Good leaders operate by responsibility, not rights.

• Rights are about ME.

• Responsibility is about YOU.

• The gospel brought about freedom, so we have the “right” to do lots of things.

• But you also have a “responsibility” to help others grow in their faith.

• RECAP of Romans 14 on what to do in a grey area:

• 1) You have to be firmly CONVINCED you’re doing it unto the Lord.

• 2) You’re going to give an ACCOUNT to God.

• 3) Don’t be a STUMBLING BLOCK to weaker believers.

• 4) Is it born out of FAITH?

• #3 is what these two verses talk about.

• Vs 14-15

• Immature believers operate in the realm of rights.

• They will gravitate to one of two directions:

• License - they focus on all the “rights” they have and don’t care what others think.

• Legalism - they focus on what others don’t have the “rights” to do because they don’t.

• This is how someone can teach as doctrine a precept of man.

• Mature believers operate in the realm of responsibility.

• They aren’t governed by license or legalism, they are fueled by:

• Love - they forfeit their rights for their responsibilities.

• They focus on others - how they can build them up and not cause them to stumble.

• You don’t have the right to give up your freedom, but you have the freedom to give up your rights.

• But you won’t do this unless you operate in love for others.

• Romans 15:1-2 - Strong believers always think about weaker believers.

• This is the test of true leadership.

• The age-old question is when does a boy turn to a man. The answer, I believe, is when he knows how to properly use his strength - to help, not hurt.

• The same is true with leaders - how do you know when you’ve become a leader worth following?

• When you’re more concerned about your responsibility to others than you are rights for yourself.