Wednesday, August 17, 2022

Romans 16 Division and Obstacles

 

Romans 16

Division and Obstacles

 

Be careful of those who seem to be leading you

But when they push back the branches, they let them come back to hit you

Avoiding people is hard to understand and hard to discern

Paul gives us some guidelines

Avoid people who

 Do not make Jesus, Lord

Who do not follow the teachings of Christ

Who have personal agendas

Beware of smooth talkers

Beware of flattery  

They bring division among the church family

They make obstacles to your walk of faith

These are not people who may be misguided, but have a heart for the Lord

They are people whose focus is more about them than Christ

 

 

Division and Obstacles

 

Paul is closing the letter to the Romans.

 

Closing remarks generally hold a heavier weight.

 

When I preach or write,

 I am very concerned about my closing remarks.

 

So how is Paul going to close this letter?

 

Paul has written a letter of warning.

 

A letter outlining the Wrath of God

and being united as believers.

 

Paul says…

 

I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions

and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned.

 Keep away from them.

Romans 16:17

 

As believers and the church…

 

 We must always keep an eye out

for Division and Obstacles.

 

Paul makes clear the uniting factor

is the teaching they have learned.

 

He also points out…

 

 It is our service to the Lord Christ.

 Romans 16:18

 

Paul in Chapter 14 says…

 There are “disputable matters”

that should not divide us.

 

In that chapter, Paul reminds us to…

 

 Make Jesus, Lord and

line up with the Kingdom of God.

 

Paul’s closing again focuses us

on making Jesus, Lord.

 

There are a lot of things in life that don’t matter…

 

Like the food you eat,

The days you count special,

The type of Christian songs you like,

The color of the church building, etc.

 

These are things we need

to learn how to live with each other

when it comes to matters like these.

 

But there are things that do matter.

 

There are people we should avoid.

 

How do we know?

 

Who do we keep away from?

 

We are to examine their teaching.

 

There are a lot of people who are excellent communicators

and sound very confident and convincing.

 

There are a lot of people who have a charm

and make you feel good.

 

In my live time,

 I have become friends with many pastors.

 

Pastors who I admire for their ability

to communicate and charm.

 

Pastors with larger churches

than the one I pastored.

 

There have been times when the lives

of a few pastors did not line up

with the teachings of the Word of God.

 

In some cases, it has been decades,

and as I write this the sadness of

separation from my friends still hurts.

 

   We say…

 

 “Let God be true and every man a liar”

 

 But that is not always easy.

 

It is not a light matter when

we have to keep away from those

who bring division and

put obstacles in the way of believers.

 

I could never count the hours that

were spent with those who were divisive.

 

In each case, a line needed to be drawn.

 

A line that could only be crossed by

repentance and submission to

the Lord Jesus and His Word.

 

Paul describes the person we should avoid…

 

For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites.

By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people.

Romans 16:18  

 

Jesus also said there would be

wolves in sheep’s clothing.

 

There are two things we must watch out for…

 

Division and Obstacles.

 

The word Division comes from…

 

 A word meaning disunion, dissension.

 

The King James uses the word Division…

 

 (a different vision, fracturing the whole).

 

The King James also uses…

 

 The sedition, conduct or speech

inciting people

to rebel against the authority.

 

The word, Obstacle, comes from…

 

 A trap-stick (bent sapling) a snare.

 

A sapling is a young tree meant to grow straight…

 

But when it is bent it is like a spring.

 

Saplings have been used in trap

making from the beginning. 

 

You will not know you are in the trapped

until the sapling is released from its bent position

to the straight position it was meant to be in.

 

Watch out for those who bend and twist

the Word of God for their own pleasure.

 

Be careful of those who seem to be leading you…

 

But when they push back the branches

They let them come back to hit you.

 

Avoiding people is hard to understand

 and hard to discern.

 

Paul gives us some guidelines.

 

Avoid people who…

 

 Do not make Jesus, Lord

 

Who do not follow the teachings of Christ

 

Who have personal agendas

 

Beware of smooth talkers

 

Beware of flattery

  

They bring division among the church family.

 

They make obstacles to your walk of faith.

 

These are not people who may be misguided

 but have a heart for the Lord…

 

They are people whose focus is

more about them than Christ.

 

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Romans 16:17-19 NIV

 

17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.

No comments:

Post a Comment