Read Romans 15:5-13
Murderous, blasphemous, passionate Saul, pursued Christians and did everything in his power to eliminate them from existence. Then the Lord Jesus met him on the road to Damascus. He became a follower of Jesus and began to teach the way he once sought to crush. When Saul, who became Paul, came to Jerusalem to meet the apostles, out of fear they at first didn’t accept him, remembering who he was (Acts 9:26). Then Barnabas brought Paul to the apostles and told them of how he had become a follower.
In considering the ongoing unity in Christ Jesus, and the development of the church, Paul wrote to the Roman church saying: “Accept one another, then, as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. (Romans 15:7)”
The challenge of the church is to accept one another no matter what our background. The early church, beginning in Jerusalem learned that God’s salvation was going out to all nations. This meant that they had to change their minds on how they viewed one another from different backgrounds and nationalities. Their uniting acceptance was what had happened to them through believing in Jesus, their Lord and Saviour.
Paul established that “Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’ (Romans 3:9-12)”
Therefore, we are all equal in God’s eyes—sinners in the need of salvation. Without this salvation we are lost and our relationship with God is broken. Yet this salvation is offered to all people, of all nations. Every person is commanded to repent of their sin, and believe in the Lord Jesus.
Jesus spoke of God’s love for all people in saying: “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.” This verse and others, does not have further qualifications of gender, race, age or temperament. “Whoever” does not have any qualification, except ‘believes’.
As believers we are united in Christ, and that is how Jesus wants us to accept and to treat one another. We follow His example. His death was for all who will believe in Him .
The believer is not one who goes on wilfully sinning when believing in Jesus. Repentance means that we acknowledge our sin, and turn from it toward God’s righteousness in Jesus. Our love for God will cause us to want to do what is pleasing to Him and honours to His Name.
Accepting one another means that our relationships with each other will be filled with the love of God. The love of God will remind us of where we have come from and what we are in Christ Jesus. The name of Jesus will be honoured as we put aside our differences to include and learn from one another of the love of Christ Jesus in us.
Prayer:
Using today’s passage and the reading notes spend time in prayer.
Adoration:
Confession:
Thanks:
Supplication:
· Pray that you will learn to be as accepting of others as Jesus was of you.
· Pray that God’s word will penetrate your heart deeper and more powerfully as you read it each day.
· Pray for those who come along to Mission Sonday tomorrow, that they will be given ears to hear the Gospel and hearts to respond in faith and obedience to Jesus.
· Pray for your non-Christian neighbours, that they will turn to Jesus and follow Him.
1. Share a time when you were not accepted. Include what it felt like to you.
2. Do you know someone who isn’t accepted? What can you do for them.
3. How would you respond if someone accused you of not being accepting of others?
4. What would you say to people who say Christians should accept same sex marriage, or abortion, or something similar?
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