Peter Barnes | Romans 15:1-3
SERMON NOTES
PLEASING OTHERS AS CHRIST DID
(Romans 15:1-3)
– God as judge (14:10-12); living and dying in Christ (14:7-8); putting first things first (14:17).
1. The strong are to carry the weak.
– 15:1; not in the sense of ‘put up with’ but carry (Gal.6:2), as a traveler assists a weak companion
– Acts 21:23-24
2. We are not to please ourselves but our neighbour.
– 15:1b-2; not in the sense of pandering to people for the sake of popularity (Gal.1:10; 1 Thess.2:4)
– 1 Cor.9:22; 10:33
3. The example of Christ.
– 15:3; our example as in 2 Cor.8:9; Phil.2:5-11
– Psalm 69:6-12; Augustine said that every Psalm is about Christ and His people.
– David Livingstone: ‘I do not mention these privations as if I considered them to be sacrifices … for I do not think that word ought to be applied to anything we can do for Him who came down from heaven and died for us.’