8First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Who is encouraged by your faith?
(Romans - 11, 12) - 11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 12that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
In verse eight Paul states that he gives thanks to God for the faith that the Roman church has, a faith that is being reported throughout the world.
Now this faith that the Roman church had, was made up from the faith of the individuals that made up the body of that church.
It takes a lot of faith to make a church that has that kind of effect on people. Faith that would cause other Christians in far away places to hear about you. Faith that in return brings glory to God.
The question is in looking at yourselves as individuals, what kind of faith do you have? Is it a faith that people see in you? Is it a faith that people talk about to one another? Do people talk about it at your work? Do they talk about it in your neighborhood? Do they talk about it in our church?
You see if people are not talking about the faith they see in us then maybe it is for a reason. There may be nothing for them to see and talk about.
We need as Christians to always have our faith out in front of us. If we put it out there people will notice it. If they notice it then they may be encouraged by it. If they are encouraged by it then God can use that to either bring someone to faith or help another Christian grow and mature in their own faith.
That faith that people see, the Bible calls our light - (Ephesians 5:8) 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.
We are the light - (Mathew 5:16) 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Be a light for God! Don’t hide it and don’t be ashamed of it, but put it right out in front of you.
It is our job as Christians to not only be an encouragement to those who are not, but also to those that are.
I personally need to be fed by your faith in God and in Christ. Seeing your strong faith encourages me to be a better and stronger servant for Christ. It also encourages me to be a better and stronger servant for you.
Last Friday night at our Bible study we looked at 1 Corinthians 12 and at what the Bible tells us about how we are all as individual Christians a unique and equally important part of the body of Christ. We read how important it is to understand each and every one of our gifts and how we need to all work together in harmony.
Are you uncomfortable sharing the gospel sometimes?
(Romans 1:16) - I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.
We are afraid sometimes to share the gospel aren’t we? Afraid to tell maybe even someone we could care about that Christ came to this earth to die freely on the cross for sinners and to pay in full the payment that God called for. I know it is hard for me at times.
Think of it this way. You are a doctor and you just discovered a cure for cancer. The same cancer maybe a good friend of yours has or even a family member. A cancer that for sure will take their life. But you decide for some selfish reason not to give them the cure. You decide to hold it from them. To keep it for yourself maybe. To allow them to die. And maybe you could even use this cure to save others. Even others that you hardly know. But you don’t.
The other side of this would be that you used this cure. And shared this cure with others. And this cure saved them from the death that they would have for sure met. Much better this way.
The cure for eternal death is Gods Word, the Gospel message of Christ, and all we have to do is share it with others.
I can’t count how many times I have missed opportunities to share Christ with people. God puts lost people right in front of us sometimes. And I have blown it. Be ready. Be prepared. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel.
We need to be in the Word daily. We need to always be in prayer. Don’t miss the opportunities that God gives us to glorify Him.
(Romans 1:16) - The gospel is the power of God for the salvation of believers.
In a book by John MacArthur called Truth for Today he says - Only the gospel of Jesus Christ has the power to change people and deliver them from sin, from Satan, from judgment, from death, and from hell.
(Acts 4:12) - Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.
And that name is Jesus Christ. And His gospel will build in you the knowledge and the faith needed for your salvation.
There is no other religion that I am aware of that gives you this guarantee. They all just give you false hopes.
John Mac Arthur goes on to say - So God’s Word, which is all about Jesus Christ, can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves. We are sinful and unable to remedy our condition, but from God comes the incredible, limitless power that can transform our lives.
(Romans 10:17) - Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.
It is the Word of Christ that builds in us the faith needed for us to gain our salvation.
Questions:
Are you studying Gods Word daily?
Are you meditating on His Word?
Do you have a plan to work your way through reading the Bible?
Are you involved with a small group or study group?
Without the gospel, and without the power that the gospel has, there can be no salvation, no deliverance, and no life. Everything that God wants for us is to be found in the gospel.
(Romans 1:17) For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed.
Paul quotes here something God had said to the prophet Habakkuk in Habakkuk 2:4 of the Old Testament. God’s statement was one of comfort to Habakkuk who was upset with God because it appeared that God was letting Israel continue in their wicked ways without any recourse.
Well God decided to let the Babylonians punish Israel but again Habakkuk was unhappy with His choice also.
God’s answer to Habakkuk went something like this:
I am about to reveal something to you Habakkuk that I want you to record so that a herald may proclaim it. It is revelation of My righteousness, and will put to rest your fears of inaction and injustice.
In the meantime - until My righteousness is revealed - you who are righteous are to trust Me, to live by faith. You will have to live by faith, not by sight, until what I have written is completed.
Now fast forward to Paul’s time around 57 A.D. The Jews in Rome three years prior are cast out of Rome by the Roman Emperor Claudius. Christianity was starting to spread in Rome at this time and it was causing some unrest and some problems for the Roman leaders. After the reign of Claudius was over, the Christians were allowed to come back to Rome only to be persecuted by Nero. Nero being the person who had Paul beheaded. I would say the Christians in Rome my have felt some of the same frustrations as Habakkuk. Maybe they thought like Habakkuk that God wasn’t doing enough.
What Paul was trying to say to the church in Rome is that he knew things had been tough for them. And we may not always know why God does the things He does. Even in the time frame that He does them. But that we have the Word of God here to show us that God is in control. That He does take care of everything. And you know what? It may not always be how we want or in the timeframe we want it. But we can be sure that God is in control and will take care of everything in a way that He knows is best.
If any of you are like me I like to think my way is the best way.
But the reality is this. I can’t do it better, and you can’t do it better. Only God knows what the entire plan is for us. And only He can make it happen. And there is one thing for sure it will glorify Him. And it will be the best thing for Him.
Because again the reality is, it is not about us. It never has been, and never will be.
