November 12, 2017
Evening Service

Paul used the first part of this chapter to summarize or reinforce what he was teaching us in chapter 14.  We who are stronger in the faith must look to be “our brother’s keeper.”  We are to bear with them in their weaknesses and help them to carry their burdens.  We are to use Jesus as our example.  He told the apostles in John 15:12; “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”  We have also been given both the Old and New Testament for our understanding and learning.  We then looked at how Luke described the early church in Acts 4 as of “one heart and one soul” truly loving one another.  As we begin with verse 8, Paul uses the idea of all differences being united into one hope to the formation of the church.  “Whosoever will” is invited to join and be united together under Christ.

Romans 15:8-13  And I say, Jesus Christ has become a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers,  (9)  and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written, "For this cause I will confess to You in the Gentiles, and I will praise Your name."  (10)  And again He says, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people."  (11)  And again, "Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and praise Him, all the peoples."  (12)  And again Isaiah says, "There shall be a root of Jesse, and He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the nations trust."  (13)  And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

·         After Paul explains to us that the scriptures are written for our learning; he then uses his knowledge of those scriptures to make his point.  He quotes passages from Psalms, Deuteronomy, and Isaiah that all prophesy of the Gentiles inclusion into God’s plan of salvation in the future.  There were great differences between the Gentiles and the Jews, but Jesus came and offered salvation to both.  The church likewise should follow suit and being inclusive to all men despite their many differences.  The church then became a blender to transform us and all our differences into one unified body of believers.

·         Paul then proceeds to expound upon the things God has given us all in common.  We have hope that thanks to Christ our tomorrow will be brighter than today.  We have joy in knowing our God through the Holy Spirit is always present with us.  We have peace knowing that the God who loves us enough to die for us is in control of all things.  These things should unite us as we all have these things in common.

·         As Paul nears the end of his letter, he now adds a very open revealing his character and purpose for his upcoming planned visit.

 

Romans 15:14-21  And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brothers, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.  (15)  But, brothers, I wrote to you boldly, as reminding you in part, because of the grace that is given to me by God,  (16)  that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the nations, ministering the gospel of God, so that the offering up of the nations might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.  (17)  Therefore I have boasting in Christ Jesus as to the things pertaining to God.  (18)  For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ did not work out by me for the obedience of the nations in word and deed,  (19)  in power of miracles and wonders, in power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem, and all around to Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.  (20)  Yea, so I have been eager to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation;  (21)  but as it is written, "To whom nothing was said about Him, they shall see. And they who have not heard shall understand."

·         Paul reveals the purpose for his writing to the church in Rome.  He wrote not to rebuke them for things done wrong, but as a reminder to do the things they know are right and true.  He always was more interested in pushing a person to fulfill his potential of what he could become in Christ in the future rather than focus what he was at that moment.  He sought to inspire the church to grow deeper in their faith and fully understand what true surrender looked like.

·         He simply considered himself as a tool in God’s hands, as we all should be.  He always pointed to God as the carpenter and himself as the hammer in His hand.  He took no credit for the achievements other than God used him to fulfill His purpose.

·         He desired to be a pioneer, taking the gospel message to those who had never heard.  Paul knew the authority that he spoke and wrote his many letters with.  He told the Corinthian church this:

1 Corinthians 14:37 If anyone thinks to be a prophet, or a spiritual one, let him recognize the things I write to you, that they are a commandment of the Lord.

·         God used Paul’s many years of imprisonment to make him slow down and put the truth He had revealed to him into letters that could be saved for thousands of years to come.  It was the Holy Spirit in Paul that inspired him on what to write in the first place.  He recognized his letters as being the “commandments of the Lord.”

·         The Hebrew writer described the “word of God” like this:

 

Hebrews 4:12  For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing apart of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

·         Paul’s letters were written to cut us deep into our heart, soul and spirit with the precision of a surgeon’s knife.  They are much more than a simple collection of words; they are alive and will change your life if you let them.  His Word will reveal to us who we are what we are not.  It shows us both the good and the evil that lies within us all.

·         His Word requires a decision from us.  Will we listen and let the words and Spirit shape us into what God sees that we can be?  Or do we just hear the parts that we like and ignore the rest.  His Word can and will transform you into being all God has planned for us to be.

·         Paul now shares his hopes of future travel to meet those in this church face to face.

 

Romans 15:22-33  For this cause I also have been greatly hindered from coming to you.  (23)  But now, having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,  (24)  whenever I may go into Spain, I will come to you. For in traveling through I hope to see you, and to be set forward there by you, if first I may be filled of you in part.  (25)  But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints.  (26)  For it has pleased those of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints in Jerusalem.  (27)  Truly it has pleased them, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in fleshly things.  (28)  Therefore when I have completed this, and have sealed this fruit to them, I will come by you into Spain.  (29)  And I am sure that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.  (30)  But I exhort you, brothers, for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ and for the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in your prayers to God for me,  (31)  that I may be delivered from those disbelieving in Judea, and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted by the saints;  (32)  so that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed with you.  (33)  Now may the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

·         Paul’s plans as far as we know did not work out.  It is believed he never made the trip to Spain as he was taken prisoner in Jerusalem and spent two years in Caesarea and two years in Rome after appealing to Caesar.  Despite his desires and hopes to minister to these areas, God had other plans for him.

·         He leaves them with a request for prayer and a blessing for peace.

 

Lord thank you for Your Word and may we allow it to transform us into all You have planned for us.