Thank you for taking the time to read the Weekend Sermon. I am thankful to the Lord for the opportunity to post this message. I hope that everyone is having a good week.
The first thing that I want to mention today is the terrible situation happening in California. The fires are still burning out of control. Many have lost their lives. Please pray that the fires will be contained and extinguished. Pray for the safety of those combating the fires. Pray for those who have been displaced by the fires that they will receive the help that they need.
This week I've been very busy at my job. I am thankful for the work. It has also been a good week in writing, and I am thankful to the Lord for that as well. I have been a little bit under the weather this week, so please pray that I will get to feeling better.
This week, one of my Mom's brothers passed away. Please pray for the family during this hard time. I also learned this week that one of my aunts has cancer of the pancreas and is not expected to live much longer. Please be in prayer for her and her family.
Continue to pray for peace in the troubled areas of this world. Yemen needs prayer. The war in this country has caused both famine and disease. Pray that peace will come in this country as soon as possible. Continue to pray for peace in Syria, Afghanistan, Libya and South Sudan.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Comoros and Uzbekistan. Pray that many will hear about the love and forgiveness of Jesus.
In last week's message, we studied a little about Romans 14. That chapter talks about how we should not cause another member of the faith to stumble. I focused on the verse in the chapter that talks about the fact that everyone will give an account to God for their own actions. We need to live our lives in such a way that we will be able to hear Jesus say that we have done what is right when we meet Him face to face.
Today, we turn our attention to the first part of Romans 15. I would like to focus on the first three verses of the section for today that state, "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. For even Christ did not please Himself".
The immediate context of this passage is the continuation of Paul's discussion in chapter 14 about those who are stronger in the faith not eating meat sacrificed to idols so as not to damage the faith of those who believed that eating this type of meat was wrong. However, I believe that Paul is going beyond this by including the wording in verse three about Christ not pleasing Himself.
I believe that what Paul is getting at in these verses is that there are people in the faith and in this world who are stronger in some areas than others are. Some are weaker in some ways. Those who have strength in one area should help the weak.
Let me give an example. Let's start with a spiritual example. Some people seem more able to deal with temptation than others. Those who are able to overcome have an obligation to help those who are struggling.
Some people have a hard time with mental issues. Those of us that can need to help those who need our help dealing with the difficulties that they are facing.
Some are in a better financial situation than others. Those who have the resources to help those who find themselves in difficult financial circumstances have an obligation to do so.
As believers in Jesus, we are to follow His example. Jesus left all of the glories of Heaven to come to this earth in the form of humanity. He humbled Himself. He was tempted in every manner as we are, yet He was without sin. Jesus suffered and died on the cross. He did this so that we who are weak might be made strong through what He has accomplished on our behalf.
While He was ministering on this earth, Jesus always took the time to help people. He healed everyone who came to Him. He went about doing as much good as He could possible do.
We who are the followers of Jesus have the duty to serve others just as Jesus came to serve and not to be served. There are many in this world who are hurting and need our help. We have to help others directly and indirectly.
We help people directly when we use the abilities and resources that God has blessed us with to help people through the various types of difficulties that they are encountering. We help people indirectly when we advocate for policies in this world that promote social and economic justice.
There are many in this world today who are kept in poverty because they are oppressed by governments and corporate powers that attempt to keep down those who have less power than they do. They oppress people by not paying a livable wage, and they oppress the world by destroying the environment that all of us depend on.
As Christians, we have to be the voice for the weak against the power of the strong who seek to oppress others. We must advocate for justice and goodness in this world.
When we see a need and we can help others in this world, we need to follow the example of the Lord Jesus who fed the hungry and brought healing to those who were hurting. I urge everyone to help those who are weak and powerless. Help those who are going through a difficult time whether they are Christians or non-Christians. This is what Jesus would want us as His followers to do.
Thanksgiving Day is coming up this week in my country. It is time when we are to be thankful for all of the blessings that God has provided. We all need to be grateful to God for our blessings. We need to realize but for the grace of God we all could be in desperate circumstances. Instead of berating others and blaming others for their problems, we need to be thankful for what we have and then reach out a helping hand to others in the name of Jesus.
This world and the oppression that is in it will not change until Christians speak up for the oppressed. If those who name the name of Jesus would speak up for economic and environmental justice, I believe that the world could rapidly change. Many people would be delivered from poverty and oppression. The sick would get the medications and the treatments that they need. Climate change would be addressed, and hunger would be eliminated.
The resolutions to these problems begins when Christians will follow the example of Jesus. When we follow Jesus and act as He did in this world, the world will change. Christians must never be on the side of the oppressors. Christians must stand for the principles of Jesus and make a difference for justice and good in this world.
Next week, I will post the verses on Monday. I will not be posting a review on Wednesday. The library is closing early, and I don't get off work in time to make it to the library. I will post the sermon on Saturday, and we will continue in the book of Romans. May God bless you all. Amen.
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