A. INTRODUCTION
1. In the preceding chapter Paul acknowledged a condition in the local church which will never change: every congregation is made up of individual persons, each of whom comes complete with a personal history, unique character traits, and a set of highly opinionated convictions. ( Believe me when I say that no one is more aware of this than the pastor! )
2. Paul divided the congregated believers into two groups:
a. those "w __ __ __" in the faith; and
b. those "s __ __ __ __ __" in the faith.
3. Paul had advice for those in each category.
a. To the "weak:"
(1) Don't j __ __ __ __ the "strong."
(2) Don't c __ __ __ __ __ __ others on the basis of your personal convictions.
b. To the "strong:"
(1) Don't j __ __ __ __ the "weak."
(2) Don't needlessly o __ __ __ __ __ others by means of your personal convictions.
(3) Don't e __ __ __ __ __ others to go against their personal convictions.
(4) Bear the I __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of the "weak."
4. Finally, the apostle offered general advice to those in both groups.
a. Develop strong personal convictions.
(1) Don't just "pick and choose."
(2) Develop them "before God." This represents diligent spiritual effort.
b. Focus on what b __ __ __ __ __ up others instead of on what pleases you most.
c. Don't go against your convictions! To do so is s __ __! WHEN IN DOUBT, DON'T!
5. We summed up Paul's teaching here with three short phrases of exhortation to all believers who are sincere in their desire to go with God and to grow in grace and knowledge.
a. D __ __ __ __ __ your faith.
(1) Spend much time in p __ __ __ __ __.
(2) S __ __ __ __ the W __ __ __.
(3) M __ __ __ __ __ __ __ on what you've studied.
b. D __ __ __ __ __ __ your faith.
(1) Live a life of deliberate o __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
(2) Exhibit authentic personal h __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
c. D __ __ __ __ __ your faith.
(1) Every believer is called upon to be a "personal" e __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
(2) Every believer is called upon to develop a personal a __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ for his/her faith.
B. TEXT
1. Romans 15:1-7
a. In these verses Paul presents seven marks of true fellowship in the local church.
(1) c __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ for one another (15:1-2)
(2) the s __ __ __ __ of Scripture (15:3-4)
- It provides the record of God's dealing with a "c __ __ __ __ __ o __ __" people.
- It is the record of the great and precious p __ __ __ __ __ __ __ of God.
- From these the believer draws e __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
(3) f __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (15:5)
- The original language requires a translation stronger than "patience."
- "It is the triumphant adequacy which can cope with life; it is the strength which does not only accept things, but which, in accepting them, transmutes them into glory." - William Barclay: The Letter to the Romans
(4) h __ __ __ (15:5)
- The believer should always be a realist, but should never be a pessimist.
- ref: Hebrews 6:13-20 ( Genesis 15:1-20 )
1 Peter 1:3; 3:15-16
(5) h __ __ __ __ __ __ (15:6)
(6) p __ __ __ __ __ (15:6)
(7) a __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (15:7)
b. Our example -- the One to whom Paul always directs our attention -- is C __ __ __ __ __.
(1) He did not p __ __ __ __ Himself. (v.3)
(2) He lived His life as an act of worship. His interest: to g __ __ __ __ __ __ God. (v.6)
(3) He a __ __ __ __ __ __ all those who come to Him.
2. Romans 15:8-13
a. Paul humbly sees himself as part of God's comprehensive plan to offer salvation to the whole world -- Jews and Gentiles alike.
b. Again he sees Christ at the very center of all things:
(1) a s __ __ __ __ __ __ to the Jews on behalf of God's t __ __ __ __ (v.8);
(2) the very embodiment of God's p __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to the patriarchs (v.8); and
(3) the vehicle for God's m __ __ __ __ to the Gentile world (v.9).
(4) Paul supports his understanding of Christ's ministry with quotes from four Old Testament passages. In so doing, he covers all three divisions of the Hebrews Scriptures:
- the T __ __ __ __ ( Deuteronomy 32:43 ) in v.11;
- the P __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ( 2 Samuel 22:50 ) in v.10; and
- the W __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (Psalm 18:49 and Psalm 117:1 ) in v.9 and v.12.
"All four quotations follow the Septuagint {the Greek translation of the Old Testament} faithfully. They share a common theme of praise to God by a joint chorus of Jew and Gentile. Praise is expressly emphasized by no fewer than six terms in Greek, most of which survive in translation -- praise, sing hymns, rejoice, sing praises, and hope. The final quotation in verse 12 culminates with the humblest of messianic metaphors -- the root of Jesse -- which, in the present context, is entirely in character with a Messiah who 'did not please himself' (v.3). This Christ is the Gentiles' ruler and hope. Thus, the salvation of the Gentiles, as Paul argued resolutely in chapters 9-11, is anything but a scissors-and-paste act on God's part. Their salvation was inherent in God's promises to Israel from the beginning!" - James R. Edwards: Romans (Volume 6, New International Biblical Commentary)
c. Paul's benediction (v.13) to this section constitutes a splendid promise to each believer.
(1) We worship "the God of h __ __ __."
(2) As we t __ __ __ __ Him, He will full us with j __ __ and p __ __ __ __.
(3) Accordingly, our lives will o __ __ __ __ __ __ __ with hope.
(4) We will experience in our lives the p __ __ __ __ of the Holy Spirit.
3. Romans 15:14-33
a. In these verses Paul provides a glimpse into the life of a first century apostle.
b. He displays a little tact in v.14-15.
(1) He acknowledges having heard "good things" about the church in Rome. The Christians there are apparently:
- full of g __ __ __ __ __ __ __;
- complete in k __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __; and
- competent to t __ __ __ __.
(2) He admits to having spoke to them b __ __ __ __ __ __.
c. He identifies himself as one called to be "a minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles" (v.16).
(1) He attributes any power associated with his ministry to the Holy Spirit (v.19).
(2) He defines the boundaries of his missionary endeavors (at that point in time) as reaching from J __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ to I __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ (v.19). This happens to be part of what is now Bosnia.
(3) He pin-points the focus of his preaching: the g __ __ __ __ __ of Christ (v.19).
(4) He reveals his life's ambition for his ministry: to preach the gospel where Christ was not k __ __ __ __.
- This indicates Paul's spiritual gift of e __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __.
- He confesses that his call to missions has prevented him from realizing his long-cherished desire to vist the churches in Rome.
d. In v.23, however, Paul announces his immediate travel plans.
(1) He plans to go to S __ __ __ __, the western frontier of the Roman Empire.
(2) He hope to pass through R __ __ __ on his way.
(3) When he leaves Corinth (from where he wrote the letter to the Romans) he plans to return to Jerusalem.
- Paul made it a practice to collect from the churches he planted offerings to benefit the beleaguered "mother" church in Jerusalem.
- He frankly requests p __ __ __ __ __ for his visit to Jerusalem; he knows that he will place himself at considerable risk there, since he was "Christian Enemy #1" in the eyes of the Pharisees.
- In fact, it was on this visit that Paul was seized by the Jews and turned over to the Roman civil authorities under the charge of having disturbed the peace by "defiling the temple." During a time of routine protective custody he was mistaken by one of the Romans officials for a wanted Egyptian insurrectionist. In his defense Paul called for a trial before Caesar, a right guaranteed every Roman citizen. As a result he was placed under house arrest, where he languished for four long years, two in Caesarea and two more in Rome. Some Bible scholars believe Paul was tried and executed at the end of that period; others contend that he was released and did manage to finally get to Spain, only to be arrested after two more years, returned to Rome and executed then. (see Acts 21:15 - 28:31)
4. Romans 16:1-16
In the final chapter of the epistle Paul gets personal, sending greetings to a long list of Christians living in Rome (we assume). Some of the names we recognize, but most of them appear in the Bible only in this passage.
There are 26 individuals and 5 house churches mentioned. This constitutes a mighty long list of people Paul knew personally who lived in a city he had never visited! This has vexed Bible scholars for centuries. The most common (and the most logical) suggestion is that Chapter 16 is actually an appendage -- a sort of "cover letter" -- for that part of the Roman letter (chapters 1-15) which many believe Paul had copied and sent to the churches in Ephesus, where he knew many people intimately, some of whom appear in this list. Among them:
a. P __ __ __ __
(1) It appears that she delivered this letter to the church.
(2) The KJV "servant" in v.1 is the feminine form of the Greek noun nearly always translated in Paul's letters as "d __ __ __ __ __."
b. P __ __ __ __ __ (Priscilla) and A __ __ __ __ __
(1) This married couple often supported Paul in his missionary work.
(2) They were among the Jews expelled from Rome by the emporer Claudius in A.D. 49. (See Acts 18:2)
(3) They, like Paul, were t __ __ __ - m __ __ __ __ __ by trade. Some believe they may have indeed taught Paul this tradesman's skill, with which he routinely supported himself financially.
(4) They worked with him, we know, in Corinth and Ephasus.
(5) They stand as tremendous examples to all who are called "the l __ __ __ __."
ref: Acts 18:2-28
c. Andronicus and Junia (s)
(1) Many believe them to have been a married couple; others see them as brother and sister. In either case, Junia (the feminine form of the name as it is recored in the KJV) is seemingly identified by Paul as an a __ __ __ __ __ __, a juicy tidbit which has for centuries intrigued Bible scholars.
(2) They, too, have shared in Paul's ministry: they have been in p __ __ __ __ __ with him!
d. Tryphena and Tryphosa
(1) The "cute" similarity in the two names indicates that they were certainly sisters, and quite possibly twins.
e. Rufus
(1) The name is translated in Latin as "R __ __."
(2) Mark 15:21 might point to his being the son of Simon of Cyrene, who carried Jesus' cross on the Via de la Rosa.
f. Additional notes in regard to this list of names:
(1) One-third are w __ __ __ __.
(2) There are J __ __ __ __ __, L __ __ __ __, and G __ __ __ __ names.
(3) Some names stem from the nobility and ruling classes.
(4) Most names are "common," indicative of the fact that they belong to s __ __ __ __ __ or freedmen.
(5) These individuals are not ackowledged by Paul because of their positions of authority in the church, but rather because of their fellowship, their "hard work," their having shared in Paul's struggles in ministry, their affection for him.
"Each epithet witnesses in some way to a labor of obedience to plant and perpetuate the faith which has been passed down to the present day. If the adjectives are anything to judge by, we should conclude that the early church was characterized above all by hard work and affection -- two not insignificant traits for a healthy church in any age." - Edwards: Op. cit.
5. Romans 16:17-20
a. This passage seems out of place in the midst of the intensely warm and personal nature of the sections which surround it. Some scholars suggest that these verses constitute a fragment from another letter (or another part of this one) and were inserted into the text later.
b. Paul here points to the real danger faced by the local church in any age.
(1) That danger is not: - an influx of new and "different" people
- a church building program
- contemporary worship
- traditional worship
- local folks who dislike the local church
- the crumbling moral fiber of the surrounding culture
- an unpopular President
- an unfriendly government
(2) That danger is: F __ __ __ __ T __ __ __ __ __ __ __
ref: Acts 17:10-11
Matthew 7:15-20
1 John 4:1-3
Galatians 1:6-9
Hebrews 13:8-9
2 Timothy 3:1-7
2 Timothy 4:2-5
6. Romans 16:21-27
a. Paul here sends greetings from his co-laborers at Corinth. Among them:
(1) T __ __ __ __ __ __
- Companion to Paul on his second and third missionary journeys
- Paul's "son in the faith"
(2) Terticus
- the one to whom Paul dictated the epistle to the Roman churches
b. Verses 25-27 constitute a splendid benediction, and we will conclude this 24-week study of Romans with the NIV translation of it.
Now to him who is able to establish you by my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all nations might believe and obey him -- to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
C. APPLICATION
After all the weeks of deep theology and difficult doctrines, Paul again manages to get things into the proper perspective for the church. Doctrine is vital, but the church must not be so preoccupied with the great "questions" of the Christian faith that it loses sight of the Great Anwer: Jesus Christ, God's Son, Saviour. The church must never shy away from its responsibility to instruct believers in the great Christian doctrines, but the church must never neglect to carry the Good News about Jesus to a world that needs the Great Answer more now than perhaps ever before. The church is, after all, "where God lives. What Jesus brought to a few -- healing, grace, the good-news message of God's love -- the church can now bring to all." As Paul reminds us at the close of this awesome epistle, this requires from individual believers diligence and affection; hard, often unglamorous work and an abiding love for God, for one another, and for the unsaved world around us. When these are added to the incredible power of the Holy Spirit, the church comes alive in its ministry. That is when we point unmistakeably to Jesus Christ, "the mystery hidden for long ages past, but now revealed and made known....so that all nations might believe and obey him.
D I S C U S S I O N G U I D E
1. Read Acts 1:9-14 and Acts 2:1-14. How might these passages explain the establishment of such a seemingly healthy church in Rome before Paul (or Peter) ever got there?
2. Read Acts 18:24-28.
a. Apollos was an outstanding preacher who succeeded Paul at Ephesus. What was "wrong" with his preaching there?
b. List at least two things we learn about Priscilla and Aquila in this passage.
c. Would you be so bold as to take the preacher aside and "set him straight?" Why, or why not?
3. Romans chapter 16 seems to indicate that genuine fellowship in the local church makes a real difference. It is apparent from Paul's comments that these were not just social relationships.
a. What is missing in much of what passes for "fellowship" in our church?
b. What can the church leadership do to correct this situation?
c. What can you do to correct this situation?
4. In Romans 16:19 Paul tells his readers: I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.
a. Read other translations of this verse.
b. What does Paul mean by this?
c. Should Christians be innocently "naive" about wicked things? Why or why not?
5. Read Romans 16:17, Matthew 18:15-17, and 1 Corinthians 5:11.
a. How should Christians deal with the sort of person who causes division in the church, whether
by false teaching or blatant sin?
b. How can we do this and yet still love them toward restoration and reconciliation?
c. Certain denominations practice "shunning." Others use "excommunication." Which, in your opinion, might be most effective in achieving the purpose of confession, restoration, and reconcilitation? Explain your answer.
