Bulletins - Mokuaikaua Church

Hawaiian Doxology
Graves Into Gardens
Come And Let Us Go
Be Enthroned
O Praise The Name (Anástasis)
Prefer one another
Romans 14

I would like to continue with our series on the book of Romans.
This book is considered Paul’s masterpiece, a very well-constructed summary of Christian Theology.
Considered by many one of the most important books ever written on the Christian faith.
Last week we were on Romans 13,
is divided in three parts
1-7 How we are to relate to governing authorities
8-10 the believers and his fellow man our obligations
11-14 how the believers are to live in the last days.

Rom 13:13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
Rom 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Have you ever felt judged or rejected by another believer because you because you are not a vegetarian? Or because you drink coffee or wine?
This message is for you.

How do we behave among other believers?
Prefer one another

Let’s pray

1 Don’t Judge

Rom 14:1 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Weak in faith, feeble, disease,
In the context of this text Paul is talking about someone who becomes offended with irrelevant issues.
Don’t reject them, welcome them.

Rom 14:2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables.

Rom 14:3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.

Paul is not taking sides on who is right either , God has welcomed both of them, we are not talking about sinful behavior
The issue was that in the meat marked the best cuts of meat came from meat sacrificed to idols, some of the believers were opposed to that , and they would judge the ones who had no problem with it.

Rom 14:4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

Rom 14:5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.

Sabath are Saturdays, Sunday was the the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord, for some everyday is the day the Lord has made.

Rom 14:6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

Don’t Judge

Jesus uses the same word on His sermon on the Mount

Mat 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
Judge The word translated from the Greek (Krino)
Meaning, You have decided in your mind or judicially, to condemn and punish someone, to sentence.
Don’t judge not only for fear that others will judge you, but when you judge we have opened the door for men, hell, and heaven to judge us.

Mat 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

There are many in the body of Christ who say that we are not going to be judged for anything. Not what my bible says.

The idea that we will not be judge at all is not correct.

Rom 14:10 You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God's judgment seat.

Rom 14:11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.'"

Rom 14:12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Scripture shares about 3 judgments that all of us are going to face

A) Judgment if we are going to Heaven or Hell.

Mat 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.

Mat 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

Mat 25:33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

Mat 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,

Mat 25:36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

Mat 25:37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?

Mat 25:38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?

Mat 25:39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

Mat 25:40 "The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'

Mat 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.

Jesus said nothing about praying the sinner’s prayer or attending church every Sunday. If You gave your life to Jesus, and you are walking with Him, doing the things that are important to Him you are at his right hand.
Is not about what we think, because some people think that just because once upon a time they said yes to Jesus, and went on doing whatever they want, no change of life or habits, that is enough to get to Heaven, please ask Jesus if your life is pleasing to Him, He will give you a clear answer, repent while you can. When salvation happens, we can clearly see a change of behavior, we begin to care for people.
‌

B) Then we are judged here on earth

1Co 11:29 For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.

1Co 11:30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.

1Co 11:31 But if we were more discerning with regard to ourselves, we would not come under such judgment.

Wrong living will place us under judgement, some have died because of it, Paul was warning the church in Corinth about that, I don’t think God will make you sick, but Satan the enemy of our soul will attach us, and if we are not discerning and repenting over what gave him the authority to come after us, we will be judge.

Heb 12:5 And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

Heb 12:6 because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son."

Heb 12:7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

Heb 12:8 If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

When I get sick, I always check, is this an attack of the enemy because I open a door and I need to repent, or just something I need to ask for healing?

God will discipline us for wrong living right here on earth.

C) Judgement on our rewards

2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Everything we do will be judge, some will go up in smoke, but for what is pure and righteous we will receive a reward.

1Co 3:13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work.

1Co 3:14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

1Co 3:15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

Since none of us are able to judge with the right heart, is important that we take care of our own hearts and walk in humility.
Paul was not condemning or encouraging the weak to become stronger he was encouraging all of us to prefer one another.

2 Don’t be a Hypocrite.

Mat 7:3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Mat 7:4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

Mat 7:5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

We need to pay attention to what is displeasing the Lord in our own lives before we go after someone else.

Most of our standing for true and righteousness is about ourselves, irritations about people that annoys us, and If is annoying us we probably have the same problem. We judge them as bad people and even question their salvation like we have being given that kind of authority.
Don’t judge you are only getting yourself into trouble with men and God and opening the door for Satan to come after you.

Please don’t miss understand me
I’m not suggesting that we remain quiet or ignore evil practices, and ideologies that are destroying the life of children and are anti God.

Last year I read a book by Eric Metaxas (Letter to the American church)
Excellent book, He was looking into the many mistakes made by the German church during Hitler’s time.
They were judged by God and still carrying the shame, till today, The Nazis would never gone as far as they went, if the church had not move along with their ideology. They had 18000 pastors during those days in Germany only six thousand opposed the Nazi party, and 12000 became critical of those who oppose Them, because they were opposing the government or not open to new ideas even though it was clear they were anti God.

Unfortunately we are not too far from that right now, Our churches are afraid to be called radicals, and be cancelled, so most of the them go along with everything , so they can keep everyone happy.

God loves everyone even murderers, but to praise bad behavior or destructive ideology is evil, and God hates evil.
We are seeing a Great pressure on our children to become transgender; people try to convince children that mutilating themselves is how they can find themselves, same sex marriage, abortion for any reason at any time. Laws that praise evil and put down good.
Do you realize that, there are people looking at you, trying to be assured about what is true and right? You are the one who will encourage them to do what is Godly, or to compromise, we have plenty people who are compromising. Are you?

3 Don’t cause your brother to stumble

Prefer one another
Rom 14:13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

Rom 14:14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean.

Rom 14:15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died.

Rom 14:16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil.

Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

If a glass wine makes your brother to stumble don’t drink, if eating meat makes them to stumble don’t eat meat, missing a meal will not kill you, prefer your brother or sister, love them.

Rom 14:18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Rom 14:19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Rom 14:20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats.

Rom 14:21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.

Rom 14:22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves.

Rom 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.
We need to be Walking in submission to Jesus, to be able to prefer one another, to love them

Have you asked Jesus to be the Lord of your life?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Joh 3:16

To receive Him we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.
If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?
Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.
I receive Christ as my savior,
I confess him as Lord
from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,
in the fellowship of his church,
In Jesus name. Amen!
1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke itand said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks thiscup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.
Open The Eyes Of My Heart

Prefer one another

1 Don’t Judge

2 Don’t be a Hypocrite.

3 Don’t cause your brother to stumble