Difference and Disagreementor

Transforming Community, part III

Rick Wright14th Sunday of Pentecost (A)

September 14 2014

Wrong question?

• What do you think about using wine – not grape juice – when we celebrate communion?

• Two families leave the church!• Protestant Christians (mostly in America)

sometimes disagree about…• Christians can + do sometimes disagree about how

we will live if we are followers of Christ. • Sometimes disagreements threaten unity +

harmony within the Christian church!

Background of Romans 14

• People from different religious + cultural backgrounds!

• Some Christians used to avoiding certain foods or drinks

• Or used to observing certain holidays• Some Christians want to show that they have

changed + are different• How do we balance different opinions about

how to live the Christian life?

Three theological truths

• Who are you to judge another servant?!?– Each of us belongs to God

• Make up your own mind… does so in honor of God– Other person does (not) eat/drink/celebrate in honor of

God!– Be honest about why you do (not do) that– Just to be popular? Respected by society + culture?

• All of us will stand before God to be judged by him– Do not judge the other Christian – only God does that!

Why are we talking about this?

• Is this a problem in Church of the Nations?• Challenges and difficulties in multiethnic

multinational multicultural churches• Maybe we should be having more disagreements!• One day (soon? Here?) you will face disagreements

+ differences about how to live Christian life• Remember what Paul says

Limits and essentials?

• Does this mean agree to disagree about anything or everything?

• No• How can we tell? When will we know?• In the essentials – unity. In non-essentials – liberty

And in all things – charity.• Even then…• What does Paul teach us?