Glory In Christ
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Last week, our passage closed with a prayerful desire for the believers in Rome.
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.
Paul has a desire that as the Romans trust in God they will experience God’s peace and trust, and overflow with hope that comes through the power of the Holy Spirit.
That brings us to Romans 15 verse 14. So if you have your Bibles, turn with me to Romans 15 and we’ll begin with verse 14.
Living Out Christ
Living Out Christ
I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
Paul is convinced that the brothers and sisters in Christ that live in Rome have certain characteristics that are evident:
Full of goodness (Gk. generosity, kindness).
Filled with knowledge (Gk. knowledge with understanding).
Competent (Gk. capable, able, strong enough to) to instruct (Gk. teach, admonish, warn) each other.
KEY—If we are followers of Jesus we should be full of goodness! We too should be filled with knowledge, and we should be competent to teach others!
The Ministry of Paul
The Ministry of Paul
Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me
Paul says he has written (past tense) to them quite boldly (Gk. daringly, audaciously) on come points (v. 15a).
He did this to remind them “again.” Paul felt that they needed to hear some of his talking points multiple times (v. 15b).
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
He is sending this letter because God gave him the grace (ability) to be a minister of Jesus to the Gentiles (v. 16a).
Paul says that God gave him the priestly duty to proclaim the gospel to the Gentiles (v. 16b)
So that the Gentiles might become an acceptable offering to God (v. 16c).
And become sanctified (Gk. made holy) by the Holy Spirit (v. 16d).
Paul Glories in Jesus
Paul Glories in Jesus
Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
Paul now gives us a bit of a history lesson regarding his experiences.
He begins by saying he will not glory in anything other than Jesus Christ (v. 17a).
And he won’t glory in anything other than his service to God (v. 17b).
The Ministry of Paul
The Ministry of Paul
I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
The only thing he is going to talk about is what Christ has done through him:
—Leading Gentiles to obey God by what he said and did (v. 18).
—The power of signs and wonders that came through the power of the Spirit of God in him (v. 19a).
Paul had the opportunity to share from Jerusalem (the center of Jerusalem) to Illyricum (Illurikon stretched down the northeast coast of the Adriatic (across from Italy), from somewhere near the top of the Adriatic Gulf, to Macedonia--coinciding roughly with modern Yugoslavia and Albania.)
This area from Jerusalem to Illyricum roughly 1,400 miles that he covered preaching the gospel (v. 19b).
Paul’s Ambition
Paul’s Ambition
It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
Paul said that it has always been his “ambition” or desire to preach the name of Jesus where He had not bee preached before. Paul never wanted to build on someone else’s foundation but rather share Jesus where no one had ever heard about Him (v. 20).
Now he quotes from Isaiah 52:15 (v. 21):
—Those who were never told will see.
—Those who have never heard will understand.
This is why he hasn’t been able to come to Rome before. The Gk translated hindered could be translated prevented, thwarted, restrained).
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 visit you,
In a continuation of the previous passage, Paul says that since there are no more places in these regions that haven’t heard the gospel message (v. 23a),
Paul says, since he had been planning for many years to visit Rome (v. 23b),
I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
He is planning to visit them while on his way to Spain (v. 24a).
He tells them upfront that he will just be passing through (v. 24b),
He plans to stay there and enjoy their company for a while (v. 24c),
And he also hopes that the church at Rome will help him on his journey (v. 24d).
Paul’s Desire
Paul’s Desire
Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the Lord’s people there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the Lord’s people in Jerusalem.
At the present time, Paul is on his way to Jerusalem (v. 25a).
He is serving the churches of Macedonia and Achaia (v. 25b-26a).
He is carrying their contributions to help the poor saints in Jerusalem (v. 26b).
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.
The people of Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to help the Jerusalem church because they owed it to them (v. 27a).
Since the Gentiles share the Jews’ spiritual blessings the Gentiles owed it to the Jews to share their material blessings with the Jews (v. 27b).
So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.
When Paul has finished his mission, and made sure they received the gift from Macedonia and Achaia he will head to Spain (v. 28)
I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.
Finally Paul says, when he comes to Rome he will bring the blessing of Christ with him (v. 29).
I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.
Helping Those In Ministry
Helping Those In Ministry
As Paul closes this section, he asks the believers in Rome to join him in his struggle:
—He urges them because of their Lord Jesus Christ (v. 30a).
—He urges them out of love (agape—unconditional love)
—The way they can share in Paul’s struggle is by praying for him (v. 30b).
Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favorably received by the Lord’s people there,
Paul’s specific prayer requests:
—That Paul would be safe from the unbelievers in Judea (v. 31a).
—That the contribution he was taking to Jerusalem would be favorably received by God’s people (v. 31b).
so that I may come to you with joy, by God’s will, and in your company be refreshed.
—That if it is God’s will, Paul might come to them with joy (v. 32a).
—And that he would be refreshed by their company (v. 32b).
The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Finally, Paul gives what appears to be a final greeting, praying for God peace for all them, may it be so! (v. 33).
So What?
So What?
Paul began today by reminding us that through the Holy Spirit we have what we need to live a life filled with Godly characteristics that include:
Filled with Goodness—generosity/kindness.
Filled with knowledge—knowledge with understanding.
Competent to teach—capable, able, strong enough.
The key is that followers of Jesus should be showing these characteristics in our lives!
Like Paul, we should long to see people have their lives changed by Jesus!
And, like Paul we should glory in Jesus and NOTHING else!
We should only be talking about what God has done in us, through us, and around us!
We should be about leading people to obey God and His Word!
We need to be fulfilling or living out God’s purposes in our lives!
And finally, we should join with others in their sufferings.
Demonstrating unconditional love to those around us!
Pray for those who are minister to us.