Romans 15:1-6 – A Message of Empathy

Topic: A Message of Empathy

Reading: Romans 15:1-6

1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves; 2 let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him. 3 For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me.” 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. 5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Introduction and Overview

The power of the New Covenant and the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to bring us to salvation and to transform us into the image of the love of God. When we consider the love of God there is a message of empathy that runs through His love. The two greatest commandments as defined by Jesus are to love God first, and to “Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39) When you consider this second point, it is evident that there is a message of empathy contained within that commandment.

The message of empathy in these words are reinforced in this section of Romans. We are called to empathise with those around us. We need to consider the situation, feelings, point of view, and attitudes of others so that we can show God’s love towards them. Through the message of empathy, we can learn to live in harmony with the people around us, and so grow into the image of Jesus Christ.

Christ Jesus showed great love towards all people and He preached a message of salvation and a message of empathy and love. And in this section of Romans, we gain some insights into how we are to use that message of empathy and love as we walk with others.

Key points from reading:

1. The strong should learn to bear with the failings of those who are weak in the faith and not try to overpower them or be harsh with them.
2. We can learn from the message of empathy written in the scriptures as these things are written down for our instruction.
3. The aim of this message of empathy is to live in harmony and peace with everyone, in so much as it depends upon you.

Discussion:

1. Scripture: Romans 15:1-2
   • There are many people in the world who have faith in Jesus Christ. They are all seeking the salvation of the Lord. But all are at different stages in their walk with Christ. Some have learned and been able to apply His teachings to a greater or lesser extent than others.
   • Because of these differences in where people are in their walk, some may be stronger in the faith than others. There is also the fact that the ministry some people are under may not teach things as accurately as they could be. For instance, throughout Romans 14, Paul was teaching about different beliefs and attitudes of people regarding food and drink. Some believed they could eat certain things while others abstained. It is no different today. There are groups of Christians who eat little or no meat. Some do not drink any strong drinks, even those with caffeine as caffeine is a drug. And then there are those who do all of these things; they eat meat, drink alcohol or strongly caffeinated drinks, and so on.
   • But all of these people are your brothers and sisters in Christ. Every one of them is a believer and is awaiting the salvation of the Lord, just as you are. And while we await the coming of the Lord, we are called to find peace and harmony with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are the family of God, and like our human family, we all have our differences and idiosyncrasies.
   • If we are to find peace and harmony with one another, then we need to show the love of God to all. The message of empathy goes a long way to teaching us how to act and behave in the presence of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to act in a manner that pleases them, not us. For example, if your brother or sister in Christ does not eat meat, but you do, don’t flaunt your eating of meat in front of them. Don’t invite them to a BBQ that is basically a “meat-fest” that will make them upset.
   • By showing them empathy you will do what is needed to please, or at least not upset others. We need to consider the feelings and beliefs of others in all we do. Naturally we should not do as others do if we believe it to be wrong. We need to remain true to the faith we have in God and not compromise what we believe to be right. But through the message of empathy we can respect the opinions and feelings of others, and so find peace and harmony. And perhaps they will find a better way, or you and I will learn that their way is actually correct as we too grow in the Lord.
2. Scripture: Romans 15:3
   • We can see this message of empathy in the life of Jesus Christ. He did not come to the earth to lord it over people, even though He had the right as the King of kings and Lord of lords. But instead Jesus came to show us the ways of peace, harmony, and love by preaching the gospel of salvation and the message of empathy contained within it.
   • Consider one part of the gospel of salvation. Jesus died to take away your sins, as John wrote in John 1:29. All of your sins and mine were taken away by Jesus as He became the ultimate sacrifice for sin. His love for you and I was so great that He was willing to die so that we could have the chance of life. He paid the debt we could not pay and wrote off our debt of sin. Jesus showed the ultimate act of love and showed great empathy towards all who come to Him in this single act.
   • Now, in the message of empathy contained in His act we see these words in this verse. “For Christ did not please himself.” He was not a self-serving person and in His example we see this message of empathy that we too need to learn to imitate until it becomes a habit in us also. And as the Holy Spirit works with and in us, this habit of empathy will become who we are as the Spirit transforms us into the image of Jesus Christ.
   • Jesus gave us an example to follow. He was showing us, and did on many occasions, to put the needs and desires of others ahead of our own. This is part of the message of empathy and of love. As it says in 1 Corinthians 13:5, “Love does not insist on it’s own way.” Jesus did not insist on His own way but sought to show us the right way. Through His message of empathy, we are to likewise not insist on our own way but instead put the ways and desires of others above our own.
3. Scripture: Romans 15:4
   • One of the great messages of the Bible is contained in this particular verse. It tells us that through studying and reading the scriptures we will find steadfastness, encouragement, and hope. When we need to be lifted up, there are examples in the Bible that will help us. The scriptures encourage us to live as Christ did and to find the message of empathy to live in peace with others. The scriptures provide a message that will lead us to salvation and hope in Jesus Christ. We have the hope of salvation in us and the hope of eternity as a promise from God when we believe in Him and His work in Jesus Christ.
   • All of this was written down in the Bible for you and I to learn. The Bible shows us the actions, attitudes, and beliefs that we ought to do and to hold. And this was provided by God so that we could understand, at least in part, His ways. Jesus was sent to provide the perfect example and to give us the insights into the mind of God. And His mind is love because God is love. God shows His love and empathy towards us, and in His example the message of empathy tells us how we need to behave with others.
   • The aim of the message of empathy is to learn how to come to the place of perfect peace and harmony with all. Consider this for a moment. If we are to live with each other and God for eternity, do we want to have squabbles? Do we want to live in a place where people are angry, upset, jealous, and so on…for an eternity? Absolutely not! And a big part of the message of empathy and love is to prepare us to live with God and Jesus Christ in peace and harmony forever. Jesus showed us the way in His life and the many examples of love and peace He taught and showed by example. We need to learn those ways and do likewise.
4. Scripture: Romans 15:5-6
   • From these verses we see the point of the message of empathy. It is so that we can glorify God for the offer He has made to each of us, and simply because He is God. He is a God of encouragement. It is God who encourages us through the scriptures, through the ministries, and through the presence of the Holy Spirit He sends to us. God is showing us His encouragement so that we will seek to walk in the ways of love and encouragement with each other.
   • Furthermore, God is steadfast and shows us the ways of steadfastness so that we can stand stable and solid as we walk in Christ. As we grow in the faith and become stable, we become immovable. The issue and trials of this world have no effect on us as we await the coming of the Lord. As we learn to walk in God’s love, receiving His mercy as we are transformed, His message of empathy helps us to feel that same empathy towards others. It is this love that we grow into that will guide us into His presence and His eternal kingdom in Christ Jesus.
   • The message of empathy leas us to find harmony with each other. In music harmony occurs when two or more different notes blend together to create a more complex and pleasing sound. And that is how we are to be in Christ. We are unified in our desires to please God, but, using a music analogy, we are not in unison. Unison in music is where all of the players or singers hit the same note. We are not being transformed to become automatons where we are all duplicates of one another. It is in the richness of our diversity that we blend so that the whole becomes greater than the parts.
   • Harmony is likewise where the whole is greater than the parts. Harmony is a balance where the differences enhance one another to produce something greater than the individual would do alone. And as individuals in perfect harmony with one another and with the Lord we glorify God. Each of us unique, but blending together in a way that makes the whole greater than the parts, and without any discord. That is the point of the message of empathy. To allow for the needs and desires of others so there is balance and one is not greater than the rest. In Christ then, let us find that harmony so we can all praise God who has made all of this possible.

Prayer Points

1. Pray and ask God to help you understand the message of empathy so that you can show the love of God in all aspects of your life. Seek to walk in harmony with others and ask the Lord to help you understand others in ways that build up and don’t tear down.
2. Pray also with humility asking the Lord to help you as you learn to bear with the failings of the weak. We are all at different stages in our journey in Christ, and when we understand that it does help to recognise that others may not have yet learned what you know. If the Lord wills, perhaps He may use you to enlighten them in ways they can accept. Be patient and help them as the message of empathy calls us to do.