Please turn in your Bibles this morning to Romans chapter
15 as we continue our study through Paul’s letter to the
church in
This morning we will be looking at the topic of unity and we will look at Jesus Christ as our example. And to show this unity he also points to Jews and Gentiles being united in Christ. Why is this so important? The reason it is so important is because we are living epistles or letters for people to read about our God. Many today will not go into a church, but they will watch our lives and what kind of example are we leaving for them? You see, the example that Christ has for us is the one we are to follow or the story we are presenting to people will be messed up!
Let me share this story with you and you will see what I mean. We are told:
One evening I stopped by the church just to encourage those who were there rehearsing for the spring musical. I didn’t intend to stay long, so I parked my car next to the entrance. After a few minutes, I ran back to my car and drove home.
The next morning I found a note in my office mailbox. It read: A small thing, but Tuesday night when you came to rehearsal, you parked in the “No Parking” area. A reaction from one of my crew (who did not recognize you after you got out of your car) was, “There’s another jerk in the ‘No Parking’ area!” We try hard not to allow people - even workers - to park anywhere other than the parking lots. I would appreciate your cooperation, too. It was signed by a member of our maintenance staff.
(This man’s) stock went up in my book because he had the courage to write to me about what could have been a slippage in my character.
And he was right on the mark. As I drove up that night, I had thought, I shouldn’t park here, but after all, I am the pastor. That translates: “I’m an exception to the rules.” But that employee wouldn’t allow me to sneak down the road labeled “I’m an exception.”
I’m not the exception to church rules or any of God’s rules. Exemplary conduct means encouraging others to imitate us, even in the small matters.
- Paul Borthwick, Leading the Way, pp. 57-58
You see, when you think no one is watching you, they are! Thus, may we look to the example of Christ in our life to lead us in how we should walk and not depend on emotions or feelings, but His example! With that said, let’s begin reading in Romans chapter 15, starting in verse 4 and see what the Lord has for us this morning as we finish up this section on application and look at CHRIST OUR EXAMPLE!
When we think of the church, especially the early church, we tend to think there were no problems, everyone got along, but that was not the case. We saw that as we looked at the issue of Christian liberty and how that in the early church there were divisions, there were problems and Paul had to address them. And the problem is simple, we tend to look out for our own interests instead of the interests of others and we put up walls and separate over issues that are not issues. Folk’s, we need to enjoy, treasure the diversity that the Lord has brought into the body of Christ. In Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary they had this to say regarding this subject. They wrote,
Societies and their systems tend to encourage people to divide along racial, ethnic, and cultural lines, or else to abandon their distinctives by assimilating into the dominant power group. Paul called for a different approach. He didn’t ask Jews to give up their Jewish heritage and become Gentiles, nor did he ask Gentiles to become Jews. Instead, he affirmed the rich ethnic backgrounds of both groups while challenging them to live together in unity (Rom. 15:7).
That kind of unity is costly, and the attempt to practice it is always under attack. Yet that is the church that God calls us to—a diverse body of people who are unified around Christ. Our backgrounds - whether Japanese, Anglo-Saxon, African, Middle Eastern, Puerto Rican, Chinese, Italian, or whatever - are God’s gifts to each of us and to the church. He has placed us in our families as He has seen fit. We can rejoice in the background He has given us and be enriched by the background He has given others.
- Radmacher, Earl D. Allen, Ronald Barclay, House, H. Wayne, Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Commentary
What a treasure God has given to us, the variety of people within the body of Christ. Thus, let’s look at these verses we have read this morning a little closer and see the example that Christ has given to us to follow after, to pattern our life after so that in Him we may find unity!
Paul is speaking of the Old Testament and specifically those who laid aside their liberty and rights for the sake of their weaker brother. And he is saying that what they went through, the lessons they learned were not only for them, but for us also! I will give you a few examples to show you what I mean.
Remember the story of Abraham and his nephew Lot. They were prosperous, their herds grew and the land could not support them both and in Genesis 13:8-9, notice what we are told, “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. Is not the whole land before you? Please separate from me. If you take the left, then I will go to the right; or, if you go to the right, then I will go to the left.’” Abram or Abraham as he will be called, had every right to the land, he was the elder and yet, he laid aside his liberty and his rights for the sake of his nephew.
And in I Samuel chapter 18, the story of Jonathan, king Saul’s son and David illustrates this for us. We are told in I Samuel 18:3-4, “Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan took off the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, even to his sword and his bow and his belt.” By the actions of Jonathan, he was telling David that he would be the next king in Israel and yet, by all rights it should have been Jonathan but he willing laid down his liberty and rights for the sake of David!
We also see this between David and king Saul. David had Saul all alone, in a cave and could have killed him and yet, we are told in I Samuel 24:10, “Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’” David could have killed Saul but he laid down his liberty and rights and let Saul live!
And one more and that is of Moses and in Hebrews 11:24-26 we are told of him that, “By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.” In other words, he had the right to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter and yet he chose not to, to lay aside the liberties he had, the rights that he had and he looked ahead to the reward!
These are men who were willing to lay aside their rightful positions and possessions. You see, they could have demanded to have it their way, but they didn’t and in the end they prospered because of it. And Paul is saying to us that we need to learn from their example, to follow after them. I am amazed at the number of pastors who don’t teach out of the Old Testament and the number of Christians that don’t read the Old Testament and yet, Paul says that in them you will find the examples of these men to encourage you and the end result as you go through the Scriptures is that you will have PATIENCE, COMFORT which then gives to you HOPE!
Let’s look first at this idea of patience, because we all want patience and we want it now! And as much as we might not like this, as you read through the Scriptures you will see that God is not in a hurry, He has a plan, He has a purpose and He is patient. On the other hand, we are not! The Greek word that Paul uses for “patience” is HUPOMONE (hoop-om-on-ay’) and it speaks of cheerful endurance, cheerful consistency, hanging in there, not giving up. Now how often, as we are going through things do we do so with cheerful endurance and yet, that is what Paul is saying will happen in our lives if we read and apply the Scriptures to our lives!
You see, as you read the Scriptures, as you look at the examples of the men and women of faith, you are learning that God is in control and when you truly believe that, you can be patient, waiting upon Him to accomplish what needs to be done instead of being anxious or trying to do it on your own, having your own plans, your own agenda instead of doing His perfect will. One brings peace and the other anxiety and fear!
In Isaiah 40:31 we are told, “But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Why does waiting on the Lord renew our strength? Because we are not using up our energy running to and fro to solve the problem but we are waiting upon God, trusting in the Lord! And, as we do wait on the Lord, we can soar like eagles, we can run with endurance the course that God has for us, we can walk with Him daily and not faint or lose our perspective of who He is and what He is doing. Thus, look at the examples in the Scriptures and let them bring PATIENCE into your life!
Next Paul speaks of COMFORT and the Scriptures, as you read them and apply them to your life, it will bring comfort to your life! As you read the Scriptures you will find that the Bible tells us that God is the God of all comfort. The Greek word that Paul uses for “comfort” is PARAKLESIS (par-ak’-lay-sis), which speaks of coming to ones aide, consolation, support. It is a Greek word that is used also of the Holy Spirit. Now, as we read the Scriptures they bring to our lives comfort as we see God’s promises to us. We see that He is faithful and is able to bring to pass what He has promised us!
David, in Psalm 119:49-52 said, “Remember the word to Your servant, Upon which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, For Your word has given me life. The proud have me in great derision, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law. I remembered Your judgments of old, O LORD, And have comforted myself.”
The Living Bible puts these verses this way, “Never forget your promises to me your servant, for they are my only hope. They give me strength in all my troubles; how they refresh and revive me! Proud men hold me in contempt for obedience to God, but I stand unmoved. From my earliest youth I have tried to obey you; your Word has been my comfort.”
And The Amplified Bible says, “Remember [fervently] the word and promise to Your servant, in which You have caused me to hope. This is my comfort and consolation in my affliction: that Your word has revived me and given me life. [Rom 15:4.] The proud have had me greatly in derision, yet have I not declined in my interest in or turned aside from Your law. When I have [earnestly] recalled Your ordinances from of old, O Lord, I have taken comfort.”
God has given to us comfort through His Word and He is the God of all comfort, not “most” comfort or “some” comfort! Read through the Psalms and see how often the Psalms start out with the Psalmist in despair but as he spends time with God, by the time the Psalm is finished, the Psalmist has received the comfort of God from the Words of God. As we spend time with God, spend time in His Word, He will give us the comfort we need as He comes alongside of us and carries us through these times, He is the God of all comfort! Thus, look at the examples in the Scriptures and let them bring COMFORT into your life!
And as you read the Scriptures, as you allow them by the Spirit of God to bring PATIENCE and COMFORT to your life, you will find HOPE! I am sure that all of you have heard of the story, The Wizard of Oz as Dorothy and her friends – the scarecrow, the tin man and the cowardly lion – make their way down the yellow brick road to find their future. And their hope is in finding the Wizard of Oz and it is a story, it is not real and many today look to find hope in fairy tales or fictional stories. On the other end of the spectrum are those who pick up the newspaper and try to find hope and how is that going? Or what about the news on television, find any hope there? Some look for hope in modern literature and yet, many of the writers themselves have no hope! Now I don’t want to be a downer but look at the world today and you tell me, can you find any hope in it? No, it is dark and it is dismal and the Lord never tells us to look to the world to find hope!
You see, this road we are traveling on, not a yellow brick road, but one that is filled with the Scriptures and it leads us to PATIENCE, it leads us to COMFORT, and it brings into our lives HOPE! The bottom line is this. As we learn to be patient knowing that God is in control, as we receive His comfort as we go through difficult times, we can have hope in what God has promised us, He will bring it to pass! God’s hope never disappoints us because it is perfect! The Greek word that Paul uses for “hope” is ELPIS (el-pece’), which speaks of an anticipated, an expectation, a confidence! The idea that Paul is speaking of is that we need to keep on having hope, don’t give up!
A great example of this is given to us in Titus 2:13, and there are many, many other promises of God that we can look at, but here Paul tells us, “Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” You see, we have hope, expectation, confidence that the Lord is going to return because the Scriptures clearly tell us that and we can wait patiently, we can have comfort because He is coming back!
There are many lessons in the Bible, good news and bad news, may we learn from them these lessons and apply them to our lives so that we may grow in the Lord, learning patience, receiving comfort and having hope that all comes from the Word of God and His Spirit working in us.
Some of you may remember that song, and it goes back a few years, “I’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart.” There are many verses to that song but some of them are, “I’ve got the peace that passes understanding down in my heart.” And “I’ve got the wonderful love of my blessed Redeemer down in my heart.” And “I’ve got the happy hope that heckles heathens down in my heart.” You see, the hope we have when we are reproached, that joy we have down in our heart will show that God is real to us. It shows that we believe in His promises to us!
And if you really think about it, without hope we lose the will to live, we just tend to give up. Let me explain:
A number of years ago researchers performed an experiment to see the effect hope has on those undergoing hardship. Two sets of laboratory rats were placed in separate tubs of water. The researchers left one set in the water and found that within an hour they had all drowned. The other rats were periodically lifted out of the water and then returned. When that happened, the second set of rats swam for over 24 hours. Why? Not because they were given a rest, but because they suddenly had hope!
Those animals somehow hoped that if they could stay afloat just a little longer, someone would reach down and rescue them. If hope holds such power for unthinking rodents, how much greater should its effect be on our lives.
- Today in the Word, May, 1990, MBI, p. 34
Our hope is in the Lord and His Word and thus, we will not be moved, we will not be shaken, we will have the PATIENCE and COMFORT of the Scriptures and that will bring HOPE into our lives! That is what this verse is speaking of and it is a precious verse to us and Paul is going to continue to build upon it. But just listen to Romans 15:4 from The Amplified Bible and how it puts it, “For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope.” May we not lose sight of those promises to us, learning PATIENCE, receiving COMFORT and having HOPE in the Lord through His Word!
So not only are we to be men and women of the Word but we are also to be men and women of prayer. What happens when a church looses the focus of the Word of God and does not pray? The danger is that there will be disunity because we have neglected those things that will help to bring unity. And please understand we are not going to agree on everything, that would be weird anyway, but as we put on the mind of Christ, as we are like-minded, there will be that unity.
Think about the early church and how busy the apostles were and because of it they were too busy to study the Word of God, to pray and thus, they saw the need to correct this problem. They found others to assist in the work of ministry, to wait on tables so that they could study the Word of God and be in prayer! (Acts 6:1-7). And when they put things in order do you know what happened? The church experienced harmony and it grew! What a lesson for us!
Paul, in Ephesians 4:1-3 tells us, “I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Notice that he speaks of “the unity of the Spirit.” I truly believe that the unity that God is speaking of can only come as we submit ourselves to the Holy Spirit. How are we to “think the same” when each person is looking out for himself rather than others? Only by submitting to the Holy Spirit can we find the unity that God desires and that unity is based in Jesus and we learn of it from the Scriptures opened up to us by the Holy Spirit!
Now verse 6 speaks of glorifying God the Father and Jesus Christ, but how does this show unity? First of all God will not accept our worship in the midst of fights, divisions, disunity and instead of bringing glory to Him, it brings reproach! That is exactly what Calvin said as he wrote, “The unity of his servants is so much esteemed by God, that he will not have his glory sounded forth amidst discords and contentions.” That just makes sense, doesn’t it? I like what J. Vernon McGee wrote on this subject. We are told,
There should be such a harmony in their praise that they reveal the unity of believers. When I was a boy in West Texas, we had a Methodist church on one corner, a Baptist church on another corner, and a Presbyterian church on the third corner. A story was told that one night the Methodists were singing, “Will there be any stars in my crown?” And the Presbyterians were singing, “No, not one; no, not one.” And the Baptists were singing, “Oh, that will be glory for me.” Well, that is just a story. I’m sure it never worked out that way, but sometimes it actually looks like that. However, if the Baptists and Methodists and Presbyterians are really believers (just to be a member of one of these denominations doesn’t make you a believer, by the way), all three could sit down and sing the doxology together: “Praise God from whom all blessings flow.” That is the testimony we should give to the world.
- J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, Vol. IV, p. 747
Now, in saying that don’t let the prayer of Jesus fall on deaf ears, for Jesus prayed, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” John 17:20-23.
If we truly have the mind of Christ there will be unity among the brethren and a desire to build people up in the faith! And keep in mind that the emphasis is not on doctrine here, not that this is not important, but that is not the issue, but it is on unity and that unity is based in Christ! That was the prayer of Jesus for us before He went to the cross of Calvary to pay for our sins and thus, may we not be self-centered but Christ-centered and have the unity within the body of Christ that God desires and will glorify Him! You see, the goal is to glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and we can accomplish that goal by having one mind and one mouth, it is the unity of our thinking and speech!
Now Paul is going to give to us the ultimate example of unity and receiving others and that is the example of Jesus Christ in Romans 15:7. So let’s read through this verse and look at this example so that we may apply it to our lives.
This verse opens up with the word, “Therefore” and thus, it is looking back at the previous two verses. In other words, in light of God giving you the ability to be like-minded, apply that truth to your life and receive others just as Christ has received us! And I guess the question someone may ask is, “How did God receive us?” Well, we don’t have to guess because the Scriptures tell us. Paul said in Romans 5:6-11, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.”
In other words, we did not deserve to be received by Him and yet He received us and by His actions it brought glory to God the Father! It speaks of unconditional love and Paul is saying, if you want to follow the example of Christ, you need to receive others just as Christ has received you, unconditionally!
The
Greek word for “receive” is PROSLAMBANO
(pros-lam-ban’-o) and it carries with it the idea “to
take to oneself.” When you grab your spouse and bring
them close to you what are you doing? Showing them love!
When we bring people close to ourselves, when we, in a sense,
get into their skin to understand them, we love them, as God would
have us! And again Paul says this kind of love towards others
brings glory to God. It is as Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, “Let
your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Now the problem for some is that they have many reasons, they try to justify why they are not receiving a brother or sister in the Lord, bringing them close. Things like, “You don’t know what they did to me!” Or, “You don’t know what they said to me!” And the list can go on, but I think you see what I mean and it is wrong if you feel that way!
Spurgeon gives to us this insight on how we are to receive others as Christ has received us. He said: “Christ did not receive us because we were perfect, because he could see no fault in us, or because he hoped to gain somewhat at our hands. Ah, no! But, in loving condescension covering our faults, and seeking our good, he welcomed us to his heart; so, in the same way, and with the same purpose, let us receive one another.” It is as Peter put it, “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for ‘love will cover a multitude of sins.’ Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” I Peter 4:8-10.
J. Vernon McGee lays it all out when he tells us,
God receives man—both strong and weak, high and low, Jew and Gentile—on the simple acceptance of Christ. Now let both the strong and the weak receive each other in fellowship. The glory of God is the supreme objective.
A man said to me the other day, “Since you are very critical of the Pentecostal point of view, why is it that Pentecostal brethren are friendly toward you and actually invite you to speak in their churches?” I said, “Well, the reason is that they have more of the grace of God than I have.” A recent letter from a Pentecostal pastor read, “We agree on too many things to let one or two differences separate us.” When we agree on the major doctrines of the faith, though we may differ on minor points, we need to receive one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God. Although I disagree with Pentecostal brethren on the matter of tongues, I see no reason why I should break fellowship with them. I just pray they will see it as I see it. And the very interesting thing is that one of these days, when we are in His presence, we will agree. In fact, all will agree with me. Do you know why? Because I am going to have to change a whole lot of things also. All of us will be changed, changed into His image and His likeness. Then all of us will agree. In view of that fact, we had better concentrate on the areas in which there is agreement now.
- J. Vernon McGee, Thru The Bible, Vol. IV, p. 748
At least he is honest and he sees areas in his life that needed changing and now that he is in glory, he has been changed, the work is completed. But for us, God is still working! You see, to accept one another just as Christ has also accepted us is a mark of godliness, maturity. On the other end of the spectrum, the failure to do so is a mark of carnality. And when you think about it, a church and even individuals who are divisive, quarrelsome, contentious, and judgmental lets the world see what God has not intended and it gives them plenty of ammunition to ridicule Christ and His church and in doing so they continue to reject the One who is their holy hope of salvation. Thus, is that what we really want to do? I don’t believe it is. We want to glorify God and the way to do that is in unity. We are to receive the brethren even as Christ has received us. He is our example to follow after!
Remember what we read in Genesis 13:8, the story of Abraham and Lot, and we are told, “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.” In other words, the neighbors were watching and to bring strive, division would have shown them that there was no difference between them and Abraham and Lot. But, because Abraham was willing to let it go, to receive Lot in a sense, their neighbors saw that there was a difference because they worshiped the true and living God and it was all done for the glory of God. May we have that same heart, that same mind, the mind of Christ so that we too may bring glory to God through unity within the body of Christ!
Now Paul is going to move to a very touchy subject, especially for the Jews and that subject is that Gentiles can also be saved, they can know the true and living God without becoming a Jew. And again, that is a very touchy subject and I will show you what I mean and then we will look at these verses.
In Acts chapters 21 and 22 Paul is in Jerusalem and some of the Jews caused some problems for Paul and the Romans arrested him and before he was brought inside, they let him speak to his Jewish brethren. And Paul goes over his history, his background that he was a good Jew, a Pharisee and he tells them of his conversion experience to Christ. And in Acts 22, starting in verse 17, as he is telling them his story, we are told, “Now it happened, when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I was in a trance and saw Him saying to me, ‘Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, for they will not receive your testimony concerning Me.’ So I said, ‘Lord, they know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believe on You. And when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I also was standing by consenting to his death, and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.’ Then He said to me, ‘Depart, for I will send you far from here to the Gentiles.’ And they listened to him until this word, and then they raised their voices and said, ‘Away with such a fellow from the earth, for he is not fit to live!’ Then, as they cried out and tore off their clothes and threw dust into the air, the commander ordered him to be brought into the barracks, and said that he should be examined under scourging, so that he might know why they shouted so against him.” Acts 22:17-24.
The Jews were ready to kill Paul, why? Because he said that the Gentiles can be saved and that God was going to use him to bring this good news to them! That blew them away and they short-circuited their minds because they felt, many of them, that the Gentiles were only created by God to fuel the fires of Hell and that even the worst Jew would be plucked from the fires of Hell by Abraham! So as much as this might not be a big deal for us today, it was for them back then and thus, we can apply any Christian denomination or Christian brother or sister to this and instead of dividing, we are to receive them! Let’s look at these verses and I will show you what I mean.
Paul goes back and shows that it had always been God’s plan to bring the Gentiles into His kingdom and he proves this by going back to the Old Testament Scriptures and quoting them! You see, Paul is telling them to lay aside their prejudices and receive them in; they are brothers and sisters in the Lord! It is Jesus Christ who has united both Jew and Gentile into the body of Christ! Instead of letting these issues about disputable things divide the body of Christ, especially making a division between Jew and Gentile, we should receive one another just as Christ has received us.
And think of all the things that Jews and Gentiles can dispute over and yet, Paul focuses on the one thing that should unite them together, Jesus Christ! Listen to what Paul said in Ephesians 2:11-16, “Therefore remember that you, once Gentiles in the flesh — who are called Uncircumcision by what is called the Circumcision made in the flesh by hands — 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. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity.” Christ has demolished those walls of division; don’t start putting them back up again!
God fulfilled His promise to the Jews by sending forth the Savior of the world – Jesus. God extended His mercy to the Gentiles by receiving them into the family of God, with the Jews, through Jesus Christ so that we together can praise God. How do we know this is true, especially for the Jew to believe what Paul is saying? Because Paul quotes out of the Psalms – (Psalm 18:49 and 117:1) – Romans 15:19, Romans 15:11; the Law – Deuteronomy – (Deuteronomy 32:43) – Romans 15:10; and the Prophets – Isaiah – (Isaiah 11:1, 10) – Romans 15:12.
Thus, as you look at God’s Word, as you see what God has done, as you see His sovereign plan, there should be no division between Jew and Gentile, there should be no division in the body of Christ over non-essential doctrine. In fact, the very reason for the existence of the Jewish people was to reach the Gentiles for the glory of God. And on the other end of the spectrum, the Gentiles should have no grudge against the Jews because it was through the Jews that God brought salvation into their lives!
As Paul concludes this section on application, which began back in Romans chapter 12, he does so with a benediction or a prayer of blessing upon believers. Notice he doesn’t say both Jews and Gentiles, why? Because they are one in Christ and as God fills you with joy, peace and hope you then can go forward in the power of the Spirit in the unity of Christ to a world that needs joy, peace and hope, which are found in Jesus!
And also notice that this joy and peace is all linked to believing, and that belief is in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. Apart from Him there is no true joy, no true peace and thus, there is no hope! And this is all fulfilled; it is all achieved by the power of God’s Spirit working in us and through us! As I begin to close this morning, let me share these words from R. Kent Hughes, who wrote,
Think of the amazing diversity of the Jews and Gentiles whom Christ has accepted!
Christ’s astounding example gives mighty force to Paul’s challenge to “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you.” How did Christ accept you and me? He accepted us with our many sins, prejudices, and innumerable blind spots. He accepted us with our psychological shortcomings and cultural naiveté (simplicity). He accepted us with our provincialisms (lack of sophistication). He even accepted us with our stubbornness. This is how we are to accept one another.
No one knows when their last twenty-four hours will be. However, we do know how we should live our lives, whether we have twenty-four hours or twenty-four years or a hundred years. Jesus showed us what was important and in his final hours when he prayed for our unity. And the example he set by his life backed it up. Christ made us one by his willingness not to please himself.
Are there some legitimate, good things, rightful things, that God is asking us to forego for the good of our brothers and sisters? Then by all means let us forego them. Are there some believers whom we have been unwilling to accept because they are not our type? God says we must accept them and love them. Let us each covenant to do this now.
- R. Kent Hughes, Romans, p. 284
Folk’s, our example is Jesus and if we refuse to follow His example for our lives, then we are wrong and we need to repent and get right with Him. Don’t we want to be like Christ in all that we do? Absolutely but it will not happen unless you first, as Paul told us as we opened up this section on APPLICATION, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:1-2.
Let me close this morning with these words as we conclude this section on APPLICATION. We are told,
When the wife of missionary Adoniram Judson told him that a newspaper article likened him to some of the apostles, Judson replied, “I do not want to be like a Paul. . . . or any mere man. I want to be like Christ. . . . I want to follow Him only, copy His teachings, drink in His Spirit, and place my feet in His footprints. . . . Oh, to be more like Christ!”
- Source Unknown
May that be our hearts desire, to be more like Jesus, to have Him flow in and through our lives to touch those around us all for the glory of God!