West Concord Church

Romans 15:22-33

I. Expand the Ministry (vv. 22-25)A. SpainB. RomeC. Jerusalem

II. Enable the Ministry (vv. 26-29)A. A gift deliveryB. A great debtC. A gracious desire

III. Empower the Ministry (vv. 30-33)A. Partners in prayer1. For protection2. For success3. For future ministryB. Purpose in prayer

More to Consider

An elderly widow, restricted in her activities, was eager to serve Christ. After praying about this, she realized that she could bring blessing to others by playing the piano. The next day she placed this small ad in the Oakland Tribune: "Pianist will play hymns by phone daily for those who are sick and despondent--the service is free." The notice included the number to dial. When people called, she would ask, "What hymn would you like to hear?" Within a few months her playing had brought cheer to several hundred people. Many of them freely poured out their hearts to her, and she was able to help and encourage them.Source Unknown.

Most people wish to serve God -- but in an advisory capacity only.Quoted in Sunday Express, London.

In the spring of 1883 two young men graduated from medical school. The two differed from one another in both appearance and ambition. Ben was short and stocky. Will was tall and thin. Ben dreamed of practicing medicine on the East Coast. will wanted to work in a rural community. Ben begged his friend to go to New York where they could both make a fortune. Will refused. His friend called him foolish for wanting to practice medicine in the Midwest. "But," Will said, "I want first of all to be a great surgeon...the very best, if I have the ability." Years later the wealthy and powerful came from around the world to be treated by Will at his clinic...the Mayo Clinic.Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 17.

The supreme test of service is this: 'For whom am I doing this?' Much that we call service to Christ is not such at all....If we are doing this for Christ, we shall not care for human reward or even recognition. Our work must again be tested by three propositions: Is it work from God, as given us to do from Him; for God, as finding in Him its secret of power; and with God, as only a part of His work in which we engage as co-workers with Him."A.T. Pierson wrote, The Truth.

Romans 15:14-21

Pauls Gratification in Service (vv. 14-16)A. Satisfied with the current victoriesB. Sensitive to the ongoing vision

Pauls Glory in Service (vv. 17-19)A. Pauls accomplishments are purposed for GodB. Pauls accomplishments are provided in ChristC. Pauls accomplishments are powered by the Spirit

Pauls Goal in Service (vv. 20-21)A. Preach the gospel faithfullyB. Preach the gospel strategically

More to Consider

In writing to a group of people whom he had never met as a group, Paul showed admirable restraint in avoiding personal references to himself. Only once did he use himself as an example (7:725), and his other personal remarks are few (1:816; 9:13; 10:12; 11:1). Now as he closed his letter he felt led to discuss his philosophy of ministry and his plans in light of it.

John A. Witmer, Romans, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 496.

The class of noisy boys in a German primary school was being punished by their teacher. They were assigned the problem of adding together all the numbers from 1 to 100. The boys settled down, scribbling busily on their slates -- all but one. This boy looked off into space for a few moments, then wrote something on his slate and turned it in. His was the only right answer.

When the amazed teacher asked how he did it, the boy replied, "I thought there might be some short cut, and I found one: 100 plus 1 is 101; 99 plus 2 is 101; 98 plus 3 is 101, and, if I continued the series all the way to 51 plus 50, I have 101 50 times, which is 5,050."

After this episode, the young scholar received special tutoring from his teacher. The boy was Karl Friedrich Gauss, the great mathematician of the 19th century.

Bits Pieces, April 30, 1992.

Hudson Taylor had definite convictions about how God's work should be done. We can make our best plans and try to carry them out in our own strength. Or we can make careful plans and ask God to bless them. "Yet another way of working is to begin with God; to ask His plans, and to offer ourselves to Him to carry out His purposes.

"Wiersbe, Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, p. 243.

For several years a lawyer and a doctor had regularly played golf together. They were evenly matched, and there was a keen sense of rivalry. Then one spring the lawyer's game suddenly improved so much that the doctor was losing regularly. The doctor's efforts to improve his own game were unsuccessful, but finally he came up with an idea. At a bookstore he picked out three how-to-play golf texts, and sent them to the lawyer for a birthday present. It wasn't long before they were evenly matched again.

Bits Pieces, March 3, 1994, pp. 22-23.

Romans 15:7-13

Receive One Another (v. 7)1. As Christ received you

2. To the glory of God

Rejoice Together (vv. 8-12)1. We are included through Christ

2. We are united by Christ

3. We are secure in Christ

Rely Upon God (v. 13)1. Filled with joy and peace

2. Given hope and power

More To Consider

We will never become a church that effectively reaches out to those who are missing out if we shoot our wounded and major on the minuses. Instead of being fishers of men, as Christ has called us, we will be keepers of an ever-shrinking aquarium. Next fall when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might be interested in knowing what science has discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a V formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. (Christians who share a common direction and a sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier, because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.)Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone, and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front. (If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way we are going.) When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point. (It pays to take turns doing hard jobs--with people at church or with geese flying south.) The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. (What do we say when we honk from behind?) Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by a shot and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly, or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their original group. (If people knew we would stand by them like that in church, they would push down these walls to get in.) You see, all we have to do in order to attract those who are missing back to church is to demonstrate to the world that we have as much sense as geese here at church. That seems little enough price to pay to win the lost and minister to one another. Even geese have sense enough to know it works every time.James S. Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc, 1988) pp. 125-126.

After D-Day in World War II, someone said to General Eisenhower, "It's great how you were able to coordinate all the teams in that great enterprise." The General quickly corrected him: "Not teams," he said, "but team."Robert C. Shannon, 1000 Windows, (Cincinnati, Ohio: Standard Publishing Company, 1997).

Romans 14:14-23

Consider Your Influence (vv. 14-14)

Our liberty in Christ

Our liability to others

Consider Your Priorities (vv. 16-18)

The priorities of the world material/temporary

Eating

Drinking

The priorities of the Kingdom spiritual/eternal

Righteousness

Peace

Joy

Consider Your Ministry (vv. 19-21)

Peace

Encouragement

Consider Your Convictions (vv. 22-23)

Are they fixed on Gods truth?

Do they give God glory?

Do they build others?

More to Consider

Two of the most famous Christians in the Victorian Era in England were Charles Spurgeon and Joseph Parker, both of them mighty preachers of the Gospel. Early in their ministries they fellowshipped and even exchanged pulpits. Then they had a disagreement, and the reports even got into the newspapers. Spurgeon accused Parker of being unspiritual because he attended the theater. Interestingly enough, Spurgeon smoked cigars, a practice many believers would condemn. Who was right? Who was wrong? Perhaps both of them were wrong! When it comes to questionable matters in the Christian life, cannot dedicated believers disagree without being disagreeable? I have learned that God blesses people I disagree with! a friend of mine told me one day, and I have learned the same thing. When Jesus Christ is Lord, we permit Him to deal with His own servants as He wishes. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 560.

Pauls warning against judging relates to Christians attitudes and actions toward the convictions of other believers (vv. 112). The other side of the coin is evaluating the impact of ones own convictions and actions on other Christians. In this section Paul warned against causing other Christians to stumble (hindering their spiritual growth) by asserting that one is free to live in accord with convictions not shared by other believers. John A. Witmer, Romans, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 493.

We cannot take Pauls conclusion to cover any and all actions. That is, we cannot say that believers may engage in anything they wish as long as they hold the personal opinion that it is acceptable. Sin is never permissible for a Christian. At the same time, mature Christians have a responsibility not to flaunt what they are free to do before God in ways that harm other Christians (14:15, 2021; 1 Co 8). Ted Cabal et al., The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1702.

Romans 14:1-13

Am I Gracious in My Choices? (vv. 1-4)

Am I hospitable?

Am I humble?

Do My Choices Honor God? (vv. 5-9)

Personal preferences

Gods preferences

Will My Choices Stand the Test of Gods Judgement? (vv. 10-13)

The reality We will all stand before Christ

The resolution Encourage, dont entangle

More to Consider

"What must I forsake?" a young man asked.

'Colored clothes for one thing. Get rid of everything in your wardrobe that is not white. Stop sleeping on a soft pillow. Sell your musical instruments and don't eat any more white bread. You cannot, if you are sincere about obeying Christ, take warm baths or shave your beard. To shave is to lie against him who created us, to attempt to improve on his work

Quaint, isn't it -- this example of extra-biblical scruples? And perhaps amusing. The list has constantly shifted over the 1,800 years since this one was actually recorded. Jim Peterson, Living Proof, NavPress, 1989, p. 106.

I have found, in my own spiritual life, that the more rules I lay down for myself, the more sins I commit. The habit of regular morning and evening prayer is one which is indispensable to a believer's life, but the prescribing of the length of prayer, and the constrained remembrance of so many persons and subjects, may gender unto bondage, and strangle prayer rather than assist it. Charles Spurgeon

In contrast to the two commands of Christ, the Pharisees had developed a system of 613 laws, 365 negative commands and 248 positive laws...By the time Christ came it had produced a heartless, cold, and arrogant brand of righteousness. As such, it contained at least ten tragic flaws. (1) New laws continually need to be invented for new situations. (2) Accountability to God is replaced by accountability to men. (3) It reduces a person's ability to personally discern. (4) It creates a judgmental spirit. (5) The Pharisees confused personal preferences with divine law. (6) It produces inconsistencies. (7) It created a false standard of righteousness. (8) It became a burden to the Jews. (9) It was strictly external. (10) It was rejected by Christ.

Outlined from Fan The Flame, J. Stowell, Moody, 1986, p. 52.

Romans 13:8-14

The Debt We Owe Others Love (vv. 8-10)

Love looks to bless ones neighbor

Love looks to honor the Lord

The Day in Which We Must Serve Light (vv. 11-12)

Wake up

Dress up

Step up

The Direction in Which We Must Walk The Lord (vv. 13-14)

Walk away and out of the worlds darkness

Walk toward and into the Lords Light

Wearing your faith in Christ

More to Consider

Expressing divine love is a Christians constant responsibility, but it is especially crucial in understanding the present time (lit., knowing the season). Paul was not referring to time in general but to the end-time and to the imminent return of the Lord Jesus. It is a time, therefore, for spiritual vigilance and industriousness: wake up from your (some mss. have our, which conforms to the context) slumber (cf. Eph. 5:14; 1 Peter 5:8). This need for alertness is because our salvation (ultimate or final salvation realized at the return of the Savior; cf. Rom. 8:23; Heb. 9:28; 1 Peter 1:5) is nearer now than when we first believed (cf. James 5:8). Each passing day in the faith brings final salvation and deliverance closer.

John A. Witmer, Romans, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 491.

Dr. Mitchell was impressing upon us that we are not under the Law when we're in Christ, but we're under a new law -- the law of LOVE. He used this to illustrate: In America there is a law stating a woman must take care of her child. So, a man comes to a new mother's home. He says "Are you taking care of your baby? The Law says you have to." The woman, tenderly holding her baby, said, "I don't need a law to make me take care of my baby." Why? Because she loves her baby! She feeds him, holds him, changes him because she loves him. I no longer need the Law because I'm under Christ -- a law of LOVE.

Source Unknown.

Philosophers sometimes spoke of a soul inattentive to spiritual matters as being asleep. Pauls image of sleeping in the light of Christs impending return probably harks back to Jesus own teaching (Mt 24:43; Mk 13:36). Most Greeks expected history to continue as normal or believed that the universe moved in cycles; but most Jews, like Paul, were anticipating its climax in the imminent future.

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Ro 13:11.

Romans 13:1-7

Principles of Authority (vv. 1-2)

The hierarchy: God government us

The responsibility: us government God

Provision of Authority (vv. 3-4)

Protect the peaceful and the good

Prosecute the criminal and the evil

Prescription of Authority (vv. 5-7)

Obey the laws (unless against Scripture: Acts 5:29)

Honor the leaders (Prov. 24:21, 1 Peter 2:17)

Pay the levies (Matt. 22:21-22)

More to Consider

Rome was the imperial capital, the seat of the empires civil government. As residents in Rome, Pauls initial readers were aware of both the glory and the shame of that city in the days of Nero, who reigned from a.d. 54 to 68. But they were also citizens of Christs kingdom (Phil. 3:20; Col. 1:13). Appropriately, therefore, Paul discussed a Christians relationship to his government and civil rulers. Both in its length and specific details this discussion is the key New Testament passage on the subject (cf. 1 Tim. 2:14; Titus 3:1; 1 Peter 2:1317).

John A. Witmer, Romans, in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 490.

When the noted Dr. Pollich, of Mellerstadt, heard Martin Luther lecture at the University of Wittenberg, he said, 'That monk will confound all the learned doctors, propound a new doctrine, and reform the whole Roman church, for he studies the writings of the prophets and evangelists. He relies on the Word of Jesus Christ, and no one can subvert that, either with philosophy or with sophistry."

-True Stories

Paul urged Christians to be submissive and model citizens because God has installed the governing authorities to keep the civil order and punish wrongdoers. Peter gave similar instructions about submission (1 Pt 2:1314, 17). However, submission to authorities is not absolute. Both Jesus and the writer of Acts established this central Christian principle. Jesus said, Give back to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods (Mt 22:21). Peter and the apostles declared that they must obey God rather than human beings (Acts 5:29). Any submission to the authorities must pass through the filter of Gods will and call upon a believers life.

Ted Cabal et al., The Apologetics Study Bible: Real Questions, Straight Answers, Stronger Faith (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007), 1701.

Were I a sovereign, I would not have to do with atheistical courtiers whose interest it was to poison me; I should be under the necessity of taking an antidote every day. It is, then absolutely necessary for princes and people that the idea of a Supreme Being, creating governing, rewarding and punishing, be ingraven on their minds.

Voltaire, an Atheist

Bob Hope: I love to go to Washingtonif only to be near my money.

Signs of the Times

Romans 12:9-21

I. Service Toward Our Friends (vv. 9-16)A. Love them unconditionallyB. Lead them diligentlyC. Lift them materiallyD. Laugh and cry with them supportivelyE. Live with them humbly

II. Service Toward Our Foes (vv. 17-21)A. Be readily forgivingB. Be righteously transparentC. Be redemptively peacefulD. Be rigorously gracious

More to Consider

One of the most vivid ways the Lord Jesus reveals His intention for thechurch is by a series of statements given about our responsibilities to oneanother.The phrase "one another" usually represents the Greek word "allelon," and aconsideration of the allelon principle in the New Testament provides us witha tremendous study of what quality friendship will look like in action. Here isa list of those allelon statements with duplicate references omitted.In the Body of Christ, we are to: wash one another's feet (John 13:14) love one another (John 13:34 and many other times) be devoted to one another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10) give preference to one another in honor (Romans 12:10) be of the same mind toward one another (Romans 12:16; Romans15:5) stop judging one another (Romans 14:13) pursue the building up of one another (Romans 14:19) accept one another (Romans 15:7) admonish one another (Romans 15:14) greet one another (Romans 16:16) wait for one another (1 Cor. 11:33) care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25) serve one another through love (Galatians 5:13) bear one another's burdens (Galatians 6:2) show forbearance to one another (Ephes. 4:2) be kind to one another (Ephes. 4:32) forgive each other (Ephes. 4:32) speak to one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephes.5:19) be subject to one another (Ephes. 5:21) regard one another as more important (Phil. 2:3) not lie to one another (Col. 3:9) teach one another (Col. 3:16) comfort one another (1 Thes. 4:18) encourage one another (1 Thes. 5:11) be at peace with one another (1 Thes. 5:13) pursue good to one another (1 Thes. 5:15) consider one another (Hebrews 10:25) not speak against one another (James 4:11) not complain against one another (James 5:9) confess your sins to one another (James 5:16) pray for one another (James 5:16) be hospitable to one another (1 Peter 4:9) source unknown

Unassuming Grace (v. 3)

Humble self esteem

Honest, sober evaluation

Unified Goals (vv. 4-5)

Unified diversity

Diverse unity

Useful Giftedness (vv. 6-8, see also 1 Cor. 12, Eph. 4:7-16)

Gifted usefulness

Useful gifts

Prophecy

Ministry

Teaching

Exhortation

Giving

Leading

Mercy

More to Consider

Several years ago, two students graduated from the Chicago-Kent College of Law. The highest ranking student in the class was a blind man named Overton and, when he received his honor, he insisted that half the credit should go to his friend, Kaspryzak. They had met one another in school when the armless Mr. Kaspryzak had guided the blind Mr. Overton down a flight of stairs. This acquaintance ripened into friendship and a beautiful example of interdependence. The blind man carried the books which the armless man read aloud in their common study, and thus the individual deficiency of each was compensated for by the other. After their graduation, they planned to practice law together. Gary Inrig, Life in His Body.

Definitions from Dr. Earl Radmacher and Gordon McMinn Teaching gifts.

-Prophecy: setting before people the Word and wisdom of God persuasively.

-Encouragement: drawing alongside to comfort, encourage, rebuke, and lead someone into insight toward action.

-Teaching: laying down in a systematic order the complete truth of a doctrine and applying it incisively to life.

-The message of wisdom: Locating formerly unknown principles as well as combining known principles of God's Word and communicating them to fresh situations.

-The message of knowledge: Arranging the facts of Scripture, categorizing these into principles, and communicating them to repeated or familiar situations.

-Service Gifts. Contributing: Giving most liberally and beyond all human expectation. Mercy: Being sensitive or empathetic to people who are in affliction or misery and lifting internal burdens with cheerfulness.

-Helps: Seeing tasks and doing them for or with someone in order to litt external burdens.

-Distinguishing spirits: Detecting a genuine or spurious motive by distinguishing the spirit-source behind any person's speech or act.

-Evangelism: Communicating the gospel with power and persuasiveness as well as equipping the saints for evangelism.

-Leadership Gifts. Leadership (executive ability): Standing before people and inspiring followers by leading them aggressively but with care.

-Administration (legislative ability): Standing behind people to collect data, set policy, and develop plans which will guide a course of action with wisdom.

-Faith: Seeing through any problem to the Ultimate Resource.

What about the so-called sign gifts, such as healing and speaking in tongues, referred to in today's text? To us, Hebrews 2:4 suggests that they were intended to be confirming signs for the Apostles, and ceased with them.

Others feel they are still for today, but if so, one thing is clear: they are given sovereignly by the Spirit for specific purposes and are the exception, not the rule. Today in the Word, July, 1990, p. 19.

Romans 12:1-2

I. Living Sacrifices (v. 1)The reason for serviceThe manner of serviceThe logic in service

II. Logical Service (v. 2)What we are to avoid conformation to the worldWhat we are to receive transformation through the WordWhat we are to attain confirmation as a witness1. For ourselves2. For others

More to Consider

Most people wish to serve God -- but in an advisory capacity only.

Quoted in Sunday Express, London.

Self-righteous service comes through human effort. True service comes from a relationship with the divine Other deep inside.

Self-righteous service is impressed with the "big deal." True service finds it almost impossible to distinguish the small from the large service.

Self-righteous service requires external rewards. True service rests contented in hiddenness.

Self-righteous service is highly concerned about results. True service is free of the need to calculate results.

Self-righteous service picks and chooses whom to serve. True service is indiscriminate in its ministry.

Self-righteous service is affected by moods and whims. True service ministers simply and faithfully because there is a need.

Self-righteous service is temporary. True service is a life-style.

Self-righteous service is without sensitivity. It insists on meeting the need even when to do so would be destructive. True service can withhold the service as freely as perform it.

Self-righteous service fractures community. True service, on the other hand, builds community.

Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline, "The Discipline of Service."

The great violinist, Niccolo Paganini willed his marvelous violin to city of Genoa on condition that it must never be played. The wood of such an instrument, while used and handled, wears only slightly, but set aside, it begins to decay. Paganini's lovely violin has today become worm-eaten and useless except as a relic. A Christian's unwillingness to serve may soon destroy his capacity for usefulness.

J.K. Laney, Marching Orders, p. 34.

I went into church and sat on the velvet pew. I watched as the sun came shining through the stained glass windows. The minister dressed in a velvet robe opened the golden gilded Bible, marked it with a silk bookmark and said, "If any man will be my disciple, said Jesus, let him deny himself, take up his cross, sell what he has, give it to the poor, and follow me." And I looked around and nobody was laughing.

Soren Kierkagaard