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Speaker 3Us. Your name that we pray. Your name that we gather. Amen.
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Speaker 2Amen.
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Speaker 1There's nothing really like getting up in front of people and sharing the word of God that gets you to trust him. I'll just tell you that. I'm just trusting him that he has a message to share today, and I want him to speak through me. And I'm so thankful to get to share this word with you. So there's lots of different opinions and convictions within the church.
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Would you agree with that? This lesson is kind of on the nonessential areas of those convictions, the things that aren't really just specific in the word that this is clearly sin, but on all those convictions that are the non essentials. Have you guys heard about the red cup, the Starbucks cup? Yes. This is just kind of a funny example.
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So every year, Starbucks has a cup during the holiday season that usually has snowflakes or something on it. And this year they came out with... It's just a plain red cup. And so a lot of people have been upset, well, you're taking Christmas away. And there's this former pastor that decided to fight it with, When you go in to order your drink, he says to...
1:30
When they say, what's your name? He says to say, my name's Merry Christmas. So they write Merry Christmas on the cup, so they're... He thinks he's tricking Starbucks into saying Merry Christmas. So it's kind of cute, but there's a lot of people on the other side too saying...
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There was a there was a response. I think it was on Twitter. It said, Christian friends, if you're gonna be upset over red holiday cups that never had Christian symbols on them to begin with and not being wished a Merry Christmas at stores, if you think this is persecution, then please unfriend me. So I'm just saying we have opinions on both sides of this. Some people think we need to fight for Christmas, and other people think, let's go feed the hungry and the...
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You know, take care of the poor, and these are the bigger issues. So anyways, that's just a silly example, but I just wanted to point out that we have lots of different opinions. So what do we do with that? And that's what we're talking about today. And the hint, I love just giving it all away at the beginning.
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The hint is the word faith, and that's been just the theme of all of Romans, faith. Faith is how we are saved and how we live out our lives, And faith comes through hearing and hearing by the word of God. So we're gonna turn to the word of God and see what the word says. The first 11 chapters of Romans doctrine. We're learning all about God and who he is and who we are to him.
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The twelve and thirteen were... Are starting to get into application, and today 14 is another chapter of application. So we get to see how we live out our faith. The other word that's our hint for today is unity. So how important is unity in the church?
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Let's look at John 17. John 17 verses 20 through 23, Jesus was praying to the father. He says, my prayer is not for them alone. So he's talking about the believers that he was with. But I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one.
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Father, just as you are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one. I in them and you in me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as I... Even as you have loved me.
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So I feel like unity is really important because he says that's how the world's gonna know that we're from him, and that's how the world's gonna know that Christ was from the Lord. He wants us to be one just like he and the father are one. In John thirteen thirty five, it says, by this, everyone will know that you're my disciples if you love one another. And that's how the world sees Jesus in us, by how we treat each other and if we can show each other grace and mercy. So I feel like this is a really important important thing, the unity.
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Okay. So let's pray. Lord, we just thank you for this word. We thank you for chapter 14 and the truths that are in it. And, I just pray that you would speak through me and and that it would be clear what your word says, Lord, and you would guard me from air and, and just teach us this morning in Jesus' name.
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Okay. So everybody, let's... We're just gonna read through, I think it's the first the first 12 verses. If you read along with me, Romans 14. Oops.
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Now accept the one who is weak in faith, not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions. One person has faith that he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats vegetables only. The one who eats is not to regard with contempt the one who does not eat, and the one who does not eat is not to judge the one who eats for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master, he stands or falls, and he will stand for the Lord is able to make him stand.
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One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats does so for the Lord. For he gives thanks to God, and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat and gives thanks to God. For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself.
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For if we live, we live for the Lord. Or if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end, Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. But you, why do you judge your brother?
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Or again, why do you regard your brother with content? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, as I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God. So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Okay.
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So at the beginning in, of that, in verse six, it starts talking about the weak and the strong in faith. And it's talking about different faiths, but I wanted to note, we look at them and we see that they are both doing what they're doing for the Lord, and they're both giving thanks to the Lord. So they're both God centered. Their hearts are in the right place. They're giving thanks to the Lord and doing it for his glory.
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So it's just a difference of opinion or their conviction in these non essential areas. So how do we handle this difference? Well, the first thing... So number one, the first thing it points out is don't judge your brother. So we may have a brother that's weak, and they...
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I didn't really love the word weak and strong, but weak may just mean they're a new believer and they haven't learned yet that these... That you may have freedom, or they may have been taught a certain legalism. But the important thing is that we don't judge because God has accepted them, we accept them. I love the quote by Saint Augustine. It says, in essentials, unity.
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So in essential things like the gospel and that Jesus died and was resurrected, those are the things that we have to have unity. In the non essentials, liberty, we have freedom and the things that aren't listed out, but in all things, charity. So if we have differences of opinion, we're gonna give each other that charity and not be judging each other. Okay. So how...
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Another way we handle this too, we allow God to be the judge. And I loved this when he talked about... Weirsby talked about in the book when Peter, when Jesus called Peter to follow him. And Peter started following Christ, and then he turned around and looked at John. He said, what are you gonna do with him?
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And and he said, what is it to you? Follow me. And so our walk with the Lord, it's between yourself and him. It's between me and God, And let him be Lord of your life and let him be Lord of their life. So we don't get to be their judge.
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We don't get to be their Holy Spirit and say, you need to live like me. We're gonna let God convict them and and allow God to be the Lord in their life. And why? Because we're all gonna be standing accountable before God one day for our own actions. And I I always say this, this is like the thing that I'm always telling my kids, like, you guys are just brothers and sisters.
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Like, you're not her mom. You're... You know, you just worry about you. Make sure you're doing the right thing, and you make sure you're doing the right thing. And you don't worry about each other.
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Just do what I'm telling you or do what God's telling you, make sure that you're doing the right thing. So that's kind of the same thing. You live, you're out your faith the way the Lord has called you. James two thirteen says, for judgment will be merciless to the one who has who has shown no mercy. And I've always kind of struggled with verses like this, because it makes it sound like you have to earn the mercy.
11:00
If you show mercy, then you've earned the right to receive mercy. But I think the way that it's... What it's meaning to say is that when you show mercy, it shows that you have received God's mercy and that you trust God's mercy in your life, and so you're able to show it. It kind of proves that you have his mercy within you and you've accepted his forgiveness so you're able to forgive and show mercy to others. Okay.
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So we... In this, in the not judging, we do need to leave a little bit of room for if you have a friend who is biblically off, if they're on a path that is a path of sin. But there is a correct way to do that. If you have a friend on the wrong path, there's several scriptures that talk about what to do. Galatians six one, it says, brethren or sisters, if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself so that you too will not be tempted.
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Bear one another's burdens and therefore... Thereby fulfill the law of Christ. So it's in a spirit of gentleness, and I feel like this is among close friends. When you can correct and say, is how you're living is... Are you making a good choice?
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Is this good for you? Second Timothy two twenty five says, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition. If perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of truth. So this is this is not in a non essential area. This would be if someone is off on one of the essential areas or is living in a way that we know for sure is sin.
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Okay. So number three, how we handle the differences. Number three, I thought it was interesting. He said, be fully convinced in your own mind in verse five. So it was kind of interesting because he didn't say, like, just kind of don't worry about what you think or, you know, he didn't call for something like a wishy washy kind of conviction, but he still calls in the small things.
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We should still have convictions and clear faith. David Geswick said, there is a lot of useless, harmful divisions among Christians over silly things. Paul isn't telling these Christians to erase these differences. He's telling them to rise above them as Christian brothers and sisters. So because we're accountable to God, we should be fully convinced in our convictions and know why we're choosing to believe a certain way.
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And I came up with a little list of how we could know that. So because the other list was one, two, three, this is a, so a, b, c. A, what we're convicted of obviously should not be something that's sinful. So if if we feel like very strong in certain area, we should be sure that our actions aren't sinning. B, it should be honoring to Christ.
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Remember, we're doing it for the Lord and we're giving thanks. When they were eating or they weren't eating, both ones were giving thanks and doing it for the Lord. And c, it should be the best way that we can think to act in that situation. So there are true Christians on both sides of these issues that are able to bring glory to God on both sides. I think he makes that clear because in verses eight and nine, he's talking about opposite things like eating and not eating, and dying and living, and these are opposites.
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But both of these things, both of these opposite things can both honor God. And so what we do, we need to know that what we're doing is bringing honor, and we're doing it for his glory. Okay. So let's start back in verse 13, and we're going to read through the end of the chapter. Says, therefore, let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this, not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.
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I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. But to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are no longer work... Walking in love. Do not destroy with food him for whom Christ died.
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Therefore, do not let what is good... What is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves in this way... For...
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Sorry. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then we pursue the things which make for peace in the building up of one another. Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and who gives offense.
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It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine or to do anything by which your brother stumbles. The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before the Lord. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves, but he who doubts is condemned if he eats because his eating is not from faith. And whatever is not from faith is sin. Okay.
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So it talks about the stumbling block. You don't wanna put a stumbling block in our sister's way. And this would be... If we're convicted about something, we don't wanna push someone or pressure someone into doing that if they feel like it's not right for them. Because if we feel pressure to do what we think in our own hearts is wrong, it's like saying...
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If they... If you give in to that, it would be like saying I need someone's approval, or I can't trust God right now because I'm stepping out of what I feel is right. So it's the uncleanness or the thing that's wrong doesn't... It's not in the food itself, but it's in the motive, in the conscious. Quote from John Piper, he says, the Christian faith isn't doing certain things or not doing certain things.
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What matters is whether we act from faith. We are not finally accountable to follow any man's opinion about food or drink or solemn days. We are accountable to the Lord whose will is that our hearts are pure and that we do what we do out of gratitude to him and for his honor. So I feel like that sums it up. And again, we're not talking about things that are clearly sin, but we're talking about these non essential areas.
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So verse 17, I loved when he said, the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but its righteousness and joy and peace in the Holy Spirit. For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God. And so again, that's living by the spirit, and that produces the fruits of the spirit like peace and joy. And when we're serving Christ in that way, that's what becomes acceptable to God. It's not about the eating or the drinking and whether you have the right convictions on the right things.
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It's about living out, walking in the spirit and living out in faith. So I was trying to... I feel like the whole meat and vegetable thing doesn't really apply so much now because that's not really the struggle in the church. So I'm trying to think of some of the great issues that we actually deal with now. And one of the things I thought about was enjoying a glass of wine or something like that.
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For you, it might be... You might feel complete freedom to have a glass of wine or you might feel like it's just not right for me. I just don't... I just feel convicted in that area. I'm just not gonna drink alcohol.
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And both are equally great if that is what... You know, you're gonna live the faith... You're gonna... It's between you and God. But as sisters in Christ, we don't wanna pressure or put any kind of stumbling block in another sister's way in that conviction.
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So if they're convicted not to drink, we're not gonna bring bottles of wine over to their house or try to drink with that person, if that makes sense. Some of the other things I thought about were just convictions like how you raise your children. Do you send them to public school or a Christian school or do you homeschool? If I feel like, you know, you feel that conviction of this is how I feel like God has me raising my kids, and that's between me and God. And I feel like, you know, we shouldn't judge other people like, oh my goodness, you have your kid in public school.
20:56
How could you do that? But people, if you're you're living by faith, and if God has called you to that, then you live that by faith with full conviction. And we shouldn't be pressuring each other to change our decisions based off of our own convictions. Other things were like, what books are you reading? Know, some books you might really enjoy or other people like, I only am gonna read Christian books.
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Things like that, or what you watch. I was laughing because pastor Ray showed a Seinfeld clip the other day. So with disclaimers. Yeah. So anyways, what you watch.
21:42
It could be... We don't wanna make we don't wanna make our Christian sisters stumble if they're convicted in other ways. Or like what you eat, if someone's... I have friends that like have a hard time with sugar and it's just a struggle, so I'm not just gonna bring cupcakes over to their house or... You know, I'm just gonna be aware of that.
22:04
Weirsby uses the putting the scissors away analogy and I thought that was kind of cute. It was like baby proofing your house. Like, when you have toddlers in your home, you just put the scissors away. And when you have friends that struggle with areas, you just... We're aware of that, and we're we're careful, we don't try to pressure them to think like we do.
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And he said on page one sixty eight, the question is not how does this affect me, but the question is how does this affect my sister? We don't want to tear down the work of God for the sake of food. We don't want to tear down the work of God for the sake of blank, whatever that is. It's... Our freedom is not more important than what God has going on in that person's life.
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Is there something like that that you don't want to have to give up that's causing someone to stumble? I don't know. Just think about that. In chapter 15, we have Christ's example. In verse one, he says, now we are such...
23:09
Now we who are strong ought to bear the weakness of those without strength and not just please ourselves. So it's not just about... We have the freedom to do this. It's not just about us anymore. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good to his edification.
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For even Christ did not please himself, but it was written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. So all of those things fell on Christ. He did not live to please himself. We are one family now and I feel like that that unity, that's more important than our own individual freedoms. We're one family.
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We're like those brothers and sisters and we show each other love and we're children of God. We should accept one another because he's accepted us. Verse five and fifteen says, now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord, you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept one another just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. So I think it's it's just important that we have strong convictions in those non essential areas, making sure that we're living by faith and what we're choosing is honoring to God.
24:46
But there... If there's a freedom that we have that's gonna tear down the work of God, we can choose to live without that. So we're gonna choose to live by faith and walk by the spirit because we're not living for ourselves anymore. We're no longer slaves to sin. We are children of God, and he has set us free completely.
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And, we're gonna choose to love. With that freedom, we can choose to love, and we're not living for our own comfort and pleasures now, but we're living for a loving God. He set us free not to flaunt our liberty but to choose to love our sisters and to bring them closer to Christ. So... Yeah.
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And we're just thinking about that. We're building his own kingdom and not our own, and remembering that we're a family and that we're one. We've talked about that a lot with Christine. I loved how she talked about the great... Hey.
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The greats and how we're one and she always says, I don't know how she says it. We're one tree, we're one body, we're one flock before the Lord, we're one family. So accept one another and show each other some grace and some mercy. Lord, we just thank you for your word, and we just pray that you would show us how to live it out in our daily lives. We just pray that we could live by your Holy Spirit as we make decisions throughout the day.
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Lord, just be with us and and, speak to us and let us hear your voice so that we can live by faith and trust you in Jesus' name.
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Speaker 3I gotta get my pick. Okay.
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Speaker 2Last week we changed the words from I am not alone to we are not alone. And I'm not as familiar with this rendition of Oceans because we had a cello player and so I may mess it up. But if you want to put in, you call us out upon the waters. The great unknown where feet may fail and there we find you in the mystery. So put the we, and we will call upon your name and keep our eyes above the waves.
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I invite you to do that or sing it like you know it and I'll I'll be switching back and forth.
27:48
Speaker 1But I I I just think it's...
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Speaker 2As we talk about unity as sisters and just how much the Lord loves everyone. That we need to start doing that. But however you want to sing it, fine.
