Sunday
Morning Bible Study
May
31, 2020
Introduction
Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel
preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid
to die? Does it speak to the broken
hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision
Is the church loved? Regular:
2900 words Communion:
2500 words Video=75wpm
The book of
Romans is considered the crown
jewel of Paul’s letters.
It was written around
the time of Acts 20:2, from the city of Corinth.
Even though it
wasn’t the first letter Paul wrote, it is placed at the front of all of Paul’s
letters because of its great importance.
The letter carefully lays out for us the doctrines of how we are saved, and
how we are to mature as believers.
The last five chapters are very practical, talking about how we are to live
as believers.
In Romans 14,
Paul talked about the concept of the “stronger” and “weaker” brothers.
We have different pictures in our head when we hear the word “stronger”.
We might think
of muscles.
We might think
about how someone smells.
We might think
of someone who has great spiritual power.
When Paul talks
about “stronger”, he talks about it in the context of what we might call “gray”
areas of life.
Some of us like to think of everything as “black and white”, but the older
I get the more “gray” I see.
In Paul’s day, one of those areas had to do with a person’s diet. Some people held to a strict vegetarian diet because they were
concerned about the connection of eating meat that might be related to sacrifices to pagan gods.
If I gave you this question as a quiz, how would you answer?
What
do you call the person who abstains from eating meat because it might have been
sacrificed to idols?
Stronger or weaker?
Answer: The weaker.
These issues were a big deal in the early
church. People argued. People “unfriended” each other. People stood their
ground.
I know some of
you will greatly disagree with me, but I see a lot of politics as “gray”.
I know we like to argue with each other about which opinion is better. And the more we argue, the stronger we are in
our opinion.
But I don’t see anyone going to heaven or hell based on what party they
vote for.
How about our
current corona virus situation?
Do we stay home? Do we wear
masks? Is this a government conspiracy?
Where do you stand on all these arguments?
Am I getting a little too personal?
Am I causing you to get a little defensive? Do you think your position is the one of the
“weaker” or the “stronger” brother?
We all would like to think we’re the “stronger”
brother. Anybody that disagrees with us
is “weak”. Right?
15:1-6 Carrying the
weak
:1 We then who are strong
ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
:1 bear with the
scruples of the weak
strong – dunatos – able,
powerful, mighty, strong
scruples – asthenema –
infirmity; of error arising from weakness of mind; the “work or result of
weakness”
weak – adunatos – (“not”
+ “strong”) without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled
You could translate this phrase,
“We who are strong ought to carry the weaknesses of those who are not strong”
to bear
– bastazo – to take up with the hands; to take up
in order to carry or bear, to put upon one’s self (something) to be carried
The word is used in:
(Galatians 6:1–2 NKJV) —1 Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are
spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself
lest you also be tempted. 2 Bear one
another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
Lesson
Carry the weak.
Whether you classify yourself as “strong” or “weak”, we need to learn to
carry one another.
In 1945,
Private Desmond Doss, a conscientious objector, found himself in the middle of
the bloodiest battle of the Pacific in World War II. Because of his religious
beliefs, Doss would not carry a weapon.
As a medic, his goal was to save lives. At the end of a bloody, when his
battalion was ordered to retreat, he didn’t.
That night it is estimated he saved 75 men. Many of those men had been critical of his convictions
not to carry a weapon.
Listen to the whisper under his breath…
The problem with us is that we don’t usually say, “Help me
get just one more”, we keep saying under our breath, “What again? This idiot?”
(Mark 2:1–5 NKJV) —1 And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was
heard that He was in the house. 2 Immediately many gathered together, so
that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door.
And He preached the word to them. 3 Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four
men. 4 And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they
uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had
broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, He said
to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven you.”
The house that Jesus was at would
have been the house of Peter’s mother-in-law. There is a little house in
Capernaum that many think could have been the actual
place where this took place. There are good reasons for thinking so. It is the
only eight-sided (octagonal) structure in Capernaum. By the time a couple
hundred years had passed, ancient churches all had one thing in common, they
were built with eight sided walls. Some have suggested
that this was because of this strange house in Capernaum.
The Roman Catholic
church has even built a giant structure over the house,
it looks like a space-ship.
It wouldn’t take too many people to
fill up the house and crowd the streets.
The man who needed Jesus was paralyzed. He couldn’t get to Jesus on his
own. Without his friends to carry him, he would have
never been healed.
His four loving
friends cared enough to carry him to Jesus, no matter what. They let nothing
stop them. Even the crowds couldn’t stop them. They found a way to bring Him to
Jesus.
Note: These friends didn’t just carry the fellow around town to do
his shopping, they took him to Jesus.
Sometimes we can get good at carrying the weak ones, but
where do we carry them? Carry them to Jesus. You do no good by just carrying
them around on your back. You’ll wear out. Carry them to Jesus.
:1 and not to
please ourselves
to please – aresko – to
please; to accommodate one’s self to the opinions desires and interests of others
The word
“please” is going to be one of the key words in our passage. We will see it pop
up three times.
To be honest, one of the big reasons we don’t “bear with” others is because
we are too concerned with winning the arguments, with pleasing ourselves.
:2 Let each
of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.
:2 please his neighbor for his good
This is the second occurrence of “please”
please – aresko – to please
(second time used)
neighbor – when Jesus was discussing the command of
loving your neighbor, a man got a little concerned…
(Luke 10:29 NKJV) —29 But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my
neighbor?”
By telling
the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus defined the “neighbor” as whoever you
run into.
good – agathos – useful;
pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; excellent, distinguished; upright,
honorable
:2 leading to
edification
edification
– oikodome – (the act of) building, building up;
the act of one who promotes another’s growth in Christian wisdom, piety,
happiness, holiness
We don’t just want to make people happy
when we “please” them. We want to seek to build them up in the Lord.
Here’s a good connection group
question: How can I “build up” others?
:3 For even
Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of
those who reproached You fell on Me.”
:3 even Christ did not please
Himself
Here’s the third occurrence of
“please”.
please – aresko – to please
(third time used)
:3 The
reproaches of those who reproached You
reproaches
– the word speaks of calling someone names or shaming them
oneidismos – a reproach; from oneidizo –revile; shame
Paul is quoting from a Psalm of David, one that was known to be prophetic,
looking forward to the coming of the Messiah.
One of the verses would speak
prophetically of the crucifixion:
(Psalm 69:21 NKJV) They also
gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to
drink.
(Psalm 69:8–9 NKJV) —8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to
my mother’s children; 9 Because zeal for Your house has
eaten me up, And the
reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.
The passage is speaking of people who are mad at God, and so instead of
yelling at God, they yell at people who they connect with God.
The insults and rebukes that Jesus faced ultimately came
from people who were mad at God.
Yet He faced them anyway.
There are going to be people that you and I will encounter who are simply
mad at God. And because you are someone who follows God, you’ll get an earful.
Can I ask you to consider a little self-reflection?
Are there people you find yourself “angry” or arguing with?
Is it possible that if you looked a little deeper that you
are actually angry with God? Are you upset with God over your current
circumstances?
The point is that Jesus gave us an example to follow.
Lesson
Who do you do it for?
Who are you
trying to please?
Why do we do things? Why do we do our “Christian” things?
Your motivation is important.
Jesus said that motivation was the
difference between the “shepherd” and the “hired help”
(John 10:11–14 NKJV) —11
“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His
life for the sheep. 12 But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does
not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the
wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13 The hireling flees because he is a
hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
The hireling
watches sheep to get a paycheck. The shepherd watches the sheep because they
are his, he has a sense of ownership.
The hireling is
out to fleece the flock. The shepherd is out to feed the flock.
The hireling is
working with the flock for what he can personally get out of it. The shepherd
works for the flock for the sake of the flock.
Sometimes some of
the good things we do are quite selfish. We are out to get something. It might
not be a paycheck, but perhaps the pat on the back, the admiration of others,
simply the attention.
A shepherd is
doing things for the sake of the flock.
Paul lived to build others up and not just do things for his own sake.
In a related passage about those “gray areas”, the cheaper meat was found
at the meat markets behind the temples of the idols. Some people had difficulty
with eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols.
(1 Corinthians 10:31–33
NKJV) —31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to
the glory of God. 32 Give no offense, either to the Jews
or to the Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I
also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but
the profit of many, that they may be saved.
I guess you could call Paul a “people pleaser”.
But his motivation wasn’t to please people so they would
like him.
His motivation was to help people so they would listen to
the gospel and be saved.
Are there things you might be willing to limit in your life if it meant
that someone would come to the Lord?
Are there arguments you might let drop for the
sake of building a relationship with someone?
It’s a hard thing to drop an argument over something
you’re passionate about.
Would it be helpful if you spent more time listening to the other person
rather than winning the argument?
Some people just want to know that someone cares enough
about them to listen. You don’t have to
agree, just listen.
That’s the right kind of “people pleasing”
: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.
:4 Learning …
patience … comfort … hope
were written before – prographo (“before” + “to write”) – to write before (of time)
Paul is saying that there are things in the Bible that were prophetic,
they were written about things before they would take place.
Two of the words here can use a little more defining.
learning – didaskalia –
teaching, instruction
patience – hupomone (“under”
+ “to remain”) – steadfastness, endurance; the characteristic of a person who
doesn’t change direction, even the greatest trials
comfort – paraklesis –
exhortation, encouragement; urging to action.
hope – elpis – expectation of good
Hope is our
goal. Hope is what we all want.
Paul gives a formula that looks like this:
learning + patience
+ comfort = hope
Learning is about
our study of the Scriptures.
Endurance is about
not quitting.
Encouragement is
about how we keep each other going.
That all works to
produce hope.
Lesson
Learning
Pay attention to the Bible. Learn what it says.
Paul found that
stories from the time of Moses were great examples to learn from.
In 1Corinthians 10, Paul takes us through some of Moses’ experiences in the
wilderness and the lessons that they teach us.
And then he writes,
(1 Corinthians 10:11–13
NKJV)
—1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to
be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the
sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate
the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that
spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
People in the time of Moses had
some pretty cool advantages. They had seen God work in a powerful way, first hand.
5 But with
most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered
in the wilderness. 6
Now these things became our examples, to the intent
that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
These people had great advantages,
but they didn’t use their advantages, they wasted them.
7 And do not
become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people
sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”
Paul’s talking about the people
worshipping the golden calf.
8 Nor let us
commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three
thousand fell;
Here he’s talking about how the
young men of Israel started shacking up with the pretty young Moabite girls.
9 nor let us
tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor
complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
Several times we read about the
people complaining in the wilderness.
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.
These aren’t just nice little stories. They were written for our sake, that we would learn from them.
Sometimes we don’t learn our lessons unless we learn
them the hard way – we have to stumble ourselves.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
We can learn some of our lessons the easy way – by
learning them from the Scriptures, paying attention.
As you read your Bible everyday,
learn to ask yourself, “What am I learning through this?”
12 Therefore
let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Don’t fall into the trap of reading those Bible stories and saying to
yourself, “I’ll never be like THAT!”
Pride and self-confidence are the quickest steps to taking
a tumble.
When I hear a person say
confidently, “Well, it’s been two hours, and I’ll never take another drink”, I
start to cringe. The truth is you are always only a step away from falling.
13 No
temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is
faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but
with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to
bear it.
I was once asked by one of my Bible College students, “What do you do when
you are teaching a passage on an area of temptation that YOU struggle with?”
My reply … I hope that I’m humble enough to remind
everyone that I too struggle. We all
struggle. I too am tempted.
Yet giving in to temptation is not inevitable.
You and I have a choice.
Look for the exit, the way of escape.
Lesson
Endurance
patience
– hupomone (“under” + “to remain”) –
steadfastness, endurance; the characteristic of a person who doesn’t change
direction, even the greatest trials
You don’t receive the blessings if you
don’t stay with it.
You’ll never win any race if you don’t stay in the
race. You may not win first prize, but you won’t win any prize if you drop out of the race.
Here’s a lesson from Jackie Robinson
Video: 42 – Get Me Up
It really helps if you
have “teammates” that will “get you back up”.
Trials exercise the muscle called “patience”. James
uses “hupomone”
to talk about it:
(James 1:2–4 NKJV) —2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that
the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its
perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
God’s goal in allowing trials into our
lives is to help us build
up the muscle of patience.
We live in a sinful, fallen world. Everyone,
believer or non-believer will go through difficult times.
God wants His people to be those who
aren’t drowned in their trials. He wants His people to be able to swim through
them. He wants us to show others how to swim. God doesn’t promise to take away
the choppy seas, He teaches us how to swim.
Endurance builds up our stamina, it helps us get through the difficulties of life
that we all face.
When you get out of shape, it’s
easy to get winded. If you get on the exercise bike
you might find it difficult to pedal for ten minutes. But you get on it every
day and keep at it and your endurance builds up. Stay at it.
You might get winded.
You might drop. You might fail. Just get back at it.
Lesson
Encouragement
comfort
– paraklesis – exhortation, encouragement; urging to
action.
Studying the Bible can help us learn endurance and comfort.
Yet one of the
hidden keys to “encouragement” is having people in your life to encourage you,
as well as people whom you can encourage.
(2 Corinthians 1:3–4 NKJV)
—3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our
tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with
the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
This is how the
concept of “fellowship” works.
As we meet with other Christians, whether its in person, online, phone calls,
and now even lunch at Polly’s…
We talk and share.
We find that others have been through things like us. We share our experiences.
We comfort, encourage, and urge each other to action.
And when you put learning, patience, and comfort together, you get…
The writer to the Hebrews said,
(Hebrews 10:24–25 NKJV) —24
And let us consider one another in
order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another,
and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
I know that some
pastors are making this their case for having “in-person” services.
But I think that a
whole lot of us have been learning that we can get by pretty
well with these online “zoom” connect groups we’ve been running as a
church.
You don’t have to
be in person to encourage someone.
Pick up the
phone. Send a text. FaceTime.
Put things into practice.
Jesus told the parable about the
two men who built their houses on different kinds of land and how they survived
the storm.
One man built on
sand, the other built on the rock. The guy that built on the rock survived the
storm.
Jesus tied the
whole story to what you do with what He says:
(Matthew
7:24 NKJV) “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I
will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:
It’s not just
hearing what Jesus says that helps you, it’s doing it.
It’s taking the
“urge to action” seriously.
Lesson
Hope
Are you looking for a little hope this morning?
Paul says that when I have the elements of learning, endurance, and
encouragement, I will find hope.
Paul even gave us an example in this passage when he
quoted Psalm 69.
If
Jesus was willing to bear insults as
an example of one who didn’t seek to please Himself, then maybe I could learn
from Him.
Jesus did this because
He was bearing the sins of the world. He
paid a debt He didn’t owe because we owed a debt we couldn’t pay.
This principle was even spoken of before Jesus was born!
God thinks
this principle of bearing the weaker brother is so important, that He spoke of it before
it even happened!
God is really serious about me learning not to please myself, but
to learn to build others up.
Even though Jesus suffered insults, God
knew all about it beforehand. Nothing was a surprise to God. Nobody was
short-circuiting God’s purposes for Jesus. Everything was right on target.
There’s hope in
knowing that God is in control.
Stay in God’s word.
Learn to endure, to hold on.
Find sources of encouragement. Connect with other believers.
This all leads to
hope.
:5 Now may
the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another,
according to Christ Jesus,
:5 may the God of patience and
comfort
If we need patience and comfort
(encouragement, same words as v.4), He’s the one to give it to us.
patience – hupomone
(“under” + “to remain”) – steadfastness, constancy, endurance; the
characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his
loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings
comfort – paraklesis
– a calling near, summons, (esp. for help); exhortation, admonition,
encouragement; consolation, comfort, solace; that which affords comfort or
refreshment
Lesson
Get it from God.
It’s a shame that we don’t go to
the One who has what we need. Think of
His patience towards us. He’s got LOTS of it to give.
:5 grant you to be like-minded
like-minded – lit. “same minded”
Learning to get along with each
other
minded – phroneo
– to have understanding; to have an opinion of one’s self;
to be of the same mind i.e. agreed together, cherish the same views, be
harmonious
:6 that you may with one
mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
:6 with one mind and
one mouth glorify the God …
one mind
– homothumadon (“rush along”) – with one mind, with
one accord, with one passion; the word gives an image that is almost musical; a number of notes are sounded which, while different,
harmonize in pitch and tone.
As the instruments of a great concert under the direction of a concert
master, so the Holy Spirit blends together the lives
of members of Christ’s church.
Lesson
The blessing of unity
If you notice, Paul doesn’t command the
stronger or weaker brother to change their mind.
He doesn’t tell them they’re stupid.
He asks them to learn to sing in
harmony with one another.
We need to learn to get along together
so we can praise the Lord in unison, together, not in just a bunch of noise.
Illustration
A few years ago a gal competed on the British version of
American Idol, “Britain has Talent”. Her
name is Susan Boyle. She was 47 years
old, a spinster, never been kissed. She
apparently was born with some learning disorders. But she learned to sing. She sings in church. When she got on stage, the audience was kind
of chuckling at her appearance. She was
asked what her dream was – it was to sing professionally. The looks on the audience’ faces were “yeah,
right”.
Video: Susan Boyle – Britain’s God Talent 2009
When we learn to work at unity, music we make is
beautiful. We may be a bit ugly to
others, but there’s a beauty that comes from unity.
David wrote about the blessings of
unity:
(Psalm 133 NKJV) — A Song of
Ascents. Of David. 1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it
is For brethren to dwell together in unity!
It’s a good thing when we learn to get along with each
other.
2 It is like the
precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of
Aaron, Running down
on the edge of his garments.
We
call the oil running down Aaron’s beard his “anointing”. It is a picture
of the Holy Spirit being on his life.
There is a greater sense of “anointing”, the work of the
Spirit, when we learn to get along in unity.
3 It is like the
dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there
the Lord commanded the blessing— Life
forevermore.
Mount
Hermon is the mountain to the north of Israel. It has
snow on it most of the year. Its melting snow is what results in the
Jordan River and what waters the entire nation of Israel.
The blessing of unity is refreshing.
It’s a good thing when we get to worship together and give God glory.
It’s even better when we’re working at getting along with each other.