Romans 15:14-16
14 Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written more boldly to you on some points, as reminding you, because of the grace given to me by God, 16 that I might be a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
After pronouncing a blessing of peace, joy and hope on his readers in the previous verse, Paul goes on to tell them that he is confident about a few things concerning them. Perhaps he has heard about their faith, and is therefore so confident about these things pertaining to them. He’s confident that they are full of goodness – there’s nothing bad about the way they live their lives; they are filled with knowledge, perhaps about God, and His word, they are able to admonish one another – something that’s so badly needed in The Church today. We need to be able to help admonish one another in love, and not ignore the problems and issues we see that our fellow-believers face. But though he was confident about them in these things, he still had to boldly address, certain issues pertaining to preference for days and foods, and that they be concerned for one another. He had to write about these things because he was given this special gift of serving them from God Himself.
By fulfilling the calling of God on his life, he was also fulfilling his role as a minister (servant) of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. So in other words, he was chosen by God to serve Jesus as he ministered to the Gentiles. He was ministering the gospel (good news) of God to them. The reason he was serving the Gentiles was so that their lives would become an offering to God, that would be acceptable and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. We can’t offer (present) just about any gift to God – it needs to be acceptable ,and sanctified (holy). He’s talking about offering their lives as living sacrifices to God, which was what he also referred to earlier in Chapter 12 and verse 1, where he said, “ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” It’s the Holy Spirit that can bring about this sanctification (the process of becoming holy in the way we live our lives). It’s only as we strive to listen to, and obey the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives, and not be led by the flesh, that He is able to work in us this sanctification.
Romans 15:17-21
17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written: “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard shall understand.”
Paul then says that he has reasons to boast about Christ in matters pertaining to God. Before he came to know Christ personally, he rejected Christ, but now he boasts about Christ, because he has come to know that without Christ, there could be no relationship with God. Christ is the door into this relationship.
He goes on to say that he doesn’t want to go into detail to talk about the things that God has accomplished through him, both in word and deed in his ministry to the Gentiles. He seems to be saying that that the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, used him powerfully to share God’s word, which was followed by signs and wonders, that served to authenticate his message, as he reached out to the Gentiles, all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, where he had fully preached the gospel and helped them come to obedience to the faith in the Gospel of Jesus.
He adds that he made it a point to share the gospel only in places where the Gospel was not already preached, lest he build on someone else’s foundation. By this he means, that whoever shares the Gospel with somebody, should also be involved in building up those who come to faith in Jesus – that’s discipleship. He didn’t want to go and build on somebody else’s work. He then goes on to quote from Isaiah 52:15, where it says, “To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard, shall understand.” This is another reference to the fact that the Old Testament did talk about the Gentiles being saved. The Gentiles had not heard about the invitation to come to faith in God until Jesus came into the world (though it was always part of God’s plan to include them). But despite that, they also ‘saw’ the truth, and though they had not earlier heard about it, they understood it when they heard it.
Romans 15:22-24
22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
Paul seems to say that the reason he was hindered from going to the Romans was that he was focused on helping the Gentiles come to faith in Jesus, and help them grow in their new-found faith. He then adds that his work in the places he lives is accomplished, and he then wants to fulfil the great desire that he had for many years - to go to Rome and visit them. His plan is to visit them on his way to Spain. His desire is that he will be helped in some way by the Roman believers whilst there, but it was also his desire to spend time with them, and enjoy their company for a while. Paul seemed to be a very relational person, for whom people meant a lot. He did not emphasize on work over people but saw his time with people as important as his work with them.
Romans 5:25-29
25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 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. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. 29 But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ.
But before he made the trip to Spain, he had another trip to make, and that was to go back to Jerusalem to serve the saints (believers in Jesus) there. The reason he wanted to visit them was because the believers in Macedonia and Achaia had sent contributions to the financially needy believers in Jerusalem. They felt the need to help the poor believers in Jerusalem because they saw themselves as debtors to the Jews, as it was to, and through the Jews that Jesus came into the world, and it was through them that they had come to faith in Jesus. Since they had been blessed spiritually, they felt it their responsibility to help those of them who were in material need.
He refers to passing on this help to the poor believers in Jerusalem as ‘sealing to them this fruit,’ meaning that he has accomplished this task of generosity on behalf of the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. He says that once this is accomplished he will make a trip to Spain and on the way, stop by and meet them in Rome.
He then adds that he is assured of the fact that when he does come to visit them in Rome, he would be filled with blessings of the gospel of Christ, perhaps meaning that he would come to them, and be able to share with them in person, the spiritual blessings that they have received from Christ.
Romans 15:30-33
30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
Paul then makes a request to the believers in Rome to pray, not only for him, but also to pray with him. He goes into some detail in the way he requests for prayer. He uses the word, ‘I beg you,’ which has a very strong sense of urgency, and pleading. He also says, “through the Lord Jesus Christ,” meaning that he’s requesting prayer on behalf of Jesus Christ as it were. He uses the phrase, “through the love of the Spirit,” perhaps appealing to the love they have for him – the unconditional love that they have received through the Holy Spirit. He doesn’t ask that they merely pray with him, but that they strive together with him in prayer. This is more than merely saying a prayer on behalf of someone. It’s like the kind of prayer we would pray for a loved one who is in real danger, and needs a miraculous touch from the Lord.
Here are the four things he requests them to pray with him about. Firstly, he requests that they pray that he may be delivered from those in Judea. It seems like he was aware that difficulties would arise from the Jewish leaders in Judea, who did not believe in Jesus, and who had heard of his ministry of sharing the gospel to the Gentiles. These were the unbelieving Jewish leaders were not just against Jesus, but also against Paul and the apostles, since they were preaching about that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. By referring to Jewish leaders who did not believe, it also means that there were Jewish leaders who did believe, and who were not a threat to him.
The second thing he requested them to pray with him about, is that his service to the poor believers in Jerusalem would be acceptable to them. He wasn’t sure whether they would welcome help from the Gentiles, or whether they would reject help from them. Instead of merely waiting to see what happens, he actually requests prayer about this matter in advance. That’s something we can learn from Paul – he prayed about everything – not just the big, seemingly important things, but every little detail.
The third thing he requests they pray with him about, is that he might go to them with joy – perhaps joyful news of how things went in Judea with the leaders, and with the poor believers whom he was taking contributions for. He adds the phrase, “by the will of God,” meaning that he submits his coming to them, to God’s will. It’s one thing to desire something ourselves, but it’s always important for us to surrender all our plans to God, and let Him decide what’s best in and through us, because He knows the end from the beginning.
The fourth thing he requests they pray with him about, is that he might be refreshed together with them. Notice once again how Paul desires not just his well-being, but also the well-being of those he serves – what an amazing example of a Christian leader. He’s not only interested that he come back with good news, and feel refreshed after his journey to Judea, but he also desires that they too be refreshed in the process.
He then blesses them with a very specific blessing. He prays that the God, who provides peace (peace within – peace that the world cannot comprehend), would be with them. When we have God with us, we can manage any situation in life, because God is able to bring us through the difficulty, and victoriously at that. Someone said, “Peace is not the absence of conflict, but it’s the presence of God in the midst of it.”
He ends with an emphatic Amen, meaning, “So be it.”
