Romans 15

Sunday, 26 January 2014

But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you,…  Romans 15:23

Speaking of his ministry which went in a circle from Jerusalem around to Illyricum, Paul felt that he had covered the entire area in a manner sufficient to say that there was no longer any place that wasn’t evangelized. Considering the amount of area and the immense number of towns and people, he was making quite a claim. But it should be remembered that he certainly instructed those he evangelized to continue on with the effort just as he had. Therefore, along with his work, those he brought to Jesus would have continued the process.

Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus, though written later, give his instructions on the establishment and conduct of churches. When writing to Titus, he says this –

“For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you…” Titus 1:5

So it is not at all improbable that the message, either directly by Paul or by those he trained, got to the entire region just as he claims here. And because of this, he now tells the Romans of his yearning to come to them. He had set aside his desires for the sake of spreading the gospel and he now felt that he could follow through with what he so long wished to do without compromising anything in the process.

Life application: Stick to what is necessary first and foremost. Only when that is accomplished should we endeavor to follow our other, less important desires. There is a world full of people who need to hear the good news. Don’t let TV or fun parties dull you to what should be the first priority in life.

O God, in my time of distress, You are there to comfort me. Friends come and go, people promise and fail to deliver, and those who were once near and dear to me no longer count me among their associates. But You O Lord… You are always faithful. In the morning, I can rise and feel You near. In the darkest night, I know You are watching. You are my Rock and my Comfort, and in You I place my trust and hope. Amen.

Saturday, 25 January 2014

For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. Romans 15:22

In Romans 1:9-15, Paul explained his desire to come to Rome and fellowship with them. And in verse 1:13, he said this –

“Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now)…”

Since that verse, he has given his discourse on the many issues which were on his mind. Finally in verse 22, he has stated that, “For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you.” It is as if that opening statement all the way at the beginning was the impetus for this masterful epistle. Only after explaining the many issues of the faith has he now returned to explain why he was hindered. In other words, this concern was his “foot in the door” for explaining the many doctrinal matters that he wanted to impart.

In his statement “I have been hindered” he uses a word which is in the imperfect tense. This denotes that it was a continuous problem which implies that he had one hindrance after another as he strived to reach his desired goal of visiting the Romans. Those hindrances are a part of his thought in verse 15:19 when he noted that “from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

In his travels, in his evangelistic endeavors, and in his preaching of the gospel where it had not previously been preached – in these actions he was held back from actually making it to Rome. This then shows Paul’s dedication to the ministry to which he had been called. Despite his great desire to fellowship with the Romans, the call of preaching the gospel had to be of paramount importance. In this, he hoped the Romans would understand the reception of a letter rather than the welcoming of the person into their presence.

Life application: As followers of Christ, there are things we should be doing and there are things we wish to be doing. These will at times conflict with each other. Using Paul’s example in the book of Romans, we will find what is right and pleasing to the Lord. Paul strongly desired to visit those in Rome, but he knew that the preaching of the gospel was of supreme importance and so he placed his desires on the back burner and proceeded to continue walking on the path laid before him, proclaiming the gospel to those who needed to hear it.

Lord Jesus, there are things I should be doing and there are things I desire to do – and they don’t always sync. In such cases, please give me the strength to put my personal desires aside and to follow Your word and Your chosen direction for my life. In this, I know that You will be pleased and I will be found an obedient servant of Yours. Thank You, O Lord. Amen.

Friday, 24 January 2014

…but as it is written:
“To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.” Romans 15:21

Once again, and for the last time in his epistle, Paul turns to Scripture to confirm the validity of his apostolic ministry to the Gentiles. He begins with “but as it is written.”

The “but’ is given as a contrast to what he just said, “And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation…” Instead of building where others had already laid a foundation, he was determined to go to where the word had not yet been preached. As Israel had already received the news about Jesus, this then implies that the word was to go beyond Israel – to the Gentiles. With this thought in mind, he says, “as it is written.”

Paul returns to the Scriptures to substantiate the going forth of the gospel beyond Israel and therefore there must be a herald of this message; an apostle to the Gentiles. Paul saw himself as this instrument of God. The final portion of Scripture that he will cite in Romans comes from his often-used prophet, Isaiah. Here he cites the intent of Isaiah 52:15 which reads in its entirety –

“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.”

This is from the “Suffering Servant” passage of Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 which speaks of the work of Jesus as the Messiah on His first advent. From the un-cited portion of the verse, we see that Isaiah was speaking of Christ sprinkling “many nations.” This implies that His blood would be shed not only for Israel, but all of the Gentile people as well. Next Isaiah said that “Kings shall shut their mouths at Him.” Again, “kings” is in the plural. This indicates that the rulers of many nations will be silent before Him, acknowledging His Lordship.

Paul’s citation then begins at this point. He amends the verse for the context of his epistle, but he doesn’t substantially change the meaning. This message about the Christ whose blood would be shed for the Gentiles would be carried out to them. They would go from a state of unknowing to that of perceiving what God had done. They would go from having not heard, to clarity of understanding. And the only way this could come about was if someone actually went and told them. Paul understood this and is conveying the message that he is that messenger.

If he went where someone had already laid the foundation, then they would already have had the word announced; they would already see; they would have heard; and they would have understood. But Paul’s ministry was one of carrying the word to ears that had never heard. Imagine his thoughts as he wrote to the Romans, “God was speaking about me through the words of Isaiah…” It must have been a humbling notion. About 700 years before his birth, God implied that Paul would be God’s herald of the good news of Jesus Christ to the nations!

Life application: In a way, when we participate in mission work to have the gospel message carried to those who have never heard it, we are actually participating in the fulfilling of prophecy. Without boasting or thinking too highly of the part we play, we can tenderly look at the words of Isaiah and say to ourselves, “God knew that I would be a part of the fulfillment of this great plan of His.” It is a humbling thought.

Lord God, how great You are. You spoke through the prophets of things that would come, often thousands of years later. And then, sure enough, one by one, they have come to pass. You told of the coming Messiah, and He came. You told of Israel’s exile and then return, and it has happened. You have spoken that Jesus will return again… and so I know it will happen too. May it be soon! Amen.

Thursday, 23 January 2014

And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation,… Romans 15:20

In his previous thoughts, Paul has said that it is Christ working through him in the things which pertain to God. Endowed with this ability and with the gift of this ministry he went “from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum” fully preaching the gospel of Christ.

In this capacity (and so he states here), he lets the Romans know that “I have made it my aim to preach the gospel…” The Greek word translated as “made it my aim” reflects and earnest desire or ambition. It has been his heart’s goal to preach “not where Christ was named.” Paul saw his ministry as a foundational one. He set out to establish churches rather than move into those areas where one was already established and thus “build on another man’s foundation.”

God has endowed all people with certain desires and abilities. There are those who are missionaries, telling the gospel for the very first time. There are others who will establish churches, thus bringing together those who may already know Christ but not have a place of worship. There are preachers, teachers, and congregants. Everyone has a place within the body and at times the duties or missions overlap.

Paul’s goal was preaching and teaching to new converts. He didn’t just give the gospel and move on, but after receiving converts, he would disciple them. This is seen, for example, in Acts 19:9, 10 –

“But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.”

He was there to evangelize and he stayed and taught daily for two years. But he also wrote letters of instruction and encouragement such as the epistle to the Romans. There in Rome was a group of believers who had already come together, probably without any apostolic leadership. These converts might have been from the group who came to Christ in Jerusalem, such as those recorded in Acts 2 at the first Pentecost of the Church Age. However they were established, Paul was writing to them for the sake of both exhortation and doctrine.

He hoped to eventually go to Rome and meet with them, but without violating his precept of preaching “not where Christ was named” but rather as a stop for fellowship on his way to Spain (Romans 15:24).

Life application: In order to be an effective member of the church, one needs to decide what it is they can do to benefit the body. If sitting in church listening to instruction is all you wish to do, make sure to leave a gift or offering. If you wish to go overseas and be a missionary, it takes planning and funding. First think about what you wish to do and then determine to do it through reasonable planning and in a way which will benefit the church.

Lord, thank You for the church where I attend. Thank You for a place of fellowship where we can worship You and edify each other. Thank You for each person who comes, for the services, studies, and special gatherings that make it a home. Thank You for the abilities You have given each person and for those who use their abilities to benefit all within the church. Amen. 

Wednesday, 22 January 2014

…in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.Romans 15:19 

This verse is the second half of what Paul stated yesterday. In context and in its entirety, it says, “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

Paul’s boasting was in what Christ accomplished through him, not in his own deeds. Christ’s work was manifest “in mighty signs and wonders.” A good example of this type of deed is found in Acts 19:11, 12 –

“Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.”

Unlike so many charlatans who fill the halls of Christianity today with false workings which have nothing to do with the Spirit but are often acts engaged in for the profit of those employed in the tricks, these were truly manifestations of the work of Christ “by the power of the Spirit of God.” They are attested to in God’s word and they were given and confirmed in order to establish the apostolic work of Paul.

Endowed with this power in which Christ worked through Paul, he made a circuit “from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum.” Although his ministry didn’t actually begin in Jerusalem, he uses Jerusalem as the center of his discourse because it is the center of the gospel message from which Christ’s word has gone out. Paul, like the other apostles, carried this message from Jerusalem outward. Paul’s ministry was in a circular route and he uses Illyricum as a destination because it was in the outward part of the arc of the circle, being in the area of modern day Croatia.

Whether he actually went into Illyricum or not isn’t known, but he travelled at least to its borders. In his travels, he covered an immense amount of land and came into contact with many cultures and people. He was a tireless servant of the Lord and in all that he did, he “fully preached the gospel of Christ.” This gospel message and those endowed with its witness are noted in his first letter to the Corinthians –

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-7

Life application: Paul’s ministry was one bearing apostolic authority. The apostolic age ended with the completion of the Bible. The foundation of the “prophets and apostles” which proclaim Christ has been laid. The Bible bears witness to the work of God in Christ and through the apostles. Now it is our job to use this witness, the Holy Bible, for the building up and edification of the church.

O God, when I’m tired and feeling used up, all I need to do is think of Jesus. His ministry was a continuous stream of looking to the needs of others. He endured sleepless nights, long days of ministry, and so many trials and difficulties. And above all, He endured Gethsemane and then the cross. How can I not pick myself up and follow suit? Give me strength, O God, to endure the race set before me – to the glory of Christ my Lord. Amen.