In chapter 14, Paul is addressing issues that were causing divisions in the church at Rome and how to handle matters of conscience—those matters about which Christians can legitimately differ. He began by calling out the sinful attitudes of both the strong and weak in vv. 1-12. Gentiles who were convinced they could eat all foods were guilty of despising their (mainly) Jewish brothers who chose to abstain; and these weak-in-faith were condemning the strong-in-faith.

Now, in vv. 13-23 he considers their actions. In particular, he focuses on the conduct of the strong, and calls the church to commit to building one another up and not tearing them down. In this sermon, pastor Matt helps us see that Christians are to enjoy their gospel freedoms in a way that keeps their fellow kingdom citizens from stumbling. For true Christian liberty means the freedom to lay our rights and preferences aside in loving service to Christ and his blood-bought church.