821 Rom.15.14-21 Our Ministry and Paul's Ministry

Q. How would we cope with having someone outside our church community & someone we have never met, write to us & tell us how we should conduct ourselves?

- Paul didn't start the church at Rome, but is giving instruction to it

- If they were Australians, that would not go down well

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- However, Paul is in a unique position

- He was a rebellious Jew – rebellious to Jesus & not willing to accept that He is the Messiah

- But as he was travelling, persecuting the church, He was met on the road by Jesus & given a special ministry that was particular to the Gentiles – they were to become his main concern

—13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

Acts 9:13–15 NASB95

13 But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem; 14 and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;

- Paul had the very authority of Jesus, the Lord, behind him

- This being the case, the church at Rome should indeed, listen to him

1. Ministry to One Another (v.14)

Q. What would the apostle Paul say about our church community?

- Would he say that we are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge & able also to admonish or instruct one anther?

- It is interesting that to admonish one another or instruct (pew Bible) is preceded by goodness & knowledge

- Our secular society would merely believe that all you have to have knowledge – education, is the answer to all our woos (so they say)

- Our education system thinks that knowledge is the highest priority & morality or immorality is irrelevant compared with this virtue

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- But goodness & knowledge are an item – they are a couple (wed together) - & a person who is to admonish or instruct another ought to strive for both

- Goodness consists of a positive moral quality that is characterised by an interest in the welfare of others

- To do good rather than to be motivated by selfish interest

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- Some people minister to others in pride – look at me, look at what I can do, look at how people look to me for answers

- Humility is the fruit of someone who has an interest in the welfare of others

- No wonder Jesus said - “do not let your let hand know what your right hand is doing

- Do it in secret & the Lord will reward you, He says

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- Knowledge may seem obvious to us, but the knowledge the apostle has in mind is true knowledge – knowledge that will put people on the right track

- There is a pseudo knowledge, but that knowledge could come from the pits of hell

—20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—

1 Timothy 6:20 NASB95

20 O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—

- The early church had such people they called heretics & charlatans

- These people, you will notice, lack something important – goodness!

- Generally speaking, these people are more interested in having lots of followers & in growing their own empires rather than seeing people grow to maturity in Christ

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- Having these qualities, then, we admonish (instruct) one another

- The word admonish or instruct is an interesting word

- The word is “noutheteō”

- It covers a range of meanings, principally though, it means... “to admonish, to instruct, to warn, to counsel, to advise”

Acts 20:31 NASB95

31 “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears.

—31 (savage wolves – false teachers – message to the Elders) “Therefore be on the alert, remembering that night and day for a period of three years I did not cease to admonish each one with tears. —14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. —14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (warn him, give him advise, give him counsel)

1 Thessalonians 5:14 NASB95

14 We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

—14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. (warn him, give him advise, give him counsel)

2 Thessalonians 3:14–15 NASB95

14 If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. 15 Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

- This word, then, has a lot to do with correcting a person's walk with the Lord – to warn one another & to help one another stay on course with their Christian life

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- There is a huge counselling movement which grew out of the understanding of this passage

- It is called Nouthetic Counselling (from this Gk. Word, “noutheteō” & it was started by Jay Adams of the Westminster Theological Seminary

- This counselling approach became distinctively different from the secular psychological models

- Models that relied on Sigmund Freud & Carl Rogers

- I don't know if reading his books are still part of RCCC's curriculum but they were when I was teaching in the college in the early 2000's

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- Nouthetic counselling is distinctively different because it takes a directive counselling approach

- This is distinctively Christian because it starts with the assumption that men & women are sinners or, as Christians, struggle with sin

- When a person is trapped in sin, they need clear help & challenge to get out of that sinful situation

- So Nouthetic counselling would not hold back on warnings & instructions – this is a directive approach

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- In contrast to this, Rogers & Freud believed in the inherent goodness of Man

- Rogers developed a person-centred counselling approach

- The client or person who needs the counselling would not get instructed – you would not direct them – on what to do & how to do it

- Instead, the counsellor repeats or parrots back to the “client” what they just said, but put in a different way to help the person work out for themselves what they need to do to fix their problem

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- The problem is that a person caught in sin may determine a path that is not God's path but the non-directive counsellor must not instruct them, warn them or advise them

- The goodness is suppose to be inside the client & you just help that goodness to come out

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- That is a faulty approach

- The biblical approach is one the apostle Paul lays down here

- He lays down a directive counselling approach – one that takes account of the what the Scriptures teach about men & women

- Sadly, many Christian counselling models seek to integrate the Scriptures with the secular psychological models but end up perverting the Scriptures in the process

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- A good example, is the love yourself doctrine (self-esteem)– self love, learn to love yourself – Whitney Houston sang that song called the greatest love of all – & here is the anthem: “learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all”

- That is in stark contrast to the biblical model which says our deficiency is not in learning to love ourselves, but learning to love God with all our heart, soul, mind & strength

Q. So, where does this come from? It comes from the belief that at the root, you are good, not sinful

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- It comes from the devil's counsel who focused on the “self” perspective of Adam & Eve in the Garden of Eden

- Don't be cheated by God, says the serpent to Eve, you have potential, you can be like God, you're worthy – don't let God cheat you out of what you can become – your worthy, love yourself before God”

—4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:4–5 NASB95

4 The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! 5 “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

- People love to be flattered & love the path that prioritise' self

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- Then you have the general guilt free, no fault, Freudian psychology that, again, relies upon the false belief that at its base, humanity is good

- So if you have problems, you haven't created them, someone has done it to you

- I remember a friend of mine from Qld getting grilled by a Christian psychologist about her father at a Christian camp

- It wasn't even a counselling session

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- Now I know her father & he is a godly upright man

- But this guy couldn't help himself, he had to push about what her father had done to her as she grew up

- Somehow, her father was at fault for whatever issues she was facing

- She could not believe that line of questioning & said that her father was wonderful & treated her well

- He would not stop this line of questioning & she just got up & left

- This guy's problem is that he was relying on secular psychology that has the premise that people's problems are more the result of what others have done to you – straight from Freudian psychology

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- One more example of this & how it has made its way into the Australian legal system is the case involving the woman who bought a MacDonald's coffee, spilled it on herself & sued MacDonalds

- She was driving to work with the coffee held between her legs as she drove

- The judge awarded her $20,000 to be paid by MacDonald's because the coffee was too hot & caused her burns

- Someone's else's fault – never mind the fact, that she did a silly thing by placing the coffee between her legs while driving

- I agree that perhaps the coffee was too hot, but the injury was not caused by anyone but herself

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- Mobile phone companies are terrified of being sued because someone may text while driving & be in an accident

- Of course, the phone company will be at fault because they don't have a means of turning off the texting function while the car is moving

- Watch this space – it will come – if they don't do something, they know they may well have lawsuits on their hands

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- So our ministry to one anther is a ministry of instruction, advice, warning & counsel – we are responsible people & responsible for our own walk with the Lord

- This all comes with encouragement too, because the more we move towards Christlikeness, the more blessed we will be in it

2. Paul's Ministry (vs.15-16)

- We move from the ministry of Christians to one another, to Paul's ministry

- Here, he emphasises his ministry from Jesus & this ministry starts & finishes with the grace of God

- It is only through the grace of God that Paul has been turned from his wicked ways to Christ

- It is only through the grace of God that he has gifts that he can minister – the same is true for us too

- His ministry, our ministry is all of the grace of God

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- Notice that ministry does mean “reminder”

- He does not mind repeating himself or reminding them of something they ought to know or should know

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- We are a people who so quickly forget & isn't it interesting that the practise of the early church was to have communion every Lord's day

- Well, it seems that the earliest disciples celebrated it every day, but as the church became established, it was observed weekly on the Sunday

- The Lord's Supper or Communion is a reminder for us of our origin as Christian people

- We became Christian on the basis of the death & resurrection of Jesus

- You cannot go beyond that or fall short of it

- That is why it is important to be reminded each Sunday of this truth

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- One quick note here: Paul says that he was ministering as a “priest” the Gospel of God

- This is metaphoric – he is not a priest as in an OT priest or as in a priest that we see in the high church today

- He says that his offering is the Gentiles – again – metaphoric

- Offerings were usually consumed by fire, so it's a figure of speech

- The only priests in the church are the church – we are all priests as we all are involved in making God & Christ known to the world as His ambassadors

—9 But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

1 Peter 2:9 NASB95

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

3. Paul's “Word & Deed” Ministry (vs. 17-19)

- Most people recognise that you need to use the right tools to do a job effectively

- We can be sloppy & use a tool that was not exactly meant for the purpose we are using it for, but then what happens?

- We end up with a second class job, or worse, end up ruining it

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- Paul notes that the Gentiles were brought to obedience by word & deed

- Through the preaching of the Gospel & through the power of signs & wonders

- The message is the message of Christ crucified & risen from the dead

- This is the Gospel of Christ – this is “the word”

- But since Paul saw the risen Christ, along with many many others, his ministry was accompanied by signs & wonders

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- So Peter & John outside the Temple Gate called “Beautiful” say to the beggar, in name of Jesus, “rise up & walk”

- He immediately gets to his feet & starts jumping & leaping for joy

- This is a miracle, a wonder, but it is also a sign – a sign that Jesus is alive

- Notice that this miracle was done in the name of Jesus

—6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”

Acts 3:6 NASB95

6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”

- Doing this miracle in the name of Jesus means that Jesus authorised this to be done & that, in fact He, not Peter, is performing the miracle

- It stands to reason, then, for an onlooker that if this Person of Jesus, who was crucified, is still in the grave, then, the lame man will remain lame

- Since he is no longer lame & a great miracle has happened, then it must be Jesus who healed him

- The miracle, therefore, was not merely a miracle of awe & wonder, it was a sign – a sign or “signpost” that pointed to, or led you to, Jesus as the Messiah of God

—12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

Acts 15:12 NASB95

12 All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles.

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- Yet, this is not just a story out of a Marvel or DC movie, for entertainment value

- Nor is it for people to think, “Oh, Jesus died for me, how nice” & it is left there

- No, the result is the obedience of the Gentiles

Q. As we journeyed through the books of Sam/Kgs, what was the one problem that stood out glaringly?

- It was the problem of disobedience to the Covenant

- They were God's people by name only, but not necessarily by heart

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- Obedience is not an optional aspect of Christianity

- Obedience of the faith is the faith

—17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

Romans 6:17 NASB95

17 But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed,

- In contrast to the obedience of the Gentiles, you have the disobedience of the Jews

Romans 15:31 NASB95

31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints;

—31 [to pray for him]... that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints;

- The Jews so often led a life of disobedience to their Covenant with God

- Now, the Gentiles will know God & will obey God through the Gospel

4. Paul's Mission (vs.20-21)

- I think the message the apostle is trying to convey here is one of encouragement

- That we might all see the unique things that God has done in him to bring about the conversion of the Gentiles & that, by extension, includes us

- His main ministry is to those who have never heard, never had the privilege of hearing about the greatest news the world has ever known

- Paul's ministry is unique in that he was assigned to be an evangelist, going where Christ was not known & to make Him known

Summary

- So the lessons from today is this

- We have a ministry to one another – if you see a little child walking toward a highway, you are pro-active to turn that child away from danger & lead them to safety

- Using the same principle, we do the same – we use the word of God to counsel one another – to speak into their life – not in arrogance, nor in pride, but humbly realising that it may be me who needs it sometime down the track

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- Paul needs to be listened to, for the special role he received from Jesus & the authority that came with that role

- But the man is only a man & His ministry is through the grace of God

- Through the word of the Gospel & through powerful signs & wonders, the Gentiles came to believe

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- But that belief, was not akin to the struggles of the Jewish people under the law where only a remnant were saved

- It is a faith that is grounded in obedience to God

- Through a change of heart & in the power of the Spirit, the Gentiles believed & obeyed God