13 March 2026
The Christian life begins with a welcome. Not a welcome we earned. Not a welcome we deserved. A welcome given by Christ Himself. In his sermon on Romans 15:1–13, Mark Penrith draws attention to Paul’s command in Romans 15:7, “Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God.” Mark Penrith explains the force of the command. “Therefore. Paul gathers up everything. Christ bore reproach. Scripture gave hope. God granted endurance. And now, therefore, welcome.” The gospel leads to a new way of treating one another.
Paul’s command is direct. Welcome one another. Mark clarifies what this means. “Not tolerate. Not endure from a distance. Welcome.” Christian fellowship is not polite distance. It is open-hearted reception. The church is a community where believers receive one another with grace. The standard is not convenience. The standard is Christ Himself. Paul writes, “just as Christ also welcomed you.” The measure of our welcome is the welcome we have received.
Think carefully about how Christ welcomed you. Mark presses the point in the sermon. “Think of your own welcome. You were not strong. You were not deserving. You were not a prize.” The gospel begins with honesty about our condition. We were weak. We were sinners. Yet Christ did not hold us at arm’s length. Mark describes His grace clearly. “And yet Christ welcomed you. Not cautiously. Not conditionally. Not from a distance. He received you fully.” The Son of God opened His arms to those who deserved rejection.
This welcome came at great cost. Christ did not ignore our sin. He bore its weight. Mark reminds us what Jesus endured for His people. “He bore your weakness. Absorbed your reproach. Took your wrath.” The cross stands behind every command in this passage. Because Christ welcomed us through sacrifice, we now welcome others through love. The gospel transforms how believers treat one another.
This command touches everyday life in the church. Some people feel easy to welcome. Others do not. Differences in personality, preference, or conviction can create quiet distance. Yet Paul calls believers to something greater. Mark states the command again with clarity. “Therefore, because of that welcome, welcome one another. To the glory of God.” The way we receive fellow believers reflects the grace we have received from Christ.
Consider one simple step this week. Invite someone from church for coffee. Share a meal. Open your home. Hospitality is a practical way to practise the welcome of Christ.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for welcoming us with mercy and grace. Teach us to receive others with the same love. Use our homes and our lives to reflect Your gospel. Amen.