The Servant of God

I. Servants have individual goals

Paul here gives us his travel plans, but he has so much more in mind than just a list of destinations. Along the way we see his passion for ministry, what drives him. As such we see how he served God. But it is not necessary to be traveling missionary or a pastor to be the Servant of God. Rather, it is an attitude that drives Paul, the same attitude that we should have wherever God has placed us.

Paul didn’t choose to be a missionary. It was chosen for him on the Road to Damascus. But he does choose to do what he has been called to do. God has called you to something different, but you have no less of an opportunity to serve God. So a similar set of motives should drive you. Let’s look at them

A. Service should be an priestly offering

Note the priestly language. Paul’s church planting efforts weren’t to exalt himself; they weren’t even just to build the number of converts or have a successful missionary career. Rather, Paul viewed his life’s work like a sacrifice.

The finished product was more than just people being saved or churches growing, though it required that. It was fully taught, reproducing disciples (14)

You can view your life as a similarly priestly offering. Your end product might not be bringing the gentiles to obedience of the faith; but it should have a spiritual purpose

B. Service should be in Jesus’ Power

We should not attribute our success to our wonderful effort, intelligence. Rather, anything of importance is due to Jesus working through us.

Instruction is both word and deed.

Signs and wonders were to confirm Paul’s message.

the Power of the Spirit of God is no less necessary to change lives today

C. Service should be with individual calling

Paul’s purpose was to be a pioneer missionary.

Isaiah 52:13–15 NKJV

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.

Isaiah 52 prophecies that after the death of the Messiah, the gentile nations will know Him as they never knew before.

There is nothing wrong with “building on another man’s foundation”. Somebody has to go to new places; but somebody has to stay in old ones to maintain and build those ministries, too. 1 Cor 3:10-15. What matters is the kind of building you erect on the foundation that is Jesus Christ. That is, are you spending your life for what really matters?

So Paul’s pioneer missionary endeavor was his individual calling. But each of us has their own role from God. You can make your life now a life of service to God, but you need to choose to do so. What opportunities for service are around you right now? How can you use your job, your money, your time, your relationships to accomplish things of eternal value? A calling is not just for pastors, it is a way of life. The way of life is to live with eternity’s values in view.

II. Servants seeks corporate support

A. They may need support from others

Paul didn’t visit Rome because it didn’t fit his purpose yet. There was a church there already, and he needed to preach the gospel in Asia Minor.

But his mission was complete in Asia Minor. That didn’t mean that there was no more need for the gospel in Asia Minor, but Paul’s purpose was to plant churches in major metro areas and let the people spread the gospel from there. He had done that now.

His intention to go to spain is an extension of his individual purpose.

He asks for their help in accomplishing this goal.

If Paul can seek support for his spiritual purposes, we may do the same. If we have a ministry opportunity, we can ask those it makes sense to ask for help. Paul didn’t ask the people of Jerusalem to help the way Rome did, because Rome was on the way. It made sense to stop and ask them for help.

This is not an excuse to have others do your work for you. It should be a spiritual task, and you’re not looking for someone to do it for you, but for them to assist you.

B. They may require responsibility to others

Paul’s current mission doesn’t technically concern the church at Rome, since he isn’t planning to visit them before going to Jerusalem with the money.

He didn’t just leave it with an explanation of why he wasn’t visiting right now. He pointed out that the Gentile Christians had an obligation to the Jewish Christians.

That’s why we support foreign missionaries. It isn’t enough for us to be concerned for our own community, we must also have some interest in God’s wider mission to the world.

Philippians 4:15–17 NKJV

Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account.

Paul did come in the blessing of Christ, but not how he intended. Ministry will have setbacks. How you respond to them will determine your effectiveness.

C. They should request prayer from others

The request for prayer concerns Paul’s trip to Jerusalem. It’s not something the Roman church can help with directly.

Three specific requests (1) deliverance from unbelievers (2) his gift would be acceptable to the Jerusalem church (3) so that Paul can visit the church at Rome.

Prayer changes things, so by praying for others we can influence their work, even when we aren’t in a position to do anything about it directly.