WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:07.519 This podcast is a ministry of Grant Parkway Baptist Church, helping people know, enjoy, and glorify God. 00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:13.359 For more information about Grant Parkway, visit GrantProquay.org. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:24.960 Jesus, one of the most compelling things about you is that you say in the Bible, and you said in real life, uh, Come to me, all you that labor and are heavy laden, and you'll find rest for your souls. 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:29.039 You provide for us something that nobody or no thing in this world can. 00:00:29.199 --> 00:00:32.640 That's why we sing and say that this world is empty, pale, and poor. 00:00:32.799 --> 00:00:38.240 We're not a bunch of negative uh Debbie Downers going around just raining on people's parade. 00:00:38.479 --> 00:00:44.640 We've just been brought by the Holy Spirit to the place of understanding that what we most need cannot be found in this world. 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.960 That doesn't mean that we uh don't enjoy life. 00:00:47.039 --> 00:00:48.000 No, we enjoy life. 00:00:48.079 --> 00:00:50.399 We're gonna eat and drink to the glory of God. 00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:54.240 We're gonna have meaningful uh mutual nourishing friendships. 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:56.799 We're gonna buy houses and send our kids to college. 00:00:56.880 --> 00:01:04.719 We're gonna shop and buy new shoes, we're gonna eat out, we're gonna have chicken and fajitas and ice cream, all because God is good. 00:01:05.920 --> 00:01:12.959 But we're gonna do all that with the understanding that what we most need can only be found in you. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:18.239 And so we've come today to run hard after you, to not make a little 20-yard dash. 00:01:18.480 --> 00:01:22.159 Christianity is not a 20-yard dash, it's not a 100-yard dash. 00:01:22.319 --> 00:01:26.400 It's a it's a long obedience in the same direction, it's a marathon. 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:28.640 It's a sometimes it's bloody. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:30.159 Sometimes it's like the Iron Man. 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:31.599 People just lose control. 00:01:31.840 --> 00:01:34.319 They can't make their muscles do what they want to do. 00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:36.000 And yet the Bible understands that. 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:38.799 Paul said, the good that I want to do, I don't do. 00:01:39.040 --> 00:01:44.319 But the sin, the bad thing that I keep telling myself I don't want to do, that's the thing I do. 00:01:44.560 --> 00:01:46.560 Oh, wretched man that I am. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:02:00.000 People right now have two parents, and both of them have cancer, and they've buried family members, and they still stand up here and say, I'm I just want to follow hard after God. 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:04.319 And so, Holy Spirit, speak to us today. 00:02:04.719 --> 00:02:07.680 In this textured thing called the kingdom. 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:10.800 We don't want to abuse the freedom that you've given us, God. 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:12.719 And so speak to us about that right now. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:14.240 From the Bible, not from a man. 00:02:14.319 --> 00:02:16.639 We don't need to hear from a man, we need to hear from the Bible. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:17.599 That's our prayer. 00:02:17.759 --> 00:02:18.879 I prayed in Jesus' name. 00:02:18.960 --> 00:02:20.719 And everyone said, Amen. 00:02:20.800 --> 00:02:24.080 If you've got a Bible, take it and open up if you would to Romans chapter 14. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:26.000 And if you don't have one, there's one on your row. 00:02:26.080 --> 00:02:27.759 I'm on page 949. 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:28.960 How are we doing this morning? 00:02:29.120 --> 00:02:29.919 We okay? 00:02:30.159 --> 00:02:37.120 Uh I was in part of the team that got to go to Costa Rica, part of the dirty dozen, and so we're all a little weary, so I don't know how long I can do this. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:40.400 Uh and so that's to your benefit today, amen? 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:43.759 Yeah, I see y'all kind of going, I bet you'll manage. 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:48.000 Uh anyway, I want to talk to you today about the responsibility of maturity. 00:02:48.240 --> 00:02:54.639 The responsibility of maturity, or my alternative title for the sermon today is How to Not Be a Religious Jerk. 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:56.719 Uh How to Not Be a Religious Jerk. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:02:57.520 And what do you mean? 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:00.560 Uh Romans chapter 14 really divides into two sections. 00:03:00.639 --> 00:03:07.520 The first section, and Lance talked about last week, or preached from last week, is really kind of geared more towards the people that the Bible would say is weak. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:09.520 Now, don't take offense to that. 00:03:09.599 --> 00:03:12.960 Uh, what he means by weak is people that aren't as strong in their faith. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:17.280 They're kind of still kind of coming to some points of decision about different things. 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:22.639 The last half and the part we'll look at today, Paul is writing to people in the church at Rome who are strong. 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:27.039 People that for whom a lot of things were issues for other people, weren't issues at all. 00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:30.560 Like meat that was maybe offered to idols, uh, they would go down. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:40.240 Let me give you the context because at first glance you can kind of read this section of scripture today and kind of go, I don't really know what that means, and it doesn't sound like it means much. 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:41.759 Actually, it means a whole lot. 00:03:41.919 --> 00:03:48.960 Especially in this day and age when people are trying to finally figure out what it means uh to live in this freedom Christ died for us to have. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:04:02.159 If you've been coming to Grand Park way any length of time, uh you will know, you've heard me say this, and and I'll say it a lot because I want you to I want it to sink in that that Christ came to give back to us the freedom that Adam and Eve forfeited in the garden. 00:04:02.240 --> 00:04:06.719 When God spoke to them and said, You're free to eat of any tree in the garden, he meant that. 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:07.759 Do you realize that? 00:04:07.919 --> 00:04:13.199 That's the first thing that God said to created humanity, Adam and Eve, you are free. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:14.960 And they they screwed that up. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:21.199 And Jesus comes, and one of the things Jesus said was, You'll know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:04:21.360 --> 00:04:39.839 And so there's this, God intends this level of freedom on our life, but he also intends for you and I not abuse that freedom because some of the people that meat was used in these pagan uh uh rituals, and and wine was used in these pagan rituals, and then the meat would be sold in the market in Rome, and it was discounted. 00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:41.519 It was kind of like day-old bread. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:43.439 And people are like, hey, that doesn't bother me. 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:44.720 I don't believe in those idols. 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:46.480 I'll take that meat that's discounted. 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:52.319 And people say, hey, they use wine in these services to these pagan deities, and I'm not, therefore, I'm not gonna drink wine. 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:56.480 And some very mature Christians would say, Hey, I don't believe in that. 00:04:56.560 --> 00:04:58.959 They may as well be praying to Casper of the Friendly Ghost. 00:04:59.040 --> 00:05:00.720 I'll drink that wine and I'm fine with it. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:08.240 Well, and that was great until those people got together for dinner, and the one guy ordered a glass of wine, and the next guy said, What are you doing ordering wine? 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:09.519 That's what the pagans do. 00:05:09.600 --> 00:05:10.959 And he's like, I'm not a pagan. 00:05:11.040 --> 00:05:12.560 Why should I be limited by that? 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:20.079 So in the church at Rome, what happened was is there was kind of some contention because people were like, You shouldn't do that. 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:21.439 And some people are like, Who are you? 00:05:21.519 --> 00:05:22.560 Why don't hate on me? 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:25.519 You can't judge me who died and left you in charge. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:44.399 And so Paul writes a very uh instructive and very shaping section of the Bible that we're going to read this morning in Romans chapter 14, verse 13, he says, This, therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or a hindrance in the way of a brother. 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:51.600 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:56.160 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you're no longer walking in love. 00:05:56.399 --> 00:05:59.839 By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:03.279 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:09.839 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:14.240 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 00:06:14.480 --> 00:06:18.720 So then, let us pursue what makes for peace, for mutual upbuilding. 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.759 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:27.120 Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for someone to make another stumble by what he eats. 00:06:27.279 --> 00:06:32.319 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 00:06:32.560 --> 00:06:35.920 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. 00:06:36.160 --> 00:06:40.560 Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:45.199 But whoever doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. 00:06:45.360 --> 00:06:48.319 For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:54.800 The Bible has this beautiful habit of kind of inviting us into something bigger and better. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:07:03.600 And what Paul does in this section is kind of invites the believers in Rome, and you and I, sitting here in Sugarland this morning, to kind of invite us into something bigger and better. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:06.160 And actually, there's four things he invites us to. 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:10.800 If you don't want to be a religious jerk, and you say, What what do you mean by that? 00:07:10.959 --> 00:07:13.759 It's kind of like sitting by the guy on the plane that's a know-it-all. 00:07:14.000 --> 00:07:16.720 I don't know if you've ever sat by somebody because like we were flying back. 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:20.959 I'm always kind of checking out who do I'm at the gate area, whom I might be sitting by. 00:07:21.120 --> 00:07:32.560 And so uh I Dennis Scott and I sat by a lady who was born in Hungary, educated in Germany, and now lives in Canada and runs a spa in the uh European uh facial clinic. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:36.319 And I said, Hey, somebody said to me one time, I need a spa facial. 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:38.879 And she leaned over and she said, Yeah, you do. 00:07:40.319 --> 00:07:42.639 And I was like, Well, nice to meet you, by the way. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:44.399 My name's Neil if you're going to offend me. 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:45.839 And she said, You need that. 00:07:45.920 --> 00:07:52.800 And she goes, You need to have your poor your skin exfoliated and your pores cleansed, and then you need to have a mask applied. 00:07:56.240 --> 00:07:59.120 And Dennis Scott was standing between us just giggling the whole time. 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:03.040 So, and she said, and don't go to an American. 00:08:03.120 --> 00:08:04.079 You Americans get it wrong. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:05.759 Like your massage therapist. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:07.600 I said, I think I need a massage too. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:10.879 And she said, Yes, but don't go to any place that says, What is your problem? 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:11.839 Where are you hurting? 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:13.519 I said, That's what a massage is about. 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:19.519 It's about relaxing your whole body and aligning your skeletal structure with the muscles the way God intended. 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:22.160 And I'm like, I'll lay down on the floor right now, lady. 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.839 You can just rub my back right here. 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:30.399 I've been on a mountain sleeping on the ground in a tent infested by ants, and Todd Elder, who said, I don't snore. 00:08:30.480 --> 00:08:32.480 That liar's going to hell, okay? 00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:37.039 By the way, Bob Razica can suck the paint off the wall. 00:08:37.360 --> 00:08:41.039 I about put a pillow over him and suffocated him in his sleep. 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.039 And that ain't good because I'm his pastor. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:49.840 I'm standing over him with an axe and a clown mask at 418 in the morning thinking, shut your mouth. 00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:58.240 So I just went and walked outside with an axe looking for a rooster out in the out in the jungle. 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:01.759 Yeah, they got roosters in the jungle up on the mountain. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:04.799 So it's kind of like, oh, what do you mean not being a religious jerk? 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:06.720 You're sitting by the person that's in know it all. 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:09.919 You're like reading car and drive, or like, oh man, that Corvette, that's a bad year. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:11.360 They got a bad manifold intact. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:13.360 Just let me read that magazine. 00:09:13.600 --> 00:09:17.039 There's people in the church at Rome that were that way about Christianity. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:20.080 And Paul says, hey, let me just kind of invite you into something differently. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:21.519 Four things he says to us. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:24.720 The responsibility of being a mature believer involves four things. 00:09:24.799 --> 00:09:26.639 Number one, he says, walk in love. 00:09:26.879 --> 00:09:27.519 Walk in love. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:28.799 Look at verse 15. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:30.879 That's kind of the thrust of it. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:32.399 Let me start in in verse 13. 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:36.799 He says, Therefore, because actually let me start in verse 12, which is the end of the last section. 00:09:36.879 --> 00:09:40.320 He says, So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. 00:09:40.559 --> 00:09:43.200 Each of us will give an account of himself to God. 00:09:43.440 --> 00:09:45.360 Really kind of summarizes that whole section. 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:47.360 Hey, but Lance talked about it last week. 00:09:47.440 --> 00:09:53.120 Hey, hey, you don't have to be obsessed with everybody else because when you stand before God, you're not going to give an account for them. 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:54.720 You're going to give an account for yourself. 00:09:54.879 --> 00:10:04.799 So he begins this section with, because of that, therefore, in light of what I'm just said, let me tell you how to get ready to give an account of yourself to God. 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:12.720 Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or a hindrance in the way of a brother. 00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:18.080 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. 00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:19.759 Do you realize the Bible says that? 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:20.720 Nothing is unclean. 00:10:20.879 --> 00:10:21.840 Nothing is off limits. 00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:23.120 If you want to eat meat, that's great. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.879 If you want to drink wine, that's great. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:28.879 But here's the deal you've got to do that stuff in the context of other people. 00:10:29.039 --> 00:10:33.679 And sometimes you exercising your freedom might cause them to stumble. 00:10:33.840 --> 00:10:40.159 Like, for example, I'm sitting there in Costa Rica this week, talking to our missionary friend Bart, having coffee cooked over an open fire. 00:10:40.240 --> 00:10:41.919 I felt like festus on gunsmoke. 00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:43.360 I was like, this is awesome. 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:45.759 And we were talking about clean and unclean. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:47.360 And he said, What are you preaching on this Sunday? 00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:52.720 I said, actually, this passage in Romans that I think is very instructive for life today in the 21st century. 00:10:52.879 --> 00:10:54.960 And he said, I said, about the clean and unclean. 00:10:55.039 --> 00:11:05.279 And I said, You know, in Acts 10, Peter saw this sheet because there was a time in biblical times that people kind of distinguished themselves and identified themselves as Christians by what they didn't do. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:09.039 And I don't mean not just in biblical days, in current days. 00:11:09.200 --> 00:11:26.399 Like some of you grew up in towns where you knew the Christians because they didn't go to PG 13 movies, they didn't play cards, they didn't drink, they didn't do all these specific things, but never, they never somehow got around to all the things that the Bible says they somehow should be doing. 00:11:26.480 --> 00:11:29.200 And so I'm talking to Bart about cleaning up, and he started laughing. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:38.799 He said, Yeah, that passage in Acts 10 where Peter says it's, I mean, the the the the Peter has a dream and the sheet comes down, it's full of all these animals, and the voice says, Rise and eat. 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:42.799 And he said, Yeah, I led a guy to Christ in one of our other villages with that exact same passage. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:44.000 I said, Tell me about that. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:45.120 And he said, Yeah. 00:11:45.360 --> 00:11:48.799 I uh we were talking, and the guy looked at me and said, Is it wrong? 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:50.799 Is it a sin to eat monkey? 00:11:51.200 --> 00:11:56.240 And I just held my coffee cup and I thought, I can now die a happy man. 00:11:56.399 --> 00:11:59.039 I've never had a conversation that began with that question. 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:00.799 Is it a sin to eat monkey? 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:03.519 Oh, go ahead with your bad self and talk about that some. 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:08.879 Because people had come along, religious people, and said, Hey, if you're a Christian, you shouldn't eat monkey. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:10.159 That's an unclean animal. 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:13.200 And I'm just thinking, by the way, I had a pet monkey growing up. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:14.639 So I'm really interested in this. 00:12:14.720 --> 00:12:19.519 And Bart said, I just turned over in the Bible and said, everything is clean for the believer. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:20.399 You're free to eat. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:22.080 If you want to eat monkey, eat monkey. 00:12:22.240 --> 00:12:25.840 And Bart said, Hey, long story short, I led the guy to Christ. 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:29.600 Because he lived in fear that he was going to go to hell because he ate monkey. 00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:31.919 And some of you lived in fear. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:45.120 Not because you've eaten monkey, but because there's things that you enjoy and you've always kind of wondered, well, people kind of make me feel bad about, and I like I have a friend that will not eat shrimp or shellfish. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:47.360 Because he read a part in the Old Testament. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:51.039 Old Testament dietary laws that said, don't these things are bottom feeders. 00:12:51.200 --> 00:12:53.279 He tells me this while we're having seafood. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:57.120 And I'm like, hey man, you're in a seafood restaurant. 00:12:57.200 --> 00:12:58.320 Why are you having chicken fingers? 00:12:58.399 --> 00:12:59.919 You're not six, okay? 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:03.600 You want a plastic bib and a sippy cup? 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:14.399 And he said, I grew up in a church where the pastor harped on not eating shrimp and not eating shellfish, and I was just kind of, it was ingrained in me that that's the way I demonstrate to the world that I'm a Christian. 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:17.679 And I just thought to myself, oh man. 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:23.279 So I peeled a big bowl of shrimp and dipped it in some cocktail sauce and horseradish and said, come on over to the dark side. 00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:27.440 And I looked up and he had tears in his eyes. 00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:29.200 And I realized he wasn't kidding. 00:13:29.840 --> 00:13:32.000 That's what religion will do to you. 00:13:32.320 --> 00:13:36.879 It will make you so unnecessarily unhappy that you can't enjoy anything. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.240 And what Paul is saying to these people is, hey, walk in love. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:43.519 Let's just keep reading the Bible so you can hear the flow and the nuance of it. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:49.600 He says, hey, don't pass judgment on another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or a hindrance in the way of a brother. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:56.240 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it is unclean. 00:13:56.480 --> 00:14:02.080 Verse 15, for if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:06.639 By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 00:14:06.879 --> 00:14:15.120 Now, the reason I read the keep kind of coming back to the Bible is I want you to see how subtle Paul is in the Bible is when he says, walk in love. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:18.879 It's not just some innocuous, hey, just try to do better. 00:14:19.039 --> 00:14:25.600 When he's saying, hey, the Bible has this way of kind of introducing these theological truths that kind of change the dialogue. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:27.039 You say, what do you mean? 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:34.799 Well, when when some aspect of the gospel is introduced into the dialogue, ask yourself, can you keep doing what you've been doing? 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.639 Like back to the seafood restaurant, and I'm holding out, and the guy's like, I'm not kidding. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.960 And I said, Neither am I, but I don't want to make you stumble. 00:14:41.120 --> 00:14:42.080 I said, here's the deal. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:48.879 I'll send this back and I'll order chicken fingers if you think I'm going to hell or I'm tempted you to do something you're not comfortable doing. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:53.440 And he said, I just I've just lived my whole life wondering what shrimp tastes like. 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:55.679 You've never had boiled shrimp. 00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:57.200 Never in my life. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:00.480 You've never had one of these seahorses I'm holding here in my hand. 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:07.039 These aren't these long John Silver little scrimps that are like triple battered that all you can taste is deep-fried dough. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:11.600 This is just naked goodness right out of the ocean. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:14.480 And he said, I really want to try it. 00:15:14.559 --> 00:15:17.679 And you're telling me I'm not going to like break God's law if I eat that? 00:15:17.840 --> 00:15:21.440 I'm telling you, everything is clean for the believer. 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:26.559 And I just put it down on the table in front of him and said, But you got to do what your conscience tells you to do. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:30.879 Me, I'm going to eat all these and order some more because it's all you can eat. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:42.159 And he just kind of sat there eating his chicken fingers, and after about five minutes, he reached over and cut a little piece off and put it in his mouth, and he went, Wow, that's better than I imagined. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:45.279 And I just smiled back and said, Freedom usually is. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:50.480 See, because that's what the Bible, if you're here today and you're new to this whole thing, someone invited you. 00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:56.879 The Bible's not like a big list of rules and regulations that says you can't do this, you can't do that, and by all means, don't ever do that. 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:58.720 The Bible says you're free. 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:00.000 And why are you free? 00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:04.879 Because for you, it's not what goes inside of you that condemns you, it's what comes out of you. 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.639 See, that's what the Bible teaches. 00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:08.960 When he says walk in love, and now I said something a minute ago. 00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:10.240 Let me demonstrate what I meant. 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:15.440 I said that Paul kind of introduces these theological truths that kind of call us to something bigger. 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.559 He does it in verse 15. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:17.440 Hear it again. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:21.200 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you're no longer walking in love. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:24.399 By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:27.039 There's two things Paul introduces in this conversation. 00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:29.840 The first one that kind of changes the way you think about it. 00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:31.279 The first one is the cross. 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:35.600 He says, hey, by what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:48.639 Now the Bible says in John 3.16, very popular verse, you see it at football games and that, you know, John 3.16 says, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life. 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:55.200 Translation, if God loves this person enough to die for them, by what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 00:16:55.440 --> 00:17:01.840 If God so loved this person that he was willing to die for them, the Bible's saying to you and I, then you and I should be willing. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:07.759 We should so love this person that we'd be willing not to eat things or drink things that would offend them. 00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:16.160 My wife and I, one of the great privileges of our life is to just be friends with people that in our church that we pastor and we have a relationship with. 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:23.599 We're friends with a couple in this church, and we go to dinner on occasion, and and and anytime we go to dinner, and the wife will say, Hey, I'm gonna have a glass of wine. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.640 Would that offend you? 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:27.839 And what she's doing is practicing what the Bible says right here. 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:30.400 And I smile back and say, wouldn't bother me at all. 00:17:30.640 --> 00:17:36.559 And she says, Oh, it is so refreshing to have a pastor that just doesn't make me feel guilty. 00:17:37.359 --> 00:17:39.440 Why is that my job? 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:43.200 Try to follow you around like your internal little sister, going, um. 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:47.519 I'm gonna tell mom and dad. 00:17:49.440 --> 00:17:51.039 And so we just kind of sit there. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:52.079 It's interesting. 00:17:52.160 --> 00:17:52.880 I've been around people. 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:57.759 One guy said one time, he said, I've never had a p uh a pastor that I could drink a beer in front of. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:00.960 You feel what just happened in this room? 00:18:01.680 --> 00:18:05.039 Some of you are like, you just went somewhere, I'm not comfortable with you going. 00:18:05.599 --> 00:18:09.519 Yes, I've sat with sinners in this room while they've had alcoholic beverages. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:12.079 Just like Jesus. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:19.759 And it's always funny because there's a way you drink when your pastor's not around, and then there's a way you drink when your pastor is around. 00:18:20.000 --> 00:18:24.000 When your pastor's not around, it's like, hey, can we get one more of these over here for all my buddies? 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:26.720 When I walk up, it's like, hello, pastor. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:35.359 All things in moderation here, you know, no one's out of line, no one's inebriated, and I'm kind of like, relax, I'm not the police, okay? 00:18:35.920 --> 00:18:39.200 Because here's the thing freedom is not your native environment. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:44.000 Because some of you right now, you're tensing up, just kind of thinking, I don't know if I want to be a part of her church like this. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:48.559 Hey, by the way, my wife doesn't care for alcohol one iota. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:52.160 And we have friends who go to them like, oh, come on, try some, try some. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.119 And finally she's like, hey, I'm comfortable with you drinking. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:57.279 Why are you not comfortable with me not drinking? 00:18:58.079 --> 00:19:01.599 Because, see, there's the other side of this thing, because that's when you're abusing your freedom. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:03.039 You want everyone to do what you do. 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:05.599 She's like, I had two alcoholic grandfathers. 00:19:05.680 --> 00:19:07.279 I'm not really interested in starting down that road. 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:08.720 I might have the X factor. 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:12.480 And I'm like, we'll just take a sip and let's just see what happens. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:17.039 And she knows I'm kidding, and she's like, whatever. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:24.720 But see, here's the thing: when you don't understand the freedom that Christ has given you, you use things in a way they were never intended to be used. 00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:33.279 And the Bible says, hey, if it offends somebody, you i i if for the sake of food or drink you're doing something that causes somebody to stumble, you're not walking in love. 00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:42.160 That's what he does when he kind of just inserts the cross in there and says, Oh, by the way, by what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:43.839 Oswald Chambers says this. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:48.000 He says, Unguarded strength is actually double weakness. 00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:57.519 Because that is the least likely temptation will be because that is where the least likely temptation will be effective in sapping strength. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:02.799 The Bible characters stumbled over their strong points, never their weak ones. 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:08.480 Paul says, hey, if you want to be responsible with your Christian maturity, the first thing you've got to do is walk in love. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:10.480 Secondly, you've got to prioritize the kingdom. 00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.680 Are you still with me? 00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:13.519 Did I lose anybody there? 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:15.839 Any questions about anything I just said? 00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:17.599 And I'm not kidding, I'm being serious. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:20.480 You're like, you're gonna let us ask questions in church? 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:20.960 Sure. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:22.160 This is not a play. 00:20:22.240 --> 00:20:23.839 This is not a production up here. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:29.039 I don't want you walking out today and kind of going, uh, did he say what I think he said? 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:32.000 No, I just want to say everything the Bible says. 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:37.440 Because the Bible is not about behavior modification, it's about glory demonstration. 00:20:38.319 --> 00:20:39.759 Do you hear the difference in the two? 00:20:39.920 --> 00:20:45.920 It's not about trying to control and modify your behavior, it's about you living a life that brings God glory. 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.079 Does that make sense? 00:20:49.119 --> 00:20:50.000 Are we done with that point? 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:51.359 Can we go on to the second one? 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:53.759 Email me if you have questions. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:59.119 Because some of you are like, I want to raise my hand in church and ask, but I'm not going to because other people think I'm silly. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:20:59.920 No, they won't. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:04.720 Second thing the Bible says is that, hey, the responsibility of maturity is prioritize the kingdom. 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:05.519 Verse 17. 00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.480 Look at what he says. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:13.920 After he says, introduces this kind of theological reality of the cross and kind of says, hey, hey, don't destroy someone for whom Christ died. 00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:19.920 If Christ loved them enough to die for them, you should love them enough to say no to your freedom so they won't be offended. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:23.119 Verse 17, he introduces a second theological reality. 00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:29.680 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:34.319 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:39.680 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:41.440 Now, what is he saying there? 00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:46.720 When he says prioritize the kingdom, well, that's that second theological reality that Paul kind of introduces. 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:47.920 The first one's the cross. 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:49.920 The second one is the kingdom of God. 00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:58.079 Now, when we talk about the kingdom of God here, we're not talking about a bunch of nerds in their basement of their mom's house playing risk or strategico, okay? 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:02.960 The kingdom of God is Is the realm within which what God wants done gets done. 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:08.240 And when he says, prioritize the kingdom, it's what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6, about verse 33. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:13.759 He said to on the Sermon on the Mount, he said, Hey, seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:16.720 And all these things you worry about will be added to you. 00:22:16.799 --> 00:22:18.640 So this is not a one-off thing in the Bible. 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.920 The Bible's always about, hey, prioritize the kingdom. 00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:25.200 And the kingdom is not you and your opinions and your preferences. 00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:31.119 And verse 18 and 19 kind of puts out the threefold benefit of when you and I prioritize the kingdom. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.559 Let me just point them out to you. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.920 Look at verse 18. 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.680 He says this. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:47.519 He says, Whoever thus serves Christ, whoever kind of lives their life this way, whoever kind of remembers and prioritizes what the kingdom of God is about, number one, is acceptable to God. 00:22:47.680 --> 00:22:49.759 And number two, approved by men. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:53.759 He says, So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. 00:22:53.920 --> 00:23:00.640 The three benefits when you and I prioritize the kingdom is you're acceptable to God, you're approved by men, and you're what's known as a peacemaker. 00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:06.240 And Jesus, back in that same Sermon on the Mount, said, Blessed are the peacemakers. 00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:09.039 Blessed are the peacemakers. 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:17.359 Now, by the way, when he says there in verse 18, whoever lives like this is acceptable to God and approved by men, don't get those out of order. 00:23:17.599 --> 00:23:18.880 They're in order for a reason. 00:23:19.039 --> 00:23:25.599 The Bible says that your first priority, your first thing you should be concerned about is being acceptable to God. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:27.200 Be accepted, accepted by God. 00:23:27.279 --> 00:23:32.640 And not just approved by men, but be somebody that, hey, I'm accepted by God. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:39.759 When you go to bed tonight, before you go to sleep today, some point in the day, just remind yourself, oh, by the way, I'm not trying to earn this. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:41.519 I'm accepted by God. 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:47.359 And when I live in this freedom that my accepting God has given me, I be approved by men. 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:56.880 Finally, the Bible says that you're this peacemaker, this person that life that kind of produces as a byproduct this mutual upbringing. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:23:59.599 People are kind of built up by being around you. 00:23:59.839 --> 00:24:06.480 Third thing the Bible says to us, just the responsibility of being mature believers is thirdly, keep in mind the work of God. 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:07.440 Verse 20. 00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:11.359 He says, Do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God. 00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:20.319 Paul kind of juxtaposes these two things against each other and says, Hey, not for something as small as food do you destroy the work of God. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:26.079 Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:33.119 It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 00:24:33.440 --> 00:24:34.559 Just hear that, beloved. 00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:36.559 He says, Hey, I get it. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:39.279 Don't for the sake of food destroy the work of God. 00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:46.559 Yes, everything is really clean, but it's wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:52.079 Now, when I say keep in mind the work of God, here's simply as I can put it, folks. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:58.880 When Paul uses this phrase, what he's saying to the people in Rome and to you and I sitting in this room today is simply this. 00:24:59.119 --> 00:25:00.960 You're part of the work of God. 00:25:02.720 --> 00:25:05.039 How you live your life matters. 00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:08.319 The choices you and I make matter. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:13.119 When I became a Christian, I could no longer just kind of say, well, I'm fine with it. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:14.240 I don't have a problem with it. 00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:20.960 Well, that's your opinion, and I respect that, but I'm going to do what I'm going to do because it's my life, it's my body, or whatever. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:23.039 The Bible says, now wait a minute. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:26.400 Once I become a Christian, I become part of the work of God. 00:25:26.640 --> 00:25:29.200 And so I now, that's not pressure. 00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.400 That's privilege. 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:32.160 That's a reminder that wait a minute. 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:35.279 It matters how I live my life when no one's looking. 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:39.839 It matters the choices that I make in light of the freedom that Christ gave me. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.000 I believe what the Bible says, that it is for freedom that Christ has come to set us free. 00:25:44.160 --> 00:25:46.880 Jesus said, You'll know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:50.640 He said, Anyone the Son sets free is free indeed. 00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:54.000 And so, what are you saying? 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:58.559 What I'm saying is what the Bible is saying is that you are a part of the work of God. 00:25:59.200 --> 00:26:02.400 Don't shrink it down to just what you prefer to do. 00:26:02.640 --> 00:26:08.799 Step into the bigness, the wideness, and the wonder of being a part of the work of God. 00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:16.720 When you walk around here in a few hours at the meeting greet, just kind of look around and see how textured the work of God is. 00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:20.000 That there's people that aren't anything like you. 00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:26.240 There's people that have totally different political affiliations, and they're part of the work of God. 00:26:26.480 --> 00:26:29.680 We finally got to our little hotel, and I use the word hotel loosely. 00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:42.720 It's kind of a little bungalow with no hot water, and had a TV, and everything was in Spanish, and we finally were flipping channels, and we got up to like channel 625 on the Sky Network, and they had Fox News channel in English. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:46.000 Bob Rosica thought he had died and gone to heaven. 00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:59.279 Alas! Yes, mothership beat me up! And all the men were gathering around, and I just I was and they were talking about this, and as Hillary Clinton, as liberals we think, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:26:59.519 --> 00:27:06.880 And I was just reminded, even on this trip, there's people that love this, and there's people staring at that TV thinking, are we really going to watch this? 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:08.640 Is this the best we can do? 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:11.599 I'd rather watch Spanish soccer in Spanish. 00:27:12.079 --> 00:27:12.960