Freedom and Love

All of us value of freedom normally start your liberty in this country is the symbol of the importance of the freedom of the individual. Yet as we celebrate her freedom.

I think all of us recognize that there are restraints on their freedom. The limitations overlook about liberty. For example, while we have the freedom of speech we we are not free to slander people were not free to stand up in the middle of the service and disrupted some of you may want to do that, you're not free to do that we don't have the legal limit. Take assault someone to steal from them, and even apart from legal restraints and we recognize that sometimes we simply deliver that we simply limit our liberty. Every married couple knows that you want a good marriage even if you're free to do some things. If you're wise, if you're smart, you sometimes choose not to exercise a particular freedom I would be think of that we realize that as I prayed.

Of all of the people on this planet, we who are followers of Jesus Christ on the freest of people that may not seem to the unbeliever, but we are free when free from sin when free from the fear of death free from the law, free from guilt and free to serve God free to be the kind of people that God created us to be and is a travesty of the gospel is that when Christianity is presented as a lifestyle of taboos of do's and don'ts agreement.

A grim and gloomy life of following rules and regulations that is not, I repeat not authentic Christianity and we have learned in this wonderful series on on Romans as we started this going on for several months that Paul emphasizes the freedom that we have in Christ.

Paul is the apostle of freedom, but Paul also understands what we need to understand that in considering this magnificent subject of freedom. We realize that sometimes we are to restrict voluntarily our freedom. That is were not always to insist on our rights on our preferences on our perspectives and in Romans chapter 14 and 15 that were considering at this morning. Paul gives instructions where Christians we saw this last week for Christians to further on matters mother is not fundamental to the gospel is not saying that, but there are issues secondary issues chapter 14 verse one. He says don't quarrel over opinions don't quarrel going on finds doorknob arguments over disputable matters that in matters of eating.

He saddened drinking and observing certain days. We are to consider others.

That is, we are to limit our freedom. Paul encourages us and we will see this again this week. In this passage he encourages us to welcome others not to judge other people not to look down on them not to despise them, but as followers of Jesus Christ. We are to give a warm welcome and offending welcome to every follower of Jesus Christ is the principal welcome one another even and can I say, particularly when you disagree with that person that opinion on a certain manner that is different from yours, how they exercise their Christian freedom is somewhat different from yours. Don't look down on them.

Don't be superior sampling on despise them, but rather welcome them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This can I say is the transformation of the gospel by nature. We are selfish, self-centered, insistent, and our way and our preferences.

But now, as Christ comes and forgives our sins and lives within us. There is this tremendous transformation where we become more and more like Jesus. And that is seen in part, by the way we treat others. This is the transformation of the gospel when we have a community of believers. When we truly love one another and welcome one another by Sunday evening. At the end of the service. I had the privilege on your behalf to welcome some of our new members much. I can remember how many there were maybe a dozen or 15 is somewhat older. Some were younger some were local from North Carolina. Others came from other side of the world and in each case, we welcome the and I trust you do that you do that in a practical way to come to Calvary church.

When you meet new people will whoever they are, that you welcome them in the name of Jesus Christ's know if you need to Calvary church. If you come over the last year or two you appreciate that welcome and I trust it is authentic. What is the characterize followers of Jesus above all, Jesus said by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another soul want the overwhelming characteristic of Calvary church is that we love one another one of her problems today perpetuated by social media is that there's a lot of hate speech. There are people who go on social media, and they want to convince everyone of their particular perspective. And if you dare to suggest another point a way view your insulted, perhaps even strengthens and so we have this terrible phenomenon, even in our own country where people are unable apparently to relate to one another. If we see things differently that's disastrous is and I trust no member of Calvary church engages in that kind of behavior and that kind of speech on social media.

You say I have the freedom to do a guess you have that is enshrined in the magnificent Constitution of the United States. Yes, you have the freedom to do it but can I suggest, as we'll see in the authority of the word of God, the sometimes you are to limit freedom just because you have the right to do something on the right to say something, doesn't mean that you do or say that by this Paul is going to say so wonderfully here we are to limit our freedom by supposing you are strong in your faith and I you think I'm weak in my faith in some area or vice versa. What are we to do freedom without responsibility liver today without restraints. Whether it's on Facebook, but sadly the church of Jesus Christ can be very destructive and in a passage which is a longer one than usual today. Paul is going to give us three principles which will guide us in the exercise of her freedom in the first one is found in Romans chapter 14, I invite you to open your Bibles.

There we do believe in coming with the Bible and opening the Bible and actually reading the Bible and are trying to understand it so Romans chapter 14 and that first of all I'm going to read from verse 13 through verse 18 where Paul is saying here is the first principle voluntarily limit your freedom so you don't want to offend your brother in a flash would say who cares what my brother thinks Paul, who cares what my sister thinks I have the right to do that.Paul not in the church of Jesus Christ, your brother here says that out of voluntarily limit your freedom so you don't offend your brother if you don't believe me. I trust you believe the apostle Paul in the spirit of God.

Romans 14 verse 13. Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer. That stuff.

One of these people going around looking down on others because they don't agree with your opinion on the disputable matter of judging them. It is not clear, but rather decides here's a resolution to make decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother 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 footage of brothers 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.

So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil, for the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever is ourselves. Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men just up there voluntarily limit your freedom so you're not offending your brother or sister. Dawn spiritually impedes your brother or sister in Christ.

Verse 13, Paul talks of a stumbling block or hindrance stumbling block block means a body in the roadway.

As such, is a big pothole in the road.

Don't dig a porthole for your brother to volunteer hindrance is referring to a snare or a trap, something which would trip up your brother and cause him to send dorm to the head. Why would you put up barley in the way of the spiritual growth of your sister. Why would you do something which would hinder her spiritual health and the spiritual witness.

The point is that is that Paul is saying as he continues what he said in the first 12 verses of chapter 4 Dean.

The point is we are not to hurt or destroy our brother by insisting on our freedom in Christ. Dawn pressured that brother Don pressure that sister to go against their conscience. You think you spiritually superior.

You got the answer you got this figured out, and you can't understand why your brother or sister doesn't see it the same way as you see it, scrub situations like that don't use your freedom to put up barley or hindrance in the way of your sister is an abuse of your freedom when making these kind of decisions is not just a matter of what's right and wrong that our rights and the right wrongs, but I'm also to consider while with her my actions as I exercise my freedom for their my actions would have a negative impact on you where my brother or sister.

In other words, love limits freedom yes is a principle of principle of freedom and we love that principle that we are free in Christ, we are free to serve Christ. But there's another principle, a principal of love and then Paul say earlier in chapter 12 verse nine let love be genuine.

Verse 10 love one another with a brotherly affection, so I've also to think not only of the principle of my freedom and the exercise of my freedom, but to think in a sense of a greater principal principal of love.

That's a two-year-old or three-year-old little boy when you're going for a walk the walk in your speed on his feet you work at the speed of your little boy when I started dating, I didn't realize how fast I walked.

I told my wife was a little shorter than I am very cute but on the small side. She she would say to me John why are you going so fast going fast at me want to dissuade them when I thought, yeah, I am walking fast.

What do do I slow down. Do I have the freedom to walk at any speed alike. Of course I do.

But would you love a person, you walk at their speed.

Love limits our freedom, liberty apart from love results and license results in intolerance and noticed a great motivation that Paul gives us in verse 15 he says put your brothers grieved by what you eat, you no longer walking in love by what you eat. Do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. Or that's a tremendous motivation is as I exercise my freedom this brother. This system is the one for whom Christ died.

Can I disregard them. So on these nonessentials. These opinions these disputable areas that Paul has referred to in chapter 14 verse one. Limit your freedom.

Don't use your freedom to destroy your brother.

Don't use your freedom to spiritually impede the spiritual health and the spiritual growth of your brother in Christ Paul and he's going to say in chapter 15 verse one we who are strong. Paul obviously regards himself as strong and understands verse 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is incomplete is unclean in itself, but is this dispute about fatherhood is it is it wrong to eat a ham sandwich. There were people in the church at Rome converted Jews absolutely were not allowed to take. Paul says no nothing is unclean in itself, that in fact was the teaching overlord in Mark chapter 7 member there's a debate about ceremonial uncleanness and he says in verse 18 Mark seven verse 18 he said to them, then are you also without understanding do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled.

Thus he declared all foods clean perfectly entitled to have the time saying which nothing is unclean in itself. Acts chapter 10.

This was a revelation to Peter as he is used by God in the conversion of Cornelius and Gentile acts chapter 10 verse 15 the vision it comes to Peter and the boys came to him a second time what God has made clean. Do not call, no policy, there is no no ceremonial uncleanness. You're free to eat any food you want.

However, is that the case then and know that believers in Jesus Christ internalize truth at different rates. There something spiritual truth that we hear and we accept them fairly quickly. We understand them that all other things that we struggle with and we struggle with different things. Once we see attendance clear from Scripture, and that revealed by the Holy Spirit to us was that everyone see this way, that's true, Paul is saying listen you need anything you want.

All foods clean but still in the church in Rome, there were people who had their conscience over eating a certain type of food. They refused to eat certain food. They had a conscience about it to understand that this is difficult for us a measure brought up in the Jewish faith food laws for Jews were very very strict. You couldn't eat many types of meat you can eat shellfish and many other things. And these food restrictions for the author jot Orthodox Jew was so strict that an Orthodox Jew would never eat with a Gentile, for fear of being ceremonially on clean. If you've traveled beyond North Carolina.

You realize that different foods are very important to difference in cultures Fred Bridges and I unit or two ago were in Kazakhstan on a mission trip planned. We start dying and we were served serve this foot and I likely just about all mates but I notice this particular meat was very, very dark and there we began to eat it is also very, very chilly, very, very tough and I said to Fred, what are we eating and he said this is horsemeat and I said if you got the horse I got the saddle because mine was really tough. There were several what do we do we keep eating it too much and then another occasion they gave me some fermented Campbells milk to wash it down her lovely never tried it abounded a pretty good summary. I was brought up the old-fashioned way. If it would put on your plate UH farther than Mike and the discussion one is. He said we thank God for he didn't wait. Yes, that Second Life is good enough for me is good enough for you eat it. So I follow the principle but my dad never drunk, fermented, smoke. We don't have Campbells in Scotland but there was, and that we try to drink this different cultures different foods what you think is common here in North Carolina.

Others of us struggle a little bit with an Paul is saying listen you are free to eat any food you want, but you may not eat certain things. I was brought up in Scotland that we have.

I think you may have it here in North Carolina. What we call black pudding, black pudding is here for breakfast and in Scotland. If you're going on vacation to Scotland. Make sure you get black pudding with your ham and eggs is blood pudding sounds pretty nasty to with some oatmeal and different things and that in fact and something to Scandinavia.

They translated blood pudding and his mother. My dad based on acts chapter 15 from the Council of Jerusalem. They were told to abstain from blood so no blood pudding in my home, but once I went off to university. I thought I'm going to try some black pudding fact that you are free to eat something doesn't mean that you necessarily need it so we can understand without background of the importance of food have converted Jews were slow to enjoy Christian freedom when it came to food and you can imagine a Gentile believer in the church at Rome inviting a Jewish believer to his home for lunch and the Jew the Gentile believer was quite happy to have his ham sandwich, not the Jewish believer. What was a Gentile believer tended to say all your silly listen under the law.

Jesus said everything was clean out what what you talking about and enjoy it. No, don't do that. Don't make the man go against his conscience don't despise and don't judge him. What are you to do donates your ham sandwich something else.

I have a friend in in India who is an Indian converted Hindu who doesn't eat meat because he believes is wrong, but because he doesn't want to offend the Hindus who are vegetarians, so he voluntarily restrictions freedom so that he is not offending others is when Paul says is the important thing.

Verse 17 the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

In other words why the focusing why you arguing why you distributing why you judging and despising people in this matter of what you eat and what you drink, that's not the priority the kingdom of God is not about these things is about Paul thoughts about righteousness and policyholders of the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel that is the thesis of Romans that he's told us in chapter 1 righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Do you want to be part of a church that arguing over minor matters or do you want to be part of a community of believers, which is focusing on the righteousness and peace and joy. Have you noticed our legalistic brothers and sisters were never really happy are they if you're a contentious kind of individual who specializes in going around putting everyone right.

I can almost guarantee you a very happy person. You're not at peace euro was involved in some fights always wondering about what someone else is doing. No relaxed brother yes you free but think of others. What is to be our focus, righteousness, and we unrighteous congregation that we live a holy life probably got the gospel rights is that piece of me living in harmony with one another. What about joy as part of the fruit of the spirit, not just in our worship we want our worship to be joyful.

I think it is what we want all of life to be joyful everyone, our relationships, not to become time caress were always arguing over disputable matters, but rather peace and joy is a first principle voluntarily limit your freedom so you don't offend your brother.

Here's the second principle. Use your freedom to help your brother. Not only am I to restrict my freedom and find time to use my freedom to help my brother. Verse 19 so then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God.

Everything is indeed clean but it's wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have. Keep between yourself and God blessed is the one who is no reason to pass judgment on themselves or what he approves.

But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the evening is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

There was pulsing simply use your freedom to pursue peace and to the building up of others thing back in the Christian life. I'm just thankful for people in your Christian life and come on site. You to build you up in the pursue peace and your peacemaker your troublemaker. Calvin life group in your Bible study on social media. Someone is always starting up things your peacemaker is my strong convictions against such good size that we should have strong convictions but pursue peace and edification. Verse 19 again. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding verse two of chapter 15. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build them up. Paul says in first Corinthians 14 verse 26. Let all things be done for building up build up others don't trip them up complete hindrances don't put snares. Satan is the destroyer.

Satan is the one who loves the divine. No, I am to restrict my freedom in the interests of unity and harmony at Calvary church and so you think of others.

Think of peace in the church don't always insist on your rights and always insist on your personal preferences don't always insist on your viewpoint is a lie filled strongly about such and such. That's good news arguing with your with other people feel strongly as well.

Doing because your brother to go against or violate his conscience don't do anything that is going to stumble your brother spiritually. Notice how often Paul says that in different ways. Verse 13 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 verse 20 do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God. Verse 21 it is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. Yes you convictions between you and God. That's good but don't push your brother.

Don't pressure your sister to do something with which he or she has a problem. Now we have, to some extent the same situation in the church at Corinth. So turn over the few pages to first Corinthians which is right after Romans so turn over a few pages to first Corinthians 8 in the church at Corinth. Some believers didn't eat meat as it had been offered to idols, other believers at Corinth had no problem with eating such meat. Notice how Paul handles it very similar to his teaching in Romans 14 and 15 first Corinthians 8 verse one note concerning food offered to idols, we know that all of us possess knowledge. This knowledge puffs up if you knowledge when you rethink your spiritual maturity is causing you to be proud of the problem. This knowledge puffs up, but what does love do love builds up verse nine but take care that this writer of yours. This liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak full of anyone sees you knowledge anything in an idols temple only not be encouraged if his conscience is weak to eat food offered to idols and so by your knowledge this week person is destroyed the brother for whom Christ died so that this ago, thus sinning against your brothers and wounding the conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. That's the reason this is sinful behavior. In fact, is not only unwise is not only disruptive in the church.

It is in fact Satan verse 13. Therefore, Paul's conclusion if food makes my brother stumble I will never eat meat unless I make my brother stumble. That's the point. Loving your brother loving her sister helping them to grow in their faith.

Preserving the unity of the church. These are all much much much more important than you and I exercising a Christian freedom.

My personal freedom is not more important than your spiritual growth and if someone goes against the conscience that something which is not of faith.

Paul says here in verse 23, it does if it doesn't proceed from faith.

It is sin. So you use your personality to judge that person to force them to do something they really don't want to do your sinning against Christ. So don't flaunt your freedom now in verses one through six of chapter 15 Paul says again.

Don't please yourself your freedom is not all about you. We forgotten that this country have way but I think we sometimes forget it, even in the church. Your freedom and mine is not all about you. Chapter 15 verse one. If all of this is not the most difficult passage in Romans. We who are strong so you think you're a strong believe you think you're mature okay we who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the week and not to please ourselves that it is let each of us please his neighbor for his good to build them up for Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, the reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me for whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice great name for a singing group. Wouldn't it one voice that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ's together, Paul is addressing the strong in this passage, he obviously considers the strong as he is you don't always have to exercise your freedom.

The conscience of the week certainly has to be instructed by the word families that there's a place for teaching but usually freedom to please your brother or your sister is a follower of Jesus Christ, you can say I'll do I want to please myself under the freedom to do that.

I'll just do what I want. That sounds like a little boy, doesn't it sounds like a very immature person, not a sign of maturity. Any kind of maturity.

Sadly, spiritual maturity, but maturity in the family as well is to consider the interests of others and immature person is just concerned about them.

They don't seem to realize that their actions, their attitudes, impact others just do what I want is the kind of person I am. I don't care about other people not very nice person to live with you would like to be married to that kind of person which you would like to go on a missions trip with that kind of person would you know I did you notice what Paul says, even Christ did not please himself so that all about. Hear your opinions your freedoms your perspectives know your to please your neighbor verse two for his good, this is the outworking of the gospel. Paul is masterful. Having presented the truth of the gospel is now rethinking through of the implications of the gospel. What does this mean in the local church. What does the it mean that I am a follower of Jesus Christ and have this personal relationship with Christ. What does that mean in the church, what one of the things it means is you don't please yourself you seek to please your neighbor you seek to build up that person and the perfect example. The unarguable point is this, that in the Lord's in current incarnation, he did not come to do his own will that even Christ did not please himself. Yes, he was reproached. Paul writes about that. Referring to Psalm 69 but the Lord Jesus came to do his father's will that required endurance that required humility that required love that required him.

Serving others was the spies they hated him without a cause.

Yes, but he had come not to do his own will, not to please himself, but to please his father and to give his life a ransom for others and and you are to follow that example walk so John and fortune to walk in the way that he walked doesn't Paul say in Galatians 6 that when we bear one another's burdens, we fulfill the law of Christ is irrelevant as I'm serving the Lord here in the quiet in the Sunday school and that in the street ministry as I serve together and I find a brother� A little bit difficult. Yes, we probably find you even more difficult.

Why do we think is always the other person. Yes, there are difficulties in working together but as we seek to glorify God and to please others. We are fulfilling the law of Christ were following in the steps of our master, a way of insurance, a way of selflessness and Paul gives Old Testament support in verse four. Here regarding the importance of endurance regarding the importance of unity for the glory of God in the Old Testament Scriptures are a great encouragement to us in this regard. If this principle is followed. Paul is saying there will be unified worship of the week and the strong worship to God will be with one voice. 21. That Catholic Church that we could come as the people of conscience with the differences within different perspectives of coach United on the gospel. There can be no compromise. There United on the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. Yes, there can be no compromise that within some of these other issues that we come together in a spirit of love that with one voice, harmony, peace we are worshiping the true God.

Therefore, don't please yourself know the final principle in verses seven through 13 of Romans 15 is this usually freedom to accept your brother Paul is continuing to argue in this way. Verse seven.

Therefore, welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you for the glory of God is at fault already said that if you got that.

That's good, but he wanted to make sure you get this.

Whether you and I today we are to welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you far the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised Jew to show God's truthfulness in order to confirm the promises even to the patriarchs and in order that the Gentiles, the Jew and Gentile might glorify God for his mercy as it is written.

Therefore, I will praise you among the Gentiles and sing to your name and again it is said, rejoice will Gentiles with these people again. Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles and let all the peoples extolled him and again.

Isaiah says the root of Jesse will come. Even he who arises totally Gentiles in the him will the Gentiles hope. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the pilot of the Holy Spirit.

You may end in whole Balzer repeating his arguments is drawing into a conclusion here every follower of Christ with and we can strong, whether Jew or Gentile, is to accept warmly the brothers and sisters in Christ begins the section by saying that in chapter 14 verse one. As for the one who is weak in faith welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions and he repeats it here in chapter 15 verse seven and this is a prime example he gives our Lord who came to save Jew and Gentile. An example of love example of serving an example of welcoming others. Whether it was late the lather within it was a Gentile woman with her was the side of Phoenician women are to bring the gospel to the Samaritan. Our Lord is there and comes as the Savior of the world, so that in the wonderful mystery of God that the gospel has come to Jew and Gentile, which Paula said in chapter 1 that the gospel is the power of God to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Gentile identifiers here in verse eight to God's truthfulness as to the Jews fulfilling the Old Testament promises the theme of the U 18 concert tonight is the promises of God.

Here is one of the promises and God is always true to his promise and also to confirm the acceptance of the Gentiles that they might glorify God for his mercy, God is true to his promises to the Jewish people.

God is merciful to the Gentiles.

They were far away they were out of the Commonwealth of Israel, but in the miracle of conversion. Our Lord Jesus comes to serve, and to save both Jew and Gentile." These four Old Testament passages that I read from verses nine through 12 easy quotes from the law, the prophets, and the writings he quotes from Deuteronomy quote from Psalms.

He quotes from Isaiah to drive through the pint that Gentiles come into the place of blessing so that in the wonder of the gospel. Jew and Gentile.

Yes, in the same church yesterday Rome.

The super part of the day that they would one voice will worship God and glorify a great God is with you Jew or Gentile, whoever you are, God welcomes you to his family. Therefore, we welcome you want to joy it is to worship with her brothers and sisters at Calvary and all of these cultures at Calvary.

We don't have different congregations based on language or culture. We value our unity. We value our harmony in Christ two years ago the elders approved the policy of unity with diversity at Calvary church, which states in part what unites us is at Calvary church. What unites us as the people of God in Christ Jesus is far richer than what divides us well stated United in price so Jew and Gentile are united people who are different from your ethnicity and nationality, economically, socially, culturally, we welcome them all because this results in the glory of God versus six and nine and just think of the glorious future of the gospel. This is the hope of the gospel. So Paul closes this wonderful section in verse 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. These personal blessings of peace and hope and glory. Paul has emphasized in the first two verses of chapter 5, but they come not just of the individual, but when I become a Christian and a follower of Jesus is not just about me and Jesus.

Yes, it begins there but the implications of that the overflow that extends to everyone that you are my brother you are my sister in Christ, God brings us together different personalities, different perspectives different backgrounds different understanding of Scripture some mature in the face on the mature some backslider some have really struggled.

Others who are very strong in the Lord. He brings us all to gather and I asked you. Isn't that what we as human beings made in the image of God, creative think of the joy.

Think of the freedom. Think of the tremendous privilege of being members of Calvary church. That privilege is so great that privilege should be so sweet as we've come together and had the privilege of the under 18 leading us in worship. But whether they leading an us in worship or anyone else.

This is the principle that we come together saved by the same Christ indwelt by the same spirit united in Christ. Yes, a very diverse group but we come and understand something of the sweetness on the blessing and the grace of God. As with one voice we glorify God and father in Christ Jesus, and therefore if that is true, you and I must never do anything which is going to stumble others in this fellowship which is going to divide us. Martin Luther says a Christian man is a man most free Lord of all subject to none. Christian man is a most beautiful servant of all subject to all yes I'm free and free to live for the glory of God within living for the glory of God and to consider you and me that we will help one another and pray for one another and build up one another so that when people come onto the campus of Calvary church they may see a very diverse group of people. People from all over the world, but they will understand that there's something of the presence of God here and that God is worshiped.

This is not an exclusive social club by that everyone who is being welcomed into the family of God is welcomed here and that we come, and the love of God is so forceful in our congregation and in our relationship that even an unbeliever must acknowledge.

Surely God is in this place of the truth. If you're not part of the family of God say that God made you for the purpose. Paul has told us this wonderful book of Romans that all of us have messed up soon that if you both need to Christ.

But God commends his love for you while you were still sinners, Christ died for, and that for you. The salvation and for you. This forgiveness of all your sins and for you that is transformation as you receive Christ father, we thank you for this passage of Scripture. He convicts us because all of us.

Perhaps, particularly those of assorted leadership can be self-willed forgiveness father, thank you for the perfect magnificent example of our Lord, who did not please himself. May we seek not to please ourselves, but to please you to glorify you to help her brothers and sisters grew in the Lord so that unbelievers will understand that this is a place of love and of hope and of joy does not father we pray in Christ name, amen