SPEAKER_00: And so this chapter isn't really about whether it's okay to have those convictions or not.
SPEAKER_00: Because Paul doesn't say stop having that conviction.
SPEAKER_00: It's rather about how we handle our personal convictions within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And so, what does Paul mean when in verse 2?
SPEAKER_00: If you look back at verse 2, he writes, He who is weak eats only vegetables.
SPEAKER_00: So, what does he mean by that?
SPEAKER_00: Well, to some of you, you're like, that's a no-brainer.
SPEAKER_00: Person's weak because they're only eating vegetables, right?
SPEAKER_00: Where's the steak?
SPEAKER_00: You know, gotta get some protein, count your grams of protein, right?
SPEAKER_00: So, no, so what he's saying, and why somebody at this time would have only been eating vegetables is probably because in a pagan city like Rome, they would have been concerned about eating meat that was sacrificed to idols.
SPEAKER_00: And so when they're in the market looking at the meat, person who has a strong conviction about that would say, I don't want to chance it, I'm just not gonna eat any meat, and they would eat only vegetables.
SPEAKER_00: And so, what does Paul by what does Paul mean by describing that person as weak in the faith?
SPEAKER_00: Or describing people who aren't that way as strong in the faith.
SPEAKER_00: So when he's describing someone as weak in the faith, Paul's describing someone who has convictions about a certain behavior and acts in an offended way when around that type of behavior.
SPEAKER_00: So he's using the word weak because that person's allowing that conviction to control them and dictate their actions and attitudes toward other believers.
SPEAKER_00: So it seems a little strange because they have strong convictions, right?
SPEAKER_00: Strong convictions.
SPEAKER_00: So why is he using the word weak?
SPEAKER_00: Well, weak because that conviction is kind of controlling them and controlling how they view other people.
SPEAKER_00: And that was the problem that Paul's bringing up with the Roman Church.
SPEAKER_00: So just like there are things today that divide believers, we still deal with this issue today, the Roman Church was dealing with it as well.
SPEAKER_00: And perhaps it might seem a little silly to divide over what we eat, but if you think about it, that would have caused a big problem.
SPEAKER_00: Like I said, because fellowship happens around food, right?
SPEAKER_00: I know this as a youth pastor.
SPEAKER_00: If I want kids to come to something, all I have to do is feed them, and it doesn't even have to be good food either.
SPEAKER_00: Um and in fact, a huge part of my job is snacks.
SPEAKER_00: But uh but this is true for all of us, right?
SPEAKER_00: If you're gonna go out to eat with people, like if you're gonna hang out with people, you're probably gonna go out to eat, or you're gonna invite people to your home and have dinner.
SPEAKER_00: And if there's division over the food, then fellowship probably wasn't taking place.
SPEAKER_00: And Paul wanted fellowship for the Roman church.
SPEAKER_00: And the same is true for us today.
SPEAKER_00: We're probably not gonna hang out with people that we know we disagree with.
SPEAKER_00: Most of us, not true of all of us, right?
SPEAKER_00: Some of you that probably like to argue, but for the most part, we avoid conflict, right?
SPEAKER_00: If I asked originally, most of you would say, I don't want to engage in conflict.
SPEAKER_00: But fellowship's important.
SPEAKER_00: Acts 2.42 says, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers.
SPEAKER_00: Fellowship's important.
SPEAKER_00: Be in a community group, be in unity with other believers.
SPEAKER_00: That's how we strengthen each other, encourage each other, hold each other accountable.
SPEAKER_00: And if there's conflict or division, then it that doesn't take place.
SPEAKER_00: So we know we've we've addressed in this chapter so far that there is conflict.
SPEAKER_00: We know what the conflict was about, had a lot to do with personal convictions, and we all have different convictions as believers, and that's okay.
SPEAKER_00: So let's keep reading in verse five.
SPEAKER_00: Following with me, we'll pick it back up in verse five.
SPEAKER_00: One person esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike.
SPEAKER_00: Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.
SPEAKER_00: He who observes the day observes it to the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: And he who does not observe the day to the Lord, he does not observe it.
SPEAKER_00: He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks.
SPEAKER_00: And he who does not eat to the Lord, he does not eat and gives God thanks.
SPEAKER_00: For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself.
SPEAKER_00: The body of Christ is filled with people who have different gifts, convictions, and roles.
SPEAKER_00: And that's good.
SPEAKER_00: That's a good thing.
SPEAKER_00: That diversity is good.
SPEAKER_00: God can use each person in a different and unique way because of their convictions and gifts.
SPEAKER_00: So we're a body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: That's why fellowship's important.
SPEAKER_00: So we all add to the table.
SPEAKER_00: If we're all isolated or hanging out with the exact same people who think the exact same way we do, then it's not a diverse body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: That can be used in powerful ways.
SPEAKER_00: So the important part of this message, again, is not the conviction itself, it's what do we do with the conviction that's on our heart.
SPEAKER_00: So I'm gonna give you four things that we should do with our personal convictions as believers.
SPEAKER_00: Four things we should do or not do with our convictions.
SPEAKER_00: So number one is simple.
SPEAKER_00: It's pray.
SPEAKER_00: Number one is pray.
SPEAKER_00: Seek the Lord about your convictions.
SPEAKER_00: Seek the Lord about them.
SPEAKER_00: If there's a conviction on your heart, find out where it came from.
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it came from the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it came from an impurity within our own heart, right?
SPEAKER_00: Seeking our own gain or our own selfish ambition or self-righteous or something like that, but it's possible it came from the Lord and seems like a good thing.
SPEAKER_00: But get to the bottom of it, right?
SPEAKER_00: You can pray Psalm 139, 23 through 24.
SPEAKER_00: Search me, O God, and know my heart.
SPEAKER_00: Try me and know my anxieties, and see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me to the way everlasting.
SPEAKER_00: I will say that's a that's a scary verse to pray.
SPEAKER_00: If you've never prayed that before, right?
SPEAKER_00: Search me, O God, and know my heart.
SPEAKER_00: Like, tell me what is impure in my heart.
SPEAKER_00: So if you're gonna do that, buckle your seatbelt.
SPEAKER_00: But I encourage you to so if there's a conviction, right?
SPEAKER_00: Find out where that conviction is coming from.
SPEAKER_00: Ask the Lord, like, is this of you?
SPEAKER_00: And it is, if it is, great.
SPEAKER_00: Do it wholeheartedly.
SPEAKER_00: But find out where that conviction is coming from.
SPEAKER_00: Get to the bottom of it.
SPEAKER_00: Ask the Lord, seek him about the conviction and the motives behind it.
SPEAKER_00: So that's number one, pray.
SPEAKER_00: Seek the Lord about the convictions that he's placed that are on your heart.
SPEAKER_00: Number two, do everything for God.
SPEAKER_00: We should be living our lives in a way that glorifies God, not us.
SPEAKER_00: And if we're acting on our convictions solely so that we can brag about ourselves and how holy and righteous and awesome we are, then we're missing the point.
SPEAKER_00: We're doing something wrong.
SPEAKER_00: And that's really what it reminds me of of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
SPEAKER_00: So that's kind of the whole heart behind that, those whole three chapters in Matthew, right?
SPEAKER_00: In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus brings up giving, praying, and fasting, which are three awesome things that we as believers should be engaging with.
SPEAKER_00: Giving, praying, and fasting.
SPEAKER_00: But he warns them about, he warns the people he's speaking to about that, right?
SPEAKER_00: Warns his disciples about those three things.
SPEAKER_00: He says, Don't be like the Pharisees.
SPEAKER_00: Because when they were praying, giving, and fasting, they were doing it to make a spectacle, right?
SPEAKER_00: When they were giving, they're like, hey, look at me.
SPEAKER_00: I'm giving money.
SPEAKER_00: When they were praying, they were praying loudly in the streets to be heard by men.
SPEAKER_00: When they were fasting, they were making it super obvious that they weren't eating, right?
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus' sermon on the mount is what's going on in your heart, right?
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they're following the law perfectly, right?
SPEAKER_00: They're not committing adultery, but there's lust in their heart, right?
SPEAKER_00: They're not murdering, but there's anger in their heart.
SPEAKER_00: And so Jesus is pointing out, like, hey, what's going on in your heart?
SPEAKER_00: And the same is true for us, right?
SPEAKER_00: So if we have these convictions, like, what's the motive?
SPEAKER_00: Why are we doing what we're doing?
SPEAKER_00: Are we doing it to bring God glory, or are we doing it to bring ourselves glory?
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: If it's a personal conviction from the Lord, then thank him for it and do it wholeheartedly.
SPEAKER_00: But for his glory, not our own.
SPEAKER_00: Colossians 3 23 says, and whatever you do, do it heartedly as to the Lord, not for men.
SPEAKER_00: So why are we doing it for God?
SPEAKER_00: Because Scripture tells us that if you're a follower of Christ, you're no longer living for yourself.
SPEAKER_00: Let's look at verse 8.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 8 says, For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
SPEAKER_00: If we are a follower of Christ, we're no longer living for ourselves.
SPEAKER_00: And as believers, we're living for the Lord.
SPEAKER_00: So let's do everything for Him and for His glory, not our own.
SPEAKER_00: Pastor Steve just this week was talking to our staff team, and he was just encouraging us not to be chasing success or wrapping our identity around success.
SPEAKER_00: No, we should be striving for excellence as believers, absolutely.
SPEAKER_00: We should be striving for excellence, we should be trying to do the best in whatever it is we're doing.
SPEAKER_00: But don't be seeking credit.
SPEAKER_00: So there's a difference in striving to be successful and seeking credit, right?
SPEAKER_00: We should be doing our best in where the Lord leads us and giving it 100%, but then giving God the credit, right?
SPEAKER_00: Not seeking credit ourselves, not seeking a platform for ourselves, giving God the credit.
SPEAKER_00: Why?
SPEAKER_00: Because he deserves it.
SPEAKER_00: Christ died for us so that we can live for him.
SPEAKER_00: Let's keep reading, look at verse 9.
SPEAKER_00: For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
SPEAKER_00: Christ died so that we can live for him.
SPEAKER_00: What I love about the book of Romans and what I love about the Apostle Paul was his passion and fire for the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: He does not miss any moment to work the gospel into anything that he's writing about.
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: This is a passage about passing judgment within the Christian church, but there's the gospel right there.
SPEAKER_00: He just said it, right?
SPEAKER_00: For Christ died and rose again.
SPEAKER_00: And so he never hesitated to mention the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And it goes back to the beginning of Romans, Romans 1.16.
SPEAKER_00: He says, For I'm not ashamed of the gospel.
SPEAKER_00: And that kind of became the theme verse of our youth group last year, and what we kind of uh built our retreat around and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00: And I love that verse, and it's so true of Paul.
SPEAKER_00: And this is kind of a side note, but but what if we did the same thing?
SPEAKER_00: What if we were eager to always working the gospel into our conversations with believers and non-believers?
SPEAKER_00: What if we were eager to always talk about the life, death, and resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ?
SPEAKER_00: And if you don't know the gospel, there it is, right?
SPEAKER_00: Jesus died for you, He loves you, He cares about you, He wants a relationship with you.
SPEAKER_00: And all you have to do is put your hope and faith and trust in Him.
SPEAKER_00: And we would love to do that with you after the service today.
SPEAKER_00: We'll have a ministry team up here, and we'd love to pray with you.
SPEAKER_00: But let's be eager to talk about the gospel of Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And so that's number two.
SPEAKER_00: What are we doing?
SPEAKER_00: Everything we should do, we should be doing it for God, for his glory, not our own.
SPEAKER_00: Number three, don't use your convictions to pass judgment on others.
SPEAKER_00: So let's keep reading, we'll pick it back up in verse 10.
SPEAKER_00: But why do you judge your brother, or why do you show contempt for your brother?
SPEAKER_00: For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, for it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
SPEAKER_00: So then each of us shall give account to himself to God.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or cause to fall in our brother's way.
SPEAKER_00: This is wonderful.
SPEAKER_00: This is good news.
SPEAKER_00: It's good news because it means I don't have to be the judge.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't that great?
SPEAKER_00: You don't have to be the judge.
SPEAKER_00: Pressure's off.
SPEAKER_00: That's not your job.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't that great?
SPEAKER_00: That's God's job.
SPEAKER_00: And who better to do it than him?
SPEAKER_00: All powerful, all-knowing, wonderful, loving creator, God.
SPEAKER_00: He's the judge, not us.
SPEAKER_00: It's not our job to judge our neighbor.
SPEAKER_00: And what a good thing that is, right?
SPEAKER_00: So don't worry about your neighbor.
SPEAKER_00: Don't judge.
SPEAKER_00: And that judgment can go both ways.
SPEAKER_00: When Paul's talking about those that are weak in the faith and those that are strong in the faith, judgment can be passed both ways.
SPEAKER_00: We're not picking on either group, right?
SPEAKER_00: Those that have a strong personal conviction to not do a certain behavior as a believer, right?
SPEAKER_00: They could pass judgment on those that are engaging in that behavior by saying, look at them.
SPEAKER_00: They're being sinful.
SPEAKER_00: Or they shouldn't be doing that as a Christian.
SPEAKER_00: And the other way around, the person that doesn't, you know, thinks it's fine to engage in that personal behavior as a conviction, as Paul described as strong in faith, they could pass judgment on those that are weak in the faith as not engaging that behavior by saying, They think they're holier than me.
SPEAKER_00: That's why they're not doing that, right?
SPEAKER_00: And so it can go both ways.
SPEAKER_00: But if you look back at verse 3, Paul says, God has received them.
SPEAKER_00: God has received them.
SPEAKER_00: So why haven't we?
SPEAKER_00: Why do we allow division and conflict to divide us as a body of Christ if God has received and accepted all of us?
SPEAKER_00: We're not better than God.
SPEAKER_00: Pastor Steve, I love when he says, don't look left or right, look up.
SPEAKER_00: Don't look left or right, look up.
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: Where is our focus?
SPEAKER_00: And don't let these things and issues divide us as believers.
SPEAKER_00: Now I want to pause right here and make something clear.
SPEAKER_00: There are issues, there are issues that should divide us.
SPEAKER_00: There are issues that we should not slide on or overlook or not pass judgment.
SPEAKER_00: And that's not what Paul's talking about here, and I know that's not what Paul's talking about here because if you read the book of Acts, he spent a lot of time in his ministry boldly standing up for the gospel and not compromising on certain issues.
SPEAKER_00: Spent a lot of time doing that, right?
SPEAKER_00: And was subject to a lot of terrible things for taking that stand.
SPEAKER_00: So I'm not painting this picture of like, let's accept everybody that believes in God and not worry about their actual beliefs.
SPEAKER_00: Like that's that's not what Paul did, right?
SPEAKER_00: And so in chapter 14 of Romans, he's talking about the little things, the small things.
SPEAKER_00: Let's not spend our time missing the big picture and arguing about the small things.
SPEAKER_00: And there are things that we as believers should stand our ground on and should not compromise on and should be bold about.
SPEAKER_00: And if there's this particular issue that, or conviction that you're not sure on, I would just encourage you to pray for discernment about how important that thing really is and seek wise counsel about it.
SPEAKER_00: But what we're talking about today is everything else.
SPEAKER_00: Everything I mentioned, beginning of the sermon, the small things that divide the church.
SPEAKER_00: And one more point on judging.
SPEAKER_00: I would just say don't underestimate the power of your mind when it comes to being quick to judge.
SPEAKER_00: And so a quick story, it might be a little silly, but I'm gonna try it anyways.
SPEAKER_00: Um I'm a wrestler, wrestling was was my sport.
SPEAKER_00: Um, love wrestling, it's the best sport.
SPEAKER_00: If you'd like to argue about that after, we can, but I'm right.
SPEAKER_00: Um just kidding, I'll accept you no matter what.
SPEAKER_00: Um I love wrestling, but I just think it's a great sport, and I love any sports because they teach um they teach mental toughness, right?
SPEAKER_00: Which is a great life skill.
SPEAKER_00: So I always encourage sports, and especially wrestling because you're like out there, you send a kid out on the map by himself in a funny looking outfit, and they have to do their best, and it's it's you learn things, right?
SPEAKER_00: So, anyways, when I was in middle school, I was wrestling in middle school, I did not have Have good mental toughness.
SPEAKER_00: And so what I would do is I would find my opponent right before the match, I would look them over, and in that split second, I would decide whether I was gonna win or lose that match in my mind.
SPEAKER_00: Solely based on looks, right?
SPEAKER_00: If they had cooler wrestling shoes than me, if they had like a meaner face than I did, if they were like the strongest seventh grader I've ever seen, right?
SPEAKER_00: So I would I would use that moment, snap decision and judgment.
SPEAKER_00: And here's the bad thing about that, I was usually right.
SPEAKER_00: Not because I could have actually won a little, I don't know, but in my mind I had already decided that.
SPEAKER_00: And when I coached later, I used that and I said, don't walk onto the mat thinking you're gonna lose because you will, right?
SPEAKER_00: Our minds are powerful, and so if we're too quick to judge somebody, it's gonna be really hard to undo that down the road.
SPEAKER_00: Especially within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Like we shouldn't be quick to judge.
SPEAKER_00: And it's easy, and we've all had those circumstances where like we think we got somebody figured out in the first 30 seconds of meeting them, right?
SPEAKER_00: Based on something that they say.
SPEAKER_00: We don't actually know that person.
SPEAKER_00: But then if you have that snap decision, you're probably gonna find yourself like if you think that you disagree or you think you don't like them, you're probably gonna avoid them without really, really truly knowing them.
SPEAKER_00: So I'll just caution, like, let's be, let's not be quick to judge ultimately because it's not our job.
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: So let's be slow to judge, let's be accepting, let's love people within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: So that's number three of don't let your convictions pass judgment.
SPEAKER_00: Number four, be wise with your convictions.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pick back up again in verse 14.
SPEAKER_00: I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus there is nothing unclean of itself, but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
SPEAKER_00: Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love.
SPEAKER_00: Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.
SPEAKER_00: Therefore, do not let your good be spoken of as evil.
SPEAKER_00: Walking in love.
SPEAKER_00: Back in verse 15.
SPEAKER_00: Have that underlined.
SPEAKER_00: I would encourage you to underline that.
SPEAKER_00: Walking in love.
SPEAKER_00: 1 John 4 19 says, We love because he first loved us.
SPEAKER_00: We love him because he first loved us.
SPEAKER_00: What if that is what the church was known for?
SPEAKER_00: Walking in love rather than known for passing judgment.
SPEAKER_00: How great would that be if we're known for walking in love instead of passing judgment?
SPEAKER_00: And what's Paul's saying in this section of the chapter, and he says it later on too, is be aware of your surroundings.
SPEAKER_00: Be aware of who you're interacting with within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And be aware of how your actions could be perceived.
SPEAKER_00: Use wisdom, use good judgment, use prudence.
SPEAKER_00: And by doing that, guess what?
SPEAKER_00: You're showing people love.
SPEAKER_00: Right?
SPEAKER_00: If there's something in your heart you have a conviction, like, I don't think this behavior is wrong as a believer, and it doesn't prohibit my walk with Christ.
SPEAKER_00: But maybe, maybe that thing would cause your brother to stumble.
SPEAKER_00: Well, don't do that thing when you're around your brother.
SPEAKER_00: And by doing that, you're showing him love.
SPEAKER_00: You're showing him love.
SPEAKER_00: So be aware of your surroundings.
SPEAKER_00: Use good judgment and how you act.
SPEAKER_00: Make sure we're not tripping up a brother or causing them to stumble.
SPEAKER_00: Make sure we're showing them love.
SPEAKER_00: So those four things can help us know what to do and not do with our convictions.
SPEAKER_00: Seek the Lord, pray about it.
SPEAKER_00: Do it for the Lord, not for your own glory.
SPEAKER_00: Don't allow those convictions to pass judgment on your brothers and sisters in Christ and be wise with those convictions.
SPEAKER_00: And now we've arrived to verse 17.
SPEAKER_00: And if you've spent really any amount of time here at the road, then you've probably heard Pastor Steve reference verse 17.
SPEAKER_00: And let's read it.
SPEAKER_00: 14, 17 says, For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: We talk a lot about the kingdom of God here at the road.
SPEAKER_00: If you don't know what it is, it's right there.
SPEAKER_00: Paul says it.
SPEAKER_00: The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy.
SPEAKER_00: He also tells you what it's not.
SPEAKER_00: He says it's not eating and drinking.
SPEAKER_00: And it's especially not arguing about what we're eating and drinking.
SPEAKER_00: That's not the kingdom of God, and it doesn't further the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
SPEAKER_00: Righteousness, right relationships.
SPEAKER_00: That's what this whole chapter is about.
SPEAKER_00: Right relationships.
SPEAKER_00: How are we treating the people we interact with on a daily basis?
SPEAKER_00: Are we treating them?
SPEAKER_00: Are we interacting with people in a holy and in a righteous way?
SPEAKER_00: What about peace?
SPEAKER_00: Do we have peace in our hearts?
SPEAKER_00: Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us with his peace?
SPEAKER_00: Are we fostering peace in our small groups, in our in our families, in our workplaces?
SPEAKER_00: Or are we causing conflict and arguments?
SPEAKER_00: What about joy?
SPEAKER_00: Are we choosing to be joyful?
SPEAKER_00: Are we spreading joy?
SPEAKER_00: Philippians 4:4 says, rejoice in the Lord always.
SPEAKER_00: Again, I will say rejoice.
SPEAKER_00: And that doesn't mean we're happy all the time because we're believers, hard things happen, but it means we can always choose joy because we have God in our corner.
SPEAKER_00: We can always choose joy because the God of the universe is with us.
SPEAKER_00: Are we spreading that joy to the people we're interacting with?
SPEAKER_00: So, what is the result of seeking the kingdom of God and living this way?
SPEAKER_00: Well, the answer is in verse 18.
SPEAKER_00: Paul says, For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.
SPEAKER_00: Acceptable to God and approved by men.
SPEAKER_00: Now, that doesn't mean our primary goal should be being accepted by men.
SPEAKER_00: Our primary goal should be, like we said, looking up.
SPEAKER_00: Our primary goal should be seeking the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: That's the main thing.
SPEAKER_00: But when we do that, God will open up doors for us to be approved by men, to be able to talk to people, to be able to share the gospel and the love of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: If we're seeking God.
SPEAKER_00: Don't seek the approval of man or seek the platform, seek God, and He'll open up doors for you to share.
SPEAKER_00: So let's read the la rest of this chapter as we conclude here.
SPEAKER_00: So verse 19 says, Therefore, let us pursue the things which make for peace, and the things by which one may edify another.
SPEAKER_00: Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food.
SPEAKER_00: All things indeed are pure, but it is evil for the man who eats with offense.
SPEAKER_00: It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine, nor do anything by which your brother stumbles, or is offended, or is made weak.
SPEAKER_00: Do you have faith?
SPEAKER_00: Have it to yourselves before God.
SPEAKER_00: Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves, but he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith.
SPEAKER_00: For whatever is not from faith is sin.
SPEAKER_00: We serve Christ and make peace by handling our convictions well and focusing on Christ and his kingdom.
SPEAKER_00: We should be seeking peace within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: Verse 20 warns against destroying the work of God.
SPEAKER_00: I don't know about you, but that is not something I want to be guilty of.
SPEAKER_00: Destroying the work of God.
SPEAKER_00: But that's what can happen through arguments and division and conflict within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: We need to be acting in faith.
SPEAKER_00: And in order to do that, we need to be having a relationship with Christ.
SPEAKER_00: So we know what's coming from faith and what's coming from selfish desire.
SPEAKER_00: So we need to be in communion with God on a daily basis.
SPEAKER_00: So let's wrap all of this up with three things that we should be doing as believers in Christ Jesus that we can learn from Romans chapter 14.
SPEAKER_00: Three things that we can take away from this chapter that we should be doing.
SPEAKER_00: Number one is engaging in healthy fellowship.
SPEAKER_00: I'm going to read Acts 2 42 again.
SPEAKER_00: And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship in the breaking of bread and in prayers.
SPEAKER_00: It's a blueprint for what our should, our community groups, our small groups should look like, right?
SPEAKER_00: In the word, in fellowship, eating, and praying.
SPEAKER_00: That's great.
SPEAKER_00: Fellowship is important.
SPEAKER_00: Paul wanted it for the Roman church.
SPEAKER_00: Pastor Steve wants it for our church.
SPEAKER_00: I want it for our youth group, right?
SPEAKER_00: We do small groups in our youth group.
SPEAKER_00: It's important.
SPEAKER_00: It's important because that's how we build each other up.
SPEAKER_00: That's how we strengthen each other.
SPEAKER_00: That's how we encourage each other, hold each other accountable within the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: And division and conflict prohibits fellowship from taking place.
SPEAKER_00: Or it limits who we fellowship with.
SPEAKER_00: Isolation is one of the greatest tools that the enemy will use against you, to be isolated.
SPEAKER_00: And if you're hanging out with just a small group of people who speak, who think the exact same way that you do, that's still isolation.
SPEAKER_00: That's still isolation.
SPEAKER_00: And so we need to be inclusive in the body of Christ.
SPEAKER_00: We need to be growing with each other, encouraging each other, being accountable, living with each other in these small groups, having good, healthy fellowship.
SPEAKER_00: So that's number one.
SPEAKER_00: Number two, second thing that we should be doing is seeking the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: Matthew 6, 33 says, But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
SPEAKER_00: Look up, not left or right.
SPEAKER_00: Look up, focus on the main thing.
SPEAKER_00: I say this phrase a lot, I keep the main thing about the main thing.
SPEAKER_00: So often we as believers get wrapped up in the little things, about the small things.
SPEAKER_00: We spend too much time arguing and disagreeing, and we lose sight of the main thing, and that's the kingdom of God, furthering the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: So let's further the kingdom of God together as a united body of Christ and focus on Romans 14, 17, righteousness, peace, and joy.
SPEAKER_00: And number three, third thing we should be doing is walking in love.
SPEAKER_00: And again, I love that because it's a physical action.
SPEAKER_00: Walking in love.
SPEAKER_00: Love shouldn't be just something that we say, but it should be evident in our action.
SPEAKER_00: We love him because he first loved us.
SPEAKER_00: We're commanded to love.
SPEAKER_00: Mark 12, 29 through 31.
SPEAKER_00: Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.
SPEAKER_00: And you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, and with all of your strength.
SPEAKER_00: This is the first commandment.
SPEAKER_00: And the second, like it is this you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
SPEAKER_00: There is no other commandment greater than these.
SPEAKER_00: So that's it, church.
SPEAKER_00: That's the main thing.
SPEAKER_00: Let's keep the main thing about the main thing today.
SPEAKER_00: Let's focus on the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: Let's look up.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pursue righteousness, peace, and joy in our relationships.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pursue righteousness, peace, and joy in our workplaces.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pursue righteousness, peace, and joy in our schools and our families.
SPEAKER_00: Let's focus on the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: Let's further the kingdom of God.
SPEAKER_00: Let's love the Lord with everything that we have.
SPEAKER_00: Heart, soul, mind, and strength.
SPEAKER_00: And let's love each other well.
SPEAKER_00: Let's love each other well.
SPEAKER_00: Love our neighbor as ourselves.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for listening to the Quarrant for War podcast.
SPEAKER_00: We hope today's message has empowered you to make a difference in your world.
SPEAKER_00: To connect with Pastor Steve's sermons, books, and blog, visit Steve Holtonline.org.
SPEAKER_00: God bless.