Good morning, Church; please stand with me and repeat these words:
‘Christ alone
Cornerstone
Weak made strong
In the Saviour’s love.
Through the storm
He is Lord.
Amen.’
Please be seated.
From the readings of our morning lesson, we are reminded that, as believers, we are called upon to have tolerance and patience. To welcome and to embrace cultural diversity. To ‘create’ a warm and safe space within our communities from where we proclaim Christ.
Paul Marshall’s book entitled Thine is the Kingdom helps us to understand Christian stewardship.

A NEED FOR TOLERANCE
In our text (Romans 14:1-12) we are encouraged to have tolerance. I want to contextualise this tolerance within a Church context: the treatment of fellow believers, especially those who have not yet matured in the Christian faith. The Bible describes these individuals who are not yet matured in the Christian faith as ‘weak’. Weakness here does not mean they do not have a contribution to offer to the wider Church. The individual is weak in the same way that a newborn baby is weak, hence tolerance is required. It is not weakness resulting from personal failure; it is merely a weakness that is natural because of a lack of experience in learning to trust God. In 1 Samuel 3:4-5 we read:
‘Then the LORD called Samuel. Samuel answered, “Here I am”. And he ran to Eli and said, “Here I am; you called me”. But Eli said, “I did not call; go back and lie down.” So, he went and lay down.’
Samuel can be described as being ‘weak’: he could not discern the voice of God for himself. Listen carefully to 1 Samuel 3:7: ‘Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD: The word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.’
It is in 1 Samuel 3:8-9 that Eli realises that God is calling the child Samuel and Eli gives Samuel mature and wise counselling on how to behave and respond to the voice of God:
‘Then Eli realised that the Lord was calling the boy. So, Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening’.” So, Samuel went and lay down in his place.’

PATIENCE
It is in this context that the word ‘weakness’ in Romans 14:1 should be applied. This weakness in Romans 14:1 can also be applied to the individual understanding of Scripture, Church teachings and doctrines. It is upon the ‘shoulders’ of those who are mature in the Christian faith to demonstrate patience with new believers. The Apostle Paul in his writings to the Galatian believers gives us a good example of patience (Galatians 4:19): ‘My little children, for whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.’
Our lives are not our own. We belong to Christ. We live for the Lord. Up until our last mortal days on earth our duty is to serve the Lord, which is witnessed in how we serve and honour each other. The life of Christ was surrendered and dedicated to service and love, that led him to a crucifixion. He continued to serve through
his resurrection.
Although we are indebted to each other, faithfully serving others can lead to a crucifixion: a crucifixion of your tolerance and patience. But there is hope of a resurrection, where ultimately all of humanity shall stand before Christ’s judgment seat to give an account for our actions.

UNPAID DEBT OF TOLERANCE AND PATIENCE
The Jewish rabbis at the time of Jesus taught that one should forgive someone three times before moving on to the next offence. In our text (Matthew 18:21-35), Peter hoped to sound extremely loving by suggesting forgiving up to seven times when three times was the accepted limit taught by many. Jesus responds to Peter, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.’

HOW MUCH MORE?
Jesus’ reply does away with all limits and calculations: unlike the unmerciful servant in Matthew 18:21-35. ‘Unlimited’ is surely the idea behind ‘up to seventy times seven’. It would be strange if Jesus expected us to count offences against us up to 490, and at the 491st offence, to deny forgiveness.

ALTAR CALL
We are called to embrace a cruciform life. Let us pray.