Well, as I spoke in the prayer
there, our continuation in the Book of Romans, if you'd like
to join me on page 14 or on chapter 14, our continuation with these
last chapters of Romans up until the 16th chapter, we'll have
one more chapter of our reasonable service is what I've titled these
last two messages before us, and this one and the next one
are reasonable service. This is part C. We'll have a
part D when we look at Romans 15 next week. And this is our greatest desire,
is it not, to go about through this world, the alley of shadow
of death, and walk according to what our Lord has purposed
us to walk, what He has told us to do? You know, He tells
us these things for our good. When Jonah ran from the Lord,
when he walked, and I'm not going to say against God's will, because
nobody does anything against God's will, He allows them to
follow what they think, when Jonah ran from the Lord according
to God's purpose. That was painful for him. That
was a costly, costly thing for him to run from the Lord. And
so the Lord tells us to walk accordingly for our good. He says in scriptures, if you
do these things, Good will come unto you. I want good things
of the Lord to come unto me, so I want to walk. I want to
be loving to my neighbor. I know I can't. You all recall
a time when, I've shared with you many a times in many a messages
before, there was neighbors next to us down in North Highlands
that just didn't take care of their dogs. I hated that! They'd
let their dogs come over and do their thing in our yard, and
they would just stand there in the yard and say, ha ha ha, go
over there, go over there, do it over there. And they wouldn't
even try to hide that. Tell me how I'm supposed to love
that neighbor. My Lord says to love that neighbor. You know
that man who sits in the White House? He rules over this country. That's our neighbor. He's our
neighbor. Those folks over there in Russia,
those are our neighbors. If you keep going around the
world, the world is circled. So you just keep going right
around the world, you're going to come to a neighbor no matter where
you go. Love thy neighbor. I find that very difficult to
do, but I want to. Where there was never a want
to before, I want to now. I want to now. Do you? Here in
this chapter, it deals with our attitude towards one another.
in regards to disputes, disagreements, in the reference to observance
of certain days. Back in the Old Testament days,
there were certain things that folks were supposed to observe,
like for instance, you weren't allowed to eat certain meats. As we know, the Lord took Peter and showed him a big cloth with
all kinds of unclean animals, and said, here, take, eat. And
Peter said, no, no, no, I'll never take any of those things.
This was after Peter had been saved by the Lord. This was after
Peter, after the Lord had walked with Peter for all those years.
This was after all that time. Peter said, no, no, no, I'm not
going to eat those things. But it took the Lord to teach
him. That whatever the Lord said is good is good. That's what
this is talking about. Eating certain foods. Conflicts
over things that are not specifically commanded or forbidden in scriptures. Subjects of conflict may vary
today, but the principles laid down here in these words can
apply to all. Look at Romans chapter 14 verse
1. Him that is weak in the faith
receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations. That's what that's
talking about. Judging one in their weak beliefs. We should welcome the weak believers
or the babes in Christ. We don't know where some people
stand at first. It was years before those came
to me and had come to know me as John the believer. They didn't
know me at first. All they knew was some guy would
show up here wearing leathers. I bet I scared a few people.
I remember a time when a young man come to church and I believe
he's a believer. I know I haven't seen him in
a while. I know that he has some mental, he's unstable mentally
in some ways. But he scared the pants off of
some ladies here once when he showed up in a coat. But he loves
to hear the gospel. He loves to hear the gospel.
And everything I hear from his mouth is for the glory of God,
not of men. So we don't know where he stands
with the Lord. Maybe he's a babe in Christ.
We should welcome weak believers, babes in Christ, into our fellowship. Not to criticize their opinions
at first. Not to criticize their convictions. This statement is addressed to
the mature, to the strong, knowledgeable Christian, those of us who are
strong in the faith, those of us who have studied the Word
of God for years and have come to know the experience of grace
in our own lives. You see, folks, that's the only
thing that drives us to being gracious to others. We compare
the graciousness that God has been to us, the fact that He
has saved us by His grace. We are able to be gracious to
those around us. Is that not true? That's what
this is talking about, to those who have that knowledge. If we're
instructed to grow in grace and the knowledge of Christ, it can
be safely assumed that there are weaknesses to some. There
are immaturities to some. Maybe even to ourselves at a
time. I remember Bill would mention to me several times as the Lord
moved me into this position. Bill knew me probably better
than anybody. And I might even say probably even better than
my own wife at times, being my best friend. And there's nothing
against my wife. She's my best friend too, but
some things men can just talk about with men. And he would
mention before he died there several times, John, I just can't
believe how much the Lord has grown you in the knowledge. And you folks yourselves have
said this a couple times, even recently over the past four years. We grow in knowledge. In the
knowledge of our Savior and in His grace, we are able to be
more gracious. We should welcome those who are
still weak. Receive the weak in faith and
the immature into our fellowship. Take notice of them. Bear their
ignorance patiently rather than demanding that they know immediately
what it took you to learn after years. Look at verses 2 through
9. For one believeth that he may
eat all things, another who is weak eateth herbs. Let him not
that eateth despise him that eateth not, and let not him which
eateth not judge him that eateth, for God hath received him. Who
art thou that judgest another man's servant? To his own master
he standeth or followeth. Yea, he shall be holden up, for
God is able to make him stand. One man esteemeth one day above
another, and another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man
be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day,
regardeth it unto the Lord. And he that regardeth not the
day to the Lord, he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth
the Lord, for he giveth God thanks. And he that eateth not to the
Lord, He eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live,
we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord. Whether we live, therefore, or
die, we are the Lord's. This is why he died. He died
that he might be Lord of every believer, even those who are
weak in the faith, every believer. You know, He was Lord over us
before we believed anything at all. Didn't that what I just
mentioned in our prayer? Isn't that what we were singing
in that song? He's always been Lord, we just didn't know it.
He was always my Lord, but when He first began to call me, we
were talking about this, Kevin and I, the other day, I think
it was. Remember the story of the man He healed, the blind
man that He healed? who could barely see, what he
saw at first were men of sticks. That's what this is talking about.
That's what this is talking about, how the Lord calls us out of
darkness through the preaching of his word, and all we saw at
first was stick men. But as we come to church, and
as we gather together, and as we worship our Lord, and as we
look into his word, and learn more of his grace to us, more and more in His Son. And
it becomes clearer and clearer and clearer. We don't become
better people, but we do see our Lord and Savior with a clearer
eye. Look at verse 10. But why dost
thou judge thy brother? Or why dost thou set at nought
thy brother? For we shall all stand before
the judgment seat of Christ. Why do you judge your brother?
It's easy, isn't it? Is it not easy for us to say,
is that one really saved? Could that one who spends their
time in a casino gambling, could they be saved? Could that one
who I've seen outside smoking a cigarette, could that one be
saved? That's what judging your brother is. How can you see the
heart of everybody? Folks, we don't even know our
own heart. Scriptures tell us. God's Word tells us the heart
is desperately, desperately wicked. That means my heart is desperately
wicked. How can I be judging the heart
of this one over here, who may be smoking, or may be drinking,
or whatever it is they're doing, if they're still coming to this
church and they're listening under the preaching of the true
gospel? Now, don't confuse this. There are some points that we
want to stand up and judge and discern, and that is a false
gospel. If you're telling me that I have
to serve my Lord on Saturday because it's a Sabbath day, because
it was marked as the day of Sabbath to the Jews, then I can dispute
that because my Lord says I am the Sabbath. He tells us that
we rest in Him, that He's the Lord of Sabbaths. You tell me
that I've got to go into a little box and tell this man who wears
an outfit that all my sins and I'll be resolved to my sins,
I'm going to tell you right now, that's not scriptural. And I
am to judge and discern those things, and we are. But let us
not judge one another who come into the congregation, even if
they believe differently. Why do we set at naught your
brother? These words are too strong in faith, in Christian
liberty, to him who act to be puffed up by his own superior
knowledge, and to look down on the weaker one. Folks, I tell
you, Christ alone is our judge. Look at verse 11. For it is written,
as I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every
tongue shall confess to God. This passage is from Isaiah 45,
verse 23. It is by Christ that all men
shall be judged. Look over at John chapter 5.
Hold your place in Romans and turn over to John chapter 5.
It is by Christ that all men shall be judged. Isn't that what
we read right here in John chapter 5? Look at verse 22. John 5 verse
22. For the Father judgeth no man,
but hath. but have committed all judgment
unto the Son." Reading these words, reading these words of
our Savior, who makes this declaration, how can you and I, and I'm saying
you and I because I do the same thing and come by our nature,
to judge our brothers and sisters in Christ? Oh, that one has fallen. We may have fallen in the flesh,
but our Lord will never, ever let us fall into condemnation. There is, therefore, no condemnation
to those who are in Christ. He is the judge. He is the judge
and the justifier. Turn back to your... Actually,
look over at Philippians. Go to the other direction of
Romans to Philippians. And turn over to Philippians
chapter 2. This is the one who's judge of
all things. This is the one who we read just
a moment ago that the Father turned all the judgment over
to Him. In Philippians 2, verse 10, we read these words that,
at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow. Isn't that what we
just read in our verse back there? For as it is written, as I lift
the hand of the Lord, every knee shall bow to me. We're talking
about the judge of all things, and every tongue shall confess
to God. Here we see in this verse 10,
every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth,
and things under the earth. So we see right there, we see
that neither we, nor our creeds, nor our laws, nor our religious
organizations are the judges of believers or unbelievers.
Christ is the sole master of judge. That's what we just read
there. Now look at verses 12 and 13. so that every one of
us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore
judge one another any more, but judge this rather, that no man
put a stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."
This is our conclusion to what we just read in these first verses
here. Let us not therefore judge one
another any more, but judge this rather, that no man putteth a
stumbling block or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."
Let's not set ourselves up as critics or judges of the conduct
and lies of other believers. Let us not spend our time finding
fault with one another. It was interesting how in the
years that Don Fortner was alive in the world that I knew, It
started off with something very little. There were some folks
who didn't agree with the way he portrayed the Lord Jesus Christ
when the word said he was made sin. But it grew. From that one claim, they grew
and grew and grew, those who were against him and that very
one thing, and it finally became to the point where they only
looked at him as a heretic. is one who didn't know the gospel,
because they could not agree what God meant by he was made
sin. Let me share something with you
in regards to that. I know many who don't agree with
Don Fortner on the depth that he put our Lord, but yet stood
right next to him all the way to the end. You say, why would
you share that with us, John? Because that's what this is talking
about. This is talking about God's people. This is talking about the grace
that we show one another. The fact that we remind each
other, we are reminded by God's word. That just because that
person stands up and says this, I may not agree with it, but
that doesn't mean I'm going to claim him to be a heretic. There
were men who stood right alongside of Don Fortner and preached from
the same pulpit with him right up to the end of his days that
did not agree with the way he put that scripture. There are
men that I don't agree with on how they put that scripture.
But I would never tell one of them not to stand in this pulpit. Because I know they're men of
God. And I know they preached the cross, the true and simple
gospel. You see, that's what we're to look at our neighbors
with. That's what we're to look at each other with, is with the
form of the gospel. Well, what is the gospel? The
gospel is Jesus Christ loved you and I so much that he gave
his only life. The life that he had in him for
you and I, that's the gospel. You and I who deserve nothing
from him. You don't deserve anything from
me. That may be tough for some of
you to take. Oh, you better love me. I've done this for you. That's not the gospel. The gospel
is this. Christ says, I will love you
no matter what. No matter what. Look at verses
14 through 23. I know and am persuaded by the
Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself. But to him
that steameth anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou
not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat,
for whom Christ died. Let not then your good be evil
spoken of. For the kingdom of God is not
meat and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy
Ghost. For he that in these things serveth
Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men. Let us therefore
follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify. For meat destroyeth..." Wait
a minute, let's start back at verse 19. "...Let us therefore
follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith
one may edify another, for meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure, but
it is evil for that man who eateth with offense. It is good neither
to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother
stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak. Hast thou faith? Have it to thyself before God.
Happy is he that commendeth not himself in that which he alloweth,
and he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth
not faith. For whatsoever is not of faith
is sin. So let me emphasize and dwell
upon these things that bring us together in fellowship, and
to avoid those things which divide. Let us, let you and I, preach. That means witness to your friends.
Let us practice and discuss those things that build each other
up and strengthen men in faith rather than cut them down. Oh,
that meat that you're eating, that's unholy. No. Let's talk
about the things that are holy. What is holy? The Lord Jesus
Christ. You see how the subject keeps
coming right back around to him? You see how easy He makes this
for us? Instead of sitting around wondering, oh, is what that person
over there doing, is that unholy? Let's think about this. What
is holy? Jesus Christ, our Savior. Listen
to these words, Matthew 6.30. Wherefore, if God so clothed
the grass of the field... Speaking of those who have little
faith, those who come into the faith just babes in Christ. Wherefore, if God so clothes
the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast
into the oven, shall not he not much more clothe you, O ye of
little faith? How about these words in Matthew
8, 26? He saith unto them, Why are ye
fearful, O ye of little faith? And then he rose and rebuked
the winds and the sea, and they were great calm. Our Lord shining
on us, the faith that we should have is in Him being our Savior,
the sovereign ruler of all that is. And then in Romans chapter
1, verse 17, and I'll close with this. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall
live by faith. Amen.