1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,120 Someday, I want to meet the man who wrote this letter that we've been studying. 2 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:13,320 The Apostle Paul was quite a man. 3 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:22,280 As we come to our text today in Romans chapter 15, he has finished writing the major content 4 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,140 of the epistle. 5 00:00:26,140 --> 00:00:31,720 By way of review, may I remind you that the theme of this book that we've been studying 6 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:40,680 has been the righteousness of God, or another way of putting it, how to be right with God. 7 00:00:40,680 --> 00:00:47,080 The Apostle Paul has dealt with this theme of God's righteousness by examining it both 8 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:51,480 doctrinally and practically. 9 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:58,040 Traditionally speaking, he has explained to us that all men stand in need of righteousness 10 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:02,360 with God, that is, being made right with God. 11 00:01:02,360 --> 00:01:09,640 And that God has provided this righteousness through Christ's sacrifice. 12 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:16,720 And that when the sinner repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ, by that act of 13 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:25,520 faith, not only is he forgiven of his sins, but at that same time God also gives to that 14 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:32,680 new believer perfect righteousness, a new standing before God. 15 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:36,440 We call that justification. 16 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:44,840 And this justification results in right living, made possible by the union that we have with 17 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:52,000 Jesus Christ, Romans chapters 6 and 7, and by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, chapter 18 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:53,000 8. 19 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:59,120 And then in the last part of the book he explains to us how that righteousness of God, practically 20 00:01:59,120 --> 00:02:09,320 speaking, is lived out in the life, in our relationships with other believers, with persecutors, 21 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:17,400 with authorities, with neighbors, and finally with weaker brothers in Christ. 22 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:24,760 Now he comes to his concluding remarks beginning in chapter 15 verse 14. 23 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:32,660 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are 24 00:02:32,660 --> 00:02:41,320 full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able also to admonish one another. 25 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:47,320 But I have written very boldly to you on some point, so as to remind you again, because 26 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:55,760 of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, 27 00:02:55,760 --> 00:03:02,720 registering as a priest the gospel of God, that my offering of the Gentiles might become 28 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:07,320 acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 29 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:14,880 Therefore, in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God, 30 00:03:14,880 --> 00:03:20,680 for I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through 31 00:03:20,680 --> 00:03:29,080 me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and 32 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:35,440 wonders, in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and round about as 33 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:41,020 far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 34 00:03:41,020 --> 00:03:47,280 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, that I might 35 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,920 not build upon another man's foundation. 36 00:03:50,920 --> 00:03:58,640 But as it is written, they who had no news of him shall see, and they who have not heard 37 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:01,700 shall understand. 38 00:04:01,700 --> 00:04:08,480 And so the Apostle has completed his theological introduction of himself to these believers 39 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:11,000 who had never met him. 40 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:17,520 And now in conclusion he returns full circle to his personal remarks. 41 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:23,280 You will recall that in chapter 1 the first 17 verses as we divide the chapter are given 42 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:26,800 to those personal remarks as well. 43 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:31,020 Here however he reverses the initial order of topics. 44 00:04:31,020 --> 00:04:37,240 In chapter 1 he first talked about Christ and the gospel message. 45 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:43,240 Then he gave personal greetings, which were followed by an expression of his desire to 46 00:04:43,240 --> 00:04:50,400 visit Rome, along with a word regarding his own personal ministry. 47 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:56,660 Here he reverses that and first talks about his own desire to visit them and the ministry 48 00:04:56,660 --> 00:04:59,180 that God has given him. 49 00:04:59,180 --> 00:05:03,980 That is followed then in chapter 16, most of the chapters, as a matter of fact, by personal 50 00:05:03,980 --> 00:05:12,640 greetings and then he concludes with a final word about Jesus Christ and the saving gospel. 51 00:05:12,640 --> 00:05:20,880 Paul wants these believers who have never met him to know him and to trust him. 52 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:27,960 And therefore he expresses himself very freely regarding his calling and his own heart for 53 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:28,960 them. 54 00:05:28,960 --> 00:05:35,480 He gives three explanations in the text that we have read today to accomplish that, that 55 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:42,320 they might understand who he is and how much he is concerned for them. 56 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:46,560 The first explanation is regarding his letter. 57 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:52,200 It serves as a reminder and we see this in verses 14 and 15, at least the first part 58 00:05:52,200 --> 00:05:53,840 of the verse. 59 00:05:53,840 --> 00:06:01,600 He says in verse 15, for example, I have written very boldly to you on some points. 60 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:08,080 Now, exactly which points Paul had in mind, we're not sure, but certainly these last 61 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:15,720 few verses that we've been discussing together could not be more pointed, more filled with 62 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:19,280 concern for them. 63 00:06:19,280 --> 00:06:25,080 These surely must be among those rather strong points that Paul wanted to get across in this 64 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:26,080 letter. 65 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:31,480 Now, the way he writes this, he says, I have done this so as to remind you again, and that 66 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:37,440 is a strong way of expressing the fact that they should have known these things already. 67 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:42,800 But he says, now I'm coming back to express these things so that I can be sure that you 68 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:50,640 understand them, and not only that, but be sure also that you will practice these things. 69 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,600 Now, we all need that occasionally, don't we? 70 00:06:54,600 --> 00:07:00,480 You parents understand what that's like, don't you, to remind your children? 71 00:07:00,480 --> 00:07:04,840 How many parents here today have reminded your children of something they already knew 72 00:07:04,840 --> 00:07:05,840 this past week? 73 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:07,400 Would you lift your hand? 74 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,600 Well, we probably have unanimity on that. 75 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:13,480 And that's not surprising, is it? 76 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:18,880 Because children learn by repetition, by being reminded, and sometimes we get very weary 77 00:07:18,880 --> 00:07:23,760 in reminding them of the simple things, don't we? 78 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:29,940 The apostle says, I am going back over this again, I'm reminding you again of this truth. 79 00:07:29,940 --> 00:07:36,640 Not only are children in need of repetition, but we adults are too, aren't we? 80 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:39,640 And that's why there are some things said over and over again in the Bible. 81 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:44,120 When you see something repeated over and over again, you know that that is something very 82 00:07:44,120 --> 00:07:48,160 important that God wants you to understand and practice. 83 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:52,560 Paul says, I have written this letter as a reminder to you, and in verse 14 he does something 84 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:53,840 kind of interesting. 85 00:07:53,840 --> 00:08:01,360 He commends them, and I think it's a genuine compliment, it's not something that is ingenuine. 86 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,920 He's not trying to butter them up here by an empty compliment. 87 00:08:05,920 --> 00:08:10,120 He had some justification, obviously, for saying what he does. 88 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:17,400 He says, I'm convinced that you are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able 89 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,520 to admonish one another. 90 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,560 Now, isn't that interesting? 91 00:08:22,560 --> 00:08:30,180 He has said to us thus far in chapters 14 and 15 that we are to accept one another, 92 00:08:30,180 --> 00:08:35,800 and we are to build up one another, and we are to please one another. 93 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:42,360 But now he comes around the back side and he says, not only that, you're also to admonish 94 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:43,360 one another. 95 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:44,360 What does that word mean? 96 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:49,160 Well, it's a word that means to warn. 97 00:08:49,160 --> 00:08:51,520 It means to correct. 98 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,760 It means to instruct or to counsel. 99 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:02,720 And so not only are we to accept one another, especially the weaker brother, not only are 100 00:09:02,720 --> 00:09:09,360 we to build up others and to do what pleases them for their good, that they might be built 101 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:19,200 up, but we are also, when the occasion warrants, to warn them and to counsel them. 102 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:25,840 Now, a lot of us would rather do the accepting and the building up than the warning, because 103 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:35,160 when we do that we run certain risks, primarily that we may lose a friend or be misunderstood 104 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:36,160 or not appreciated. 105 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:38,080 And you know what? 106 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:42,720 That may be true, at least for a while. 107 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:49,720 It may be that we won't be understood in our words of correction or admonition. 108 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:56,080 It may be that the warning will strike the other person initially as presumptuous on 109 00:09:56,080 --> 00:09:59,680 our part or maybe arrogant. 110 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:03,380 God forbid that it should be so, but it may strike the other person that way. 111 00:10:03,380 --> 00:10:08,520 And so he responds brusquely. 112 00:10:08,520 --> 00:10:13,040 We don't like the idea of admonishing one another, but I tell you that that is just 113 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,000 as important as the other one another's that we've seen. 114 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:23,200 Now, if we're going to admonish one another, and Paul instructs the Romans, he reminds 115 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:24,960 them there to do that. 116 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:29,280 If we are going to do that, there are a couple of qualities that better be in our lives, 117 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,080 and they're given in verse 14. 118 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:36,560 In the first place, we had better be full of goodness. 119 00:10:36,560 --> 00:10:39,680 That word goodness means kind activity. 120 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:42,040 We should be noted for that. 121 00:10:42,040 --> 00:10:47,320 But it also implies a certain sternness about it. 122 00:10:47,320 --> 00:10:54,180 In other words, we will be kind, full of goodness, and yet in such a way that it's for the good 123 00:10:54,180 --> 00:10:55,180 of the other person. 124 00:10:55,180 --> 00:11:01,040 We are not going to do something the other person calls good if it will ultimately harm 125 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:02,040 him. 126 00:11:02,040 --> 00:11:03,440 That's the idea. 127 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:09,880 We are full of what is true goodness, seeking the other person's welfare in the ultimate 128 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:15,160 sense, not what may please him in the immediate. 129 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:20,520 There are some times when we could say to someone in the immediate sense a certain thing 130 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:21,840 that would tickle his ears. 131 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:24,880 He would love to hear that. 132 00:11:24,880 --> 00:11:31,160 And yet if we say that, we're being really dishonest, and that's not good. 133 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:41,240 We may have to say something that's even a little harsh, that's a warning in order to 134 00:11:41,240 --> 00:11:44,160 save that person down the road from a pitfall. 135 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:50,560 Now that's true goodness, and that's the kind of goodness he's talking about here. 136 00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:56,600 If you and I are going to be a counselor in the sense of an admonisher, then we have to 137 00:11:56,600 --> 00:12:05,240 be full of a balanced kind of goodness. 138 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:09,800 Not only so, but we have to also be filled with all knowledge. 139 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:11,200 Now what kind of knowledge is this? 140 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,120 Well, I've taken it a couple of ways. 141 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:18,820 I think first of all, before we go to a person to warn them, we had better know the facts 142 00:12:18,820 --> 00:12:23,920 of his case. 143 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:27,360 Have you ever made the mistake of going to a person to try to correct him and then find 144 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:32,160 out you did not know everything there was to know and you found you were really out 145 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:34,920 of step, out of line in going to that person? 146 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:36,880 I have. 147 00:12:36,880 --> 00:12:40,680 When you do that once, you learn a lesson. 148 00:12:40,680 --> 00:12:41,680 It's not very fun. 149 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:44,000 It's not comfortable. 150 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:50,160 And it's underscored in your life and reinforced in your life to make sure you have the facts 151 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:55,280 of the case before you go to that brother, be filled with that knowledge. 152 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,720 But also we need to be filled with a knowledge of what the Word of God says about what that 153 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:04,560 person is doing or is involved in or is thinking about. 154 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:08,760 We better be sure we understand what the Word of God says before we go to the brother to 155 00:13:08,760 --> 00:13:11,280 try to warn him. 156 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:16,040 It just could be he knows more than we do. 157 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:22,600 So we are encouraged, we are exhorted, we are reminded here to admonish one another 158 00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:30,520 and to do it being filled with a true, balanced goodness and filled with knowledge. 159 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:36,240 And if we have those qualities, we can follow through in what we're told to do. 160 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:42,400 When was the last time you admonished someone? 161 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:50,960 You went to someone and warned that person or counseled that person or corrected that 162 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:54,280 person? 163 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:59,360 Perhaps another kind of knowledge that would be good for us to experience first is knowledge 164 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:01,760 of ourselves. 165 00:14:01,760 --> 00:14:07,440 To be sure that as we warn the other person that we ourselves are not involved in something 166 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:12,280 that is equally as dangerous. 167 00:14:12,280 --> 00:14:18,360 We need to be sure that the beam is out of our own eye before we go to our brother to 168 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:23,400 help him remove the speck that is in his. 169 00:14:23,400 --> 00:14:27,840 So the apostle first of all explains this letter. 170 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:32,240 He wants to stir them up to balanced Christian living. 171 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:36,600 He wants to remind them of things that they have heard before but really have not put 172 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:37,600 into practice. 173 00:14:37,600 --> 00:14:40,400 And frankly, that's who I'm talking to this morning too. 174 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:44,000 Some of you who have heard the word of God but really haven't gotten to the point of 175 00:14:44,000 --> 00:14:46,040 practicing it in your lives. 176 00:14:46,040 --> 00:14:49,960 May I encourage you to do that. 177 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:56,360 In accepting one another and building up one another and pleasing one another and in admonishing, 178 00:14:56,360 --> 00:14:59,320 warning one another. 179 00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:05,840 I have had people on occasion come to me with words of admonition. 180 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:12,480 And frankly, there have been times when initially I did not respond in the most positive manner. 181 00:15:12,480 --> 00:15:16,840 I have that capability. 182 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:20,920 And I don't mind admitting that because you have that capability too. 183 00:15:20,920 --> 00:15:28,120 But later I've come back to appreciate what that person had to say to me. 184 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:31,960 I would rather talk about the times when I immediately saw what the person was warning 185 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:36,160 me about and trying to correct me regarding. 186 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,160 There have been a few of those times too. 187 00:15:39,160 --> 00:15:46,560 So let's be admonishers and let's be willing to be admonished in the right spirit. 188 00:15:46,560 --> 00:15:50,840 Now as we move down to the last part of verse 15, the apostle explains something else so 189 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:55,240 that they can understand him and his heart for them. 190 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,200 He explains his ministry. 191 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,720 Basically he calls his ministry here a priesthood. 192 00:16:01,720 --> 00:16:07,840 He says his ministry was given to him by grace, grace from God. 193 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:15,380 After all, here was a man who was a blasphemer, who was a person who injured Christians. 194 00:16:15,380 --> 00:16:21,080 Here was a man who threw believers into jail, a man who held the coats of those who stoned 195 00:16:21,080 --> 00:16:24,900 to death, Stephen, the first martyr. 196 00:16:24,900 --> 00:16:28,320 And now he is the leading apostle. 197 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:33,760 And Paul says quickly, it was by grace that God gave me this ministry. 198 00:16:33,760 --> 00:16:41,880 My friend, it's always by grace that God allows us to do something in His service. 199 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,320 Let's always remember that. 200 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:50,040 We don't do things for God because we deserve to do them or because somehow we are especially 201 00:16:50,040 --> 00:16:53,600 qualified by natural ability or education. 202 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:57,800 But anything that we do for God is by grace. 203 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:02,600 And if we have that attitude going in, God will be able to use us. 204 00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:05,560 What was it that God by grace allowed Paul to do? 205 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:10,280 Well, he says it was to be a minister of Christ Jesus. 206 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:11,960 We look at verse 16 a minute. 207 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:19,040 There are four words or phrases in this verse which give it a priesthood kind of emphasis. 208 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:27,180 In the first place, this word minister, a minister of Jesus Christ, is a word that has to do 209 00:17:27,180 --> 00:17:31,640 with one who served in the temple in worshiping God. 210 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:37,360 It's a special Greek word, not just a typical word for a servant. 211 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:41,360 He calls himself a priestly minister of Jesus Christ. 212 00:17:41,360 --> 00:17:44,920 And then he says he is ministering as a priest. 213 00:17:44,920 --> 00:17:47,780 That is one verb in the original language. 214 00:17:47,780 --> 00:17:50,140 It's only used here in the New Testament. 215 00:17:50,140 --> 00:17:53,640 So he continues that theme of priesthood. 216 00:17:53,640 --> 00:17:57,480 And then he talks about his offering of the Gentiles. 217 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:58,480 Notice that? 218 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:04,280 And finally he says it's sanctified by the Holy Spirit, which is a term used in the temple 219 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:09,040 of those things set apart for holy or sacred use. 220 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:17,400 And so in this verse, the apostle describes his ministry as that of a priest. 221 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:26,440 We must remember that priests are not a special class of Christians, but every true believer 222 00:18:26,440 --> 00:18:28,960 is a priest. 223 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:36,400 We are a part of God's kingdom of priests, according to Revelation chapter 1 and Revelation 224 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,400 chapter 5. 225 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:49,080 The apostle says that he was a priest, and he pictures himself here ministering Jesus 226 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,840 Christ to the Gentiles. 227 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,960 Will you please tuck in the back of your mind, because this will help you in your Bible study, 228 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:03,920 that the apostle Paul was the minister of Jesus Christ primarily to what group? 229 00:19:03,920 --> 00:19:06,520 The Gentiles. 230 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:09,960 Minister was primarily the gospel to whom? 231 00:19:09,960 --> 00:19:12,120 The Jews. 232 00:19:12,120 --> 00:19:16,920 You see that illustrated beautifully in the book of Acts, whereas the book of Acts begins. 233 00:19:16,920 --> 00:19:21,760 And remember, the book of Acts is a transitional book. 234 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:28,440 If you go back to the book of Acts and plant your doctrine solely on verses from that book, 235 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:32,760 you will be messed up in your doctrine, I'll guarantee you. 236 00:19:32,760 --> 00:19:37,440 You have to have verses from the epistles as well to corroborate with verses from the 237 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:41,680 book of Acts, because you see the book of Acts is a transitional book. 238 00:19:41,680 --> 00:19:47,280 It's a bridge book from Israel to the church. 239 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:52,360 As the book of Acts begins, it's all Jews, they're in Jerusalem, they're at the temple, 240 00:19:52,360 --> 00:19:55,440 and Peter is preaching. 241 00:19:55,440 --> 00:20:03,600 But as the book progresses, it becomes more and more Gentile and less and less Jewish. 242 00:20:03,600 --> 00:20:14,640 And the center of activity moves from Jerusalem to Antioch in Syria, a Gentile church, Paul's 243 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:19,200 home church that sent him out on his missionary journeys. 244 00:20:19,200 --> 00:20:29,000 And the leading figure moves from Peter in chapters 1 through 7 to Paul in chapters 13 245 00:20:29,000 --> 00:20:31,740 through 28. 246 00:20:31,740 --> 00:20:37,000 You see the apostle Paul being saved in Acts chapter 9. 247 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:41,320 And from that point on, he begins to dominate the whole book. 248 00:20:41,320 --> 00:20:46,440 You see the book of Acts is a transitional book. 249 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:52,720 And the gospel of Jesus Christ, while it started with the Jews first, went on to the Gentiles. 250 00:20:52,720 --> 00:21:01,920 And primarily, it is God's purpose in this age in which we are living to save Gentiles. 251 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:08,080 Now there are Jews saved as well, but the church of Jesus Christ is primarily a Gentile 252 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:13,160 church, non-Jewish church. 253 00:21:13,160 --> 00:21:17,800 And the apostle Paul is the apostle of the church. 254 00:21:17,800 --> 00:21:25,040 He is the one who proclaimed the gospel to the Gentiles and took it throughout the Roman 255 00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:26,040 Empire. 256 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:31,480 Now he says that he is ministering as a priest, the gospel of God. 257 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:34,300 That is an interesting thought. 258 00:21:34,300 --> 00:21:42,520 We normally think of a priest as being one who stands between the people and God, offering 259 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:47,720 up sacrifices on behalf of the people. 260 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:55,000 And yet the apostle says here that he is ministering as a priest the gospel of God to people. 261 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,720 Here I think is the thought of it. 262 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:04,080 In the Old Testament, in Israel, the priesthood was involved in taking the sacrifices from 263 00:22:04,080 --> 00:22:10,040 the people and presenting them to God. 264 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,100 Our priesthood is just a little different. 265 00:22:13,100 --> 00:22:20,360 We stand between the mass of humanity and God as priests, but the idea is that we take 266 00:22:20,360 --> 00:22:28,800 the message of God's once-for-all sacrifice at the cross and we present it to the people. 267 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:33,460 That is how our priesthood functions, at least in part. 268 00:22:33,460 --> 00:22:39,240 We take the gospel of God, His good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried 269 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,400 in rose again. 270 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:48,320 We take that good news and declare it to the people, the good news of His once-for-all 271 00:22:48,320 --> 00:22:51,240 sacrifice. 272 00:22:51,240 --> 00:22:53,480 That is the gospel of God. 273 00:22:53,480 --> 00:22:59,520 What a privilege you and I have to minister as priests that gospel to the people who need 274 00:22:59,520 --> 00:23:05,720 to hear that saving message in order to be forgiven of their sins and go to heaven. 275 00:23:05,720 --> 00:23:10,120 I could well be talking to someone who is just like that today. 276 00:23:10,120 --> 00:23:14,120 You may be a religious person and acquainted with the Bible and church, or maybe you have 277 00:23:14,120 --> 00:23:16,360 never been in a church in your life before. 278 00:23:16,360 --> 00:23:20,120 You say, well, that is hardly possible, is it? 279 00:23:20,120 --> 00:23:21,120 Well, I will tell you what. 280 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:25,840 We had a person who was here in our church several months ago who was in an evangelical 281 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:27,920 church for the very first time in his whole life. 282 00:23:27,920 --> 00:23:30,780 He is from a different religion. 283 00:23:30,780 --> 00:23:32,680 We never know who is sitting here. 284 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:37,080 There may be someone here who has never been in a church before, at least in an evangelical 285 00:23:37,080 --> 00:23:39,440 Bible teaching church. 286 00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:43,160 You have never heard the gospel of God before. 287 00:23:43,160 --> 00:23:48,440 I just tried to explain it in its most condensed form, and that is that Christ died for your 288 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:50,440 sins. 289 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:56,520 He is God's sacrifice provided by God for you. 290 00:23:56,520 --> 00:23:58,380 And He was buried. 291 00:23:58,380 --> 00:24:03,560 And He rose again from the dead to be a living Savior so that He could come into your life 292 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:09,880 and change you, make you a new person, and give you His own eternal life. 293 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:15,800 If you will trust Him today as your own Savior, if you will receive Him into your heart, if 294 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:20,120 you will believe on Him, you will be saved. 295 00:24:20,120 --> 00:24:22,920 If you do not, you will not be saved. 296 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:25,560 That is the other side of the gospel of God. 297 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:32,880 Now, He goes on to say that He is offering the Gentiles to God. 298 00:24:32,880 --> 00:24:37,280 And so it is almost as though the Apostle is declaring the message in this direction. 299 00:24:37,280 --> 00:24:39,580 Then there are those who respond. 300 00:24:39,580 --> 00:24:44,320 And so He takes those Gentiles who respond and He presents them to God. 301 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:45,360 That is the picture. 302 00:24:45,360 --> 00:24:47,600 He offers them to God. 303 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,960 Now remember, these are Gentiles. 304 00:24:50,960 --> 00:24:56,720 And Gentiles are unclean to the Jewish mind. 305 00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:57,720 Gentiles were dogs. 306 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:01,320 That is what they called us. 307 00:25:01,320 --> 00:25:02,320 Dogs. 308 00:25:02,320 --> 00:25:03,320 Unclean. 309 00:25:03,320 --> 00:25:04,320 Heathen. 310 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:05,320 Unholy. 311 00:25:05,320 --> 00:25:06,320 Nothing about us. 312 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:07,320 Holy. 313 00:25:07,320 --> 00:25:15,880 But you see, when we trust Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit sanctifies us. 314 00:25:15,880 --> 00:25:22,400 In other words, He takes us unclean Gentiles and He sets us apart to sacred use. 315 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:24,520 He sets us apart to God. 316 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:28,920 And having been sanctified, then the Apostle says, I present them to God. 317 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:35,200 No longer are they unclean dogs, Gentiles, but they having been sanctified by the Holy 318 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:37,700 Spirit are now presented to God. 319 00:25:37,700 --> 00:25:41,520 And that is acceptable and well pleasing to Him. 320 00:25:41,520 --> 00:25:48,880 Now I tell you, it is a great thing to be acceptable to God. 321 00:25:48,880 --> 00:25:53,320 If you are in Jesus Christ today, you are accepted by Him. 322 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:56,680 And there is nothing that can ever change that. 323 00:25:56,680 --> 00:25:59,120 Nothing. 324 00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:06,400 We are made accepted in Jesus Christ. 325 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:10,580 We are found in Him perfectly righteous. 326 00:26:10,580 --> 00:26:11,960 And God is well pleased. 327 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:16,240 He is as well pleased with you this morning as a born again Christian. 328 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:21,640 He is as well pleased with you as He is with Jesus Christ, His Son. 329 00:26:21,640 --> 00:26:25,800 Because as He looks at you, He sees His Son. 330 00:26:25,800 --> 00:26:31,080 There is not really a distinction in the minds of God between you and Jesus Christ. 331 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:32,560 You are united to Him. 332 00:26:32,560 --> 00:26:36,360 You are seen as one in Jesus Christ. 333 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:43,440 That is why you are perfectly accepted by God and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 334 00:26:43,440 --> 00:26:45,360 That was the ministry of the Apostle. 335 00:26:45,360 --> 00:26:51,060 Oh, may I just underscore to you that that applies to us. 336 00:26:51,060 --> 00:26:52,360 We too are priests. 337 00:26:52,360 --> 00:26:58,040 We are declaring, I trust the gospel of God that people might believe it and be sanctified 338 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:03,440 by the Holy Spirit and then presented to God acceptable to Him. 339 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:06,960 That is what we are to be about in this world. 340 00:27:06,960 --> 00:27:13,000 In verses 17 to 21, He explains the results of His ministry. 341 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:16,320 In a way, these results are an example to us. 342 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:21,400 In verse 17, Paul boasts of what God had done. 343 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:23,640 But his boasting is not in himself. 344 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:27,200 You notice it is in Christ Jesus. 345 00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:31,200 To boast in what He had accomplished would have been presumptuous. 346 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:38,720 He goes on to say, I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished 347 00:27:38,720 --> 00:27:39,720 through me. 348 00:27:39,720 --> 00:27:45,520 Now, my friend, that is right there, the secret of whatever ministry you will ever have in 349 00:27:45,520 --> 00:27:46,520 this life. 350 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,240 Will you please notice it? 351 00:27:49,240 --> 00:27:55,360 It is not what you do for God, but it is what He does through you. 352 00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:57,880 That is the secret. 353 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:02,400 The Apostle talks about the results of His ministry and sets an example. 354 00:28:02,400 --> 00:28:06,960 He says, I am not going to talk about what I have done, what I have accomplished, but 355 00:28:06,960 --> 00:28:13,440 I will boast in Christ Jesus and those things pertain to God and what He has accomplished 356 00:28:13,440 --> 00:28:14,440 through me. 357 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:16,320 He says, I am just a vessel. 358 00:28:16,320 --> 00:28:17,320 I am an instrument. 359 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:20,000 Do you see yourself that way? 360 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:22,960 Or do you see yourself as a contributor? 361 00:28:22,960 --> 00:28:28,040 Do you see yourself as something special, as something that God ought to be proud to 362 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,200 have in His force? 363 00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:36,760 Listen, it is by grace that God allows us, calls us to serve Him. 364 00:28:36,760 --> 00:28:45,240 And whatever we accomplish for the glory of God in this life is done by God through us. 365 00:28:45,240 --> 00:28:46,240 We are but the channel. 366 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:48,240 We are but the vessel. 367 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:56,160 Like the song says, channels only, blessed Master, but with all thy wondrous power flowing 368 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:03,240 through us, thou canst use us every day and every hour. 369 00:29:03,240 --> 00:29:10,600 And He says what God had accomplished through Him resulted in the obedience of the Gentiles. 370 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:13,440 Sin basically is disobedience, isn't it? 371 00:29:13,440 --> 00:29:18,480 And He says what has happened is that now the Gentiles who were disobedient have been 372 00:29:18,480 --> 00:29:19,480 obedient. 373 00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:20,480 What does that mean? 374 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:21,480 They have obeyed the Gospel. 375 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:23,480 Did you ever think about this? 376 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:26,400 Did you ever think about this? 377 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:30,760 When it says believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, did you know that 378 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:35,880 is not an invitation? 379 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,000 That is not an invitation. 380 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,560 That is a command. 381 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:47,040 And when a person does not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, that is just another evidence 382 00:29:47,040 --> 00:29:50,840 of disobedience in his life. 383 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:56,920 When we trust the Lord Jesus Christ and believe on Him, we've obeyed. 384 00:29:56,920 --> 00:30:05,960 Or as it says over in the book of Acts chapter 17 and verse 30, God declares to all men everywhere 385 00:30:05,960 --> 00:30:08,360 to repent. 386 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:09,600 That is not a request. 387 00:30:09,600 --> 00:30:12,160 God is not saying, now look, pretty please. 388 00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,640 Will you repent? 389 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:17,640 God is not trying to cajole people into repenting. 390 00:30:17,640 --> 00:30:18,640 No. 391 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,360 God is commanding people to repent. 392 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:24,000 He is commanding it. 393 00:30:24,000 --> 00:30:28,760 And when a person does, he's being obedient to the Gospel. 394 00:30:28,760 --> 00:30:29,760 He's believing. 395 00:30:29,760 --> 00:30:30,760 He's repenting. 396 00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:35,560 And the apostle goes on to express here that what happened in his ministry was accompanied 397 00:30:35,560 --> 00:30:42,440 by the power of signs and wonders. 398 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:50,680 We see very clearly in 2 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 12 that these signs and wonders 399 00:30:50,680 --> 00:30:52,760 were the signs of the apostles. 400 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:57,440 In other words, they are not the norm for this age. 401 00:30:57,440 --> 00:31:02,960 I'm sorry to disappoint you if you think otherwise or hope to think otherwise. 402 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:07,520 History bears it out and scripture underscores the fact that the signs and the wonders and 403 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:14,040 the miracles were a part of the ministry of the apostles and are not to be anticipated 404 00:31:14,040 --> 00:31:15,680 as the norm for today. 405 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:17,200 Does God ever do a miracle today? 406 00:31:17,200 --> 00:31:20,960 Yes, God does miracles today. 407 00:31:20,960 --> 00:31:27,200 But understand this, that no person is ever saved by a miracle. 408 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:31,680 Even if one rises from the dead, they will not believe. 409 00:31:31,680 --> 00:31:32,680 How do we know that? 410 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:37,840 Because Jesus has risen from the dead and the mass has not believed. 411 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:39,960 People are not brought to Christ by miracles. 412 00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:46,760 They are brought to Christ by the preaching of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit. 413 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:51,840 But in that early ministry of the apostles, in that first generation of those that heard 414 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:57,080 the Lord, there were some unusual things that took place. 415 00:31:57,080 --> 00:32:05,320 I remember an evangelist whom I will not name who had a radio program back in Ohio when 416 00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,800 I was ministering in northern Kentucky. 417 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:13,920 Every Sunday morning we would listen to a certain broadcast and this other broadcast 418 00:32:13,920 --> 00:32:17,280 would come on right after Jack Worson, the Word of Life. 419 00:32:17,280 --> 00:32:21,440 Some of you know of Jack Worson. 420 00:32:21,440 --> 00:32:27,480 In the early part of the program there would be a chorus of singers who would say, signs, 421 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:29,440 wonders and miracles by. 422 00:32:29,440 --> 00:32:31,880 Then they would name him and I will not. 423 00:32:31,880 --> 00:32:35,360 And over and over again they would say, signs, wonders and miracles by and they would name 424 00:32:35,360 --> 00:32:36,360 the evangelist. 425 00:32:36,360 --> 00:32:42,480 The evangelist unfortunately has been in jail now for several years for income tax fraud, 426 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:49,600 but at that time he was doing signs, wonders and miracles. 427 00:32:49,600 --> 00:32:58,400 A lot of what we see today are not signs, wonders and miracles. 428 00:32:58,400 --> 00:33:03,040 In a few weeks I am going to speak on this matter of the charismatic controversy in the 429 00:33:03,040 --> 00:33:07,440 church and I invite you to be back that night as we talk about it. 430 00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:12,120 I just want to underscore this morning that the apostle Paul says the signs and the wonders 431 00:33:12,120 --> 00:33:17,360 were a part legitimately of his ministry as an apostle. 432 00:33:17,360 --> 00:33:23,360 His ministry has results, started in Jerusalem he says, but they went as far as a lyricum 433 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:26,520 and that is modern Yugoslavia. 434 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:29,040 We have no record in Acts of Paul preaching there. 435 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:34,200 He may have gone over there briefly while he was living in Corinth for that 18 months 436 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:40,800 or maybe there were those who were his immediate students or disciples who went to Yugoslavia. 437 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:46,520 But he says that as far as his ministry is concerned, he had preached the gospel geographically 438 00:33:46,520 --> 00:33:50,160 about over a 1400 mile area. 439 00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:57,160 You say 1400 miles, that is not very far, that is hardly from here to Denver is it? 440 00:33:57,160 --> 00:34:03,400 Well just remember that in that day they didn't travel like we travel today. 441 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:10,840 It was a major accomplishment on Paul's part and it required great sacrifice on his part 442 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:14,160 to cover that much territory. 443 00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:19,840 We ought to admire this man for the determination that he evidences in where he preached the 444 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:20,840 gospel. 445 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:25,760 And then he explains a little bit about his philosophy of ministry as he talks about the 446 00:34:25,760 --> 00:34:26,760 results. 447 00:34:26,760 --> 00:34:33,080 He says, I aspired to preach the gospel where Christ had never been preached before. 448 00:34:33,080 --> 00:34:38,080 That doesn't mean that it is wrong to preach Christ where he has been preached before or 449 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:41,680 as he would say here to build on another man's foundation. 450 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:48,280 There's nothing wrong with that, indeed that is what a pastor teacher really does. 451 00:34:48,280 --> 00:34:53,400 But the apostle says as far as his ministry was concerned, his philosophy was that he 452 00:34:53,400 --> 00:35:00,720 would go to those areas where Christ had never been preached and he would preach Christ there 453 00:35:00,720 --> 00:35:04,340 and he did. 454 00:35:04,340 --> 00:35:10,720 And it is a special joy when God calls someone out from our congregation to go to those parts 455 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:15,000 of the world where Christ has never been preached. 456 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:20,400 There are some 40 or so people who are part of this congregation right now today who have 457 00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:25,040 indicated at our missions conference last fall that they're willing to go if God makes 458 00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:26,760 it clear that's his will. 459 00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:29,560 I tell you I rejoice in that. 460 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:33,800 And it means that we've got a tremendous job to do to be ready to support these people 461 00:35:33,800 --> 00:35:36,680 when they are ready to go. 462 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:42,560 But I thank God for those who go where Christ has never been named. 463 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:45,560 Most of us though are not in that situation. 464 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:53,040 We are witnessing about Jesus Christ among people who have at least heard his name. 465 00:35:53,040 --> 00:36:00,400 Wherever it is, let us be faithful as was Paul and determined and even sacrificial to 466 00:36:00,400 --> 00:36:02,840 get the job done. 467 00:36:02,840 --> 00:36:08,120 Paul was God's man, God's instrument in that day. 468 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:10,640 Think of what he accomplished. 469 00:36:10,640 --> 00:36:17,360 Do you know that there are Pauls and Apollas out here today? 470 00:36:17,360 --> 00:36:25,280 And God is wanting to use you in your generation just as effectively within his will as he 471 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:29,380 used the Apostle Paul. 472 00:36:29,380 --> 00:36:35,760 What he's looking for is the heart attitude, the willingness. 473 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:42,320 That person, that young couple who will say, Lord, whatever it costs, I will serve as a 474 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:50,120 priest offering to people the gospel message that they might be presented to you, sanctified 475 00:36:50,120 --> 00:36:52,200 and saved. 476 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:54,480 Are you willing to do that? 477 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:56,520 You say, oh yes, I'll go overseas. 478 00:36:56,520 --> 00:37:00,040 Are you willing to go across your street? 479 00:37:00,040 --> 00:37:01,880 You say you'll go to Bible school and get training. 480 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:06,560 That's great, but are you willing to talk to the person at the desk next to you in the 481 00:37:06,560 --> 00:37:10,400 office tomorrow? 482 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:13,200 You see, it's not something we can do sometime in the future. 483 00:37:13,200 --> 00:37:16,720 It's something we can do right now too. 484 00:37:16,720 --> 00:37:22,400 This matter of making a difference in our generation. 485 00:37:22,400 --> 00:37:26,760 The Church of Jesus Christ does not have apostles anymore. 486 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:29,480 That was a part of the foundation. 487 00:37:29,480 --> 00:37:34,280 We have a great need for men and women who will give themselves fully to Jesus Christ. 488 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:43,060 Some for full-time Christian service, but many others who will be committed in the vocation 489 00:37:43,060 --> 00:37:48,440 where God has led them and gifted them to serve, and yet will serve the Lord sacrificially 490 00:37:48,440 --> 00:37:52,100 within their local church and in other ways as God leads. 491 00:37:52,100 --> 00:37:54,120 Does that describe you? 492 00:37:54,120 --> 00:37:55,120 I hope it does. 493 00:37:55,120 --> 00:37:57,960 I hope it describes me and every one of us. 494 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:03,720 That with the same kind of determination, the same kind of sacrificial attitude, we will 495 00:38:03,720 --> 00:38:10,920 say to the Lord Jesus Christ that we are his ministers. 496 00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:20,560 Heavenly Father, I pray that we will be able to emulate the Apostle Paul. 497 00:38:20,560 --> 00:38:27,200 Right now there may be some of us hindered because of attitudes or activities that we 498 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:30,840 are involved in that are not of you. 499 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:39,080 Lord, I pray that we will be able to see as clearly as Paul did what life is all about. 500 00:38:39,080 --> 00:38:48,400 We are not here to get rich or to accumulate things or to be famous or popular, but that 501 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:56,400 we are here for a brief time in this world to be ministers of Jesus Christ, to serve 502 00:38:56,400 --> 00:39:02,200 him as a priest declaring the gospel of God. 503 00:39:02,200 --> 00:39:06,920 I pray, Father, that we will call into line the priorities of our life, and if there are 504 00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:13,480 some things that need to be confessed and cleansed from our lives, I pray you'll lay 505 00:39:13,480 --> 00:39:19,680 that on our hearts today so that we'll be the people of God you've called us to be in 506 00:39:19,680 --> 00:39:23,160 this generation. 507 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:25,160 I pray this in Jesus' name. 508 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:45,500 Amen.