Daily Bread Romans 15
Daily Bread 2010 – Romans 15
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to 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.
17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18I 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— 19by 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. 20It 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. 21Rather, as it is written:
"Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand." 22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
As Paul finishes this monumental letter to the Romans, and by application to us today, he encourages them that they are competent to instruct one another. Because Paul was such a powerful, Spirit filled apostle of God, the tendency would have been for them to think, “No one can do it like Paul”. Paul reminds them that they are full of goodness and also complete in knowledge. Meaning they have what it takes to continue the ministry he started.
Of course the church’s expansion would have never been possible without Paul’s equipping men and women in each church he started to carry on the ministry after he left. That is why in Romans 12:8 ff he said, “If your gift is teaching, teach, if it is leading, govern diligently, if it is serving, serve as if you were serving Christ himself.”
As Paul ventured on hoping to get to Spain with the Good News, he reminded them that he would see them again some day. In the mean time he asked for their prayers and continued financial support so that he could bring some financial aid to the church in Jerusalem. Notice Paul encourages them to be faithful locally, but also remember the wider, global church.
These are great reminders for us today to realize that in every church there are competent teachers God has called to continue the work of ministry in every local church. Although the pastor is usually the chief teacher in the local church, as churches get bigger the need for other competent, knowledgeable teachers emerges and is much needed if that church wants to continue to grow.
Also as we grow it is important for each local church to support ministries outside itself. Typically churches tithe on their own income/offerings to support local and global benevolences. This is a great starting point and hopefully each church can grow in its ability to use the resources God has given it to fund other less fortunate churches. In this way we carry the Spirit of Paul’s ministry always remembering not to be isolated in our individual “silos”, but to bear the burdens of others near and far.
Dear Jesus, thank you for the church. Thank you for the gifts of the Spirit you have given to the body of each local church to build up the saints for the work of ministry. Increase the generosity in each church so that we can grow in our ability to help churches outside of our own. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Paul the Minister to the Gentiles
14I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to 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.
17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18I 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— 19by 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. 20It 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. 21Rather, as it is written:
"Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand." 22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
As Paul finishes this monumental letter to the Romans, and by application to us today, he encourages them that they are competent to instruct one another. Because Paul was such a powerful, Spirit filled apostle of God, the tendency would have been for them to think, “No one can do it like Paul”. Paul reminds them that they are full of goodness and also complete in knowledge. Meaning they have what it takes to continue the ministry he started.
Of course the church’s expansion would have never been possible without Paul’s equipping men and women in each church he started to carry on the ministry after he left. That is why in Romans 12:8 ff he said, “If your gift is teaching, teach, if it is leading, govern diligently, if it is serving, serve as if you were serving Christ himself.”
As Paul ventured on hoping to get to Spain with the Good News, he reminded them that he would see them again some day. In the mean time he asked for their prayers and continued financial support so that he could bring some financial aid to the church in Jerusalem. Notice Paul encourages them to be faithful locally, but also remember the wider, global church.
These are great reminders for us today to realize that in every church there are competent teachers God has called to continue the work of ministry in every local church. Although the pastor is usually the chief teacher in the local church, as churches get bigger the need for other competent, knowledgeable teachers emerges and is much needed if that church wants to continue to grow.
Also as we grow it is important for each local church to support ministries outside itself. Typically churches tithe on their own income/offerings to support local and global benevolences. This is a great starting point and hopefully each church can grow in its ability to use the resources God has given it to fund other less fortunate churches. In this way we carry the Spirit of Paul’s ministry always remembering not to be isolated in our individual “silos”, but to bear the burdens of others near and far.
Dear Jesus, thank you for the church. Thank you for the gifts of the Spirit you have given to the body of each local church to build up the saints for the work of ministry. Increase the generosity in each church so that we can grow in our ability to help churches outside of our own. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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