From a pastoral point of view, this passage might be the point of the whole letter to the Romans. The exhortation to “welcome one another” is the response to the story of the Bible in which God has welcomed us to himself. In this way, the church is a living picture of the point of the entire Bible. The church is also a living picture of where we are heading. We are a community which aims to demonstrate what God has done and is doing in history. We praise God for the diversity in our church and how we have found welcome and fellowship in a world filled with condemnation and cliques. This is something we can live for.

Read Romans 15:7-13

What stood out to you from this passage?

How do verses 8-9 summarize the story of the whole Bible?

How does God’s story in verses 8-9 serve as a reason to live according to verse 7?

What do we do when we fail to welcome one another or when we experience unwelcome in the church?

What are some different ways to put “welcome” into practice this week?

Pray for each other, to know God’s welcome and to extend that welcome to others.