A Heart full of dreams.

Preaching through the Book of Romans “A Heart Full of Dreams” (Romans 1:1, 5)

“A Heart Full of Dreams”

Romans 1:1, 5

Paul died with dreams of future ministry still burning in his heart. Old age had not “aged” his spirit at all. As we read this letter to the Romans, we know something Paul didn’t when he wrote it. We know he would be arrested when he traveled to Jerusalem (Ro 15:30–32; Ac 21). He would arrive in Rome not as a missionary on his way west to Spain (Ro 15:24–25), but in chains. He would be released after some years, but then arrested again and executed. He was certainly no younger than 55 when he wrote this letter to Rome, and no younger than 64 when he was executed (67 A. D.), but to the very end he writes like a young man full of zeal and interest in life, full of big plans and dreams for the future. Nothing is dying inside of Paul; it’s just getting stronger. Undoubtedly, he too had to cope with declining energy and, frankly, the effects from years of physical abuse (2Co 11:23–33). He himself provides a perfect illustration of a truth he taught to the Corinthian church, “though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2Co 4:16). Aging is a physical process that can’t be halted, but “old” is an attitude.

Today as we return to Paul’s opening statement about himself, we will again hear him tell us he’s a “slave of Christ,” “called as an apostle” and “set apart for the gospel of God.” But in this study we’re going to look at a particular gift God gives to those who, like Paul, embrace these three attitudes. And the gift is this: a heart full of dreams.

Growing old

Years ago I read this cynical comment, “Life is a process of diminishing dreams.” The person was saying, the older we grow, the smaller our dreams become. People may start out with big dreams and hopes when they’re young, but life proves to be a series of disappointments. Reality turns out to be much smaller and less fulfilling than we had hoped. And this is true … if we live for self. If our dreams focus on self-fulfillment, life either denies us achieving those dreams or disappoints us when we arrive. We discover that the goals we’ve achieved are far less fulfilling than we’d expected, and we’re still powerless to stop the relentless approach of death. So in one sense it is true that “Life is a process of diminishing dreams,” but it is not necessarily so. There are people who escape the grip of this cynicism and fully embrace life right to the end.

Old dreamers

• Joseph (Ge 50:24–26)

• Moses

— Song of Moses (Dt 31:19–22; 32:1–44)

— “Die on the mountain” (Dt 32:48–52)

— Blessing the tribes (Dt 33:1–29)

• Isaiah

— “Even to your old age I shall be the same, and even to your graying years I shall bear you (“I bore you on eagles’ wings …” Ex 19:4). I have done … and I shall carry … and I shall bear … and I shall deliver” (Is 46:4).

• Barnabus

— Hebrews 13:22–24

— “As you know, Timothy has been released from jail there in Rome, and he’s written to tell me the churches need me to come and teach there. Since I am so old, he offered to come to Cyprus and escort me back there, and of course I’m glad to come. He’ll arrive soon, and I’ll be there as quickly as I can” (paraphrase: Heb 13:22–24).

• John

— Brought out on a cot and placed before the church, he said, “Little children, love one another.”

• Paul (just before he was beheaded)

— He gave Timothy a solemn charge about this world. (2Ti 4:1–5)

— Crossing the finish line, still running as fast as he can go. (2Ti 4:6–8)

— Still engaging strategy and leading. (2Ti 4:9–13, 20)

• Contemporary: Examples were given of people who continued in ministry late in life.

Two paths

• Live for self (comfort, safety, prosperity, recognition, pleasure …).

• Live for “the gospel of God” (Ro 1:1).

Living for self sours the human personality. Unpleasant qualities grow worse as the years go by. Somehow selfish qualities are distilled in time into a stronger and stronger flavor. This is why God mercifully gave the human race the gift of death. He puts a limit on that process. Dying would prevent selfishness from growing worse forever and making us even more miserable (Ge 3:22).

But there is another path that doesn’t lead to diminishing dreams, and that’s the path chosen by Paul and these other “dreamers.” Paul surrendered the pursuit of his own goals and chose to live as a “slave” of Christ. He stopped clinging to this world and chose to live for something worth dying for. He stopped living for himself and chose to live for Someone greater than himself. And this kind of total surrender brings with it a remarkable gift: it fills the heart with purpose and passion.

Purpose and passion

Purpose:

• Empowers us to say “no” to temptation. I don’t let the devil sidetrack me because what I’m doing is too important (Note: how important this is for young people).

• Lifts a major cause of depression. Many are depressed by a sense of failure and the shame of what others must think of them. Life is a competition which they have lost. This is what lifted in my life when God asked me, “Why don’t you give me what’s left of your life …?”

• Re-energizes our physical disciplines. It becomes a race against time to accomplish as much as you can while your body still functions. You re-engage in exercise, vitamins, sleep and the Sabbath. Each day becomes a gift in which you can make a difference in someone’s life. You finally slow down only because your body won’t let you keep pace. Yet you’re seeing more fruit, not less, so you learn to lean on God more and more even as age forces you to do less and less.

• Removes the fear of death (Heb 2:14–15). You know what’s waiting for you (2Ti 4:8), but you’re not anxious to go there as long as you can still reach one more for Jesus.

Application

Something in the human heart knows we were intended for greatness. It’s not arrogant to think this because it’s true, but it quickly becomes arrogant when we try to make ourselves great. The greatness God has destined us for is to partner with Him in His work of redemption. He invites us to join Him in bringing others to eternal life. And when we say, “yes,” we discover a priceless gift has been given to us: a life full of purpose and passion.

• 1 Corinthians 9:24–27 “Run in such a way as to get the prize.”

• Philippians 3:13–14 “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead I press on toward the goal …”

• Hebrews 12:1 “let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us …”

Questions

• Would you describe your dreams as shrinking or growing?

• Describe the “youngest” old person you know.

A Heart full of dreams!!

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News.

Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey Him, bringing glory to His name.

INTRODUCTION

Good evening, Southpointe!

Paul died with dreams of future ministry still burning in his heart. His old age had not aged his spirit at all.

As we read this letter to Romans, we know that Apostle Paul would be arrested when he travel to Jerusalem.

Apostle Paul would arrive in Rome not as a missionary on his way west to Spain but one who was in chains.

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.

But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there.

We find that Apostle Paul would be released after some years, but then arrested again and executed.

Apostle Paul was around 55 years old when he wrote the letter to Rome, and He was around 64 when he was executed in 67 A.D.

But what you will see about Apostle Paul was that to the very end his writings was like a young man full of zeal and interest in life, full of big plans and dreams for the future.

Nothing was dying inside of Paul. Instead it was growing stronger.

Apostle Paul was a perfect example of the truth that He taught to the Corinthian Church.

That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever!

So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Aging is a physical process that can’t be halted but old is an attitude.

Just like troubles are a promise, but the way we deal with our troubles is another thing.

Tonight, as we look at Apostle Paul’s opening statement about himself, let’s look at again:

This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach His Good News.

Apostle Paul tells us that he is a slave of Christ Jesus, called an apostle and chosen, set apart for the gospel of God.

Tonight I want you notice Apostle Paul knew who he was and the calling that was on his life and nothing could take away his dreams of fulfilling that calling.

I believe one of the big strongest attitude a person can have is a heart full of dreams.

I read this comment: Life is a process of diminishing dreams.

The person was saying the older we grow, the smaller our dreams become.

People may start out with big dreams and hopes when they are young and everything is going greater, no troubles, no sorrows, just smooth sailing.

But life proves to be a series of disappointments. Reality turns out to be much smaller and less fulfilling than we had hoped.

And this is true if we live for self.

If our dreams focus on self-fulfillment, life either denies us achieving those dreams or disappoints us when we arrive.

We discover that the goals we have achieved are far less fulfilling than we have expected, and we are still powerless to stop the troubles and old age and death.

But there’s people who has cross that line and knew how to keep on keeping on.

Apostle Paul just before he was beheaded.

> He gave Timothy a solemn charge about this world.

I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when He appears to set up His Kingdom:

Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

Apostle Paul talked about crossing the finish line, still running as fast as he could go.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful.

There’s two paths for us to go down:

Live for self.

have you comfort, safety, prosperity, recognition, pleasure.

Tell the story of Lazarus and the rich man:

"But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish.

Live for your self.

Living for self sours the human personality, unpleasant qualities grow worse as the years. A person will get bitter, hateful, and just mean.

If you are wise and understand God's ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don't cover up the truth with boasting and lying.

For jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic.

For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

2. Live for the gospel of God.

2. Live for the gospel of God.

You see, there is another path that doesn’t lead to diminishing dreams and that’s the path chosen by Apostle Paul.

Paul surrendered the pursuit of his own goals and chose to live as a slave of Christ.

He stopped hanging on to this world and chose to live for something worth dying for.

He stopped living for himself and chose to live for Someone greater than himself.

And that kind of surrender will bring a remarkable gift: Surrendering will fill the heart with purpose and passion.

There must be a purpose and passion to live a life that worth living.

Purpose and Passion:

Purpose and passion empowers us to say no to temptation. We get this mindset, I don’t let the devil sidetrack me because what I am doing is too important.

Purpose and Passion will remove the major cause of depression. Many are depressed by a sense of failure and the shame of what others must think of them.

Life is a competition which sometimes we feel like we have lost.

This is what lift my life when god asked me, Why don’t you give Me what is left of your life?

Purpose and passion re-energizes our physical disciplines. It becomes a race against time to accomplish all the dreams and hopes that God has placed in your heart.

Each day becomes a gift that you can make a difference in someone’s life.

You might slow down only because your body won’t let you keep the pace. But in your heart you are still moving because purpose and passion keep you alive, and not selfish, bitter but sweet fill with passion and a vision.

The greatness God has destined us for is to partner with Him in His work.

He invites us to join Him in bringing others to eternal life. And when we say “Yes” we discover a priceless gift that has been given to us.

A life full of purpose and passion.

To have this there are something that we must do:

a. Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Don't you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!

All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.

So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing.

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

b. Forget what is behind

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead,

I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.

Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you.

Phip 3:16 But we must hold on to the progress we have already made.

c. Get rid of stuff.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.

I would like to ask you a couple of questions:

Would you describe your dreams as shrinking or growing?

Describe the youngest old person you know.