In every situation, we have those whom we consider weak
and those whom we consider strong.
A. We all have somewhat different criteria that we
use to come to this conclusion.
1. This is generally referred to as “our standards”
a. If someone doesn’t measure up to our
standards, we consider them weak.
1.) What does this automatically
imply?.....Yes....that we who have
set the standards, are the strong.
I can poke holes in this whole system....but for the sake of
this exercise....let us consider that your standards are the
right ones and that everyone else that doesn’t measure up to
those standards, is weak.
A. In the jungle....in the animal kingdom...., the weak
do not survive.
1. The weak becomes food for the strong.
Examples: Large predator cats will pick out the weakest in
the herd.
Chickens will peck the weakest one in the flock
to death.
Even among humans......the bully will pick out
weak kid, on the playground.
Is this how things are to operate in the Kingdom of God?
A. Is there any difference in the relationship between
the weak and the strong?
1. I believe that the scriptures speak quite clearly
concerning this relationship.
Let us take a look at what God says......from the standpoint
of YOU BEING THE STRONG ONE!
I. God views the weak as objects of His special love and
care and expects men and women to extend love and
concern towards them, as well.
A. God, Himself, is there to give strength to those
who are weak.
1. Physically.......but more importantly....God
is there to strengthen the spiritually weak, if
they would only cry out to Him and let Him
work in their lives.
Isaiah 40:29-31 - 29 He gives power to the
weak, And to those who have no might He
increases strength. Even the youths shall
faint and be weary, And the young men shall
utterly fall,31 But those who wait on the
Lord Shall renew their strength; They shall
mount up with wings like eagles, They shall
run and not be weary, They shall walk and
not faint.
2. God does not look on the weak with scorn and
condemnation....he looks on the weak with
pity and a yearning to help.
B. If you really think about it............it was this very
attitude that moved God, with pity, to send His
own Son as the remedy for sinful....weak....and
fallen man.
Romans 5:8 - 8But God demonstrates His own love
toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died
for us.
II Cor. 12:9 - 9And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient
for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities,
that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
John 3:16 - 16“For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life. 17“For God did
not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but
that the world through Him might be saved.
Isaiah 53:6 - 6 All we like sheep have gone
astray;We have turned, every one, to his own
way; And the Lord has laid on Him the
iniquity of us all.
1. Sin weakened us all, spiritually......indeed, we
were even weakened unto death.
a. God looked down on mankind’s state and
His love....His mercy....His care and
concern............gave us a new life and
new strength, in Him.
II. God’s word explicitly describes how we are to treat
those who are weaker than we are.
A. We, as God’s children, need to emulate God in all
of His ways.
1. As God showed mercy, love, and concern
for the weak........it is only fitting that we, who
are strong, also show mercy, love, and
concern for our spiritually weak fellow man.
Romans 15:1-2 - 1We then who are strong ought to bear
with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to
edification.
a. We are not in a jungle atmosphere....we
left that mind-set when we left the
world.
1.) Survival of the fittest is a law of
Darwin....it is a law of the flesh....
it is a law with no hope and no
help.
b. We, as Christians, live under a law of
love......a law that frees others as we
have been freed.......a law of hope, in
Christ Jesus.
1.) The weakest of us can be given
support, encouragement, help,.....
and eventually.......Eternal Life!
B. Let us remember the proposition.....YOU are the
spiritually strong one.....let us see what God tells
you to do.
1. To the leaders “shepherds” of Israel, God
charges care....concern....involvement...
responsibility.
a. God is the same today as He was back
then........God still charges the
“shepherds”...the leaders of the flock
with the same amount of love and
concern as He did back then.
Ezek. 34:1-6 - 1And the word of the Lord came to me,
saying, 2“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of
Israel, prophesy and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God
to the shepherds: “Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed
themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
3“You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool; you
slaughter the fatlings, but you do not feed the flock. 4“The
weak you have not strengthened, nor have you healed those
who were sick, nor bound up the broken, nor brought back
what was driven away, nor sought what was lost; but with
force and cruelty you have ruled them. 5“So they were
scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became
food for all the beasts of the field when they were scattered.
6“My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and on
every high hill; yes, My flock was scattered over the whole
face of the earth, and no one was seeking or searching for
them.”
2. We see almost the same charge made to the
Elders at Ephesus, when Paul tells them to
take care of the flock.
Acts 20:28-35 - 28“Therefore take heed to yourselves and
to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you
overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He
purchased with His own blood. 29“For I know this, that
after my departure savage wolves will come in among you,
not sparing the flock. 30“Also from among yourselves men
will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the
disciples after themselves. 31“Therefore watch, and
remember that for three years I did not cease to warn
everyone night and day with tears. 32“So now, brethren, I
commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which
is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among
all those who are sanctified. 33“I have coveted no one’s
silver or gold or apparel. 34“Yes, you yourselves know that
these hands have provided for my necessities, and for those
who were with me. 35“I have shown you in every way, by
laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And
remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is
more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
3. We can readily see that the leadership has a
special charge to care for the weak.......but
what about the rank-and-file......what about
YOU?
a. God does not leave anyone out of the
picture......we are to all care for.....
strengthen.....uplift.....and love those who
may be spiritually weaker than ourselves.
1.) Hear the Apostle Paul concerning
those with weaker beliefs......those
who haven’t quite grown to our
lofty spiritual peaks.
Romans 14:1-4 - 1Receive one who is weak in the faith,
but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2For one believes
he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only
vegetables. 3Let not him who eats despise him who does
not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who
eats; for God has received him. 4Who are you to judge
another’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls.
Indeed, he will be made to stand, for God is able to make
him stand.
a.) You know this guy......he’s
the one who thinks it’s
wrong to drink coffee.....he’s
the one who thinks it’s wrong
to celebrate Catholic holidays.
.......he’s the one who thinks
it’s wrong to wear shorts......
** Of course we are so much more enlightened about all
of these things.....we know that there is nothing wrong
with any of these things.......as a matter of fact, we
might even think it our mission to show all these weak
brethren that it is O.K. to do this.......maybe if we
expose them to these things, they will see how foolish
they are being.
1. Let all of us who consider themselves strong, read
again....Romans 14:1-4. (Reread)
a. Perhaps in addition, we might see if this is an
isolated thing, or does the Scriptures bring it
up again?
Romans 14:21 - 21It is good neither to eat meat nor drink
wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is
offended or is made weak.
b. Some want to make the judgment
that others aren’t going to
stumble.....”They just don’t like
seeing anyone else have fun.”
“They just want to find fault with
everything.”
1.) Note again, Romans 14:21.....
it is not only speaking of
someone “stumbling”.....it
also speaks of someone being
“offended” or of someone
being made weak because
someone else insists on his
“rights”.
** Doesn’t this only make sense?
1. If I claim to love someone but don’t respect them
enough to refrain from doing or saying something
that offends their spiritual concept of “right and
wrong”......how much do I really love them?
c. Let us remember that the pressure is not
on the weak.......the pressure is laid at the
feet of the spiritually strong....the one’s
that can see all of the problems.....the
ones who know so much more than these
weak brothers and sisters.
Romans 15:1-2 - 1We then who are strong ought to bear
with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
2Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to
edification.
1.) You will be interested to know that
the Greek word from which we
have translated the word,
“scruples”, is the exact same word
that is also translated,
“weaknesses”.
d. The Apostle, Paul, sarcastically deals
with the snobbish attitude that some can
take, who consider themselves strong....
and therefore, above, the weak.
I Cor. 4:6-10 - 6Now these things, brethren, I have
figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your
sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is
written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one
against the other. 7For who makes you differ from another?
And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you
did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not
received it? 8You are already full! You are already rich!
You have reigned as kings without us—and indeed I could
wish you did reign, that we also might reign with you! 9For
I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men
condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to
the world, both to angels and to men. 10We are fools for
Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ! We are weak, but
you are strong! You are distinguished, but we are
dishonored!
1.) In this same book, Paul also
instructs the Church at Corinth as
to the proper attitude towards the
“weak”.
I Cor. 8:7-13 - 7However, there is not in everyone that
knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until
now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their
conscience, being weak, is defiled. 8But food does not
commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better,
nor if we do not eat are we the worse. 9But beware lest
somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to
those who are weak. 10For if anyone sees you who have
knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the
conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those
things offered to idols? 11And because of your knowledge
shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12But
when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their
weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if
food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat
meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
2.) Is this concept....this Biblical
principle limited to only food....or
should it be applied to every aspect
of the Christian life?
e. We are exhorted again and again to
help those who are weaker than ourselves
......we are admonished to uphold the
weak.........
I Thess. 5:14 - 14Now we exhort you, brethren, warn
those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the
weak, be patient with all.
** We have not exhausted the scripture which addresses
our care, concern, and treatment for all Christian
brothers and sisters.....including the weak.
1. The book of I John is replete with admonitions on
how we should display our love for our brothers.
CONCLUSION:
God cares for....loves....and died for the weak, as well as
the strong.
A. As a matter of fact, Christ stated that He didn’t
come to save the righteous (THE STRONG), but
He came to save sinners (THE WEAK).
God’s word instructs us to also have a like care, concern,
and love for those weaker than ourselves.
A. If we cannot love the weak....if we cannot help
someone who is weaker than ourselves, how.......
then can we say that we love God?
What does all of this mean?........I mean in our language....
in our time.......among us?
A. What does a person have to do to prove to you that
what you are doing or saying or listening to or
watching......IS OFFENSIVE TO THEM!
1. I know that you don’t think it is......I knowthat
you consider them weak in theirunderstanding
of what constitutes “right” and “wrong”.......
but don’t you love them enough to not be
offensive?
B. If you know that someone is offended by
something, is it still right to do it, say it, listen to
it, or watch it......in their presence?
1. You say, “Well, I don’t want to be
hypocritical.”
a. You don’t have to pretend that you
believe the same......as a matter of
practice, you might say, “I know that
_____________ offends you, so I will
not _____________ while you are here.”
C. Some will say......”I think that they are just trying
to control everyone by saying that it is offensive
to them.”
1. What if you are wrong?........Even if they are,
will it kill you to refrain from being offensive
in their presence?
We show our love or our lack thereof, in the way that we
treat our fellow man....especially our brothers and sisters in
Christ.
A. How much are we willing to sacrifice for others.....
I think Christ set the standard.
