Laying Down the Law

Romans 14:13-19

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2014%3A13-19&version=NIV;NLT

  

Parents set boundaries for their children all the time in all different areas of life. In response to the question of “What are some TV boundaries that you set for your children?” my daughter had three rules:

 

       No TV after dinner.

 

       Only 1-2 hours of TV at any one time.

 

       No TV while eating dinner.

 

Then, just in case, she installed an app on her daughter’s phone that locks her out from 8 pm to 7 am.


Parents set boundaries for their children. Sometimes they make rules. But when they get really firm, they lay down the Law.

 

Paul is writing to the Roman believers about a hot button issue of the time. Jewish Christians believed the Law prohibited them from eating meat that had been offered to idols. Whereas, Gentiles had no problem eating the same meat. This became such an issue that the Jerusalem council had to deal with it.

 

Paul wrote to the Roman church, “stop condemning or judging each other”.

 

¹⁷ For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. ¹⁹ So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up. ²⁰ Don’t tear apart the work of God over what you eat.          NLT

 

In our culture today, we don’t really relate to conflict about eating meat offered to idols. But we can relate to judging one another. We judge others based on how they look; where they live; how they affect our life; how they act in church; what they smell like; if their beliefs match ours. The list is endless.

 

We all have our own set of rules based on our values and priorities. Then we apply those rules to others. What rules do you apply to your family; to your co-workers; to people at church; to the stranger in the car who cuts you off? Do you build others up or tear them down?

 

Once you’ve answered those questions, remind yourself of what is truly important; that only God’s word and people are eternal. Then live a life that will “aim for harmony in the church and build each other up”.

 

 

 

 

A Bear Claw

John 6:47-58

 

 

I have two breakfast meetings a week at Panera Bread and always order the same thing… a bear claw with three butters. Heat it up in the microwave and spread the butter so that it melts – it’s heavenly. But no matter how good it tastes, about four hours or so later, I’m hungry again.

 

The passage today follows the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand. At this point, people are following him just to eat a meal. But he is trying to open their eyes for them to see that there is something more important than just food and drink.

 

“The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and

will be fit and ready for the Final Day. My flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. By eating my flesh and drinking my blood you enter into me and I into you. In the same way that the fully alive Father sent me here and I live because of him, so the one who makes a meal of me lives because of me.”            MSG

 

Jesus was making the point that the people had lost perspective; that their priorities were messed up; that they needed to refocus their lives on eternal values not temporal. Of course we all have basic needs; food, water, clothing and shelter, but in our affluent society our wants can easily begin to feel like needs.

 

The fact is though, instead of prioritizing “the real food and the real drink” we can easily run after a bear claw at Panera. Jesus is calling out to us across the centuries to remind us what is important; he is calling for us to live our lives in him.

 

It would be good for us to remember these words that Jesus spoke in Matthew 6: ^31 “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these

things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”            NIV

 

Or, in the words of Paul, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

 

It goes without saying but, seeking Jesus is way better than a bear claw; even with melted butter.