Fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ

Romans 15:29 KJV 1900

And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.

Intro: Our title tonight comes towards the end of our text. We will start in verse 20 and work our way down to the end of this chapter tonight. Most of this we are just going to read, and we will focus in on a few verses that I trust will be a blessing to us this evening.

Paul’s ministry: Paul’s ministry was different… He was not a pastor, a church planter, a missionary, or even an evangelist. Paul was an Apostle, called of Christ to preach His name among the heathen. Christ told Ananias that Paul was “chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.” So when we read verses 20-23 let’s keep his commission in mind.

vs. 20-23 I have heard before that this should be the model for pastors and church planters… That being said, I think it is important to consider Paul’s ministry. Paul was preaching the mystery of Christ to a group of people that had never heard it before. He mission was not to go to places that had already heard the gospel of Christ, but to bring it to the ears of those that had never heard. Verse 21 is quoted from Isaiah...

Isaiah 52:15 KJV 1900

So shall he sprinkle many nations; The kings shall shut their mouths at him: For that which had not been told them shall they see; And that which they had not heard shall they consider.

Paul then states that his personal desire, now that all cities had been reached was to make his way towards Rome. That being said, he is a Spirit lead man, so the Lords leading was to Jerusalem and not yet to Rome. Paul is most likely writing from Macedonia which is 250 miles from Rome… Logically, it might have made sense for him to go to Rome from where he was. He was roughly 1000 miles from Jerusalem. He follows God however, and he does eventually make it to Rome, just maybe not in the way that he originally planned for it.

Fullness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ:

John 1:15–17 KJV 1900

John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:26 KJV 1900

For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

Ephesians 1:15–23 KJV 1900

Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

Ephesians 3:15–19 KJV 1900

Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Ephesians 4:10–16 KJV 1900

He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Colossians 1:18–20 KJV 1900

And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

Colossians 2:8–15 KJV 1900

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Paul says… “And I am sure that, when I come, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.”