A Change in Plans - Romans 15:23-33

Romans 15:23-33

Copyright October 27, 2024 by Rev. Bruce Goettsche

We are reaching the end of our study in the book of Romans. Next week will be the final sermon in the series. The end of chapter 15 and all of chapter 16 is kind of a “newsy” end to his letter. It is remarkable that Paul relates in such an intimate way with this church that he has never visited. It is tempting, (even as I read the passage in preparation for this message) to dismiss these as just personal greetings at the end of a letter that bear no value to us. However, I have come to see that there are some important truths still to be learned as we wrap up the book of Romans.

I admit I was surprised at the relevancy of Paul’s words to the Romans at the end of chapter 15. I want you to see the things Paul talks about and what I believe we can and should learn from these things.

Paul’s Passion – New challenges

But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you. I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey. (Romans 15:23-24)

One of the things I admire about Paul is his endless passion to reach people with the gospel. Paul could have settled down in any of the churches he founded, but that is not what he was called to do. He was called to plant churches and to debate with the secular minded pagans of the world. Paul had a deep passion to reach areas of the world that had not been reached.

God doesn’t call everyone to this kind of missionary mindset. I do believe God wants all us to be hungry to grow and minister in new ways throughout our lives. When it comes to our faith we can become complacent. In other words, we keep doing what we have always done because it is comfortable or familiar. We can put our growth in neutral (or park) and conclude we are just fine. Paul was constantly looking for new ways to serve the Lord. What I take from this is the need to constantly be doing what is needed to grow deeper and to serve the Lord more effectively.

Wilbur Rees wrote a wonderful piece about our complacency

Three Dollars Worth of God (by Wilbur Rees)

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.

Not enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep,

but just enough to equal a cup of warm milk or a snooze in the sunshine.

I don’t want enough of God to make me love a black man or pick beets with a migrant.

I want ecstasy, not transformation.

I want warmth of the womb, not a new birth.

I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.

I would like to buy $3 worth of God, please.

How do we keep ourselves from this complacency? How do we live so we are not settling for just $3.00 worthy of God?

· Read a more challenging Christian book

· Take an online class in the faith

· Get involved in a Bible Study

· Regularly share your testimony with someone

· Start some kind of ministry

· Go on a mission trip

· Volunteer at a ministry

· Teach a class

· Go on a fast

· Journal

Refuse to settle for the status quo. Always be looking for new things to learn and new people to reach for the gospel.

Paul’s Compassion - Active Faith

The second thing we see from Paul is his desire to show compassion and mercy to others. He wanted to bridge the gap that existed between the Jewish believes and the Gentile believers. Paul was the apostle to the Gentiles, but he never forgot his Jewish upbringing. He worked hard to help his Gentile converts understand that they built their faith upon Jewish roots.

But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there. For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem. They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially. (Romans 15:25-27)

What was it that was going on in Judea that necessitated this offering for the saints? In Acts 11 we are told,

During this time some prophets traveled from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them named Agabus stood up in one of the meetings and predicted by the Spirit that a great famine was coming upon the entire Roman world. (This was fulfilled during the reign of Claudius.) So the believers in Antioch decided to send relief to the brothers and sisters in Judea, everyone giving as much as they could. This they did, entrusting their gifts to Barnabas and Saul to take to the elders of the church in Jerusalem. (Acts 11:27-29)

Scholars report that there were several famines in various parts of the Roman Empire during the reign of Claudius (41-51 AD). This may have been a famine that was localized to Judea around 45-46 AD. Hearing about the need in Judea Paul encouraged the Gentiles to stand with their Jewish brothers and sisters. So, all the churches took up an offering to send with Paul as humanitarian or Christian aid. Paul commented in 1 Corithians about the kindness and generosity of all the churches.

Paul was concerned about bringing the church together (fulfilling what Jesus prayed for the churches that they might be one). Paul was not trying to build a monument to himself. He wanted to bridge gaps, not destroy the competition. One of the things we read about the early church is in Acts 4:32-35,

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need.

Paul understood and put into practice this idea of practical faith. It is one thing to believe in Jesus but it is another thing to act as Jesus did: with compassion and generosity. This necessitates a focus on others rather than on ourself. The Bible is clear that God wants us to show mercy and compassion. We see it in the Old Testament and the New Testament. In fact, in the book of James we read,

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. (James 2:14-17)

As followers of Christ, He wants us to reach out and address the needs of others. I don’t believe the Lord was interested in building organizations. He didn’t want us to just pray from a distance. He desired to build an army of people who showed love one to another in His name. In a sense, He wanted us to be willing to get our hands dirty to alleviate suffering in others.

We saw this when we watched how the organization Samaritan’s Purse mobilized to help flood victims. We see it when a family has a need and the community rallies around them. We see it in the missions we support and the shoeboxes we fill for children around d the world. We see it in the clothes that are purchased for students in our school. And we see it when we get together to help out a neighbor or friend. But this should not be an occasional thing we do. We should be looking for opportunities to show compassion and love in the name of Jesus at all times.

We can do this by sitting with one who is in the hospital, visiting someone who feels alone in a Nursing facility, stopping by the home of one of our shut-ins (or a neighbor who has no family nearby and could use a helping hand), helping a frazzled mother with childcare, cutting the lawn of someone who is on vacation, supporting organizations like Samaritan’s Purse, or being a volunteer when there is a local crisis. The ways to show compassion are endless. But we won’t see these opportunities unless we are looking for them.

The Lord calls us to see beyond ourselves. He wants us to see others and to help those who are in need.

Paul’s Ministry Plan – If God Wills

A third interesting and instructive part of Paul’s words are his plans for the future. Paul was going to Jerusalem with the offering and then was going to go to Rome and then on to Spain.

As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain. And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together. (28-29)

Paul’s plan was to head to Rome where he could raise support and maybe get someone who could translate for him and then move on the Spain. But, if you know the story, you know it didn’t quite turn out the way Paul had planned.

Paul made it to Jerusalem and delivered the support from the Gentiles and I am sure it was gratefully received by the church leaders. However, while Paul was in Jerusalem someone charged him of bringing a Gentile into the Temple Courts (which he did not do). This crime was tantamount to blasphemy, so Paul was arrested and tried. The problem was they couldn’t come up with any good charges against him. The trial kept getting delayed (think of endless continuances) and Paul’s plans were being frustrated.

Finally, Paul appealed to Caesar. That meant Caesar would give the verdict rather than the Jesus. So, Paul got an all-expense trip to ‘Rome paid by the government. While traveling toward Rome the ship Paul was on was caught in a storm and the boat eventually ran aground and broke to pieces. They had to wait for favorable conditions to get on another ship and finish the travel.

There were no real charges on Paul, so he was left to wait under house arrest when he arrived in Rome. The book of Philippians indicated that Paul would be released from jail. We don’t know what happened because the book of Acts doesn’t give us those details. We don’t know whether Paul ever made it to Spain.

Have you ever heard the joke, “Do you know how to make God laugh?” The answer: “Tell Him your plans.” Listen to these words from the book of James 4:13-16,

Look here, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” Otherwise you are boasting about your own pretentious plans, and all such boasting is evil.

The point of this text is not to tell us not to plan. That is a wise thing to do. But we should be making “soft plans” so that we are ready to handle some of the detours God may have planned for us. In Proverbs 16:1-4 we read,

We can make our own plans,

but the Lord gives the right answer.

People may be pure in their own eyes,

but the Lord examines their motives.

Commit your actions to the Lord,

and your plans will succeed.

Have you noticed that things don’t always go the way we plan them? Too often when things don’t go as planned we get frustrated. That frustration turns to anger. I suspect we have all been there. You plan on heading out on vacation at a certain time but you find you have a flat tire. That is frustrating and can lead to anger. You are making a repair or improvement and things are not going as expected so the tool that was friend just minutes ago is now flying through the air due to angry frustration. Likewise, when someone does not do what you expect them to do, or give you what you feel you deserve from them, we feel frustration and unless channeled properly, can lead to anger.

We must see the changes in plans as from God. One of the lessons I have learned after a long time of letting frustration rule my life is to view the unexpected things as Adventures from God. It is recognizing that in each new thing there are things to learn, experiences to have, people to meet, opportunities for witness. This simple change in focus has yielded some of the most amazing encounters of my life. My whole family has seen God working in beautiful ways.

Paul’s plans did not include a shipwreck or jail time. He could have been angry but instead he had learned to look for opportunities in the changes (or adventures) of life. Listen to his words from jail in the book of Philippians 1:12-14

And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. 13 For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. 14 And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

We must continually remind ourselves that God sees what is unseen, He has a plan for us that is mostly hidden. He reveals that plan often one day at a time. Our challenge is to go where He leads us to go.

Paul’s Reliance on Prayer

Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit. Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem. Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.) (30-33)

First, Paul understood the value of prayer. He knew he needed a supernatural strength and wisdom to do what God had called him to do. He didn’t trust his learning, his creativity, or his experience. All those things were used by God, but Paul know they were insufficient on their own.

Some of you tell us that you pray for us every day. I can’t tell you how much that means to us. Paul sees those who pray as people who are “joining him” in his struggle and in his ministry.

You may feel you are not doing much in the church . . .but if you are praying you are doing more than you can imagine! The good things, the amazing things that have happened in and through this church, I believe are largely thanks to your faithfulness.

I think we will be surprised at the impact faithful prayers have had on the world and on our church. I wonder how many people have been led to the Lord because of the prayers of others.

One last thing. Paul asked for specific prayer. One of the things that we find difficult about prayer is we sometimes find ourselves asking God to “bless” other people. Yet, we don’t really know what that means. Paul is specific. He prays he might be rescued, that the offering might help build a bridge between the Jewish and Gentile believers, and that by God’s will he might come to the church in Rome.

Have you ever thought about WHAT you wanted others to pray? Do you want them to pray that you feel better or that you grow deeper in the faith? Do you want people to pray you escape pain or that God uses painful times to bring Him glory and honor? Do you pray for God to make this church bigger, or do you pray for God to keep us faithful and for Him to deepen us and have an impact on the people around us?

The more specifically we pray, the more we will recognize the hand of God in answering those prayers. The more thoughtfully we pray, the more significantly our prayers will be.

So I ask you to pray that God would bring about a smooth transition in our church, that He would bring us the right staff people, and that He would give Rick courage, creativity, and a willingness to listen to the whispers of God and the hearts of the members of the congregation. Pray that God leads and protects his family from those who would do them harm.

And as for me, please pray that God will help us as we move and that He will help me to adjust to a new lifestyle. Pray that He will lead me in the way He can most significantly use me. And I will pray that God deepens your love for the Lord and for each other. And may you welcome the adventures as opportunities to know and serve Him better.