"Priorities" (Part 1)

In Romans 1:8-15 Paul expresses the priority of prayer, people, and preaching in his life.

What are your priorities?

What should your priorities be?

Motives are what drives you.

Priorities are what you focus on, what you give time to.

Paul’s Priorities

By way of example.

3 main priorities: PRAYER, PEOPLE, and PREACHING

Prayer (vv. 8-10)

Paul tells the Christians at Rome what he THANKS God for and what he ASKS God for.

What does Paul thank God for? (v. 8)

Their faith.

Which is apparent (“obedience of faith,” v. 5).

Whole world? Hyperbole - figurative exaggeration for affect - their faith was well know throughout the places where Paul travelled.

Why does He thank God for this?

Because their faith is a gift from God (Philippians 1:29; 1 Thessalonians 1:2–3; 1 Thessalonians 2:13).

Philippians 1:29 ESV

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake,

1 Thessalonians 1:2–3 ESV

We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV

And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.

If we can thank God for faith, we can ask God for faith - in ourselves and others (Mark 9:24).

Faith can be a focus of our prayers.

What does Paul ask God for? (vv. 9-10)

To be able to visit the church at Rome.

Paul wants them to know that he cares about them.

God is my witness - for their benefit in believing him.

Serve with my spirit - truly, genuinely, from within NOT just on the outside

Without ceasing/always - constantly on his heart and mind, which is even more significant since he had never been there.

They may have doubted this because he had not visited them yet.

But that did not diminish Paul’s care for them.

Paul wants them to know that God cares about them.

Gospel of His Son - they fit into this agenda

Prayers - Paul believes that they matter to God

God’s will - if and when he comes, this will be why

They could look for and long for this as well.

Paul depends on/trust in God through prayer.

And, we’ll see further the heart of Paul’s prayer.

* Priority #1 for Paul: PRAYER

People (vv. 11-12)

This priority comes out in the reason Paul wants to visit them.

Why does Paul want to visit them? (v. 11)

To impart (share) a spiritual gift to/with them. What does he mean?

They already have the Spirit by salvation, and they are already living by the Spirit in obedience (v. 8).

But Paul wants to strengthen (establish, firm up their foundation) spiritually and encourage them spiritually (v. 12).

He further qualifies/explains (v. 15) that this involves preaching.

His spiritual gift will be the ministry of the Word.

So Paul wants to, by the Spirit, give to them from the Spirit what they can receive from the Spirit and apply by the Spirit so that they may grow in the Spirit. He wants to teach them more. We wants them to have more truth.

Spiritual health and benefits (Ephesians 1:16–17; Ephesians 3:16; Colossians 1:9)

Ephesians 1:16–17 ESV

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,

Ephesians 3:16 ESV

that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

Colossians 1:9 ESV

And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

This is really what he is praying for and what his visit will be for.

Paul sees this as a gift - something good for them that he can give

What’s in it for Paul? (v. 12)

Mutual encouragement

This is the personal enjoyment and enrichment that Paul finds in it.

Paul expresses here that they both need encouragement and they both can/will receive encouragement from each other.

Paul wants to have a meaningful relationship with them.

He’s willing to do what it takes for that.

This is what it means to be a Christian, to be in the church (Ephesians 4:16; Galatians 6:10; Hebrews 10:24–25).

Ephesians 4:16 ESV

from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Galatians 6:10 ESV

So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Hebrews 10:24–25 ESV

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

** Priority #2 for Paul: PEOPLE

Both of these priorities emphasize the two primary relationships.

2 Relationships

With God and with others (Matthew 22:37–39)

Matthew 22:37–39 ESV

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Benediction: Romans 11:33–36

Romans 11:33–36 ESV

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:15–23; Ephesians 3:14–21