Romans 15:14-33

14I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another. 15I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me 16to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with 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.

17Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18I 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— 19by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. 20It 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. 21Rather, as it is written:

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

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

23But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.

30I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33The God of peace be with you all. Amen. (NIV)

Main Points

1. God alone is to be glorified whenever people come to faith, and then to maturity in their faith. Such mighty works are only possible by his grace and power (vv. 14-22).

- "full of goodness" (v. 14) - should not be understood to mean that the Roman Christians were inherently good, and worthy of God's favour - that would contradict Paul's clear teaching about all of humanity's estrangement from God because of its sin (Rom 1:18-3:20). Rather, Paul is referring to the mature Christian character that the Holy Spirit has worked into the Roman church, ever since they came to faith. In the book of Acts, Luke the doctor describes Barnabas in a similar way (Acts 11:22-24).

- The end-view of God's grace is our sacrificial service to Him (v. 16, Rom 12:1); we are not to receive his grace and remain unchanged (1 Co 15:10)!

- Paul provides a good model for everyone involved in Christian ministry by how he speaks of his own work: he neither brags about himself, nor does he malign his efforts. Rather, he speaks only of "what Christ has accomplished through me" (v. 19).

- Paul's "ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known" is a reminder for the church - in its planning, strategizing and sending of missionaries - to give priority to "frontier missions", for it only once the gospel has been preached to all nations that Christ will return (Mt 24:14; Mk 13:10).

2. As Paul reveals his plan to visit Rome (to set up a support-base for his mission to Spain), we see how dependent he is on the church for fellowship, support, and prayer. Therefore, the work of missions is truly the work of the church - not just missionaries (vv. 23-33).

- Note how Paul eagerly anticipates seeing them, and taking pleasure in their company (vv. 23-25). This should our attitude towards one another as Christians (Ps 16:3; Ps 133; 1 Th 2:8; 3 Jn 13-14)

- Note how Paul admits how much he needs them and their support (v. 24). Presumably this includes monetary and material support, since he acknowledges - just a few verses later - how some Gentile churches are helping Jewish Christians in these specific ways (vv. 26-27). Likewise, we need to provide material support to fellow Christians in need (Rom 12:13; Mt 25:31-46; Jas 2:14-17; 1 Jn 3:16-20), as well as encouragement to them (Eph 4:29).

- Finally, note how Paul needs their prayers. He knows that prayer is the means by which God moves to spread the good news of the gospel (Col 4:2-4) and delivers His messengers from peril (2 Co 1:8-11; Php 1:15-20). The church must take this to heart, and so offer up petitions to God for today's Christian missionaries around the world.