Accept one another as Jesus did

Romans 15

Key verse Romans 15:7

Good morning. Last week in chapter 14, God commanded us to stop quarreling over the disputable matters like should we eat meat or only vegetables or should we drink wine or not because the kingdom of God is not about eating or drinking but of righteousness, joy and peace. Today, in chapter 15, Paul said “bear with the weak, endure and encourage each other, accept one another, have servant mind”. Honestly, bearing with the weak is not easy. Enduring someone is not easy either. Also we like someone to encourage us, but it is hard for us to encourage others. Also about accepting one another, it is no problem to accept someone if the person has a good chemistry with me, but if the person has much different opinion, it is again hard to accept one another. Also it is nice for someone to serve me with a servant mind. But we do not like to be a servant for someone. However, in today’s passage, through Paul, God commands us to “bear with the weak, endure and encourage each other, accept one another, and serve others”. Because when we obey these, in verse 5, we can learn about Jesus who accepted us. Also in verse 6, we can have one mind and one voice as a community of faith. Through this message, I pray God may motivate us to practice what we are going to learn.

  1. Accept one another

Look at verse 1. “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves”. The strong and the weak appear here. In chapter 14, there were the strong and the weak too. But they are a little bit different. In chapter 14, the strong are those who eat anything, and the weak are the one who eat only vegetables because of their weak conscience. However, here, in chapter 15, the strong are those who have strong faith or mature believers. The weak are those who are saved yet their faith is weak. In verse 1, the failings means “infirmities” or “shortcoming”. Paul said when the strong sees the failings of the weak, do not judge them but bear with them. Bear with means in Greek, “carry the burden”. In general, when people sin, they have a big burden of guilty feelings in their hearts. In the Bible, when Adam sinned, he could not bear his own burden that he hid himself from God. Like him, when the weak sin, they try to hide themselves from God. At that time, the strong need to bear with their burden together, pray together, welcome them as they are, and consider them more important than ministry or church itself. Peter disowned Jesus because of his weak faith. Later he heard Jesus was risen from the dead. But because of the burden in his heart, he could not come to Jesus. Then, Jesus bore with him. He visited Peter, helped him catch lots of fish, prepared a warm morning breakfast, asked him three times “do you love me?”, and restored him from his failure.

When we try to bear with the weak, that itself is a big burden. Also not everyone welcomes us. Someone might say “go away, leave me alone”. Nevertheless, we need to bear with the weak. Because Jesus bore with our weakness. When we were sinners, when we often fail in temptations or sins, Jesus did not give us up. He carried our burdens together. 1 Peter 2:24 says “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

In verse 1 and 2, when we see the failing of our weak brothers, we should not please ourselves but please our neighbors. Here neighbors are those who fall in temptations or sins. Pleasing does not mean we tolerate their sins. Or get them cigar or wine or something else to please their sinful nature. Rather, in other bible version, please means “help”. Why do we need to please them? Because even Jesus did not please himself. Look at verse 3. When Jesus was on the cross, people insulted at him. Even the robbers insulted at him too. They said “if you are the son of God, come down from the cross”. “He can save others but he cannot save himself”. Jesus was sinless, if he pleased himself, he did not need to take such shameful insults at all. But he took all insults upon him to please us. Isaiah 53: 5 says “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.“ Because of Jesus, we are saved, we are healed, and we are cured, and we are pleased. Like Jesus, when we please others, we might receive negative response or in worst case insults from people: Whenever I try to share the gospel, how do people respond? Do they welcome me? mostly they say “no”, and some people give me a bad look. Bu the rejection we have received is nothing compared to the insults Jesus received for us. Thank you Jesus for taking all insults for the sake of us.

Look at verse 4. Paul mentioned that all things were written in the Scriptures is to teach us, especially to teach us about endurance and encouragement. Why did he mention these? Because bearing with the weak and pleasing others require endurance and encouragement. When we bear with the weak, when we try to help them, the good result does not come up right away. One time, Peter asked Jesus” how often shall I forgive my brothers?” “as many as seven times”. Forgiving even one time is hard. Then, forgiving 7 times is a lot. But Jesus said to him “seventy times seven.”: 7 * 70 = 490 times (Mt 18). This shows how much we need patience and encouragement. Who are we? We are the one who repents and makes a decision not to fall into sins, yet as soon as we turn around, we do the same thing again. That is why endurance and encouragement are necessary. In a sense, the Bible is full of stories about God’s patience and his encouragement. As we know well, in Genesis, God called Abraham from his hometown, Ur, to Canaan. But on the way, he settled down in Haran for long years. Also in Egypt, he lied people. Yet, God was patient with him. He endured his weakness. Also when Abraham was very frustrated, God encouraged him to count the stars in the sky. He promised him that his offspring shall be like the stars. (Genesis 15). In the end, because of God’s patience and encouragement, he became the father of all nations. This story gives us hope that when someone does not give me up and keeps enduring and encouraging me, one day I can be another Abraham today. Also when we endure and encourage the weak brother or sister, one day he/she can grow a man of God or a woman of God. In the Bible, Matthew knew money had a power. So he became a tax collector. But Jesus called him, endured and encouraged him to seek first God’s kingdom and his righteousness. He seemed to be the last person to be changed. But in the end, he became St. Matthew. When I began to play tennis, I was a terrible player. At that time, M. Jacob invited me to play tennis. Though I was bad, he was patient with me. He endured and encouraged me to keep up playing tennis. Now, I beat him. I wander what if he did not endure and encourage me in playing tennis? I might give up playing tennis many years ago. These days, John begins to beat me in tennis too. Last year, he was not strong. But I have endured and encouraged him to play tennis regularly. Since then, he has improved a lot. In the same way, in order to build one person up, as long as we do not give up but endure and encourage one another, we can build up one person in God.

Look at verse 5. Paul prayed that we might have the same attitude of mind toward each other as Jesus had. What is the same attitude of mind Jesus had? Look at verse 8. “For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jewson behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed” It is the mind of a servant. If we have this servant mind toward each other, how good it will be? If your professor treats you with a servant mind, how nice it will be? If our boss treats us with such a servant attitude, how happy we will be? Jesus actually is not a servant. He is the Lord, master, teacher, and the son of God. Yet, he had a servant mind. Because of his humility, all different people were amazed and accepted him as their Savior. Jesus said “even the son of God did not come to be served but to serve”. (Mark 10:45). In nature, he is God but he humbled himself. He sought God’s interest and our interests.

In 1990s and 2000s, a philosophy of “servant leadership” became popular. Before this servant leadership, charismatic leadership was dominant. A leader should have Charisma. But since servant leadership was introduced, many big companies adapted this into their work. According to one servant leadership website, literally servant leadership is to serve people. Also some principles of servant leadership are listening, sympathy, stewardship, persuasion, commitment to the growth of people, building community, and others. Do not all these things sound familiar to what Jesus did in the Bible? Also one research group says some companies that adapted “servant leadership” ended up gaining more profits. How can we learn about Jesus’ servant mind? Through serving others, treating one another with the mind of a servant.

Look at verse 6. There is another reason why we need to have a servant mind. Let’s read verse 6. “so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” As we learned in chapter 14, there were disputable matters at the Roman church. They had different minds and different voices. How can they be in one mind and one voice? Even husband and wife often have different minds and different voices. But verse 6 says when we serve each other with the servant mind, we can be in one mind and one voice. This is what God desires for the body of Christ. Jesus also asked his disciples in John 17:21. It says “I pray that they all will be one, just as you and I are one” I pray our ministry may be in one mind and one voice through serving one another with Jesus’ servant mind.

Look at verse 7. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God“. Why should we accept one another? Because Jesus did accept us. In the Bible, he accepted each different people. He accepted Paul, a Samaritan woman, Nicodemus, a rich young ruler, religious leaders, 38 invalid man, 12 years bleeding woman, a woman caught in adultery, and even Pilate. Especially, he accepted his 12 disciples: Peter, John, Andrew, Philip, having all different characters. He also endured them and encouraged them for 3 years. When they came to Jesus first time, they were just ordinary men, Peter had a big mouth, John had a hot temper, Philip was smart but very negative, and Thomas had many doubts. But as Jesus accepted them and served them patiently, they became men of God. Peter became the rock, 3,000 people repented through his message. John became the apostle of love. Thomas stopped doubting and went to even India to share the gospel.

Jesus accepted Paul too. Paul was a very cold man. He agreed when people killed Stephan. He himself led people to arrest Christians. Jesus should have rejected him. But Jesus accepted him. He forgave him. He endured him and encouraged him. Because of Jesus, he was changed from a cold man to a man of love. He confessed “I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15)

When I was in Maryland, I had a blessing to study the Bible with a brother who is 4th year in his math Ph.D. program. When he was young, his parents were about to divorce. He was very afraid that who would accept him when his parents divorced. Then, one summer time, he attended the summer bible camp. When he heard John 3:16 “for God so loved the world”, at that moment, to him, John 3:16 seemed to speak “for God so loved me”, at that moment, he realized “wow!, God loved me and accepted me as his children. I am not alone.” That helped him go through his tough life in his 10s.

When we are accepted by a school or a company, how happy we are! I still remember when John was accepted to the University of Maryland Pharmacy School, he came up to me with a bright smile. Then, since Jesus accepted us, how much this must be a good news!

Look at verse 9. Jesus came not only for the Jews but also for the Gentiles. Because of his mercy, now even the Gentiles are able to taste the goodness of God. They are also able to glorify God too. From verse 9, Paul used four quotations to prove that from the OT, it was God’s will for the Gentiles to praise him. In the four quotations, one common thing is to praise God among the Gentiles. The Gentiles were once the objects of God’s wrath. They were outsiders of God’s mercy. But through Christ Jesus, the grace of God was open to them. They could taste God’s mercy and praise God.

  • A minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles

How then could the Gentiles join in God’s mercy? Look at verse 16. “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” Jesus called Paul and gave him a priestly duty. Paul was not a priest. But he said he received the priestly duty: to preach the words of God. He was thankful that Jesus called him as a minister of Christ to the Gentiles. According to Romans 10:14,15, how can someone hear without someone preaching to them? How can anyone preach unless they are sent?  Paul was sent to the Gentiles. But before Paul, who was sent by God to this world? Jesus. He was sent by God to preach the kingdom of God. He received a priestly duty from God. He said “repent, the kingdom of God is near!”. When sinners heard of his message, they repented and accepted him as their Savior. Now as Jesus saved and gave Paul a priestly duty, he also saved us and gave us a priestly duty: to share the gospel. In terms of title, we are not priest, but we were chosen to expand the kingdom of God through sharing the good news. Preaching the gospel is not easy but it is also a great privilege to do so.

Look at verse 18. Let’s read verse 18. “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done”. Paul did tremendous achievements: pioneered many churches and wrote many epistles. Yet he confessed that he would speak only what Christ has accomplished through him. Does he pretend to be humble here? No, he really gave all credit to Jesus. Paul was really thankful to Jesus. It was Jesus who saved him, called him to work for God’s salvation. He knew when he preached, it was not by his words but by the power of Jesus, people were convicted and repented. He also knew when he healed the sick, it was not done by his power but by the power of the Holy Spirit. So he confessed “Jesus did all things! I was just his instrument. Jesus did everything and I just watched what he has accomplished through me.” We need to have this same attitude of Paul. In our life, Jesus has done all things. Coming to Delaware, studying at the UD, joining in Delaware UBF ministry, behind all things, Jesus has accomplished through us. So let us share what Jesus has done to you whenever we have a chance to share.

  • Paul’s plan

Look at verse 24. “I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey”. Paul planned to visit Spain. Why Spain? To watch Madrid professional soccer team? At that time, Spain was known as the ends of the world. Even today, on google maps, Spain is located at the end of the western world. Paul wanted to preach the gospel to the ends of the world. He wanted to obey what Jesus commanded: “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” This teaches what the church should pursue:  world mission. It does not matter if the church is small or big. The healthy church seeks for evangelism in the world.

There was a student group called the Cambridge Seven. The Cambridge is the prestigious university in the world wide. In spite of their busy school study, the seven people were thankful that Jesus died on the cross for their sins. In their bible study, they also learned Jesus commanded all believers to preach the gospel to the end. So they regularly met and prayed for the world mission. God heard their prayers. Through their influence, many young people volunteered to preach the gospel in all over the world.

I never imagined that I would work for world mission in my life. But when I was a sophomore in college, during the foreign policy class, I learned that America exported many bad things: drug, sex, …to other worlds. But at the same time I knew they sent many missionaries to Korea to build school, hospitals, and churches. With mixed feelings, somehow I began to have compassion for America. Out of nowhere, I prayed to God, “use me to pray for America to be a bible believing nation and missionary sending nation once again”. Then, I totally forgot my prayer, but God remembered what I prayed. In his time, God sent me America. After receiving lots of love in Maryland, he put me here in Delaware now. I do not know what Jesus can accomplish through me, but one thing I have prayed is for the UD campus to be a bible believing campus and missionary sending campus.

Look at verse 26 and 27. “ For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings” In Paul’s time, Judea had serious famine. They lived a miserable life under Rome and to make it worse, because of the famine, they became much poor. So Paul asked believers in Macedonia and Achaia to do offerings that he could help the believers in Jerusalem. Paul said, if the Gentiles shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they should also share with them their material blessings too. Based on this teaching, we also need to give our offerings to God that our offerings can be used for those who are in need.

In conclusion, God wants us to bear with the weak, please them, endure and encourage them, accept one another, and have a servant mind. When we practice these, we can have one mind and one voice as a community of faith. We can also glorify God. Also this is one way of how we can learn about Jesus who accepted us.