God has always been concerned with unity among His people. Whether you look to the Old Testament or to the New Testament, whether you look at the nation Israel or the body of Christ, God has always been concerned that His people, those who identify with Him, be unified. Listen to some of these verses from the Scriptures. Psalm 133, verse 1, Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity. Listen to Jeremiah 32, And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me always for their own good and for the good of their children after them. John 10, And I have other sheep which are not of this fold, I must bring them also and they shall hear my voice and they shall become one flock with one shepherd." There's many I could list. You know, Psalm 133 said how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity. We could reverse that and say how sad it is when brothers don't dwell in unity. And the sad reality is I think all of us here could point to Christians or to a church in our lifetime that have not been unified, and it is sad, and it is divisive. Unity was such an important concern of Jesus that in his high priestly prayer of John 17, it's one of the themes that run interwoven through that prayer, and we'll discuss that later on this morning. This unity that we're talking about cannot be manufactured by ourself. It has to be something that is the work of God within us. This morning as we go through this text in Romans 15, I want us to keep that unity in mind in the greater theme of pleasing others instead of ourselves. So let's read Romans 15, verses 1 to 6. Paul writes, Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to his edification, For even Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell upon me. For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus. that with one accord, you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. This morning, I think these six verses give us several motivations for how we ought to please others instead of ourselves. So may these motivate you this week, even this day, to set your sights on pleasing others than your own self. First of all, in verses one to two, we should edify our neighbor. We should edify, build up our neighbor. Verse three, we should follow our Lord's example. Number three, in verse four, we should heed the scriptures. And then in verses five to six, we should pray for unity. Again, these are motivations because sometimes we need that incentive. We need a little push. And may this be that from you. First of all, let's edify our neighbor, verses one and two. Paul says, now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength. Seems like this series on preference issues or gray matters just continue to go on and on. But really, Romans 15 is the conclusion. He will bring this issue, this topic to an end in this chapter. I think this is a good time to stop and realize that our English chapter divisions are not inspired. I don't know who came up with them. There's a rumor that someone on a camel was traveling, and every time the camel kicked, he'd mark a chapter division. Sometimes when you read that, it's pretty true. But when the camel kicked at chapter 15, verse 1, it kicked early. Really, the camel should have kicked at 15, 7. That's really where the chapter should have started. Verses 1 to 6 should be with Romans 14, because it's the same topic. So don't always trust your chapter divisions. A lot of times they're accurate. But if you're going to look at the Bible, look at paragraphs. That's a better way of looking at it versus chapters. But notice how Paul identifies himself with the strong. He said, now we who are strong. He doesn't say me. He doesn't say I'm the only one that's strong. He's saying there's a group who's strong. There's a group who's weak. I identify with the strong. Now, we remind ourselves that this isn't physical strength. Obviously, this is a spiritual strength. And it's the ability to look at the gospel and say, the gospel overrides my taboos or past inhibitions, things that I couldn't do before. I realize that the gospel has changed my outlook. And so, for example, take the issue of eating meat that was offered to an idol. Paul could say, I understand that the gospel has basically made that clean. I can eat meat that was even sacrificed to an idol. And I don't have a problem with that. But as we've seen, some other believers It bothered their conscience. And for them, they shouldn't eat that. It was sin if they do. But Paul is simply saying that I am strong in this area of preference. I don't have a problem eating the meat. So he says, we who are strong, and then he lists the obligation, he says, we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses. And don't skip over that word ought. It is literally from a word that meant a debt. It was to pay a debt. It was something that you would be indebted. You had an obligation. If you go to the bank tomorrow and you apply for a loan, you are indebted to pay that loan. You can't just write it off. You can't just act like it doesn't exist. You have an obligation. You have a debt to pay. And Paul says your spiritual debt, if you are here as a strong believer, you have a debt, you have an obligation to pay toward those who are weak. And it is simply this. To bear the weaknesses of those without strength. In other words, the strong are not to stand aloof from the weak. They're not to judge the weak. They're not to say I'm better than you. They're to get themselves dirty and support the weak. Get your shoulders under their load and say, how can I help? Again, that's a much different perspective than we've seen in chapter 14, where both sides are judging and condemning each other. That's not going to get it. That's not going to foster unity. That's going to foster division and factions. So those of us who are strong and according to the issue, you may be strong or weak. I don't think anyone is strong in every area. So sometimes you can be the one bearing the weight. Sometimes you may say, hey, I need you to come help me bear that weight. This word for bear can refer to a literal weight, for example, in Mark 14, a man is seen carrying or bearing a pitcher of water. Now, try carrying a five-gallon bucket of water. Some of you can do that. Others of you might need some help carrying that five-gallon bucket of water. In Luke 14, Jesus uses the term of every Christian carrying or bearing his cross. That's a weight that you have to carry. But there's a spiritual bearing in Galatians 6, and this should be familiar to you. Just look over a few books. The book of Galatians, 1 Corinthians, Galatians chapter six. Galatians chapter six, we'll read the first two verses. Chapter five, he's discussed the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the spirit. And so he goes into chapter six, Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Each one looking to yourself, lest you too be tempted." Verse 2, bear, same word, bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ. Well, you might say, well, who's spiritual? Well, there's some who would say they're spiritual, but they're not. If you go back to chapter 5, a spiritual believer is one who is walking in the power of the Spirit, one whose life is manifesting the fruit of the Spirit. That's the kind of person that Paul is addressing here. is you who are characterized by the Spirit of God, restore such a one. And then you bear, get up under and shoulder their load. And again, the practicality of this is immense. Imagine if someone came in here this morning crying and weeping over their sin and the rest of us stood off from them. How different would it be if we embraced them and we gathered around and said, how can we help? We ought to be that kind of a family and body, no matter who comes in these doors. If they're crying, if they're weeping, if they're under a burden, we ought to get up under and say, how can I help? How sad it would be if we stand off and say, oh, I'll just pray for you. Yes, pray, but also, how can I help? Lift the corner of that load. So Paul says in Galatians 6, those of us who are spiritual, I think it's the same thing Romans 15 says, those of us who are strong, Those of us who don't have our conscience pricked on a certain issue ought to be able to come in and say, I know you struggle with this. How can I help you? You know, our goal is to see weak people become strong. Our goal is to see people understand the ramifications of the gospel, to see them less entangled in these secondary issues and and more focused on the primary issues. And let's be honest, if there's going to be progress towards unity, it's probably the strong who are going to have to take the initiative. They need to reach out and be part of the solution. You might say, well, Kevin, do I have to put up with this person? I mean, let me just do my duty and be done with it. Is that the way you want someone to minister to you? Would you want someone just saying, well, let me just do my duty? No, that doesn't work in marriage. That doesn't work in the church. That doesn't work anywhere. Brother, we ought to think what a privilege it is to serve my brother or sister. What a privilege it is to be like my Lord Jesus Christ who came and helped me when I was helpless. I mean, this ought to be patient, loving and understanding ministry, not just a check off the list and I'll see you later. So the stronger to help those without strength, those who have yet to embrace fully the ramifications of the gospel. And it could be with food. It could be a matter of a day, any number of preference issues. We are to be patient and understanding as those who have not yet come to a biblical resolution may struggle. And again, we're not to put a burden on them. We're to lighten their burden. You know, sometimes it's been said that we need to walk a mile in someone else's shoes. So before you're too critical of someone else who's different from you, put yourself in their shoes. You know, why are they thinking like this? Why are they doing things a certain way? And I would be willing to wager with you, this is going to take a lot of love and a lot of patience. Even though the word love isn't mentioned here, it's going to take that agape Christlike love as you bear the burdens to help the weak. Because let's be honest, if you don't love others, You won't serve them. If you don't love others, you're not going to help them. If you don't love others, you're not going to help their burdens. You're going to make their burden heavier. And so the danger is if if we don't help our brother, if we don't assist our our weak brother, you know what we're doing? We're loving ourself. And that's exactly what Paul cautions us in verse one. He says, we who are strong are to bear the weaknesses of those without strength. and not please ourselves. The quickest way for division, if you want this church to fracture in the middle, I can tell you an easy solution. Every one of us, focus inward, worry about yourself, love yourself, and don't love your neighbor. That's the quickest way. I can be almost a prophet and say within a month this church will fracture, split, and may even be off the face of the map. This will be sold, be a grocery store or something. The buildings will be cleansed and will be scattered to the winds. I don't want that. Jesus Christ doesn't want that. He wants us to be unified. And the way we achieve unity is not to please ourselves. Isn't it amazing that God has to remind us of this? Isn't it amazing that God has to tell us, children, don't please yourself, please others. I mean, the easy thought, let's be honest, is to say, I'm going to live for myself. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks about it. That would be very selfish, very sinful, very inward thinking. In the book of Philippians, it's sad to say that Paul has to rebuke some who, quote, seek after their own interest and not those of Jesus Christ. It's in the Bible. There are some who are seeking after their own interest, self-love. And it is amazing, as I've said before, that our society thinks the problem is that we're not loving each other enough. There are talk show hosts. There are books being written that say you need to love yourself more. You know what that's going to foster? More sin. More division. They're not helping the issue. They're hindering the solution. No, the reality is that we love ourselves too much. Jesus says, love your neighbor as yourself. Not just foster self-love, but say, hey, you take care of yourself, pour some of that attention and focus on others. You know, there's not a verse in the Bible you can point to that where God commands believers to love themselves. That's pretty significant. So there was, I think, an issue in the Roman church, and Paul was aware of it, a danger that even believers, strong believers, might start turning inward. might start loving themselves to the detriment of their brothers and sisters in Christ. You know, even in the church of Corinth, it was divisive, right? I mean, you had some people that, I am of Paul. I like Paul. No, I like Peter. No, I like Apollos. And then you got the spiritual group in the back. Oh no, I love Christ. It's like you've got four churches in one. It's man-centered. It was man-hero worship. Paul says, I didn't die for you, did I? Did Apollos die? Did Peter die for you? You know, it's great to have heroes. It's great to have people we follow, we listen to, podcasts, books. But there's not one single human pastor that I know of that I would absolutely categorically say, whatever he believes, believe it. Jesus Christ, yes. But MacArthur, Piper, Lawson, Sproul, great men. But they're all what? Men. Let's not be like the Church of Corinth. Let's set our sights on Christ. And not like the Church of Corinth that was divisive. In verse two of Romans 15, let each of us please his neighbor for his good to his edification. And I don't believe that Paul is just isolating the strong, I think it's the strong and the weak, every Christian, those let each of us, all of us, please his neighbor for his good. You may have a warning bell going off. Now wait a minute, Kevin. We're to please men? I thought the Bible says we weren't to please men, that we're to please God. That's true. When it comes to matters of eternal significance and eternal doctrine, we'd better please God no matter what man says. We're not to please men. Proverbs says that's a snare, it's a trap. But here in Romans 15, it's not our relationship with God, it's our relationship with one another. And the choice is not God or others, it's myself or you. The assumption is I'm already pleasing God. But when it comes to practical issues, am I going to cater to my needs, my desires, or am I going to look out for you? That's the contrast. And Paul says when it comes to that issue, you'd better please others, not please yourself. What does this mean? That we're to be cosmic killjoys and we can't do anything for pleasure? We can't have any fun? Certainly not. The Bible says even in Ecclesiastes that God's given us these things to enjoy. But here's what I would say are the restrictions when it comes to pleasure. First of all, don't sin by bringing yourself pleasure. In other words, it's okay to play football or whatever, maybe you're fancy, some of you are into crafts. It's okay as long as you don't sin in doing that. And number two, don't cause your brother to stumble. when you please yourself. If what you do for pleasure offends someone else, the Bible would say you better not do that in front of your weaker brother. Paul says we are to please our neighbor for his good, and he defines that by his edification. In other words, his spiritual benefit, his spiritual profit, not his harm, not his detriment, because you're trying to build him up. You're not trying to tear him down. And I think the warning here is that what we think may be good for our neighbor may not be good for his neighbor. So we have to have the mind of Christ. We have to have the word of God infusing us and informing us of what is good. Otherwise, we will cause detriment by saying, well, I think this is what's good for you. When in reality, it's really good for who? Ourselves. Romans 14, 19, Paul said, let us pursue The things which make for peace and the building up of one another. And again, that's all of us. We are to pursue with gusto, with zeal, with passion to lift up and help our brothers, to edify our brothers and sisters. And I think one of the practical ways we can accomplish this is by resolving in our minds, I will refuse to get upset over preference issues. I'll be the first one to admit it's easy to become irritated when someone differs on a preference issue. I'll be the first one to confess that. But if we were to resolve in our hearts, I am not going to be irritated. I can disagree with love and compassion and a handshake and a hug and a smile. You know, we're gearing up for this anniversary, you know, and Judy has been and some of the others have been so diligent. I've got a list of like, 400 families that they've researched and trying to get in touch with to invite to this big anniversary. You know, the sad thing is, is that many of those families over the last six years I've been here, I could tell you they've left over a preference issue. I can go down that list and tell you they left over this issue and this issue. You know, it's not because I was espoused on false doctrine. Sad to say a lot of them left over preference issues. Music or education of kids or some preference issue and it's sad. You know, when you're looking at that and you're going, wow, what this church might be and what it could have been over the last 75 years. You know, frankly, this is something I pray regularly for this body, is that God would protect us from this spirit of disunity, this spirit of divisiveness over preference issues. And again, I confess it's easy to be selfish, it's easy to look out for ourselves, We have a blatant issue here in verse one that we're not to please ourselves, we're to please others for their own good, for their edification. So even before you leave here today, maybe you could just ask God, help me to put one person in my path that I can encourage before I leave here, someone at potluck that I can encourage. Go to that person and just say, I'm praying for you this week. How can I pray for you? So let's focus on building up, edifying our neighbor. Number two, in verse three, let's follow our Lord's example. Paul writes in verse three, for even Christ did not please himself. And that's a staggering statement because of everyone who has ever walked this earth, he was the only person that could have rightfully said, I deserve to please myself. I demand that you worship me, I'm not going to serve you, you serve me, I'm God, right? I mean, if anybody could have been rightfully arrogant and proud, it was God. And yet He calls Himself humble. He says of Himself in Mark 10, I didn't come to be served, but what? To serve. Amazing. So if you ever have the mentality that, hey, I deserve to be served, look at your Lord and realize you're not being like Him. Because our Lord didn't please Himself. He's the greatest example. Luke 22. Jesus prayed, Father, if you're willing, remove this cup from me. Yet not my will, but your will be done. Jesus Christ, I think, knew what he was facing. He was in that garden. He was praying drops of blood and he was crying out, Father, please take it away if it's your will. But he didn't stop there. He said, but your will be done. John 4, 34, my food. is to do the will of Him who sent me and to accomplish His work." John 8, I always do the things that are pleasing to Him. Talk about a person that was absolutely, categorically, totally committed to the will of God. It was Jesus Christ. If we're going to be called Christians, little Christ, followers of Christ, shame on us if we have some other goal. I'm going to please myself. I mean, what if that was written of Christ? I always do things that are pleasing to me. Not even Christ said that, although He could have. Let's hold your finger here and turn to Philippians 2. It was read earlier in the response of reading, but I want us to look at it again. Philippians 2. This is an amazing passage of Scripture on the the deity of Christ, the Incarnation. It's a passage that you really need to be familiar with. Philippians chapter 2, verse 1, Paul says, If therefore there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, notice verse 2, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. I mean, that's not a call to unity. I don't know what is. Verse three, do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind, let each of you regard one another as more important than himself. Do not merely look out for your own personal interest, but also for the interest of others. And again, I think those verses describe the early church. It's staggering that there were no needs in the early church. People were selling land in order to pay for Bob over here, and this guy was selling land to pay for this guy. It was just a community of love. And then notice verse 5, "...have this attitude in yourself which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped. But he emptied himself, taking the form of a bondservant, and being made in the likeness of men, and being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. The amazing thing is Jesus Christ didn't have to come to this earth. He could have stayed in heaven. He would have been exalted by the angels, by the elders, by the beast for all eternity. We would have perished, but we didn't deserve to be spared. Think about that. What Isaiah saw was Jesus Christ on the throne. That scene would have continued for all eternity. But we're told in Revelation, there's a song of the redeemed. There has to be people who are redeemed. It's not angels. It's us. And Christ did not come to this earth reminding people, oh, you know who I am, right? You know why I'm here. He came as a servant. He wasn't born in a palace. He was born in a feeding trough. He didn't die in a palace. He died on a cross with two criminals. Disciples say, hey, take me to your house. And Jesus says, I don't even have a place to lay my head. And this is the one that's the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And David says he owns a cattle on a thousand hills. And yet he willingly and voluntarily gave over that independent use of his attributes to his father. He was submissive to his father's will. Was Jesus still omnipresent? Yes. Was he still omnipotent? Yes. Was he still omniscient? Yes. But he voluntarily limited himself to the Father's purposes. You realize that when he was on the cross, he could have called down all the angels to wipe out his opposition. He could have, because he spoke all that we see in six days. He spoke it. And this reminds us that you may have the liberty to do certain things. You might be free to do that, but you have to limit yourself. You have to submit to the Father's purpose, just like Christ. Christ did not exert his own rights. He put the will of God before his own. Why? For our benefit. And that's the purpose of why Paul is citing Christ as an example. If we're going to help our weak, we don't do so by saying, well, you know, you better be grateful for what I'm doing to you. No, I just want to help you. I just want to serve you. Verse 3 continues, As it is written, and that's a standard phrase of quoting Old Testament Scripture. He's quoting Psalm 69, verse 9. And as it is here in Romans 15, it's the second part of Psalm 69, 9. The reproaches of those who reproached thee fall upon me. But that's not the whole verse. The first part of the verse is, for zeal for your house has consumed me. Does that verse sound familiar to you? It should. Not just because Bruce read it earlier, but because this is prophetic of Christ. Remember when he made a whip and he went to the temple and he drove out the money changers? turned over the tables, ran off the animals. The disciples could have said a lot of things at that moment. And maybe they did. Maybe their mouths were wide open. But the one thing that we have recorded is they quoted Psalm 69, verse 9a, which says, Zeal, for your house will consume me. You know how amazing it is Jesus didn't sin in doing that? You and I probably would have sinned, being angry and unrighteous anger. But Jesus was zealous for your house, the house of God, his father's house. And his zeal was so strong that he wouldn't dare tolerate this falsification of the money changing. But our passage here in Romans 15 has the second part, which I think is tied to the first part. Zeal for your house has consumed me and the reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me. Jesus stood in the gap, and sinful humanity was launching accusations and reproaches against God. And you've seen this, haven't you? People shake their fist at God. Jesus says, I'll take all that. I'll pay the penalty for that. Even though Kevin McAteer deserves to die and go to hell, I'll bear his sin. I will bear the reproaches that he made against you. I may not have shaken my hand against God, but I was a sinner, and my sin merited eternal condemnation. But God stood in the gap and said, I'll die for Kevin. I'll take his sin so that he can be with us forever. And He's done that for all who will ever believe because of His zeal, because of His passion for the will of God. And I think set in its context here in Romans 15, where is your zeal? Where is your passion? Is it for self? Or is it, I am zealous, I am passionate to serve others, to be like Christ? One writer said this, if Christ, the Holy One, was willing to take upon Himself so much suffering in the form of insults hurled at Him by His enemies, then should not we be willing to sacrifice just a little eating and drinking pleasure for the sake of our fellow believers? Look at what Christ suffered for us. His zeal drove Him to the cross. Sometimes we're offended when someone hits a cross word with us. And I can assure you that whatever inconvenience you'll have to endure for the sake of ministering to others is minuscule compared to Christ. So in the bigger picture, the grand scheme of things, whether you eat meat or not, whether you celebrate a various day or not, doesn't seem to be such a big burden, does it? When you compare it to what Christ suffered for us. So let's keep the example of our Lord in mind. Number three in verse four, let's heed the scriptures. Paul transitions from using a specific Old Testament text to a general broad statement about Old Testament texts. He says, for whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction. It's amazing in those few words he encapsulates every bit of Old Testament scripture. He's not talking about every piece of literature ever written. He's talking about Old Testament scriptures. I think something we need to keep in mind is, you know, even if we read the New Testament and it cites scripture, it's most most often referring to Old Testament scripture. For example, even this text, All Scriptures Inspired by God, Improfitable for Teaching, Reproved, Correction for Training in Righteousness. What is the extent and the context of all scripture? Old Testament. It's the writings. It's the Old Covenant. Does that mean that New Testament Scripture is not inspired? I'm not saying that. It is. But the original context, the extent of all Scripture there is the Old Testament. Now certainly we can add the New Testament because they claim to speak for God and it's definitely fully inspired. But Paul lumps all the Old Testament and says it was written for what? For instruction, right? I missed a word. our instruction. Isn't that amazing? These events truly happened to Israel. They really happened. The Red Sea, the Jordan, all these experiences, the fall, the rock, the water coming from the rock. But they happened for our instruction. You know, it's been said before that a truly wise person will learn from the mistakes of others. They don't have to go through an experience to learn it. You can look at someone else and say, I don't want to do that. That's wisdom. God has put wisdom in front of our eyes in the Old Testament. And I would dare say that if we were to take a quiz today, most of us would know the New Testament far better than the Old Testament. You know, the Old Testament is not just a bunch of stories. It's not fable. It's not myth. It's the word of God. And so your goal when you read scripture is not just to accumulate knowledge. Your goal is to be transformed. You got to walk away from the Word of God every time saying, wow, how gracious God is. It should lead you to worship and praise. Consider just a sampling of the lessons we can learn from the Old Testament. How about Adam and Eve? The wrong way to deal with sin. But Cain, the consequences of unbridled anger. Joseph, a life lived free from bitterness. Abraham, the power of a life of faith. Moses, what God can do with someone who doesn't speak well. David, a heart broken over his sin. Jeremiah, a life of faithfulness in spite of outward affirmation. Daniel and the three Hebrew youths, determination and conviction of trusting God even when you may lose your life. And that's just 5 or 10. Don't read the Old Testament as something that is dry and boring. Read it as the living Word of God. Now, all of it may not apply to us because we're not Israel, but it doesn't mean that it's less than the Word of God. There's a lesson for us. It's designed to teach us and instruct us. In 1 Corinthians 10, Paul lists some of these examples from the Old Testament. It says this, these things happen as examples for us that we should not crave evil things as they craved. Now, these things happen to them as an example. They were written for our instruction upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Now, those of you who were married, let's backtrack to when you were dating or courting. Let's say that your your love wrote you a letter. Some of you, that was handwritten for some of us modern, it may be typed, could be email, but it was a communication. and your love was expressing his or her love to you, and you read that, and you read it again, and you'd keep it by you, and you'd read it again, you treasured it. You know what the Bible is? God's love letter to us. And the sad thing is we don't even read certain parts of it. We read certain paragraphs over and over, certain books. But do you realize even Leviticus is part of God's love letter? If you don't understand Leviticus, you won't understand why the sacrifice was so important. And numbers, the wondering, Deuteronomy, the retelling of the law. 2 Peter 1 says that God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness. That's a pretty wide scope. God has given you everything you need in the scriptures for life and godliness. And verse 4 continues that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope. This isn't the first time that Paul has mentioned this word perseverance. Back in chapter 5, he said we exalt, we praise God in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance. Perseverance, proven character. Proven character, hope. Hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. So it's like this chain, one thing leads to the next. Tribulation should lead to perseverance. Now, what is perseverance? It's not grinning and bearing it. It's not tying a knot and hanging on. Perseverance is made up of two Greek words. Hupo, you know it better as hypo, hypodermic needle, goes where? Under the skin. Hypo is under. Menno means to abide, or remain, or stay. It's the same word in John 15 where Christ says, abide in me. So get this thought. Under, remain. When you're going through a trial, what is your temptation? To go out of the trial. Some of us even pray that. What does God want us to do? Stay under. Hypo. Stay under the trial. Now let's launch to Romans 15. Why does Paul use this same word, hypo-remain, stay under? Why? Because when you start dealing with people who you disagree with, guess what the easiest thing to do is? To roll out. Sayonara. See you later. What does God want you to do? Stay under. Stay close. What a difference. What a picture this is. That through perseverance, staying under, and the encouragement of the Scriptures, I think one feeds the other. As you stay up under, there's encouragement. As you're encouraged, guess what? You'll persevere. And what feeds this? The Scriptures. The Scriptures give us this ability to stay up under. The Scriptures give us encouragement. And what's the goal? That we might have what? Hope. The Bible says that before Christ, we had no hope. There are people that we meet with every day that have no hope. We have hope. So as we interact with others and we have a relationship with other people and they disagree with us on preference issues, it's OK. But we have to stay up under and we have to be encouraged by the Scriptures. I think one of Satan's attacks on believers is to discourage us. Because if he can discourage you, guess what you're going to do? You're going to break away from the Word of God. You're not going to feel like reading. You're not going to feel like praying. And he attacks us. Because if He can discourage us, again, I just don't feel like reading today. I don't feel like going to church. And I don't feel like talking to this person. Do you see what you're doing? Satan is distancing you from the people that you need the most. But when you're in the Word, you're persevering, you're encouraging. So again, the Scriptures are the very living Word of God. They're a two-edged sword, Hebrews 4 says. One writer said this, to separate yourself from Scripture is to turn a deaf ear to the voice of God. It's pretty graphic. When you choose not to read God's Word, you're choosing to plug your ears when God would speak to you as much as you want through the Word of God. I mean, God doesn't speak outside of His Word today. So if you want to hear God, look at the Scriptures. But if we don't look at the Scriptures, what are we saying? I don't need to hear from God today, or this week, or this month, or this year. To the extent that you read the word is the extent that you want to hear from God. So how can we focus on pleasing our neighbor instead of ourself? Edify your neighbor. Follow our Lord's example. Heed the scriptures. And finally, in verses five to six, pray for unity. He says, now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement. Isn't it fascinating? The same two words in verse four, we're told to to long for this perseverance and encouragement from the scriptures. And now we're told that God is the source. God is the giver and it feeds. The scriptures are the word of God. They are the word of God. So it's none other than God himself who gives perseverance and encouragement to his kids. And really, I think what verses five and six are is a prayer of Paul. Remember, he had never been to the city, he'd never been to Rome, but he'd heard of the concern and he knew of the potential for division. So he prays. And may I ask you that you would pray this for me and for this church, pray for one another, that God who gives perseverance and encouragement. You know, the gist of this prayer is that God would make us unified. Even though we have different backgrounds, we come from different cultures, we have different levels of spiritual maturity, we have different perspectives on preference issues, there can still be unity. And again, we keep in mind that this is what Jesus prayed for in John 17. Listen to what Jesus prayed. He says, I do not ask in behalf of these alone. In other words, his own apostles. But for those also who would believe in me through their word. That's us. that they all may be one, even as you, Father, are in me and I in you, that they also may be in us, that the world may believe that you did send me and the glory which you've given to me, I have given to them, that they may be one just as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that you did send me and you did love me, even as you have loved me. You know, a verse that we quote a lot is, by this shall all men know that you're my disciples if you have love for another. Another one that we could quote just as easily is, the world won't know where he is if we're divided. I mean, think about that. Jesus says over and over that they may know you sent me. How will the people around us know that we're the people of God? When we're becoming unified. Because if we're breaking up and divisive, we're acting just like the world. So Paul says, now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you or give you to be of the same mind with one another. Again, that idea of unity. And just because you come to this church doesn't mean that you'll be unified. Just because you join the church or give money or serve or teach, whatever. No. Spiritual unity has to come from the work of God within you. And unity doesn't mean we agree on every issue. Because what is this context? Preference issues. We're going to disagree on issues, and that's okay. As long as those issues are preference or secondary issues. We can't disagree on the deity of Christ. We can't disagree on the purpose of the church. We can't disagree on those cardinal truths. But whether we eat meat or not, we're still my brother and sister in Christ. Notice the standard here. It's according to Christ Jesus in verse 5. This is the divine standard. I'm not your standard and you're not the standard. Our standard is Christ. He is the benchmark. And the ultimate goal in verse six is that with one accord, you may with one voice glorify the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The sad reality is that divisions over non-essentials divert a lot of energy and time away from the main purpose of the church. Which is to glorify God, to minister to the believers and to reach the lost with the gospel. And yet, when we start arguing over secondary, non-essential issues, guess what? Satan is diverting our attention away from the main purpose onto issues that really don't matter. And so Paul reminds us here that our ultimate purpose is to glorify God, to bring him praise and honor. But we do so with one accord and one voice. We are many voices here, and yet we should speak as one. We should be unified. He doesn't say with multiple voices, he says with one voice, that unified as we respond correctly and appropriately to the Creator. You know how different how different this must be in the ears of God to hear one voice versus many. to hear one voice glorifying God instead of bickering, complaining, and murmuring. How sad it must be for so many churches to be like Corinth. And again, as I've said before, don't think it couldn't happen here. I mean, do we really think God is honored and glorified when His people are divisive? And then they try to come together to worship Him? You know, on the subject of music, there's what's called worship wars. How sad that there is such division over the music and a worship service. How about even go so far as to say that God is not glorified when his people are divided and we could be in serious danger here when we gather to worship. Do you understand that? There is a potential for disaster. When you and your heart are at enmity with your brother over a preference issue and you're saying, praise you God. The Bible says if you have issue with your brother, what? Leave your gift at the altar and go make things right with your brother or sister. Or who are we to glorify? The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ is the Lord Jesus Christ, a strong affirmation of His deity. You could even go so far as to say that God the Father is the God of Jesus Christ. On the cross, Jesus says, My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me? He is the Son of God the Father, and yet He's fully God. He's fully God, fully man. Someone has well said with the Trinity, if you try to explain it, you'll lose your mind. If you try to deny it, you'll lose your soul. It's one of those things where we can't grasp the depths of the Trinity. But God the Father is God of the Son, and yet they're both one in essence. And notice also the progression in verse 3, Paul says, of Jesus Christ. In verse 5, Christ Jesus. In verse 6, our Lord Jesus Christ. It's like a crescendo of praise. He's building up. You know, I think as Paul thought about the Lord Jesus Christ, he was filled with praise. It wasn't just the capture of a theological point. And I wonder if that's the way with you. When you finish reading the Bible, do you just put it aside and it doesn't change you, doesn't move you? Or does it move you to repentance, to brokenness, to worship? It did for Paul. You know, Paul was in Corinth as he wrote this letter to the Romans. And again, I say, he's never visited this church. He had undergone some serious trials, and you can read about those in the book of Acts. You may wonder, what kept Paul going? I mean, at one time in the book of Acts, he was stoned. He was left for dead. His friends are around him. And he gets up and does what? Says, let's go home. He goes right back into the city where he was stoned. Why did he do that? Well, first of all, I would say that Paul had an insatiable desire to glorify God in his life above anything else. He lived for the glory of God. He said, whether I eat or drink or whatever I do, I do it for the glory of God. Is that your purpose? It's easy to say it. It's harder to live it. Are we resolved to live for the glory of God? Number two, Paul had a tremendous love of the Scriptures. 2 Timothy, he's writing to Timothy. He says, bring the parchments, bring the scriptures. I'm in this prison cell by myself. I want the Word of God. Is that how you crave the Word of God? Do you miss it when you miss a day? Do you miss it when you miss it for two days? Third, Paul had a huge burden to see believers come to maturity. He says, I labor like a mom. I labor to bring you to the point of maturity. Number four, Paul had a huge burden to see the lost come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Do we share those same convictions with Paul? I think we would outwardly say yes. But inwardly, if you look back at this past week, as I look at my heart, so many times we don't glorify God. We don't have a love of the scriptures. We don't have a love of the body. And we certainly don't have the love of the lost as we should. This is what drove Paul to please others and ultimately to please God. We are following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, who was following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you find yourself on a path this week of pleasing yourself, you're on the wrong path. You took the wrong fork in the road, and your best advice is to repent, backtrack, and head down the path that leads to the glory of God. This isn't theoretical, beloved. This is a choice we have, I would say, every day of the week. to live for self, to live for others, to live for God, to live for self. What are you going to do? I pray that you'll pray with me for this body, for us corporately, individually, that God would give us unity, even when there's diversity. Let's pray. Lord God, again, we are challenged by your word to see this thought of pleasing ourselves and see in the mirror of our hearts so often is true. It's so easy to be wrapped up in our own world, waiting for others to serve us. And yet, Lord Jesus, you gave us the greatest example of coming and ministering and doing so to serve others, not self. But I pray for our hearts. I pray for this church that you would protect us from disunity and division, factions, friction, God, not that we'll agree on every issue, but God, I pray that we'll agree on the essentials and on the area of non-essential secondary issues that we can have a heart of charity and patience and understanding. Lord, again, help us to be the body that you would have for us to be.