The Apostle’s Heart for the Church at Rome

The introduction to this book is unusually long. This could be because:

1) Paul was eager to attend the church.

2) Paul looked forward to a great partnership with the church.

3) Paul wanted to communicate how much he loved the church.

4) The church represented his calling as the Apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15).

In the introduction we see how genuine the love Paul had for the church was. We’re going to see six ways Paul revealed his love for the church. These six characteristics of Paul should be true of the believer and the church as well.

1. Paul is thankful for the church in Rome (8).

“First”- this should be foremost in our lives. We should be thankful people and we should be thankful for the church.

Paul thanked God through Christ. He wasn’t trying to butter them up. He didn’t say “I’m thanking you for you!” He is thanking God for them.

Particularly he thanked God for their “faith”. It was known throughout the world.

1) It was in an unlikely place. Rome, place of paganism.

2) It was an active faith. Not simply saving faith but living faith.

“all of you” He knew some of them. For instance, Aquila and Priscilla were back in Rome (Rom. 16:3). They had been kicked out earlier by the emperor (Acts 18).

They had given Paul a job and a place to stay in Corinth (Acts 18).

They traveled with him to Ephesus (1 Cor. 16:19).

They discipled Apollos (Acts 18:24-26).

They had a church in their home (1 Cor. 16:19).

But Paul said he thanked God for them all.

Do we thank God for all the church, even the ones we have not met yet?

As believers do we thank God for other churches? Some folks with thank God for you if you go to their church. They may stop praising God for you if you don’t!

If there is a church that is:

Preaching the bible

Living out their faith

We ought to thank God for them.

2. Paul prays for the church in Rome (9-10).

“God is my witness” maybe he thought some didn’t believe him. We often tell people we will pray for them. That’s a serious thing.

When you tell someone you will pray for them do it immediately!

Paul’s secret to a great prayer life is found in verse 9.

“whom I serve with my spirit”. Paul’s relationship with God was real. It wasn’t carnal. It was spiritual.

Our prayer life is one of the greatest factors of our spiritual life.

“I mention you”

He knew some of their names. How many people do we pray for by name?

He includes himself in these prayers. He prays:

“that somehow by God’s will I may now succeed in coming to you”

“somehow” very difficult for him to get to Rome. Ultimately, he gets there as a prisoner. He almost dies on the way (shipwrecked, bitten by a snake).

Sometimes we must pray for God to accomplish His will even if it means difficult circumstances.

That’s true for people we love as well. Have you ever prayed, “Lord, whatever you have to do to get their attention, do it.”

“by God’s will” It’s important to put that in our prayers. “thy will be done”. It wasn’t time yet for Paul to be in Rome. God would get him there when he need to be there.

I may detect a little bit of frustration in Paul.

“Somehow, by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.”

I think Paul was trying to get to Rome.

It is good that Paul is praying and planning. We should do both. But we should never try and force the will of God. Patience is necessary when we pray.

Let me throw something else in. If you can’t go to church, you ought to pray God would let you.

Pray for God’s people.

Pray you can be with God’s people.

I talked last week about how unlikely of a great leader Paul was.

He wasn’t good looking.

He wasn’t a great speaker.

The reason he accomplished so much included his prayer life. He prayed for people he knew, people he hadn’t yet met, and for himself. He was a praying man.

3. Paul wants to encourage and be encouraged by the Christians in Rome (11-12).

“I long to see you” Paul would not have been satisfied with online services. He wanted to see them in the flesh.

Writing letters was not enough for Paul.

The testimony of others concerning them was not enough for Paul.

Do we long to see our brothers and sisters in Christ?

If we do, we will notice when they are not here.

If we do, we will speak to them.

If we do, we will check on them.

One of the reasons we come to church is we love the people. Love will draw us together.

To be loved is a wonderful thing. That is not the priority of the believer. To love is the priority. Paul wanted to go to Rome because he loved the people there.

“that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you”

Not talking about spiritual gifts. If that were the case, he would probably use the plural. The gift he wants to impart is to build up the body through teaching and fellowship.

Paul would preach, teach, and fellowship with the church. He didn’t want to come and be served. He wanted to serve!

Notice how he clarifies himself in verse 12, He doesn’t want them to think he is elevating himself above them. He says:

“that we may be mutually encouraged by each others faith”

Paul knew he would be blessed by the church.

When we come to church we should be blessed and be a blessing. If were only getting blessed by others we have a shallow understanding of Christ.

If we are too big to bless others we are a hinderance to ourselves and the church.

If we expect only for others to bless us we are a hinderance to ourselves and the church.

When you go home from church you should ask:

How was I a blessing to others today?

How was I blessed today?

4. Paul’s desire to visit Rome includes winning souls (13).

Paul explains why he has not visited them yet. Some may have been questioning why he had not been to Rome yet. He was the Apostle to the Gentiles and Rome was filled with gentiles.

Was Paul afraid?

Did Paul genuinely care about the Gentiles?

He explains that he often intended to come but was hindered. It doesn’t say why or how. It just says he was. Likely it was the completion of his missionary work in the east.

He tells us why he wanted to go to Rome:

“that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles”

Some may have thought Paul didn’t care about the Gentiles. He cared so much he wanted more to be saved.

“the rest of the gentiles” probably refers to his desire to go to Spain when he left Rome.

If you are saved, you have a desire to see others saved.

Paul wanted to witness in Rome. He wanted to see people saved. If you want to see people saved through your church, you will:

Live for Christ.

Share the gospel with people in your life.

Invite people to church.

Support the mission outreaches in your church.

5. Paul was obligated to the church in Rome (14).

“Greeks” referred to both Romans and Greeks because the Greek culture permeated the Roman empire.

“Barbarians” Gentiles who were not under the influence of the Greek culture. The Greeks looked down upon anyone not influenced by their culture. They were barbarians.

“Wise” and “foolish” describe both Greek and Barbarian as well.

Christ has demolished all barriers. There are no divisions among people. Anyone who came to Christ would be accepted in the church at Rome. Paul had an obligation to both.

To treat them as brothers and sisters.

To share the gospel with them.

Paul called himself the chief of sinners and the least of the Apostles.

We are obligated to witness to all people.

We are obligated to worship with all people who come to Christ.

We are sinners saved by grace and nothing more.

6. Paul is eager to preach the gospel in Rome (15).

Notice the obligation in verse 14 and the eagerness in verse 15.

This describes the Christian.

We feel an obligation.

Yet we have an eagerness.

We must.

We want to.

This is the work of grace in our lives. God gives us the burden to do His will and the desire to do it as well.

I must go to church. The Bible tells me I must.

I want to go to church. My salvation makes me want to.

If the desire ever fades I need to remember the obligation.

Paul had a heart for the church at Rome. Do you have a heart for your church?

Do you thank God for your church?

Do you pray for your church?

Do you encourage others and get encouraged at your church?

Do you want to win souls through your church?

Do you sense an obligation to your church?

Are you eager to visit your church?