What Our Faith Means – Romans 1:8-15
What Our Faith Means – Romans 1:8-15
September 3, 2006
by Pastor Lee Hemen
We all like to be encouraged. Many put a premium on encouraging others. So much so in fact that it is now a viable way to say you care about something or someone by just telling others you do. You know, kind of like the phony bumper stickers that say, “My Child Is An Honored Student.” What does that mean really? Or the ones that tell you to “Hug your kids.” The one I find really irritating is the one that states: “Be kind to Mother Earth.” What in the world does that mean? Am I supposed to bend down and kiss the dirt? Could I even possibly hug a planet? In my thinking there is nothing worse than phony effusion.
Gladly, Paul never did that with the people he dealt with. When we find him handing out complements, there were good reasons for doing so. For him, it often defined what faith was all about. In the eight verses we will look at this morning, we discover what faith meant to Paul. Virtually all of Paul’s messages are for the purpose of advancing God’s work and kingdom. He took seriously the Lord’s model prayer when Jesus said, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).” And Paul, like Jesus, was always about his Master’s business. When he saw others doing the same, he was quick to let them know of his pleasure of their expressions of faith. Let’s see for ourselves what our faith means as we look at the words of Paul.
READ: Romans 1:8-15
What would you like to be known for? Your house? Car? Attire? Perhaps your education or financial success? Well the Christians in Rome were known for something quite different than the proclivities of the world around them. They were known for their faith in Jesus Christ and their example can teach us what our faith means. This is why…
I. Paul thanked God for their faith (vv. 8-10)!
1. Faith encouraged is faith appreciated! Notice that the object of thanksgiving for Paul is God! Not merely as a creator and preserver, but as the one true God. And notice that Paul relates that He is “my God,” which acknowledges the personal relationship Paul enjoyed. It also points out Paul’s particular interest in that relationship. It expresses Paul’s knowledge of God and faith in Him, and demonstrates that what Paul did now, he did in total faith in God whom he trusted! Yet, the person through whom Paul’s thanks are given is Jesus Christ. There is no coming to God except through Jesus, nor is any other sacrifice either of prayer or praise acceptable without Him. All the Christian has is through Jesus. It is therefore reasonable that thanks should be returned by and through Him. The people that this thanksgiving was directed toward were all the saints (believers) at Rome. Not for their magnificent city, its fame, its power, its wealth, or grandeur but the simple fact that their personal faith was “being reported all over the world (v. 8).” This shows that the saints at Rome did not hide their faith but openly declared it to others around them! What courage! What faith! What a witness! Living in the heart of the enemy’s capital city where pagan hedonism and rampant sensuality reigned, these believers were known for their faith! Can you imagine it? No wonder Paul thanked God for these Christians and their faith!
EXAMPLE: Herbert Vander Lugt writes that “Many people associate ‘the good life’ with success, fame, and money. Yet a dying man who had it all told me that his life hadn't been worth the effort to attain his success. How different was my uncle Herb's attitude when he was dying! He was thankful and spoke of his many blessings. In his rich Dutch brogue, he quoted Psalm 34:11-14 as God's prescription for a good life. Most of his life he had worked at a low-paying job, and he owned only a car and a small house. He had remained single until he was 47 so he could care for his parents. When he did marry, he had no children, but he was greatly loved by his wife and the wider family circle. He was a favorite uncle to his nephews and nieces, and was so well-liked by the children in his neighborhood that after he died many came to the funeral home and cried by his casket.” What is the good life for you? For Paul it was a life of faith. That is why he thanked God for the faith of the Roman Christians. Do others around you thank God for your faith?
The fact that Paul cared deeply for the church at Rome is seen in his writing that “God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in 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 (vv. 9-10).” He tanked God for their faith and longed to be with them in order to support them in their witness. We discover what faith means as we learn that…
II. Paul longed to encourage their faith (vv. 11-13)!
1. Faith encouraged is strengthened faith! Paul certainly knew that God uses His people to encourage others. This is why he wrote the Roman Christians, “I long to see you,” because Paul knew physical contact with fellow believers facing persecution for their faith would help them both: “that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith!” Paul loved Christian fellowship. But Christian fellowship should be designed to encourage each other in Jesus so that we may be better servants for our Lord and Savior Jesus. Much of Christian fellowship can be worthless and little more than selfish socialization. Take for instance the Corinthian church where Paul admonished them by writing, “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good (1 Corinthians 11:17)!” He then went on to criticize their fellowships which instead of creating unity, caused divisions! Christian fellowship is not necessarily bad, but what determines real Christian fellowship is the motive of the heart. Paul longed to fellowship with them to “impart… some spiritual gift to make [them] strong” in their mutual faith! He had “planned many times” to visit them, but was “prevented from doing so until now.” He was headed in their direction one way or the other. Either freely or in chains. The latter would be true, but he wanted to come “in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.” He wanted to see the conversion of sinners, the edification of saints, and the fruitfulness of believers in their faith. This is why Paul longed to encourage their faith!
EXAMPLE: A man was invited to the home of some friends for dinner. The food was superb—except for the apple pie. Even so, he found something good to say about the pie. Several weeks later, the man visited the friends again for dinner. This time they had a cherry pie that was absolutely delicious. But the visitor didn't say one word about it. This bothered the hostess, so she finally blurted out, "The last time you were here, I served a pie that I was ashamed of, yet you were complimentary. Tonight I've served what I think is the best pie I've ever made, and you haven't said a word. Why?" The man smiled and replied, "The cherry pie tonight was fantastic, and the apple pie you served last time was not as good as this one. So you see, the apple pie needed more praise!" This is why Paul wrote, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:19-21).” This is why Paul longed to encourage their faith. How do you encourage other Christians?
Gill writes that “The apostle seems to allude to the casting of seed into the earth: Christ's ministers' are husbandmen, who sow the seed of the word, which lies some time under the clods; wherefore patience is necessary to wait its springing up, first in the blade, and then in the ear, then in the full corn in the ear, when it brings forth fruit; all which depend on the blessing of God.” I believe this to be partially true in that we are commanded to sow the seed of the gospel wherever we go. Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 literally means “as you go.” Paul understood this and it penetrated his faith practice. He was compelled. Indebted. He could not do otherwise, and as we look into these verse we also discover what our faith means as we read that…
III. Paul’s faith obligated him (vv. 14-15)!
1. Faith encouraged reminds us of our mission! Paul had a clear sense of his calling from God. He was called to minister to the gentiles, the non-Jews of his day (Acts 9:15). This calling, Paul felt, indebted him to “both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish (v. 14).” Literally Paul meant the cultured and the non-cultured, those wise about spiritual matters and those foolish about such things. Because of his past ideology as a Pharisaic Jew, he had viewed people as being in two camps: the Jew and the non-Jew. The ethnos or goyim and the “cultured” spiritual Hebrew. Paul was reminding his readers and himself of what the gospel was all about in the first place. “That is why,” Paul wrote, “I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.” The gospel message is foolishness to those who are perishing but it must be preached to the spiritually uncultured; for by such a message God has chosen to confound the culturally wise. Yet, even these He calls by His mercy and grace, while hiding the truth from the spiritually blinded wise and practical. However, the Gospel is plain and easy to understand for the uncultured and uncluttered mind, the children of God, those enlightened by the Spirit of God. Paul knew his mission and his faith obligated him to share the gospel message with everyone.
EXAMPLE: Mart De Hann writes “A shopper underestimated the total cost of her groceries. When the cashier added up the items, the woman was $4 short. Then something unusual happened. The man behind her in the checkout lane saw her digging through her purse and motioned to the clerk to put the amount on his bill. He modestly refused to give the woman his name. A few days later, the local newspaper reported that a charity organization had received a $4 check with the following note: ‘This check is for the man who helped me out of a tight spot. I came up with the idea of giving it to you as a thank-you to him.’ This incident illustrates a vital spiritual principle. We should feel an obligation to pass along to others the kindnesses shown to us. That's how the apostle Paul responded to God's mercy. Of course, he could never repay the Lord for salvation, but that didn't stop him from openly showing his gratitude. Because of what he had received, he showed the highest kind of charity—sharing the gospel with others. Let's not think that because we can't repay God for saving us, we owe Him nothing. We are indebted to Him for everything. The least we can do is show our appreciation by telling others about Him.” Paul’s faith obligated him to tell others, does yours?
Conclusion:
Paul thanked God for their faith, Paul longed to encourage their faith, and Paul’s faith obligated him!
September 3, 2006
by Pastor Lee Hemen
We all like to be encouraged. Many put a premium on encouraging others. So much so in fact that it is now a viable way to say you care about something or someone by just telling others you do. You know, kind of like the phony bumper stickers that say, “My Child Is An Honored Student.” What does that mean really? Or the ones that tell you to “Hug your kids.” The one I find really irritating is the one that states: “Be kind to Mother Earth.” What in the world does that mean? Am I supposed to bend down and kiss the dirt? Could I even possibly hug a planet? In my thinking there is nothing worse than phony effusion.
Gladly, Paul never did that with the people he dealt with. When we find him handing out complements, there were good reasons for doing so. For him, it often defined what faith was all about. In the eight verses we will look at this morning, we discover what faith meant to Paul. Virtually all of Paul’s messages are for the purpose of advancing God’s work and kingdom. He took seriously the Lord’s model prayer when Jesus said, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven (Matthew 6:10).” And Paul, like Jesus, was always about his Master’s business. When he saw others doing the same, he was quick to let them know of his pleasure of their expressions of faith. Let’s see for ourselves what our faith means as we look at the words of Paul.
READ: Romans 1:8-15
What would you like to be known for? Your house? Car? Attire? Perhaps your education or financial success? Well the Christians in Rome were known for something quite different than the proclivities of the world around them. They were known for their faith in Jesus Christ and their example can teach us what our faith means. This is why…
I. Paul thanked God for their faith (vv. 8-10)!
1. Faith encouraged is faith appreciated! Notice that the object of thanksgiving for Paul is God! Not merely as a creator and preserver, but as the one true God. And notice that Paul relates that He is “my God,” which acknowledges the personal relationship Paul enjoyed. It also points out Paul’s particular interest in that relationship. It expresses Paul’s knowledge of God and faith in Him, and demonstrates that what Paul did now, he did in total faith in God whom he trusted! Yet, the person through whom Paul’s thanks are given is Jesus Christ. There is no coming to God except through Jesus, nor is any other sacrifice either of prayer or praise acceptable without Him. All the Christian has is through Jesus. It is therefore reasonable that thanks should be returned by and through Him. The people that this thanksgiving was directed toward were all the saints (believers) at Rome. Not for their magnificent city, its fame, its power, its wealth, or grandeur but the simple fact that their personal faith was “being reported all over the world (v. 8).” This shows that the saints at Rome did not hide their faith but openly declared it to others around them! What courage! What faith! What a witness! Living in the heart of the enemy’s capital city where pagan hedonism and rampant sensuality reigned, these believers were known for their faith! Can you imagine it? No wonder Paul thanked God for these Christians and their faith!
EXAMPLE: Herbert Vander Lugt writes that “Many people associate ‘the good life’ with success, fame, and money. Yet a dying man who had it all told me that his life hadn't been worth the effort to attain his success. How different was my uncle Herb's attitude when he was dying! He was thankful and spoke of his many blessings. In his rich Dutch brogue, he quoted Psalm 34:11-14 as God's prescription for a good life. Most of his life he had worked at a low-paying job, and he owned only a car and a small house. He had remained single until he was 47 so he could care for his parents. When he did marry, he had no children, but he was greatly loved by his wife and the wider family circle. He was a favorite uncle to his nephews and nieces, and was so well-liked by the children in his neighborhood that after he died many came to the funeral home and cried by his casket.” What is the good life for you? For Paul it was a life of faith. That is why he thanked God for the faith of the Roman Christians. Do others around you thank God for your faith?
The fact that Paul cared deeply for the church at Rome is seen in his writing that “God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in 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 (vv. 9-10).” He tanked God for their faith and longed to be with them in order to support them in their witness. We discover what faith means as we learn that…
II. Paul longed to encourage their faith (vv. 11-13)!
1. Faith encouraged is strengthened faith! Paul certainly knew that God uses His people to encourage others. This is why he wrote the Roman Christians, “I long to see you,” because Paul knew physical contact with fellow believers facing persecution for their faith would help them both: “that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith!” Paul loved Christian fellowship. But Christian fellowship should be designed to encourage each other in Jesus so that we may be better servants for our Lord and Savior Jesus. Much of Christian fellowship can be worthless and little more than selfish socialization. Take for instance the Corinthian church where Paul admonished them by writing, “In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good (1 Corinthians 11:17)!” He then went on to criticize their fellowships which instead of creating unity, caused divisions! Christian fellowship is not necessarily bad, but what determines real Christian fellowship is the motive of the heart. Paul longed to fellowship with them to “impart… some spiritual gift to make [them] strong” in their mutual faith! He had “planned many times” to visit them, but was “prevented from doing so until now.” He was headed in their direction one way or the other. Either freely or in chains. The latter would be true, but he wanted to come “in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.” He wanted to see the conversion of sinners, the edification of saints, and the fruitfulness of believers in their faith. This is why Paul longed to encourage their faith!
EXAMPLE: A man was invited to the home of some friends for dinner. The food was superb—except for the apple pie. Even so, he found something good to say about the pie. Several weeks later, the man visited the friends again for dinner. This time they had a cherry pie that was absolutely delicious. But the visitor didn't say one word about it. This bothered the hostess, so she finally blurted out, "The last time you were here, I served a pie that I was ashamed of, yet you were complimentary. Tonight I've served what I think is the best pie I've ever made, and you haven't said a word. Why?" The man smiled and replied, "The cherry pie tonight was fantastic, and the apple pie you served last time was not as good as this one. So you see, the apple pie needed more praise!" This is why Paul wrote, “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:19-21).” This is why Paul longed to encourage their faith. How do you encourage other Christians?
Gill writes that “The apostle seems to allude to the casting of seed into the earth: Christ's ministers' are husbandmen, who sow the seed of the word, which lies some time under the clods; wherefore patience is necessary to wait its springing up, first in the blade, and then in the ear, then in the full corn in the ear, when it brings forth fruit; all which depend on the blessing of God.” I believe this to be partially true in that we are commanded to sow the seed of the gospel wherever we go. Jesus’ command in Matthew 28:19 literally means “as you go.” Paul understood this and it penetrated his faith practice. He was compelled. Indebted. He could not do otherwise, and as we look into these verse we also discover what our faith means as we read that…
III. Paul’s faith obligated him (vv. 14-15)!
1. Faith encouraged reminds us of our mission! Paul had a clear sense of his calling from God. He was called to minister to the gentiles, the non-Jews of his day (Acts 9:15). This calling, Paul felt, indebted him to “both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish (v. 14).” Literally Paul meant the cultured and the non-cultured, those wise about spiritual matters and those foolish about such things. Because of his past ideology as a Pharisaic Jew, he had viewed people as being in two camps: the Jew and the non-Jew. The ethnos or goyim and the “cultured” spiritual Hebrew. Paul was reminding his readers and himself of what the gospel was all about in the first place. “That is why,” Paul wrote, “I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.” The gospel message is foolishness to those who are perishing but it must be preached to the spiritually uncultured; for by such a message God has chosen to confound the culturally wise. Yet, even these He calls by His mercy and grace, while hiding the truth from the spiritually blinded wise and practical. However, the Gospel is plain and easy to understand for the uncultured and uncluttered mind, the children of God, those enlightened by the Spirit of God. Paul knew his mission and his faith obligated him to share the gospel message with everyone.
EXAMPLE: Mart De Hann writes “A shopper underestimated the total cost of her groceries. When the cashier added up the items, the woman was $4 short. Then something unusual happened. The man behind her in the checkout lane saw her digging through her purse and motioned to the clerk to put the amount on his bill. He modestly refused to give the woman his name. A few days later, the local newspaper reported that a charity organization had received a $4 check with the following note: ‘This check is for the man who helped me out of a tight spot. I came up with the idea of giving it to you as a thank-you to him.’ This incident illustrates a vital spiritual principle. We should feel an obligation to pass along to others the kindnesses shown to us. That's how the apostle Paul responded to God's mercy. Of course, he could never repay the Lord for salvation, but that didn't stop him from openly showing his gratitude. Because of what he had received, he showed the highest kind of charity—sharing the gospel with others. Let's not think that because we can't repay God for saving us, we owe Him nothing. We are indebted to Him for everything. The least we can do is show our appreciation by telling others about Him.” Paul’s faith obligated him to tell others, does yours?
Conclusion:
Paul thanked God for their faith, Paul longed to encourage their faith, and Paul’s faith obligated him!
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