 We'll begin reading at verse one. I'll read to verse four and And we'll get into our study Romans chapter 14 beginning at verse one reading to verse four Paul writes receive one who is weak in the faith But not to disputes over doubtful things For one believes he may eat all things But he who is weak eats only vegetables Let 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 Who are you to judge another man's servant? To his own master. He stands or falls indeed. He'll be made to stand for God is able to make him stand So Paul is now moving into a portion of his letter to teach us how to treat someone who is What would be called weak in the faith when he speaks concerning that notice verse one? He says receive one who was weak that word weak means feeble weak infirm without strength that speaks about powerless So he's speaking here and he's saying receive one who is without strength receive one who is powerless The word receive is an important word. It means to accept It speaks of associating with this person it means receive him into fellowship and so as we're trying to find a Context why would Paul be writing like this at this point? He may be writing concerning the Jew who has been converted He would be weak in the faith if he considered meat and festival days essential for salvation And so when he says receive one who was weak in the faith I want to develop that for just a moment. Just touch on this the faith may be I'm sorry. The faith is not speaking of the faith to be saved It's not speaking about the exercising of your faith. He's not saying that when he speaks of in the faith That speaks of and that's a phrase that is used in various places Speaking of the entire body of doctrine that is revealed to us in scripture The faith is a term speaking of our doctrine everything that has been given to us I'll give you a couple of examples just to illustrate that first Peter 5 8 and 9 Be sober be vigilant because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion Seeking whom he may devour resist him steadfast in the faith Knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world Resistance standing strong in the Word of God. That's how you resist the devil not just trying to have all this faith Oh, I got faith. I know it's it's used in scripture like when Jesus was speaking to Satan and he said it is written So when you're resisting the devil, you're doing so a steadfast in the faith I'll reveal doctrine that we understand God by and First Timothy 4 verse 1 the spirit expresses speaks expressly That in the latter times some shall depart from the faith Giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils So in the last days people will no longer cling to orthodox Christian theology we see that today and Then Jude in verse 3 beloved when I gave all diligence to write to you of the common salvation It was needful for me to write to you and exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith Which was once delivered to the saints and so as he's speaking here Received one who is weak in the faith received one who hasn't matured yet in his understanding of Christian doctrine The one who's still weak or infirm who hasn't learned yet how to put his faith into practice So Christians are still young in their spiritual growth. That's the point. He's making They have tender consciences That haven't yet understood what it means to be free in Christ And that's what he means when he speaks about the doubtful things or the disputable matters So he's saying do not reject any from your Christian communion because of their feelings on things which are in themselves indifferent or not important to salvation Now the thing he's dealing with here in Rome seems to have been common Because it was something similar that was occurring in the churches or the church at Corinth Now when he wrote to them, they had questions concerning food that had been offered to idols And in chapter 8 he said that an idol is nothing at all in the world because he says we know that there's only one God But still not everyone has the knowledge that food doesn't bring us near to God So he went on to say in 1st Corinthians 8 verse 9 be careful However, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the week in Chapter 10 later in the same book in verses 23 and 24 He went on to say all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify not all things build up And he went on to say let no one seek his own, but each the each one the others well-being So there's a principle we're going to be looking at in just a minute But the principle and it's I call it Christianity 101 basic Christianity It's love one another Love one another and don't cause each other to stumble don't be arguing over things that don't matter That's what we're going to be looking at today. You see a truly mature believer isn't going to cause a tenderhearted believer to stumble Their tenderness he's saying mustn't be met with mean spirited opposition Opposition you you see I'll try to make it a little practical for us In our day People who are convicted can react to conviction in interesting and sometimes hurtful ways They may speak to you if you say something to them They may say something like You think you're too good Who do you think you are to judge me? They may even try to embarrass you Try to say what's wrong with you? Haven't you grown up with what's a big deal about this? I've seen that if you don't like it. They may say Well, that's just too bad, you know grow up I think that's the most common thing I've heard in in most recent years is if you don't like it That's too bad. I must be true to myself and if you stumble or have a problem with that well grow up That's kind of the attitude a lot of people seem to have today Some believers understand grace and freedom in Jesus to be something called permission So in in the name of grace, they they feel at liberty to do almost everything I just wrote a few things down. Let's see who gets hit and gets mad at me But this is what's going on we all know this and they do things in the name of grace It's it's God's grace. You're a legalist. You're trying to control me They do it in in the name of grace so those I can tell you this there are young pastors that I'm aware of Who enjoys their social drinks and their cigars? You know young people who think they're deep because they read some Older writer and they sit there with their friends with their cigars blowing smoke rings and with their brandy and they're very deep And they think that that's cool. Sometimes people will post photos of themselves, you know, here I am at the beach and they're They're wearing a real immodest bathing suit and I've tried to tell those guys stop that it's It's really gross very embarrassing Sometimes they dress immodestly and they post that there are believers who think it's cool To swear because they think that's being real you even argue with you and say where's the Bible say I can't Here's something for some of you who will know and others of us won't There's a an entertainer named Cardi B How many of you know that name? I'm truly interested. See I see the younger ones. Okay It wasn't that long ago. I'll just kind of give you something you probably know, but not that long ago There was a big Stink about some song that came out. I think in the 40s Baby, it's cold outside, which I've always thought was a stupid song. I've never liked this song I thought it was stupid the first time I heard it and I wasn't even saved But I knew it was about seduction. I mean anybody who's got a brain knows that Baby, it's cold outside and so people got in an uproar, right and they banned it You couldn't play that song. Well, I don't I don't care, but they banned it but the same people who were banning baby, it's cold outside because it was suggestive and because it was Something misogynistic and things like that They're the same ones who who propelled Cardi B's and I wouldn't even say the name of the song and you guys all Those of you who knew her name you guys all know that and some of you probably even know the lyrics. I Didn't know the lyrics But I looked them up They're nasty. I want I'm not gonna ask you raise your hand But I bet you there are Christians in this room. We think that song's okay I bet you there some in our room or listening right now Who didn't go to fender by it? I see that's what's interesting to me Is that sometimes we make issues over things that really don't matter and the things that do we permit? And what happens is it creates problems and so they say well, wait a minute. I'm gonna do undergrace Listen, that's why I don't come to Bible studies. Old people like you make me feel dirty. No, that's called Conviction see that's the Holy Spirit who's saying it's wrong you little stinker. It's wrong and you know that it's wrong but on the other hand We need to understand that because they may think these things are permissible and okay and all of that Well, that doesn't call their salvage salvation into question. I would never say that person's unsaved because Because because grace does cover that and we do grow and we do mature and do we do learn over time? And so the Bible tells us so very very clearly to avoid these things remember in chapter 13 Verses 13 and 14 Let us walk properly as in the day not in revelry or drunkenness Not in lewdness and lust Not in strife and envy but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill this loss. That's what scripture says So it's really not me an old man pastor that somebody has a problem with their problem is with the scripture Because the scripture prohibits that and Christians ought to be aware of that. It's that simple So I don't make judgments on those people because you know what they're growing up as they grow closer to Jesus Those things are things they they let go of so that's one hand, but on the other hand Many believers or some at least have a difficult time receiving grace They don't know what grace is and and what that propels them to do is is to never go to a movie Never watch TV Never to listen to secular music never to eat pork You know, I mean, I don't know what's wrong with you They they will hate tattoos. I mean, there are those who will argue with you That's a sign of the beast or it's an evil. I mean, they'll argue with you. There are those who will say That women shouldn't wear jewelry that they should never wear pants and they should never wear makeup and they'll never get married, you know, um So What's that old saying if the bar if the bar needs paint paint it Okay, let's keep going Now you might think these things are fine. I have no problem with it obviously but they don't So a truly mature believer won't cause them to stumble over Arguing over these kinds of things. What do we do? Well, verse one says Receive one who's weak in the faith but not to disputes Now again, Paul would be referring to Jewish believers say they would have difficulty regarding Jewish festivals ceremonial law So he's saying welcome them into the fellowship If the believers are solid Their moderation and love will be an encouragement to those who are still growing in their faith and and when they see the fruit Of love and peace that that draws them into a greater appreciation of the grace of God So he develops it in verse two by saying one believes he may eat all things but he who's weak eats only vegetables So the one who is described as being weak is is you know for want of another word a vegetarian The mature brother or sister knows that they have freedom to eat meat, but the others don't So verse three let not him who eats despise him who does not eat So what do you do? He says receive him don't despise him that word despise means to hold in contempt Don't hold him in contempt. He's your brother And if he's saved love him for Jesus's sake But he goes on in verse four and he says who are you? To judge another servant to his own master. He stands or falls indeed He will be made to stand for God's able to make him stand So this can actually be directed to both the the younger as well as the older believer on one hand God can work with the weak brother So your responsibility as an older brother or sister is to receive him But on the other hand it can be directed to the weaker. Why are you judging them? See neither one of them has the right to be the others judge in these kinds of things remember in james 412 There's one lawgiver who's able to save and destroy who are you who judges another? So that isn't within the My frame or my pay grade I am not to be judging people based on these these things these kinds of things I'm to receive and love them and by God's grace they'll grow into maturity And we'll be able to fellowship on a deeper level over time He says in verse five one person esteems one day above another another esteems every day alike Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. I have happened to be one of those who esteems every day alike You know you worship God every day not just wednesdays and sundays So for me there aren't no special days that I must I want to worship him daily, but that's me So one person esteems one day above another another esteems every day alike Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He observes the day observes it to the lord He who does not observe the day to the lord. He does not observe it He who eats eats to the lord For he gives god thanks and he who does not eat to the lord. He does not eat and gives god thanks So some feel that certain days of the week are more holy than other days Let me share something that some of you will relate to others May not some of us grew up believing in what we're called holy days of obligation How many of you have heard that term? I'm curious just how many a good portion of you holy days of obligation How many of you were raised in the catholic faith? Please? Well, those of you who didn't raise your hand the first time you didn't go to catechism so We were taught Not to eat meat on fridays Every day of the week every friday of the week for the calendar year. That's how I grew up I grew up in the time when they had the latin mass some of you know what i'm saying others may not Tridentine mass the latin mass you'd go to church and they would say latin phrases And you would just kind of sit there Listening because you really didn't know what they were saying But we were taught to observe a certain day of the week which was friday every day now in 1966 That was changed And they began to catholics began to be free to eat meat on fridays Except rash wednesday and good friday And still to this day that's what's taking place if you're above the age of 14 you you were bound by what is called the law of abstinence now When he's speaking about some days and some meats and foods That can be translated in a practical way to remember how some of us were raised in the catholic church We were raised that way so the only way that you could eat meat on a friday when i grew up is if you forgot That was friday That's true. How many of you remember that from your catechism, right? We forgot every friday. It was just an amazing thing how my My memory went bad every friday It really did now now paul deals with this in colossians 2 listen to what he says In verses 16 and 17 he said therefore Do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink or With regard to a religious festival a new moon celebration or a Sabbath day He said these are a shadow of the things that were to come the reality. However, it's found in christ These were things pointing to jesus So paul is making it clear some people won't eat some people do They're both doing it for conscience's sake And they're both doing it as unto the lord That's what he's saying. So each one of them is doing this in his own way in honor of god So he moves on in verse 7 none of us lives to himself no one dies to himself For if we live we live to the lord if we die We die to the lord therefore whether we live or die we're the lords we we belong to him It's not the food that we consecrate to the lord. It's ourselves It's our lives. That's the point. He's making no one belongs entirely to themselves. We belong to jesus. How's that? Well, a believer understands that we have been bought at a price In 1st Corinthians 6 verse 20 This is what paul said you are bought with a price therefore glorify god in your body and in your spirit Which are gods which belong to god. He redeemed us. He purchased us by the blood of christ So we don't belong entirely to ourselves We belong entirely to the lord and that's the point. He's making no one No one of us lives to himself. No one dies to himself. We live to the lord We die to the lord whether we live or die we are the lords for verse 9 To this end christ died and rose And lived again That he might be lord of both the dead and the living So through his resurrection He's the lord Of those who are alive and those who have died they belong to him You see the resurrection when he says he is the lord the resurrection established jesus's claim to deity in romans 1 we saw it at verse 4 Jesus was declared to be the son of god with power. He said according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead So we belong to him so he continues on in verse 10 and he says But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we all shall stand before the judgment seat of christ for it's written as i live say at the lord Every knee shall bow to me and every tongue Shall confess to god so then each of us shall give account of himself to god It's easy for believers to pass judgment on one another over many things What's interesting is even the apostle paul Was judged by believers. You might remember first Corinthians 4 3 and 4 I care very little if i'm judged by you or by any human court indeed. I do not even judge myself My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It's the lord who judges me Isn't it interesting and i'll say it quickly because this isn't in my notes, but it just I find it interesting that these people these Corinthians actually had a group within the Corinthian church that were judging paul Can you imagine that? making a judgment on the apostle paul In the same chapter later on he says Though you may have 10 000 teachers yet you have but one father I begot you in the gospel You've been influenced by people to move in Direction of making judgment on me an apostle of the lord Jesus christ So if the apostle paul was judged by members of the Corinthian church What makes us think that nobody's going to judge us? It just happens And so it's important to remember and this is the point he's making here That we're going to stand before the throne and we're not going to give an account for someone else's choices or behavior There have been times and this is a true story. It's true That when i've been teaching in the uh on a sunday morning on uh On the topic of marriage That's the most animated crowd I have Especially when i'm speaking to the husbands You can see husbands you can see you know sometimes people forget i can see them And and i've seen it where the wife will go and fold her arms and look at her He's talking to you right And the husband, you know, you might get an elbow every once in a while it happens. It really does or When I speak in the other to the husbands To the wives and all the husbands will look it's funny It's it's it's it's that kind of tape that people want to buy that cd or whatever that people want to buy Tape boy, that was a throwback a cd That people want to buy so they can give to somebody else because they need to hear this every uh Here's a here's something for us every bible study is not for somebody next to me or behind me or in front of me Every bible study I give is first for me I have to hear the word it has process through me And then it's for us individually So it's easy to point a finger at somebody else and say did you hear that? When in reality the spirit would be pointing at me saying did you hear that? That's how you'll grow by the way we stop judging each other Now notice in verse 10. He says believers are going to be judged and receive There's a judgment, but they're to receive rewards Not condemnation or punishment um, we stand before what is called the bemus seat And we receive the rewards of a great of grace filled works And the one who makes the judgment at the bemus seat the judge is jesus Second corinthians 5 10 says we must all appear Before the judgment seat of christ That everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done whether it is good or bad And when it says we must all appear that word appear is an interesting word because it can sound like we're just standing there But the word appear actually is the word where you get the word manifest from Our hearts are going to be made manifest It's not us just standing there, but we're going to see ourselves for who we are and what we've done That's the kind of picture you have right there But the one who is looking at us and observing us is jesus But as believers because we've been washed by his blood And have been justified by him We're not being judged with eternal punishment We're there to receive our rewards And that's how we'll work at that time and notice verse 11. He says As I live sayeth the lord every knee shall bow to me and every tongue shall confess to god All are going to express submission and adoration Acknowledging him as god In philippians 2 paul said it like this versus 10 and 11. He said at the name of jesus Every knee should bow heaven and on heaven and earth and under the earth and every tongue confess That jesus christ is lord to the glory of god the father So that a is going to come and I've said this before it's true every knee will bow every tongue will confess I do that now I do that now I'm prepared to do it then But there are those who refuse to do it now But they will do it then Every knee shall bow Sigmund Freud is going to bow before christ He's going to say oh, you're not an imaginary thing Muhammad is going to bow before jesus christ Buddha will bow before jesus christ keep that in mind Every knee shall bow every tongue shall confess that jesus christ is lord and that's the point he's making Every knee so he says in verse 12 each of us shall give account of himself to god So be aware of your own shortcomings Our own failure should keep us occupied enough Verse 13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore But rather resolve this not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way Seeing that we're going to stand before jesus in judgment be very careful not to stumble somebody else Don't tempt someone else to fall into sin Let us love one another I I can speak out with personal experience on this From a personal testimony I've shared before so I won't say much a bit other than this I had a friend who was raised in the christian church I wasn't I didn't know the lord from early age. I got saved when I was 20. I was an alcoholic and drug abuser got saved My friend was raised in the church And when I was about 23 And I'd gotten out of the military He said, you know what? I've never drank beer. I'm starting to learn to enjoy the taste of it and so he and I went And we're eating together And in his encouragement by not drink I remember drinking and tasting the beer And I remember thinking that my heart was stumbled over this See he didn't have an alcohol problem He didn't have a habit he didn't He didn't do what I did. I I would I would drink and I don't want to say too much about this Other than I would drink because when I enjoyed it, but too it numbed me And so it was it was when I was drinking a lot That I got to a certain point in my while I was drinking That I would actually say what I felt And feel what I felt. I don't know if anybody understands what I mean by that But I would feel my feelings That's a common phrase today what I mean is I let myself feel what I was not wanting to feel and then I would very often get emotional I could very easily not always But I could easily turn to tears If I thought long enough on the things that I'd been hurt by Alcohol became my excuse Alcohol gave me an opportunity to vent the things that I was feeling When I came to faith in Christ God began to heal those broken parts of my life So I didn't need drinking anymore. I didn't need the alcohol anymore. And then my friend saying What's wrong with it we're over 21 you're not getting drunk And in tasting and drinking of that beer it didn't send me to hell, but it did give me Um Pangs of conscience It did remind me of the old life. It did remind me of How I once felt It reminded me I come home if I had beer on my breath I wouldn't want to be around my mom because she would smell it It reminded me of those days So no taking a glass of beer, which I didn't drink the whole beer by the way, but taking a glass of beer Isn't going to send me to hell But it did cause me to have a guilty conscience It did stumble me in my walk and my dear friend Who was older than me and the lord could have been a help to me instead of a hindrance I guess what i'm trying to say is let's be wise in how we influence people Because um, you may not have a drinking problem, but the one that you're encouraging to drink may very well have one What are we to do? We love one another He's saying don't entice a brother to enter what he believes to be sinful Even if you think that you're helping them to mature By doing it He says in verse 14, I know and i'm convinced by the lord jesus. There's nothing unclean of itself But to him who considers anything to be unclean to him it is unclean So I want you to notice this identifies paul with those who are not stumbled by foods Remember in mark 7 15 now jesus said there's nothing that enters a man from outside Which can defile him but the things which come out of him Those are the things that defile a man Remember how Paul said to timothy and first timothy 4 3 and 4 speaking of people who are bringing them into bondage. He said They forbid people to marry Order them to abstain from certain foods Which god created to be received with thanksgiving by those Who believe and know the truth For everything that god created is good Nothing is to be rejected if it's received with thanksgiving So he said I know and i'm convinced by the lord lord jesus. There's nothing unclean Of itself. He says but in verse 14 to him who considers anything unclean to him it is unclean Well, what is it that stumbled the brother then Well, if the brother considers its sin Then to him doing it will be sinful. Why because he's not eating With a clean conscience And so he goes on he says in verse 15 Yet if your brother's grieved because of your food you're no longer walking in love Do not destroy with your food the one for whom christ died Don't cause a brother to stumble That's what keeps me from exercising my Christian liberty In an improper way It's making the decision not to stumble a fellow christian You see by giving up my liberties I'm showing love to my brother If my doing something grieves him Then for his sake I won't do it. I tried to emphasize this as an illustration when this church was very new And I was trying to say and I if I said it to you right now You'll see what I meant. I I said it this way I said listen And this is when our church was like maybe uh six months old or less And it was a small fellowship about 40 people 50 people or whatever and and I was trying to illustrate and I said Listen You expect more of me as a pastor I said I I don't want to stumble you What would you do If I invited you to my house And asked you to get something out of one of the cupboards or whatever And you opened it up And and you saw a bottle of bourbon. What would you do? Well That was just a question. I was trying to illustrate. You'd probably be stumbled I don't know. Maybe you wouldn't I don't know if you came if I was over here at one of the restaurants And you walked up. I had a picture of beer and I slamming them and say hey Would it bother you That's what I was saying. Would it bother you? What would you do and this guy in the front row who was an alcoholic yelled out in church? I'll help you drink it pastor. That wasn't the point I was trying to make He probably would have too You remember john you remember So by giving up our liberties in in christ we're we're showing love to our brothers or sisters um My choices of food are not to be more important than my brother's faith In verse 16 do not let your good be spoken of as evil Don't let your freedom in christ be used to make accusations concerning the way that you live Verse 17 for the kingdom of god is not eating and drinking The kingdom of god is not certain distinctions of foods The kingdom of god is revealed by righteousness and peace and joy Because that's the fruit of a clean conscience Verse 18 for he who serves christ in these things is acceptable to god and approved by men The righteous life the peace the joy and all is actually regarded by others That's why Matthew 5 16 says let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven And so you live in such a way because it brings glory to god And that's how we are supposed to live verse 19 Let us pursue the things which make for peace and and uh and the things by which one may edify another instead of bringing somebody down With my perceived liberties. How about me trying to bring somebody else up? Instead of insisting on my own rights Maybe I need to care for the condition of other people You know when it speaks concerning peace and all I want you to see that verse 19 Let us pursue the things which make for peace there. There are many who wish for peace There there are those who even march for it and there there are those who have talk shows that talk a lot about it But often the ones who are doing all of this talking and marching have no humility. They have no self-denialed They don't have real love which actually produces peace In verse 20 he says do not destroy the work of god for the sake of food all things indeed are pure But it's evil for the man who eats with offense Don't undo what god is doing in your brother by arguing over food or petty things Take into consideration the estate of another man's conscience But he goes on to say it is good neither to eat meat and drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles Or is offended Or is made weak Again, I've had conversations in the past and very often it's with young people in general not necessarily young believers Who have said To me You know if they're stumbled that's their fault If they're stumbled that's their problem. Why should I live my life in accordance to the way they think? I wonder how many of us in this room would probably still think that way I'm going to be true to myself I've had people say, you know, I want to serve the lord But I I don't want to live the kind of life that a pastor has to live because you can't do anything because people are always watching you And I've argued and I've said no, I can do anything I want. No, you can't oh really you can't drink They've told me that you can't drink and I said you've never seen me You can't drink I used to start my friday nights with a half gallon of wine and a quart of beer And you're telling me I can't drink. Oh, I can drink I don't want to drink There's a difference It's not that I can't go and have a beer, which I don't want It's not that I can't I could But if you walked in and you saw your pastor drinking I love you too much to do something stupid like that and I don't like beer. That's another blessing I don't care to I don't want to because god changed my wants And the want I have now is to serve him and to do so with a pure conscience And to be an example to believers. That's what christians are supposed to be. Oh, you can't oh, yeah, I can but I don't And that's just that's what we're to do In Philippians 2 it says in verses 3 and 4 let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit But in loneliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself Let each of you look look out not only for his own interests But also for the interests of others So don't destroy the work of god for the sake of poor The the sake of food rather Um In verse 21 again, it is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine or do anything by which your brother stumbles Don't do that because it stumbles a fellow believer. So verse 22 and 23. Do you have faith? Have it to yourself before god Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves But he who doubts is condemned if he eats because He does not eat from faith for whatever is not from faith is sin So Do you have faith? If you have faith The lord gives you freedom to do that which is You're free to do in christ you're not you're not in bondage But at the same time the freedoms that I have are not to be exercised At the expense of somebody else Now if I have faith and this is an interesting thing he's saying here um Then i'm to reserve my act of faith And exhibit that act of faith if you will before god But don't exercise that act of faith in front of a weaker brother because it'll stumble him Um Now i'll i'll i'll go back face it's eating and drinking and i'll i'll go back to something I I became aware a long time ago and some of you probably have too. I'd assume that That you may think well, you know, I just won't buy stuff from around here I'll go somewhere else You be surprised How many people know you you will some of you have encountered this i've had this happen so many times I've I've been in san luso bispo I've been walking into a store opening the door for the people walking out You know they're coming out and i'm going in and somebody turns to me and says oh pastor you do like san luso bispo People from my church I've been in i've been in beach areas that i've never been in my life I've been walking with marine friends and i've had people walk up high pastor. I didn't know you come here And and i'm going wow and i've been on planes Where stewardess has said I recognize his voice is that pastor david? I've gone on planes where people have said i was at church this morning It was a great study and i'm thinking i can't go anywhere It's a it's just true. It's just true and I enjoy it So no i'm never really alone ever So it's become easy for me to be aware of that and you don't know how many people know you You're on the worship team And you're buying cooking wine I've had marie and me we've been walking through stores in the local area with our shopping cart And they've walked up to us and they're looking in our cart Would you like to go with me and pay for this? What are you doing? I am not kidding. I've had them come to the table when we're eating I have had it so many times So it's a good thing. You don't do anything even if you had the freedom You don't do it and even if you do it at home where nobody's watching you If you're a parent you've got people watching you You've got your children watching you You know when my kids were very small I'll close with a couple things when my kids are very small We put them to bed at a certain time And then I'd hear a little movement Because marie and I would watch whatever show we were going to watch And I they would climb out of their beds and crawl through the hall That was marie the kids were even worse Even worse I'm telling you You've got little eyes that are watching you at all times Because whatever daddy does whatever mama does is okay with god And it'll be okay with me be aware of that Whatever you do they will do So I made a choice a long time ago I don't want them to ever blame me for the lack of faith they may have themselves And so happy is the one who can eat and drink what he pleases with a clean conscience And finally in verse 23 Will close if he who doubt he who doubts is condemned if he eats because he does not eat from faith Whatever is not from faith is sin Food by itself isn't the question Whatever is not done in faith is sin because the conscience is violated To try to eat with a weak conscience how you're going to have is a sense of guilt Entitled 115 to the pure all things are pure But to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure Even their mind and conscience is defiled And so what you don't do in faith Produces a guilty conscience And so don't do anything they violate your conscience And if you have a clean conscience, you're going to serve the lord If you have an impure conscience, you're going to be guilty and you'll probably shelve yourself Because you won't feel the freedom To speak like I told you and I'll close with the story everybody's heard but I'll remind myself as I tell you this right in the same area of time when I was starting to return to taking social drinking and all And I was sitting in a restaurant and my friend was across from me and he ordered a pitcher And they brought this pitcher and I poured some beer in it Actually, he did he poured it in for me And I I picked it up and I saw an old older gentleman. I was 23 or so This older gentleman was he was old. He was probably 60 And he sat across from me. He wasn't he wasn't Eight feet away. He was right across from me right there Closer than the front row And I picked up the beer and I drank it just a drink just a drink put it down To this old man came sat down. He saw me drink and the spirit of the lord Spoke in a very very firm way go share my love with that man And I said I can't And I heard this prompting in my heart. Why can't you? I said because Because he saw me take a drink He's of that generation that Would really frown on that. So I said he saw me take a drink. I I can't And as god is my witness Within a minute or so Two young men came off into the door into this pizza parlor one sat on one side of him the other sat on the other And I saw a guy pull out his bible And opened it and started sharing the gospel with this man. I'll never forget this And I'll never forget the impression of my heart when I heard If I can't use you I will use somebody else And I said to myself I want to be used by the lord beer is not that important People's salvation is and that's was that was the turning point in my life To get right and straight with god because I never want to have to have somebody else take my place I don't want to be in reserve. I want to be first string And so I'm not going to sit the bench with my bible I want to be up on the field giving the word of god. That's me I hope you're the same way because those things don't matter. What matters is their souls That matters my freedoms. I don't need if they're going to keep me from being able to talk about him And so Whatever isn't done of faith is sin. Why because your conscience is violated So don't do anything to violate your conscience. Live before the lord with freedom