Aug. 20, 2023

“DOING THE RIGHT THING”

“HELPING OTHERS CARRY THEIR LOAD”

ROMANS 15:1-13

Paul now moves into the importance of considering others before yourself. Considering the weaker Christian, and helping them carry their load:

1.   Please One Another- Romans 15:1-7

True Christian love is not selfish, rather it seeks to share with others and make others happy.

We have a great example in our Lord, Jesus Christ. He paid a tremendous price in order to minister to us:

Psalm 69:9 “Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up,
And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.”

Do we think we have made a great sacrifice by giving some food and drink?

Just like loving parents make sacrifices for their children, so the mature believer sacrifices to help younger Christians grow in the faith.

Romans 15:1-2 “We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”

“to bear the weaknesses of those without strength.” The verb he chose is “bastazo” which means to carry,” to take on oneself.

So what exactly are the strong to bear?

Romans 14:15 “Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.”

vs.2 “please his neighbor”

1 Corinthians 10:24 “Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.”

Galatians 6:2 “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

*Selfishness- 

Romans 15:3 “For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” 

Christ never put His own interests and pleasures first. He always serves others.

Philippians 2:5-8

What a perfect example of someone voluntarily climbing down from a high place of honor to bear the weakness of weak people.

*The Source of Power- Romans 15:4-6

We have two spiritual sources of power from which we must draw from if we are to live to please others.

*The Word of God

Romans 15:4 “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”

1 Corinthians 10:11 “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”

*Prayer

Romans 15:5-6 “Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

*The Result

Romans 15:7 “Therefore receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.”

The result of the Word of God and prayer will bring unity among the believers in the church which result in glory to God.

Genesis 13:8 “So Abram said to Lot, “Please let there be no strife between you and me, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are brethren.”

Jesus prayed for the unity of the church to the glory of God:

John 17:20-26

As we help others and receive them we bring glory to God.

2.   The Ministry of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles- Romans 15:8-13

The supreme example of ministry is always Jesus Christ:

Luke 22:27 “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.”

Romans 15:8-9 “Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: “For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, And sing to Your name.”

Psalm 18:49 “Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the Gentiles, And sing praises to Your name.”

The Gentiles were part of God’s redemptive plan from the beginning.

Deuteronomy 32:43 “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people;
For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And render vengeance to His adversaries; He will provide atonement for His land and His people.”

The Gentiles rejoice with the Jews.

Romans 15:10 “And again he says: “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”

All the Jews and Gentiles praise God together.

Romans 15:11 “And again: “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”

Psalm 117:1 “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!

Romans 15:12 “And again, Isaiah says: “There shall be a root of Jesse; And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”

Isaiah 11:10 “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse,
Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.”

vs.12 “hope” or trust. At one time the Gentiles were without hope:

Ephesians 2:12-13 “That at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.”

Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

“Hope” is not a tentative wish that may or may not come true. Christian hope is an assured expectation based on a promise of God.

vs.13 “that you” indicated a cause-effect relationship.

So what are you doing with the grace given to you?

Romans 12:1-2