Good or Best?

Introduction

Good morning. If you will open in your New Testament with me to Romans chapter 14. Romans chapter 14. As we go into a new year, it is that time everybody loves. It’s the time that everybody is tempted to lie. You laugh, but everyone says, I’m going to do it. And in December, there is visual evidence that I, for one, did not keep my New Year’s resolutions. Sometimes we have to go from good to best. For example, it’s good to say, I want to read the Bible. I want to be in the Word of God. But it’s best to have an action plan. Shameless plug here. We have an action plan for reading the book of Luke and Acts this new year. That’s just one chapter a week.

I feel like an infomercial now. It’s just one chapter a week. You’ll notice magically the book of Luke has 24 chapters. And the book of Acts has 28 chapters, and how convenient that’s a couple of mathematicians here, 52 chapters for our 52-week year. So just one chapter a week as a congregation. We’re going to try not just to read everything and maybe just to say we read it, but go deep into the Word of God. Learn from the story of Jesus in the book of Luke. Learn from the foundation of the apostles and the beginnings of the church in the book of Acts and gain a greater understanding and appreciation for God’s word in the new year. To support that effort, Ken and I will be sending out weekly emails that are centered around the chapter of the week.

But of course, it is December 30th, as the Lord has willed us near the very end of another year. And as we look forward to the next year, that idea of good and best should firmly be in our minds. For example, many people make a New Year’s resolution that they want to lose weight. And that’s a good goal. A better goal is to be healthy. Of course, if you ask me, a good goal is to lose weight, a better goal is to enjoy ice cream. The Bible does say eat, drink, and be merry. So ice cream it is. As you think about the scriptures, though, when it comes to not just setting resolutions, but our everyday life, there’s a real temptation for a Christian, for a non-Christian to say, I know what God says and I do good things.

1. We Answer to God for Our Own Choices

But I want us to challenge ourselves this morning and decide, am I doing good? Or can I truly say, as Paul would have us to be in Romans chapter 12, that I am transformed, that I am doing and being my best. As the way God would have me be. In Romans chapter 14, there’s many principles that are applied and important lessons to learn, but I want us to learn from the principles this morning. So read with me in Romans chapter 14, beginning in verse 1. As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him. But not to quarrel over opinions. For one person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats.

For God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls, and he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Critical to our understanding of Romans chapter 14 is that when we go through this and we just look at some quick lessons, the first four verses teach us there are matters of liberty or freedoms, or we might be familiar with the phrase choices that Christians can make. And on the one hand, that is welcome in American society, and on the other hand, it’s not. Choice, liberty, freedom, we stand for that as Americans. But boy, can you imagine if Paul was in our day and time and he said in verse 2, one person believes he can eat anything while the weak person eats only vegetables?

Translations, Paul’s saying there are people who are right and there are people who are wrong or strong and weak. But it’s okay because this is a matter of liberty. When we break down this, we see in verse 2, what is the distinction of those who are weak and strong? Well, one who says, I can eat anything, and one who says I can eat only vegetables. In fact, in verse 3, it says God will pass judgment on this. So what are we learning? Are we learning that God just doesn’t care about what his laws are? And he says, Well, if you live it your way and you live that way, that’s all okay? Well, no, not at all. In fact, to the Gentiles and the Jews, navigating the first century world would be really difficult.

Because as a Christian, you would be living in a Gentile society that was constantly selling all kinds of meats that was sacrificed to idols. That could be a problem for the Jews who were coming from a strict dietary, different background under the law of Moses. It might be difficult for the Gentiles who were just taught all these idols they had served their whole life or read about, heard about, or bought, are actually nothing at all. And we today we say, well, of course Zeus isn’t real. Of course, these mythical gods that the Gentiles would worship in the first century aren’t real. And so they weren’t really offered anything because they aren’t anything. But what Paul is telling the Romans is do not let something that is a matter of opinion, deciding whether to be more strict or less strict with our diet, be a matter of a faith problem.

In fact, in verse 4, he says, Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? In fact, he emphasizes this point of we answer to God for our choices in verse 5. He says, one person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day observes it in honor of the Lord, the one who eats eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself, for if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.

So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. For why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God, for it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then each of us will give an account of himself to God. Now let’s stop and make sure we’re on the same page as we’re understanding what Paul’s writing here and what we have as Romans chapter 14. Do you think Paul would ever say, well, one person thinks it’s good to murder, the other person thinks it’s not okay to murder?

Let everyone just be convinced themselves. Well, no, not at all. He’s building on this theme of the first four verses. There was a problem among the Christians there over matters of liberty, matters of decisions. Verse 5, he introduces another example, maybe esteeming one day as more important than another. Of course, as a Christian, is one day more important than the other? Is there a Sabbath bound upon Christians today? No. The New Testament replaced or brought in the new covenant of Jesus, which replaced the old covenant of God with the Israelites. That was always for the Jews from their God. And so as we answer to God, we say, okay, well, when I’m dealing with a brother who might be weak, or I might be strong, or I might be the weak one, he might be strong, how do we come to an understanding?

Paul says it starts by realizing we answer to God for our own choices. You know what a good way to study the Bible is to say, what does God want me to do? How am I going to gain a better understanding of God’s word? I got to read it. But what’s even better, or what is best, is to understand that when I read the word of God, I don’t read it thinking, oh, oh, my sister needs to work on that one, my brother needs to work on that one, my dad needs to work on that one, my sister needs to work on that one, my kids need this one. What’s best is I need to change in this way. I need to praise God. I need to glorify God.

And notice what Paul says in verses 6, 7, and 8. In every way, the one who eats eats to the honor of God. The one who abstains, abstains to the glory of God. Each must be fully convinced in his own mind, we are to be what is best, not just good or good enough. And the truth of the matter is the reason for this is what Paul finishes with. We’re not going to read all of these verses, but again, to emphasize verse 11, if we are going to all stand before the judgment seat of God, if at some point in my life every knee will bow and every tongue shall confess to God, then that’s going to change the way I approach this life. Because it means that in verse 13, I won’t pass judgment on one another any longer, and I will decide to never be a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.

Notice what Paul says in verse 14, though, to make this point. He says, I know and am persuaded. Paul says, this is certain. I am telling you as an apostle, I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but is unclean for anyone who thinks that it is unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ has died. Verse 20 do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God. Paul says, there are going to be some tough choices. As we live out our lives, it’s easy to say, God said, don’t murder, don’t steal. And he did say, serve him, give to the poor, be at church services and encourage people.

We like to look at lists that way, but that’s not exactly how the Bible reads, is it? We are to come to an understanding of who Jesus is and then what that does to my life. And Jesus says in Luke 9 23, the starting point of that line is to deny self, to take up our cross and follow after him. When we deny ourselves, we do that daily because we are living to our best ability, not to the best effort we can make, but to our best understanding of God’s will, and whatever sacrifices that come in that pathway, I must make.

2. Good: Do Good, Put God First, Know What Is Right

Look with me in Galatians chapter 6. Galatians chapter 6 and verse 10. And note very carefully that doing good things is important and by its own definition, good. And if God tells us to do it, we must do it. And it’s good because God has called it good. But in Galatians chapter 6 and verse 10, Paul says, So then as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially those of the household of faith. So Paul outlines two responsibilities. These are good things we should be involved in. Number one, doing good, as we verse 10 clarifies, have opportunity to everyone. Not just members of the church, although the verse says, especially those of the household of faith, but to everybody. And so I have to examine my life and say, this past year, moving into the new year, do I do good things for everybody?

Do I examine my opportunities and say I had this opportunity and this opportunity? But I didn’t really do anything with it. Or I used my wealth for me. I used my car for me. I used what I had from God for me. Paul says we are to do good to everyone as we have opportunity. And that means opening our eyes and seeking out in some cases this opportunity. And when Paul says this is for everybody, can we see that that’s a heavy task and burden laid upon Christ’s followers? Do good to everyone. A second good thing is to put God first. This is challenging. This sounds really easy, but when you look at Matthew chapter 6 and verse 25, you’ll see it’s a lot more complicated than it seems on a keynote.

Put God first. There’s some good wisdom for the new year. I stand behind that. But in Matthew chapter 6 and verse 25, Jesus says, part of this, verse 33, seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, that all these things shall be added to you. Part of fully trusting, fully having faith in God, putting him first. Verse 25 says, When I look around, I tell you, do not be anxious about your life. What you will eat, what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will be what you will put on. Is not life more than food? And the body more than clothing. Is Jesus saying clothing and food don’t matter? Of course not. Is he saying that we shouldn’t ever pay attention or do things to make sure we do what God said we provide for our family, we provide for ourselves in a way that we can then take care of the needs of others?

Of course he’s not saying that is unimportant. But when we examine the scriptures here, when Jesus says, do not be anxious about your life. What is the takeaway for me from a priority scale? It means God is here, and life is not in the picture otherwise. Sometimes we get that line blurred, though. We say, okay, I will worship God, I will take care of God, I will do good things for others after I’ve settled with my food, clothing, and shelter. You notice Jesus says, do not be anxious about your life. Do not worry about your life. On what basis, Lord? On what basis, Jesus? This is certainly a good and important thing. He says in verse 26, I’ve already shown you, God has shown you, he will take care of you.

He says, verse 26, example A, look at the birds of the air. They neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And in verse 27, perhaps the best and most pointed wisdom, which of you by being anxious can even add a single hour to a span of life? News flash that I’ve brought before us before. Has anybody ever left a situation and said, Boy, the thing that got me through it was worrying 24 7. You know that tough time I had in life? The more I worried, the more things got better. I got more relaxed, people liked me more, and everything fell into place because I worried about it. Not exactly.

You see, Jesus says in verse 27, it doesn’t do any good anyway. If you want to worry, if you want to be consumed with anxiety, not only are you disobeying Jesus’ straightforward command in verse 25, you’re making your life worse, and it’s certainly not getting any better. But verse 33 has the answer. As we said from the beginning, we are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And then all these things, these life necessities, shall be added to you. I have to ask myself this year, have I worried too much about this life? It’s a good and important thing to put God first. We need to make sure that we’re doing that each and every day. And frankly, 1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 15 teaches, I have to know what is right, and not just so that I can know it.

Look at me in 1 Peter chapter 3. It’s not about a knowledge contest. It’s about a reason for understanding God, a reason for growing closer to Him.

Peter writes, Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. Yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience so that when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. Verse 17, for it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. A good thing to do is to look out for the needs of others and be there for everyone.

A good and critical thing to do is to put God first always. And certainly to do those things, part of coming to that understanding is to know what is right. But to know what is right is not about accumulating wisdom and knowledge for the sake of it. It’s to do what in verse 15. Be prepared to reach out to anybody. When people come in and they want to persecute you because you’re a Christian, because you’re doing the right thing, have an answer. Don’t just say I’m avoiding this because God gave me a list of do’s and don’ts. I am going to be holy as Christ my Lord is holy. If you want to bring suffering upon me, if you want to persecute me, that’s fine. Verse 17, again, it is better to suffer for doing good.

If that should be God’s will than for doing evil. Think about that. It’s better to suffer for good if it be God’s will than to do evil. Those are clear good choices. But what I want us to examine this morning is not in the new year will I make a resolution to do some good things. To say, I need to make sure I reach out to others. That’s a great goal. Please have that. To make sure I put God first. That’s a critical goal. Always have that. And certainly even to know what is right, please involve yourself in our reading plan. Take advantage of the will of God that we have in so many forms today. But I want us to show us what is best this morning.

3. Best: Proactive Concern and Care for Others

I want us to examine that not only should I do good for others and make a point to do it, I need to be proactive in my concern and care for others. Do you see that proactivity in Romans chapter 14? Turn back there with me. Notice as Paul says, you aren’t to destroy the work of God for food. You’re not to destroy the work of God over these endless trifles and silly discussions and quarreling over matters of liberty. There’s an opinion, there is a point of view that would truly change us. It’s good to do good things for people. It’s best to have a heart that truly cares. If we have the heart, the actions will follow. If we try to do the actions without the heart, it won’t last.

Our resolution will not continue. Romans chapter 14, note this attitude. Therefore, let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but decide. Rather decide to never put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. Verse 15, if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

I want to highlight two words this morning. I want to highlight in verse 13. Rather decide. Do you see what he says? He says, don’t pass judgment. Rather instead decide. Proactively make the decision, the choice, the heart change to never be a stumbling block. And then again in verse 19, so then let us what? Pursue. Pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Two things happen when we do what’s best rather than what’s good. When our heart begins to do God’s will, rather than just doing God’s will because we know we should conceptually. Not only will we be better at fulfilling God’s word because we’ll actually have concern and have care for other people, we’re going to start to see more opportunities in the process.

Think about verse 13, excuse me. Rather decide to never put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. That takes proactive thought and care. That I might be doing something that I am fully persuaded, and even Paul may agree with in verse 14, that I am able to do and at liberty to do in my faith in God. But I will not, and I will not come close because I care more for others than myself. Sometimes our resolutions don’t stick because we don’t really want them. There’s a reason we fail in our diet resolutions every year. Because ice cream is so good.

And so as long as my heart decides that yes, ice cream is the best, that goal, that good goal of losing weight. That resolution that I’ve decided is important and I really need to change with, and I might even be able to keep up with a little bit. Eventually is going to fall by the wayside because what I value over time is going to change my actions. For a short time, we can and should always do what God wills. If you have to force yourself by training or by accountability partners, please do that. But what is better, what is best relative to doing good things is changing our heart to care for other people. And when you look at Jesus, that’s exactly what he did. How many times does the text say Jesus was there and he looked around and he had compassion?

Yes, he had compassion for their souls, that they were like sheep without a shepherd. But Jesus cared about people, and not just because he knew he was supposed to, but because he had love and concern for their needs, even at the direct expense of his own. And that’s the difference in good and best. I can do good things for others and satisfy my own desire and knowledge that I need to be doing good things. But if I am proactively thinking of others, if I am actively pursuing verse 19, that which is for peace and mutual upbuilding or mutual edification, that will change not only my walk, but possibly others as well. And so we see then not only do we need to put God first, but God needs to be first and only in the picture.

4. God Needs to Be First and Only

In Romans chapter 14, again in verse 20, Paul said, Do not for the sake of food destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. So when we examine this, we learn that God has a high standard for sin. If you are thinking that something is sinful, verse 23 teaches you, avoid it.

2 Timothy 2 22 doesn’t just say we have we should not do some things. It says, flee youthful lust. Run the opposite direction. It’s good to put God first. If I can tell you at least my struggle, and maybe you share that with me, someone here shares that. When we put God first, and we say, okay, I’m going to do other things second, that second goal kind of starts creeping up as the year passes, doesn’t it? I need to put God first, yes. I need to read my Bible, I need to pray more, I need to do good things for others. But if my heart isn’t changed, if I don’t allow myself to be transformed, you know what happens, those things in life that Jesus said, do not worry about?

They start creeping up my priority list, don’t they? They start low, but if my heart’s there, they start getting higher and higher and higher on the list. And the problem is to be a Christian doesn’t just mean putting God first. It means recognizing God is the only thing that matters. God is our creator. He desires and expects and demands our complete submission and self-denial every day. As Jesus commanded in Luke 9, 23. So if we’re going to examine what the will of God is, and I’m going to decide what is good or decide what is best, then what is that going to look like in my life? It’s not going to be just put in God first. It’s going to be saying nothing else can possibly stand in the way of me serving God.

5. Not Only Know What Is Right but Do It

That’s a dramatic mindset difference. Because all of a sudden, things in this life that are appealing, that are alluring, that I allow to maybe make me miss the service of God’s people. Or I don’t actually connect with God’s people because it’s outside of these assembly doors and I don’t find it to be that important. Or the prayers for people I don’t actually consider because I’m caught up with my concerns. All of a sudden, those will drop by the wayside. Because I’m saying, what does God want from me today? Right now, this moment. And God will never want my selfishness. He wants my self-denial. He wants my whole and devoted self. Finally, this morning, we need to not only know what is right, we have to be willing to simply do what is right.

In Romans chapter 14, verses 7 through 12, we recognize not only do we have to have patience with others and work together and not be stumbling blocks. But verses 7 through 12 teaches the idea that we have to be fully convinced in our own mind. And note with me the phrasing in verse 8. For if we live, we live to the Lord. And if we die, we die to the Lord. This is everything. Knowing what is right is wonderful and an important goal. Knowing what is right, being prepared to teach others about the holiness of God and the need for the salvation of Jesus Christ is pivotal and critical in and of itself. But doing what is right is everything. The illustration I can leave you with is given by Jesus in Matthew 7, beginning in verse 24.

Conclusion

He gave the illustration of the wise man and the foolish man. And they both built their foundations, one on the rock and one on the sand. The one who built his foundation on the rock, he was the one who heard the words of Jesus and did them. The foolish man who built his foundation on the sand heard the words of Jesus, but did not do them. Both heard. Both seemingly understood. But only one changed. Will you allow yourself to be changed this morning, this evening, this year, if God blesses you with it? It’s an amazing thing to have a God who loves us, who makes his word available to us. But too often we make God into some keeper of a list who says, I want you to do more good things than bad things.

And you won’t find that in his book. If you read the will of God as you examine the life of Jesus, he doesn’t just want you to do some good things on a list. He wants your heart, he wants your life, he wants your devotion. What he offers far surpasses anything we could individually give him. Eternal life, forgiveness of sins. Maybe you’re here and you’ve never become a Christian. Recognize that as you read the will of God, it’s important and pivotal to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. To confess him as Lord, not only out loud that he is the Lord, but he’s the risen Savior, and to make him as the Lord in your life, controlling all our actions as our King.

Need to repent of our sins in a lifetime of rejecting God and be baptized, having your sins forgiven, taking part in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Christ. Maybe you’re a Christian here and you’ve struggled. You’ve done some good things, but you’ve never done the best things. Trust in God’s plan, trust in God’s people. If we can help you in any way, come forward as we stand and sing the end.