Everyday Grace Convictions and Compassion

Word Association

Word Association "Weaker Brother…"

Word Association "Weaker Brother…" 3 Passages…never deals With alcohol

So you're talking to a religious guy And wine comes up And they go off on you! Why?

1/20 th of Church History (WCTU) Christian Temperance Along with Progressives

Still not an issue among Christians in Israel

Weaker Brother Bigger Issue… Grace in Debatable Issues

Jesus wants to set you free From arguing and condemning Over Debatable Issues

Debatable issues cease To be worthy of debate When Christ is the focus And our King is honored

Did Jesus offend people Over debatable issues?

…a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him

Sabbath Law + Extra rules= Debatable He can wait… But he doesn't!

And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent

And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored

And the religious leaders Clapped loudly, shouting "Amen!" And praised God For the healing…

The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him - Mark 3:3-6

Legalists always care more About the rules than the People the rules supposedly protect..because the rules Are their righteousness

Jesus goes out of his way To offend the Religious People On Debatable Issues

Luke 13: Woman with a disability John 5: Pool of Bethesda, paralyzed "Take up your mat and walk"

Jesus offended the Pharisees On debatable issues - Hanging with sinners - Not fasting when he should - Washing hands - Disciples with grain

Debatable issues: Jesus never gave an inch To Legalists because he came To set captives free

Yet we're also called To walk in love

"Weaker Brother:" There were demonic rituals - Animals sacrificed - Wine used in the ceremonies - Meat and wine later sold

Those who were mature Knew that meat is just meat Wine is just wine Immature believers were Superstitious and scared

Add to that: One church for everyone To be part of and find a place in

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires

As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions Quarrel= Takes 2 People

One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables

Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him

Weak in faith= needs to grow Don't pass judgment One who eats= knows the truth Don't "count as nothing"

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? Abstainer: Don't compare And count yourself better

Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand

One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind

Colossians 2: Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day

These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ - vs The Cross changes everything

Scripture: Convictional Living On Debatable Issues Even while teaching freedom From human rules & traditions

"You wanna keep a Sabbath? Have at it. But know that it's not a Basis for righteousness- Yours. Or anyone else's"

Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind

Know the truth: It's debatable Not right or wrong Pray through and decide What God wants for you

Grace: Christ alone is Our righteousness "But they'll take advantage And sin!" Yep!

The rules "are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh" - Colossians 2:23

You can't stop a heart That wants to sin And grace won't muzzle The freedom that Christ gives

The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God…

…while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God

Debatable issues cease To be worthy of debate When Christ is the focus And our King is honored

Can I glorify God in this? …whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God - 1 Cor. 10:31

For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord

So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living

It's all Jesus That's our focus Not the Christian With whom we disagree On issues of freedom

The desire to make everyone Just like us Comes from self-righteousness Tradition and fear

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… 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…

…for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us will give an account of himself to God

Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer… - God will do that - Even God isn't doing it yet Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer… - God will do that - Even God isn't doing it yet

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 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

…stumbling block or hindrance… "Go ahead and do it" "You can't have that freedom Because it bugs me"

I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself… Taking this moment to teach Truth to the Weaker Brother

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

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

Weaker Brother Young in the faith Untaught (or poorly taught) Unable to grasp freedom

Professional Weaker Brother Exporting Convictions Refuses instruction Steals freedom to feel righteous

Legalism: Exporting Convictions and Judging others "unrighteous" To feel better than In areas the Bible Doesn't specifically address

Don't give in to a Legalist He enjoys stealing freedom He needs a rebuke

Don't cause a Weaker Brother To stumble He wants to serve Jesus He needs to be taught

What Jesus did with the Religious Leaders Was for the sake of setting The People free to follow God Rather than man-made rules

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

So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

Warning sign: When I get my joy from thinking I'm more spiritual because I do/do not participate in… A debatable issue

Warning sign: When I get think I'm more righteous because I do or do not participate in… A debatable issue

Warning sign: When I only have peace With those who agree with me On certain debatable issues

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit

Test: Do I have to have it? Then I don't have freedom To have it The only thing I should Have to have is Jesus

Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding

Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God (Peace and mutual upbuilding) Both sides: Abstaining and Participating

Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats

Everything is indeed clean Paul just taught truth Even as he calls for love

It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble (Weaker brother)

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

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

"If you doubt…don't"

Here's how Everyday Grace works I am set free from judging you For doing something I think Is wrong for me to do

Here's how Everyday Grace works I am set free from looking down On you for not having the same Freedoms I do

Because I'm called to Love and Look out for

Debatable issues cease To be worthy of debate When Christ is the focus And our King is honored

As a Church Lots of churches around us Weaker brother Needs to be taught and set free To develop Convictions

We are a Church For those hurt by and Turned off to Church We embrace freedom While teaching truth

We deal with Professional Weaker Brothers Much more than Weaker Brothers On Debatable matters

Debatable issues cease To be worthy of debate When Christ is the focus And our King is honored

Questions, Comments Disagreements

Pray

Congratulations to Elaine!

Saturday, June 6 Bonfire World's Largest Banana Split Pie-Face