The Driving Force of Spiritual Debt-I—Romans 1:8-17
Need:
Paul related to the Christian church in Rome, his keen sense of spiritual indebtedness.
A keen sense of spiritual indebtedness drives the emissary/delegate/messenger of God.
To What does a keen sense of spiritual indebtedness drive the Christian?
12 products of a keen sense of spiritual indebtedness.
“Apostle”—See:1—?????????—A delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders.
1—Spiritual indebtedness drives God’s messenger to...
SUSTAINED GRATITUDE(:8)
Explanation:(:8)
:8—“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
—Paul thanks the Lord specifically because God has granted the Roman church unto his charge.
—Paul is thankful for all the Christian church at Rome primarily because their “faith” is the object of open declaration “throughout the whole world.”
Thus their faith must have been noteworthy.
?What is noteworthy or declarative faith?
“First”—??????—First in time or place; First in rank; First, at the first.
“Thank”—??????????—To be grateful, feel thankful; give thanks.
“Faith”—See :17—??????—Conviction the truth of anything, belief; Fidelity, faithfulness.
“Spoken of/Proclaimed”—??????????—To announce, declare, promulgate, make known; To proclaim publically, publish; To denounce, report, betray.
“World”—??????—The inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family; The ungodly multitude, the mass of men alienated from God & therefore hostile to the cause of Christ; The world, the universe; The earth. Has very frequently an unfavorable meaning.
—Argumentation:
1Thess. 5:18—“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
1Cor. 15:57—“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Ps. 107:1—“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
Ps. 107:8, 15, 21, 31—“Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!”
—Illustration:
Savannah’s ‘Clyde Bruner’s Krispy Chick’/Supplied ice free to citizens of Savannah w/o electricity after hurricane/Anna Boyette never forgot generosity/SUSTAINED GRATITUDE
—Application:
?Your Spiritual indebtedness produce SUSTAINED GRATITUDE?
?You have a keen sense of Spiritual Indebtedness to the Lord?
—2—Spiritual indebtedness drives God’s messenger to...
SUSTAINED HONESTY(:9a)
Explanation:(:9a) Openness/Transparency
:9—“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,”
Paul serves God by ministering to the church thru local churches.
Paul feels as if he has a need to convince the Romans of his faithfulness to them. They need to understand that “God” Himself is the “witness” not only to Paul’s thankfulness(:8) but particularly & especially to his prayerfulness regarding his concern for the Roman Christians. He is dedicated to lifting them before God in prayer. Having God as his witness is bolstered by the fact that Paul states that he “serves” God. & that his service to God is “with my spirit.”—His very spriti is stirred to give himself in the full context of “the gospel of” God’s very Son—Jesus Christ. Paul “makes mention” of them in his prayers “without ceasing.”
“Witness”—??????—A witness in a legal, historical, or ethical sense.
—Argumentation:
Lev. 19:35-36—“‘You shall do no injustice in judgment, in measurement of length, weight, or volume. ‘You shall have honest scales, honest weights, an honest ephah, & an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.”
Deut. 25:13-15—““You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy & a light. “You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large & a small. “You shall have a perfect & just weight, a perfect & just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD your God is giving you. “For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the LORD your God.”
Ps. 32:2—“Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no deceit.”
Gen. 3:13—“And the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, & I ate.””
1Tim. 3:7—“Moreover he[overseer] must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.”
—Illustration:
Dsddy’s dental practice/Honesty his policy/Loyal clientele/SUSTAINED HONESTY
—Application:
?Your Spiritual indebtedness produce SUSTAINED HONESTY?
?You have a keen sense of Spiritual Indebtedness to the Lord?
3—Spiritual indebtedness drives God’s messenger to...
SUSTAINED SERVICE(:9b)
Explanation:(:9b)
:9—“For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,”
—Paul serves God by ministering to the church thru local churches.
“Serve”—???????—To serve for hire; To serve, minister to either to the gods or men & used alike of slaves & freemen.
“With my spirit”—That which animates me to action. When my spirit is stirred by God’s Holy Spirit.
—‘When the spirit moves me, I’ll wash the dishes.’
—‘When the spirit moves me, I’ll clean the garage.’
—Argumentation:
Josh. 24:15—“And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me & my house, we will serve the LORD.”
Rev. 7:9-15—“After these things I looked, & behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, & tongues, standing before the throne & before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, & crying out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, & to the Lamb!” All the angels stood around the throne & the elders & the four living creatures, & fell on their faces before the throne & worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Blessing & glory & wisdom, Thanksgiving & honor & power & might, Be to our God forever & ever. Amen.” Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, & where did they come from?” And I said to him, “Sir, you know.” So he said to me, “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, & washed their robes & made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “Therefore they are before the throne of God, & serve Him day & night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them.”
Rev. 22:1-5—“And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God & of the Lamb. In the middle of its street, & on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God & of the Lamb shall be in it, & His servants shall serve Him. They shall see His face, & His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever & ever.”
Col. 3:22-24—“Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord & not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
—Illustration:
Refrigerator/Gives SUSTAINED SERVICE
My mom & dad/My obedience to their wishes/Borne of their love for me/SUSTAINED SERVICE
—Application:
?Your Spiritual indebtedness produce SUSTAINED SERVICE?
?You have a keen sense of Spiritual Indebtedness to the Lord?
—CONCLUSION—
Action:
Spiritual indebtedness drives God’s messenger to...
SUSTAINED GRATITUDE(:8)
SUSTAINED HONESTY(:9a)
SUSTAINED SERVICE(:9b)
Presented 04/24/05am to:
Richland Baptist Church
40510 Stewart Rd.
Zephyrhills, FL 33540
