Sermon Notes - Romans 15:1-6 - Littleby Baptist Church - June 15, 2025

 1.        Prior to our being away, we looked at showing grace to each other.

a.        Welcoming weaker believers.

b.       Not arguing over things.

c.        Things that do not impact our salvation.

d.       We are to be helping those with weaker faith.

e.        Helping them to stand strong and grow as Christ followers.

f.          As we hope others help us to grow.

2.        As believers who are transformed and renewed.

a.        We are told to love others.

b.       Putting the needs of others before our own.

c.        Even to the point of not putting a stumbling block before a fellow follower of Christ.

d.       In this context that could mean not eating, drinking, or partaking of something that could cause a believer to stumble.

e.        We should limit our behaviors if it could lead another believer to sin.

3.        If we continue to do things and it leads others to fall into sin, we are not showing love.

a.        If we are drinking, playing video games, watching movies, or anything else that is causing someone else to struggle and they are falling into sin.

b.       If we are putting that stumbling block before them.

c.        We are not loving them as we love ourselves.

d.       We are not helping them grow as a disciple of Christ.

e.        We are sinning.

4.        As we continue this morning, Paul is building off of that same theme.

a.        As Christ followers.

b.       We are to be purposeful in helping others grow.

c.        Our focus is to be on others, not on ourselves.

5.        Let’s see where God led Paul next in the letter to the Roman Church.

6.        Romans 15:1

a.        Two groups of people.

b.       Those whose faith is strong.

c.        Those who are not easily swayed by traditions.

d.       Those who understand that Old Testament rules do not apply.

e.        Those who understand that we have grace in a lot things that do not impact our salvation.

f.          Then there are those whose faith is weaker.

g.        Those who are following the traditions.

h.        Those that worry about what they should or should not eat.

i.          Those that are concerned with drinking, video games, and movies.

7.        Those whose faith is strong.

a.        As they are loving others.

b.       Loving those whose faith is weaker.

c.        They have an obligation.

d.       Not out of duty.

e.        But out of caring for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.

f.          Out of wanting to help them to draw nearer to our God.

g.        To want to help them stand strong in their faith.

8.        Galatians 6:1-2

a.        We are to help carry their burdens.

b.       Going out of our way to help them.

c.        Out of love.

d.       That will require that we are to sacrifice for them.

e.        To give up our wants and desires.

f.          If it protects them.

g.        If it helps them grow.

9.        We may not have an issue with some of the things that fall under liberty or grace.

a.        But, if a weaker brother or sister does.

b.       We are being told we should give it up.

c.        So that we do not lead them astray.

d.       So that we can help them grow.

10.   Romans 15:2

a.        Each one of us… expands to include the strong and the weaker believer.

b.       All believers are to please their neighbor.

c.        Not with the intent of making someone happy.

d.       But in order to fulfill God’s purpose.

e.        If we are loving God with all that we are.

f.          And, loving others as we love ourselves.

g.        We ultimately are working to lift up others.

h.        Helping them to see Jesus for who He is.

i.          Helping them to grow as followers of Christ.

j.          We are building them up.

k.        That is what we are to be doing… loving them and building them up.

11.   Romans 15:3

a.        1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1

b.       Paul lived this.

c.        He gave of himself.

d.       Trying to please others in order to reach them.

e.        In hopes that they would turn to Jesus.

f.          But Jesus is a much better example.

g.        He is stronger than anyone.

h.        He is the Creator of all things.

i.          Our God became human for us.

j.          The ultimate in strength bore our weakness.

k.        All of our insults, our sin, fell on Him.

12.   As we follow Him.

a.        As our faith grows.

b.       As we imitate Him.

c.        We are to bear the weakness of those God puts in our path.

d.       We are to sacrifice so that they can grow in their faith.

e.        We will never match the Sacrifice He gave for us.

f.          But we are to sacrifice as we follow Him.

13.   Romans 15:4

a.        Paul had just quoted Psalms to emphasize his point about bearing the burdens of those who are weaker.

b.       Now, he is taking a moment to defend using the Old Testament Scriptures.

c.        In chapter 14 we saw that we don’t need to follow the religious holidays and food commands of the Old Testament.

d.       So, some may question, why look at it at the OT at all?

e.        It does not direct our day-to-day actions.

f.          It does not guide the choices we make.

14.   But it does contains a wealth of information that we need.

a.        The OT Scriptures exist to teach us.

b.       The prophesies show us who Jesus is.

c.        There are prophecies that have yet to be fulfilled in the OT about our Lord’s return.

d.       They help us to understand the history of our faith and humankind.

e.        They help us understand a lot about this life.

f.          Paul gives us part of the answer in this verse.

g.        ‘That we may have hope’

h.        Through two things….

i.          1. Through endurance

j.          2. And encouragement from the Scriptures.

15.   If we think about the Roman church at this point.

a.        It is made up of Jews and Gentiles.

b.       The Jews have recently started returning to Rome.

c.        They have faced persecution.

d.       They have endured.

e.        They are holding on to their faith.

16.   But what is interesting.

a.        Paul’s comments about those with strong faith who are ok with eating meat and are not worried about days of worship, actually is likely pointing to the Gentiles as being strong believers.

b.       Meaning that the Jewish believers may be the weaker Christ followers here.

c.        Holding on to their Jewish beliefs and struggling to let go of them.

d.       Which is also reenforced by the hope they have through endurance.

e.        God has carried them through the persecution they faced.

f.          And has brought them back to Rome.

g.        The Gentiles were to help the Jewish believers grow in their Christ following faith.

h.        By sacrificing their freedoms found in Christ until their Jewish brothers & sisters could stand on their own.

17.    The last part of this verse was about encouragement from Scriptures.

a.        This would have been a message for both the Jews and the Gentiles, as well as us.

b.       Would help the Jewish people remember how Faithful God has been in the past.

c.        Help them remember how Jesus fulfilled the prophesies.

d.       Help the Gentiles learn about those prophesies.

e.        Help them relate to what the Jewish people have learned.

f.          Helps us with both the OT and the NT.

g.        The more time we spend in the Word of God.

h.        The greater our focus on Him is.

i.          Our Hope can only grow by drawing near to our God.

j.          And studying the Scriptures is one of the ways we draw closer to Him.

18.   Romans 15:5

a.        Paul is shifting here a little to encourage the believers.

b.       It is Paul’s hope that the same God that has already given them the endurance they have needed.

c.        The same God who has encouraged them through the struggles they have faced.

d.       That He would help them live in harmony with each other.

e.        The obvious answer of the ‘them’ is the Jewish and Gentile believers, and that would be correct.

f.          There is a long history of challenges for them to work through.

g.        But there are also the stronger and weaker in faith Christ followers.

h.        Paul has just exhorted the stronger believers to sacrifice their liberties and freedoms to help the weaker believers grow.

i.          To love them by giving things up.

j.          Living in Harmony was not a given thing.

19.   Paul is encouraging them in the name of Christ Jesus to live in Harmony as they seek their Lord and grow together.

a.        A challenge for those who were going to give things up for others.

b.       Especially for those with very different backgrounds.

c.        A challenge that is before all of us.

d.       What do we need to let go of?

20.   Continuing Paul’s encouragement or prayer…

21.   Romans 15:6

a.        Being in harmony with one another in Christ Jesus.

b.       Will bring glory to God the Father.

c.        Being united as Christ followers.

d.       As a local body.

e.        As a group of local bodies.

f.          As an Association.

g.        As a Convention.

h.        As Christ Followers across denominations.

i.          Brings glory to our God.

22.   The divisions over nonessentials, such as food, traditions, etc.... are a waste of time and energy.

a.        They impact our ability to reach the lost.

b.       They detract from making disciples.

c.        Division like that does not honor God.

23.   As Christ followers we need to bear the weaknesses of those who are weaker in faith than we are.

a.        We need to help them grow as a follower in Christ, as a disciple.

b.       If that means we need to sacrifice something.

c.        Something we have a right or liberty to…

d.       We are called to give it up.

e.        We cannot be the reason they stumble.

f.          We need to help them grow.

24.   I want to encourage you to pray about those in your life that you can help grow.

a.        What can you do to help them?

b.       Are you working to please them and helping them draw near to God?

c.        Awe you striving to live in harmony as Christ followers?

d.       Does something in your life need to change?

e.        Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you.

f.          Ask Him for the wisdom and strength to make the changes that are needed.

25.   If you would like to know this Jesus we are talking about.

a.        The one who died for us and forgave us of our sins.

b.       Please talk to me.

c.        I would love to share Him with you.