New York UBF - NY University Bible Fellowship

Romans Lesson 27 (2008)

PAUL THE MINISTER TO THE GENTILES
(“Hey, bros! Can you pray for me?”)

Romans 15:14-33
Key Verse: 15:30-31

“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there.”

Last week, my son Daniel sent me a text message asking for special prayer support for one of his friends who will go to Afghanistan in three weeks. There is no doubt that our troops and those who are in Iraq and Afghanistan are in great danger. At this time of war, we ought to pray that God may protect our troops and that the war may end soon, so that they may come home safely and there may be peace for the people in the Middle-eastern countries. If you are Carlos’s mailing list, you will get his e-mail. He would mostly say, “Hey guys, hope you’re all doing well and I miss you all so much, you all are my family.” Then he would say a lot what’s going on there in Antiqua and ask, “Hey, bros! Can you pray for me?” In today’s passage, Apostle Paul also asks Christians in Rome special prayer support for him because he knew that he would be in grave danger in Jerusalem. After writing such a long letter of systematic explanation of the gospel, Paul now concludes his letter and is about to say “Shalom”, meaning “Good bye”. In fact, his way of saying “good-bye” to them is affectionate and very long so that it takes up almost two chapters of his letter, in which he explains the purpose of his trip to Jerusalem, prior to his trip to Spain and Rome. Let’s see what he asked them to pray for and why it was necessary for them to pray for Paul.

FIRST, PAUL A MINISTER TO NON-JEWISH PEOPLE (14-22)

Look at verse 14. “I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.” What a great compliment Paul paid to the Christians in Rome! Paul said that they were full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Why did Paul say such nice words to them? Don’t we know that they had problems? Based on the previous passages, we know that the church at Rome consisted of people from different cultures and ethnicity. So like many other churches, the church at Rome faced many challenges among themselves, like disunity and disagreement concerning disputable matters, such as eating meat, drinking wine or observing some religious holidays. Yet, Paul didn’t seem to be worried about them. He said that he was convinced that they were full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to teach one another. Of course, Paul wasn’t denying the fact that they had problems. Yet he remained very positive about them. He was also confident that the Christian community in Rome would grow. That’s not an easy thing to do. It actually requires some spiritual maturity. In fact, spiritually mature people can build up others in spite of their obvious mistakes and weaknesses by focusing on a few good points in them. Once, Mother Theresa was asked by a young Christian lady, “Mother Theresa, are you a saint?” She didn’t say “yes” or “no,” but she told her, “You are also a saint.” In fact, we who believe in Jesus Christ are all saints. In most of Paul’s letters, Christians are called “saints.” But in reality, we know that the behavior of some saints is not really saintly. We often feel that a lot of saints today, especially those near us, are degrading themselves and others. Somebody said, “It’s easy to love and respect saints in heaven but not the saints right next to you.”

How can we remain positive toward one another instead of becoming critical of each other? Of course, timely rebukes and corrections as well as encouragement and careful instruction with great patience are needed. Yet, fundamentally, we must trust in the work of God in them through the Holy Spirit. That’s why Paul said concerning some early Christians, “I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” (Phil 1:6;NLT) We need to see others through the lens of God’s grace. When we see others through the lens of God’s grace, we can be convinced of God’s powerful and continuing work in them in spite of their weakness.

Look at verse 15a. “I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again.” Paul’s letter to them was very long, and he did make some strong points by emphasizing about God’s salvation plan for all humankind, especially the salvation of the non-Jewish people.(Chapters 9-15) For example, he said in Romans 1:5, “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” He said in 1:14and16, “I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. … I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Particularly in three chapters, chapters 9-11, Paul mainly deals with God’s mysterious plan of salvation for the non-Jewish people in history through both rejection and acceptance of the Jews. In 15:9-12, Paul had just said how the Gentiles would glorify God. “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him all you peoples.” (Psalm 117:1) “the Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.” (Isaiah 11:10) In fact, Paul was often criticized and accused of his ministry for the Gentiles by Jewish community. So Paul had to defend himself by emphasizing why he was so eager to preach the gospel to the Gentiles. Paul again said in verse 15b-16. “Because of the grace God gave me, 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.” Paul was a very controversial person almost all his lifetime both in the Jewish community and in non-Jewish communities.

Anyway, who was this guy, named Paul? Well, before conversion, we know that he was an orthodox Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, part of modern day Turkey. He was a Greek-speaking Jew, a trained Rabbinic Bible Scholar, a Pharisee, and a Jewish extremist who persecuted Christians and tried to destroy Christian churches. But he was suddenly changed to be an apostle of the one whom he hated and persecuted so much. He was appointed by God to be an apostle of Jesus Christ. He started preaching everywhere that Jesus was the Christ. When he first showed up in Jerusalem, the other Christians, including the Twelve Apostles, were suspicious of him. “Is he really converted?” In fact, he was not welcomed by the Christian community in Jerusalem. Paul had to go back to his hometown, Tarsus, where he obviously worked and preached at the same time. Then by the invitation of Barnabas, Paul came to support the church in Antioch and was sent out abroad as a missionary. Paul became a pioneering evangelist and church planter. He built so many churches both in Asia minor and Europe. We know that Paul wrote 13 books out of 27 books in the New Testament. As we read in the book of Romans, we know that Paul organized the Christian gospel and wrote in a systematic fashion. He was the first Christian theologian. There is no doubt that Paul’s influence on Christianity was not second to anybody, except Jesus Christ. I have a book, called “The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History” by Michael H. Hart. Paul was ranked as number six, next to Muhammad, Isaac Newton, Jesus, Buddha, and Confucius. The book has been edited a few times. Sometimes, Paul was ranked sixth, sometimes seventh. However, we cannot deny that Paul’s ministry changed the course of world history.

In verses 17-22, Paul gives a brief review of his ministry to the Gentiles. Look at verses 17-19. “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 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 – by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” Illyricum was a district of the Balkan Peninsula, north of Macedonia, which belonged to the Roman Empire. Wherever he went to pioneer the new area, Paul planted a church through the body of believers. Then he established several leaders and left to pioneer a new place. Paul’s ministry was a great success although he met constant challenges and experienced many ups and downs. But according to Paul’s testimony here, his ministry was a success mainly because God enabled him through many signs and miracles and through the power of the Holy Spirit. Although many people who were jealous of him viewed his ministry in negative terms, his powerful ministry was indisputable evidence that God was working through him.

Yet did Paul brag about himself? We know that our human nature always seeks self-glory. I believe that it was not easy for Paul not to do this. He was a human. He was not a perfect guy. He said in Romans 7:24 “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” People have problems. But usually the bigger issue is that most people are in denial of their problems. As a result, they fall deep into their problems and are never able to be restored. I know many people who are very successful and then fail miserably after success because they are blinded by it. But one good thing about Paul is that he was never in denial of his weaknesses or problems even in the times of his great success. He humbly acknowledged that he had problems. That takes great courage. He was aware of his vulnerability as a human and struggled constantly before God not to seek his own glory. That’s the secret of victory and success.

Then why didn’t Paul come to Rome quickly? Why did it take so long for him to come to Rome? Well, it was because a principle of doing the ministry was that he would not build on someone else’s foundation. That principle was based on Isaiah 52:15, which reads, “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” (22) We all have a calling. But not all of us have the same calling. We must know what God is calling us to do. Not everyone should be a pioneering evangelist or church planter. Some people have to stay in one place and take care of God’s flock and continue to spread the gospel throughout the region. Behind the one who is sent must be a missionary sending-church, a supporting group of believers, through prayers and sometimes financial support. Paul was called to be a pioneering missionary, a minister to the Gentiles all his life.

We are also ministers of Christ Jesus. What do the ministers of Christ do? Who are the ministers of Christ? Are they those who hold high positions? No. Ministers are those who serve, providing care, either through Bible discussion, prayer, music, counseling, or facilitating all resources for the need of others, in order to help them to be healed and become whole, holy and fully alive.

SECOND, “HEY, BROS! CAN YOU PRAY FOR ME?” (23-33)

In verses 23-33, Paul unveils his new travel plans to Spain. To Paul, Spain, the land of bull fighting, was the farthest land he could ever reach in his time. So in his sanctified ambition, he wanted to preach the gospel in Spain. But prior to his trip to Spain, Paul had to do something extremely important. What was it? It was a visit to Jerusalem. What was the purpose of his visiting Jerusalem at this particular time? It was to carry the contribution for the saints in Jerusalem, made by non-Jewish believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Look at verses 25-28. “Now however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way.” At the time, there was a severe famine in Jerusalem, so the believers in the Jerusalem community suffered from extreme poverty. When the non-Jewish believers heard the news, they were willing to pitch in some money to support the saints in Jerusalem.

But why did Paul have to carry the money? Couldn’t he ask someone else to carry it, knowing that there was great danger for him in Jerusalem? There were unbelieving Jews there who were eager to arrest and kill him. According to the book of Acts, it was prophesied by a prophet that Paul was in great danger and would be arrested there. Yet, Paul was still so determined to visit Jerusalem no matter what. Why? Why didn’t he just go to Spain after visiting Rome? Was money that important? Was it because he couldn’t trust anybody? Maybe not. We can’t be sure. However, we know that what concerned Paul the most wasn’t the contribution itself. It was the unity between the Jewish believers and non-Jewish believers. He knew that the Christian churches were growing rapidly all over the world at such a fast pace. He was also aware that there was division and disunity everywhere even in Christian communities. Paul seemed to believe that if unity is broken among the believers, God’s name cannot be truly glorified. He said in Romans 15:5 and 6, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” It was also Paul’s understanding that Jesus’ death on the cross was for the reconciliation between God and man and the unity among the believers. For this cause, Paul was determined to visit Jerusalem, risking his own life. He said in verse 29. “I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.”

Knowing that his visit to Jerusalem might be the last visit and the danger he faced, Paul requests Christians in Rome special prayer support. Look at verses 30-32. “I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. The peace of God be with you all. Amen.”

What an urgent request Paul made to the Christians in Rome? He said, “Brothers, pray with me and for me. Please, brothers, pray for me.” By doing so, Paul was inviting them to be partners of God’s ministry of reconciliation and unity throughout the world. He also humbly and personally asking, “If you pray, pray that I may be rescued from unbelievers in Judea. And pray that my service for the saints in Jerusalem may be welcomed, so that if God’s willing, I may be able to visit you with great joy and we can have wonderful fellowship.”

We are also invited to join and participate in the ministry to bring reconciliation and unity among the people. People suffer from many things. But the suffering from broken and damaged relationship is most severe. Recently, one of the most loved actresses in Korea committed suicide, leaving her mother and two loving children behind. She had never recovered from her broken relationship with her ex-husband. Many people remain hurt long after relationships are broken. While they smile outwardly, they are crying inwardly. Some take matters into their own hands, and suffer even more. We need to reach out to them. We are called to minister to them. We may not be able to do big things like Saint Paul. But nothing is too small before God. If we can reach out to one person who needs our care and provide words of comfort, encouragement, prayer, a warm hug, or listening ear, we are wonderful ministers of Christ. May we not lose our overview of God’s salvation work throughout the world. May we give our support in prayer or any possible means for missionaries and those in the front line with the priestly duty of bringing reconciliation and unity into the lives of people today. May God, who gives us His peace, be with you all. Amen.