Untitled Sermon

Romans 15:14-33

Previous -vs 1-13

Christ, who is the fulfillment of the old testament, is Lord over all both Jews and Gentiles alike, therefore all who believe in Him should receive one another being of one mind in seeking to live for and glorify Him as has been learned.

Romans 15:14 “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”

Paul expresses confidence in the audience of believers that he was writing to:

full of goodness

filled with all knowledge

Ephesians 1:17–21 “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His 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 age but also in that which is to come.”

able to admonish one another-

There is a difference between the words, “admonish” and “judge”. The original meanings seem to get lost in translating to English. In the original language there two different words used.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you,”

2 Thessalonians 3:15 “Yet do not count him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”

admonish - noutheteo 3560 - to admonish, warn, exhort

Meaning to offer correction, to warn, or help bring back to the right path from deviation

In comparison to the other word used that translates to the English word “judge”

Matthew 7:1 ““Judge not, that you be not judged.”

James 4:12 “There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you to judge another?”

judge - krino 2919 - to pronounce an opinion concerning right and wrong, to examine and subject to censure (severe disapproval) based on examination results

Romans 15:15 “Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God,”

Paul is just encouraging the believers in their current and emphasizing that he is not rehashing with the what they are doing well, but just facilitating further understanding to promote further growth in them.

Romans 15:16 “that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

Paul clearly states his purpose:

Fulfill God’s calling on his life to be a “minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles”

minister - leitourgos 3011 - minister, servant, busied with holy things

“Ministering the gospel of God” - preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles

“offering of the Gentiles” - it is not saying there is a hope that the Gentiles will be an acceptable sacrifice or offering

(There is only one acceptable sacrifice for sin - Jesus Christ)

Meaning - Paul is hoping that his obedience to God in taking the message of the Gospel to the Gentiles will be acceptable and pleasing work that will produce everlasting fruit

We should have this same concern in serving the Lord

It is not a question of salvation, but living for the Lord as a result of salvation

Declared in Philippians 2:12–13 “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

CF -

1 Corinthians 3:5–17 “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

2 Corinthians 9–11 “Now concerning the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you; for I know your willingness, about which I boast of you to the Macedonians, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has stirred up the majority. Yet I have sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this respect, that, as I said, you may be ready; lest if some Macedonians come with me and find you unprepared, we (not to mention you!) should be ashamed of this confident boasting. Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren to go to you ahead of time, and prepare your generous gift beforehand, which you had previously promised, that it may be ready as a matter of generosity and not as a grudging obligation. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.” Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God. For the administration of this service not only supplies the needs of the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, while, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the exceeding grace of God in you. Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ—who in presence am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. But I beg you that when I am present I may not be bold with that confidence by which I intend to be bold against some, who think of us as if we walked according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. Do you look at things according to the outward appearance? If anyone is convinced in himself that he is Christ’s, let him again consider this in himself, that just as he is Christ’s, even so we are Christ’s. For even if I should boast somewhat more about our authority, which the Lord gave us for edification and not for your…”

Romans 15:17 “Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.”

The focus is glorifying God

If there is boasting it is going to be in God and His goodness

It is acknowledging what God has done and is doing in and through him

Romans 15:18–19 “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—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.”

Emphasizing he seeks only to speak of the things that Christ has accomplished in and through him in word and deed

Not to boast in anything that he has done, acknowledging that the work being done in only because of Christ

Also, pointing out that the Gospel proclamation was accompanied with “mighty signs”, “wonders”, and the “power of the Spirit of God” for the furtherance of the Gospel

Romans 15:20–21 “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, but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.””

FOCUS- According to God’s leading to take the Gospel where Christ had not been previously proclaimed

That Christ may be the foundation laid through the presentation of the Gospel

Quoting: (Is 52:15) - speaking of the Gentiles -

Announcing to those who have not heard the Gospel of Christ - that the may see, eyes opened to the truth

That they may hear to bring understanding

Romans 15:22 “For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.”

Declaring that there has been much resistance to the Gospel going forth

Speaking spiritual warfare trying to hinder the truth being declared

Romans 15:23 “But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,”

Similar to: Son of God having no place to lay his head

Declaring the cost of answering God’s call to be His messenger of the Gospel

Romans 15:24 “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.”

Expressing his desire to have fellowship with the believers in Rome

Romans 15:25–28 “But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 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. Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.”

showing the generosity

mutual concern for fellow believers

evidence of the body of Christ working together as God wills

Bringing forth “fruit”

Romans 15:29–33 “But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. 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, 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, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.”

Blessing of the Gospel

Through Lord Jesus Christ

Love of the Spirit

challenging the believers to “strive together with me in prayers to God” - “delivered” or protected from unbelievers in Jerusalem & offering would be accepted

Able to come to them in the joy of the Lord

Extending peace