The Unity of the Chruch and its Members part 4
Notes
Transcript
Over the last 3 weeks we have been looking at this mini series in side the book of Romans on how we as members of the body of Christ are to treat each other and help each other rather than hurt each other or cause each other to stumble or to fall away from God.
This week the message that Paul is spelling out for the Romans is more positive and more up lifting.
Here this week what we are looking at is the mutual responsibilities of all believers for each other.
The Basic Instruction (v7)
The Basic Instruction (v7)
On the surface this verse seems simple we are to be welcoming to everyone that comes into the church.
The church should be a place where everyone is welcome.
But look at the word welcome here.
It is the greek word Proslambano: which means to receive something or someone with special concern.
It can can a negitive meaning Like when your mom would call you by your full name you knew it was never good.
But here however it is one of Positivity.
Here we see we are to welcome others as Christ welcomed us.
Christ loved us so much that He died for us, and then welcomed us as brothers and sisters into the Kingdom of God as equals and joint ares to all that is His.
He did not have to look a certain way or dress a certain way.
We did not have to know the bible before we came to him, we just had to come and He gladly welcomed us.
We are not to be the judgmental and self-righteous ones like the scribes and pharisees. we are to welcome everyone, and then we are to let the Gospel do the rest. Luke 15:2
2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Not every sinner that day became a follower of Christ but they at lest had the opportunity.
This is the basic command of our call as Christians, but why is it so hard?
We have ideas of what people should look like before they come to chruch and that is not what we should be doing.
The Biblical Illustrations (vv 8-12)
The Biblical Illustrations (vv 8-12)
As we read this section of the text we see that Paul is trying to get them to understand that the salvation of all people was not a backup or secondary plan that it has been a part of the redemption story from the beginning.
Paul used the scriptures of the Jews to show salvation was for all people.
Remember this whole section is about jews and gentiles living and worshiping together regardless of wether or not they still followed the old standards of the law or not.
In light of the magnificent, gracious, and sovereign plan of God—disclosed in part in His ancient revelation to Israel—Jews can have no grudge against Gentiles, because their calling, their very purpose for existing, was to reach Gentiles for the glory of the Lord.
The Gentiles can have no grudge against Jews, because it was through the Jews that God brought them salvation.
Because Jesus himself was a Jew.
The Benedictory Intercession (v 13)
The Benedictory Intercession (v 13)
Paul closes this passage with a beautiful benediction of intercession for all the people of God, not mentioning Jew or Gentile, but addressing the entire, unified Body of Jesus Christ.
He petitions the God of hope to graciously fill His people with His divine joy and peace and hope.
It expresses the apostle’s deep desire for all believers to have total spiritual satisfaction in their beloved Savior and Lord.
It is a prayer for satisfied souls in Christ to know and experience the peace, the hope, the love, the victory, the joy, and the power of the indwelling Spirit of God, who makes them one in Jesus Christ their Lord.