CrossGroups Connection Guide
Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 14:1-12
This week we’ll be reading Romans 13 and 14. These chapters continue the final section of Romans, which deals with the practical implications of the righteous life. Chapter 13 begins strangely, and its first seven verses are some of the most ignored or abused in history. Paul tells the Romans to submit to the government! What does this have to do with a life of sacrificial love? We have to constantly remind ourselves of Paul’s ultimate goal: Spain. Recent tax rebellions in Rome from non-citizens had brought the hammer of civil authority down. Paul wants the Roman Christians focused on the mission at hand, not trying to get out of tax obligations. Paul is not supporting the wicked oppression of the empire but common civil law.
Under the hospitality/patronage currency of the day, common citizens only did favors if they could get something in return. Everyone tracked who “owed them one.” This was especially relevant in the Roman church, as returning Jewish Christians would have relied on the kindness of their Gentile counterparts to re-establish their life. Paul decries this system. Christians should serve one another out of genuine love, not customary obligation. Paul uses a baptismal hymn of the day to remind the Romans of who they are – people of the daylight. In ancient culture, the time just before sunrise was the perfect time to work. The new Day is getting ready to dawn, and Christians must wake up and get to work!
Today we focus on the first half of chapter 14. Paul is winding down now, and getting to the very real issues creating tension in the Roman church. With so many observant Jews returning to Rome, the ever present issue of kosher dietary laws was causing problems. Some of the returning Jews would have been horrified to find certain meats on the table during the Lord’s Supper. Paul calls their faith “weak” because rather than rely on grace alone, its grace + diet. This in itself isn’t sinful, but it inevitably led to the weak judging the “strong” (those who gave no consideration to kosher law). While Paul admonishes the weak to not pass judgment on the strong, he also strongly urges the strong to accept the weak, in spite of their judgment.
Another issue of concern involved Sabbath and religious festivals. Should Christians worship on Saturday, or Sunday, or every day? Were Gentiles required to keep the Jewish feasts? Were Jewish Christians required to continue keeping them? Rather than give an answer, Paul tells everyone to decide for themselves under the Lordship of Christ, and accept that other believers may arrive at a totally different answer. Christians were not to waste time engaging in debate over these issues. If Jesus was Lord over their very life and death, He was surely Lord over their diet and calendar! Since every Christian equally belonged to God, they should lovingly trust each other into God’s hands.
Today we’ll take a look at CrossViewed differences of conscience.
• Go around the table and share prayer requests. Have someone lead in prayer.
• Let everyone who would like to share anything exciting from their week.
• Did anyone do last week’s assignment? What was the result?
• Ask these three questions. Let as many answer each one as they would like.
1. Do you have friends with whom you totally disagree on one issue (politics, religion, parenting, etc.)? How do you handle your disagreement? Do you spend time debating your “side”, or just avoid the topic?
2. Is there anything in today’s scripture that especially speaks to you?
3. What questions would you like to ask about today’s scripture?
• Go over this week’s assignment (below). Commit to work on it together.
Today’s Sermon
Key Truths –
• Roman Christians disagreed on practical matters.
• We find the same thing in today’s church.
• God knew the heart of every Roman.
• God knows our hearts as well.
This Week’s Assignment –
Someone in this church today couldn’t disagree with you more about what it means to practice faith. Rather than focus on how wrong that person is when they come to mind, thank God for their faith, and pray for God to bless them.
