Several years ago I was at a church convention in Montreal. On the last day of the convention there was a service of worship - with about 500 plus Christians who had come from all over North America. During the service there were about 30 of us who were serving communion. As we stood in a row with our backs to the congregation we were handed the tray with the communion cups.

As I stood there I could smell that the cup had wine in it. Which I thought was interesting since I knew that - while the Montreal church used wine in communion - many of the people behind me didn’t. Some would consider drinking wine - even in communion - to have the potential of leading others into sin.

We passed out the cups and came back and stood in the front. The invitation was given to drink. As we drank I have to confess that I was preoccupied with what was going on behind me. As people drank there were these sounds - “Mmm” - “Uhh” - as people discovered the wine - a point of division was created.

At these conventions there was usually a Saturday night dance. But, the Montreal church - pro wine - was anti dancing. Dancing could lead someone to sin. So, there was no dancing at the convention. Which led to division.

One person’s freedom is another person’s downfall. Godly people have different understandings of the same concerns. We struggle with issues - we struggle with people - even here at E Free. Paul, in Romans 14 - gives examples of divisions in the Roman church - divisions over what food was okay to eat - what day was appropriate to worship God. This morning we want to look at how we can move towards healing those divisions.

Romans 14:13: “Therefore” Stop there. When we come across a “therefore” in Scripture we ask, “Where for the therefore?” Paul is summarizing - referring back to what we looked at last Sunday.

In Romans 14:1-12, Paul said, “When you come to areas of division - even when you know you’re right - lighten up! We’re all brothers and sisters in Christ. So we need to accept each other and seek to obey God together. Work on your own relationship with God and let God take care of the rest.”

Here - verses 13 to 23 continue that teaching. Verse 13: Therefore - since we are brothers and sisters in Christ - let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this - not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.

There were two boll weevils that grew up in South Carolina. One went to Hollywood and became a famous actor. The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much. The second one - the one that stayed in South Carolina, naturally, became known as the lesser of two weevils.

We often look at division and conflict and feel as though the only choice we have is to choose the lesser of two evils. Because there really is no solution - no healing - no way out of the impasse. They’ll never change. At best we can just be polite and just get along.

The exciting thing about what Paul is writing here is that division is an opportunity for us. In the congregation - in our homes - we have choices. To “determine this” means to choose - we can stop judging - we can not hinder our brother or sister in Christ. We have an opportunity to make positive choices that can move us towards healing. There three of these choices that Paul gives us here in verses 13 to 23.

CHOICE #1 IS THE CHOICE TO LOVE (14-15)

Say this with me, “We can choose to love.”

Verses 14,15: I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself; but to him who thinks anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean. For if because of food your brother is hurt, you are not longer walking according to love. Do not destroy with your food him for whom Christ died.

One day I climbed Half Dome. Not the front way. I went up the back on the trail. Have any of you been up there? It’s like being on top of the world. When I got to the top I wanted to look over the edge - down into the valley below. That’s a couple thousand feet of drop off. So I crawled - I’m not ashamed to say this - I crawled to edge and carefully and timidly peered over. The cars were like toys. The people were like ants. When I looked to my left there was a guy sitting on a rock outcropping with his feet dangling over mid air. He had total freedom to sit there without fear. I think he may have even been eating his lunch!

Some of us are timid of the edge. Some have no fear of heights. It would have been cruel for that guy on the outcropping to have picked me up and dragged me - forced me to be out there with him. We can’t expect others to be in the same place as us. We can’t force them to move at our pace.

In verse 14 Paul could have said this - using himself as an example - “This is Paul writing. Remember me? Paul. That’s The Apostle Paul. Writer of most of the New Testament. The greatest evangelist and theologian of our time - perhaps all time. Who are you to disagree with me? I say it’s clean. Get over it. Eat it.”

Instead Paul speaks of himself as having no fear of the edge. He writes, “I’m convinced that this food is not unclean.” But he holds back. He doesn’t insist. There are others who not convinced. It would be wrong to force them to eat. It would hurt them - destroy them.

Have you ever watched a parent walk with a small child? The parent adjusts. Walks slower. Bends down to hold the child’s hand. Ever play a game - a board game - cards - football - with a child? We hold back from creaming them. Love limits. When we get older that holding back reverses itself. Our kids learn to slow down for us. But again, love limits. It yields for the greater good of the one who is weaker.

We have a choice - in conflict - when divided - to love - to yield.

CHOICE #2 IS TO BUILD UP AND NOT TEAR DOWN (16-21)

Say this with me, “We can choose to build up and not tear down.”

Verses 16: “Therefore (pause) - therefore - since we have a choice - Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing - your freedom in Jesus - do not let it - be spoken of as evil;

If we insist on getting our way regardless of who gets hurt people are going to speak evil of us. Worse - they’re going to say the Gospel we proclaim is worthless.

Verse 17: for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The Kingdom of God isn’t about all these secondary issues we divide over - it’s about what it means to be set free in Jesus Christ. Living rightly with Him. Knowing His peace in our lives. Experiencing the joy that can only come from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Living together in the Kingdom of God.

Verse 18: For he who in this way serves Christ - in what way? He who serves keeping focused on what the Kingdom of God is really about - that person is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Verse 19: So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

It would help our understanding of Paul’s point if we could see this from a 1st Century Jewish perspective.

To the Jews God was someone who appears hovering in a cloud over Mount Sinai - a God of smoke and fire. He's the God who parts seas - sends plagues - who wiped out the world with a flood. If we touch His stuff and we die. If we look at His face and we die. God is holy - exalted - almighty - sovereign..

To the Jews being right with God meant sacrifices for worship - for cleansing - for restitution - for devotion - for confession of sin - forgiveness of sin - cleansing from defilement. Animals were chopped up. Pieces of animals were waved around. Blood was free flowing. Parts of carcasses were dragged from the Temple to the outskirts of town and burned. There were burnt offerings - grain offerings - peace offerings - guilt offerings - wave offerings - heave offerings.

Then there were regulations - traditions - impossible standards of holiness - condemnation and ostracism for failure - hundreds of laws imposed by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Everything about their lives was integrally related to a law of behavior that emphasized the holiness of God and the sinfulness of man - their own failure.

To fully understand Paul we need to be in touch with the slavery of constantly trying to earn our relationship with God - to measure up. And yet, to know that spiritually we always fall short.

So many today feel that bondage. We stumble around - struggling to overcome our sins - to be free. We’re weighed down with guilt. Bound by our feelings of failure and inadequacy. How could the Almighty Holy God love us? How could there be anything different for us?

Carl Sandburg - the author - once said, "There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud." Spiritually, how true that is.

Paul, earlier in Romans - in chapter 7 - starting at verse 24 - Paul writes, (Romans 7:24,25a): “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

He begins Romans 8 with, “Therefore - because we have been set free by Jesus - therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”

We don’t have to earn our freedom on our own. Jesus - on the cross - by His sacrifice in our place - as we trust in Him as our Savior - He sets us free. God forgives our sin. Lifts us from the mud. Gives us eternal life in Him. Begins building our lives - the re-creation of our lives to become the person of worth and purpose that He has envisioned for us to be. (Romans 8:1,2)

This is what Paul is writing of in Romans 14:16. Paul says that this freedom in Jesus is a “good thing.” Isn’t it? And, this “good thing” - in the midst of division - comes with tremendous opportunity.

Paul writes in Galatians 5:13: “For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh - an opportunity for yourselves - for evil - but through love serve one another.”

When we trust Jesus as our Savior we no longer have to save ourselves. We no longer have to defend ourselves. We no longer have to wallow in self-doubt and self-pity. We no longer need to hold onto anger and bitterness and pride. We no longer need to tear others down to build ourselves up. All those things that cause division. That’s freeing.

No longer focused on us we’re free “through love [to] be servants of one another" That’s - as Paul says in verse 18 - that’s what’s really acceptable to God and man. Not food and drink. Not regulations and expectations. But - verse 19 - pursuing peace. Doing those things that build each other up. Living together in God’s kingdom as loving siblings in Christ.

Paul emphasizes that point in verses 20 and 21 - pleads with us to keep focused on what is really important: Do not tear down the work of God for the sake of food. All things indeed are clean, but they are evil for the man who eats and gives offense. It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.

People - siblings - spouses - are far more important that insisting on our rights. Choose to love. Choose to build each other up.

CHOICE #3 IS TO CHOOSE FAITH (22,23)

Say that with me, “We can choose faith.”

In verse 22 Paul writes to the person who’s strong in his faith: The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God.

The New King James Version translates this much better: “Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before God.”

Paul is not saying to keep what we believe to ourselves. Keep our mouths shut and don’t say anything that might cause a problem. His point is that what we believe - and what we do - should come out of our faith - our personal relationship before God.

There are times when as stronger Christians we need to push the boundaries of our spiritual comfort zone outward. Jesus ate in the homes of sinners. He tore up the Temple. He wasn’t bound by the traditions and expectations of the religious leaders. He made people uncomfortable. A healthy church cannot move forward if we are continually fearful of what may happen if others struggle. Sometimes struggle is good.

Yet, Paul warns us not to push the boundaries based on what we want. But, as God leads us forward.

Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves - in what he does.

We’re to do things that God - by His word - and His leading - and His timing - has freed us to do. When we live that way we’re blessed and a blessing to others.

Then Paul speaks to the person who is weaker in faith - verse 23: But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and whatever is not from faith is sin.

There was a scientist who decided that the way to get more work done was to replicate himself. So he cloned himself. Unfortunately this clone took on a very obscene personality and was offensive to the scientist and to everyone else. So one day - when the scientist couldn’t bear with his obscene clone anymore - he pushed the clone off a cliff. And of course he was arrested for making “an obscene clone fall.”

We can’t ignore that each of us has an influence on others. We must pay attention to how we exert that influence. As members of the Body of Christ - in whatever role we have in the congregation - we have to be careful. We’re not to produce little Christian clones.

It would be so easy for those stronger in their faith to exercise influence over spiritually younger Christians - to get them to memorize and parrot back Scripture - to memorize Christian doctrine - to mimic Christian behavior - to do all the right things and say all the right things - to please us - and yet have no clue as to the reality of living by their own faith in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Here is verse 23 Paul is warning the weaker Christians to be on guard against this. “Don’t just eat stuff because someone tells you its okay - because it’s the expectation. Eat, only if by faith you understand that it’s okay to eat. Do what you do because of your relationship with God.”

Whether stronger in faith or weaker in faith - healing division comes as we point each other towards God. Towards His word. As our faith increases in Him. As He guides us forward. We need to help each other with this.

As our troops began the war in Iraq - long columns of men and machines crossing the border on the way to Baghdad - there was a proclamation: “Operation Iraqi Freedom has begun.” We were marching to free the Iraqi people from their bondage. It remains to be seen if Iraqi Freedom will become Iraqi Fratricide.

In Christ we’re freed - so that in division - we can make choices that move us towards healing.

Last thought. Ray Stedman said this of this passage. “These are wise words. Properly followed, they will gradually work out the differences of viewpoints we may have. But, if ignored, the church is bound to go along with one side or the other, and division, anger, and upset will follow, and the whole cause of Christ will be injured by that.”

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