Aug. 27, 2023

“DOING THE RIGHT THING”

“PAUL’S MINISTRY TO THE GENTILES”

ROMANS 15:14-24

Romans 1:10 “Making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.”

Paul explains the characteristics of his ministry:

1.   It Was Received By Grace- Romans 15:14-15

When Paul met Jesus Christ on the Damascus road he experienced the grace of God.

Acts 9:17-18 “And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.”

It was God’s grace that saved him, and it was God’s grace that called him and made him an apostle.

1 Corinthians 15:8-11

Romans 15:14 “Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.”

Paul affirms believers using three phrases of commendation:

• “full of goodness”- the word “full” means filled to overflowing, it describes moral and ethical purity.
• “filled with all knowledge”- they were filled to overflowing with such knowledge as to be completely informed and adequately aware.
• “able also to admonish one another.”- “able”- means power.

These three qualities essentially describe a mature Christian. Paul encourages them in the Lord:

Romans 15:15 “Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God.”

Galatians 1:15 “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace.”

2.   It Was Centered On The Gospel- Romans 15:16

Romans 15:16 “That I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.”

1 Peter 2:5 “You also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Note the involvement of the Trinity in the ministry of the Word.

1 Corinthians 9:16 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”

3.   It Is To Be Done For God’s Glory- Romans 15:17

Romans 15:17 “Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God.”

The word “glory” carries the idea of boast, to take pride in.

Romans 2:17 “Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God.”

Colossians 1:18 “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.”

4.   It Is Done By God’s Power- Romans 15:18-19

Romans 15:18-19 “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient.19in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

The Holy Spirit empowered Paul to minister, and enabled him to perform mighty signs and wonders.

Hebrews 2:1-4

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

vs.19 “…so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.”

Paul says he had fully preached the gospel between Jerusalem and Illyricum, which comprised most of the territory that Rome fully controlled.

4.   It Is Done According To God’s Plan- Romans 15:20-24

God had a special plan for Paul to follow, he was not to preach where any other apostle had ministered.

2 Corinthians 11:26-27

Romans 15:20-21 “And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.”

Paul cited Isaiah as the divine approval for this kind of ministry:

Isaiah 52:15 “So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider.”

Romans 15:22-24 “For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.”

Paul finished one job before he started another one, a good example for our evangelistic ministry today.

How to turn big dreams into bigger realities:

1.   Life’s greatest achievements are accomplished through joint efforts.
2. Great accomplishments are never achieved without hindrances.
3. Hindrances are overcome by sustained hope.