Dr. Bradford Reaves
CrossWay Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
We are in the opening Chapter of Paul’s Letter to the Church in Rome. So far, we’ve discussed a little history of the Apostle Paul and his authority to write what is canonized in Scripture. Today, we’re going to go through the next 10 Romans 1, starting in verse eight. Before we do that, let me take you to our prophesy update.
Prophesy Updates
Please go to Matthew 24, and I want to share with you some insights into this teaching from Jesus. There is a clear transition that happens in Matthew 24 as Jesus is teaching about the events to come with the end times. We already discussed the deceptive nature of the time before the Tribulation and the war footing the world will be in during this time. Add to that the groanings of the earth as disasters and famines increase. I showed you how all of those things have exponentially increased since 1948 (no coincidence) and increased even more in the last few years.
There are a few more signs prior to the arrival of the Tribulation that Jesus points out here in Matthew 24 that we should observe. Matthew 24:9-14
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. 10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9–14)
Now stop and look at this for a moment. All of these things are going to happen - and then the end shall come. What is the end? It is the Rapture followed by the Great Tribulation. Immediately after this, in verse 15, Jesus begins to describe the events of the Tribulation, which is also recorded by John in Revelation. But there is a division in the text here and in Revelation. What happens? It is the end of the Church Age and the restoration of Israel.
There is a clear dispensational shift from where Jesus is discussing the preaching of the gospel to all nations is completed. Then the Tribulation Begins, which includes an event on the Temple Mount, in the Temple, in the Holy of Holies called The Abomination of Desolation. More on that in a few weeks. Let’s go back to verse 9:
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. (Matthew 24:9)
In the United States, we live under the guard of our Constitution, which protects our right to practice our faith freely, openly, and without the threat of government interference or persecution. We find this freedom in the First Amendment of the Constitution: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
These are sacred rights that God gives - not government, and believers should defend them as sacred. However, Jesus is clear that the world will reach a point where the world system will not tolerate Christians and the gospel. Why? Because we oppose the lawlessness of the world and the doctrine of demons, it promotes opposition. As the Apostle Paul tells Timothy, we are “the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.” (1 Timothy 3:15 ). We don’t make truth or define truth; we uphold God’s truth, something that is not tolerated in a post-modern world.
So as the New World Order promotes an agenda wrought with demonic doctrines such as transgenderism, homosexuality, abortion, child mutilation, and worship of the earth (aka climate change) - just to name a few - but the pesky Christians get in the way, you can expect to see a rise in persecutions. These agendas are globalist agendas seen in the highest levels of society. Thereby, conservative, Bible-believing Christians are now being labeled terrorists.
Earlier this year, a leaked FBI Document by a whistleblower revealed that the FBI was infiltrating Catholic Churches and Catholics who preferred Latin Mass. To understand this, you need to realize there are conservative Catholics who are deeply concerned with the progressive direction of the Church over the last several decades. One of the ways they are attempting to revert these principles is by returning to mass done in Latin.
"The FBI’s Richmond Division would like to protect Virginians from the threat of ‘white supremacy,’ which it believes has found a home within Catholics who prefer the Latin Mass," Seraphin reported for Uncover DC. "An intelligence analyst within the Richmond Field Office of the FBI released in a new finished intelligence product dated January 23, 2023, on Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists (RMVE) and their interests in ‘Radical-Traditionalist Catholics’ or RTCs."
We have heard of the FBI raiding people’s houses with dozens of agents armed with guns and rifles. Their crime? Praying outside an abortion clinic.
In other areas of the world, parents of children concerned about the content of their education show up at School Board Meetings to speak and are subsequently labeled domestic terrorists.
Down in Leesburg, at Cornerstone Chapel, the Church and its pastor, Gary Hamrick, are placed on a hit list for speaking out in support of traditional and biblical values when it comes to marriage and sexuality.
In London, a street preacher is spit on by transgenders, feminists, and rally participants, because he said, “Jesus loves you. Jesus will save you.”
In Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and other places around our country, people are arrested for preaching or reading the Bible outside LGBTQ rallies.
In Arizona, a school district disassociated itself from a Christian university by a vote of their board. The article from the New York Post reads, “Cat-ears-clad school board member says the district should not hire teachers from Christian university.” The article by Hannah Grossman of Fox News reveals that the Washington Elementary School District in Phoenix, Arizona, had held a five-year contract with Arizona Christian University for student-teacher placement. One of their three LGBTQ+ board members, Tamillia Valenzuela, blasted the university over its Christian beliefs and said their relationship with this Christian school disheartened her. (https://nypost.com/2023/03/03/school-board-member-blasts-contract-with-christian-college/)
In Canada, a pastor is arrested multiple times for refusing to back down from his position regarding LGBTQ agendas and drag queens.
In Finland, Päivi Räsänen, former Minister of the Interior, was charged for posting biblical passages and her view on marriage and sexuality.
These are increases in persecutions in a world where Christianity is already the number persecuted and Christians in many places like Nigeria, China, and North Korea, and now rising on that list is Mexico, ranked #38 in the world, according to Christianity Today (https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2023/january/christian-persecution-2023-countries-open-doors-watch-list.html)
What is really fascinating is that newagers have always known there would be a time when Christians would be Raptured. They look at it as the earth being cleansed and will be done by aliens. In her best-selling book, The Aquarian Conspiracy (1980), Marilyn Ferguson asserts that we can all soon look forward to a “New Age” of brotherly love, peace, understanding, and harmony in our world. This is supposed to happen when humanity experiences a paradigm shift in their thinking about themselves, God, society, and spirituality. George Trevelyan, founder of the Wrekin Trust (an educational charity), writes: “…to bring about this change in human consciousness, the cleansing of our planet is necessary.” (Source: raptureready.com). Now we know why we have such a surge in people talking about UFOs!
Jesus assured us that following him would come at a high cost and bring upon suffering into our lives. John 16:33 “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” These tribulations should not be confused with The Tribulation, which we are spared. Nor should we be distressed when facing ridicule or persecution for our faith; instead, the Bible tells us to rejoice. Even more, we can be assured that our redemption is near!
?But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:13–14)
This brings me to our study in Romans.
"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you." (Romans 1:8–10)
Paul was thankful for the good reputation of the church in Rome. Because of its location, this church had a special visibility and opportunity to glorify Jesus throughout the Empire. God positioned them to bring the Gospel to a difficult part of the world. And so, Paul opens with such a blessing to the readers of his letter. “I think God for you.” Why? Because their faith was known in all the world. Their faith was strong and withstanding tremendous persecution. Instead of backing down or appeasing the masses, they glorified Christ.
What an important reminder to all of us today that we should be encouragers to one another.
"give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Can you say you are thankful in all things? Yet, not only being thankful, are you “giving” thanks. There is a big difference. The difference is you can be thankful but yet ungrateful under your breath. Giving thanks is an outward expression. Paul could have picked apart all the things the church in Rome was doing. But instead, Paul chose to be an encourager.
Max Lucado tells about living as an American in Brazil. One day, as he was walking along the street on his way to the University to teach a class, he felt a tug on his pants leg. Turning around, he saw a little boy about 5 or 6 years old with dark, beady eyes and a dirty little face. The little boy looked up at the big American and said, "Bread, Sir."
He was a little beggar boy, and Lucado said, "There are always little beggar boys in the streets of Brazil. Usually, I turn away from them because there are so many, and you can’t feed them all. But there was something so compelling about this little boy that I couldn’t turn away. So, taking his hand, I said, `Come with me,’ and I took him into a coffee shop." Max told the owner, "I’ll have a cup of coffee and give the boy a piece of pastry…whatever he wants."
Since the coffee counter was at the other end of the store, Max walked on and got a cup of coffee, forgetting about the little boy because beggar boys usually get the bread and then run back out into the street and disappear.
But this one didn’t. After getting his pastry, he went over to the big American and stood there until Lucado felt his staring eyes. Lucado said, "I turned and looked at him. Standing up, his eyes just about hit my belt buckle. Then slowly, his eyes came up until they met mine. Holding his pastry in one hand, the little boy looked up and said, ‘Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.’”
Lucado said, "I was so touched by the boy’s thanks that I would have bought him the store. I sat there for another 30 minutes, late for my class, just thinking about a little beggar boy who came back and said, `Thank you.’"
Secondly, Paul prayed for the Church in Rome. Not only was the church in Rome a recipient of Paul’s appreciation, they were also a recipient of Paul’s prayers. “No wonder that they prospered so well when Paul always made mention of them in his prayers. Some churches would prosper better if some of you remembered them more in prayer.” (Spurgeon).
do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)
Ask yourself this: “Do I pray more than I worry?” Someone once said, "Pray when you feel like it, pray when you don’t feel like it, pray until you do feel like it." (Source: Sermon Central).
Even more so, we must pray for those who are leading our churches. The spiritual battle in our world is intensifying. Your pastors, those in leadership, and those in ministry are in active warfare that is constantly discouraging and full of spiritual attacks. I tell the mission team every year that the moment they make the decision to travel with me, the onslaught of attacks begins, and every year, they tell me the enemy proves them right!
Third, Paul was personally interested in the well-being of the Church.
"For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. (Romans 1:11–13)
Many times, people ask me why I’m so committed to going to Guinea-Bissau each year. The answer lies here in the Apostle’s words. There is something powerfully connected to being present with other believers. It is one thing to be an encourager. It is a great thing to pray for believers and church leaders. Spending time with someone with a blessing that cannot be given through words is a whole other thing.
You could say that Paul had a giving heart - unselfish. Now, a ‘spiritual gift’ is not an imparting of a spiritual gift like prophecy or wisdom like Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians. Those are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and only the Holy Spirit can impart His gifts to believers. It is a false teaching by some that they can lay their hands on you and transfer an anointing. Paul is contrasting the spiritual gift he provides with a material gift, specifically encouragement.
“One of the highest of human duties is the duty of encouragement… It is easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm; it is easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many times, a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man on his feet.” (Michael McCartney)
Encouragement is awesome. Think about it: It has the capacity to lift a man or woman's shoulders. To spark the flicker of a smile on the face of a discouraged child. To breathe fresh fire into the fading embers of a smoldering dream. Someone said, "We live by encouragement, and we die without it slowly, sadly, angrily." (Credit: Sermon Central).
But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13)
Ask yourself, are you someone who builds others up or pours water on their fires?
During the Vietnam War, there was a fighter pilot named Charles Plumb. He flew 75 missions off of the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. But on his 76th mission, his fighter jet was the target of a surface-to-air missile, and he needed to eject. His parachute deployed, and he floated safely to the ground behind enemy lines, where he was captured, and for six years, he was a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.
When the war was over, he was reunited with his family and became a successful businessman and a motivational speaker. One evening, he was having dinner when a man walked up and said, “Hey, you’re Charles Plumb, aren’t you?” Charles says, “That’s right. How do you know me?” The man said, “You don’t know this, but before every mission you flew, I was the man who packed your parachute. I guess it worked, didn’t it?” Charles Plumb said, “Yes, it did! I guess I am alive because of you.”
Later, he began to think about his days back on the Kitty Hawk, and he said there were probably times he saw that sailor, but he never once said, “Hello, or Good morning.” But it was because this guy cared enough to pack his parachute that he was alive. Then he started thinking about all the other people who influenced his life that also helped him survive. There were people who packed his emotional parachute, his relational parachute, and the parachute that gave him knowledge. Without all of those parachutes, he would never have survived, either. But perhaps the most important was those who packed his spiritual parachute. The pastors and Sunday School teachers who invested themselves in his spiritual well-being. (Credit: David Hykes, Sermon Central)
Who’s parachute are you packing today? Because sharing the gospel is not done through systems or processes. It is done through perseverance, prayer, and relationships. We need each other more than ever!
