Sermon Breakdown

1. The apostle Paul is addressing the issue of "indifferent matters" that were causing division in the church at Rome. Specifically, disagreements over whether or not to eat certain foods or observe certain holidays.
2. Paul first establishes the proper context and approach for discussing these kinds of issues. The most important thing is our relationship to the Lord and to one another as brothers. We must not judge one another.
3. Paul says if we must judge something, judge that we do not put a "stumbling block" or "occasion to fall" in front of our brother. We must consider how our actions might affect others, especially our brothers in Christ.
4. Paul says he knows with certainty, through the enlightenment given by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing inherently "unclean" or "common". The distinctions of the old law were temporary and not because the things themselves were wrong.
5. However, just because something is not inherently wrong does not mean it is always right or appropriate for a Christian to do. We must consider how it might affect others. Paul will address this more later.
6. The decision of the Jerusalem council in Acts 15 was a temporary concession, not a contradiction of the principle Paul lays out here. The principle is that nothing is inherently unclean, but in practice we must consider others.
7. We must be careful about denouncing things as inherently evil or wrong when they are not. For example, it is wrong to say sex, alcohol, or tobacco are inherently evil. The abuse of these things is wrong, but not the things themselves.
8. However, as Christians we may still choose not to partake in certain practices for good reasons. But we must be clear about what those reasons are, and not claim something is inherently wrong when it is not.