Welcoming the Weak
[The following was delivered at a CGL Summit on February 18, 2024].
I want us to be a people, and a church, that are eager to welcome the weak.
Romans 15:1-2,
“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”
Here’s some context…
Romans 12-15 is about living a life totally given to Christ. Paul spends more than one chapter under the banner of welcoming others (Romans 14:1-15:7). Namely, welcoming, those with weak consciences or immature members in the body.
As a mini aside, the idea of being welcoming is one of the words that has popped up in our time as a team revisiting our vision and focus as a church, that wasn’t my initial intent on picking this scripture, but welcome is clearly a word loaded with meaning for Paul.
5 Characteristic of the Strong
The strong are to welcome the weak (ch. 14-15).
1. The strong think with sober judgment in regards to their own strength.
Romans 12:3,
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly that he ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
The strong should be slow to assign strength to themselves. They are aware of the limits of their strength… The more you know, the more you understand how much you don’t know. They are aware of the source of their strength...“What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Cor. 4:7)
The strong think with sober judgement regarding themselves.
2. The strong “have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak” (Rom. 15: 1).
You could say, “If anyone thinks he is strong, then he has an obligation to the weak.” (Congratulation you who think you are strong).
Romans 12:5,
“…so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another…”
All have a responsibility to one another in the body, but especially the strong towards the weak or immature. This is what we want to teach our whole congregation… we are members of one another and have the opportunity to build/strengthen one another
3. The strong do not aim to please themselves (Rom. 15:1).
Another way to put it is that they have put on the mind of Christ.
Phil. 2:3-5,
“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,”
The strong don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about their strength, they spend time thinking about and serving others. And that freedom from being consumed and obsessed with ourselves is a mark of maturity and strength, a fruit of being grounded in the gospel.
4. The strong are able to discern what matters most.
Romans 14:1,
“As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.”
We welcome them, not that we would be weakened by them, but that they may be strengthened by us. We serve them, we go to them to bring them in a certain direction. With grace and patience, we move them to Christ, Paul says to welcome them and also puts some guard rails on it:
“…But not to quarrel over opinions” (14:1), or myths, or speculation.
“…let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” (14:19)
“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.” (15:2)
5. The strong serve others for the right reasons.
Romans 14:4,
“for God has welcomed him”
Romans 15:6a,
“Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you,”
Romans 15:6b,
“for the glory of God.”
There are many who may think themselves to be strong or mature, but this is what true strength and maturity from God looks like.
So with true humility, with any strength that God has supplied, let us use it to serve the body. The strong should have a keen sense of how Christ has welcomed them, and be eager to bear and build up the weak.
If it’s not obvious already, Paul isn’t just talking about greeting someone at the door. To welcome them has a deep, rich meaning which implies sacrifice, endurance, and love.
The Goal
The goal of it all is that we may with one voice glorify God.
That the strong and the weak who have both been welcomed by God, will with one voice give Glory to God.
Romans 15:5–7,
“May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
Who is an ideal disciple?
F.A.T. — faithful, available, teachable.
And also, one who is weak or young who really needs it.
And as our love grows for the those who need it the most, may our love for the lost grow as well. We don’t want to just collect all those we think are mature in Christ, we want to create maturity in Christ, in those that have no faith right now, or weak faith. Let not any strength that we have go to waste, but be used to serve those needing it.
Discussion Question
How does your group do when it comes to welcoming others in the way Paul describes, whether it be Sunday morning or others who visit your group?
