Bible Guys Classics: Romans 15 Part 1

Well, Jeff, I don't know if you know this or not, but I live to please you and your every whim. Did you know that? Well, that's what this passage is all about. God wants you to be a people pleaser. I'm not sure it says quite that. No, Well, we're going to find out. He's Chris and I'm Jeff and we're the Bible Guys. Well, hey, Jeff, today we have a segment called mail bags and we haven't and those are fun. Yeah, they haven't done this in a while. Those are great. So listen. By the way, if you want to ask a question that you would like us to, you know, talk about, he would love to hear it. So just send your question to info at the Bible Guys dot com and we would love for, you know, for us to look through them and perhaps even use one of your questions. So today it comes from Jackie M. Jackie M. So she mailed this in emailed, I suppose. Right, instead of I haven't seen this one, by the way. Yeah, and so she says, if you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be? And why? Oh oh that's a good question. It's fun. Yeah, have you thought about this one. No, I just now read it. If we could trade places with anyone? Well, actually, Jackie, I really like being me, I really do. Oh come on, anybody in the world. I don't know. Who do you have would trade places? I mean, I guess the question. I mean you get technical with it, but like, is it temporary or is it permanent? Like trade places until you die? I don't know. She didn't ask us. I know. So let's let's assume that it's. Temporary, temporary, a temporary thing, and it has to be a real person. Because none of us would want to abandon our lives a real person, yes, of course. Okay, Oh you're. Talking about like Superman right now or in the past. I want to be Superman for a day exactly. How about let's do right now, living, right now living? Okay? Oh man, I'm having a hard one. Anybody who gets to go to space? How about that? Oh wow, yeah, go to space. That's a great answer. I know I have good answers. All my answers are great answer. But do you have to have the knowledge? Are you going to mess things up? I don't know. They sent William Shattner to space. Well, oh yeah, he's like ninety years old. I guess you're right, okay, as long as you don't have to do stuff. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm not saying I want to be a technical astronaut. Well, I mean, if you were like a heart surgeon, I'd like to be a heart surgeon for Dan all of a sudden, boot you popping? Yeah, yeah, you know, kill somebody. I don't know. I might be good at it, I've never tried. I think I just just caught here. Yeah, maybe how about you? You know what I think? Honestly, I think I would love to be a talk show host. A talk show host. Yeah. So who Jimmy Fallon? Jimmy Fallon? Yeah, yeah, yeah, just because you do well with that. You know, you get that fun. You need to interact with celebrities and movie stars and things, right, and you get to creatively sort of still do what I do now, which and you're so cute, right, which is the camera loves me? Yeah yeah, yeah, Okay, So you want to be Jimmy Fallon and I want to be William Shatner. Apparently, apparently that's the answer, Jackie M there you go. So hey, by the way, I'm not sure if that's what she was thinking, Hey, you know'll be fun. If some of our listeners would actually comment in and just tell me who you would switch for. Yeah, yeah, yeah, who would you switch with? If you're watching on YouTube, that's the place that we can do this, right, it's ont. On YouTube, okay, and or email us in yeah and let us know, because that'd be fun to just read through. Yeah. Yeah, So if you're not watching on YouTube, email us at info at the Bible guys dot com. Yeah, that'd be fun. Oh that's great. Well, today you already mentioned this that we're supposed to be living to please others, right, and it can kind of come off when you say that phrase, like we're supposed to be people pleasers, which is really not the case as a matter of fact. Paul warns against that idea. But let's let's unpack it. So in Romans chapter fifteen, we're coming pretty close to the end of the Book of Romans, now we are. And so the first half of the book he spends most of his time talking about grace and the law. That's it. Then he pivoted just a couple of chapters ago and turns into so how should we live as Christians in this grace we have, right. It goes from theology to practical application. Yeah yeah, yeah, well, which I think is really important for all of us to think about. Sometimes theologians want to kind of imply that the only thing that you really need is good theology. But in maybe the most theologically dense book in the Bible, Romans. Maybe only Hebrews would be the other one. But Romans is more than half application, right, And I think that's really important for us to understand that theology that's not applied is of no real use, right, And so you got to apply it. And so this is why you spend so much time applying it the way. That's the message that you're speaking on Sunday. So the main point of Sunday is relevant. Scripture practically applied always results in life transformation. That's right. That's right. So let's just pick up in Romans, chapter fifteen. We'll start verse one, and I'm just going to read like the first thirteen verses because this is a big passage. It says, we who are strong must be considered to those who are sensitive about things like this, which must not just please ourselves. We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. As the scriptures say, the insults of those who insult you, Oh God, have fallen on me. Such things were written in the scriptures long ago to teach us, and the scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other. It's fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, accept each other, just as Christ has accepted you, so that God will be given glory. Remember that Christ came as a servant to the Jews to show that God is true to the promises he made to their ancestors. He also came so that the Gentiles might give glory to God for his mercies to them. That is what the Psalmist meant when he wrote, for this, I will praise you among the gentiles. I'll sing praise this to your name. In another place that's written, rejoice with his people, you gentiles and yet again, praise the Lord, all you gentiles. Praise him, all you people of the earth. And in another place, Isaiah said, the air to David's throne will come, and he will rule over the gentiles. They will place their hope on him. I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him, and then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. So the second half of this passage is really talking about because you're a believer, you know you have hope in Christ and He's going to fulfill these things in your life, all of God's promises in your life. But the beginning of the chapter, he's really kind of highlighting what he just spent all this time talking about in Roman's chapter fourteen, and that is, don't cause other people to stumble. Sure, and so he says, so you are strongness, be considerate of those who are sensitive about things. Like this, right, because it's attached to the previous thought. That's right, which is we've divided up into chapters. But that's correct, But he didn't have chapters when he wrote this letter. That's right. So he was talking about eating meat that was offered idols. He was talking about holy days all those kinds of things, and he said, you know, you are free, but you need to be considered to the people who struggle with feeling like maybe it's wrong to do those things right. Right, right, right. And last week that's where we left off. We talked about how it's interesting to me and we didn't talk about this part of it, but it's interesting to me how those who may get offended sometimes could be in the category of those who sort of misunderstand. Because Paul says, hey, we both know this meat is just meat. We both know that sacrificing it to that false God means absolutely nothing because there is no false God. That false God is a statue. Right, it's a piece of wood, right, and so it's just a good piece of cow right, right. And so he's like, so, really, there's nothing wrong with eating it. But those who are weaker, that's the part. It's those who are not as strong in their faith, they don't understand the breadth of things. Just be considered of them. If you know for a fact that they're going to. Stumble, right, yeah, or well, I don't even know if you have to know for fact that they're going to stumble, but what we do may cause him to stumble. And he says, so you give up your freedoms for the benefit of others. That's what the way of saying. So he says that here, so we must not just please ourselves. And then I think this is the real highlight, quite honestly, is as he's talking about we should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord. For even Christ didn't live to please himself. So a big part of our spiritual growth early on, when we become believers, it's really about us because we're babies. As a matter of fact, the Bible refers to us as you know, babes in Christ. He says, right, And so as a new believer, we're a babe in Christ. But God's goal is not for you to stay a baby in your faith. He wants you to grow up in your faith. And eventually, as you grow up, you start to be able to provide for yourself, take care of yourself, not just rely on others to provide for you. And then finally you start being able to provide for others and care for others and develop others and so that's kind of the expectation. He says. Unless you're developing others, you're not really strong in your faith. You're not mature in your faith, you're not growing in faith, because your focus should be to help others do what is right and to build them up. In the Lord. Yeah, and you know what, it's actually a really great perspective reminder for all of us who think that faith is just us and God and nothing else, you know, you know, and people use terms like well, my faith is private and with the with what that translates into a lot of times is saying like, well, I don't necessarily go to church, I don't necessarily talk about my faith at all with anybody else, don't I don't do anything, but I do, you know, think about God or perhaps even read or pray, and and it's an individualistic thing. But again we've mentioned this before. Faith is not meant to be you know, individual, it's communal. Right, right, yeah, so then this this idea. Have you ever heard people say I just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of the services or. All my life. Yeah. Yeah, and you know, and by the. Way, there's always those who say this is the best thing I've ever heard, Oh, sure, and then and then I'm not getting anything out of it, and then there's then there's everybody in between. So a lot of times the people who think that everything you say or everything I say is brilliant, they're new Christians and they're hearing these things for the first time. Sure, or I would argue and say, or I would add, not argue. I would add and say. When God is at work in somebody's life, it doesn't matter what you say. You can almost get up there and read the dictionary, right, and it's like and it's like, oh, that was just amazing. God just showed me. And it's like, really, that's what you got out of it, because the Holy Spirit's already doing a great work and they're sensitive the leader of the Spirit. Yeah, I would say there's a substantial difference between the what the Holy Spirit would use if you read the dictionary versus what the Holy Spirit would. Use if you're using the Bible. Supposed to be. Funny, right, right, right, But the the I get what you're saying that sometimes the Holy Spirit's already preparing a person's heart and they're just ready to hear from God. Right, And I believe that God speaks primarily through his word, and he uses preachers to highlight that. But usually newer believers when they hear the preacher preach an idea for the first time, every new idea is amazing. But then people have been a believer for a while, They've heard all of your jokes, they've heard most of your stories, they've heard how you apply things. When you come to a certain topic. They already know how you're going to close that topic, right. They knew all those things because they've been around you a while, they've been a believer. You've kind of poured out all that you have for them. And then those are the people, these what I would say maybe adolescent young adolescent Christians, but you know, post pubescent Christians. Just you know, they're they're just getting smart enough to go. I feel like mom and dad aren't giving me enough anymore, right, and I wish that the pastor gave me more. That person is shifting from being a child in the faith to being in a adult and the faith growing up in their faith, and so it stops being so much about you and starts being more and more and more for others. So your spiritual growth there's only so much content you can take in, and then you're just you're just fat and blobby, but you're not strong. The only way you can be strong and healthy is to use all of what you're taking in right and build it into spiritual muscle. And the only way you can do that is to build others up. And that's really what I think Paul's talking about you. In fact, this is a great idea to talk about just for a minute, because I've actually planned a series coming up in our church coming up. Heritage Church is where we both serve and for those who don't know that, but it's actually information versus application. So a lot of people think Christianity is more information. So a lot of times when I hear somebody say I'm not getting enough out of the services or whatever. Not all the time, but most of the time, I would say, what the really meaning is do my studying for me right? Because what they're saying is you didn't teach me anything new to which all I would really have to do, and I have done this in so many occasions is I would say, well, I just got a simple question for you. You know, have you mastered that which I talked about today, And I've had people literally look at me and say no, not even close, right, And I'd say, well, then, how could you possibly say this message wasn't for you. Well, that's a dangerous idea because Jesus said to whom much is given, much is required. Sure. So if you're saying, I want more information, but I haven't mastered what you gave me before, what you want is you want to be accountable for even more that you're not going to do. Yeah, and heck, you don't even have to master it. You just have to feel like you're you have a good hold on Yeah. Yeah, you're at least learning to apply it, right Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So it's like, well, oh, I've heard that sermon before, Well have you have you done it? Well? No, but I know it. And it's like, well listen, then that means you need to hear the sermon again. Yeah, Because it's all about application. It's life transformation. And by the way, Jesus gives us his word for results, so he always says it's either inward results like you have peace, you'll have joy, you'll find life, you'll find substance or purpose or direction, or it's the result of moving God's kingdom forward. You know, there's always you know, the furthering of His kingdom, the furthering of his word, the credibility of His gospel. And then you know, there's also results in our own lives. And they could be both circumstantially, they could be relationally. It can be all these different things. But the Word of God is supposed to bring about results. And if it's not about application and results, then it's you know, it's not much. It's not good for much. I think it's fair if somebody, if a mature Christian comes and goes, hey, I'm just not getting what I used to get from your preaching, It's fair for me to pause and to think about it, sure, and to contemplate. Have I let my attention to detail? Have I let my you know, attention to study lacks right? But if I haven't, then really it's probably not on me. It's probably that part. And I believe that God allows a certain amount of holy discontent at certain stages in your spiritual growth to make you decide it's time for me to move a little further in my faith. Otherwise we would always stay in the nest, we'd never get out of the out. Of the crib, we'd never learn how to walk. Right. There's all these little moments in our lives. I think that this discontent rises up where we say there's got to be more. And so if you're feeling a little frustrated right now in your faith, I think maybe, especially if you've been a believer for a while, maybe the next thing is not just what can you get from other Bible teachers? But now, who are you supposed to be helping build up? As he says in that verse, there it's our job to help others do what is right and to build them up in the Lord. Yeah. Right, And if we're going to be more like Jesus, we have to remember that even Christ didn't live to please himself. Right. And you know there's a zoom out button on the Macintosh computer. It's like control whatever it is, right, control whatever, and then you zoom out, zoom out. You know, this conversation reminds me how one thing is connected to the other. And I feel like I have a next thought that always zooms out, and the zoom out thought from that conversation is I guess it depends. Also, if we're talking about Sunday morning, experiences for each believer. The zoom out conversation is, I guess it depends on what you believe the purpose of a Sunday morning is supposed to be at your church. Because after all, we should always keep in mind that this Sunday morning go to church experience is not what was what was first in place in the book of Accents. Let's sing some songs, let's make a couple of announcements, Let's have the pastor get up and talk for thirty five minutes. And look there's light lights, and thought, ye right, yeah, right, So it was it was actually Christians meeting in homes and and and actually it wasn't good what we're doing now exactly. They're taking scripture and just talking about it. That's right on the surface as they as they this was church, yeah. Right, And so it was just digging into God's word. It was pressing into the words of Jesus in the ways of Jesus. And so you know that that that is that is a self feeder, right or feeding one another, you know, each other, encouraging one another, sharpening one another. But like you know, listen, if we're going to be talking about the Western world, the culture of the United States of America, the consumerism culture and everything else. The reason why we do what we do is because we know it's the best way to reach people and still you know, sort of like incorporate God's word in their lives. So the Sunday Morning experience has developed along with just our culture, right, So you know, the minute that the McDonald's drive through came out, our whole entire culture changed with consumerism. So it's like, so the church sort of shifts, not because we are culture followers. We shift because of Paul's principle where he says we become all things to all people, to the Jews that became a Jew, to the slaves that became a slave, to the gentiles that became gentiles. I'm gonna do whatever it takes to win some at any cost. And so the church follows the methods just to make sure that we capture the attention of people, because honestly, we don't need light shows for the gospel. But what we do is we put on, you know, a church experience to capture the attention of people's hearts, their minds, their spirits so that the Holy Spirit may have room for when the Word of God is delivered clearly that people are ready to receive it. So we're the conditioners for our kitchen table theologians that are paying attention. You use the phrase church experience a few times, or this is church. We are the church. Both believers gather together are the church. But then what we're talking about is our gatherings, our worship gatherings, our teaching gatherings, all those kind of things. That's what we're talking about on a Sunday morning, And a lot of times people feel like I'm not getting anything out of that gathering anymore. And I think that the more you mature, the gathering or the purpose of the teaching around you changes for you personally. At first is just to inform you and to begin to have something for you to apply later on. You're gathering information in a way that educates you on how to educate others with that same idea. Right, So, maybe in the world, I would one of the things I do a lot of is I'm around a lot of church planting, both in the US and globally more than most. Right would would you agree with that idea that I'm around the church most So I'm very familiar with a couple of the strategies that are being used around the world very intimately as they're being developed, And so I could on occasion walk into a meeting as they're talking about church planting and go, oh, I don't know need this. I know all this, Except recently my role with the Timoth Initiative has changed a little bit where I'm speaking more and more and more with potential donors and people that are looking into this, investigating it on a prove it to me level. Well, now every time I sit in the room and listen to the other experts talk about it, I'm learning the same thing I already know. Now I'm learning it from a different perspective of how do I explain it to these people who need the proof that it really works? And I think it's the same thing when I first became a Christian, just learning about Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross. That was amazing for me, but I didn't understand the intricacies of it until I needed to begin to explain it to others. So then when you talk about sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, I'm hearing it it benefits me, but I'm also hearing it on how can I better communicate it to somebody else. So, yes, I've heard it, but I'm hearing it in a different way now and for a different purpose now, right, And because I'm choosing to take the next step in my communication, the next step in my influence. And this is what I believe he's trying to tell us, is that there's a moment or there's a time in your life when it's not just about you taking in the information first time for you, but you can take that exact same information and if you're understanding that you have a responsibility for the other believers behind you, coming up up behind you, then you start to hear the same thing in a different way, and quite honestly, it makes it fresh and new and exciting all over again. Yeah, And that is a great That is a great example because when you're when you're viewing something through the lens of somebody else's ears, their understanding, it really does it's like whoa, all of a sudden you pay attention to it. And that's great, And that's that's also good good perspective and good information and good reminder for us as communicators, for those who communicate, right, And but you know what, it reminds me of as well, when somebody brings a guest with them for the first time, and they'll bring like a neighbor they've been asking for like six months, and they'll finally walk in through the doors, and then this regular attender will come up to me and they'll say, hey, listen, I have my friend with me today, so you better be good. Yeah, yeah, right, And it's like, and I always laugh because I always think, oh, you know what, before you said that, I was shooting for mediocrity, but now I'm going to raise the bar. I'm going to really try this time. But what they're but they're what they're really saying is I'm gonna attention to every single word because I'm viewing it through the lens of my guests, yes, or my neighbor of my friend. And I think that that is what real mature Christianity is. That's right, right, right, that's. That's that's a good place to end. And so we will see you next time on the Bible guys. Mhm h m hm.