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Sermon Outline:
Longing for ‘Likes’? (Rom 15:1-7)
I. Bear The Infirmities Of The Weak
II. Build Them Up For Their Good
III. Be Like Christ
IV. Believe In The Word Of God
V. Bring Glory To God
let us now open our Bibles to Romans chapter 15 Romans chapter 15 The Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans in chapter 15 and we shall consider these seven verses please allow me to read first Romans 15 1-7 we then that are strong ought to Bear the infirmities of the weak not to please ourselves let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written the reproaches of them that reproach thee fell on me for whatsoever things were written of all time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope now the god of patience and consolation Grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ wherefore rece receive ye one another as Christ also received us to the glory of God Amen the Lord add His blessings upon the reading of his holy and precious word longing for likes this is very familiar for our young people probably for those who are of my age we may not be able to think as what they think because we grew up in our teens or early 20s without any phones I don't know if you were so Advanced here in Singapore you already have those and no internet and in those days you just rely on if you are in a different place or abroad you have to find a telephone box buy a card or whatever in order to call back home and in those days people are busy with maybe TVs and newspapers less and of course they don't have the access of the internet as what we have today according to one of the surveys it is from the [Music] PE survey.com it says that today especially the young people the teens and their in their TW 20s and even in the early 30s they are surfing the internet and daily and it is reported that in First World countries where internet is available always 92% of this group of people are in their phones either be in their Facebook Snapchat Instagram X or Twitter and others and this has been the trend for young people and that's why there is a problem a public health awareness a movement a concern even in America today because of this social media you will expect that the Surgeon General of of America would be fighting some kind of infectious disease or whatever Public Health concern from other countries that may enter into their territory but what is the focus of the Surgeon General in America today is a fight against social media loneliness [Music] depression anxieties among young people leading to suicides so much so that he advise the Congress to put somehow of some warnings just you you know in tobacco boxes cigarette boxes you may be aware for those who have been engaged with smoking before there are warnings you surgeon US Surgeon General wants to B because smoking is dangerous to your health and he proposed that this must also be done in every social media platform I don't know how we would do it every time you open your your social media probably that will pop up there there's a warning from the Surgeon General this is dangerous to your mental health and it's a real problem problem a big problem not only in America but probably also here in Singapore and even in other countries third world countries where they cannot even afford for phones and internet still young people are into this addiction of social media and because of this people especially the younger one are distancing themselves from the church they're not anymore involved in the ministries of the church they are not even active in Daily and weekly worship and coming to Worship the Lord on the Lord's day this is alarming and this has been raised by many churches here even in Singapore there are some Evangelical churches who just suggested that let the young people do all the preparation must be the PA must be there to prepare for the for the things on the pulpit and others so that they will be involved and some they said successfully they have invited back the young people yet from Monday to Saturday they still found out that they are in their dep into the addiction of the social media they're just active in serving during the Lord's day they are not even having time to communicate with the Lord there is no point in their lives where they have this quiet time the point where they have to read God's word or gather together to meditate upon the word of God and pray together these are no more sin among young people people in most churches and I believe this is also a state which it may not be that great in our church it may not be that worse in our church but we are led to that kind of state and condition where it will come and it will sh Sur L affect our young people and the future of our church so what must we do as a as a church what must we do as Believers are we not concerned of our young people are we not even concern of ourselves are we just like this narcissistic self-centered kind of attitude of most young people to today longing for likes in fact there was a time where Twitter as I have read were selling and you can buy likes I don't know how it is done but he said you can buy likes so that you can have more likes in your postings more followings and if you are selling or advertising to the the same things in that platform if you have more likes then would likely also that you will get more people to follow you or buy from you or purchase from your product thankfully it was announced few days back that you know it can be it must be done secretly not to buy likes and that's the goal and the aim of our young people looking for acceptance affirmation through likes through comments through subscription of their postings but what about us as Believers as Christians are we longing for likes from the world are we longing for likes from people around whom we don't even know are we looking forward for God to like us or to love us or to be pleased with us and I pray that with this passage in Romans chapter 15 we can get some principles these are not pass this is not a passage that specifically address the problem on social media addiction but is a passage where it will bring us draw closer to the Lord so that we will be taken away from this Min this imation of social media Paul wrote this epistle when he was about to return to Jerusalem from his third missionary journey he has not been in Rome he has not stepped on Rome and yet he wrote this epistle because he heard about the Christians in Rome probably some of them became Believers during the time of the Pentecost some of them also were evangelized by the soldiers from Judea when they were assigned there and returned back to Rome or probably during the Great persecution when the Jews persecuted the Believers in Jerusalem and they were scattered abroad and Paul was concerned about the Christians in Rome because Rome was a center of the Empire and being the center the city of the Empire it was a place where religions philosophies false teachings other things come in and it became a Melting Pot of all the beliefs so that there are other beliefs and other doctrines or teachings or religions that came out because of this mixture and Paul knew that the Christians will not be Exempted they will not be immune from all this attacks from The Temptations of these new teachings from the East philosophies Greek teachings and other from the West also such as those worship of the genius of the Roman Emperor and Paul clearly described here the gospel from chapters 1 to 11 we see how Paul in his systematic way of explaining what is truly salvation not just for the Gentiles but also for the Jews from 9 to 11 and from chapter 12 we have here the application that's always his pattern he writes the doctrine then now the practice he writes the Theology and now the methodology and here in chapter 12 we understand how he now Pro proves that we as Believers recipients of God's mercies and Grace must live not conforming to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our mind so that we will prove that which is good and acceptable and perfect will of God it is followed in Chapter 13 where the Apostle describes for us how they sorry should submit to the governance of Rome even though they were under heavy persecution probably at that time there were already some kind of persecution against the Christians as we know of how Priscilla and Aquilla were cast out from Italy and then he continued on to explain what must we do as Believers how what must we practice the teachings that we have from chapters 1 to 11 how we must apply this how we must live out the Christian Life and I pray from this few verses that we will see this morning we can apply and practice these principles so that we can be delivered out from the threat and dangers of the social media addiction not only for ourselves but even for our young people and from here we shall see five important principles that we may consider and pray that the Lord will help us to apply This truly in our lives first the Apostle Paul here reminds us that we have an obligation we have a duty towards one another especially for those who are strong Christians to Bear the infirmities of the weak so that's the principle that we had the first one that we ought to Bear the infirmities of the we weak we then that are strong ought to Bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please ourselves the word ought here is the idea that we have a duty we have an obligation it is not that we must because we are Christians it is not that we should because we are believers but we are given such obligation we are indepted to do this and that is to Bear to carry not only to carry but to lift up those who are weak and in their infirmities where they have some hesitation where there are some doubts where there are some things that prevents them from doing the will of God in their lives we have to be there to help them we have to be there to assure them that indeed the spirit of God the grace of God upon us will enable us to fulfill what God has for us according to his word most of the people today we are just concerned of our own we are just pleasing ourselves we just think of what we can do for our own we just plan how we can live live for our own families and live for our own selves and plan for our own vacations and plan for our own holidays we never have thought of those those people who need us in the church in the community in our fellowship groups are we involved in bearing the infirmities of the weak those who are struggling those who are who still have questions about the faith those who have some problems are we there to help them are we there to expl clain to them are we there to guide them are we there to encourage them to exhort them and to show to them the word of God so that they will have the Assurance from the promises of the word not our own promises but God's promises we all know that many of us have graduated finished certificate of religious knowledge of biblical knowledge in febc some even have graduated diploma and those some who are full-time have gone through their bachelor's degree but all these things are nothing and will be useless if we will not give and impart this knowledge to those who are needing we ought to and the higher and the greater knowledge and understanding and the stronger we are and the more mature we are in the faith the more responsibility we have to extend to our Brethren to those who are needing that we must be there for them we must bear their infirmities we must be there to help them go through the difficulties of life we must be there to see them through and especially the young people today who are bombarded with all these lies and deceptions of social media they are there because they are longing for love and affection and affirmation and acceptance from this platform and that means that they even within the family they have not receive that for how can they look for such in that platform of social media if they are truly accepted affirmed welcomed received loved liked by their own siblings and parents it is because of lack of concern now we pray for us who are in this church for our own children and our own young people that we will be there for them there are many instances that we are just concerned of the Ministries and the missions work of the things in in in other places and forgot our own young people and that actually was the rebuke that I got from this meditation of the word of God the second principle that we can get is in verse two he says let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification and Paul used here an hortatory way of exhorting and commanding this is an idea where he says I have the decided to do it come and let us do it together he was not telling and saying and like for us preachers we are we easily say you do this you do that you have to do this you have to do that Paul says I have decided to do it let us let us do it let everyone of us including me including me I may be busy of the things around going from one place to another going for second missionary journey Third missionary journey but that should not be an excuse that I would not deal with those who are having infirmities those who are weak those who are needing my presence those who need my time to fellowship with them and to pray with them let every one of us please his neighbor and the word neighbor here describes those who are near to us not just the next door not just the next House near to us it can be our siblings it can be the members of the church it can be part of those who are in the fellowship those who are close to us let every one of us please and the idea of please here is to give them the time attention that they need because we know that this near kin neighbor to us have always the needs and Paul says we are not there to condone their sins we are not there to tell them okay continue to do your social media interaction continue to do that continue to do this if you're happy with that follow your heart that is not what Paul is telling us he says if we please our neighbor we must do it to build them up and that's the second principle that we must see not only that we bear the infirmities but we have to build them up and building them up here is for his good for their good not to build them up to have their self-esteem and to trust their own strength and wisdom and knowledge it is to build them up for their good so that they will acknowledge that what is good is always from the word of God and what will build them up is always from the word also that they be strengthed and be founded in God's word I pray we can be reminded of what the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew chapter 7 in Matthew chapter 7 as he closed the his Sermon on the Mount he wants us in chapter 7 verse 24 to 27 therefore whosoever Hearth these sayings of mind and doeth them I will liken him unto a wise man which built his house upon a rock build them up upon a rock and what is this rock this rock is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ and his word what he says we will follow what he tells us we will obey and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell not for it was founded upon a rock and everyone that Hearth these sayings of mine those who hear this those who have ears let them hear and those who have hands and are able to do it let them do it because everyone that hear these sayings of mine and doeth them not shall be like unto a foolish man which built his house upon the sand and the rain descended and the floods came and the winds blew and beat upon that house and it fell and great was the fall of it great was the fall of it we must be mindful that as we build up our young people even our friends in the fellowship meeting meetings here our brethren in our church we have to build them up for their good and building them up in the Rock upon the rock the word of God in the Lord Jesus Christ and that's what Paul wants us to do we should not just please ourselves and build us up as we become like towers of knowledge and people look up us look up unto us as great theologians and people follow us because of how we are so good in our reasoning and how we are able to explain things with logic and now we can understand the preaching of these great preachers and theologians but if we are not able to apply and build other lives by the use of God's word we are useless we are unprofitable servants we are unfruitful in our Christian Life life so let us bear the infirmities and let us build them up in Christ in his word so that they will grow and they will be strengthened and they too can be a source of strength to others to build others up Paul says we have to teach others and we have to teach those who are able to teach us others also another principle here that we can see is in verse three sorry for even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written the reproaches of them that reproach thee fell on me the Lord Jesus Christ is our perfect example and the third principle that we must look up and be like Christ we must be like him and he says here Christ did not please himself in fact all the reproaches all the insults all the pains all the revilings that he re that we received he received it for us he became sin for us not that he became sinner but he is a sin offering by which every ounch of punishment that we deserved to receive was laid upon him now that we claim to be Christians followers of Christ children of God God we must live a Christlike life we must be like Christ and therefore we must be ready also to take the reproaches receive these reproaches even unto us when it is being received by others it is a tendency for us to live a church to live a fellowship to live friendship when it is attacked we don't want to be part of those who are ridiculed reviled but the Lord Jesus Christ did not leave us we who are Unworthy of any favor we are worthy only of condemnation for H to Hell an eternal Lake of Fire he did not leave us an inch he continued on to be with us even suffered for us us and if we say we are Christians we must do it also for others especially the Brethren and especially for the young people who are to be the next leaders and generation of our churches if the Lord carries we must not just be concerned of our own the Lord Jesus Christ showed us a perfect example of how he himself receive the reproaches of those people who followed him you remember in Acts chapter 9 when the Lord Jesus Christ told Saul it was then Saul before he became poor why as thou why is thou persecuting me you are persecuting me Paul Saul you are persecuting me by persecuting the Believers you are persecuting me because you are persecuting my followers I receive your pain I experience the revilings I experience all those sufferings that they have because you inflicted them such harm and we also as Believers must be ready to take upon ourselves the reproaches of them who are Among Us ready to stand with them ready to kneel down and pray with them and ready to cry and weep with them and even ready to Rejoice with them when there are things also to the glory of God we are a people that must be ready to be Christlike willing to do that which Christ did for us so that we can encourage others and bring them to the knowledge of Salvation in Christ and for those who are still weak that they may mature in the faith and grow in the grace of the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ so we must bear the infirmities we must build them up for their good and we must be Christlike in dealing with them we must be ready to suffer also as they suffer we must be ready to be inflicted with pain to be ridiculed and reviled on their behalf as what Christ also did for us now here in verse four is another principle that we must learn and Paul says here in verse four for whatsoever things were written for time were written for our learning now he's telling us to Bear infirmities he now he told us to join with him in building up one another in the faith and he encourages us to be like Christ in having all the reproaches of some people those Brethren within us but he says in order for us to continue on and do this we need God's word we need the promises of God and be assured that whatsoever things were written a four time before even in the Old Testament were written for our learning it is for us to know it is for us to learn it for us to understand it is for us to apply in our lives so that through patience from this word we receive patience the word patience here is a word for homon which is to Bear add to remain even under a great heavy burden and comfort just like the Holy Spirit comforting comforting the Believers to come alongside and tell us of the promises of God and where can we get this from the scriptures we without the word of God without the scripture that will help us bear their in their infirmities build them up and to follow who Jesus Christ is we cannot do it and we cannot continue to do it the fourth principle is very important we must believe the word of God the scripture for without it we cannot have any source of supplying the needs of those who are weak and encouraging those who are troubled and supplying those needs of people who are in distress the word of God it is for our learning that's why we should not end in the study of God's word and we have so many opportunities and privileges here we see at the back of our weekly Fellowship meetings after Fellowship meetings combined meetings workshops all this are designed not for just for us to gather together and fellowship and eat together it is for us to learn more of his word and I pray that all of us in the church WIll Avail with this many are already scared to come into the fellowship meeting because of what has happened in the past don't want to be creating friction with one another i' rather stay at home that's enough that's good for me but we need to be sharpened an iron is sharpened by Iron we have to be with one another learning together study God's word for it is for our learning it was not written just for us to have a Bible it was not written just for for us to have a record it is for us to learn and to learn what to learn to continue on enduring that's the idea for patience to move on to persevere and to be comforted to be strengthened to be exalted to continue the work of the Lord because we have hope and that hope can only be attained and can only be remembered from his word patience and comfort of the scripture that we might have hope as we look around we seem to be living in a very hopeless world a world full of Darkness a world full of Wars hatred but we have hope we have a hope that is in the Lord Jesus Christ and that is laid in his word and if we do not consume and partake of these promises of God we don't have patience to continue we are not comforted by the scripture and we lose [Music] hope and when we do not hope in we do not have hope in Christ we cling on other sources we rely on the a the affirmation and likes of others we trust that because many are following us in Instagram we trust that because many are thumbs uping Us in this post many are commenting positively to us we are okay our hope is in the word of God and in the Lord Jesus Christ so we can bear the infirmities of others and we can build them up for their good and be like Christ only when we truly believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and put him first or believe in the scriptures the scriptures that tells us who Christ is and introduces us to him our savior and our Lord few days back we have in our course in church history a reminder of what happened just immediately before the Reformation to this month October is the Reformation month I pray you do not forget this we owe so much from the reformers of what we enjoy today of reading again back the Bible to its inspired and preserved state where in the past before 1500s it was in darkness it was in chaos and in those days where people do not know the word of God because it was written in Latin and there were payal bulls that says no private person can touch the Bible for its interpretation they cannot even read it because allegorically they translated or they interpreted the time when Moses went up into Mount Si they said even the those people than the Beast they were not allowed around Sinai so also with the ordinary people in the Pew they should not read God's word it is only for the bishop but even the Bishops in those days don't understand Latin because some of them were just there by simony they just buy their own office they could not even understand what they're reading people were blind people were in darkness and somehow there was a movement that tries to illumin the minds of people and that was the Scholastic movement just before the Renaissance promoting reason and science which is today is very heavily and much embraced even by the evangelicals and Neo evangelicals where we are to embrace and apply science even in the interpretation of the scriptures at par with the scriptures no more that we see the Bible as the Supreme and final authority of our faith and Practice Science must be considered and that's why there are many today who don't even believe in the first 11 chapters of the Book of Genesis the Miracles of the Bible it is very sad that if you look back to history one of the first denomination that Deni this inherency of the scripture the Miracles of Christ because of their desire to embrace science is the Presbyterian Church in America we thank God that we came out from them as Bible Presbyterian Church I pray this denomination will not be taken in by the lies again of science so cold foolishly to identify and to interpret and understand the scriptures we have to believe in the word of God we have to have a high view of the scriptures we always have this High view of what God says to us and by then only can we have hope in the Lord Jesus Christ so we have to bear the infirmities of others build them up for their good and be like Christ and believe in the scriptures the Bible the word of God and then Paul continued to describe us here in verses 5 and six now the god of patience and consolation Grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus that and what is the purpose for all these things that's so we be United and we are knit together and we are just like one family loving each other the purpose of all these things is that that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ glorify God bring glory to God that is a chief end of man and that was even the Cry of the Reformation solid deal Gloria let us bring glory to God alone and all these things that we have here as principles will bring glory to the Lord will bring glory to God God will be pleased with us and we will give him all the Praises and adoration the god of patience and consolation we have the scripture which is full of patience and comfort and this is of course from the god of patience and consolation The God Who will cause us to endure The God Who cause us to persevere The God Who who continues to preserve us even until the end this is the God we have and we should glorify him and be exhorted be encouraged be lifted up in every work that we have even though there are sometimes that we are pulled down by the weights of the problems and the distresses and anxieties of people around us we have to trust in God and to glorify him in our lives and the only way by which we can glorify him is to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus we must have the mind of Christ and we understand the mind of Christ he himself came down from heaven to live on this Earth not for his own self but to suffer for us that was a great sacrifice that he said that was a great sacrifice that he went through and even though he was under heavy suffering excruciating pain on the cross he endured it all because he knows that there is joy ahead of him and that Joy is a joy that all of those who believe and trust in Jesus Christ shall be with him that's why he endured and that glorifies the father and that must also be in our minds and our hearts we will not just be self seeking looking at ourselves oh how pitiful am I I'm the only one bearing this burden even those people whom I am I am helping they are even sometimes abusing me putting more burden on me taking some things from me but is that what the Lord not what the Lord has done for us he was willing to give up himself his life just for you and for me and how how can we count on things these people around us they are taking some things from me when we have taken so much of the time of God even his life and because of us that he suffered and died on the cross we have not realized how great we are we owe God for what he has done for us let us bring glory to the Lord and this Glory will be truly for him his ex exaltation and his adoration when we truly come to bring him glory according to what we have in here principles that we can use these were not written because Paul knew about soal social media of course not you never knew and never look forward to this of course the Holy Spirit who is the author of the scriptures knew that we need to be grounded in the faith and to be built up in the faith and how we pray that we can be used for others so that others also will be built up and will be strengthened in the Lord and be used by God also to be a source of encouragement to edify and even to glorify Our God before the Reformation there was a man who whom we can say was a forerunner of the Reformation he was even earlier than John wickliff and johnas Savon R of ital he was just he was not a monk he was not a priest he was not a bishop but he was burdened by the Lord Peter Waldo was a merchant a businessman he was a French man but he saw that in his community people are so ignorant of God's word and he himself hungers and thirst after the word of God and don't know how to build them up how to encourage them they were under the influence of Darkness of Roman Catholicism where they just rely in indulgences in order to be forgiven they just rely on sacraments in order for them to be released from their guilt they just rely on masses so that they can go there and be at least be at peace because they have attended mass and received the Eucharist that was the blindness and he saw it and that burden caus them to think how can I be a bearer of these weak people their infirmities how can I build them up in the faith he realized that he needed to have the bible translated into their vernacular killer he risked his life sold his business and all the things that he owns and spend all his resources to pay monks to translate the Latin vgate into their own dialect vernacular and that caused after the translation that caused many people to see the light they see the truth this is what what the word of God tells us is is the word of God wants us to do how wonderful it is how great the promises of the word of God before they could even understand what was in it they just rely on what the priesthood never also understand everything what was in the Bible and then they receed the light and they encourage one another and so many poor people they were called called as poor men of Leons because that was in Leon France and they were they spread word they know that there are still many along and other places that do not know God's word as pedlers they made themselves as pedlers not pedlers of things in order to have business they peddled the bible teach them and went to several places until the time there was this notice from the Pope that they must stop they must not continue on teaching the people they says it is heresy to know God's word in their vernacular only the bishop can understand and interpret and they were heavily persecuted many of them were thrown into the cliffs many were drowned just being bound with heavy stones or logs so that they will sink deep into the the sea and never will be found again many were hanged killed persecuted but they continued to move on in spite of the persecution in spite of the reproaches that they have received for they understood this was also the reproaches that Christ had to save them they now understood and is even though there was a heavy persecution even until now we know they continued on Forerunner of the Reformation even before celvin Luther Wickliffe and even before the morning star of the Reformation like Wickliffe H saona there was this man just a simple man just like you and me me and many like you probably because he was a merchant he was a businessman but he knew what things I will have will I accumulate all these things just for myself and find my soul to be out loed because I did not know the word of God they were called the waldensians because they followed Waldo Peter Waldo and that's what we see in this man he may not be as great as what we know of the reformers today his name is not baned as one who sparked the light of reformation but I pray we can learn from him and how the Lord used him and how the Lord moved them there was no social media that he was fighting it was the darkness of the age where they don't understand God's word today we are robbed of our time and our privileges to study God's word because of social media so many of young people are in mental problems even in Singapore we have so many of our young people suffering from anxieties depression because they are seeking affirmation acceptance love and likes from a social media platform that cannot fill the vacuum of their hearts it's only God's word it's only the Lord Jesus Christ many are committing suicide a few weeks ago or a month ago down there in the halls of one of the dormitories one young man not only students but even young professors and instructors I was told in SMU committed suicide anxieties depression cannot find acceptance from the world of course it cannot is only the word word of God and as I reflected this I also find myself very guilty traveling to Philippines every month doing that and doing this missions plant churches but I missed those days where I was with young people before covid when they come to me and tell me Uncle I have this friend who have some problems with with evolutionism can we talk to him and I have time to talk have time to go with her to talk with this friend to show what is the biblical understanding of creation when I when some young people just suddenly pop up at me and says you know brother I would be meeting today a Mormon said what said yes said I must go with you he said no I can't do it I said no we have to go together and I thank God that we did it to talk to this moment guys because if you will be surrounded by this you'll be convinced and if you don't have enough of God's word you can easily be taken in by their lies thank the Lord for the wisdom them I didn't have the power to debate with them I just have the assurance that salvation is only in the Lord Jesus Christ I kept that repeatedly before them until he said oh we have another appointment I miss those days and I said Lord I may be active in other parts of the work of ministry but I'm reminded also our young people around I must not think that because my children are not anym young as they were that I can be relieved of my responsibility over the young people I must and I pray Lord may I be able to encourage others and I thank the Lord that just before coming into this ppit to minister to you the Lord answered me one young man just came up to me there before coming down he said you know brother I'll be finishing my NS on April and I want to serve the Lord in whatever capacity whatever Ministry you have and I thank God for him indeed if we just pray that we can be a part of the lives of our young people they're in need we didn't see them because they think to be very happy and just go as they are and smiling and forwarding and picturing whatever they eat or whatever they have to seek for some approval but their hearts are empty and we who are that strong we have that obligation to Bear their infirmities and to build them up to be like Christ that we be stronger in believing and trusting in God's word that in the end we bring glory to God and give him all the praise and glory that he deserves are we looking for likes we better Lo long to be liked by God long to be pleased with God and God will be pleased with us I pray let us consider what the word of God tells us and be part of others lives is not a burden an added burden to our own lives it is a joy even as the Lord Jesus Christ did it also for us may the Lord help us may the Lord bless us let let's pray Our Father in Heaven may you will lay Upon Our Hearts the burden for one another not only for young people but there are also adults that needs to be attended and how sometimes because of our own personal and desires and Ambitions even Ministries we forget that there are those who are needing crying weeping inside we don't know but they need one another they need us we pray father that you will help us to see this and be part of how you will work in their lives that they may bring Glory unto thy Holy Name be with us Lord as we live another week protect us and keep us away from all these Temptations falsehoods conspiracy theories whatever in social media that we will focus on what is truth in thy word help us to be part of building others lives in thy word and for thy glory and for thy honor we pray and we ask all this in Jesus name amen
Introduction
Let us now open our Bibles to Romans, chapter 15. Romans, chapter 15, the Epistle of the Apostle Paul to the Romans in chapter 15, and we shall consider these seven verses. Please allow me to read first, Romans 15:1–7: "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: that ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God." Amen. The Lord add His blessings upon the reading of His holy and precious word.
Longing for likes—this is very familiar for our young people. Probably, for those who are of my age, we may not be able to think as they think, because we grew up in our teens or early 20s without any phones—I don't know if you were so advanced here in Singapore that you already have those—and no internet. In those days, if you were in a different place or abroad, you’d find a telephone box and buy a card or whatever to call back home. In those days, people were busy with TVs and newspapers, less access to internet as we have today.
According to a survey from the PEW Survey (2015 survey by the Pew Research Center), it says that today, especially the young people—the teens in their 20s and even early 30s—are surfing the internet daily. In first-world countries where the internet is always available, it is reported that 92% of this group of people are on their phones, either on Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, X (or Twitter), and others. This has been the trend for young people. That is why there is a problem—a public health awareness movement, a concern—even in America today because of social media.
You would expect the Surgeon General of America to be fighting an infectious disease or some other public health concern. But today, the focus is on fighting social media loneliness, depression, anxieties, and even suicides among young people. So much so that he advised Congress to issue warnings, just like the ones on tobacco and cigarette boxes. You may be aware of the Surgeon General’s warning: ‘Smoking is dangerous to your health.’ He proposed that similar warnings must be on every social media platform. How this will be done is uncertain. Perhaps, every time you open your social media, a warning will pop up: ‘This is dangerous to your mental health.’
This is a real problem, not only in America but also in Singapore and even other countries. Even in third-world countries, where they cannot afford phones or internet, young people are still into this addiction to social media. Because of this, people, especially the younger ones, are distancing themselves from the church. They are no longer involved in the ministries of the church or active in daily and weekly worship. They do not even come to worship the Lord on the Lord's Day. This is alarming and has been raised by many churches, even here in Singapore.
Some evangelical churches suggest letting young people handle the preparations, the PA system, pulpit preparations, and others to involve them. Some have said this successfully brought young people back, yet from Monday to Saturday, they are still addicted to social media. Though active in serving on the Lord's Day, they lack time to communicate with the Lord. They neglect quiet time, reading God's word, meditating on it, or praying together. This situation is seen in many churches. It may not be as great a problem in our church, but we are led toward such a condition. This will eventually affect our young people and the future of our church.
What must we do as a church? What must we do as believers? Are we not concerned for our young people or even for ourselves? Do we share the self-centered, narcissistic attitude of most young people today—longing for likes? There was a time when Twitter, as I read, allowed buying likes. I don’t know how it was done, but it was said that you could buy likes to increase your followings or product sales. Thankfully, this has been discouraged. The goal and aim of many young people are acceptance and affirmation through likes, comments, and subscriptions.
But what about us as believers? Are we longing for likes from the world, or are we longing for God to like us, love us, or be pleased with us? I pray that through this passage in Romans 15, we may draw closer to the Lord and be delivered from the imitation and menace of social media.
Paul wrote this epistle when he was about to return to Jerusalem from his third missionary journey. He had not been to Rome, yet he wrote this epistle because he heard about the Christians in Rome. Some may have become believers during Pentecost or through Judean soldiers who evangelised before returning to Rome. Others could have been converts during the great persecution that scattered believers from Jerusalem. Paul was concerned for the Christians in Rome because it was the Empire's centre, a melting pot of religions, philosophies, and false teachings. He knew the Christians would not be exempt from these temptations.
In Romans 1–11, Paul systematically explains salvation—both for Gentiles and Jews. From chapter 12, he focuses on application. This is Paul’s pattern: doctrine first, then practice; theology first, then methodology. Here in chapter 12, believers are called to live transformed lives, renewing their minds to prove the perfect will of God. Chapter 13 exhorts submission to government despite persecution. By Romans 15, Paul seeks to strengthen the believers through unity in Christ, urging them to glorify God and support one another.
I pray that the principles from these verses will help us address the dangers of social media addiction for ourselves and our young people. May we live transformed lives that glorify God and draw us closer to Him.
I. Bear The Infirmities Of The Weak
First, the Apostle Paul here reminds us that we have an obligation, a duty towards one another, especially for those who are strong Christians, to bear the infirmities of the weak. So, that is the principle we have—the first one: that we ought to bear the infirmities of the weak. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves" (Romans 15:1).
The word ‘ought’ here conveys the idea that we have a duty, an obligation. It is not that we must because we are Christians; it is not that we should because we are believers, but we are given such an obligation. We are indebted to do this, and that is to bear, to carry—not only to carry but to lift up—those who are weak in their infirmities. Where they have some hesitation, where there are doubts, or where there are things that prevent them from doing the will of God in their lives, we have to be there to help them. We have to be there to assure them that indeed the Spirit of God, the grace of God upon us, will enable us to fulfil what God has for us according to His word.
Most people today are just concerned with their own lives. We are just pleasing ourselves. We think of what we can do for ourselves, planning how to live for our own families, organising vacations, and arranging holidays. We rarely think of those who need us in the church, in the community, and in our fellowship groups.
Are we involved in bearing the infirmities of the weak? Those who are struggling, those who still have questions about the faith, those who have problems—are we there to help them? Are we there to explain to them, guide them, encourage them, exhort them, and show them the word of God? We must direct them to the assurance found in the promises of God’s word, not in our own promises, but God’s promises.
We all know that many of us have graduated or finished certificates in religious knowledge or biblical knowledge from FEBC. Some have even graduated with a diploma, and others, particularly full-time workers, have completed a bachelor’s degree. But all these achievements mean nothing and are useless if we do not give and impart this knowledge to those who are in need. We ought to.
The higher and greater our knowledge and understanding, the stronger and more mature we are in the faith, the more responsibility we have to extend to our brethren who are in need. We must be there for them. We must bear their infirmities. We must help them go through the difficulties of life. We must see them through, especially the young people today, who are bombarded with lies and deceptions from social media.
They are there because they are longing for love, affection, affirmation, and acceptance from these platforms. This longing shows that even within their families, they have not received these things. How can they look for such acceptance on social media if they were truly affirmed, welcomed, received, loved, and liked by their own siblings and parents? It is because of a lack of concern.
Now, we pray for us in this church—for our own children and young people—that we will be there for them. There are many instances where we are just concerned with ministries, missions work, and other activities, forgetting our own young people. That was the rebuke I received from this meditation on the word of God.
II. Build Them Up For Their Good
The second principle that we can derive is found in verse two: "Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification" (Romans 15:2). Paul used here a hortatory way of exhorting and commanding. This is the idea where he says, ‘I have decided to do it; come and let us do it together.’ He was not simply telling others what to do, as preachers sometimes do when we easily say, ‘You do this, you do that; you have to do this, you have to do that.’ Paul says, ‘I have decided to do it; let us do it. Let every one of us, including me.’
Even though he may have been busy with the things around him—going from one place to another, undertaking his second missionary journey, his third missionary journey—that should not be an excuse for not addressing the needs of those with infirmities, those who are weak, and those who require his presence, time, fellowship, and prayers.
"Let every one of us please his neighbour" (Romans 15:2a) The word ‘neighbour’ here describes those who are near to us—not just the next door or the next house, but also our siblings, the members of the church, and those in the fellowship who are close to us. "Let every one of us please"—and the idea of ‘please’ here is to give them the time and attention that they need. We know that these near kin, our neighbours, always have needs. Paul says we are not there to condone their sins. We are not there to tell them, ‘Okay, continue with your social media interactions, continue to do this, continue to do that. If you're happy with it, follow your heart.’ That is not what Paul is telling us.
He says, if we please our neighbour, we must do it to build them up. And that is the second principle we must understand—not only that we bear their infirmities, but we also build them up. Building them up here is for their good—not to build them up in self-esteem, or to trust in their own strength, wisdom, and knowledge. It is to build them up for their good so that they will acknowledge that what is good always comes from the Word of God. What will build them up is always from the Word of God, so they may be strengthened and founded in it.
I pray that we are reminded of what the Lord Jesus Christ said in Matthew 7. As He concluded His Sermon on the Mount, He admonished us in Matthew 7:24–27: "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it."
We must build them up upon a rock. And what is this rock? This rock is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ and His word. What He says, we must follow. What He tells us, we must obey. We must be mindful that as we build up our young people, even our friends in fellowship meetings and our brethren in the church, we must build them up for their good. Building them up means grounding them upon the rock—the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is what Paul wants us to do.
We should not just please ourselves, building ourselves up as towers of knowledge so that people look up to us as great theologians, following us because of our reasoning, logic, and eloquence in explaining things. If we are unable to apply and use God’s word to build up other lives, we are useless. We are unprofitable servants. We are unfruitful in our Christian life. So, let us bear the infirmities of others and build them up in Christ and His word, so that they will grow, be strengthened, and in turn, become a source of strength to others—to build others up. Paul says we must teach others, and we must teach those who will be able to teach others also.
III. Be Like Christ
Another principle that we can see here is in verse three: "For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me" (Romans 15:3). The Lord Jesus Christ is our perfect example. The third principle is that we must look up to and be like Christ. We must be like Him.
Paul says here that Christ did not please Himself. In fact, all the reproaches, all the insults, all the pains, and all the revilings that we deserved, He received them for us. He became sin for us—not that He became a sinner, but He became a sin offering, by which every ounce of punishment that we deserved to receive was laid upon Him. Now that we claim to be Christians, followers of Christ, and children of God, we must live a Christlike life. We must be like Christ. Therefore, we must also be ready to take the reproaches, to receive these reproaches even unto ourselves when they are directed at others.
It is often a tendency for us to leave a church, a fellowship, or a friendship when it is attacked. We do not want to be part of those who are ridiculed and reviled. But the Lord Jesus Christ did not leave us. We, who are unworthy of any favour and deserving only of condemnation to Hell and the eternal lake of fire, were not abandoned by Him. He continued to be with us and even suffered for us. If we say we are Christians, we must also do the same for others—especially for the brethren and for the young people who are to be the next leaders and the next generation of our churches, if the Lord tarries. We must not only be concerned about our own interests. The Lord Jesus Christ showed us the perfect example of how He Himself received the reproaches of those who opposed Him.
You will remember in Acts 9, when the Lord Jesus Christ confronted Saul (who later became Paul), He said: "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?" (Acts 9:4). Saul was persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ by persecuting the believers. The Lord said to Saul, ‘You are persecuting Me because you are persecuting My followers. I receive their pain. I experience the revilings. I experience all those sufferings that they endure because you inflict harm upon them.’ We also, as believers, must be ready to take upon ourselves the reproaches of those among us. We must be ready to stand with them, kneel down and pray with them, cry and weep with them, and even rejoice with them when there are victories to the glory of God.
We are a people who must be ready to be Christlike, willing to do that which Christ did for us, so that we can encourage others and bring them to the knowledge of salvation in Christ. For those who are still weak, we must help them mature in the faith and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, we must bear the infirmities of others. We must build them up for their good. And we must be Christlike in dealing with them. We must be ready to suffer as they suffer. We must be ready to be inflicted with pain, to be ridiculed, and to be reviled on their behalf, just as Christ also did for us.
IV. Believe In The Word Of God
Now here in verse four is another principle that we must learn. Paul says here: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4).
He tells us to bear infirmities. He has told us to join with him in building up one another in the faith, and he encourages us to be like Christ in bearing the reproaches of others, especially those brethren among us. But he says that, in order for us to continue doing this, we need God's Word. We need the promises of God and the assurance that "whatsoever things were written aforetime"—even in the Old Testament—"were written for our learning". It is for us to know, to learn, to understand, and to apply in our lives.
Through patience and comfort from His Word, we are enabled to persevere. The word ‘patience’ here refers to enduring and remaining steadfast even under great burdens. The word ‘comfort’ reflects the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who comes alongside believers to strengthen and encourage them. Where do we get this patience and comfort? From the Scriptures. Without the Word of God, without the Scriptures, we cannot bear the infirmities of others, build them up, or follow Christ’s example. We cannot continue to do these things without His Word.
The fourth principle, therefore, is very important: we must believe in the Word of God, the Scriptures. Without it, we have no source to supply the needs of the weak, to encourage the troubled, or to provide for those in distress. The Word of God is for our learning. This is why we should not neglect the study of God’s Word. We are blessed with many opportunities—weekly fellowship meetings, combined meetings, workshops—all designed not just for gathering and socialising, but for learning His Word.
Yet, many are hesitant to attend these gatherings because of past conflicts. They say, ‘I’d rather stay at home; that’s enough for me.’ But Proverbs reminds us: "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend" (Proverbs 27:17). We must be with one another, learning together, studying God’s Word. It was not written merely for us to own a Bible or to have a record of God’s dealings—it is for our learning.
What must we learn? To continue enduring. That is the idea of patience: to persevere, to be comforted, to be strengthened, and to be exhorted to continue in the work of the Lord because we have hope. This hope is found in His Word. "That we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope" (Romans 15:4). As we look around, we seem to be living in a very hopeless world—a world full of darkness, wars, and hatred. But we have hope, and that hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ, as revealed in His Word. If we do not partake of these promises, we lose patience to continue. Without the comfort of the Scriptures, we lose hope. When we lack hope in Christ, we cling to other sources.
Some find affirmation in social media, relying on likes and comments to feel validated. But true hope is in the Word of God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Only then can we bear the infirmities of others, build them up for their good, and follow Christ's example. We must believe in the Scriptures, which reveal who Christ is and lead us to Him as our Saviour and Lord.
A few days ago, in our church history course, we were reminded of what happened before the Reformation. This month, October, is Reformation Month. I pray that we do not forget this. We owe much to the reformers, who restored the Bible to its inspired and preserved state.
Before the 1500s, the world was in spiritual darkness. The Word of God was inaccessible to the common man, written in Latin and kept from private individuals. There were papal bulls declaring that no private person could interpret the Bible. People were blind and in darkness. Bishops themselves, placed in office through simony, could not understand the Scriptures.
Yet, God raised a movement to illuminate the minds of people. The Scholastic movement, followed by the Renaissance, promoted reason and science. Sadly, this has led to modern-day evangelicals embracing science as equal to Scripture, even in interpreting God's Word. Today, many reject the first eleven chapters of Genesis and the miracles of the Bible. This departure is tragic. History shows that one of the first denominations to deny the inerrancy of Scripture and the miracles of Christ was the Presbyterian Church in America.
We thank God for separating us from this error and establishing the Bible Presbyterian Church. I pray our denomination will not fall into similar deception by elevating science over Scripture. We must believe in the Word of God and maintain a high view of its authority. Only then can we have hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us bear the infirmities of others, build them up for their good, be like Christ, and believe in the Scriptures—the Bible, the Word of God.
V. Bring Glory To God
And then Paul continued to describe us here in verses 5 and 6: "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)
What is the purpose of all these things? That we be united, knit together, and love one another as one family. The purpose is that we may, with one mind and one mouth, glorify God. Glorifying God and bringing glory to Him is the chief end of man. This was even the cry of the Reformation: Soli Deo Gloria—to bring glory to God alone. All these principles will bring glory to the Lord, and God will be pleased with us. We will give Him all the praise and adoration.
The God of patience and consolation—the God of endurance and comfort—has given us His Word, full of patience and comfort. This is the God who causes us to persevere and who preserves us until the end. This is the God we should glorify. Let us be encouraged, exhorted, and uplifted in every work we do, even though we are sometimes weighed down by the problems and distresses of those around us. Trust in God, and glorify Him in our lives.
The only way to glorify Him is to be likeminded toward one another according to Christ Jesus. We must have the mind of Christ. Christ Himself came down from heaven to live on this earth, not for Himself but to suffer for us. This was a great sacrifice. Even though He endured excruciating pain on the cross, He did so because He saw the joy set before Him—the joy that all who believe and trust in Jesus Christ shall be with Him. That glorified the Father, and that same mind must also be in us.
We should not be self-seeking or pitying ourselves, saying, ‘Oh, how pitiful am I! I’m the only one bearing this burden.’ Even when others abuse us or add to our burdens, remember what the Lord has done for us. He willingly gave Himself, even His life, for you and me. How can we count what others take from us when we have taken so much from God—His time, His mercy, and even His life? Because of our sins, He suffered and died on the cross. Let us bring glory to the Lord. When we follow these principles, we will truly bring Him glory and exaltation. These were not written because Paul foresaw social media; of course not. But the Holy Spirit, who inspired the Scriptures, knew that we need to be grounded and built up in the faith.
Before the Reformation, there was a man who was a forerunner of the movement, even earlier than John Wycliffe and Jan Hus. He was not a monk, priest, or bishop but a simple merchant burdened by the Lord. Peter Waldo, a Frenchman, saw the ignorance of God’s Word in his community and hungered to know the Scriptures. He sold his possessions and used his resources to translate the Latin Vulgate Bible into the vernacular. This act brought light to the people. They finally understood the promises of God. These followers were known as the Waldensians, or the ‘Poor Men of Lyons.’ They peddled the Bible, teaching wherever they went. Despite heavy persecution—being thrown off cliffs, drowned, hanged, or executed—they continued steadfastly, knowing that Christ bore reproaches for them.
Today, we are robbed of our time and privileges to study God’s Word because of social media. Many young people suffer from anxiety and depression, seeking affirmation and acceptance through platforms that can never fill the void in their hearts. It is only God’s Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, who can provide true hope and peace. We see the tragic results of this emptiness in suicides among students and even professors.
I find myself guilty of being distracted by other ministries and neglecting the young people around me. But God reminded me of this duty when a young man expressed his desire to serve the Lord. This encouraged me to continue reaching out to our youth, who may appear happy but often hide empty hearts. We who are strong must bear the infirmities of the weak and build them up in the faith. Let us strive to glorify God and seek His approval above all else. Let us not see others' burdens as additional weights but as joys, even as Christ bore ours. May the Lord help and bless us as we fulfil this calling. Let us pray.
Closing Prayer
Our Father in Heaven, may You lay upon our hearts the burden for one another—not only for young people but also for adults who need to be attended to. How often, because of our own personal desires, ambitions, and even ministries, we forget those who are in need—crying and weeping inside. We do not know their struggles, but they need one another, and they need us.
We pray, Father, that You will help us to see this and to be part of how You will work in their lives, that they may bring glory unto Thy holy name. Be with us, Lord, as we live another week. Protect us and keep us away from all temptations, falsehoods, conspiracy theories, and distractions in social media. Help us to focus on what is true in Thy Word. Help us to be part of building others’ lives in Thy Word and for Thy glory and honour. We pray and ask all this in Jesus’ name. Amen.