Chap15_Romans (2)

OOOOOOOO Romans 15:1–6 (HCSB) Pleasing Others, Not Ourselves 15 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves. 2 Each one of us must please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3 For even the Messiah did not please Himself. On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult You have fallen on Me. 4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with a united mind and voice.

Paul continues to expand on the behavior of the church. He addressed earlier both Jew and Gentile in the church, christian ethics based on love, interaction with the state, the liberty we have in Christ and not to cause friction by using your idea of liberty to be superior to another - don’t be a stumbling block. Now he writes about we not only have to be tolerant and love our brother, but we are obligated to pick up our brother’s slack. Bear with him- support him patiently..

V1 who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses .=bastazo - the same word >John 19:16–17 (NIV84) 16 Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified. So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. 17 Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha).

We are not Christians to please ourselves. Christianity is based on helping and honoring others. We are to be “other focused” - on God, our brothers, the gentiles, the journey of other believers. We do thin because it is now who we are, we aren’t self -pleasers.

Paul goes on to say that even the slanders that have been directed to you, they fall on the Messiah and then quotes >> Psalm 69:8–9 (NIV84)9 for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me. In this verse David is talking about taken on the insults towards God are given to himself.

And these situations from the past are meant for our instruction. Notice how Paul connects the past with his present = David, and God, is like Messiah taking on insults for his followers. The same goes for today.

This instruction is to give us hope by creating endurance and encouragement for us. HOPE -Long ago it was said that there are no hopeless situations; there are only men who have grown hopeless about them. V4 endurance= hupomone- never surrender to circumstances. Also translated as fortitude- Barclay wrote “It is more than patience [passive], is a life attitude. It is the triumphant adequacy which can cope with life.; it is the strength which does not only accept things, but which, in accepting them, transmutes them into glory.”

Then God is connected as the one who gives us the means of enduring and being encouraged. This endurance and encouragement = hope. Christian hope says that after everything that has been endured, every sacrifice there is not despair, but absolute trust in God that he will deliver.Now God who has given us endurance and courage also allows us to live in harmony. This harmony is commanded by God. Read the harmony stated over and over in the previous chapters.

Through this harmony we represent a unified church which glorifies God [Trinity] and the Father. To live with one another with a united mind and voice. this does not mean that there is no debate or disagreement. On Blue Bloods, the family at the mandatory Sunday dinner alway discusses, laughs, argues, but they always start with grace and never forget that they are a family who loves each other including their differences.

V5...live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus, This is not a suggestion or advice on how to get along, but a command that directly relates to ...so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ . Present yourselves as one family, with one voice [testimony]. You deeds and practise are key

We are to live in respect and care of our brothers, regardless of denominational differences. The acceptable differences do not include differences about One God, Jesus is the Christ, Jesus resurrected, etc. The outsider does not know the details of disagreement withing the church or with cults and false religions. All the outsider sees is a civil war ongoing in the church and it is therefore unworthy to regard itself as a children of God. They are hypocrites! The unbeliever thinks that the preaching of love for one another sounds nice, but it is impossible to achieve. So the skeptical unbeliever is looking for the cracks that expose the lies promulgated and profited for the church.

OOOOOOOO Romans 15:7–12 (NIV84) 7 Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God. 8 For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs 9 so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;

I will sing hymns to your name.”

10 Again, it says, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,

and sing praises to him, all you peoples.”

12 And again, Isaiah says, “The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.”

Paul Now he emphasizes that acceptance extends to the Gentiles. He says that Christ is serving up the truth to the Jews and confirming their statements. He then quotes from the OT ..9 so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written:“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; >Psalm 18:49 (NIV84) 49 Therefore I will praise you among the nations, O Lord; I will sing praises to your name. 2 Samuel 22:50 (NIV84) 50 Therefore I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.

And in Deuteronomy 32:43 (NIV84)43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people. This is a quote from The Law [ 1st five books} so even the Sadduccees who only accepted the Pentateuch had a reference.

And >Psalm 117:1 (NIV84)1 Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol him, all you peoples.

OOOOOOOO Romans 15:13 (NIV84) 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

V13 all joy and peace as you trust in him the world interprets joy to mean pleasure. ancient philosophers said that pleasure is destructive. they said that pleasure is only the pause between two pains. You long for something and that unfulfilled longing is painful; when that longing is satisfied and you enjoy for a moment; then you begin to painfully long for something else. Joy that is dependent on a world that changes with time, society, government, life/ death will satisfy and last. Our hope is in God- unchanging, true, eternal, and abundant.

He ends with a benediction of being infilled with all joy by the power of the HS

OOOOOOOO Romans 15:22–24 (NIV84) 22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.

OOOOOOOO Romans 15:25–29 (NIV84) 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

However, Paul is arrested when he goes to Jerusalem and spends about    two years (c. 57-59) in a Roman prison in Caesarea Maritima before he is shipped off to Rome for trial before a Roman court (Acts 25). So Paul’s “best-laid plans” to go through Rome of his own volition and then on to Spain were interrupted by God.

And Paul’s Biblical journeys after his release from prison and his martyrdom are not recorded after Luke, the author of the Book of Acts, leaves him in Rome in his “own rented house for two whole years.”

“For two whole years ( c. 60-62) Paul stayed (in Rome) in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!” Acts 28:30,31

We have no Biblical evidence that Paul left Rome after his first imprisonment and went West to Spain, but we do have a few ancient texts that either imply or assert Paul did go to Spain. One of the earliest references is by Clement of Rome, a co-worker with Paul, w

n Clement’s letter I Clement 5:5-7 (c. 70’s just c. 40 years after the Resurrection and c. 20 years after Paul wrote Romans) Bishop Clement writes: “Because of jealousy and strife, Paul, by his example, pointed out the way to the prize for patient endurance. After he had been seven times in chains, had been driven into exile, had been stoned and had preached in the East and in the West, he won the genuine glory for his faith, having taught righteousness to the whole world and having reached the farthest limits of the West. (‘to terma tes duseos’) Finally, when he had given his testimony before the rulers, he thus departed from the world and went to the holy place, having become an outstanding example of patient endurance.”

OOOOOOOO Romans 15:30–33 (NIV84) 30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.