Week 63- Free Weekend Program for Children.

Theme: Bear With the Weak in Faith

Verse 1-2: We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not please ourselves. Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

If we are blessed with gospel knowledge, enriched by an understanding of the finished work of Christ, having received pardon for our sins through His shed blood, liberated from bondage to the law, and granted a clean conscience through His atoning sacrifice, then we are strong!

A strong believer relies entirely on Christ, trusting in His finished work and receives power over sin. As a result, we are no longer bound by man-made rules. We enjoy liberty apart from sin in agreement with scripture. We honor the work of Christ with deep conviction and understanding; knowing that rules and ceremonies (outward practices, performance ) have no bearing on our eternal soul in light of Christ.

Our conscience bears witness to the truth of scripture and nothing more, granting us freedom of choice over disputable matters (things not specified in scripture). This is where we should all aspire to be: strong Christians with faith in the finished work of Christ. This faith comes through knowledge by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, resulting in a deep conviction of heart that leads to righteous living.

However, the weak in faith are still among us, and some of us may still find ourselves in that category as we continue to learn and grow. But If we are strong, God is calling us to walk in love, to be patient and kind towards those who are still weak.

He said “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” (Luke 12:48). God has entrusted us with the truth of the gospel—our salvation is by faith alone. Now He wants us to love and help others who are still struggling.

It’s often easier to follow rules and ceremonies (dos and don’ts) than to live by faith, trusting in Christ alone. A weak believer is one whose conscience is still bound to the law and ceremonies, grappling with guilt over “acceptable and unacceptable” practices—rules not specified in scripture. He or she is constrained by religion, adhering to outward rules and boundaries that God has not commanded in the New Testament, as Christ is the fulfillment of the law.

So how do we use our God-given strength to help those that are weak? First, let’s be patient and kind to their souls, showing understanding and listening to them. We should be willing to give up our privileges temporarily if necessary, bearing with them and seeking to help in any way possible.

As we endure, we can share gospel messages that have helped us, pointing them to scriptures in light of Christ and His finished work on the cross. We can help others grow by loving them and not by disparaging or despising them. We must act in ways that uplift others, not in ways that belittle them.

Furthermore, we should endeavor to pray and avoid areas of sensitivity—harsh condemnation and judgment. Let God be the judge of our individual preferences apart from sin. Second-guessing others through accusations and trying to shame them into “submission” to our preferences often stems from selfish motives and prideful ambition

It is easy to argue and point out errors using scripture while standing on a pedestal of superiority. The scripture says, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” To love is to be patient, kind, understanding, encouraging, and more; it is to seek to speak the truth in love. So let’s communicate truth in ways that edify rather than tear down.

Honesty and sincerity are also crucial. For example, we can express our beliefs clearly without pandering to anyone while seeking to honor God: here are few examples of how we can respond sincerely -

1. I don’t drink because it might offend others in this culture, but there is no sin in drinking wine.

2. Christ is our rest; we honor Him every day, but it’s okay if you dedicate Sunday entirely to prayer and Bible study due to your weekly schedule. For others, it may be different, and we should respect that.

3. It is a sin to neglect fellowship (Hebrews 10:25), but it’s not a sin to watch movies on Sunday.

4. You may take a church membership oath if you wish, but don’t feel obliged to do so for a voice or an appointed position in church.

As we learned few weeks ago, we can serve faithfully in church through prayer and giving—generosity without needing approval from church leadership.

Honest and sincere conversations are helpful. Our motives are continually under scrutiny as we do these things; God is watching. Are we seeking to please ourselves by growing our membership, influence, or authority, or are we seeking to benefit the eternal souls of others? We are not men-pleasers, but our words must edify as we watch patiently over each other.

Love is neither rude nor cowardly; telling the truth in love is essential. No one grows without true knowledge; “faith comes by hearing.” Yet, if we seek to please ourselves through these righteous means, we fail because love must esteem others above self. Let’s learn to deny ourselves and make sacrifices where necessary.

Verse 3: For even Christ did not please Himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”

Consider the life of Christ: nothing He did was for His own glory. He took our sin, shame, and sorrow and made them His own. He suffered and died for us, forsaking all for our sake and for the sake of our eternal souls. He taught us the gospel out of love for us. He loved His Father and fulfilled His will by saving us. He commands us, “If you love me, keep my commands.” To Peter, He said, “Do you love me? Feed my sheep.”

Pointing others to Christ and helping them grow in grace is an expression of divine love. We cannot claim to love God if we do not love those we can see. I am continually thankful to God for making me useful. Though I was a wicked sinner steeped in idol worship with countless abortion . Ephesians 5:5, the Lord brought me out and gave me the privilege of helping many children. This is why you are here today, I labor with great joy and rejoicing to see Christ formed in you like Paul said in Galatians 4:19. There is nothing more glorious than that. Just as He took Rahab, a harlot, and made her a great-great-grandmother of Jesus, I pray that He will make many saints out of you all.

But more importantly, I must teach and help others because I love their eternal soul, desiring to please them for the glory of God, not for my own satisfaction. As the hymn goes, “It will be my joy throughout all ages to sing of His love for me, how wonderful, how marvelous, and my song shall ever be.” This is our motivation.

Christ lives in our hearts, His love is real, and by His grace, we are made partakers of this divine nature and must strive to live as His true ambassadors. As Evangelist Heshimu taught us last Thursday, the victory over sin—selfishness, selfish ambition, lust, and greed—has been won by Christ, yet we must fight! Hebrews 12: 1 -2 says “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”

It is possible to die to self, deny ourselves, love others, and bear with those that are weak in faith.

Verse 4-7: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had. so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.

Perseverance is a gift from God. We have great help—the Holy Spirit. He leads us by the Holy Scriptures. Because of Him and through Him, these commands are not burdensome; indeed, His yoke is easy and His burden light. To a natural man, it is impossible! Self rules and triumphs over all, but as Christians, Christ rules in our hearts, and His love conquers all.

Love does not demand or insist on its own way; it gives in, making sacrifices for the good of others. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things without weakening. Christ’s death on the cross epitomizes love. He laid down His life for us, and we ought to do the same for others—not to gain a following but to help their eternal souls and bring glory to God.

May the Lord enrich our minds with these truths and gladden our hearts as we look to Christ daily by faith.

Finally, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, so let’s receive one another as God has freely received us. Jesus said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Faith in Christ unites us, it doesn’t matter how small or great our faith is, even if it’s as little as a mustard seed, we have same access to the throne of Grace like every strong believer, so let’s learn to accept one another, promoting all that make for peace, love and unity, so together, we can all glorify God through a life of obedience and thanksgiving.