Eternal City Church Sunday Sermons

Paul is planning to move his missionary church planting efforts as far west as was conceived in the first century. In closing chapter 15, Paul is seeking to enlist the help from the Roman church while laying out his plan.

Romans 15:22-33 (ESV)

This section can be broken up into two main paragraphs. The first from vs22-29 is where Paul is looking ahead to future ministry in Jerusalem, Rome, and Spain, and the second from vs30-33 is where Paul is requesting prayer for his safety and ministry in Jerusalem.

Paul uses the phrase ‘This is the reason’ why relates back to Paul’s desire to fulfill ministry from Jerusalem to Illyricum. Paul has been needed in these regions which has caused a delay in Paul’s future plans to travel to Rome and ultimately to Spain.

The phrase ‘But now’ in v23 indicates a contrast that now Paul is free to travel to Rome. However, what we find in v25 is that Paul is instead traveling to bring support to the Jerusalem church.

The phrase translated in v24 ‘to be helped’ is a translation from the Greek word regularly used for financial support (Acts 15:3; 20:38; 21:5) indicating that one of Paul’s goals was to receive financial support from the Romans to go to Spain. Paul seems reluctant to bring up this topic since he waits until the end of the letter. This is likely due to Paul not having an intimate relationship with this church, and he desires to build that relationship before requesting financial assistance.

For historical and geographical context, Paul is probably in Greece writing this letter. We gather this from Paul’s missionary journeys in Acts where the 3rd journey saw him collecting aid for Jerusalem. He also wrote both letters to the Corinthian church during this time as well.

The phrase ‘have delivered to them what has been collected’ in v28 more accurately translated is ‘put a seal on this fruit for them.’ It is an odd phrase that could use from explanation:

The ‘fruit’ mentioned is the financial aid from the Gentiles.

To ‘seal’ something was to affirm its authenticity. This most likely is Paul’s way of saying that as an apostle the church can be confident in the integrity of the gift and understand rightly why it was given by the Gentiles.

Paul’s prayer request for safety has good grounds considering that Acts 21 tells us Paul was taken into custody by the Romans in order to keep the Jews from killing him (Acts 21:27-36).

Paul’s prayer is answered somewhat ironically. He is protected from Jewish unbelievers; the Jerusalem church accepts the financial gift (Acts 21:17); and Paul is refreshed and experiences joy from the Roman church (Phil 1:12-19; 2:25-30). However, Paul arrives in Rome as a prisoner.

Questions

Does Paul contradict himself in v27 when he says that the Gentiles were ‘pleased’ to contribute, but they also ‘owed’ it to Jerusalem to give aid?

How can we understand these things especially with what we have learned about God’s plan of salvation in Rom 9-11?

Paul suggests his relationship with the Romans will be mutually beneficial (v29). This is the goal of Christian relationships, but it is not always experienced.

Have you been part of a relationship that has been mutually beneficial? What characterized those relationships, and how can the church grow those relationships as we mature?

Out of all belief systems and religions, Christians have a strong and compelling foundation to stand on for life and the afterlife. All of life's deepest questions have compelling and satisfying answers rooted in the Bible.

As Paul brings his letter to a close, he wants the Roman church to see his heart and his intentions for why he has written to them so boldly (on some points). His mission (given by Jesus) is to see the gentile world saved, sanctified, and discipling one another. And by extension, the future church is to engage in these same activities in the ripple effects of this authoritative letter.

Romans 15:14-21 (ESV)

Paul has finished his instructions to the strong and weak Christians about how they should live in love and peace with one another. A transition begins in v14, where Paul will start to close the letter with his final thoughts and plans for the future.

Remember, Paul's goal is to visit Rome and use the Roman church as a launching point to make trips to other areas in Europe, namely Spain.

At this time, Spain would be considered the further west a person could go as no one had yet traveled the Atlantic Ocean. So, for Paul, he is effectively fulfilling the mission of taking the gospel to the ends of the world.

Since he had never visited Rome, Paul would have learned about the Roman's 'goodness,' 'knowledge,' and instruction from those he knew in Rome (see Rom 16:1).

The word translated as 'goodness' is rarely used in the NT. It has the idea of uprightness regarding kindness or generosity towards others.

Paul's reminder in v15 lends credibility to his authority as an apostle. He can speak boldly to a church he has never met because he has the right to, as someone who has been graced by God to, write to them.

By invoking the imagery of a priest in v16, Paul invites his readers to see the whole picture to compare it with the OT priest. Just as the priest in the OT made acceptable sacrifices to God by means of the law, Paul made acceptable sacrifices to God using the gospel.

Paul's reference is metaphorical. He would not view himself as an actual priest making literal sacrifices.

The acceptable sacrifice is most likely the Gentiles themselves and the obedience and praise to God they display through their changed lives.

There is also an eschatological element to this, where Paul sees the transformation of OT animal sacrifice replaced by obedient Christians who worship God.

Paul continually makes clear in vs17-18 that the change seen in the Gentiles is brought about by God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have a part in the church's sanctification.

We should not read too much into Paul's phrase 'build on another's foundation.' Paul saw the value of ministry building upon one another's work (1 Cor 3:5-15). What Paul realized, though, is that his specific commission from God is to go to places with no gospel presence. This is why he wanted to go to Spain.

In v21, Paul quotes from Is 52:15, which is one of the Suffering Servant passages in Isaiah that prophecy the death of Christ. Paul is connecting that his ministry is about telling those who have not heard about Jesus, who died for them as their Savior.

Questions:

What is the church? What is the mission of the church? What is not the mission of the church?

How has the church's mission been hijacked in the past, or the present, to make non-gospel things the main thing for the church?

Paul mentions a few times that he is boasting. The Bible says not to boast. How do we reconcile this with Paul's words in this passage?

What does it mean to be sanctified? Why is it essential that we are sanctified?

What does Paul mean that he has fulfilled the gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum?

Who are some individuals you can share the gospel with and pray for their salvation?

Christians are to respond to the gospel by faith and repentance (two sides of the same coin). Following conversion, Christians are to live a life of love, service, and continued repentance from wrong beliefs and sinful actions. In Romans 15:1-7, showing love to believers with a weaker conscience is what is mandated to those more mature and with stronger faith, allowing them to exercise freedom where others are bound.

Romans 15:1-7 (ESV)

Paul continues with his instructions to the Roman church on the presence of disunity because of these disputes between the strong and the weak. Paul uses these verses to finish his arguments on this topic.

Notice the shift in pronouns used. In chapter 14, Paul prefers to use 2nd person pronouns (‘you’) when giving these instructions, but in chapter 15, he switches to using 3rd person pronouns (‘we,’ ‘us’) to address the church.

This has been mentioned in the discussion guides in prior weeks, but the use of strong and weak does not refer to a person's faith in the gospel. Paul is writing to believers in this paragraph. The idea of strong and weak is in relation to the person’s understanding of the practices they are capable of practicing to the Lord.

Paul uses the word translated ‘obligation’ in different texts Rom 15:27; 1 Cor 11:7; 2 Cor 12:14, Eph 5:28; 2 Thess 1:3; 2:13. In these contexts, it is used to convey that the obligation is based on the believer’s faith in Christ. We can infer from other uses that Paul is bringing this same idea to the obligation the strong has to the weak.

This word ‘obligation’ is not meant to mean ‘to tolerate’ or ‘to put up with.’ Instead, the strong is to, with sympathy, not criticize or judge and seek to love, as chapter 14 has explained.

The same instruction just phrased negatively is ‘not to please ourselves.’ See 1 Cor 10:33, where Paul uses the same word in a similar context to highlight his focus.

The ‘good’ mentioned in v2 is the weaker Christians' spiritual well-being. So, rather than being self-pleasing, the stronger Christian should seek to please the weaker in order to see the weaker Christian grow in their faith.

The word translated ‘building up’ has a corporate element to it. It is not simply that the individual weaker Christian is edified by the love of the strong, but the entire church community is built up when this happens.

The reason for the stronger Christian to act in love and not self-pleasing is Christ, and Paul quotes from Ps 69:9. There are 2 applications we can take from this verse:

Jesus gave of Himself, including His life, in service to others, and He is a perfect model for us to follow.

If we took the sacrifices we make as stronger Christians to please the weaker and compared them to Christ’s sacrifice; there would be no comparison. What we give up in the name of love and unity is not much when compared to Christ’s sacrifice.

Paul in v4 provides a helpful reminder of the value of the OT. In the OT, there is good instruction and insight into who our God is when we read about Him. The whole OT points to and speaks of Christ.

Paul continues in vs5-6 with a prayer for the Romans. Paul's exhortation in this prayer is not that the Romans think the same way about these disputable topics, but he wants them to have the same perspective of what is valuable, namely the unity in the church for the glory of God and the work of His mission.

In v7, Paul summarizes the entire discussion with a simple command based on Christ’s work for us.

Questions:

What does it look like for the strong to ‘bear with the failings of the weak?’

Scripture states to not seek to please other people (Gal 1:10; Col 3:22). So, why does Paul say in v2 to please others?

What are ways we can be praying for each other this week similar to how Paul prayers for the Romans? Are there specific things you can share with your GCC where they can pray for you to live in harmony?

How can we be welcoming of one another and make that a regular pattern of our lives?

Christians must carefully consider how they respond to both their conscience and the conscience of fellow believers. We never want to be the cause of another Christian falling into sin or violating their own convictions. There is a place in biblical Christianity for differing opinions on disputable matters and giving up one's freedoms for the spiritual well-being of others.

Romans 14:13-23 (ESV)

The structure of this paragraph can be broken down into two main groups where Paul uses parallelism (specifically a chiasm – pronounced “key-asm”). The chiastic structure is as follows:

A Warning about stumbling blocks – v13

B Nothing is unclean in itself – v14

C Do not destroy one for whom Christ died – v15

D The nature of the Kingdom of God and peace – v17-19

C’ Do not destroy the work of God – v20a

B’ All things are clean – v20b

A’ Do not do anything to cause another believer to stumble – v21

As a reminder, the overall theme is generally found in that central point of the chiasm. In this case, Paul’s continued discussion of this topic is centered on the nature of God’s Kingdom and the need for mutual encouragement and peace found within the church.

In v13, Paul uses the same Greek word for “pass judgment” and “decide.” This is intentional for Paul as he wants his readers, ideally the stronger Christian, to not judge the weaker Christian but to make the judgment not to cause the weaker Christian to stumble.

Paul does not give an explanation for how the strong would be a “stumbling block or hindrance” to the weak. We can infer from the prior paragraph that this has to do with the conscience. The stronger Christian should avoid directly or indirectly pressuring the weaker Christian to violate their conscience and sin.

In vs17-19, Paul is giving the stronger Christian perspective that by insisting on their freedom to the spiritual harm of the weak, misses what is ultimately important in the kingdom of God. Ironically, the strong in this instance are behaving a lot like the Pharisees, only in reverse. The Pharisees demanded adherence to the law over justice, mercy, and faith (Mt 23:23), and the strong here insist on their freedoms over righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

The phrase “whoever thus serves Christ” is probably better translated as “whoever serves Christ in this way.” Paul’s point appears to be that service focused on the Kingdom of God (pursuing righteousness, peace, and joy) is what is acceptable to God and approved by men.

Paul reiterates his points in vs20-21 with slightly stronger language switching to the use of imperatives in v20.

Paul’s mention of “faith” in v22 should not be understood as saving faith. Rather, it is the faith one has in their convictions about these disputable issues in the church.

Paul finishes with a summary principle that any act a Christian does if it does not match the conviction they have in their conscience, they have committed sin. This goes for the strong or the weak Christian.

Questions:

Is Paul saying in v13 that in the discussion of how we live (ethically, morally, etc.), the “bar” for what is right behavior is always set by the weaker Christian? Is the stronger Christian always to be afraid of causing the weaker to stumble?

What does this look like practically?

Does v14 indicate that there is nothing sinful or evil? Why or why not?

What are ways we can pursue service focused on righteousness, peace, and joy? Are there areas of service in the church we can think of where we can serve others in this way?

What are some things you need to evaluate to make sure you are not violating your conscience?

Christians have differing levels of conviction regarding specific actions and choices related to "grey areas" in the Christian life. The mature believer will be firm on what they believe and flexible in their tolerance of others with differing convictions. As Christians, we want to move towards biblical confidence for ourselves yet relaxed and generous attitudes with fellow believers regarding their conscience.

Romans 14:5-12 (ESV)

In v5, the dispute among the Roman Christians probably relates to one of two things:

Jewish holy days such as Sabbath and Passover needing to be observed or

Roman culture's use of lucky or unlucky days derived from Greco-Roman cultic practices.

The phrase "should be fully convinced" is an imperative in Greek, meaning that Paul did not see a condition where a Christian is comfortable with having no conviction about disputable matters.

The word conscience is not present in Romans 14, but it is the intended idea of being fully convinced in your mind. The term conscience is used several times in 1 Corinthians 8-10, where Paul addresses similar concepts.

The theological term for when Christians disagree with one another about non-essential matters is called Christian liberty, meaning there is liberty or freedom among Christians that we do not need to believe the same thing about every issue.

Remember, uniformity is not the goal. Unity is.

Paul uses the idea of living and dying in v7 to be as comprehensive as possible that nothing a Christian does is "with reference to himself" alone.

In v8, Paul uses a somewhat confusing statement that Christians "live to the Lord and die to the Lord." We can generally understand what it means to live to the Lord (attitude, emotions, behaviors all subject to Christ), but to die to the Lord has a unique meaning. It is probably best understood to mean that the Christian's death, just like the Christian's life, is entirely determined by God. We can do nothing to extend our lives even one second except that God allows it.

Paul switches at the end of v8, not to living or dying to the Lord, but that we are the Lord's, or we are of the Lord. The idea of being of the Lord's, signifies that the believer belongs to the Lord and is united to Him.

This is different from living to the Lord or to the Lord's interest. The Christian's union with Christ is vital to understanding how we can live in unity with one another.

The "judgment seat of God" in v10 points to a future event of some kind where all believers will stand before God and give an account for their lives. Paul affirms this in 2 Cor 5:10.

The quotation in v11 is from Is 45:23, and the word "confess" is probably better translated as "give praise." This aligns better with the original OT text, the meaning of the word, and the context.

Questions:

Take some time in your GCC to discuss conscience issues that may differ in the group. Seek to do this in a productive way where respect is shown and Paul's principles of love, assuming the best, and not judging would be showcased.

Why do you think Paul insists on us having solid convictions? Doesn't this make the potential problem of disunity and fighting worse? What is the downside of people having no beliefs?

Why is it difficult to believe that if a person does the opposite of something you believe is wrong, that they could be honoring the Lord?

What do we make of the judgment seat of God? If we are no longer condemned and under judgment, what is the purpose of judging believers?

What are some things you may have learned about this judgment in the past?

Christians have always had to wrestle over non-specific Christian living and practice issues. In addition, God gives every Christian a conscience that either affirms or accuses their decisions and the decisions of others. When wrestling through "disputable matters" or opinions, we should welcome and receive others while exercising wisdom and kindliness over disagreements.

Romans 13:8-14:4 (ESV)

Paul connects these verses with the prior paragraph (vs1-7) using the idea of what is owed. Toward others, Christians are to pay what is owed (vs6-7), and in the same sense, Christians owe others to love as an outpouring of the gospel. Love connects back to Romans 12:9-10 and is really the central theme Paul is looking to communicate through this “practical section” of Romans.

Paul’s point in v8 is not to forbid Christians from taking on debt. His argument is that the “only debt that should go unpaid is that of love” – Quote from Origen. Meaning love is the one thing we owe others that can never be paid in full. We have never loved others enough to “payback” what love has been given to us.

Paul asserts that loving others is the fulfillment of love. With this, he is doing two things:

Arguing against anyone who would take his teaching of being “not under the law” (6:14-15) and twist it to mean we can live however we want.

Align his teaching with Jesus’ teaching on the same subject. The law can be reduced to two commands to love God and to love others (Mark 12:30-31).

Romans 14:1-4:

These verses begin a section for Paul that is focused on unity within the diversity of the church. This is not limited to cultural diversity but also diversity of how we think, how we live, and what we prefer as a group of Christians committed to honor the Lord (14:6).

The theological term for what Paul is discussing is known as Christian Liberty which we can define simply as the Christian’s freedom to live according to one’s conscience where the Bible does not provide a clear command. Note: Paul is not addressing legalism, which is the belief that by doing specific works, we earn salvation (justification). See the book of Galatians for how Paul deals with legalism.

Paul’s example is of eating certain kinds of food, and Paul is most likely addressing a genuine concern in the church where some Christians refrained from eating meat. For Roman Christians, this concern probably centered on the difference between Jewish and Gentile eating customs.

Paul describes those not eating meat as “weak in faith.” We should be clear that Paul is not saying they lack some trust in Jesus as their Savior. Instead, their weakness is due to not fully understanding the implications of what liberties have been granted to them due to Jesus being their Savior.

In Paul’s context, the Jews were no longer required to follow all of the Jewish laws, but some of them, due to their conscience, continued in those traditions.

Notice Paul does not tell the weak to get over their conscience issues and become strong, and he doesn’t tell the strong to live according to the preference of the weak.

Instead, Paul’s goal is that these people do not fight over conscience; liberty matters. Instead, the strong should not pridefully judge (“despise”) the weak, and the weak should not criticize (“judge”) the strong as though they are more righteous. Paul’s call is for both to welcome each other just as God has welcomed all true believers.

Questions:

When you read that love is “owed” to others, it feels like an obligation that has very negative connotations. Paul does not take a negative view of loving others. How should we properly understand our obligation to love as not a negative?

What are some ways we can respect one’s another preferences and “standards” while also having productive conversations and being united in the gospel?

This message is part two of Romans' main text dealing with Christians and government. This message focuses on God's common grace through government and how Christians should think about and respond to paying taxes.

Romans 13:1-7 (ESV)

Paul makes a seemingly unique transition to discuss the Christian’s interactions with the government. There are several reasons Paul might be focusing on this topic:

It fits within the overall context of understanding what is “good and acceptable” to God (12:2).

Christian thinking at the time was leaning heavily toward rejecting earthly institutions entirely, and Paul wanted to bring Christians to a more central view.

There was a need to clarify for Christians that to “never avenge yourself” did not mean God was leaving injustice unchecked in this world.

There was growing tension between Christians and Jews with the Roman government.

The core theme of this paragraph is that God is sovereign in establishing and disestablishing every governing system that has ever and will ever exist.

With this theme in mind, Paul instructs us to “be subject to” or submit to the government over us. Note that there is a difference between submitting to and obeying. Paul is not advocating total obedience to the government, but the general attitude of the Christian should be one of submission.

The word “resists” in v2 is a perfect tense verb and carries the idea of one in a “state of resistance or rebellion.” Generally, it is someone who has an attitude that the government has no authority over them at all.

The word “judgment” in v2 most likely refers to an eschatological (end times) judgment from God, but there is room to understand this judgment to be given by the government itself (v4).

The phrase “for he does not bear the sword in vain” in v4 has had many interpretations throughout church history. Most likely, Paul refers to the government’s general authority to punish evil. Evil here should be understood as what God condemns as evil, which is why Paul refers to the government as God’s servant. They are there to punish what God Himself will punish on the final day of judgment.

Paul’s reference to the “conscience” in v5 highlights that submission to government is acknowledging and respecting God’s sovereign order and plan for history.

All things considered, Christians should recognize and submit to governmental authority as God ordains the government. This does not mean, however, that the Christian is in total obedience and subservience to the government as absolute ruler. The Christian’s supreme authority is God, who has ordained all things for our good and His glory.

Questions:

When is civil disobedience an appropriate response to the government? What factors should be considered when determining this?

What are some of the reasons from the text that Paul gives for why Christians should submit to government authority?

How do the ideas of this paragraph align or misalign with existing political systems in America or recent current events?

What should be our posture towards one another in the church over disagreements on government and authority?

What are some practical ways we can have productive conversations?

How can we respect and submit to our government systems in America?

Historically Christians have always had to wrestle and contend with earthly governments. The overarching theme throughout scripture is that God rules through rulers and earthly governments. Romans 13:1-7 places the responsibility on Christians to not overthrow or topple the government but rather to submit to the governing authorities. God has instituted all earthly authority that exists, even for judgment.

Romans 13:1-7 (ESV)

Paul makes a seemingly unique transition to discuss the Christian’s interactions with the government. There are several reasons Paul might be focusing on this topic:

It fits within the overall context of understanding what is “good and acceptable” to God (12:2).

Christian thinking at the time was leaning heavily toward rejecting earthly institutions entirely, and Paul wanted to bring Christians to a more central view.

There was a need to clarify for Christians that to “never avenge yourself” did not mean God was leaving injustice unchecked in this world.

There was growing tension between Christians and Jews with the Roman government.

The core theme of this paragraph is that God is sovereign in establishing and disestablishing every governing system that has ever and will ever exist.

With this theme in mind, Paul instructs us to “be subject to” or submit to the government over us. Note that there is a difference between submitting to and obeying. Paul is not advocating total obedience to the government, but the general attitude of the Christian should be one of submission.

The word “resists” in v2 is a perfect tense verb and carries the idea of one in a “state of resistance or rebellion.” Generally, it is someone who has an attitude that the government has no authority over them at all.

The word “judgment” in v2 most likely refers to an eschatological (end times) judgment from God, but there is room to understand this judgment to be given by the government itself (v4).

The phrase “for he does not bear the sword in vain” in v4 has had many interpretations throughout church history. Most likely, Paul refers to the government’s general authority to punish evil. Evil here should be understood as what God condemns as evil, which is why Paul refers to the government as God’s servant. They are there to punish what God Himself will punish on the final day of judgment.

Paul’s reference to the “conscience” in v5 highlights that submission to government is acknowledging and respecting God’s sovereign order and plan for history.

All things considered, Christians should recognize and submit to governmental authority as God ordains the government. This does not mean, however, that the Christian is in total obedience and subservience to the government as absolute ruler. The Christian’s supreme authority is God, who has ordained all things for our good and His glory.

Questions:

When is civil disobedience an appropriate response to the government? What factors should be considered when determining this?

What are some of the reasons from the text that Paul gives for why Christians should submit to government authority?

How do the ideas of this paragraph align or misalign with existing political systems in America or recent current events?

What should be our posture towards one another in the church over disagreements on government and authority?

What are some practical ways we can have productive conversations?

How can we respect and submit to our government systems in America?

God is in the business of changing and transforming his people. He does this first and foremost by breathing new spiritual life into the person, then, by that same Spirit, changing our thinking and feeling, which changes our actions. This change of thinking, feeling, and acting in Romans 12:2, is called being transformation by the renewing of our minds.