Gimo is actually the Italian pronunciation and the proper way to pronounce it, so it's not just British. Good morning, and I would like you to do me a favor since, uh, I'm flying solo today. Heather's home, not feeling well, with our youngest who is not feeling well, and if the number nineteen happens to pop up on that screen, I think that's my number, and I'm gonna need someone to go to the nursery on my behalf. Actually, I'm still not convinced that's related to the nursery. I think they've handed Jack Fish a remote back there, and I think they've asked him to rate the preacher as he goes along. And it's on a scale of one to ten, so if you see a, a twenty up there, I'm doing really well. I must be pronouncing the Greek properly. Well, you might recall from last Sunday that we began to consider some principles for Christian unity that are found in Romans chapter fourteen. And if you have your copy of the Word of God, you can open there if you'd like to, if you need to check out my theology. And these principles inform us as to how we should treat other believers who happen to have a difference of opinion on matters of secondary and perhaps even tertiary importance. These matters have nothing to do with moral concerns. They have nothing to do with doctrinal concerns. They're just secondary matters of the Christian life. And Paul addresses the need for Christians to allow for diversity, diversity of opinion, diversity of preferences in our Christian lives. We explored Paul's exhortation in the first twelve verses, where he commands us to practice mutual forbearance with our brothers and sisters. He tells Christians who are strong in the faith that you are commanded to accept the weaker brother or sister. This morning we'll explore his second exhortation found in verses thirteen through twenty three. It's an exhortation intended primarily for the strong, that they should accommodate the weaker brother and sister so as to not destroy him or her, but rather build him or her up in their faith as a believer. You know, when it comes to any kind of relationship between two or more people, there always has to be, always has to be some kind of accommodation made, just to maintain a healthy, ongoing, vital relationship. Like two ships, not simply passing in the night, but headed for a collision course. One of the ships has to change course to avoid mutual damage. One of us has to yield the right of way at times. That's just the way it is in human relationships. Sometimes it is necessary for one of the parties to acquiesce to the preferences of the other to maintain peace and harmony. At our wedding ceremony, my bride made a conscious decision to accommodate a request that I had made in advance. I'm not talking about the I do. She accommodated. She said I do, and I'm happy that she did, although sometimes I'm not sure she's happy that she did. But I made one request in that ceremony, actually two, that Angel Rivera would sing, and that I would be taller than she. I asked her not to wear shoes with any kind of heel whatsoever. That way I could be certain that I would be taller than my bride. I know what you're thinking right about now. You're thinking, Jimo, you are so vain and really short. I was thrilled when I saw her come down that aisle, but I was even more thrilled when she joined me by my side, at my side, and I rejoiced because I was taller! She acquiesced. I looked down at the hem of her gown, and she stuck out her foot, and there she was wearing some white sandal-like shoes, flatter than a pancake. Now, I want you to know that it's mutual accommodation. I accommodate her sometimes too. I change diapers, I wash dishes, well, actually I stick them in the machine and push wash, but I, I do that, and I even forego a date night at the movie theaters because she would rather go to Borders and have some coffee and some conversation. You see, she doesn't like to waste a very rare date night that we happen to get every new moon. She doesn't like to waste that at the movie theater because you can't talk there. I go to the movie theater because you can't talk there. I tell her, why do we need to talk? We live together. We can talk all the time, anytime we want. And Friday night is, it's the last thing that I want to do is talk. I am a teacher. I talk all day long. Students wish I would shut up. I've already used up my ten thousand word allowance. Psychologists tell us that women need to use something like fifteen thousand words every day just to have their needs met. I don't get my wife. I'm surprised when she hasn't used up her fifteen thousand by the end of the day when I come home. She talks to Tanya on the phone. She talks to Krista on the phone. She talks to various other people on the phone, Angie. She talks to her brother on the phone. She talks to her mother on the phone every day, two times a day, and she still has words left over for me. I guess research is not correct in her case. Well, as is our custom, we go into Borders, we get our cup of coffee, we sit down at the table, and we talk for about five to ten minutes, and she can see, she notices that I've reached my limit. She says to me, all right, you've done your duty, go look at the books. And so I do. You see, that's what keeps the peace in our relationship. We have learned how to accommodate to one another. But I tell you what, I- I- I tell you this, when Bill Gaither brings his crew of gospel singers to Dubuque in the fall, I have already told her that I will not join her, that I will not take her. Two and a half hours of that would put me over the edge. Now, she's fry- she's free to buy a ticket, but I'm not going. So if there's anybody out there that loves that old time gospel music with the Gaithers and their fifty thousand old folk up on stage singing, let Heather know that you're a kindred spirit, and she might even pay for your ticket to spite me. Let's turn our attention to Paul's exhortation in verses thirteen through twenty three. It's an exhortation directed to the strongest Christian on how to accommodate or help a weaker brother or sister. Paul writes in verse thirteen, therefore we must not pass judgment on one another, but rather determine never, never to place an obstacle or a trap before a brother or a sister. I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean in itself. Still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. For if your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. Do not destroy by your food someone for whom Christ died. Therefore, do not let what you consider good to be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. For the one who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by people. So then, let us not pursue, let us pursue, rather, what makes for peace, not for the building up, rather, and for the building up of one another. Do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food. For although all things are clean, it is wrong to cause anyone to stumble by what you eat. It is not good to eat meat or drink, or drink wine, or to do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith you have, keep yourself before God. Blessed is the one who does not judge himself by what he approves. But the man who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not do so from faith, and whatever is not from faith is sin. The first principle for helping a weaker Christian is found here in verse thirteen. Instead of passing judgment, Paul writes, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother's way. It's interesting how Paul uses the Greek verb krino twice in this verse, but each time with a different connotation. The first use of the verb is in the phrase, let us not judge, and it carries the idea of condemnation. But the same Greek verb is used in the following phrase, and it's translated determine. Our English word judge has both connotations as well, a negative and a positive. Being judgmental carries a negative idea, one of denunciation, whereas using your best judgment refers to a positive idea of making a careful decision. Paul's play on words in this verse demands that we should never be judgmental of fellow believers, but instead we should use our best judgment to always help them, to always assist them, instead of hindering them. And did you notice Paul's usage of the imagery of the Christian life as a journey? Here in verse thirteen, he reminds us that it is possible for the strong believer to behave in such a way that causes a brother or sister to stumble in their walk with the Lord. And then later in verse fifteen, he reminds us that our harmful actions as stronger brothers and sisters also affect our own walk, not just someone else's. Christians are called to walk the path of brotherly love, to put our need- their needs, rather, before our own needs. And when we don't do that, we hurt our own walk with the Lord. Paul gives a similar warning to the Corinthians in First Corinthians chapter eight verse nine. He says, be careful, lest your liberty somehow becomes a stumbling block to the weak. I saw this principle practiced in my assembly as a young Christian. There came a time when the elders had to make a very difficult decision, one that would rock the boat of one of the lifelong traditions in the assembly. Many in our assembly believed strongly that in the breaking of bread, we should use one cup and one cup only for the entire congregation to drink from. After all, Jesus gave thanks, and he passed the cup. We want to be biblical. We want to be scriptural, and so they also said it has to be filled with wine. And to be really scriptural, it has to be filled with Jewish wine. And so that's why they bought the cheap stuff, the Mogen David, the three dottle, 3 dollar bottle of wine. I have no idea how I know that quote, but I just do. Maybe they sent me to get a bottle one time, I don't know. Now, I rode the church van, and typically we were the last ones to arrive at the assembly, which meant that for the breaking of bread, we sat in the back seats. Typically, back seats are the better seats, the preferred seats, but not for the breaking of bread service. The back seats are not the preferred seating because you're one of the last ones to receive the cup. And when you receive the cup, you have to rotate it and look for a clean spot where there is no lipstick. And then, by God's providence, if you happen to find a clean spot, you must be careful not to drink of the flotsam. That- that's the backwash bread that's floating on top of the cup. This was a dearly held tradition among the elderly saints, but the among the younger couples, something had to change, especially since cold and flu season was coming around. Something had to change. About that same time, a man who had just got saved started coming to our assembly, and he posed a problem because he had been living on the streets of Chicago as an alcoholic. That's all he knew. Two of our elders led him to the Lord, and they helped him turn his life around. They helped him find employment at a, a large company in Chicago that belonged to a wonderful Christian family. They helped him find a place to live. They even provided money for him to get adequate clothing. He came to the chapel every Sunday, and he began to participate at the Lord's table. And as the elders discussed this issue of changing from the, the one communion chalice, you know, the Holy Grail, to that silver thingy, that flying saucer thingy with individual cups in it. As they debated this change of becoming more like a denominational church, the elders chose not only to make that change from one cup but to individual cups, but to also provide grape juice as an option because they did not want to place a potential stumbling block in this new Christian's life. And this is just one example of how strong Christians make the determination to be sensitive to the weakness of a fellow believer. This principle in verse thirteen applies really to any activity or practice that is not inherently sinful. For example, the New Testament does not forbid the drinking of alcoholic beverages. But if our drinking in moderation places a stumbling block in a fellow believer's way in their walk with the Lord and could potentially cause them to fall back on a former addiction, then we as strong believers should have no problem whatsoever abstaining, giving up our freedom when in his presence or her presence. See, that's the essence of Christian liberty. Christian liberty is not just about my freedom to participate. That's one side of the story. Christian freedom is also about my freedom to not participate, to abstain for the sake of a brother or a sister. You see, my goal in the Christian life is not to please myself. It's to please my Savior and to bring glory to my God. And l- let me add a little side note here. Putting the needs of your brother or sister in the Lord before your own brings glory to God in ways that you and I cannot even begin to imagine. God gets glory when he sees his children treating each other properly. And if that means Tim Iverson and I have to stop going to the Dubuque Mining Company to get a delicious hamburger for lunch, then we're willing to do that for the sake of a weaker brother. Oops, Tim, I'm not sure if I was supposed to mention that we go there. He always tells me, don't tell anybody. Oh, he's gonna get me back. He's gonna put me on first base. And if that means, if that means that my brother is convinced that I should have our Bible study together at five a.m. on Saturday mornings because his conviction is that serious Christians rise before the sunlight, and whose mantra is no br- no Bible, no breakfast. If that's his conviction, then I can sacrifice getting up at eight o'clock on Saturday mornings so that I can be with him, so that I can encourage him in the word and watch God do incredible things in his life as the Spirit of God changes him. And don't worry about it. When he gets married eventually and has kids of his own, he'll change his mind, come to his senses, and get up at eight o'clock on Saturdays. You see, we should desire to be stepping stones, not stumbling blocks in the lives of fellow Christians. The spirit in which we accommodate a weaker brother or sister is not that of legalism, but of love. The attitude is not I have to, or I ought to, but I want to for the sake of my brother. The second principle of accommodating a weaker brother is that we must be careful not to say or do anything that could cause them to be spiritually grieved or hurt. Consider verses fourteen and fifteen. Therefore, we, rather, I know and am convinced in the Lord Jesus that there is nothing in clean, nothing unclean in itself. Still, it is unclean to the one who considers it unclean. Paul tells the stronger brothers and sisters that he personally understands their dilemma. He understands the paradox that some foods can be clean, while at the same time that food can be unclean. On the one hand, the strong are convinced that all foods are clean. On the other hand, the weak are convinced that they are not. How should the strong behave when these two convictions collide? Paul's response here is unambiguous. And even though he shares the conviction of the stronger brother, he tells us that right here in verse fourteen. He was convinced, he says, in the Lord Jesus, which meant he knew by divine revelation that they were right. He understands and agrees and is persuaded with their position. But even given that, even though they're biblically correct, he tells them they must defer to the weaker brother's conscience when with him, so as to not have him violate his conscience. Paul's emphasis in this passage is on how our words and our actions affect the spiritual welfare of other Christians. And if because of food or secondary issues, our brother is hurt, we are no longer walking in love. The Greek verb here is translated causing pain or grief. If your brother feels grief or pain because of what you eat, because he sees you doing something of which he disapproves, you are no longer acting in love because love never, love never ever disregards a weak conscience. The idea here is that the stronger Christian is well aware of the weaker brother's conviction, but the stronger brother makes a conscious choice to participate anyway with his brother's weaker brother's knowledge of it, knowing full well that it will offend him. But I'm gonna assert my right anywho. Paul goes on to make a very serious point that to wound a weaker brother's conscience is not only to put him in distress, but also you'll destroy him. That is totally incompatible with the way of love. Look at the end of verse fifteen. Paul says, do not by your eating destroy your brother for whom Christ died. If Christ sacrificed his life to rescue that person, to save that person, to deliver that person, then why in the world am I participating in their destruction? Why would I choose to harm them? What an odious position to be found in, to participate in the destruction of those whom Christ has saved. To what kind of destruction is Paul referring? He isn't talking about eschatological ruin. He's not talking about hell. He's already affirmed the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints in Romans eight, that a believer in Christ can never, ever be separated from God's love. According to Vine's Expository Dictionary, the Greek word for destroy here refers not to a loss of one's being, but the ruin of someone's well-being. It's the idea that whoever misleads a Christian to go against his conscience will damage that Christian's walk, will damage that Christian's growth, will damage that Christian's discipleship. The word for destroy also communicates the idea of reducing someone to uselessness. By encouraging a weaker brother to behave against his conscience will render him ineffective in his service for the Lord, because he'll feel shame, he'll feel guilt instead of righteousness in his relationship before God. He'll feel just the way Adam did after Adam chose to disobey in the garden. He will feel defeated instead of victorious. He will feel useless. Your conscience is never an infallible guide. But nevertheless, it's wrong to go against your conscience. Because verse twelve reminds us that each of us will give an account of himself to God. You will not have to answer for me. I will not have to answer for you. Each of us will give an answer of ourselves to God. That's why Paul makes the assertion later on in verse twenty three that the one who doubts is condemned. Because you have to give an answer for that choice when you didn't exercise it with conviction and faith. Let me give you another example from my assembly in Chicago. One of my friend's mom wanted to take all the teens to a movie that was produced by the Billy Graham Association. Well, when word got out, you can imagine some of the objections that were raised by, by just a small group of individuals, one of whom happened to be an elder. The problem in their perspective was twofold. Number one, she planned the outing on a Sunday night. Now today, Sunday night's not a big deal, but back in those days, when we still had a Sunday night gospel meeting, and everybody attend. That was a problem. And the elder quoted that familiar verse, do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together. The second reason why they were opposed is that the movie was going to be shown in a movie theater. Think of that. Now, listen, logic is if it's a video and you show it in your home, it's fine. But if you associate, especially a youth group, with a sinful place like a movie theater, that is going to rub off on them. This was their thinking. These were their objections. My friend's mother decided that these objections were secondary issues, that they really were not biblical matters. And because the young people would spiritually benefit, God would get glory in this activity, she decided to press on. And most of the elders and the folks in the chapel agreed with her. All the young people decided that they were gonna go, and finally that one elder acquiesced because his own teens decided they were gonna go. Not to, to point out a failure on his part or anybody's part. We have our convictions. Sometimes we're on a collision course. The night that we were all going to meet at the chapel right before the meeting and go to the theater, I- I decided not to go. There w- there- there was something inside of me that, that just said, maybe you ought not go. I told my friends, and they're like, are you crazy? Oh, you're just trying to give in to this one elder because you like him so much. I'm like, no, that that's not why. I just feel I need to go to the assembly. You know, as I look back on that decision, it was the right one for me. I have no problem with all of my friends and my friend's mom who went. I have absolutely no problem with that. That was their conviction. They did it for God's glory. But I wasn't convinced in my own mind. Paul tells us earlier, verses five and six, let each one be convinced in his own mind, fully convinced that what he does, he does for the Lord. I wasn't convinced, and I'm glad I made that decision. Paul also says we should not condemn or resolve to hurt or hinder another brother's spiritual progress by enticing them to go against their convictions. Had my friends, you know, tried to pull me to go, it would have been wrong for them to go against my convictions. Let each believer be convinced in their own mind that these secondary matters are based on their convictions and their faith. Our objective should be for Christians to be in the Word so that the Holy Spirit can transform their mind and change their opinions if they happen to be wrong or not important. Let God change them. God will do a far better work of changing their mind than you and I ever could, no matter the defense we mount. Let's not hinder a fellow brother or sister in their spiritual progress. The third principle, quickly, is found in verses sixteen to eighteen of helping a weaker brother. And one of the ways we can do that is do not forfeit your witness. In other words, don't allow what is permissible to ever give occasion for the weak to condemn you and your behavior. Later, in verse twenty two, Paul will counsel the strong to practice their liberty in private, instead of flaunting it before those who are weak. The story's told frequently of C. H. Spurgeon, how for many years he saw nothing wrong with smoking. To him, smoking was no sin whatsoever. He could do it in all good conscience. Until he found that a tobacco firm had come up with a new advertising slogan, quote, the brand that Spurgeon smokes, end quote. See, he had given the wrong impression about the Christian life, and he made a choice from that day forward to give up the habit, to abstain, to not exercise his liberty. We must not only guard against giving the wrong impression, but we must guard ourselves against getting a wrong impression about the Christian life. Paul says there in verses seventeen and eighteen, the kingdom of God is not about food or drink. It's about righteousness and peace and joy, and that's what should characterize our individual Christian lives. That's what should characterize the life of our assemblies. Let me close with this this morning. Our own brother Mark Stevenson gave a message yesterday morning at the Iron Sharpens Iron Conference, and he talked about reclaiming a, a vision of the greatness of our God and giving God the glory due to his name. He exhorted us to cultivate a First Corinthians ten thirty one attitude in our personal lives and in the lives of our church. Whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. He reminded us that all of life is the arena, the opportunity for us to glorify God. And the question I have for you and for myself this morning is this: do we at Arbor Oaks have that kind of attitude in our assembly life? Do our brothers and sisters at ACC have that kind of attitude in your assembly life? Or do we have the attitude that, who cares if I stumble, a weaker brother or sister? I'm gonna exercise my right, my liberty. You know, the answer to that question, if our assemblies are glorifying God, the answer is in look at how we treat each other. It's easy to sing songs and I love you, Lord, and you're wonderful and you're great, and yet turn around and lambast our brother or sister. Apostle John tells us that that can't be. Can't say you love God and not love your brother. Do we practice mutual forbearance? Do we practice mutual edification? Could we care less if our brother or sister stumbles? Paul says, do not destroy the work of God for the sake of food, for the sake of these non-essential matters. Forbear with one another, build up one another, walk in love, and you know what? God will get the glory due to his name. Let's pray. Father, you are a great God. Sometimes our eyes are blinded to your greatness and your goodness. You gave your own son to die in my place. What more proof of your goodness and greatness and love could I ever ask for? Father, I pray that you would help each of us as brothers and sisters in the Lord to be concerned about one another. And those of us who happen to be somewhat more mature in our thinking on these things, help us to treat those who are still coming along in the, in the way. Help us to treat them right, to take them by our side, to accept them, to love them, to accommodate them, to forbear with them as they with us, to edify. Oh God, this is our prayer for our assembly and for our lives. Help us do this, we pray, because we cannot do it in our own strength. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is oh so weak. We ask you in Jesus' name. Amen.