
Part 40 - Don’t Trip Your BROTHER Up
[Romans 14:1 ESV]
1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him,
but not to quarrel over opinions.
Strong
[Romans 15:1 ESV]
We who are strong…
Weak
[Romans 14:1 ESV]
As for the one who is weak in faith…
So WHAT do you do?
In 57 or 2022…
[Romans 14:13-23 ESV]
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer,
but rather decide never to put a stumbling block
or hindrance in the way of a brother.
14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself,
but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat,
you are no longer walking in love.
By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking
but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God
and approved by men.
19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace
and for mutual upbuilding.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God.
Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone
to make another stumble by what he eats.
21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or
do anything that causes your brother to stumble.
22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God.
Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment
on himself for what he approves.
23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats,
because the eating is not from faith.
For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
[Romans 14:13 ESV]
13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer…
A GREATER REALITY
[Romans 14:10 ESV]
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother?
Or you, why do you despise your brother?
For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God…
[1 John 3:9 ESV]
9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning,
for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God.
[Matthew 7:1, 5, 15-17, 20 ESV]
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged…
… 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and
then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
… 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit,
but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.
… 20 Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.
WHAT TO DO…
[Romans 14:13 ESV]
13 … but rather decide never to put a stumbling block
or hindrance in the way of a brother.
The clarification that Paul gives…
[Romans 14:14 ESV]
14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.
[1 Corinthians 10:25-26 ESV]
25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience.
26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”
Can it be done to the glory of God?
[Romans 14:23 ESV]
23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats,
because the eating is not from faith.
For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
[Romans 14:15 ESV]
15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat,
you are no longer walking in love.
By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.
A GREATER REALITY
Is your liberty more important than their soul?
Does the exercise of your freedom destroy the person for whom Christ died?
[Romans 14:16 ESV]
16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.
A GREATER REALITY
[Romans 14:17 ESV]
17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
WHAT IS the Kingdom of God?
[Romans 11:36 ESV]
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things…
[Matthew 6:9-10 ESV]
9 … “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
[Colossians 1:13 ESV]
13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness
and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son,
[John 3:5-6 ESV]
5 … “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water
and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh,
and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Jesus is Lord.
You live for the glory of God.
The Holy Spirit continues to grow you in holiness, producing the fruit of the Kingdom in you.
The Kingdom of God is about righteousness and peace and joy.
Positionally & Practically!
Get your eyes up, on what the Kingdom of God is about!
[Romans 14:18 ESV]
18 Whoever THUS serves Christ is acceptable to God
and approved by men.
The NIV translates it…
“… anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God…”
[Romans 14:19-20 ESV]
19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace
and for mutual upbuilding.
20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God…
God is at work in every Believer by His Spirit.
[Ephesians 2:10 ESV]
10 For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus for good works,
which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
What is God building with your life?
[Romans 8:29 ESV]
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be
the firstborn among many brothers.
How can you come alongside, to be a help, serving the Lord?
You’re a laborer on the jobsite, not the Architect.
[Romans 14:20-22 ESV]
20 … Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone
to make another stumble by what he eats.
21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything
that causes your brother to stumble.
22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God…
WHAT TO DO…
22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God…
[Romans 14:22 ESV]
22 … Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment
on himself for what he approves.
How do we apply and live according to the instruction here?
Keep your focus on essentials, the greater realities.
How do you apply this?