Glorying in Jesus

Introduction

Paul finished the last section by asking the God of hope to fill us with joy and peace as we trust in Him.

This joy and peace is then used in our lives to help us overflow with hope. So hope gives us joy and peace, and joy and peace help us to overflow with hope. All of this is done because through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Now if Paul’s readers are given hope by God, and then filled with joy and peace, which helps us overflow with hope.

Romans 15:14–16 NIV84

I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with 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.

Romans 15:14-

I am Convinced

Full of goodness

Complete in knowledge

Competent to instruct

Paul wrote boldly to them

Paul wrote to remind them

Paul was sharing the gospel with them

Paul wants them to become an acceptable offering to God

Glory in Jesus

What do you glory in? Most of us glory in our own abilities, or our own success, or our own strength. We live in a world that wants us to glory in ourselves—I am supposed to glory in Me! Look at what Paul is going to glory in:

Romans 15:17-22

Romans 15:17–22 NIV84

Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 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 miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 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 will glory in Jesus

Paul will glory in his service to God

Paul will only glory in what Jesus has accomplished

Leading the Gentiles to obey God

The power of signs and miracles by the Spirit

That Gentiles from Jerusalem to Illyricum have heard the gospel

Paul’s desire is reach the unreached

Paul Wanted to Visit Rome

Romans 15:23–29 NIV84

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 see you, I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 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. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

Romans 15:23-

Pray!

Romans 15:30-33

Romans 15:30–33 NIV84

I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Join together in struggles by prayer!

Pray to be rescued

Pray for acceptable service

Pray for joy

Pray for refreshing

Pray for peace

Conclusion

There are a couple of points that I want us to take home with us today.

Glory in Jesus and Jesus alone.

Glory in your service to God.

Don’t Brag about anything other than what God does in your life.

Seek to lead people to Jesus.

Live in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pray—Pray for those who minister to you!

Pray for them to be rescued from the attacks of unbelievers.

Pray for their acceptable service.

Pray for their joy.

Pray that they may be refreshed.

Pray for peace for all!