A Strong Fellowship

Romans 15:1-13  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  (2)  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.  (3)  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.  (4)  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.  (5)  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus:  (6)  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (7)  Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.  (8)  Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers:  (9)  And that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy; as it is written, For this cause I will confess to thee among the Gentiles, and sing unto thy name.  (10)  And again he saith, Rejoice, ye Gentiles, with his people.  (11)  And again, Praise the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people.  (12)  And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust.  (13)  Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

INTRODUCTION:           If we would read Chapter 14 we would see Paul outlines for au those who are weak in Christ, weak believers.  Those who judge, grumble, complain and criticize.  Also those who believe works for salvation is required.

              So in these verses Paul uses a word “bear” to talk of what strong Christians need to do.  It is not “bearing” by just putting up with them, begrudging them, and their faults.   It is to support them in doctrine, with love and tenderness.

I.            THE STRONG BEARS THE WEAK                                 (vv 1-3)

              A.           We Are To Do Our Best To Please Our Neighbor

                             1.           Simply, them before us

Galatians 6:2  Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

i.                We must be careful

a.               Not to become a

              stumblingblock

1 Corinthians 8:9  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

ii.               Our liberty to walk undefiled

a.               Some may not understand

              B.           We Are To Walk As Christ Walked

                             1.           Talk as Christ talked

ILLUSTRATION:            They may laugh at your off-color joke, or only slightly recoil at your occasional curse word, or your judgment of other brethren.  They will judge us on these stumblingblocks.  Jesus the Christ never walked in this way.

                             2.           Jesus didn’t work to please Himself

                                           i.            His prayer was always

                                                          a.           Father your will be done

II.           A STRONG CHURCH STUDIES GOD’S WORD                 (v 4)

A.              God’s Word Is Our Understanding

1.               Without study, where is our understanding

i.           A Bible as decoration gives no

           understanding

ii.          It doesn’t just jump out

a.               As a person walks by

b.               It must be read

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

2.               From where do you get the faith to believe

              i.            Then to grow in the Lord

              ii.           If the Bible is not read

2 Timothy 2:15-16  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  (16)  But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

3.               Through study we rid ourselves of shame

              i.            We learn to divide the Word

              ii.           We learn to shun vain (Worthless)

a.               Babblings

b.               They just increase to more ungodliness

B.              God’s Word Was Given To Stir Our Hearts

1.               Three things we see

Romans 12:11-12  Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;  (12)  Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

                                           i.            Patience stirs

                                                          a.           Trials

                                                          b.           Experience

                                                          c.            Hope

                                           ii.           Encouragement

John 16:33  These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

a.               Help

b.               Comfort

c.               All that is needed

iii.             Hope

1 John 2:28  And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

              a.           To know

              b.           To anticipate what you know

              c.            Desire what you know

III.         WE WORK FOR HARMONY                                            (vv 5-6)

A.              An Hard Task

1.               With so many diverse personalities

Ephesians 4:3  Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.                                      

                                                      i.            Endeavouring to work in unity

           a.           Trying to work together

           b.           Compromising (Not on

                         doctrine)

B.              Being In Harmony

1.               With God

2.               With man and brethren

1 Corinthians 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

3.               Speak the same

4.               With no divisions

5.               The same judgment

IV.         NO DISCRIMINATION WHATSOEVER  (vv 7-12)

A.              Our Pattern Is Jesus The Christ

1.               Christ received the Jews first

              i.            As God’s first chosen

2.           Jesus chose the Gentiles

              i.            Second choice

                             a.           As a “type” of Jew

Galatians 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

B.              We Are To Receive Each Other

1.               To Glorify God

1 Corinthians 6:20  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Conclusion:         (v 13)     We as Christians need to live with the hope (Knowledge) of the future.

              Know where our home is located.  With that knowing hope, fill yourself with the joy and peace God has given you in your Faith.

              Abound in what God has given.  Live within the Hope of your Faith.  Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you, teach you.

1 Peter 1:8  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

Jesus Christ; The Law of God Fulfilled

 Matthew 5:17-20  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  (18)  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.  (19)  Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  (20)  For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

INTRODUCTION:           We see in this part of “The Sermon on the Mount” that this particular portion of scripture deals with Christ and the Law. 

              How are we, under grace, to relate to the Law? 

Is the Law void today under grace?  

              This is not a message on how to be saved, but how saved people should live righteous lives.

Seven Things to Remember.

I.            THE LAW OF GOD IS UNCHANGEABLE.

Hebrews 1:12  And as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.

Hebrews 13:8  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

James 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

A.              God Founded The Universe

1.           Upon law in the physical world in relation to nature and to man in particular.

2.           This is true both

i.                Morally and

ii.               Spiritually.

3.           When we break God’s laws -

i.            We suffer God’s judgment.

4.           We break man’s laws,

i.            We suffer man’s punishment.

ii.           We have an innate (Built in) sense of right and wrong.

B.           God Communicated His Laws Through His Chosen People.

1.           In the Old Testament, we have Abram, Moses, Joshua, and Joseph.

i.            They each (and many more) were given God's Word.

ii.           The communication was through man from God.

2.           All the laws expounded by Jesus are built upon the Mosaic Law.

3.           Jesus came to fulfill - not to destroy. (v 17)

4.           The laws of God do not change because God doesn’t change. 

Malachi 3:6   For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

II.           THE LAW OF GOD IS UNIVERSAL.

Isaiah 45:22   Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.

Romans 10:12-13   For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him.  ¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

              A.           It Applies To All Mankind.

B.           It Is God’s Will For Man In Written Form.

III.         THE LAW OF GOD IS ALL EMBRACING.

Romans 3:28-31   Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.  ²⁹Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:  ³⁰Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. ³¹Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

TEXT:   Matthew 5:17   Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

A.              It Not Only Covers All Men,

1.               But All Life.

B.              We Cannot Be Right With Others

1.               If we are not right with God.

C.              We Cannot Be Right With God

1.               If we are not right with others.

D.           God Demands Both Inward And Outward Righteousness. 

Psalm 51:6                  Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

IV.         THE LAW OF GOD IS BENEVOLENT.

Proverbs 22:9   He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.

Matthew 5:42   Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.

A.           It Is Designed For Our Highest Good And Greatest Happiness.

B.              If God Prohibits

1.               It is because it is harmful to us or others.

C.           We Don’t Have To Sin To Be Happy -

1.               That’s the devil’s lie.

Psalm 128:1-2          Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways.  ²For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.

V.           THE LAW OF GOD HAD PURPOSE.

Galatians 3:24  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.

Romans 3:20   Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

A.           It Set God’s Standard Of Requirements.

              B.           It Is Holy, Just And Good.  (Romans 7)

              C.           It Exposes Sin.

Romans 7:7-8     What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.   ⁸But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead.

D.           It Is Our Schoolmaster To Bring Us To Christ.  

Galatians 3:24-25  Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.  ²⁵But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

VI.         THE LAW OF GOD IS FULFILLED IN JESUS CHRIST.

Matthew 5:18   For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

A.              The Mosaic Law Was Two-Fold: 

1.           Ceremonial and

2.               Moral. 

i.                Jesus satisfied both.

B.              Jesus Kept The Divine Law And Became Sin For Us. 

1.           God accepted this.                         

VII.        THE LAW OF GOD IS FULFILLED IN THE SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVER.

A.           The Law Has Obligations,

1.           Which Jesus fulfilled.

B.           He Puts His Spirit In Us

1.           So we can walk in His statutes. 

Ezekiel 36:27   And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.         

C.           The Law Of God Sets The Standard and

1.               Exposes sin,

i.                But it cannot deliver.

D.              The Law Can Condemn,

1.           But it can’t absolve.

CONCLUSION:               The First Question Is:      Which Law are you under?     

The Devils?    or   Jesus Christ's?  The Devil condemns.        He joys in your falling.

Christ absolves (takes away) sin. 

              He, Christ, joys in your joy.

What we are trying to see is; What are we going to do? 

              God definitely requires our willing, believing faithful heart.    He doesn’t want you doing because you feel you must do whatever God has called you to do.

              He wants willing believers, not rebellious cold-hearted believers.   Some tell us because we are Baptist we are legalists; we apply the Law, God’s Law to stringently. 

              That is what God’s Law was intended to do, direct us in a path, not give us salvation but teach us the way to salvation.  

Our Traditions

Mark 7:1-13  Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.  (2)  And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.  (3)  For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.  (4)  And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.  (5)  Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?  (6)  He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.  (7)  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  (8)  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.  (9)  And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.  (10)  For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death:  (11)  But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.  (12)  And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;  (13)  Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Introduction:  These passages are dealing with “Man’s Tradition.”  “We have always done it that way.”

ILLUSTRATION:  A woman has the butcher cut off the end of the ham.  Her husband asked her why they cut it off.  Her answer was, “Mom always did it that way.  So the husband asked his mother-in-law why she did it that way, and her comment was, “so it would fit in my pan.  If I had had a larger pan, I wouldn’t have had it cut off.”

              We are like that in so many ways.  We as Independent Fundamental Baptists abhor the methodology and tradition of the Protestants.  Yet, if we would step back and have one of those “outa body” experiences, we might find we are not much different.

              We have our traditions; we do it because Fundamental Independent Baptists do it that way.  It isn’t always following God, it is following Baptists.  Not all tradition is bad, our King James Bible is ours by tradition, our music is good, however, we walk in the tradition of the world, the agnostics, the atheists, the Protestants.  We are not seen as strict in our walk.

              We wash our brains (hands).  We are always making rules; we change scripture to suit our friends, our convictions.

I.            TRADITION IS HYPOCRITICAL.                           (vv 6-8)

2 Peter 2:18-19  For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.  (19)  While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.

              A.           We Have A Vain Tongue.                             (v 6)

                             1.           We have great vain words

                                           i.            Yet our walk does not reflect our

                                                          hypocritical words

                                           ii.           We become servant of corruption.

              B.           We Have A Worthless Worship.                  (v 7)

John 4:21-24  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.  (22)  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.  (23)  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.  (24)  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

                                               

                             1.           The hour comes

                                           i.            Our worship will be revealed

                                           ii.           We will then know

                                                          a.           What we are ignoring

                             2.           God is seeking those who worship Him.

              C.           We Create Commandments From Our Tradition

                             1.           We make our personal convictions commandments                                  

Colossians 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

                             2.           With minor exceptions, our Bible:

                                           i.            KJB is a literal

                                                          a.           History book

                                                          b.           Book of Prophecy

                                                          c.            It is God’s Word

                                                                        1.)          Absolutely

                                                                                      Complete.

II.           TRADITION KEEPS BEFORE THE COMMANDMENTS

                                                                                                     (vv 9-12)

              A.           “My Goods Are Corban”

                             1.           Corban = A gift dedicated to God

                                           i.            This statement made in front of

                                                          witnesses

                                                          a.           Was legally binding

                             2.           Priests were seeking “corban” from people

                                           who had dire financial needs

Isaiah 29:13  Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:

                                           i.            The family needed the sought after gift

                             3.           God expects that we tithe

                                           i.            From the 90% we are to take care of  our personal needs

                                           ii.           From any excess, “corban” can be

                                                          given

III.         THROUGH TRADITION THE “WORD” BECOMES   (v 13)

              INEFFECTIVE                                             

              A.           Any Ritual Or Procedure Which Gives Us Security                

                             1.              Without resorting to the “Word”

                                           i.            Anything which gives us security over  the “Word”.

              B.           Personal Traditions.

                             1.           Church attendance

                             2.           Prayers

                             3.           Ceremonies

                                           i.            Whatever we hang onto for

                                                          security

                                                          a.           Outside of God’s “Word”

Matthew 15:3  But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

              C.           None Effect

                             1.           To make worthless

                                           i.            To become vain

CONCLUSION:  In the Introduction, I referred to an “outa body” experience.

              Personally, I have a problem with the concept of “outa body” experiences.  But I do believe we as Christians, then as Baptists, we each need to look at what our beliefs are.

              Have we allowed tradition to supplement our “Word” of God?

All that we believe should be based on what is written, not necessarily on what might be implied.

              When I was working at Union Pacific, a group of us entered a  discussion of Noah and his ark, and all the animals two by two.   I noted to a woman that there were more than two by two of the clean animals.  She let me know she had been a Baptist a lot longer than I.  She had heard many preachers extol on the two by two.  After she read God’s Word, she apologized.

              How many stories of the Bible are kinda twisted in your mind?

We need to read our Bible with a need to comprehension, and for completeness.

              Read to learn, not for certificates.  They are nice, but we must comprehend God’s “Word” to the best of our ability.