Romans 15- Fullness of The Blessing

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It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain. And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Romans 15:27-29

As I’m writing this, its been almost a week since the murderer of Charlie Kirk. Many people who are not familiar with Kirks work would just say he was a political activist, but as I documented on my website https://youtu.be/x3cCWUt44xA , Charlie was a bold preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the ultimate reason he lost his life.

I’m sure as Satan plotted the death of Kirk, he figured this would put an end to his movement, the movement of reaching millions of young people with the gospel of Christ, however it had the opposite effect, as it sparked a worldwide movement. Many people who haven’t been to Church in years, some decades, went back to Church. Why? Because they witnesses pure evil right before their eyes. They knew Kirk had a light in him, the Holy Spirit, and the world hated him for it.

This has been the history of the Church, the more the world tries to persecute and kill us, the more the gospel of Jesus Christ is spread and the Church grows. It’s very fitting as we look at our scripture here this morning, the Apostle Paul knows he is going to be killed for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Paul states “And I am sure that, when I come unto you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ”

You can imagine the Apostle Paul, when he was here on Earth, was a massive figure for Christianity. A trained Pharisee, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, planting Churches throughout the world. Paul was bold and uncompromising, sometimes he even got in it with the other Apostles, (Galatians 2:11-14) However Paul knew his mission, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21)

The Apostle Paul knew one day that he was going to lose his life for the gospel of Christ (2 Timothy 4:6-8) But Paul pressed on to fulfill his calling, because He knew he had a greater calling by Jesus. When Paul was murdered by the Roman Empire by the Emperor Nero, I’m sure this sent shockwaves through the Churches. Our beloved brother, the Apostle Paul, a man so filled with the Holy Spirit, was larger than life, was executed like an animal. The sorrow and grief that filled the Church must have been overwhelming

However we must then be reminded, Our Lord laid down his life for the Church, and was killed by the world, we as followers of Christ shouldn’t expect any difference, correct? If the world is willing to crucify the Son of God, the world will have no issues killing you! This is the calling in Christ, as Jesus said ““If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)

So what happened after Pauls death? The Church exploded and grew as usual, the writings and teachings of the Apostle Paul as still carried on today, as we are reading the epistle to the Romans right now! The fullness of the blessing is not found in this world, its only found in Jesus Christ, who has given us victory over death and world! 

I like to just end with the words of Jesus our Lord himself “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Romans 15- Are You A Saint?

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For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 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. But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. Romans 15:22-26

Just recently, the new “Pope” has assigned a couple people the title of “Saint” , including a teenager because of his computer skills to spread the gospel. By these qualifications, am I a saint? While I ask this question sarcastically, the answer to the question is yes I’m a saint, and every Born Again Believer in Christ is a saint! The Pope can’t declare anyone a Saint, its only God who calls and qualifies the Saints!

The Apostle Paul , under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, references Christians as Saints, 40 times! Here in our text, we see him reference the Church of Rome as Saints. So why is he doing this? Well if you look at the original Greek and understand what a Christian really is, its very clear!

The Greek word translated for Saint is “Hagios” this word means to be “set apart, holy” This reminds me instantly of when the Apostle Peter quoted “Be Holy (Hagios) because I am Holy (Hagios) (1 Peter 1:16, Leviticus 11:44) The same Greek word is here, used for Holy and Saint. So how do you be Holy? Does that mean to be perfect or sinless? Most people believe that’s what it means, however it means to be Set Apart! Because there is only One who is perfect and holy, and that’s our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Samuel 2:2, Mark 10:18)

Next point I want to make is, what is the Church? The Greek word usually translated as Church is Ekklesia, which means “Called Out Assembly of Believers” The Church is a group of people, called out in Christ, that are Set Apart from the world as the Body of Christ, does this sound familiar with Hagios? Yes as a Born Again believer in Christ, you are set apart by God, you are a Saint in Christ, you are Holy in Christ. If you have been washed the blood of the Lamb, you are a Saint!

Now I know it seems like I’m going on a tangent , because I am. As scripture says “My people perish from lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) When I see that amount of false religion, and easy deceptions of the Church, just because the majority refuse to study the Word of God, they have no interest in their Lord, and so they fall away at the wolf in sheep’s clothing, or the traditions of men, when the truth has already been revealed to you!

As the Apostle Paul states here “I’m going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints” The saints, the Church, the body of Christ, I’m ministering to you, read your Bibles daily, feed on the Manna from Heaven, be led by the Holy Spirit, otherwise you will all likewise perish with the world! Be set apart, be Holy, you are a Saint in Jesus Christ by his grace in faith, Amen!

Romans 15- Glory to God

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I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand. Romans 15:17-21

Why do we do any of the things we do? Why do we go to Church? Why do we share the gospel with others? Why do we pray for one another? Is it so we can check off the list of “Christian” things to do? Or do we do these things to give Glory to God? The Apostle Paul begins here “ I may glory through Jesus Christ” Everything we do is because Christ lives in us, not because we are righteous or because our flesh even wants to, its because we live to glorify God!

As Paul has also said “Let him who boast, boast in The Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31) I visited a Church once where the Pastor bragged to me all the people he led to Christ, the reality is we didn’t lead anyone to Christ. People are drawn to Christ by Christ himself, and not of ourselves. If we are going to boast about anything that happened in our lives, or anything that happened in our Church, boast in The Lord. All glory needs to be given to God!

It reminds me when Mose struck the rock in the wilderness, however Moses failed to give glory to God. Moses allowed the people to give him credit for the living water in the wilderness, because of Moses disobedience, he was not allowed to enter in the Promise Land. (Numbers 20:1-12) Let this be a warning to all of us, in all things you do, give the glory to God, because without God there would be no glory. Without Christ, you would be dry bones in the valley of death, without the Holy Spirit, you would be no better than a wild donkey, its only because of God we could possibly see the Kingdom of Heaven

The Apostle Paul continues “For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me” Paul acknowledges anything that He has accomplished, is because of Christ in Him. Any Gentile that has come to faith in Christ, is because of Christ himself. We are the vessels of God, (2 Corinthians 4:7) therefor in all things we do, give glory to God not ourselves!

And remember what our mission is, as the Apostle Paul stated “I have fully preached the gospel of Christ” In all things you do for God, make sure you have fully proclaimed the gospel of Jesus Christ, the only way to salvation, the only hope for a fallen world, and all glory to God our Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Amen!

Romans 15- The Spotless Church

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And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Romans 15:14-16

If The Apostle Paul was around today, he would be writing Churches a letter, he might even be writing your Church a letter. And instead of Christians receiving these letters with great joy, as Paul was an Apostle filled with the Holy Spirit. Christians today would mostly dismiss Paul as a “legalist” and “judgemental” , however the Apostle Paul wrote these letters, not to condemn his brothers and sisters, but to remind and enlighten them with the wisdom of God

Paul begins with a positive note, “my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able or competent to instruct or admonish one another” Imagine the hours and years Paul had to pour into this Church to get them to this point! This is what Jesus instructs us to do “Go Make Disciples” (Matthew 28:19) Yet most Churches today, most Christians don’t want to be discipled or make disciples. This has been the downfall of the modern Church, the lack of love and discipline to The Lord. Paul has labored with many Churches, making many disciples, and He’s ready to let the Church of Rome on their own, as Paul is coming to the end of his life in prison.

But next , since Paul loves these brothers and sisters in Christ, he must tell them the truth, he must rebuke them. As scripture says “For The Lord disciplines those he loves” (Hebrews 12:6) Yet most Christians today don’t want to be disciplined, they don’t want to be discipled, they don’t want to submit to any authority, because most of the Church today is Luke Warm,  it’s carnally centered false religion. The Apostle Paul states “Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God”

Paul admits he had to be hard on the Church sometimes, just as a parent sometimes has to show tough love to their children, not because Paul wanted to condemn the Church, but because he loves the Church and wants them to grow in sanctification. However the flesh for most overcomes the spirit. Many have rejected Pauls instructions, just as many Christians still do today. The Apostle Paul was preparing the Church to be a spotless bride before The Lord (Ephesians 5:27)

The Apostle Paul continues “that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” Let me ask you , are you Born Again? (John 3:3) And if so, are you being sanctified by the Holy Spirit? Looking back in the past years, have you really grown in The Lord? Or have you become a dead branch? Have you produced fruit of the Holy Spirit? Or are you a dead tree waiting to be cut down and thrown into the fire? (Matthew 7) Answer the calling of our Father,  Submit to The Lord, submit to the Church, be sanctified by the Holy Spirit, Amen