ROMANS 15:1-4

Sunday Morning:  February 28, 2007

Text:  Romans 15:1-4  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.  3  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.  4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope

STRONG IN THE FAITH

Romans 15:1  We then that are strong ought [bound, present active indicative] to bear [present active infinitive] the infirmities of the weak, and not [maybe not] to please [present active infinitive] ourselves.

ADDRESSED TO THE BRETHREN

1 Thessalonians 5:14  Now we exhort [present, active, beseech] you, brethren, warn [present active]  them that are unruly, comfort [present active, encourage] the feebleminded [fainthearted], support [present active, hold up] the weak, be patient [present active] toward all.

PLEASE OUR NEIGHBOR

Romans 15:2  Let every one of us please [present active imperative] his neighbour (those in the family of God) for his good to edification.

THOSE IN THE FAMILY

Leviticus 19:18  Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.

CHRIST PLEASED NOT HIMSELF

Romans 15:3  For even Christ pleased [aorist active] not himself; but, as it is written [perfect, passive], The reproaches [rebukes] of them (Israel) that reproached [shamed] thee (brethren) fell [aorist active] on me.

A STRANGER UNTO MY BRETHREN

Psalms 69:7-9  Because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered my face.  8  I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children.  9  For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.

THINGS WRITTEN BEFORE

Romans 15:4  For whatsoever things were written [aorist passive] aforetime were written [aorist passive] for our learning, that we through patience [endurance] and comfort [exhortation] of the scriptures might have [ecw, present active subjunctive regard] hope.

HAPPENED UNTO THEM

1 Corinthians 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [types]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [age] are come.

WRITTEN AFORETIME

Genesis 21:10  Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac.

PURPOSE

Galatians 4:21-26  Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law, do ye not hear the law?  22  For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid, the other by a freewoman.  23  But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh; but he of the freewoman was by promise.  24  Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.  25  For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is (earthly), and is in bondage with her children.  26  But Jerusalem which is above (heavenly) is free, which is the mother of us all.

SEPARATE INHERITANCES

Galatians 4:28-31  Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.  29  But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.  30  Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.  31  So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

WRITTEN AFORETIME

Numbers 21:5-6  And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth [abhorred] this light bread.  6  And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died [lxx, present participle, causing death].

GOD JUDGES HIS PEOPLE

Numbers 21:9  And Moses made a serpent of brass (judged), and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.

CONTEXT OF NUMBERS 21:5-9

1 Corinthians 10:1-11  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;  2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;  3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat;  4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

WHY IT HAPPENED TO THEM

1 Corinthians 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed [perish] of serpents.  10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed [perish] of the destroyer.  11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [types]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world [age] are come.

THE ADMONITION AND WARNING

John 3:14-16  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (resurrection of Christ):  15  That whosoever believeth (beheld as needed) in him should not perish, but (Nestles omits) have [present active subjunctive of ecw, may regard, esteem] eternal [agelasting] life.  16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (beheld as needed) in him should [may] not perish [aorist middle subjunctive], but have everlasting life.

WRITTEN AFORETIME

Genesis 25:21-22  And Isaac entreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was entreated of him, and Rebekah his wife conceived [with child].  22  And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD.

TWO PEOPLE

Genesis 25:23  And the LORD said unto her, Two nations [people] are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger.

THE BIRTHRIGHT BLESSING

Genesis 27:37  And Isaac answered and said unto Esau, Behold, I have made him thy lord, and all his brethren have I given to him for servants; …

THE PURPOSE OF ELECTION

Romans 9:11-12  (For the children being not yet born (both in the family), neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;)  12  It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.

WRITTEN AFORETIME

Genesis 4:8-9  And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.  9  And the LORD said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper?

CAIN AND ABEL WERE BROTHERS

1 John 3:12  Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

WE ARE OUR BROTHER’S KEEPER

1 John 3:14-15  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death [thanatos, (loss of agelasting life)].  15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him (abideth in death, Thanatos, Rev 1:18).