UNDERSTANDING PAUL S PRIORITIES Romans 15:14-24 ANDREW CARNEGIE, was a poor Scottish immigrant turned powerful industrialist. He became one of the richest men of the nineteenth century-and one of the most generous. It's estimated he gave nine out of every ten dollars he earned in oil, railroads, and steel to charity, an astounding total of $350 million over his lifetime. A strong supporter of free libraries and education, he believed that the rich had a moral responsibility to use their wealth to benefit others. Carnegie spread his wealth around, making philanthropy his life's priority. The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, made his life's priority spreading the good news of the riches of eternal life. No doubt, Paul was an astounding theologian, a teacher, a pastor & an apostle, but His primary calling was as an evangelist to those who had never heard of Jesus Christ. Paul began the book of Romans by making it clear that this was his primary calling but then he returns to this theme in chapter 15. Why? Because as Paul prepares to sign off, he wants to explain why he sent the letter instead of visiting with them face to face. His priorities based on his calling are part of that explanation. However, before getting to that point he begins by offering I. HIS ASSESSMENT Romans 15:14-15 NIV, I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15 I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again because of the grace God gave me As we will see as we work through the text, Paul offers this assessment to justify why he thought they were good and capable of ministering to the believers until he finished what he was doing. Obviously, Paul believed in his Christian brothers and sisters. He had faith in them. And it was an encouragement for them to hear this assessment. If as ministers we don t believe in people and then verbally affirm them, we decrease the effectiveness of our own ministries. We would be running all over the place trying to do everything. Entrust those God has filled and given wisdom to with ministry and then affirm them. You yourselves are full of goodness. Notice that he isn t saying that they are good, but that they are full of goodness. I m not splitting hairs here. Remember what Jesus said to the person who asked what good thing he needed to do receive eternal life in Matthew 19:16 17 NIV. Now behold, one came and said to Him, Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? 17 So He said to him, Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. God is good. We are not good. Goodness comes only as a result of salvation and following Christ [sanctification]. In other words, Paul was convinced that they were following Christ and therefore they had been filled with "goodness." God's goodness infused in them, for only God is good. They also are "complete in all knowledge." How does one get "complete in all knowledge?" I guess that means they were committed believers who were intentional about their discipleship. They were absorbing as much knowledge as possible. They were involved in small groups, and they didn t forsake assembling together on Sunday mornings. Over time that sort of involvement connects you to believers and that provides you with the resources that help you gain more and more knowledge of God. And as Paul suggests here, once you are filled with goodness and knowledge you can effectively encourage others in the faith. In verse 15 Paul admits that he has boldly advised them in other areas as a reminder. I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again because of the grace God gave me
Paul reminded his readers that it was because of God's grace that he had his special position. His advise might have been considered intrusive if it had not been born out of God's grace and calling. Paul's words were more that human speech. They were words of the Spirit given out of Paul's gift as an apostle. If we are going to offer more than man's wisdom, the advise we give to others must be born out of God's Spirit, God's Word and God's grace also. So, as we assess ministry, don t forget to encourage and affirm those who are doing ministry well, and be bold in your advice when necessary. When you provide that instruction, you may need to remind them of your calling and the importance of their participation so you can fulfill your assignment. That is where Paul goes next as He reiterates II. HIS ASSIGNMENT Romans 15:15-16 NIV, I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again because of the grace God gave me 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Verse 16 tells us that as a minister of Jesus Christ Paul's assignment was a priestly duty. As he preached and shared the good news of Jesus with Gentiles and they came to believe, Paul viewed them as an offering that was acceptable to God and sanctified or set apart for God s purposes by the Holy Spirit. He was a minister [leitourgos, a public, civil or temple servant] to the Gentiles. The term "liturgy" is related to this word. This ministry was carried out as a priestly duty [hierourgounta means "to work in sacred things"]. We may not relate to the "priest" designation very well because it conjures up images of bearded Old Testament men in special clothing in the temple. And even though the O. T. priesthood has been done away with, there is a New Covenant priesthood that I spoke to you about last week 1 Peter 2:1-5, 9 NIV, Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 4 As you come to him, the living Stone rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Verse 9, " But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Since we are all part of this priesthood of believers, we all are to declare the praises of God. That is why Jesus used the phrase "fishers of men" for those who followed Him. While some believers have been called to "vocational" or "full-time" ministry, every Christian has been made a priest of the gospel. This is our real vocation, no matter how we may earn our paycheck. We are all ministers of the gospel. So Paul assesses the competency of others who are doing ministry and affirms them in that service. He reminds them of his assignment and then he takes time to consider III. HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS Romans 15:17-19 NIV, "Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done 19 by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. Paul was not glorying or boasting in what he had done, but in what God had done through him. Paul was merely a honed instrument in the hand of God. Just like us, Paul was dependent on God for accomplishing his ministry task. Christ is the One who works through His servant, and when God uses such poor instruments as us, it s proof of His magnificent power and glory.
Being proud of God's work done in us and through us is not a sin. Besides that, it confirms our call in our own minds and it the minds of others. If you are not sure whether your pride is selfish or holy, ask yourself this question: Are you just as proud of what God is doing through other people as of what he is doing through you? It is told that the CHANGE IN THE LIFE of D. L. Moody came when he went to a meeting and heard a preacher say: "If only one man would give himself entirely and without reserve to the Holy Spirit, what that Spirit might do with him!" Moody said to himself: "Why should I not be that man?" And all the world knows what the Spirit of God did with D. L. Moody. It is when a man ceases to think of what he can do and begins to think of what God can do with him, that things begin to happen. Verse 18 reminds us that the result of hearing the message of the Gospel should be obedience. "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done" Notice that "obedience" is a synonym for coming to faith in Christ. Paul began his letter and ended his letter with this same focus. In his salutation he said Romans 1:5 ESV, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, In his benediction he said, Romans 16:25-27 ESV, Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages, 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen. In what sense are they to be obedient? The preaching of the good news of Jesus coming to die in our place includes a command from God that is either obeyed or not. What is that command? Acts 17:30-31 ESV, The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. Paul recognized that all credit for what the sharing of the Gospel accomplishes goes to Christ. And yet Paul understood that obedience to God was linked to the message he spoke and demonstrated in power. He said to obey God by what I have said and done by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. He shared the gospel in the power of the Spirit so that it could accomplish its great work. God wants to use you as His instrument too. The Word is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12). Just start sharing the Scriptures and watch and see what God does. Through the power of the Spirit, He confirms His word, convicts the sinner of what sin is and of what is right and impresses on them the reality of a coming judgment. With that conviction bearing down on their hearts, they bow the knee and respond in obedience to His command by repenting (agreeing with God about their sin) and receiving His Son. Verse19 announces that the gospel had been proclaimed in power all around the eastern Mediterranean. by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. The apostle had been used by God through the power of the Spiritnto perform signs and miracles. This happened at Cyprus (Acts 13:11, making Elymas blind), at Iconium (Acts 14:3; Acts 15:12) at Lystra (Acts 14:8-10, 19-20), at Ephesus (Acts 19:11-12), at Troas (Acts 20:9-12), and at Malta (Acts 28:1-8).
It was by signs, wonders, and miracles that the words and works of the apostles were authenticated as being from God. 2 Corinthians 12:11 12 ESV, For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. 12 The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. Hebrews 2:4 ESV, God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will. The power of the Spirit is what made the connection between the miracles, the message, and the converts. Even for us today, it would be fool hearty to try to teach, lead or inspire a group of people without the empowering, indwelling or controlling of the Holy Spirit. As I said before, it is the Spirit that convicts people of sin, righteousness and judgment. It is the Spirit of God who brings life to the lifeless. It is the Spirit of God that brings to bear all the power and authority of God to each person's situation. He alone, has the ability to point out a person's deepest need and lead them to the fountain of living waters. Paul had preached the gospel from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum (1,440 miles). Illyricum was a Roman territory on the Adriatic Sea between present day Italy and Greece. It covered much the same territory as Albania and Yugoslavia do today. Paul traveled everywhere, simply preaching "the Good News of Jesus Christ." He knew what his assignment was and he had seen what God had accomplished through him and that is what fueled III. HIS AMBITION, 20-21. Romans 15:20-21, It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand. J. I. Pracker (British-born Canadian Christian theologian) wrote: "You cannot at the same time give the impression that you are a great preacher" -- or theologian or debater or whatever -- "and that Jesus Christ is a great Savior. He said, If you call attention to yourself and your own competence, you cannot effectively call attention to Jesus and his glorious sufficiency. Amen! The geographical extent of his ministry led Paul to declare what motivated him continually onward forward in his gospel outreach. Paul had a deep-rooted desire to be a true pioneer evangelist, opening virgin territory to the good news of God's grace in Jesus Christ. This was so that he would not be building on someone else's foundation (1 Cor. 3:10). In the early 19th century, US President Thomas Jefferson completed the LOUISIANA PURCHASE, expanding the borders of our fledgling republic "from sea to shining sea." The problem, however, was that no one really knew what was in that vast expanse of land. Maps would be needed, with clear instructions for the pioneers who would travel to the Pacific. Explorers Lewis and Clark became, in effect, pioneers preparing the way for the most massive land migration in US history. They cut a new trail that others would follow. The apostle Paul's commitment to ministry was framed by a similar priority, to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named." To cut a new trail with the gospel that others would follow. Timothy, Titus, Mark, and Silas were just a few who followed the trail Paul blazed. Today that commitment is seen in Jesus followers who take the message of the Savior to the uttermost parts of the world. But God has given you a message to share also. Don't keep it to yourself. Share your personal story of coming to faith in Christ with people you know. It is told that when DAVID LIVINGSTONE volunteered as a missionary with the London Missionary Society they asked him where he would like to go. "Anywhere," he said, " so long as it is forward." And when he reached Africa he was haunted by the smoke of a thousand villages which he saw in the distance. It was Paul's great motivation to carry the good news of God to men who had never heard it. Paul quotes from Isaiah 52:15 in verse 21 to tell his aspiration. " it is written: Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.
This was Paul's Scripture confirmation for going to those who have not seen and who have not heard in order that they might see and hear and understand. This passage s ultimate fulfillment will be at Christ's return. So guess what? It is a verse we should still site as confirmation for our ministry at CCOD too. People who have had no news of Christ, who have not heard the gospel, are found everywhere. They can be found in every country, every city and town, and in every community and neighborhood. God does not call every believer to be an evangelist, but He calls every believer to be a witness. IN CONCLUSION: His Arranged Priorities, 22-24 With his priority well established, Paul explains that while he wanted to visit the church at Rome, he had delayed his visit because he had heard many good reports about the believers there and he knew they were doing well on their own. It was more important for him to preach in areas that had not yet heard the Good News. This should be our priority in Hampden. Romans 15:22-24 NIV, This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. Ask God to show you how you can be used to extend the gospel to regions where Christ is not yet known. I Peter 3:15 But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.