In most of the verses we have shared this morning we find thoughts and ideas that we have hopefully already covered in detail in looking at this whole section in Romans. However there are one or two ideas that we must consider. Can I therefore in the first instance draw your attention to verses 19 -21.
"So then, we must always aim at those things that bring peace and that help to strengthen one another. Do not, because of food, destroy what God has has done. All foods may be eaten, but it is wrong to eat anything that will cause someone else to fall into sin. The right thing to do is to keep from eating meat , drinking wine or doing anything else that will make your brother fall."
I came across in my reading on these verses a useful illustration that explains this passage and helps us to see clearly I hope the correct attitude we should have as a church towards one another. It goes something like this, during the WAR when ships had to cross the Atlantic by convoy to help protect them from the deadly U-Boat menace all the vessels in the convoy had to adjust their speed to that of the slowest vessel, in order that they might all stay together. Even although the faster ships had the power and capability to go steaming ahead. Similarly those of us who have had any dealings with young children know that for example in walking we have to adjust our speed as adults to that of the children.
This then is the idea that Paul is driving home here. Certainly he is saying those who are spiritually mature can go forging ahead - but says Paul LOVE will not permit us to do that. The shepherd must go no faster than the weakest member of the flock unless he wants to lose the little lambs of course! So Paul is saying that the Christian must regulate his freedom to take into consideration the conscience of the weakest. And that is a principle we must apply I think right across our whole church life for to do otherwise is to endanger the spiritual well being of the weak who in truth should be the very special concern of the strong.
The spirit of love would sum up Paul's argument so far and we might put it this way. In essentials, in fundamentals of he faith - unity and give no quarter. in non essentials liberty but not at the expense of our weaker brothers and sisters. And in all things LOVE.
Now in moving on to Chapter 15 we find other great truths related to this matter that must occupy us for awhile. He talks hear about our obligations to help the weak to carry their burdens. And then he makes this telling point in verse 3, "For Christ did not please himself. Instead as the scripture says, "The insults which are hurled at you have fallen on me." Christ lived to please God and to serve and help men and women. He died not just for the strong and able but for the weak and the faltering and the doubting. He taught us by word and example to always be prepared to go the second mile, to always be ready to share someone elses's burden. it was to the lepers, the blind, the beggars that Jesus showed most pity. He was patient with Peter when he blundered, patient with James and John when they wanted the Lord to call down fire and brimstone on Samaria. He was patient with Thomas when he doubted. As Philips puts it, "How paltry is any inconvenience we may suffer because of the weak brother in the church when compared with what Christ suffered. The spirit of Christ will make any such burden light."
I hope that is clear to us all not only from today but from our studies in all of chapters 13,14 and now 15 exactly what God requires of us. It is interesting that having reached this climax and made his point at great depth Paul now directs our attention to not only the source but also the fertile ground of our faith - for he writes, "Everything written in the scriptures was written to teach us, in order that we might have hope through the patience and encouragement which the scriptures give us."
And here is the core of the argument.
Turn to to the Bible says Paul. And draw from it your strength. For here my friends is the very nub of it all. We can never grow to know the mind of Christ or the Will of God if we do not read and study the scriptures. Only by drawing close to them in regular private devotion can we ever hope to know who God is or what he wants of us.
Why does Paul say this here?
Quite simply because he knows that almost all of the problems that arise in a church may be traced ultimately to people being unaware of what God is saying on the matter. We do no call this book the Word of God for nothing. It is the word of God because this is the very book that the Lord gave to us. It has many writers but only one author. And it is the most precious book we can ever possess.
And in these verses we have been studying we have been taught quite simply and clearly to love one another, to have patience with one another, to think of others first, to watch our tongues - to stop judging one another and to draw close to Christ and to follow his example. Let us make it our prayer today that we might learn truly this lesson taught to us by God and see the transforming power of God at work in our own lives and therefore in the life of congregation.