If asked, most Christians will say they want to see people born again and gathered into the church. But when those newly saved actually arrive, some with rough histories and much brokenness, few seem to want to be involved in healing and teaching them. Most long-term Christians prefer to gather with others like themselves and have warm fellowship, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong when that's all they we want to do, when we've lost our love for the newly-saved or troubled, for those Paul calls here the "weak in faith" and those Jesus calls His "little lambs" (Jn 21:15).
People come into God's family from all sorts of backgrounds. Some are still very wounded, some are fresh out of addictions or demonic control or abuse. It's these Paul's talking about. He's telling mature believers, "Be gentle with these people, don't bully them, don't criticize them. Receive them into your gatherings and into your hearts." Yes, of course, there are moral boundaries that can't be ignored, though there are early seasons in a new believer's life when we may patiently wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to them before we do.
In this passage Paul addresses both the strong in faith and the weak in faith telling them to love each other. He tells the strong not to despise the weak, and the weak not to judge the strong. But as we might expect, he focuses his attention on the strong because unless they choose to welcome the weak and be part of their healing, the church in Rome will stop growing.
To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's book Understanding Romans, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge. The book has all the notes from each sermon in this series.
Also check out our <a href='https://www.lifelessonspublishing.com'>website</a> for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.
And if you would like to receive a copy of Pastor Steve's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Genesis at no charge, we are giving out this book as well!

If asked, most Christians will say they want to see people born again and gathered into the church. But when those newly saved actually arrive, some with rough histories and much brokenness, few seem to want to be involved in healing and teaching them. Most long-term Christians prefer to gather with others like themselves and have warm fellowship, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong when that's all they we want to do, when we've lost our love for the newly-saved or troubled, for those Paul calls here the "weak in faith" and those Jesus calls His "little lambs" (Jn 21:15). People come into God's family from all sorts of backgrounds. Some are still very wounded, some are fresh out of addictions or demonic control or abuse. It's these Paul's talking about. He's telling mature believers, "Be gentle with these people, don't bully them, don't criticize them. Receive them into your gatherings and into your hearts." Yes, of course, there are moral boundaries that can't be ignored, though there are early seasons in a new believer's life when we may patiently wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to them before we do. In this passage Paul addresses both the strong in faith and the weak in faith telling them to love each other. He tells the strong not to despise the weak, and the weak not to judge the strong. But as we might expect, he focuses his attention on the strong because unless they choose to welcome the weak and be part of their healing, the church in Rome will stop growing. To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's book Understanding Romans, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge. The book has all the notes from each sermon in this series. Also check out our website for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge. And if you would like to receive a copy of Pastor Steve's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Genesis at no charge, we are giving out this book as well!

If asked, most Christians will say they want to see people born again and gathered into the church. But when those newly saved actually arrive, some with rough histories and much brokenness, few seem to want to be involved in healing and teaching them. Most long-term Christians prefer to gather with others like themselves and have warm fellowship, and there's certainly nothing wrong with that. But there is something wrong when that's all they we want to do, when we've lost our love for the newly-saved or troubled, for those Paul calls here the "weak in faith" and those Jesus calls His "little lambs" (Jn 21:15).
People come into God's family from all sorts of backgrounds. Some are still very wounded, some are fresh out of addictions or demonic control or abuse. It's these Paul's talking about. He's telling mature believers, "Be gentle with these people, don't bully them, don't criticize them. Receive them into your gatherings and into your hearts." Yes, of course, there are moral boundaries that can't be ignored, though there are early seasons in a new believer's life when we may patiently wait for the Holy Spirit to speak to them before we do.
In this passage Paul addresses both the strong in faith and the weak in faith telling them to love each other. He tells the strong not to despise the weak, and the weak not to judge the strong. But as we might expect, he focuses his attention on the strong because unless they choose to welcome the weak and be part of their healing, the church in Rome will stop growing.
To receive a free copy of Dr. Steve Schell's book Understanding Romans, email us at info@lifelessonspublishing.com and ask for your copy at no charge. The book has all the notes from each sermon in this series.
Also check out our <a href="https://www.lifelessonspublishing.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a> for additional resources for pastors and leaders. We have recorded classes and other materials offered at no charge.
And if you would like to receive a copy of Pastor Steve's newest book Study Verse by Verse: Genesis at no charge, we are giving out this book as well!
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Ep 55 Feed My Lambs, Ro 14:1-12

After recognizing that Jesus knew things about him that only God could know, Nathanael immediately told Him that He was the promised Messiah. He said, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel” (v49), to which Jesus replied with a statement that must have stunned Nathanael. Basically He told him, “Because you believe in Me, someday you’ll rise from the dead and return to earth with Me to set up the kingdom of God.” By combining Jacob’s vision of a ladder lifted up to heaven (Ge 28:12) with Daniel’s vision of a heavenly Son of Man (Da 7:13-14), Jesus showed him a picture of the end of the age. Why would He do that, particularly with someone He just met? He looked more than 2,000 years into the future and took him straight to a vision of the last days. Why?

After recognizing that Jesus knew things about him that only God could know, Nathanael immediately told Him that He was the promised Messiah. He said, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God; You are the King of Israel” (v49), to which Jesus replied with a statement that must have stunned Nathanael. Basically He told him, “Because you believe in Me, someday you’ll rise from the dead and return to earth with Me to set up the kingdom of God.” By combining Jacob’s vision of a ladder lifted up to heaven (Ge 28:12) with Daniel’s vision of a heavenly Son of Man (Da 7:13-14), Jesus showed him a picture of the end of the age. Why would He do that, particularly with someone He just met? He looked more than 2,000 years into the future and took him straight to a vision of the last days. Why?

12 - The Son of Man

It only took two days for Jesus to gather the first five, and probably six, of the twelve apostles he would send out “into all the world” a few years later (Mk 16:15). Two days! How did such a special group of people meet Jesus in such a short period of time? Why were they all gathered there in one location? The answer, or course, is that they had come to the Jordan River to be baptized. They were part of a crowd of people who were doing all they knew how to do to draw closer to God. This wasn’t a random group; it was a gathering of people who were hungry for God and who were willing to act on that hunger.

It only took two days for Jesus to gather the first five, and probably six, of the twelve apostles he would send out “into all the world” a few years later (Mk 16:15). Two days! How did such a special group of people meet Jesus in such a short period of time? Why were they all gathered there in one location? The answer, or course, is that they had come to the Jordan River to be baptized. They were part of a crowd of people who were doing all they knew how to do to draw closer to God. This wasn’t a random group; it was a gathering of people who were hungry for God and who were willing to act on that hunger.

11 - Finding Disciples

Each of us has two names: the name our parents gave us and the name God gives us. If our parents took the time to listen to God when they named us, those two names may be the same. In that case our given name is prophetic. It reveals something about God’s plan for us. Whether or not the name our parents gave us holds such meaning, the name God calls us always does. That’s because He knows how He designed us in our mother’s womb. David saw this truth and declared it in worship. Listen: 
“For You formed my inward parts, You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth, Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained [for me], when as of yet there was not one of them.” (Psa 139:13-16) 
 
This has to be one of the psalms David wrote when he was an older man. He’s expressing the kind of insight that usually comes with age. He’s looking back on his life and realizing that he had simply played a part in a plan that God had determined before he was born. Before he drew his first breath, God knew the gifts and capacities he would need in order to fulfill what God was going to call him to do. In David’s case, he was going to be a warrior and a king, so God “wired” those abilities into him while he was developing in his mother’s womb. 
 
The psalm reveals David’s humility. He’s acknowledging that everything he has accomplished was not because he had taken control of opportunities and willed himself to greatness, but because he had cooperated with God’s plan for him. In this psalm, he’s worshipping, not boasting; he’s marveling that God knew exactly who he would need to be, in order for him to do all He had planned for him to do, He’s giving the glory for an amazing life back to God. But what you and I need to realize when we read this psalm is that what was true for David is also true for us. What he discovered about God’s plan for his life we need to discover as well. We too have been “woven” in our mother’s womb with a plan in mind. We can ignore it, fight it or pursue it, but we can never change it.

Each of us has two names: the name our parents gave us and the name God gives us. If our parents took the time to listen to God when they named us, those two names may be the same. In that case our given name is prophetic. It reveals something about God’s plan for us. Whether or not the name our parents gave us holds such meaning, the name God calls us always does. That’s because He knows how He designed us in our mother’s womb. David saw this truth and declared it in worship. Listen: “For You formed my inward parts, You wove me in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You. When I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth, Your eyes have seen my unformed substance, and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained [for me], when as of yet there was not one of them.” (Psa 139:13-16) This has to be one of the psalms David wrote when he was an older man. He’s expressing the kind of insight that usually comes with age. He’s looking back on his life and realizing that he had simply played a part in a plan that God had determined before he was born. Before he drew his first breath, God knew the gifts and capacities he would need in order to fulfill what God was going to call him to do. In David’s case, he was going to be a warrior and a king, so God “wired” those abilities into him while he was developing in his mother’s womb. The psalm reveals David’s humility. He’s acknowledging that everything he has accomplished was not because he had taken control of opportunities and willed himself to greatness, but because he had cooperated with God’s plan for him. In this psalm, he’s worshipping, not boasting; he’s marveling that God knew exactly who he would need to be, in order for him to do all He had planned for him to do, He’s giving the glory for an amazing life back to God. But what you and I need to realize when we read this psalm is that what was true for David is also true for us. What he discovered about God’s plan for his life we need to discover as well. We too have been “woven” in our mother’s womb with a plan in mind. We can ignore it, fight it or pursue it, but we can never change it.

10 - Your Real Name

It’s easy for some people to see their need for repentance. They’ve led wild lives. They’ve done all sorts of terrible things, so when it comes time to repent, they literally have a checklist of sins they need to start working their way through. “Lord, I’m sorry for this… and for this… and for this,” etc. But there are others who have a much more difficult time seeing their need for repentance. Sure, they’ve done some minor things wrong, and maybe their attitude hasn’t always been that great, but by comparison to a lot of other people, they’ve led very good lives.

It’s easy for some people to see their need for repentance. They’ve led wild lives. They’ve done all sorts of terrible things, so when it comes time to repent, they literally have a checklist of sins they need to start working their way through. “Lord, I’m sorry for this… and for this… and for this,” etc. But there are others who have a much more difficult time seeing their need for repentance. Sure, they’ve done some minor things wrong, and maybe their attitude hasn’t always been that great, but by comparison to a lot of other people, they’ve led very good lives.

9 - How Good People Repent

How does a committed Christian deal with depression honestly before the Lord? In this series Pastor Steve offers some godly counsel and practical advice on understanding and overcoming depression.

How does a committed Christian deal with depression honestly before the Lord? In this series Pastor Steve offers some godly counsel and practical advice on understanding and overcoming depression.

How does a committed Christian deal with depression honestly before the Lord? In this series Pastor Steve offers some godly counsel and practical advice on understanding and overcoming depression.&nbsp;
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6 - Depression - Soul Ties

5 - Depression - Caring for Yourself

4 - Depression - Walking in Faith

3 - Depression - Expectations

2 - Depression - An Overview

1 - Depression - The Four Square Convention

Pastor Steve Schell comprehensively teaches through entire books of the Bible pulling out the deep, eternal truths in each section of Scripture without skipping over challenging passages. These sermons will help foster true discipleship for the committed Christian, both young and old.

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