Imitate Jesus! - Romans 15:1-13
Imitate Jesus! - Romans 15:1-13
April 29, 2007 AM
by Pastor Lee Hemen
In our day and age where people can remain intimately anonymous in cyber chat rooms and blog rings, they have submerged themselves into self-absorbed cocoons instead of servant churches. Encouraged into this kind of thinking, the local church is no longer a body of like-minded believers working together to build the kingdom of God. Instead, “herds” are ushered into spiritual slaughter houses, with the unsuspecting masses, to watch live video-fed messages projected onto a screen for spiritual entertainment. You can feel you are a part of something, while not really being a part of anything. Sadly, in many cases, the body of Christ in our world has become a prepackaged commodity and has ceased in being the loving intimate family of God it was meant to be.
Paul relates to the Roman church that they were to first and foremost imitate Jesus Christ as a church. They were to be His body in the world. This cannot be done in a supermarket prepackaged fashion or by encouraging self-absorbed standards. A spiritual family is grown, not produced or emoted. It is often messy by nature because of what it is -- a family of God. The spiritually strong are to encourage and help those that are weaker in faith. A church is to concern itself with building up the body of Christ through tenderly teaching and tending the flock and thereby imitating Jesus our Shepherd. Let’s find out how this is done…
READ: Romans 15:1-13
The world often teaches two diametrically opposed ideas: One is to step on anyone who gets in our way. You only help those who help themselves. In fact, the new mantra is often stated in this fashion: “How can you help someone else, until you help yourself first?” The converse of this is also found in those who tell us that everyone has to be treated exactly the same. In suffering or success we are all the same. Which view is correct? Neither. Rather than stepping on those who are weaker or trying to please ourselves, Paul says we are to imitate Jesus.
I. In imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak! (vv. 1-4)
1. Strength is found in Christian character that encourages rather than that which condemns! It is easy to be condemning. The Pharisees of Jesus day were experts at it. Demanding that those around them measure up to their standards, while not inspecting their own lives in the process. What Jesus, Peter, Paul, and all of the New Testament writers teach us is that “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” The strong should not end up despising their weak brothers and sisters in Christ; instead, they should continue to bear with them. In fact, the strong should not seek to “please” themselves. This last clause is the key; a Christian should not be self-centered, but should be concerned about the spiritual welfare of others out of genuine concern. Jesus did this very thing as an example for the rest of us. Just as Jesus was full of compassion, so we are to follow His example. Paul reminds us that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” If the spiritually infirm do not find hope in the church, and the Gospel message it is supposed to display, where will they find it? In the ungodly world? Therefore, Paul tells us that in imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak.
EXAMPLE: When a little baby is taught to walk, the parents do not take them home and promptly set them on their feet and then just give them push! They do not demand a baby not only know immediately how to walk, but to also know how to run, skip, and jump as well! Babies are encouraged to grow first, just as new believers are, and even those who may stumble in their Christian faith should be. When we look at Jesus and how He dealt with people, He only demanded more form those who proclaimed their own righteousness – like Peter who had to learn a tough spiritual lesson after being lovingly rebuked. In fact, Paul in his life walking with God, should have known better but Paul had to be brought along as well. This is why he could say with confidence, that in imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak!
However, Paul like any good parent, does not leave this issue alone. He wanted to make sure his audience understood completely what he was trying to teach them here. It was not as simple as just encouraging one another with an “atta boy!” The Christian life can be a messy affair because we are not our own, we are bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19) Therefore, the believer is to “honor God with [his] body.” Meaning in every area of life. In fact Paul steps it up a notch and writes that it is not just the individual that is responsible. He teaches us that…
II. In imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in Spirit! (vv. 5-6)
1. A likeminded spirit promotes the things of God! When disharmony in the church comes it is only from one source – Satan. He is the one who causes disunity within the body of believers. So important was this unity that Paul openly prays, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus!” Paul’s goal was that the church of Jesus Christ would be a body that was so loving and caring that nothing from the outside world could affect its spiritual bond of love. Why? Because the ultimate purpose of this unity was that with “one heart and mouth” (an inward unity of being and an outward unity of expression) they would continually “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” You cannot praise God with your mouth and gossip about a fellow believer. You cannot worship God with your whole heart and have bad feelings against a fellow church member. The sin is no longer theirs, but now it has infected you as well. This is why Peter would remind us to “love one another deeply, from the heart.” (1 Peter 1:22) Paul knew there was “one body and one Spirit,” and because of that we were to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3-4) In imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in Spirit!
EXAMPLE: The world asks, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Forgetting that the world in general does not know the unity of knowing God intimately through a relationship with Jesus Christ. A sin-fallen world cannot “get along.” In fact, this is why Jesus would say He would send the Holy Spirit! To literally “convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8) The ungodly world is not “convicted” of its sin until the Holy Spirit does the convicting! Paul would say, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14) However, the Christian does have the Holy Spirit and should be able to spiritually discern all things! This includes keeping the unity of faith within the church no matter what the cost to your personal self! Paul reminds us that in imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in Spirit!
Is it fair? Not always. But what it means is that Christians “no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) So in our “self-righteous” attitude we had better walk very circumspect least we fall into the sin of pride. Paul would say, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 8:9) Does this mean we just smile and allow sin in another believer’s life? Absolutely not! However we are to remember who we are, and to Whom we ultimately have to give an account to. Therefore, Paul relates…
III. In imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another! (vv. 7-13)
1. The model of acceptance for the believer, is Jesus Himself! This is why Paul would remind his self-righteous audience, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” He wanted to remind them that even they were accepted by Jesus to bring glory to God! Jesus had “become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy.” If Jesus was able to set Himself aside and become a servant for all people’s salvation, then certainly every Christian could do likewise for the benefit of each other! How else will a ungodly world see the difference between the life of a Christian and a non-Christian? This is how both the Jews and the “Gentiles” [non-believers] were praised before God and could have any “hope” at all! (vv. 9-12) The “God of hope” should “fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” Why? Because Paul knew that the desire to “get it right” before God should never break the bond of unity with fellow believers, “so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!” In imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another!
EXAMPLE: I can remember not liking some of the things my brother or sister did, and I am sure they could relate to you that they did not care for some of the things I did either. However, through it all one thing remains: We love one another deeply. We may not like sometimes how we conduct our individual lives, but we still love one anther. Why? Because we are a family and that is what loving families do. The family of God, His church, is bound by a deeper commitment and a spiritual bond that is brought about by an intimate relationship with Jesus. The world may not understand it, but we do and because we do, in imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another.
Conclusion:
In imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak! (vv. 1-4) In imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in spirit! (vv. 5-6) In imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another! (vv. 7-13)
April 29, 2007 AM
by Pastor Lee Hemen
In our day and age where people can remain intimately anonymous in cyber chat rooms and blog rings, they have submerged themselves into self-absorbed cocoons instead of servant churches. Encouraged into this kind of thinking, the local church is no longer a body of like-minded believers working together to build the kingdom of God. Instead, “herds” are ushered into spiritual slaughter houses, with the unsuspecting masses, to watch live video-fed messages projected onto a screen for spiritual entertainment. You can feel you are a part of something, while not really being a part of anything. Sadly, in many cases, the body of Christ in our world has become a prepackaged commodity and has ceased in being the loving intimate family of God it was meant to be.
Paul relates to the Roman church that they were to first and foremost imitate Jesus Christ as a church. They were to be His body in the world. This cannot be done in a supermarket prepackaged fashion or by encouraging self-absorbed standards. A spiritual family is grown, not produced or emoted. It is often messy by nature because of what it is -- a family of God. The spiritually strong are to encourage and help those that are weaker in faith. A church is to concern itself with building up the body of Christ through tenderly teaching and tending the flock and thereby imitating Jesus our Shepherd. Let’s find out how this is done…
READ: Romans 15:1-13
The world often teaches two diametrically opposed ideas: One is to step on anyone who gets in our way. You only help those who help themselves. In fact, the new mantra is often stated in this fashion: “How can you help someone else, until you help yourself first?” The converse of this is also found in those who tell us that everyone has to be treated exactly the same. In suffering or success we are all the same. Which view is correct? Neither. Rather than stepping on those who are weaker or trying to please ourselves, Paul says we are to imitate Jesus.
I. In imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak! (vv. 1-4)
1. Strength is found in Christian character that encourages rather than that which condemns! It is easy to be condemning. The Pharisees of Jesus day were experts at it. Demanding that those around them measure up to their standards, while not inspecting their own lives in the process. What Jesus, Peter, Paul, and all of the New Testament writers teach us is that “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.” The strong should not end up despising their weak brothers and sisters in Christ; instead, they should continue to bear with them. In fact, the strong should not seek to “please” themselves. This last clause is the key; a Christian should not be self-centered, but should be concerned about the spiritual welfare of others out of genuine concern. Jesus did this very thing as an example for the rest of us. Just as Jesus was full of compassion, so we are to follow His example. Paul reminds us that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” If the spiritually infirm do not find hope in the church, and the Gospel message it is supposed to display, where will they find it? In the ungodly world? Therefore, Paul tells us that in imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak.
EXAMPLE: When a little baby is taught to walk, the parents do not take them home and promptly set them on their feet and then just give them push! They do not demand a baby not only know immediately how to walk, but to also know how to run, skip, and jump as well! Babies are encouraged to grow first, just as new believers are, and even those who may stumble in their Christian faith should be. When we look at Jesus and how He dealt with people, He only demanded more form those who proclaimed their own righteousness – like Peter who had to learn a tough spiritual lesson after being lovingly rebuked. In fact, Paul in his life walking with God, should have known better but Paul had to be brought along as well. This is why he could say with confidence, that in imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak!
However, Paul like any good parent, does not leave this issue alone. He wanted to make sure his audience understood completely what he was trying to teach them here. It was not as simple as just encouraging one another with an “atta boy!” The Christian life can be a messy affair because we are not our own, we are bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:19) Therefore, the believer is to “honor God with [his] body.” Meaning in every area of life. In fact Paul steps it up a notch and writes that it is not just the individual that is responsible. He teaches us that…
II. In imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in Spirit! (vv. 5-6)
1. A likeminded spirit promotes the things of God! When disharmony in the church comes it is only from one source – Satan. He is the one who causes disunity within the body of believers. So important was this unity that Paul openly prays, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus!” Paul’s goal was that the church of Jesus Christ would be a body that was so loving and caring that nothing from the outside world could affect its spiritual bond of love. Why? Because the ultimate purpose of this unity was that with “one heart and mouth” (an inward unity of being and an outward unity of expression) they would continually “glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!” You cannot praise God with your mouth and gossip about a fellow believer. You cannot worship God with your whole heart and have bad feelings against a fellow church member. The sin is no longer theirs, but now it has infected you as well. This is why Peter would remind us to “love one another deeply, from the heart.” (1 Peter 1:22) Paul knew there was “one body and one Spirit,” and because of that we were to “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:3-4) In imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in Spirit!
EXAMPLE: The world asks, “Why can’t we all just get along?” Forgetting that the world in general does not know the unity of knowing God intimately through a relationship with Jesus Christ. A sin-fallen world cannot “get along.” In fact, this is why Jesus would say He would send the Holy Spirit! To literally “convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.” (John 16:8) The ungodly world is not “convicted” of its sin until the Holy Spirit does the convicting! Paul would say, “The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14) However, the Christian does have the Holy Spirit and should be able to spiritually discern all things! This includes keeping the unity of faith within the church no matter what the cost to your personal self! Paul reminds us that in imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in Spirit!
Is it fair? Not always. But what it means is that Christians “no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again.” (2 Corinthians 5:15) So in our “self-righteous” attitude we had better walk very circumspect least we fall into the sin of pride. Paul would say, “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 8:9) Does this mean we just smile and allow sin in another believer’s life? Absolutely not! However we are to remember who we are, and to Whom we ultimately have to give an account to. Therefore, Paul relates…
III. In imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another! (vv. 7-13)
1. The model of acceptance for the believer, is Jesus Himself! This is why Paul would remind his self-righteous audience, “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” He wanted to remind them that even they were accepted by Jesus to bring glory to God! Jesus had “become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles may glorify God for His mercy.” If Jesus was able to set Himself aside and become a servant for all people’s salvation, then certainly every Christian could do likewise for the benefit of each other! How else will a ungodly world see the difference between the life of a Christian and a non-Christian? This is how both the Jews and the “Gentiles” [non-believers] were praised before God and could have any “hope” at all! (vv. 9-12) The “God of hope” should “fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.” Why? Because Paul knew that the desire to “get it right” before God should never break the bond of unity with fellow believers, “so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!” In imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another!
EXAMPLE: I can remember not liking some of the things my brother or sister did, and I am sure they could relate to you that they did not care for some of the things I did either. However, through it all one thing remains: We love one another deeply. We may not like sometimes how we conduct our individual lives, but we still love one anther. Why? Because we are a family and that is what loving families do. The family of God, His church, is bound by a deeper commitment and a spiritual bond that is brought about by an intimate relationship with Jesus. The world may not understand it, but we do and because we do, in imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another.
Conclusion:
In imitating Jesus, Christians are to help the spiritually weak! (vv. 1-4) In imitating Jesus, Christians are to be unified in spirit! (vv. 5-6) In imitating Jesus, Christians are to accept one another! (vv. 7-13)
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