"Serve now, and serve well"
Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, 10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. 13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
Our culture will tell us that we need to constantly be looking ahead for the next best thing. I remember one day when my employer was unsure of what my role would actually be called. A co-worker simply said “Take your time choosing your title as it will play vastly into your future”. This is the push from our culture to neglect today and live for tomorrow.
Now, I must add that the balance of praying forward is important, however, how often do we abandon the responsibilities and opportunities of today? What is right in front of us.
Take a look at the words of Paul here. “Whom I serve”. Paul although appearing to be hindered to proceed to a new location on his missionary journey, seeks to simply continue serving God.
Paul gives us a few examples of how to serve where we are at:
Prayer (Vs 9).
Asking the Lord wisdom for direction (Vs. 10)
A prepared heart to serve in person (Vs 11).
Encouragement (Vs 12)
Prepared to Share (Vs 13)
Holding patterns in life can be difficult to endure. It is exciting at times to consider the field that the Lord may be calling you and eventually leading you towards. Unfortunately, often times “service” today gets neglected in the holding pattern”.
I once had someone tell me that “I was not growing because I was not serving”. I responded later on, after determining that “I had not been serving because I had not been growing”. I was too focused on something big in the future, that I was neglecting my relationship with Christ today, and losing out on opportunities to serve at those very moments. It can be considered a trap to “run the program” in lue of focusing on growth in Christ.
Something that Dominique Raychard shared with us about a year ago has stuck with me. It wasn’t super profound, and it was actually a very simple concept that spoke most to me. “In these days of preparation, we did not seek to be idle”.
Paul did not “sit” banking on the future figuring that was no opportunity to serve previously.
Consider what Paul would have been doing in the meantime in addition to what we have already covered.
17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.” 22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.
23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. 25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. 29 But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
So why is He hindered? Because He sought to preach the Gospel fully in Corinth, and then head to Jerusalem to do the same bfore continuing his journey to place he desired. It is additionally interesting to consider the fact that in all of his stops between these destinations, there are short accounts of Paul serving little by little.
Read Romans 15:30-33
30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
I would like to propose to you that perhaps Paul grew some between his second and third missionary journey.
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.
We must recall that Paul was unable to make it to Thesonlica as he had wished. Instead Timothy was sent. Some have suggested that if Paul was able to make it there in the time he had desired, He would have discipled them in person and not in letter. We may not have 1 Thess. if He had gone in person. In addition, Timothy would not been sent there and may have not had the opportunity to serve in that capacity.
Even in this midst of what Paul considers to be hindered by the enemies hand, God’s plan remains, and Paul does not stay idle… He wrote to them!
It is interesting to consider the idea that God uses and directs those who are in motion. (Abram who took a step). In most cases God does not call someone from idleness. Growth occurs first, then motion, then direction.
I so appreciate these missionaries taking their time to share with us this time of year. At times we may be sitting here in a discouraged state considered the ministry God has called them to. Let’s not forget, we are all called to share the Gospel, and we are to be in motion today. Not for bigger and better progression, but with the Gospel message in the capacity we are in today.
Lets not forget how Paul makes his way to Rome…by the hand of the enemy while in prison. By the providence of God, Paul makes it from location to location through varying circumstances without wavering from the mission.
Kansas City Chiefs Kicker quoted Winston Churchill recently, “You have enemies? Good that means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life”.
Someone may be sitting here this month and looking at our guest missionaries as the elite Gospel tellers. Someone may be sitting here from service to service yearning like Paul was desiring to answer the call upon your life, but you find yourself in a holding pattern stuck in idleness. Don’t lose the opportunities of today in excitement and desire for the mission of tomorrow.
Serve now, and serve well.
