Sermon: Welcome One Another

Well, good evening. Happy to see you all here tonight, and real privilege to be able to stand before you and read with you and proclaim the word of God to you. So I invite you to join with me in the book of Romans chapter 15. Romans chapter 15. We're gonna be studying verse seven. Uh, we'll read a more lengthy portion, uh, from verses one to 13 tonight. As you're turning there, um, most of you probably know that we have been studying, uh, for at least five weeks now,

the one another in the book of Romans. Were seeking to put these exhortation to the church into practice in our own church about how we're to live together, about how we're to treat other Christians among us. You'll remember that this book of Romans was written to a church, a church just like you all made up of different people from different backgrounds just like you. And you'll remember that all of these one anothers

that we've been studying for these several weeks have come after chapter 12 verse one. That's the big transition point in the book of Romans. You've got chapters one to 11 that focus primarily on doctrine, on packing the gospel message. And then from verses 12 on, Paul is trying to help the church know how to put this gospel into practice in the life of their particular church. So he's giving them the implications of the doctrine

or the right response to it. He is linking these two things together, doctrine and practice. There's not a sharp distinction. Now they go hand in hand with one another. And Paul, in the verse that we're gonna study tonight, does this again in just one verse, he links a truth, the spiritual reality and indicative with an exhortation, an imperative in one verse. So before we read these verses, let's pray and ask God for his help and blessing upon his word.

All scripture is God breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness that the man of God may be complete equipped for every good work. Oh, father, we believe this. Would you now equip us for the good work of welcoming one another through the reading and preaching of your inspired word? We ask it in Jesus' name, amen. Romans chapter 15, beginning in verse one. We who are strong have an obligation to bear

with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up for Christ did not please himself. But as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me. For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction that through endurance and through the encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope. May the God of endurance

and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus. That together you may with one voice, glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God. I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God

for his mercy as it is written. Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name. And again it is said, rejoice oh Gentiles with his people. And again, praise the Lord all you gentiles and let all the peoples extol him. And again, Isaiah says, the root of Jesse will come even he who arises to rule the Gentiles in him. Will the Gentiles hope, may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace and believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit

you may abound in hope. Amen. Well, dear friends, I want you to participate in a thought exercise with me, if you will. I want you to think about the last time you wondered, will I fit in here? Will I fit in here? When was the last time you thought that?

I'll give you a minute. Maybe it was when you last changed jobs maybe. Maybe it was when you went to meet your significant other's family or close friends for the first time. Maybe you started at a new school or you leveled up to middle or high school. Or maybe It was when you visited this church for the first time or you attended dig for the first time or SCF for the first time. When was the last time you wondered, will I fit in here?

Or another way to think about that question is this, will I be accepted here?

For some of you, the last time you thought about that question or you really worried about answering that question may have been long, long ago, but I think we can all say if we're honest that we have at some point in our lives thought about this question, will I fit in here? Will I be accepted here? But not only have we all thought it, I think we've probably all feared it. What if I'm not welcome here? What if I am rejected here?

Unfortunately, this can happen in any context, right? Family, friend, groups, communities, and yes, even sadly in church, after a lengthy section addressing fellow Christians, fellow church members with differences and disagreements, Paul puts a point on his thought and says to this church, welcome one another. Welcome one another. That's what 15, Romans 15 verse seven is all about welcoming one another. How fellow Christians are to treat one another at all times,

especially, especially when you might have differences with one another and even sincere disagreements with one another. How do we treat our fellow Christians? Welcome one another. Paul says, I want us to look at the exhortation of verse seven, the reason given in verse seven for the exhortation and the aim of keeping this exhortation. That's what I want us to consider in verse seven. And just so that you all can keep along with me,

the first point, considering the exhortation, it's going to be the longest point, so just bear with, it'll get progressively shorter, okay? The exhortation we see is very plain here in chapter 15, verse seven, welcome one another. Now, sometimes exhortations can come without cause. Uh, sometimes I will say to my good buddies, love your wife. I'm not encouraging them to love their wives because I have some reason to think

that they won't do it or aren't doing it. But it's a good encouragement, a good exhortation, love your wife, keep it up. But more often than not, exhortation come in response to a problem. They're prompted by a problem. And then the exhortation that is given is intended to address the problem. And that's the case here. There's a problem. There's an issue in the Roman church causing relational strife that needs addressing.

And that's why Paul is issuing this exhortation. The issue is addressed beginning in verse or uh, chapter 14 verse one. You can see that as Paul begins to talk about the weak in faith and speaks about welcoming him, it's the same logical argument. It begins there in chapter 14, verse one. And the difference, the issue that needs addressing concerns, food, drink, and special days. Now, the difference isn't merely about

what food might taste good to one person and someone else has a different taste and we're at odds about that. Or, ah, Christmas is my favorite holiday, but yours is thanksgiving and we can't see eye to eye on it. This is not the difference. The difference is a conscience issue. It's a matter of conscience. Some Christians in Rome in their conscience believed it was not right as a Christian to eat certain foods, while others in the church were convinced

that no food was unclean and therefore Christians could eat whatever they wanted. And you see in verse 14 that Paul himself is actually convinced that there is a clear right and wrong answer. There's a clear right and wrong answer. He says, I know and and persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself.

But this difference is not so important that they must disfellowship. That is not Paul's exhortation to the church. Paul's exhortation in this instance is not agree to disagree and go your separate ways. Paul's ex is different because this is not a first tier issue. This is not a salvation issue. It does not strike at the vitals of the faith. And it's as if Paul then is saying, here, you can be a Christian and con conscientiously object to eating certain foods,

or you can be a Christian and conscientiously eat whatever food because you view them as clean. You see how Paul addresses them. It's, it's about getting along and handling differences between Christians as Christians. How do we handle differences between Christians? As Christians, your church? It's very important for you just as it was for this church to have this category in your own mind that not every difference in the church

is a first tier issue. Not every single difference that you have with a brother or sister is so important that you cannot maintain fellowship with one another. You see here that Paul doesn't think that every Christian needs to have all the same convictions, convictions as himself in order to be a faithful Christian. He doesn't say that. So what is Paul concerned about then? What does he say? You see that he is more concerned about

harmony and unity in the church being disrupted rather than making sure everyone agrees with him. And since this problem that Paul has identified threatens to disrupt the harmony, it prompts Paul then to make that pastoral exhortation that imperative welcome one another. That's why Paul is making this exhortation. He has identified the problem and now he is giving a pastoral exhortation Welcome one another. Now before moving on, it's just helpful maybe for you

to be aware that if you don't have a copy of the ESV Bible out, which is fine, your translation may say something like to accept or to receive, these are synonyms, welcome, receive, accept that they're the same sort of idea here. Now the exhortation welcome one another is the fundamental theme of the entire section beginning in chapter 14. Paul says right away when he begins addressing this issue, as for the one who who is weak in faith, chapter 14,

verse one, welcome him. And then the exhortation, when he ends it in chapter 15, verse seven, he says, again, welcome one another. That is the fundamental theme that Paul is focusing on here in 14, one through 15 seven. But in 15 seven, the exhortation we see is stated both generally and positively. Generally and positively. I think it's appropriate as a concluding and final exor that it be stated generally. One another, one another.

No longer is Paul specifically addressing the strong or the weak. He's addressing all everyone, all of you welcome one another. Each person, no matter if you're among the weak group or the strong group, you are to welcome one another. And I think it's also appropriate as a concluding final exhortation that it be stated positively. Paul has made several exhortations throughout this section related to this idea of welcoming one another,

but many of them have been negative or or in a way of forbidding something. So you look at chapter 14, verse three. Paul says, there, let not. So there's the negative. Let not the one who eats, despise the one who abstains. And again, let not the negative, the one who abstains past judgment on the one who eats for God has welcomed him.

If you think about it, to fulfill this exhortation, when it is stated more generally and positively makes this exhortation more difficult or more challenging to fulfill, you think if it was in the negative, it would be easier to convince yourself that you have fulfilled the exhortation. Have I fulfilled the command to not despise my brother with whom I have a disagreement? If I have simply ignored him,

well, I haven't despised him, so have I filled, fulfilled that exhortation? But if it's stated positively, it's, it's raising the bar, it's making it more difficult. You cannot simply avoid what is forbidden. You actually have to fulfill what has been commanded.

I haven't accepted my brother with a difference. If I've avoided him, that's avoiding him, not accepting him. So here, this exhortation, as Paul puts it, includes avoiding what is forbidden to not despise or pass judgment on a brother. But it involves a lot more. It involves a lot more positively welcoming and receiving those with whom you have a difference.

Your friends, I hope you're starting to see and think about how this exhortation has relevancy for you, has relevancy not only for you, but for this church to which you belong. It's true that food and drink may not be such a difference between us today. It may not be cause for dispute, but it will not take you long. I don't think for you to think about all of the differences that exist in this fellowship of believers.

There are no no shortages of differences that could cause disputes or differences among us. And how do we handle them? How do we handle those differences? And how do we handle those people with whom we disagree?

Is it your tendency to ignore? Do you avoid those people in the halls or in your growth group or in spending time together? Maybe you've got that mental list of people that you can't see eye to eye with and so they're never getting an invitation to your house. Or do you despise them in your hearts or out loud with other people in the fellowship or as has been done before? When you have a disagreement with people in your church,

are you tempted? Are you really thinking about, seriously considering about just quietly leaving and disfellowship yourself? You know what, I don't agree with this. I don't agree with that church. It frustrates me. Will you please just let my membership lapse? I'm done with you, the exhortation to welcome one another, to receive one another, to accept one another, fellow Christians is as important today as it ever was in Paul's day.

As I was thinking about you, you RC this week, thinking about this particular exhortation, I was, it seemed to me that being in a big church like ours makes it both easier on the one hand to fulfill this exhortation and harder, easier to fulfill and maybe to put it in a different way, easier to neglect. I think it's easier to fulfill because differences already exist among us. Some small churches, though certainly not all,

some small churches are small because no differences are allowed to exist in the church. You think about maybe some of those churches that you've heard about, they're small. They wanna be small because there needs to be uniformity at the top of the list and all the way down to the bottom of the list. If someone with a difference comes, they may be told right up front, you're not welcome here,

but we're a big church. And big churches often mean that there are big differences among those here. And these differences are present here already. I don't really have to list out specifics, I'll just give you general categories and you can affirm them. I think in your own mind there are theological differences present among us. There are social and political differences, there are ethnic and cultural differences, there are familial differences.

And so since we don't have to go searching around as it were to go find someone with whom we disagree, you can just probably look across the sanctuary and find someone. It makes this command easier to pursue implementing. You can actually go actively seek to fulfill this exhortation because there are people here who disagree with you perhaps. But there's also, this is maybe a little bit different train of thought. There's also the happy reality in a big church like ours

that there is hardly a week that goes by where a new person isn't walking through our doors. Someone new someone to visit. And I'll just tell you, this isn't true at every single church. Not every church is receiving visitors week after week. And so almost every week there's an opportunity for you to go seek someone out, to find someone new, to find that you have differences with.

So I think on one hand, in a big church, this command is easier to seek implementation. But I think it's also easier to neglect such an exhortation in a church like ours for one thing. Since it's much easier for you to find people here with whom you are lockstep with on every issue, on every matter, it is much easier for you and for me to avoid those with whom you disagree. I already met my quota of all the people that think like me,

that talk like me, that look like me. And so I, I can exist in the same room as someone with whom I disagree and maybe not even think twice about it. But I think it's also easier to neglect this command by letting someone else fulfill this command for you. I think that's true in a big church. There are plenty of people here and there are plenty of people on staff that you pay who will go seek out that new visitor and greet them.

Somebody will, somebody else will have the new Christian into their home. Somebody else will sign up to be a door greeter. Somebody else will seek out the person on the fringes of one of the groups that exists here in the church.

I think it's easier to fulfill and easier to neglect in a church like ours. Just think about maybe some of the other ways. But what I want to do now is commend you brothers and sisters, I wanna commend you. You are a wonderfully welcoming church. I think it's true. I I've told many people over the last year as they ask, uh, how's it going at your new church? What has it been like having your family be part of a new church?

And more often than not, I, one of the things that I'll tell people is it is such a welcoming church. These people have big hearts. They love to welcome others and to receive others, I think haven't been to every church in the world, but I think university Reformed Church has to be one of the best churches at welcoming others. And I think the fact that we have so much diversity in this church in all sorts of different forms actually gives some evidence to the fact

that you are in fact, fulfilling this command. That there wasn't room for diversity in the body of Christ here at University Reform Church. You wouldn't see it on Sundays. It would be evidence. I think that you are neglecting this command, but I I don't think that's necessarily the case. And at the same time as I want to commend you, I also want to exhort you. Keep at it, keep at it. Don't, don't presume that we will always

be a welcoming church and then sit on the, take a seat on the sidelines. We, we need all hands on deck. All of you, from the youngest members of this church, to the oldest, to the newest members of this church, to the longest standing members of this church, you may think that you have all the friends you need, but it's not true for everyone here. It's not true for everyone that walks in the doors. It may be uncomfortable

and it will certainly take some intentionality. But I urge you on Sundays when you're here to go find someone you don't know, introduce yourself. Tell them your name. Tell them how long you've been here and ask them the same. And then when you've met them and you've learned something about them, introduce them to someone else. That's what we do to receive and to welcome others. And, and if it feels like, ah, I just can't do that,

that feels way too uncomfortable. Well put on the other shoes. Try to remember what it was like when you walked in here for the first time and you knew nobody. Did someone come and welcome you and receive. You do that then to others. That's what the church does. We welcome others. Now why, why, why this exhortation. Paul provides a reason. This is good for all you inquisitive people like my inquisitive children, you give a command.

Why? Why? Well, here Paul gives a reason. He's linking the imperative, the command to an indicative or a reality. And here's what he says. Welcome one another as just as Christ has welcomed you. It's a good practice when you're reading your Bible to try to take note of the tenses, the different tenses in the Bible Here, Christ has welcomed, is past tense. It's past tense. That is, it's an action that has already taken place sometime in the past.

It's a reality that is true because it's been completed. It's an action that has been completed.

Now, what is Paul referring to when he says, has welcomed us? Christ has welcomed us. That's the big question in my mind. When, when has Christ welcomed us? How? How did Christ do this? What action or event is in view? I think you know this. I think you know this Christ, welcome to these Christians in Rome, Jew and Gentile, strong and weak through his work of redemption. But Paul is trying to unpack and show the reality of in Romans one through 11,

but especially through his death on the cross. Previously, these Christians in Rome, in this church were under God's condemnation for failing to keep his righteous law. But, but Christ accepted them by receiving the wages for their sin, death and making them righteous. He gave those who had no access to God welcome in God's presence. Paul here is referring to that objective reality, that completed event when Christ welcomed them,

those Christians namely through his death on the cross. And I ask you, do you know that Christ is still receiving people today?

Do you know that Christ is still welcoming people today? He will welcome you too. If you have not already see received welcome from Christ, he will welcome you. All you must do is repent of your sin and trust that his completed work of redemption alone secures your acceptance, your welcome with Him.

I want us to explore just a little bit deeper, a little bit deeper to a couple aspects of how Christ welcomed us that I think will inform and transform the way we receive others.

First is this. Christ accepted us. He welcomed us by initiating, by initiating, by pursuing us. Romans three 11 says, no one seeks for God. Friends, sinners are not looking up God's address, running up to the door, knocking on the door, asking to be let in, and then finding that God is rejecting them. It's not what's happening. On the contrary, sinners have no interest in Christ. Welcome. So Christ pursued sinners. He pursued them. He took the initiative

to retrieve them and to welcome them into his own family. Christ accepted us by initiating, but he also welcomed not the good, not the lovely, not the deserving, not even just his friends. On the contrary, Christ welcomed the unlovely.

He welcomed the undeserving, those who were his enemies to make them his friends.

And then think about this, Christ welcomed us by giving himself as a payment for welcome.

You want to be received onto the grounds of the holy rude, uh, the holy rude temple, um, castle, excuse me, in Edinburgh, it's the residence where the king takes up residence. When he visits Edinburgh, Scotland. If you wanna be received onto the grounds of that palace, you have to pay an entry fee. It's only about $23, not, not a whole lot for going to see these immaculate rooms and all the history that is there, but you have to pay an entry fee to get in.

And similarly, to receive welcome by the King of Kings. And to his very presence, a payment must be made, the payment for sin.

And unfortunately, no mere man can afford the steep price for their sin. But, but fortunately, Christ can pay the price by virtue of his perfect life of obedience by his atoning death. To verses two and three tell us, Christ gave up himself. He did not seek his own interest. He wasn't out to please himself. He was out for the good of others.

And dear friends, Paul's point here is that if Jesus Christ did all of this for you, if he did all of this to welcome these Christians in Rome,

can you not also receive your brother or your sister with whom you might have a disagreement? If he did, then you, you can do it. You can welcome one another.

So the exhortation, the reason, and now the aim. The aim, the ultimate aim for Christ receiving of all. And the ultimate aim for the command given to the church is nothing less than the glory of God. The glory of God. This is Christ's aim in everything. His redemptive mission, his incarnation, his life, his death, his resurrection, his ascension, his return yet to come is all aimed at the glory of God, his father. You hear this in Christ high priestly prayer, right?

As he's approaching his death on the cross, he prays, father, the hour has come glorify your son that the son may glorify you. And then he goes on to say, I glorified you on earth having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. Christ's aim in life, his aim as he faced death was the glory of his father. And this should not come as a surprise to us. But, but what may be surprising to you is this, that the glory of God the Father, is so closely

connected to the redemption of sinners. The glory of God is so closely connected to the redemption of sinners. But it's the remarkable, astounding truth of the scriptures, that your salvation is to the praise of God's glory. There's an unbreakable link between God's grace to us and the promotion of God's glory. God's grace to us increases his glory, increases as well. And so John Murray and his commentary writes, Christ Receiving

of All was not only in perfect accord with God's glory, but it was directed specifically to that end.

And as Christ's followers, our aim and everything is to be the same as our saviors, right? The glory of God. That's our aim. Just as we follow Christ. Dear brothers and sisters, when you receive others, when you receive one another in fellowship here at the church, others who have been received already by Christ, God receives glory. He receives glory. How does it work? It's hard to say. It's part of Paul's great exclamation at the end of Romans 11.

No one can comprehend fully how it is that God can be glorified in our salvation and in our living together. But it's true. As we accept one another, we experience harmony. That's what happens. And as verse six tells us, harmony in our fellowship is not merely for our enjoyment. It's not merely for our good, although it certainly does give us enjoyment and is good for us, but our harmony, the end of our receiving one another,

it's intended to produce among us a unified voice of praise to the glory of God the Father. That's what's to happen among us. We're not just merely to welcome one another just so that we can all sing Kumbaya. We're to welcome one another, to receive one another, to accept one another, so that together we can sing to the praise of God's glory, my dear brothers and sisters could, could there be any considerations, any considerations

that would compel us more strongly to fulfill this exhortation, to welcome one another and to be reminded that the glory of God is joined to the way that we receive others and to be reminded that Christ has already welcomed us. But indeed it's true. Dear saints of universal reformed church, Christ has welcomed you to the glory of God. Therefore, welcome one another to the glory of God. Amen. Let's pray our Father in heaven,

but desire to see you glorified among us. And so I pray that you would grant us to live in such harmony with one another, that together we may with one voice glorify you. The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Help us by your strength at work within us to welcome and accept and receive one another even as we have been received already by Christ. We pray this for your glory and for our good. In Jesus' name, amen. I.