Sermon Info
Summary
It can be easy for us to get things out of order, mix up our priorities, and put secondary things, like personal preferences in the primary spot where they don’t belong. It happens at home, at work, and just about anywhere you can imagine. The problem is, when our passion for our preferences becomes primary, we get distracted from what is truly important, and this is where the cracks of division begin to form. Paul’s instruction to the Roman believers is just as important for us today. Don’t dispute the dispute, let your passion be for the Gospel, and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus for that is of primary importance.
Content
A reality in the Church is that it is filled with diversity. We see it from its beginning. Jesus called a man named Matthew, a tax collector who upheld the law, along with a man named Simon who was trying to take the law down. Each one of Jesus’ disciples had their own testimony and back story all following him together. The Church grew with Jews and Gentiles having their own backstory influencing how they thought was the best way to follow Jesus.
Each household today may have its own house disputable and undisputable preferences on life: entertainment, diet, voting, dancing, finances, and parenting. Jesus wants us to know from his example, that we and the Church can live in unity even amongst great diversity, amongst great differences. Because these differences are preferences. Jesus is who upholds the truth, the undisputable truth (Romans 14:7).
Jesus has shown us hospitality, by calling us to the table with Him. He has made a seat available for you, and for others who hold differences than you. While we sit at the table it is important we do not let differences become distractions that have the ability to destroy. Paul warns us, do not destroy someone else's faith for the sake of food (Romans 14:19).
Not wanting to be a stumbling block to fellow brothers and sisters of Christ, it is essential to keep primary the indisputable and separate the disputable as such, a preference. Keeping our eyes on Jesus can look like, taking in other people’s preferences and giving grace to these non-essential differences. Setting them down, and removing their importance gives room to stay focused on the greatness and the mission of the Gospel.
Fundamentally, we don’t have anything if we don’t have Jesus. Each one of our home bases, the rock we stand on, comes from the grace given to us by Jesus purchasing our lives with His blood on the cross. It is important to ask ourselves, “Could my response injure the faith of this other?” “Will this interaction leave them encouraged, uplifting their spirit in knowing he or she is also a child of God, and very much loved?”
Guilt is from God, we may feel guilty, which leads to repentance. Shame is from Satan. Is there some time in your life you hear the word “should” a lot? Maybe this is an area of shame for you. “Should” can be an easy shame statement.
When I hear the should, or other shameful comments come about, even from fellow Christians, we can speak His Word into it with Romans 14 at heart; “No thank you, we will bring our own [Food]. Romans 14 helps guide us in food differences, and we know there are many food preferences today.” Sometimes we will encounter a person wanting to ask a little bit more, and we will share something like, “We have each been given different amounts of knowledge in different areas of life, creating our unique backgrounds, and God holds us responsible for what we are given. In our profession, there is different knowledge about food, and in another profession, we do not have as much knowledge regarding what it entails. We understand eating certain ways is also a way of life and for us we are responsible for ours, so we will bring food… please do not worry about us.” With repeated occurrences, the light started to overcome the darkness. Speaking these words removed stumbling blocks, allowing our family to establish healthy eating habits that we see as healthy eating habits, for us.
