Roman 15:4-7

Well, good morning, beloved. It's very good to see you here today with us.

! And I'm so thankful to see so many guests on this special Easter morning.

! Certainly, our Savior is risen, and not just on this day, but He has been for quite some time.

And our freedom, our life, and our joy is bought by His person and by His work.

So, I'm glad to be back today. Last week, I was traveling with Daniel Gentry, a member of our church, to the country of Nicaragua.

We decided to undertake a cross-country drive, which we were able to find almost no information about.

We even, in Managua, at the airport, were asking the car rental folks,

is there a road that gets where we're going? And they had never heard of where we were going.

We trusted with a little bit of information that, by God's providence, He would get us there.

And the very beginning of Hebrews, chapter 1, verse 3, says that Jesus upholds the universe by the word of His power.

Hebrews 1:3

And that's true in all circumstances, all the time.

It's more evidenced in some circumstances, like Daniel Gentry and I driving across Nicaragua, speaking no Spanish at all.

But as we were singing, Wes, I'm glad he did the Spanish version of that song.

There's a good chance that I spoke in tongues down there, because people seemed to understand what I was saying

in my very southern English, and we managed to get across the country and back safely.

And I'll share later some more of what happened during that time.

But today, I want you to turn with me to the book of Romans, chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

We've been working our way, verse by verse, through the book of Romans.

We're coming to a close, I think another maybe six weeks to eight, and we will finish out the book together.

And we have come together today to chapter 15, verse 4.

And we're going to look today together at verse 4 through verse 7.

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.

Let's pray together.

Father God, I pray this morning by the power of your Spirit that you will speak to us by your Word.

We recognize this morning, Lord, that our preaching is in vain if Christ is not risen,

and we praise you for that reality.

That he is seated at your right hand even now, interceding for us,

that our prayers would be heard by you because we're clothed in his righteousness.

So we come to you humbly, asking that you work amongst us,

recognizing that we are your people, and you want good things for us from your Word.

We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

So some of you, I know, may already be wondering why we're in Romans chapter 15,

Romans 15 · chapter mention

looking at verse 4 through 7.

And I will say to you, that's because that's where we are in the Scriptures.

Many today are going to pause from whatever their preaching schedule is to preach a special Easter sermon.

And I say to you that every sermon is an Easter sermon.

Because every sermon contains within it the beauties, the glories of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And that includes his resurrection.

So we'll certainly talk about that this morning.

We're going to talk about that in the light of these truths that Paul's been trying to show us,

the workings out of the Gospel,

which he's presented in the first 11 chapters of this book.

But before we go any further, I want to take a pause from Romans chapter 15

Romans 15 · chapter mention

to address quickly a social issue going on in our country right now.

It's going to be very, very brief, and then we're going to move on.

Currently, right now, the Supreme Court is debating DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act.

And we may see that repealed in our country.

Gay marriage may become a reality very soon in our country.

And I just want to say two things to you, if this comes about.

Firstly, the federal government legalizing homosexual marriage

in no way affects the sanctity of your marriage.

Look to your personal holiness.

Husbands, lead your wives.

Pastor, provide and protect for her.

Wives, submit to your husbands just as the church submits to Christ.

Raise your kids well.

Be a living example of what healthy marriage should look like in this world.

It's meant to be a picture of Christ and the relationship with his church.

Just continue to do that.

It doesn't destroy your marriage.

If you think it does, come see me.

We've got a lot to talk about.

Secondly, our primary goal as Christians is not to prevent gay marriage.

Our primary goal as Christians is not to prevent gay marriage.

It's the redemption of souls.

So stay calm and carry on.

Continue to propagate the gospel.

Continue to speak to people's hearts.

Because people really don't change until their hearts change.

And so let's keep soldiering on together.

Expect that this world is going to get worse.

It's going to happen all around us.

Not just this issue.

This is one amongst many ways that our culture is rejecting almighty God and his standard for us.

So keep calm.

Carry on.

Continue to present the gospel in every possible way.

Close that.

Back to Romans chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

I want to bring to you four observations from the text this morning.

And if you'll allow, I'm actually going to begin with verse 7.

So we're going to begin with verse 7 and then we'll jump back up to verse 4.

Because we're going to start with the first observation, which is that we have been welcomed by Christ.

And therefore he is our example for what Paul is trying to say to us here in this text.

That we ought to welcome one another.

Chapter 14 has been all about the fact that there are these non-clear issues in our Christian faith.

These things that are now permissible to us as Christians, but may or may not be beneficial.

Gray areas, so to speak.

I've said to you previously that they're non-issues that we tend to make into issues.

And they develop and they form into legalism.

And we tend to bash each other and beat each other up over these non-primary things.

So let's not make issues out of non-issues.

Let's continue to persevere and press on in the truth of the gospel with one another.

And Christ here is set up as our supreme example for that.

And I think it's so fitting that as he's coming to the close of his exhortations to us,

the way that we're supposed to work the gospel out,

that he ends it with Christ just as he began it with Christ.

So you remember back in chapter 12, verse 1, he says,

Brethren, by the mercies of God, I appeal to you by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice.

And now he's working out what this life sacrifice to God looks like.

So you would say, but wait, is that really starting with Christ?

And I would say to you, yes, in the first 11 chapters.

That's where he began with these doctrines of the gospel,

that we are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone forever.

That that is the way in which we stand right before God,

not by any work that we can do on our own,

not by any pressing of our own,

but by his great work on our behalf.

So he begins it with Christ and he ends it here in verse 7 with Christ once again.

So therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.

It is Easter Sunday, is it not?

I'd be remiss if we didn't read an Easter Sunday text.

Luke chapter 24, verse 1 through 7.

Luke 24:1–7

I invite you to turn there with me.

Chapter 24, verse 1, the book of Luke, the gospel of Luke.

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn,

they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.

And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.

But when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

While they were perplexed about this,

behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.

And as they were frightened and bowed their face to the ground,

the men said to them,

Why do you seek the living among the dead?

He is not here, but has risen.

Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,

that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men

and be crucified, and on the third day, rise.

So as we saw in the story,

the presentation from the Jesus Storybook Bible,

and I wish I had an English accent,

because I think you would hear it better if I did, right?

We had this dark grieving,

this darkness that stood over the Christians,

those who had devoted their lives to Christ,

who were following him,

thinking that he had come to conquer

in a different way than he did.

He was crucified.

And here's some women that come to serve him just the same,

to continue the preparation of burial,

to put spices there in the tomb.

Sad, mourning over this loss.

And they get there, and he is risen.

He has conquered death on our behalf in that great act.

We don't just talk about the death of Christ.

We talk about the death, the burial,

and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

All of these things are key and important

to our understanding of the Gospel.

That he bore for us the wrath of our sin.

He died.

The ultimate penalty for sin

was buried and then resurrected.

He conquered death on our behalf.

The person and the work of Jesus Christ

is so important for us to understand.

There are many people across the world today

that are sitting in services

thinking that the very act of coming

to an Easter service in some way

puts them in right standing with God.

If I go on Christmas and celebrate his birth,

I go on Easter Sunday,

I celebrate his resurrection,

he'll find me just.

Nicaragua is this way.

There's a lot of religion down there,

but I think very little Christianity.

Lots of striving on their own part

to be found right before God.

And I ask the question to so many people

that we sat and talked with,

when you stand before God,

how will you be judged?

If you're found right,

why will you be found right?

And more often than not,

I got blank stares.

So I fed him the answer.

You'll be found right

because you placed your faith in Christ,

right?

In his person and his work.

In the things that he has done for you.

And all of you have added to the equation

is belief.

You believe that when you get there,

when you're finally judged,

you'll stand before God

and he will say to you,

well done my good and faithful servant,

because you're found in Christ.

That is the beauty of Christianity.

Of what our God has done for us.

It depends not at all on us.

I've used the analogy

of a whitewater river before here

as I've been a whitewater paddler

and talked about how

the end of our life,

if we're not found in Christ,

is certain destruction.

It's a massive waterfall.

That we're going to go over.

And this river is so wide

that by our greatest efforts

of swimming upstream,

away from this peril that's behind us,

we'll never, ever, ever

be able to work our way

to the safety of the shore

unless someone comes to get us.

Really, that analogy falls short.

In even talking about us

trying to swim,

right?

We can't do anything

to gain our own salvation.

Really, we're dead

in our trespasses and our sin.

Right?

Really, we're dead

and we're limp

already headed towards

our destruction.

But Jesus Christ comes

because of the person in the world,

because of what he's done for us.

He comes and he plucks us out

and he puts us safely

on the shore.

He pumps the water

out of our lungs.

He revives us

and gives us life

in him.

This is so incredibly important

to recognize

and that the resurrection

is one of the many keys

that are so important

for that to happen.

We have life

because he is alive.

Seated for us now,

holding the world

by the power of his word,

what glorious, glorious truths

these are.

John chapter 8,

John 8:31–36

verse 31 through 36.

Record,

So Jesus said to the Jews

who had believed in him,

If you abide in my word,

you are truly my disciples

and you will know the truth

and the truth will set you free.

They answered him,

We are offspring of Abraham

and have never been enslaved

to anyone.

How is it that you say

you will become free?

Jesus answered them,

Truly, truly,

I say to you,

everyone who practices sin

is a slave to sin.

The slave does not remain

in the house forever.

For the Son remains forever.

So if the Son sets you free,

you will be free indeed.

So you see that these truths

that I'm stating,

these things about the personal work of Christ,

are the overarching truths

of this world.

Every other truth

is bound up in this,

what Jesus Christ

has accomplished

for his church.

And if we will abide

in that truth,

we will be set free

by the Son.

Now our text before us today

talks also about the Scriptures,

does it not?

So our second point,

just as Christ has welcomed us,

those who were once enemies of God,

utterly incapable

of our own righteousness,

he has welcomed us

to set the example

of the way we ought to welcome

one another.

The second point I want to make today,

the observation,

is that the Scriptures

have been given to us

for the blessing

of hope.

Look here at verse 4.

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.

Whatever was written

in the former days.

So Paul was referring here

to what we would call

the Old Testament.

These are the Scriptures

that he's referencing

at this point.

The rest of the Scripture

hadn't been canonized yet

at this point.

It hadn't been accepted

as part of the revealed

words of God.

And so he's talking about

the Old Testament here

and directly he's referencing

verse 3,

the last half,

here in chapter 15,

where Jesus quotes

from Psalm 69, 9,

which is David speaking,

but so much more so

to Christ,

the reproaches of those

who reproached you

fell on me.

So he's specifically referencing

Psalm 69, 9

as he talks about

those things written

in former days.

The general instruction

of the Scriptures

is included in that for us,

right?

For our instruction.

But more than that,

all of their Scripture

to that date,

and certainly all

that had been added

since then,

shows us Christ,

his person,

and his work.

Now many Christians

don't believe this.

Many Christians

ignore the Old Testament

altogether.

They look to the New.

Have you ever heard

a Christian say that?

I'm kind of a

New Testament Christian.

What does that mean?

What are you even

talking about?

The Old Testament

was enough

for people to know

that they needed

a Savior.

We've just now seen

the revealing of all that,

the working of it all out.

In fact,

the Old Testament

is quoted 263 times

in the New Testament.

Jesus quoted it 78 times.

Paul,

just in the book of Romans,

quotes it 84 times.

The Old Testament

gave us what we needed

to know

to know that we needed

a Savior.

The New Testament

reveals Him to us.

When Jesus Christ

came on the scene,

the Jews

should have known.

Had it been

capable for them

to understand

and wrap their minds around,

if the Scriptures

weren't spiritually discerned,

they should have known.

All the keys were there

for them to see Him,

and they missed it.

The Old Testament

is so important,

we actually distribute

as Americans

just New Testaments.

I got a box

in the mail

from the North American

Mission Board.

We didn't ask for it,

but a box

of New Testaments.

I think they want us

to give them out.

I'm not really sure.

They sent us a box

of New Testaments

in the mail.

All the Scriptures

are precious.

I'll hand you

a book of Romans.

In there is all

you need to know

to come to Christ,

for sure.

But we,

as Christians,

we even divorce

the book.

We put it in half.

You know,

that's the Old Testament.

We've got the New Testament

now.

It's all valuable.

It's all precious

because it all

speaks of

Christ.

He even says here

in verse 4,

we're given

these Scriptures,

the endurance

through encouragement

of the Scriptures,

that we might have

hope.

And what is it

that we're to hope in?

Christ.

For what?

What do we hope

in Christ for?

We hope in Christ

for future glory.

A few chapters back,

Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8 · chapter mention

is all about that.

Longing for future glory.

All about waiting

for us to be

finally fixed up

the way we were

meant to be,

the way we were

created to be,

unhindered by our flesh

and the curse of sin.

Able to worship

and praise God

forever and ever.

This is the future glory

that we're longing for

here in chapter 8.

And you remember,

it's been a long time

since we've been

in chapter 8 together,

but this would have

been read.

So,

future glory

would have been present

on the minds

of the original readers

of this letter

as he talks about it.

Look at chapter 8,

verse 23

through 25

as he talks about

the creation,

the creation itself

longing for things

to be set right,

longing for Christ

to finally return

and finish

his sovereign purpose

in this world.

And it says,

but we ourselves

who have the first fruits

of the Spirit

grown inwardly

as we wait eagerly

for adoption of sons,

the redemption of our bodies,

for in this hope

we were saved.

Now hope that is seen

is not hope,

for who hopes

for what he sees?

But if we hope

for what we do not see,

we wait for it

with patience.

And this is what

the Scriptures

are meant to do for us,

to remind us

of this great hope,

to give us endurance

and encouragement

as we patiently wait

for the coming

of our Lord.

The full fulfillment

of all that he began

in his death,

burial,

and resurrection.

We want to see that

come to culmination.

We want to see him

finish it all finally.

And that's what he's

referring to here

as we have a hope.

The word endurance

here in ESV

may be in some

of your Bibles

as perseverance,

patience.

We see that

in chapter 8.

And encouragement.

So do you value

the whole counsel of God

for what it does

for you in that way?

I hope that you do.

I hope that you

treasure this book.

This is an incredible book

because these are

the very words

of God.

Now granted,

these are English

translations

of the very words

of God.

But still,

precious,

dividing our souls,

working in us.

If you've never

experienced the life

that comes from

the scriptures,

pray that you will.

They're of extreme value.

Let me just show you

an example.

Turn with me

to the book

of Psalm 119.

Psalm 119.

Psalm 119

being a psalm

all about

God's Word,

His precepts,

His orders,

His law.

It's a very fascinating book.

We'll probably look at it

all together

someday.

Let me just pull out

for you

a few

of the verses

from here.

Psalm 119,

46.

I will also speak

of your testimonies

before kings

and shall not be.

I'm sorry.

I'm reading the wrong one.

49.

Remember your word

to your servant

in which

you have made

me hope.

119,

116.

I marked these

but I have a lot

of them marked.

That's why I'm having

a hard time finding them.

Psalm 119,

116.

Uphold me

according to your promise

that I may live

and let me not be put

to shame

in my hope.

And Psalm 119,

166.

I hope

for your salvation,

O Lord,

and I do

your commandments.

So do you see here

to the psalmist

who we believe

is David,

right?

To the psalmist

the very words

of God

is what he hoped in.

He knew

that God's word

was sure.

Psalm 130,

Psalms 130:5

verse 5.

I wait for the Lord.

My soul waits.

And in his word

I hope.

Because God's word

to us

is sure.

If God doesn't

keep his word,

he ceases to be holy,

he becomes a liar,

and therefore

he's not God.

So by very definition,

God himself cannot

be a liar.

Numbers 23,

Numbers 23:19

verse 19

says,

God is not man

that he should lie,

or a son of man

that he should change

his mind.

Has he said

and will he not do it?

Or has he spoken

and will he not

fulfill it?

So the scriptures

for us

are a great guide,

a great promise

of the hope

that is to come.

So if we're to

live in this way

that Paul is showing us,

we have Christ

as our supreme example,

having been welcomed

by him,

and then we have

the scriptures

as a blessing

of hope.

Thirdly,

God is the source

of our endurance

and our encouragement.

Notice the first part

of verse 5.

May the God

of endurance

and encouragement

grant you

to live

in such harmony

with one another.

May the God,

the one who rules

over endurance

and encouragement.

So we see

that the scriptures

are a provision for,

but God is the source

of

this endurance

and this encouragement.

And Paul's

benediction here,

his brief benediction,

is that God

would grant us

to live

in harmony

with one another

the way we ought.

That God would give it to us

as a gift.

We would call that

in the church

a grace.

Something that we don't deserve.

By his power,

he would work

in us

harmony

with one

another.

So we see

in this little benediction,

we see

Paul's

movement,

his exhortation

to the Roman believers

to have a great

devotion to the scriptures

and

to prayer.

It follows

that if

our source

for living

in this way

comes from God,

that we

must ask him

for it.

And God is faithful

to provide

to his children

good things.

Things that are

within his will.

This is a good,

tested

thing.

This is something

that Paul is saying

to us we ought

to be doing

and therefore

if we ask

for it,

we will receive

this ability

to live

in harmony

with one another.

To put aside

the things

that are non-issue,

the gray things,

and to focus

on the primary things,

the black and white things,

right?

To embrace each other,

to welcome one another,

and to live in this way

is a great gift

from God.

So we

have the hope,

we see it from the scriptures,

what we ought to be doing

and the way we ought to be living,

and we pray

that God will grant us

the ability

to do so.

Recognize,

I get the strain

as we talk about

God's sovereign hand

in all things.

I fully understand that.

I started out today

talking about providence.

I fully believe

that Jesus Christ,

sitting at the right hand

of the Father,

by the power of his word,

holds everything

that happens in this world

in his power,

by his word,

which is awesome

because he's just

speaking it

and it happens.

everything is under

his control.

And I recognize then

some of the strain

that creates for us

and our responsibility.

I know what that does

to your minds sometimes.

I know what it does

to your hearts

because I've been there.

We recognize here

that Paul's benediction,

asking that God

would grant them

to live in harmony

with one another,

is not inconsistent.

God uses our prayers

as the means to his end.

There's power in our prayer.

God grants power

to our prayer

as the means to his end.

God wants to knit together

his church.

God wants to be called together

perfect and holy

and he uses the prayers

of his people

to accomplish that goal.

Why?

Because he loves you.

He doesn't just work it.

He just doesn't make us

into robots

and we just go around

loving one another.

I love you, brother.

Although I feel that way

sometimes, right?

But he asks that we

fellowship with him,

that we abide with him,

that we come to him

longing for the very things

he longs to give us.

And he does that

through the vehicle

of prayer.

Prayer is the breath

of the Christian life,

just as the scriptures

are the bread.

We need both.

We need to be fed

and we need to breathe oxygen

as Christians.

And when we stop doing

one or the other,

we'll very quickly die.

Right?

I have in recent years

recognized my prayerlessness.

We must pray.

It is a blessing to us.

Let us take hold of it.

So thirdly,

that was God

God is the source

of endurance

and encouragement.

And fourthly,

and finally,

all things work

to the great end

of God's glory.

All things work

to the great end

of God's glory.

glory.

So you see in verse 6

that together,

as we live in this way,

we may with one voice

glorify the God

and Father

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And then notice

in verse 7,

as he speaks

of Christ welcoming us,

he did so

for the glory of God.

Right?

So we see here

in both ways,

we're meant to glorify God

just as Christ

glorified God

as our supreme example

of that.

We're called to this

together

to not

heap upon God

something that isn't

already his.

We don't have things

that he needs from us

to make him great.

He already is great.

He uses us

as his church

to show

his greatness.

So everything

he does

and works through us

is to show himself

as magnificent,

to show himself

as supreme,

to show himself

as glorious.

This is what's

taking place

in this activity.

Christ knew that.

He understood that

completely.

Christ did die

for you.

That's a reality.

That's true.

But it's a lesser reality

than the greater reality.

Ultimately,

Christ died

for God.

Christ died

as the great expression

of God's love

and justice

to the world.

I think all of God's story,

the climax of it,

comes together

in the death,

burial,

resurrection

of Jesus Christ.

He magnified himself.

He showed himself

in the greatest

possible way

to be him.

As he came

as a man,

lowly,

suffered,

died on our behalf,

but rose

as a great

conquering king.

This is a beautiful,

beautiful picture.

Christ knew

that his overarching,

his major purpose

was to honor God

as he died,

was buried,

and resurrected.

We should know

the same.

We tend to become

so humanistic

as Christians,

so inward focused,

so looking

to ourselves.

The gospel

is ultimately

not about us.

The gospel

is ultimately

about God.

we get to receive

the beautiful,

precious,

life-giving benefits

of this greater truth.

That God chose

to reveal himself

to man

in this way.

We ought to praise him

for it.

Let's pray together.