Paul's Epistles Part 37 – Minister to the Gentiles

Paul's Epistles

Part 37 – Minister to the Gentiles

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Over the last few weeks as we look through the Book of Romans, we see Paul telling us that we need to WAKE UP as a church, because Judgment is near, that we must recognize that there are those who are weak in faith and those who are strong in faith in the church, and those who are strong in faith must lift up and help those who are of weaker faith.

Paul then tells the Church in Rome that they are equipped by God, and have a calling, as we all do, and he explains how he has helped the Gentiles come to reconciliation with God through the Word he teaches as well as his deeds.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Romans 15:14-22

¹⁴ I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. ¹⁵ Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me ¹⁶ to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

¹⁷ Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. ¹⁸ I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— ¹⁹ by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. ²⁰ It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. ²¹ Rather, as it is written:

“Those who were not told about him will see,
    and those who have not heard will understand.”

²² This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.

                   I.            YOU ARE COMPETENT

a.      Paul tells the Gentile believers in the church in Rome that they are full of

                                                                         i.      Goodness (which they had because of Christ)

                                                                      ii.      Knowledge (meaning knowledge of the Word)

                                                                   iii.      And therefore, they were Competent to correct one another.

1.      YES, Paul is telling the church they are to "judge" each other's behaviors!

b.     Paul states he still had to boldly correct them once in a while

                                                                         i.      But for the most part, they were autonomous

c.      The Gentiles were accepted by God because

                                                                         i.      They were washed in the blood of Christ

1.      Meaning, they accepted Jesus was the Messiah

2.      They accepted He died and rose again as payment of man's sin

3.      They confessed their sin to God

4.      They repented of that sin

5.      They made Jesus Christ their Lord and Savior

6.      Therefore, received forgiveness!

                                                                      ii.      Because they were forgiven, they were sanctified by the Holy Spirit!

               II.            PAUL, MINISTER TO THE GENTILES

a.      Paul exclaims the he was making the gentiles obedient by

                                                                         i.      His words (which were the words of Christ's teaching)

                                                                      ii.      His deeds (which were his FAITH in ACTION)

                                                                   iii.      He walked the talk!

                                                                     iv.      Your words can bring others into obedience to Christ; however, Paul states it took both his words and his deeds.

                                                                        v.      This is why faith without ACTION is dead faith.

b.     Words must be correct words

                                                                         i.      We must study God's Word

                                                                      ii.      Read it

                                                                   iii.      Understand it

                                                                     iv.      We cannot share it with others if we don't know it, or understand it.

c.      Our actions MUST be in line with those words

                                                                         i.      If we say one thing then do another...

                                                                      ii.      We must live what we speak to others

                                                                   iii.      Our actions must line up with what the Word teaches

                                                                     iv.      No one will ever listen to your words if your actions are not in line with them.

            III.            RECOGNIZE YOUR CALLING

a.      Paul recognized his calling

                                                                         i.      He explains it, and lived it.

b.     The gentile church in Rome had a calling as well.

                                                                         i.      Paul states they were full of the goodness of Christ, knowledge of the Word, and were competent to correct each other within the church because of that.

                                                                      ii.      Their calling was to keep the church a "pure" and "holy" place for other believers to come, be greeted by the goodness of Christ, receive the TRUTH of the Word correctly, and be corrected in a way that would help them stay on the narrow path, rather than push them onto the broad road and right out of the church.

                                                                   iii.      The TRUE church is not an institution for

1.      gaining riches for the ministers

2.      building the biggest gold filled churches in the land

3.      putting on magic shows and displays of behavior which are not once mentioned in the scriptures

a.      such as drinking poison or dancing with snakes in order to prove how holy you are

4.      the church is not a concert hall to be filled with the music of a thousand songs, and but 2 minutes of scripture reading

                                                                     iv.      THE CHURCH IS...

1.      A place where the goodness of Christ is displayed by its members to all who enter, regardless of what their sin is.

2.      A place where the TRUTH of God's Word is given without exemption, collapsing of context or misinterpretation designed to fit modern definitions of morals.

a.      God's Word, pure, Holy, unaltered Truth

3.      A place where those who come, will be guided and corrected in love to continue in the Word, not stray from it.

4.      This is how we grow as a church and God's people.      

c.      What is YOUR calling?

                                                                         i.      Counselor, teacher, prayer warrior, there are many callings.

                                                                      ii.      What is yours?

                                                                   iii.      The Body of Christ needs all of its parts...

CONCLUSION

Be like Paul, know your calling, and live it.

Be like the Church in Rome, Have the goodness of Christ, KNOW the Word of God, and help those around you stay strong in the Lord, and in Truth so they do not wander into darkness.

1 Peter 5:7-9 "⁷ Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

⁸ Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. ⁹ Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

Who is he looking for? The weak ones who wander too far from the flock.

Proverbs 26:12-14

"Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
    There is more hope for a fool than for them.

¹³ A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
    a fierce lion roaming the streets!”

¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,
    so a sluggard turns on his bed."

We need to remember what Paul said in Romans 13:11

"...Understand the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed."

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!

Paul's Epistles Part 36 – Bearing the Weak

Paul's Epistles

Part 36 – Bearing the Weak

Pastor Bruce A. Shields

House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION

Last week we spoke about Paul's warning of the End Times, and read many scriptures throughout the Bible showing what the End Times would look like.

After reading what the scriptures said, I think we can all agree that the End Times is now, and those things the Bible has warned us about have come to fruition.

Therefore, as Paul tells us in Romans, we need to focus on doing what we are called to do, which is, share the Gospel of Salvation and freedom from the bondage of sin with the lost, no matter where they come from or what they believe, baptize them, and teach them the commands of Christ so that they too may obey Him and call Him Lord.

In chapter 14 of Romans, Paul explains that there are some believers who are of weaker faith. They think they must abstain from certain foods or wine, and that some days are more holy than others.

Paul says, you need to stop making this about you. This isn't about who is right, or "winning" an argument. In fact, Paul is saying that if you argue these points with a believer, you have already lost because you are not acting in love.

Our goal MUST always be in love, or, lifting others up!

We are called by scripture in Romans 14 to love the weaker in faith, as well as the lost.

We need to put them before ourselves...which means, stop trying to prove you are right, stop trying to win arguments, stop trying to attack other believers because they are not cut from the same cookie cutter as you.

Paul tells us today in Romans 15, we, who are strong in faith, must bear with the failings of those who are weak.

To bear does not mean to put up with...it means to carry, bring, transport, move, tote, support, hold up.

This, is our duty to those of weaker faith.

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE Romans 15:1-13

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ² Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. ³ For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

⁵ May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, ⁶ so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

⁷ Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.⁸ For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹ and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written:

“Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles;
    I will sing the praises of your name.”

¹⁰ Again, it says,

“Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people.”

¹¹ And again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
    let all the peoples extol him.”

¹² And again, Isaiah says,

“The Root of Jesse will spring up,
    one who will arise to rule over the nations;
    in him the Gentiles will hope.”

¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

                   I.            LIFTING UP THE WEAK, HUMBLY

a.      We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 

                                                                         i.      Sometimes we must carry the weaker.

                                                                      ii.      Sometimes we simply lead them.

                                                                   iii.      Sometimes all we are supposed to do is support or hold them up.

b.     Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up. 

                                                                         i.      This must always be done in love though.

                                                                      ii.      For their good, not ours!

                                                                   iii.      Remember I Corinthians 13, Love is NOT proud, and it is NOT self-seeking.

c.       For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴ For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

                                                                         i.      The entirety of the life of Christ was to do the Will of the Father.

                                                                      ii.      Christ suffered for our sakes, and surely not to please Himself.

                                                                   iii.      We too, must look upon Christ as our example of a selfless life for the good of others.

               II.            TREAT THEM LIKE CHRIST TREATED YOU

a.      May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had

                                                                         i.       So that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

                                                                      ii.      We too When we give encouragement to those of weaker faith, having the same attitude with others that Christ had with us, we will have one mind and one voice.

1.      In other words, we will be thinking and speaking as Christ did!

                                                                   iii.      In this way, thinking like Christ, and speaking like Christ, we Glorify God the Father!

b.     Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you

                                                                         i.      in order to bring praise to God.

                                                                      ii.      Those who are accepted and loved, will praise the God you represent, instead of cursing Him because you showed hate.

c.      I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed ⁹ and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy.

                                                                         i.      And Gentiles for generations have glorified God for the mercy shown to us by God, through Christ and other believers.

            III.            GLORIFY GOD FOR HIS MERCY

a.      May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

                                                                         i.      Trust in God, He will give you hope and peace, so much so that it will overflow.

b.     The Keys to overflowing with hope and the power of the Holy Spirit.

                                                                         i.      Trusting in Him.

c.      This is the proper behavior of those who are stronger in faith.

                                                                         i.      Showing love to those who are weaker in faith.

1.      by lifting them up

2.      treating them like Christ treated you

                                                                      ii.      Glorifying God for His mercy.

1.      and receive an attitude of Christ, having one mind and voice.

                                                                   iii.      and trusting in God

1.      so that you will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit

CONCLUSION

When we encounter those who are Christians, but weaker in faith than ourselves, our goal is to strengthen them, encourage them, edify them, lift them up!

Remember the description of "to bear". To carry, bring, transport, move, tote, support, hold up.

Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!