Romans 1:8-17 Eagerness

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 

9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 

10 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.

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 

12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 

14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 

15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. 

16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 

17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Romans 1:8-17 NIV

Paul was an amazing teller. He shared Jesus wherever he went. And many times he endured tremendous hardships to get to people who still didn't know about Jesus. 

And what an amazing story of hope Jesus is to a world who is searching, hungry, and lost in themselves. Some say faith is hard, maybe even impossible for them. I say, how could I not live by faith? Walking in my own judgement and direction is what is impossible.

However, the true question is, "Am I eagerly sharing Jesus the way I should be sharing Him?"

For years I have said I am a discipler, not an evangelist. My gifting is in helping people grow in their faith, not winning them to Christ. We have probably done a disservice to the gospel by making such distinctions. We are all called to share Jesus with others. Some of us have a gifting to do that, but that does not exempt the rest of us from letting others know about the power of the resurrection and the hope they can have through Jesus Christ. The Great Commission is for all of us, not just those who are "gifted."

So how do I share Jesus as a disciple-maker? I live Him every day in front of everyone I meet. I build relationships with people to share the love of Christ. When they feel hopeless, I show them Hope. When they are weak, I point them to the Strength. When they are lonely, I introduce them to a Friend who will never leave them. 

I am not ashamed of the gospel, but I must be sure I'm not living as if I am. Sometimes it's not popular to be a Christ-follower, but I'm not looking for popularity. I want to be a hope-giver like Paul. 

I recently heard Pastor Bob Roberts speak and He said, "You don't have to completely understand what others believe. You have to know the gospel and how to share it in love." 

Lord, help me to live as my heart believes - that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Give me boldness to love as you love and to eagerly speak your truth in love to so many who need to hear. So be it.

Further Thoughts:

1. Consider what is stopping you from sharing Jesus with others. What will you do about those obstacles?
2. Paul was a bold personality. Who else shared Jesus in the Scriptures who may have been more like you? What can you learn from their life? How can you gain the boldness of Paul?
3. Read 1 Corinthians 13. Love is the basis of all sharing of the gospel. Are you truly loving others if you are not sharing Jesus?
4. Read Bob Roberts book, Bold as Love. He talks about how to have a relationship with people of other faiths and belief systems.

Romans 1:1-7 The Gospel and Commission in 7 Verses

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. 7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. NIV

 It's amazing how much Paul packed into these seven verses. In them we see the trinity, prophecy, the gospel, the lineage of Christ, our calling as believers, and our hope. As well as a greeting to the Romans.

Over the next few posts, I will need to break this passage down verse by verse. But today, I wanted to look at it in its entirety simply to see that being a Christ follower is not complex. Here we see it summarized in six short verses. Isn't that amazing? The power of the Creator who sent His Son to change the world and bring it hope can be written about in just a few words. And yet, we want to make it so complicated.

Jesus Christ did come to upset the apple cart, but not to complicate. In fact, His presence brings more clarity to our lives than we will ever experience through any other means. He is our only hope. We simply must believe and walk in that faith. How beautiful is that?

Father, I continue to complicate your gospel and commission by placing it in time and space; by breaking it down into too many parts; by letting it be overshadowed by my sin and chaos. And it is much simpler than that. Forgive me, Lord. You love me; I accept Your love and forgiveness; I will live to serve You. Period. So be it.

Further Thoughts: 

1. Read this passage again 2-3 times slowly. Let your mind and heart absorb all it has to say. 
2. Read this passage here in other versions. Notice below the passage, you can click on "view in parallel." Then you can select other versions to read. I particularly like the English Standard Version of this passage.
3. Define gospel.
4. Read The Great Commission in Matthew 28:19-20.
5. Write out for yourself in a few words a definition of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Great Commission. Memorize it to be your 30-second explanation you can give if someone asks you what you believe.

Matthew 10:1-16 "The Most Dangerous Job"

Read Matthew 10:1-16.

“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.” NIV

Jesus is preparing the 12 to go out among the Jews to tell them that the kingdom of heaven is near, to heal, and to drive out demons…. They are to be Christ’s representatives. But, He also warns them that they are going into dangerous work. The opposition will be strong and bitter, so be ready to face it.

We still face that same opposition when we try to share that the kingdom of heaven is near. It can be painful to be cut down when sharing about a passionate part of our life. I have had many hateful words said to me that felt like a knife twisting in my heart. So how do we live “as shrewd as snakes” while remaining “as innocent as doves?”

We face a crafty enemy and must counter with a cunningness that matches. We must not seek danger, but be alert to it. And all the while, we live in a meekness and humility that represent the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. This is a difficult balance to attain which is why we can only walk in victory in this world with the power of Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit leading us. We are in a battle we cannot win, but with Christ, we are already victorious.

Do not back away from the wolves, but remain true to the gospel. Know what you believe, establish your position as a servant of The Most High. Remain intimate with Him through prayer so that in those occasions where words fail you, you can stand firm in the power of His presence at work through you. Never, never, never back down. Stand firm.

Further Thoughts:

1. What do we do when people simply will not listen to our message? Read vs. 14 again. Does this mean we give up on them? Support your answer with Scripture.
2. Compare and contrast the acts of being shrewd and being innocent. How does that play out practically in our daily lives today?
3. Research the phrase "the kingdom of heaven." Why does Jesus use that particular phrase in this passage?
4. Vs. 8 says, "Freely you have received, freely give...." What does that mean? What do you need to change in your life to live in conformity with this command?
5. When the Hebrew people were taken to Babylon, they were sheep among the wolves. Read the stories of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego as an example of living shrewdly with innocence.

Matthew 8:5-13 "Faith in Christ's Authority"

Read Matthew 8:5-13.

"I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith." NIV

There are two themes running through this passage.

• Faith in the authority of Christ.
• The universality of the gospel.

First of all, Jesus is approached by this Roman soldier who just absolutely facinates me. He obviously wasn't Jewish, and probably wasn't following the Rabbi around listening to his teaching. He had, however, heard of His power. Then, he's compassionate enough to go find help, not from a known doctor of his culture, but from a Jewish preacher. And he was not seeking help for his wife, children or some other family member or friend, but for one of his servants. These elements of his actions speak volumes about his character. He recognized the authority of Jesus and put faith in Him to heal his servant. No wonder Jesus acknowledged amazement at such faith. Notice Jesus specifically said, "in Israel." The Jews were supposed to be looking for the Messiah and should have recognized him for who He was, but a non-Jew is the one who has faith in Jesus.

Why can't we, as Christians, show this same faith and compassion? Many so called Christians question the authority of Jesus, let alone have faith that He will do anything of worth. And then, if on the off chance we believe He can perform a miracle, we usually want it for ourselves.

If we truly believe that Jesus is the Son of God, shouldn't we have the faith that He can do ANYTHING? Why do we walk around with such defeatist attitudes, living joyless lives, trudging through noncommital marriages, punching time clocks, and yelling at our children? Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty, the Great Divine, lives in me and can empower me to do whatever He wishes for me to do. I should be walking each and every day in that authority that He has given me. And that power should be put to use in reaching out to others who need the Lord -- whether in their heart or in their physical needs.

I wonder if Jesus experienced sadness when He acknowledged that many of His own people would not see glory because they refused to see Him as the truth? But we know as children of the Most High that one day we will feast with the patriarchs. Let's live not as powerless nothings, but as people holding the dinner invitation of eternity. We serve and must live out our faith in the mighty King, and His authority will reign forever!

Further Thoughts:

1. Where does the Scripture talk about the authority of Christ? Read Luke 3:21-22, John 3:13-21, John 8:27-29, Revelation 12:10, Colossians 1:15-17, as well as the Old Testament prophesies of the Messiah.
2. Reread previous postings on faith. Matthew 8:1-4, 5:14-16, 4:18-22, Ephesians 6:16, 5:18-20, and 2:8-9.
3. What other passages speak to the gospel being for all people?
4. Do you truly believe in the authority of Jesus Christ and walk in faith in that power? Why or why not? If yes, how is it demonstrated in your life? If no, what have been the consequences of denying that authority?

Ephesians 6:15 "Peace Shoes"

"...and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace." NIV

As I read through commentaries and study notes on this verse, there are so many analogies to pull from it. First is the fact that we are putting something on our feet. The Roman soldier's feet were often covered in brass to avoid galltraps (three pronged metal pieces) and sharp sticks placed in their path. Likewise, the enemy is going to place obstacles in our way. He will try to trip us up at every angle that he can. But if we have our feet firmly covered, we can avoid being put out of commission by the enemy's wiles. A soldier cannot march if his feet are injured and that is one less fighter in the battle.

So what do we cover our feet with? Readiness that can only come from the gospel of peace. Our readiness is strong and impenetrable. It is because of our salvation and the peace that comes from it that we can be made ready to face anything the enemy throws at us. We can march on to do that which we were called to do -- to share the gospel of peace that is our protection. Not only are we guarded by it, but we are made ready to share it with others in need. It is our foundation -- what we stand on -- that will keep us ready. Get your brass shoes on. We've got several obstacles to face today.

Further Thoughts:

1. Where else is sharing the gospel of peace associated with shoes/feet?
2. How does the gospel bring peace? Support with Scripture.
3. Are you at peace with God right now? If not, what stands in the way?
4. What "galltraps" has the enemy placed in your path lately? Did you handle them with peace?
5. List different ways you can prepare yourself to spread the gospel and peace.