11/27/2011
1. BE A TRIBUTE TO GOD (ROMANS 15:1-13)
1 Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. 3 For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached Thee fell upon Me." 4 For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. 5 Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; 6 that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Wherefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ has become a servant to the circumcision on behalf of the truth of God to confirm the promises given to the fathers, 9 and for the Gentiles to glorify God for His mercy; as it is written,
"Therefore I will give praise to Thee among the Gentiles,
And I will sing to Thy name."
10 And again he says,
"Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people."
11 And again,
"Praise the Lord all you Gentiles,
And let all the peoples praise Him."
12 And again Isaiah says,
"There shall come the root of Jesse,
And He who arises to rule over the Gentiles,
In Him shall the Gentiles hope."
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
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· Paul encourages the Brethren to follow his instructions (1-13) because they were full of goodness and knowledge.
o These two virtues come to them from the Holy Spirit, for they are not ours by nature.
o He is appealing to the new nature in them to live in peace with one another.
o Because they are Christian, they are able to do it.
· The ability to love one another comes to us because we are in Him.
· They are also able to admonish one another.
o Not so much corrective as helpful.
· The thought here is to work together to a common goal, not to be divided over petty issues as the Church at Corinth.
2. SEEK OTHERS PRAYERS (ROMANS 15:14-33)
14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points, so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God,
· We see here the humility Paul, and the tender regard that he felt for the Roman Christians.
· Though he was the greatest teacher of the Bible, other than the Lord Jesus Himself, Paul is not taking credit for having taught the Roman Christians anything.
· Rather he is saying that he is reminding them of things they already knew.
· Paul is also telling them that they should earnestly heed the message that God has inspired him to write to them.
16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
· Our task in God's service is not to make atonement for sin; but by teaching the word of God and pray that by the influence of the Holy Spirit will call men to come to God for the forgiveness of their sins through Jesus.
17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
· The early disciples did not have the Bible as we know it today until approximately 200 years after the death of Christ.
· Without the Bible, God gave them the power of miracles to convince people that they spoke the truth and that they were of God.
20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might not build upon another man's foundation; 21 but as it is written,
"They who had no news of Him shall see,
And they who have not heard shall understand."
22 For this reason I have often been hindered from coming to you; 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you 24 whenever I go to Spain — for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while — 25 but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints.
· In the matter of personal work, the Apostle Paul was not afraid to go it alone.
· He did not want to preach to those who had often heard the gospel, but he wanted to preach the gospel to those who had never heard.
26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased to do so, and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29 And I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
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· Now he is apprehensive as to the fate that may be awaiting him at Jerusalem, and so he entreats his readers to intercede with God in his behalf that the cause of the Gospel may not be unduly hindered by his enemies, and that he may be spared to see the fruition of his long-cherished dream to visit Rome and then to carry the Gospel to the westernmost confines of the Empire.
· We are seeing here the practical side of Christianity. In the first part of Romans Paul gave us doctrine. Now Paul is putting that doctrine into practice.
· This is Paul's prayer request.
o He wanted to be delivered from the religious rulers in Jerusalem.
o Secondly, he wanted the church in Jerusalem to accept the gift that he had brought with his own hands.
3. COMMEND OTHERS (ROMANS 16:1-24)
· Chapters 1-15 deal with individuals -- salvation, regeneration, sanctification, etc.
· Chapter 16 deals with the church. The church has a responsibility to receive strangers, and even the O.T. taught this.
· The people recognized in the early church believed in Christ.
· They appeared to be such and were considered to be so without any distrust as to the reality of their faith.
· Man can only judge faith by the evidence that is in the lives of the professing believer.
· We are to leave it to God to determine if their profession is real.
· We should accept people on their profession OF faith and the evidence of their faith as manifested in Christian works; and to leave all the rest to God.
· Regardless of the degree that Christians are used by the Lord in His service, all Christians are worthy of our respect and affection.
1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea; 2 that you receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and that you help her in whatever matter she may have need of you; for she herself has also been a helper of many, and of myself as well. 3 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles; 5 also greet the church that is in their house. Greet Epaenetus, my beloved, who is the first convert to Christ from Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my kinsmen, and my fellow prisoners, who are outstanding among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, the approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those of the household of Narcissus, who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena and Tryphosa, workers in the Lord. Greet Persis the beloved, who has worked hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, a choice man in the Lord, also his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brethren with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.
17 Now I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such men are slaves, not of our Lord Christ but of their own appetites; and by their smooth and flattering speech they deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting. 19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good, and innocent in what is evil. 20 And the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.
The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
· What does this verse mean and when will it take place?
o The bruising of Satan by the feet of the believer could be involved in the process of sanctification.
o That is as the Christian grows in faith and in knowledge, he is more and more able to discern good from evil.
o And thereby, by the will of God, to win the victory over the sin and temptations in his life. And so, if you will, destroy the last vestige of the power of Satan over us.
21 Timothy my fellow worker greets you, and so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen. 22 I, Tertius, who write this letter, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer greets you, and Quartus, the brother. 24[The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.]
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4. PRAISE GOD (ROMANS 16:25-27)
· This is a doxology
· This is not a prayer wherein Paul is making a petition to God, i.e., asking for something.
· No request is made for the saints, but rather God is exalted before them.
25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past,
· Christians cannot establish themselves, but are dependent upon God's power for his establishment.
· We must be accurate in the teaching and preaching of the Word of God.
· Question: What was the "mystery?
· Answer: The church itself.
· In the church, the Body of Christ, the Gentile believers possess the same blessing as the Jews who believed in Jesus as the promised Messiah.
· Both Jew and Gentile are united in the Body of Christ on the same ground.
26 but now is manifested, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the eternal God, has been made known to all the nations, leading to obedience of faith; 27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever. Amen.
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