The Gospel of Grace and Paul's Plans
Book of Romans Chapter 15
What is the message that the Lord leaves with us?
Rom 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.
We are to learn from all the Word of God which includes the Old Testament.
Rom 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
We are to receive every child of God!
Rom 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
We must listen to the Holy Spirit!
Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
What was the great quest of the Apostle Paul?
Rom 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
Rom 15:21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.
You see as the Born-Again children of God; bought by the blood of Jesus the true Messiah, we see those we need to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
All those who have never heard the Words of Salvation!
*****Rom 15:22 For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you.
Rom 15:23 But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you;
We know who hinders the cause of Christ. It is that nasty Satan who will try to hinder us as we become witnesses the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ and the message of God's Grace.
We also know that the Holy Spirit will send us in the direction He wants us to go, rather than allow us to just take off to a place where a Church is already working and growing.
It does not matter if we become a Preacher, a teacher, or just someone witnessing for Jesus, we all must have the same message!
We all have a ministry for the Lord Jesus!
The Apostle Paul stuck to the ministry the Lord Jesus had given to him, rather than take a trip to Rome to a diligent church.
We are to complete the job the Lord Jesus has given us to do while we are still able.
It seems that Paul had been to all the areas that were assigned to him by the Holy Spirit, yet he knew all those churches that had been planted needed some guidance.
The Apostle Paul was a church planter and a true evangelist.
*****Rom 15:24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company.
Again look at verse twenty. It was not part of our lesson.
Rom 15:20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:
If we witness to some lost soul, we may go back and witness to them one or more times, but once we have planted the Gospel seed it may be time to reach out to some other lost soul and encourage some other child of God to return to that one who is resisting the Holy Spirit.
As Christian witnesses, we need to have a worldwide view of the ministry, but the Holy Spirit keeps most of us close to where we live. This would be our mission field.
We must still have that passion to reach every lost soul for Christ all around the world!
Spain at this time of Paul was on the outskirts of what was called the civilized world and Paul felt that if he could reach Spain then the Gospel message would be in place to travel throughout all the world, but he had already reached Europe and the Gospel message was spreading.
Remember the Church in Rome had never seen an Apostle.
This was a lay church that began from those who had visited Jerusalem at the Pentecost just after our Savior returned to Heaven, where He now sits at the right hand of God the Father
Spain would be somewhat like New York where we have a missionary been working for more than 20 years.
If you reach a lost soul in New York, there is a good chance the Gospel message could go to many places because New York is visited by so many from other places.
In reality, it is the same for most places where the Holy Spirit will lead us.
Every lost soul is precious to Jehovah God, and He sent His Son to die for us all!
We just need a like passion as that of the Apostle Paul!
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;
Col 1:26 Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
We are to be this sort of minister!
Paul was called by the Holy Spirit for a specific mission which was to come first.
*****Rom 15:25 But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints.
Rom 15:26 For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem.
Rom 15:27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.
We as Christians are not to start some new mission until the one, we are working on is complete and that according to the Holy Spirit!
We should realize that though the Israelites are blind to the truth of the Gospel, they did preserve to Word of God so that it is available to all the world, and we owe them a great debt, but this is not what Paul is talking about here.
When a Jew converted to Christianity, they were abandoned in their community many losing any way to make a living and they truly struggled in the cause of Christ, and it is these Christians that the Holy Spirit made a way for assistance by these Gentile Churches.
These Jews were suffering in poverty and still many are today in Jerusalem.
After all, we are all one Church.
No matter where we come from, and God never looks at the color of our skin or our standing in a community, or the nation in which we live.
God does not show favoritism. We are all the children of God!
No matter our plans for the Gospel, God has a far greater plan than any of which we could think.
If we have not met the needs of the local Church, then we have no cause to get involved in the needs of those in other nations except for prayer and financially.
If we have met the needs of the local Church, then we are obligated to reach out to the poor Churches in other nations, either as an individual or as the whole Church.
Act 20:35 I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.
If we have not helped those Christians close to us, there will be no reward for helping those in other nations.
We are indeed debtors to help other believers when they face critical needs.
Gal 6:9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.
Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
When we cannot help financially, we must at least add our prayers or we need to pray and help with spiritual gifts.
*****Rom 15:28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
Rom 15:29 And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
Notice it is for the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that we have become servants.
Every ministry must come to its end before a new ministry can begin!
But we see we must always have a worldwide vision for evangelism!
We are not out to convince anyone of the Gospel, we are to present the Gospel and allow the Gospel to do its work and the Holy Spirit to do His work.
Until the Gospel has reached around the world the Church Age will not end.
Mat_24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
2Th 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
We see both these things happening at the same time in this same Age today, the Church Age.
In reality the Church has failed!
We still have this same command from the Lord Jesus Christ, and it must remain our goal, just as it did with the Apostle Paul till the day his head was removed for preaching the Gospel.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
What has happened?
Eze 34:8 As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock;
Eze 34:9 Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD;
Eze 34:10 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.
Much of the Church is now led by false shepherds!
These things happened in the Old Testament and the same thing is happening today and this is why the wrath of God will be so severe not just upon the world but more severe on these false shepherds.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the most important message that needs to be heard in this wicked world that is growing eviler every day!
Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Why is the Gospel so important?
1Pe 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.
It is by the Gospel that we can be reconciled to God!
We must lay aside all the differences of the denominations and reach for the work of Christ as a unit and renewed determination!
*****Rom 15:30 Now I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me;
Rom 15:31 That I may be delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints;
Rom 15:32 That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed.
Rom 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
As the Apostle Paul and the Holy Spirit bring an end to this great Book of the Bible, he writes what we already know, that prayer works.
Prayer was the key to the early Church, and it is still the key to the Church today.
We need more prayer and not less prayer, but it is fervent prayer that works the best.
Jas_5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
The prayers of those who do not have the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ cannot help at all!
Those that pray without being a home to the Holy Spirit are wasting their time.
God only wants to hear one prayer from them, and it is what is known as the sinners prayer. "Lord forgive me for I am a sinner"
All God's children should be in daily contact with our Heavenly Father.
How can we expect success if we refuse to talk to our Heavenly Father through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ?
Those prayers must be according to the will of God, or He will not answer!
Those prayers must be for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, or they are meaningless!
The Lord Jesus Christ must be praised.
The Lord Jesus Christ must be worshipped.
The Lord Jesus Christ must be served.
What did Paul need?
He needed deliverance from unbelievers.
Most of those were the hypocritical Jews at this time who had also rejected the Messiah.
Those that reject the Lord Jesus Christ are simply saying they had rather live in their sinful ways and have no plans to ever change!
You see, we need prayer that the message of the Messiah will be received, but it must first be received by the Church without deviation and without compromise.
The truth does not ever change, and the Word of God is the truth!
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the truth!
This truth is for all those who believe there is much more to life than these few years we live in these old bodies that age until they die!
Eph_1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
It is only after we are saved and then filled with the Holy Spirit that we can realize the truth of salvation!
We need to pray for God's help to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ in every way that we can!
This is being in the Will of God the Father!
To be in the will of God is the safest place we can be upon this earth!
We must pray for all these things while still praying for all our brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere.
We must pray that they too are doing the work that Christ has given us to do.
We must also pray for them that they will succeed.
We must also pray for their safety as persecution against all the saints of God is increasing worldwide!
We must never forget that our Savior knows what we are going through, and He has felt the pains that we feel, for He was also rejected and persecuted.
We should always remember we are not being rejected; it is the "Gospel" that most of this world is rejecting because they would rather live in sin!
Salvation is a personal choice, and it will always be a personal choice!
The greatest prayer we can have is for someone to receive the Gospel and welcome the truth of a Holy God!
Peace in this life can only come by our Creator and His Savior!
Our plans to serve the Lord should be similar to this plan of the Apostle Paul.
Amen
