Romans15v23to33: PAUL'S PLAN TO VISIT ROME
Introduction. Read Rom15v23to33
This passage teaches us some very significant lessons. It certainly illustrates the truth of William Cowper's famous hymn: 'God moves in a mysterious way his wonders to perform.'
I will divide my exposition into four parts: Baulked Plans, Brotherly Provision, Blessed Presence and Besought Prayer.
(1) Baulked plans.
But 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, I 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. v23and24.
Paul looked forward to visiting Rome. He anticipated his visit would be:
- Short as he was just passing through.
- Enjoyable. He anticipated enjoying the company of the Christians in Rome.
- Productive for he hoped that the brothers would assist him on his journey to Spain. Maybe they would agree to finance his trip.
- Expedient. The apostle needed to pass through Rome to continue with his pioneering ministry. He looked forward to carrying on with what he done so well - taking the gospel to pastures new - un-evangelised Spain.
Things didn't turn out as Paul expected:
Although Paul's plans were thwarted there is no doubt that he continued to witness effectively: at his trial, to the 276 passengers on the shipwrecked boat, to the receptive inhabitants of Malta and for 2 years in Rome itself.
The apostle's ministry changed dramatically. God knew that Paul needed to slow down. His teaching was also needed in the capital of the Roman Empire. All roads led to Rome. Visitors from all over the empire came to Rome and doubtless many of them spent time with Paul. Perhaps he was even able to instruct curious visitors from Spain.
LESSONS:
- God's plans do not always coincide with ours. When that happens we are liable to be disappointed, confused and frustrated. We are tempted to think that we know best. Jonah is a classic example. Another is Peter, who thought he needed to put Jesus, his master, right.
I resigned from Geography teaching and spent two years looking after my father who had Parkinson's disease. It was a full time job and not one I had any training for!! I wasn't able to teach, preach or even write. I did ask God whether he knew what he was doing! But there were three positive outcomes for me: I learned to touch type, I got another job after my father died in a school with really lovely children and I have no fear of helping the old and infirm.
- We are not indispensible to the work we have in mind to do. There were other evangelists to take the gospel to Spain and further afield. When I retired I would like to have done more preaching and Bible teaching. However, God has at his disposal plenty of teachers and preachers. There was probably only one person available to act as secretary of the small church at Brockley - and it was to this task God assigned me.
- God takes a long term view. We humans, who cannot see ahead, have a short term outlook. God knew of the advantages of Paul spending two secure years in Rome where he could teach everyone who visited him.
When Moses was forty he wanted to take on the role of spokesman for his enslaved people. That wasn't God's plan. Moses needed to get acquainted with the desert in preparation for 40 years leading the Israelites in the wilderness. So he left Egypt and spent many years keeping sheep in the arid land of Midian.
Mr Ernest Oliver and his wife were led to go as missionaries to Nepal. But they had to wait for many years in N. India before they were allowed in. Mr Oliver would say that those years were a preparation for his pioneering work in Nepal.
I suppose my lack of opportunity to preach is what led me to create a website. I reach far more people this way than I ever could teaching the Bible in my native Suffolk.
(2) Brotherly provision.
Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. They 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. v25to25.
Paul deferred his visit to Rome and subsequently Spain to take a monetary gift from the churches in Macedonia and Achaia to the church in Jerusalem. Paul obviously considered the delivery of this offering to be very important. He did so for the following reasons:
- The apostle had asked the churches to take up a collection for the Jerusalem Christians. See 1Cor16v1to4 and 2Cor9v1to5. He didn't want to detract from the churches' pleasure in giving. If Paul had not accompanied the gift the folk of Achaia and Macedonia may have thought, well, it can't have been that important after all.
- The church members at Jerusalem were poor due in part to heavy taxation and a recent famine. However, the experiment of selling their assets and having all things in common was bound in the end to impoverish people. Such a life style was unsustainable.
- In Paul's opinion the Jerusalem believers deserved it. They brought spiritual blessings to the Gentiles and so it was only right that the Gentiles share their material blessings with the Jews.
The Jerusalem church was the centre from which men and women went out with the gospel. Some went voluntarily and others involuntarily. The latter were driven away by a wave of persecution in which Saul of Tarsus was to the fore. The time between the Day of Pentecost and the dispersal of Christians all over the Empire was crucial to the growth of the church. It was a time during which, thanks to the generosity Christians who sold their land, people could meet together every day to receive apostolic teaching about Jesus. The members of the first church were grounded in Christ's teaching and so equipped to tell others, including Gentiles, when they were forced by persecution to scatter.
- Paul hoped the Gentiles love gift would bring the Jewish and Gentile Christians closer together. This was vitally important to Paul and seems to me to be the main purpose of his epistle to the Romans.
LESSONS
- It is important for church leaders to show an interest in, and support for, the different kinds service that go on in their churches.
When I was a young student I visited two friends of my mothers who attended the Grace Baptist Church in Richmond, Surrey. They were both old spinsters who may well have been in love with my grandfather, Pastor Hughes. Anyway, they told me a story about their father. He was a student at Spurgeon's College in the days of the great preacher himself. Miss Haddler's father was called to a small fellowship in Kent who hoped to build a bigger chapel. Charles Haddon Spurgeon counselled Mr Haddler not to commence building until he had the money. But the young pastor somewhat impetuously decided to proceed with the project in faith. Later, when C.H.S. asked him how things were going, Pastor Haddler had to admit what he had authorised. Spurgeon said to him: "Well brother - I'll give you £50 - for ignoring my advice." I was so pleased to be linked through those two old ladies to Charles Haddon Spurgeon and his genial benevolence. What a blessing that £50 was in so many different ways.
This anecdote illustrates the importance of a great Christian leader taking an interest in the far humbler service of another.
My dear, old father when he was the pastor of Brockley Grace Baptist Church took an interest in all the activities of the church. He didn't sit aloof in his study - letting others get on with it. He attended the Sunday School Anniversary practices and the Fellowship of Youth meetings.
I can remember agreeing to prepare some of the children who attended our church for the Scripture exam they sat. I was extremely busy at the time and did not want the responsibility. Our church treasurer said, "I will come along and give you some support." She did and it meant a lot to me at the time.
- We must be careful not to detract from the pleasure of those doing good for Christ's sake.
Some Christians are so independent that they never accept an offer of help. This denies a brother the opportunity to serve Jesus. There are others who do accept help in extremis but always try and pay the Good Samaritan back.
There are, of course, some who take kindness for granted and never offer so much as a word of thanks. I used to go out of my way to pick old Jack up for our morning, evening and midweek services. This went on for several years. Not once did he say, "Thank you."
I don't think the Jerusalem church was as thankful as it might have been for the Gentile's gift. It didn't succeed in bringing the Gentile and Jewish Christians closer together.
- We are under an obligation to give financial aid to fellow Christians in need. We should be pleased when we have the opportunity. Some time ago one of our members got into debt by undertaking to pay for his brother's funeral. He couldn't borrow anything from the bank as he was already paying off a big loan. My Christian brother faced bankruptcy. The situation which so distressed him was easily solved. I had the money so I paid his debt. I said to myself, "You should be glad to have the opportunity to help a brother in distress." I can't honestly say that I was all that glad!
- Christians have a duty to provide financial support to those who are a blessing to them spiritually. The material provision we make for our spiritual leaders is a measure of the value we put on their work. The pay awarded to ministers in England is significantly less than any other profession. Even school teachers get paid more!
- When one church in any way helps another it can bind them more closely together in love. That was Paul's sincere hope for the gift he took to Jerusalem. In the event I don't think it did. The attachment of the legalistic Jewish Christians to the Law of Moses proved too much of an obstacle to genuine fellowship with the more liberal Gentile believers.
It is a rather sad reflection on our insularity that there are not as many instances of one local fellowship helping another as there should be.
(3) Blessed Presence.
I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ. v29.
Paul fully expected that his visit to Rome would be both a blessing to the Christians there and himself.
The apostle didn't intend to visit Rome just for a rest, a holiday or hospitality. His priority was not to do some sightseeing! Rather he looked forward to a time of blessed fellowship - a fellowship that would be centred on Jesus. If all went to plan he and the Roman Christians would:
- Testify of what Jesus had done for them. It always does me a power of good to hear Christian testimonies. We should have more of them.
- Discuss the many aspects of Jesus' ministry - his teaching, example and saving work.
- Praise Jesus in song and prayer.
It is good to have times of fellowship such as Paul anticipated. That is why many Christians are greatly blessed at events like the Keswich Convention or Spring Harvest. In the past I found it very refreshing to meet with Christians from other churches at Pioneer Camp.
We can become too insular. That is one of the problems I have. It is one I could do something about!!
(4) Besought prayer.
I 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. Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the Saints there, so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. v30 and 32.
Brian Bill tells this story:
In a small Texas town, a bar began construction on a new building to increase their business. The local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and many prayers. Work progressed right up till the week before opening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.
After losing his building the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building. The church vehemently denied all responsibility in its reply to the court. After looking at all the facts, the judge commented, “I don’t know how I’m going to decide this, because it appears that we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that does not.”
Well Paul certainly believed in the power of prayer. He always requested prayer of the churches to whom he wrote. Here he asks for prayer partners to help him in the struggle to make Christ known. IT WAS NOT AN EASY TASK. This became very clear when Paul arrived in Jerusalem. He wasn't especially warmly received by the church. He witnessed without much obvious success to the Jewish crowd outside the Roman barracks in Jerusalem, the Sanhedrin, Governors Felix and Festus and King Agrippa. Paul actually had most success in Malta before arriving in Rome.
Paul was not ashamed to ask for help. He was no Superman who could manage alone. I always ask my church to pray for me when I embark on a long road journey. I have little confidence in my ability to drive safely!
Paul had three specific items for prayer:
- To be kept safe from the Jewish opponents to Christianity of whom there were plenty in Jerusalem. He was venturing into what was for him the most dangerous place on earth. This prayer was answered. It took the intervention of Paul's nephew to save him from a Jewish plot to assassinate him. Paul's nephew was only a young lad. He went to the commander of the Roman garrison in Rome with news of the Jewish assassination plot. We read that Claudius Lysias took the young man by the hand. Acts23v19. See exposition on Acts23v12to35.
- That his ministry would be well received by the Christians in Jerusalem. I don't think it was! The elders main concern seemed to be the reaction of Jewish Christians, zealous for the law, to Paul whom they considered taught all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses. Acts21v20to22. See exposition on Acts21v17to36. What a lot of wimps those elders were. The writing was on the wall for the Jerusalem church.
- That he manages in the will of God to arrive safely and joyfully in Rome for a time of spiritual refreshment. This prayer was answered and Paul did eventually get to Rome where he spent two relatively tranquil years of ministry in his own house.
Today there are three similar crucial items for us to pray about:
- The well being of our brothers and sisters in Christ who witness in countries where there is much hatred of Christianity. Persecution is still meted out to Christians by the militant adherents of other religions - Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists. Christ's oppressed people need much prayer.
- For congregations to be receptive to the word. We should pray that people wil respond positively to the preaching of their leaders and young people will accept the gospel presented by their Sunday school teachers.
I pray for help whenever I preach. I pray for the help of the Holy Spirit to make me effective. However, I often forget to pray for the congregation - that they will receive the message and act upon it.
We have to accept that many for whom we pray will not respond to the truth. That was the case for Paul. How he longed for the Jews to accept Christ. But there will be others who we do not expect to be converted who are - just as Paul's preaching bore fruit in Malta.
- God's servants and especially Christian leaders all of whom need a break from time to time. They need times of joyful togetherness and oases of spiritual refreshment. In John Bunyan's, 'Pilgrim's progress,' Christian and Hopeful had a lovely time in the Delectable Mountains on their way to the Celestial City.
A few years ago I had a holiday in the Lake District with two Christian friends. It was a blessed time for me. It was grand to walk in such a gorgeous area and heart warming for an old bachelor like me to have times of Bible study and prayer with two dear companions.
A pastor at one of our very small Grace Baptist churches in Suffolk went recently with a deputation to India. The deputation represented the Grace Baptist Mission and went for a time of fellowship with like minded churches in the South of India. The pastor was made so welcome and listened too with such a degree of appreciation that he returned to his own small church a new man!
ANY COMMENTS FOR JOHN REED: E-mail jfmreed@talktalk.net
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