zeal for your house

Romans 15:1-6

As we are continuing in our ongoing study of Romans it is apparent that we will be finishing this book soon.  We’re beginning chapter 15 today and obviously the book ends with chapter 16 and so I expect that by the time we are finishing up on the beach and moving inside we will probably also be finishing our study of Romans.  But it’s important to remember that verse and chapter designations are not inspired parts of the scriptures.  Paul didn’t break it up this way, he was just writing a letter, and even though someone hundreds of years ago decided to begin a new chapter here, it is a continuation of the thoughts that Paul began in chapter 14.

And the context here is that of the Spirit led believer sacrificing his liberty and freedoms for the sake of a weaker brother in Christ.  We talked about this last Wednesday evening.  In that day and in that culture, there were Christians that had been converted out of paganism where there had been all kinds of idolatrous practices associated with certain holidays and eating certain foods.  And there were also Jews that had been saved out of Judaism, and they had traditions in their diet and ceremonial days that continued to be a weakness for them.  In both cases, Paul was warning the church  about doing anything that may be a stumbling block for these new believers.

So, Paul makes the point in Romans 14:13, “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way.”

He expands on that a couple of verses later in Rom 14:16 “Therefore do not let what is for you a good thing be spoken of as evil; for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”  In other words, now that you are born again and given the righteousness of Christ, the Bible tells us that there is no more condemnation.  The penalty of sin has been paid by Jesus on the cross.  But even though I may be free now, I am not to let my liberty, that which may be something that is lawful for me to do, become a stumbling block to a weaker brother.

This principle is explained further in 1Cor. 10:23 “All things are lawful, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor.”

See, in the new covenant, Christ summed up all 613 laws in only 2;  love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and the second is like unto it -  love your neighbor as yourself.  Love your neighbor (then especially your brother or sister in Christ!) as you used to love yourself.  Put his good above your own good.

Paul takes this principle so far as to say in Romans 14:21  “It is good not to eat meat or to drink wine, or to do anything by which your brother stumbles.”  In other words, to use his example, you may think you don’t have a problem with drinking, you say you don’t get drunk and the Bible doesn’t prohibit it, but your liberty might cause a weaker brother to get drunk.  Satan is always there in the ear of the problem drinker whispering that just one drink won’t hurt you.  You can have just one or two and it’s not going to be a problem.  But for that person, one drink may be the straw that broke the camel’s back.  In my case, when I was in my late 20’s, I had been sober and living for the Lord 3 ½ years and then while on vacation I had one beer with dinner.  And it started a binge that lasted a year and a half and almost killed me.  So I can sympathize with the weaker brother and I want to keep from being a stumbling block to him.  The other day I was driving down 26 and remembered that I needed to go to the post office and whipped around in the liquor store parking lot to head back down 26.  And as the devil would have it, there was a never ending procession of cars that streamed by at that moment which meant that I had to sit there looking like I had just been shopping in the liquor store, waiting for all this traffic to clear so I could cross the road.  I was going to sit real low in the front seat and then I realized I was in my big red Suburban which everyone in town recognizes is mine and so I was stuck there.  And I just prayed that I wouldn’t somehow become a stumbling block for someone who thought that if it’s ok for me to drink then it must be ok for them to drink.

Now I’m sure I just lost some of you here today who think that I am just trying to be hyper spiritual and legalistic, and certainly God doesn’t care about whether or not you have a drink or two.  And it may be that God doesn’t care, strictly speaking.  But let me tell you something, God does care if a weaker brother falls because of your freedom.  That brother or sister who may have fallen into sin because he was looking at you to be an example of Jesus Christ.  Jesus said he who causes one of God’s children to stumble it would be better to have a millstone tied around his neck and thrown into the middle of the sea.  So yeah, God cares about stumbling blocks.

Then Paul continues this thought in our text for today, verse 1 of 15, “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.”  And as Christians, we need to understand that this isn’t an option, this is a requirement.

But the key word here is edification.  It’s not talking about being men pleasers, but edification is talking about the spiritual building up of a brother.  See, we can be philanthropic or appear to be altruistic, and volunteer for every charity that comes around, but our motives may not be for that person’s spiritual benefit, but rather for our benefit.  It may be the politically correct thing to do.  Or it may be the socially acceptable thing to do.  Or it may be so people can see what a good person you are and that might be your motivation.  There was an example of a man named Absalom, who was the son of King David.  And he wanted to take the kingdom away from his father.  He wanted to be king, and so he played politics with the people who came through the city gates and asked them about their welfare, and asked them about their problems, and he showed great sympathy towards the citizens of the kingdom, but he had improper motives.  He didn’t really care about the people, he cared about furthering his political career.  2 Samuel 15 said that “he stole the hearts of the men of Israel.”

 So it’s not just a matter of doing good deeds, and especially deeds to be seen of men and gain their approval, but it’s the motive and the purpose that count.  We are to be concerned with building up, or edifying others spiritually.  That’s the goal.

In vs. 3 Paul gives us an example of the way edification is supposed to be done.  “For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME."  Now Paul is quoting from Psalm 69:9.  And Psalm 69 is what is known as a Messianic Psalm.  David, probably unbeknownst to him, is prophetically speaking by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit about Jesus Christ, the Messiah who was to come.

And I want to quote you the entire 9th verse from Psalms 69 because there is a phrase there I want you to see. “For zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me.”

See, Paul is referencing Jesus not pleasing Himself and to support that  he quotes this one line from Ps. 69 about the reproaches towards God falling upon Jesus, but when we see the entire verse then we can understand why Jesus was reproached.  He suffered reproach because zeal for the house of God had consumed Him.    Listen, if you have a zeal for the house of God ladies and gentlemen, then like Jesus the reproaches of the world will fall on you too.   We don’t have to go looking for reproach or persecution, if we’re living for God, if  zeal for God is consuming us for the things of God, then we will suffer reproach.

As I said, as Christians we don’t have to go looking for trouble.  Jesus said, in this world you will have trouble.  But folks, I am here to tell you that today most Christians don’t suffer any reproach, because they aren’t consumed with a zeal for God.  There isn’t any holy distinction in their lives.  Listen, the world or the devil for that matter could care less if we go to church once in a while, especially if we are just going to be seen of men, or because it’s socially acceptable.  The devil  could care less if we volunteer at a local charity once in a while.  But if you have a consuming fire in your heart for the things of God, if you begin to share the gospel that all men are sinners and on their way to hell unless they repent and trust Jesus as their Savior, if you have that zeal for God, then believe me, reproach is going to come.

See, even the devil believes in God and trembles, the Bible says.  But the devil gets worked up when we start talking about the truth of the gospel, that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, and there is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved.  The devil gets worked up when we start talking about man’s sin and the need for repentance.  But if you listen closely to the message of most churches today there is very little said about Jesus being our Savior.  Their anemic gospel likes to present Jesus as our example, and He is our example.  But please understand this; He cannot be our example unless first and foremost He is our Savior.

If Jesus was just our example then there can be no remission of sins, because there is no way that even a good man can atone for the sins of millions of people.  In order for Jesus to atone for the sins of the world, then Jesus had to be God.  God took on the robe of a servant, and the flesh of a man, and the word became flesh and they called His name Jesus, and He came to earth to save man from His sins and by believing in His name - Savior, Everlasting God, Emmanuel (which means God with us) - men might be saved and receive eternal life.

If we truly believe Jesus was really God in the flesh, then we have only one choice, to bow our will, to submit our lives, to give ourselves in service to Him for His glory.  But if Jesus was just an example, a good teacher, a prophet perhaps, then like Paul said in 1Cor. 15:19 “We have hoped in Christ in this life only, and we are of all men most to be pitied.”  If our hope in Christ was just to have a good example for how to live an exemplary life, a successful life, a prosperous life here on this earth, then we are of all men most to be pitied.

No, our hope is not to be found in this fallen world, ladies and gentlemen, but our hope is in heaven.  Verse 4 tells us “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”   Hope of what?  What are we to hope for?  We already saw in 1 Cor. 15:19 that our hope is not to be just in this life, but our hope is for glory and what will be revealed to us when we see Jesus.

Last week we had a young boy visit that had become seriously deformed and handicapped due to an illness he contracted when he was a baby.  And he asked Mike when they brought him out to the beach in his wheelchair if we could play “In the Sweet by and By.”  I didn’t know the song and it wasn’t in our books.  But the Holy Spirit I believe brought the words of that song to my mind and we were able to sing it for that boy.  And that tragically deformed young boy sang that song louder than everyone.  You know, for him, his hope is not that there is going to be some miracle cure that will restore his body.  His hope is not finding that perfect girl one day that will make his life complete.  His hope is not that he will be able to live his best life right now.  No, his hope is in glory.  In the sweet by and by, when he shall meet Jesus his Savior on that beautiful shore, when his sorrows will be no more, when he will receive a new and glorified body like Christ, when he shall see Christ in all His glory, in the sweet by and by, when he shall be like Him, when the Father will show him all the glories that He has prepared for him, when God will say, welcome home, my faithful and true servant, enter into the joy of your master.  That boy’s hope, and my hope, and I trust your hope, is in heaven.  The hope of glory.

The hope of glory gives us the perspective of Abraham, of whom it says in  Hebrews 11:8 “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going.  By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise;  for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.” Abraham’s hope wasn’t in the promised land, Abraham’s hope was in heaven.

Folks, you need to examine yourselves today and ask if you have a consuming zeal for God or if your zeal is for the things of this world.  Is your zeal for God founded upon your recognition of Jesus as your Savior, and in response to that salvation, is the desire of your life now to live for Him and to be used by Him for His glory?

Rom 10:2 says,  “For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.  For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”  It’s entirely possible to have a zeal for God that is not based on the truth of God’s word.  It’s possible to have a zeal which is little more than enthusiasm, that is little more than temporary emotionalism.  And it’s entirely possible to have an enthusiasm to do good works, but yet not be found righteous by God.

I  quoted someone the other week who said that enthusiasm is easier than obedience.  But that’s why verse 4 tells us that “whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”   Because perseverance in  obedience to the scriptures is the key to faith in Jesus Christ.  Perseverance is being obedient to the revelation through scripture that God has given you so far.  As God shows you something in His word, through the preaching of the word, you submit to His will in obedience and then God will reveal more to you, and you persevere in submission to that revelation through scripture, and then God will reveal to you more and so forth.  That was the perseverance of Abraham. The faith of Abraham and God credited him with righteousness.  Zeal for God produces obedience.

But I’m afraid so many people that profess to be Christians have never really been obedient to what God has revealed to them.  For one, the average Christian doesn’t read scripture.  The Bible is the best selling book in the world and yet the least read.  So we’re not obedient because we don’t read it and study it.  We don’t know what God says.  Rather than as that verse tells us that scripture being our encouragement, we often find ourselves discouraged and disillusioned with our faith, because we have a zeal for God that isn’t based on the truth of God’s word.  It’s based on what some crack pot preacher said on TV.  Or worse, our faith is based on what some movie said, based on what some Hollywood producer thinks it’s all about.  Or even worse, our faith is twisted by some vision or revelation from a false prophet that is an instrument of Satan to take you back into captivity again.  Faith isn’t blind, faith is founded in the promises of God, and He wrote them down for us that we might know them and believe them and be obedient to them.

But there is a godly perseverance and encouragement for the Christian that results in glory to God.  Let’s look finally at verses 5 and 6 in closing. Rom 15:5  “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

And what that means is that God is the author of scripture from which comes strength for perseverance when we rely on Him and submit our will to Him.  And God is the author of encouragement not only for you, but you also for others when you live your life in submission to Christ’s example.  As Christ laid aside His glory for our sakes, so we who would follow Him should lay aside our glory for His sake and the sake of the kingdom.  As Christ came to be a servant, so we should also serve the church for His sake.  As Christ laid aside His rights as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to become one of us, so that we might be saved, so should we lay aside earthly riches and fleshly pursuits so that we might not put a stumbling block in anyone’s way.  And this perseverance and encouragement happens when we are found to be in accord with Christ.  Or the way it says in another scripture, when we are conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.

1Cor. 6:19 “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”   We have been bought and paid for and purchased to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ.  And if we are living in accord with Jesus Christ, then we will be in accord with each other  that are in Christ, and then in that unity, with one voice, we will bring glory to God, because that is what Christ did.  Christ is our Savior, and Christ is our example, in that order.  Because I am saved, the Spirit of Christ lives in me and is changing me into the image of Christ.  I trust that Christ is your Savior, that He lives in you and that you are being conformed to His image.  And if you do, then I’m sure you have a zeal for God’s house, even as Christ had a zeal for God’s house.

Jesus came to the temple in John chapter 2 and found men making money and profiting from the temple.  Instead of feeding His sheep, the religious leaders were fleecing the sheep.  Not much has changed in that regard in the last 2000 years.  And Jesus took a whip and went in there and cleaned house.  He said, “stop making my Father’s house a house of business.”  And it says the disciples remembered that it was written, “zeal for Your house has consumed Me.”

I pray that as Christians we would have a consuming zeal for God that is founded in the truth of God’s word.  And that zeal would  drive us away from self serving false religion, that we might persevere in obedience to the truth of God’s word, and that our zeal and passion and commitment for God might be an encouragement to those around us.   Let’s pray.