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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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PAUL’S
APOSTOLIC HEART (Romans
15:20-27) 4/26/09 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I.
PAUL DESIRED TO
PREACH TO THOSE WHO NEVER HEARD (20-21) A.
Paul, with the
authority of an apostle, commends the believers at Rome for their marks of Christian
maturity (Ro 15:14-15). He then explains his apostolic authority and his
right to apostleship (Ro 15:16-19). However, in Rom 15:20-27, Paul reveals
his apostolic heart and we see his personal ambitions, which were to preach
where Christ has not been preached before. B.
While fully
preaching from “Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum” (Ro 15:19), Paul was fulfilling
both his calling and his aspiration (20). Paul was an apostle, a missionary,
and an evangelist. His desire for preaching the gospel was just as much his
inner heart (“aspire”
– philotimoúmenon – present middle participle, lit. “aspiring for myself to keep
preaching) as it was his calling and vocation. But he wanted to preach
where the gospel had not yet been preached (lit. “where Christ had not been named”). A missionary or evangelist
does not particularly build upon another’s foundation, but has a pioneer
spirit to some degree. A pastor-teacher on the other hand desires to stay put
and teach, train, build, and mature those who have come to Christ (1Co 3:6, 10;
1Th 3:2). C.
Paul quotes Is 52:15 where Isaiah prophesied that the gospel would go out
to those who had not had the good “news” (anaggellō – news or announcement carried back)
of Christ preached to them (21). But Paul, and others like him would bring
them the gospel and they would see, understand, and trust in the gospel of
Christ. True to an evangelist’s or missionary’s heart, Paul’s was burdened
for those who never heard the gospel. II.
PAUL DESIRED TO
VISIT THE BELIEVERS IN ROME (22-24a) A.
In a sense,
Paul now comes to the point he had wanted to make, that is, that he had been
prevented from coming to see them (22). It was “for this reason” (i.e.
pioneer evangelism) that Paul had been “prevented” (egkoptō – lit. “cut into” impede, detain) from
making a visit to Rome. B.
But since Paul
had covered aprox. 1,400 miles with the gospel
(from Jerusalem
and round about as far as Illyricum), there was no place that had not heard
the gospel (23). In addition, Paul had a long-time longing (epipothían – strong yearning) to visit the
believers in Rome. Now that ministry was not going to prevent him, he planned
to visit them. C.
However, Paul did not drop the idea of ministry. In fact, he planned to
visit the unreached peoples of Spain with the gospel (24a). Nevertheless, on
his way, he would visit the believers in Rome. Paul planned to
satisfy his longing for fellowship with the believers in Rome. The Greek text puts it in an
interesting way, lit. “after I
have first enjoyed fellowship with you for a while.” The word enjoyed (empiplêmi)
literally means to “have one’s fill in something or to be fully satisfied.” He planned on fellowshipping
with them at length and no doubt maturing them in Christ (Rom.
1:9-13). III.
PAUL DESIRED THAT
BELIEVERS SHARE IN THE MINISTRY (24b-27) A.
Paul makes
another comment, which could appear somewhat curious to us. He states that he
hopes to be helped by escort and provisions from the believers in Rome (24b).
“Helped on my way there” (propempthênai ekei) was a common expression for escorting and
providing for one’s journey (1Co 16:6, 11; 2Co 1:16; Ti 3:13; 3Jn 1:6). In
light of the context of giving, it no doubt would suggest Paul is speaking of
provisions for the trip. In addition, he states in the next few verses
(25-27), that sharing financially in the ministry was an expected responsibility
of true believers. B.
Paul informs
them that before he can make a trip to Rome, he must conclude his missionary
journey ending up in Jerusalem (25). Paul would be serving (diakonéō – to serve, wait on, care for,
provide for) the saints in
Jerusalem. This is no doubt a reference to collecting contributions from
other churches in order to help out the church in Jerusalem. About the time
of Paul’s writing (aprox. A.D. 59), there was a
famine in Palestine. This coupled with intense persecution meant many
Christian men were imprisoned while many others were without jobs. Paul calls
the saints in Jerusalem “poor” (ptochós – destitute and dependent on
others). It was the Christian thing
to do to help in such dire times. In addition, Paul exercised his apostolic
authority in exhorting churches to contribute to the needs of the saints (1Co 16:1-4; 2Co 8:1-13; Ro 12:13; 1Ti
6:18; as did the other apostles – Ac 4:34-35; He 6:9-10, 13:16; 1Jn 3:17). C.
Macedonia and
Achaia contributed to the needs of the saints in Jerusalem and Paul was
delivering their provisions (26). Note that their attitude was one of being
“pleased” (eudokéō – think well of, be
well-pleased) to be able to
contribute. “Contribution” is an interesting word. It is the Greek word koinonía, from
which we get the idea of fellowship. Koinonia
literally means to have something in common whether it is fellowship,
partnership, or sharing in one another’s financial needs. In fact, this
latter idea of sharing in common financial burdens is a central meaning of
the word as seen in Act 2:42-45. D.
Paul explains
why Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to contribute to their needs (27). They
felt indebted to the church in Jerusalem, because they sent out Paul and
others to spread the gospel to the Gentiles. Macedonia and Achaia had been
partakers of the spiritual things (pneumatikós) that were shared by other believers. Now they
wanted to give back to them and meet their material needs. On an interesting
note, Jerusalem sent out laborers regardless of their financial situation or
sacrifice. IV.
APPLICATIONS A.
Each Believer Has
A Unique Ministry Opportunity 1. Just as Paul had a unique ministry divinely tailored
by God’s call, spiritual gifts, and opportunities, so each believer has a
unique ministry opportunity. 2. There is always enough ministry
to go around and enough to keep a believer energized. Young people who are
always seeking adventure have unparalleled adventure in ministry sharing
Christ with the lost. This ought to be the norm for Christians. Christians
that have not fully given themselves to ministry have not fully entered into
the Christian life. God has a divine expectation of ministry for every
believer. B.
Each Believer
Has A Unique Burden 1. How does God move each believer into his or her
unique ministry opportunity? One way is by leading believers through
opportunities with both open and closed doors (Co 4:3-5). Believers ought to
be the most opportunistic people when it comes to evangelism and ministry.
Paul was never able to visit Rome like he planned. However, Paul was brought
there under arrest for several years (Acts 28:16). There he wrote his famous “Prison Epistles”
(Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon). Paul was released but
later arrested, which led to his beheading under the Roman Emperor Nero (A.D.
68). 2. God also guides the believer with desires and
burdens placed in his heart (Ps 37:4). A believer must always check his
emotions with Scripture and prayer, but he must also realize that God places
ministry desires into the heart. That ministry desire could be to share
Christ with every person in a particular neighborhood, place of employment,
school, etc. It could be a ministry burden to fellowship and edify other
believers. C.
Each Believer
Has A Common Financial Burden 1. At the moment of salvation, a believer is placed
into the body of Christ. From that point on he is not his own, but a member
of Christ’s body along with many other members. If one member suffers, then
the entire body suffers. This should especially be true of true koinonia where
the body shares in common financial burdens. 2. A church is not to be bound by financial
limitations. A church is to be active in using it resources for ministry. A
church is not a bank and required to bury its resources. Just like in the
Parable of the Talents (Mt 25:14-30), a “good and faithful” church would be a
church that uses its resources (including financial) for the furtherance of
the kingdom. |
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