I have begun my series in the book of Romans with a deliberate look at the nature of the pastoral ministry, looking as it were with Paul’s eyes at the work which God is calling me to do among you.
At the beginning of this letter we find quite a bit of autobiographical matter. In the opening verse we find that Paul sees himself as a servant (bondslave), a messenger boy, set apart for the gospel of God- the gospel (good news) about Jesus Christ. Paul says that Jesus has two natures in His person:
(i) He is man of very man, and as such He is descended from the line of David (Judah)
(ii) He is God of very God – sent from the eternal throne of God (as the beloved Son of God) to take on the nature of a man. He does this in accordance with the eternal plan of God. He does that which could not be done by sinful men – to be reconciled to a holy God whom we have all (Rom. 3) offended. As perfect man and as the Son of God He is the perfect mediator between God and man. As such He offered up Himself as the Passover sacrifice by which He atones for our sin through His death on the cross. But He does not remain in the grave. Paul says that He was resurrected. He came alive triumphing over man’s greatest enemy – death. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23). Those who belong to Him (including representatives from every nation) are saved from eternal death and they are called saints- literally 'set apart ones'. It is these alone that enjoy the grace and peace from God. This is the Good news – the great message that Paul has for the Romans is also offered to us here in Robertson.
We are currently focusing on the work of the gospel minister with the help of Romans 1:1 -15. We shall now consider a few more autobiographical aspects by which Paul makes known to us his pastoral nature, which reflects the heart of Christ – and by way of application every pastor’s heart.
In 1:8-15 we find four important character traits of a man called to the ministry
(i) 1:8 A thankful man
(ii) 1:9,10 A prayerful man
(iii) 1:11-12 A useful man
(iv) 1:13-15 A fruitful man.
[NOTE – these four aspects are not peculiar to pastors, but pastors must possess them, and in doing must pass on and generate a culture of thankfulness, prayerfulness, usefulness and fruitfulness. The Holy Spirit honours such work]
1. A
THANKFUL MAN (1:8)
What makes Paul thankful? Surely the fact that there is a biblical church in Rome. A biblical church is made up of “born again believers“. They are called saints (1:7). When Paul hears of them he gives thanks to God for the faith of this little group of Roman Christians. Please note that he is not congratulating them on their achievement of establishing a church in this spiritual wilderness among the pagans. It is God to whom Paul gives thanks…”I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you”. God alone, through Christ alone has done this. In this regard I also remind you that He alone has kept Robertson Reformed Community Church. You have not done this. God has done this! And so Paul praises God for the faith of the Roman believers, for this faith that they have received is a gift from God. A number of them may have received this gift of faith when they were in Jerusalem at Pentecost (where visitors from Rome are mentioned in Acts 2:10), when the Holy Spirit descended on them, and when 3000 were converted in one day. The amazing thing was that this living out of their faith had begun to acquire a reputation in the then known world. The gospel (as we shall see) makes a real difference and people will soon talk about the difference. It is inevitable.
Have you been converted dear friend?
Is your life a changed life?
Whenever we hear of testimonies of conversion and when churches make great strides in their faith, we hear them being talked about. Is our church a church where the gospel makes a difference to anybody? Do people see it and is it being talked about? I love to hear about conversions and new churches forming. It is so encouraging. How thrilled I was to visit a small Reformed Baptist Church in Wetzlar, Germany in 2010, and again in 2024, and to see this church growing, making disciples and making such a difference today in that community. I have been there to encourage them, and tell them about likeminded churches in Namibia and Southern Africa whilst at the same time have them encourage me - see 1:12.
I want to be a pastor who is a thankful man as I see God’s Word taking root and
shape among us.
2. 1:9,10 A PRAYERFUL MAN
Not only was Paul thankful. He was prayerful. He had never
been to Rome, but he heard of them, and when he heard of their
testimony of faithfulness, he included them regularly in his prayers. One of
his prayers was that he may be able to see them in person. He is interested in God’s work
there and he wants to come and encourage them. We find a pattern in Paul’s
pastoral ministry. Paul prays for the church everywhere. I encourage you to do
the same All his plans and desires for these churches are put before God in prayer. This is a
typical pattern in all Paul’s epistles. I
want to show you this by way of a brief review.
• Romans 1:8-15
• 1 Cor. 1:4-9
• Eph. 1:15-23;
3:14-21
• Phil. 1:3-11
• Col. 1:3-14
• 1 Thess. 1:2-3; 2 Thess. 1:3-12
• Phil. 4-6
We do well to imitate Paul in his prayers for the church. Jesus in the Lord’s prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) taught us that we must pray continuously that God’s kingdom will come on earth. The kingdom of God advances through men and women being converted, being baptised into Christ, and by being added to the church of our Lord Jesus Christ wherever they live. To that end we must always pray- may your kingdom come!
I want to be a pastor who is obedient in praying always for God's work, and I want you to join me in this work.
3.
1:11-12 A USEFUL MAN
Paul is not only a thankful and a prayerful man. He wants to put feet to His prayer. Paul prays for an open door to come to them for the purpose of strengthening them with his spiritual gift! He uses strong language that sounds like an oath … “God is my witness ….that without ceasing I mention you in my prayers asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you…” (1:9,10). Why does he do this? Paul strongly believes that he has a contribution (a spiritual gift) to bring to their work in Rome. He has a spiritual gift (charismata) to give to the church at Rome (1:11). What is he talking about? Paul knew that God had endowed him with an ability that could propel the church in Rome to new a height. He was conscious of God’s indwelling power and he was aware of the authority with which God had endowed him with.
Spiritual gifts bring spiritual advancement. At my former church we once had a problem with our administrative side of things. Being a growing church with a growing budget and growing responsibilities we were just not doing well. God in His great mercy provided us with a young, spiritually minded couple, and He used their spiritual administrative gift to help us in a short time to put the church on to a new organisational level. It was so helpful, and it made an imediate difference and we all rejoiced. That is what spiritual gifts do. They build spiritual capacity in the church, and the church is better off because of them. Paul was very aware of that.
Paul’s apostolic gift, had many facets to it – in some ways he was able to do everything – teach, preach, administer, heal, encourage etc., but Paul’s usefulness was rooted, not in his own strength, but in God’s strength. He always boasted in what God would do through him. It was ultimately God that made him useful, and in that sense we can only really be useful if we work according to His gifts and by His power. Jesus reminded His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they had been endued with that power from the Holy Spirit (Lk. 24:49; Acts 1:8). We cannot work for God, we cannot build the church without that power and authority from Christ. After they had received that power we read that the apostles “with great power testified to the resurrection (Acts 4:33). So when they spoke they spoke with great effect. Their words came with the power. It crushed men. It convinced men. It made them fall to the ground and cry out, “Men and brothers what must we do to be saved?“ We can have a well- organized church, but it will be useless without this power- this authority. If you and I want to be useful we must do it by the authority and by the power that God gives.
Please note too that Paul did not propose to come to impart spiritual gifts as the modern charismatic movement and their so called apostles claim to do. No! That belongs to the sovereign ministry of the Holy Spirit! (1 Cor. 12). He is the only Giver of spiritual gifts. He gives them (or withholds them) sovereignly to each as He wills! The spiritual gif, given to Paul by the Holy Spirit is used to strengthen the church. It is linked to his own apostolic ministry and gifting. And it always leaves the church in a better shape. That was Paul's supreme concern.
Paul's apostolic gift wasso profound and so pervasive that it has outlasted his own generation. The whole letter to the Romans is actually the best illustration for what I am saying here. The teaching he provided here to the Romans is so strengthening and so profound that beyond this church at Rome it proves to have strengthened the whole church in all ages. That is the power of the apostolic gift.
Therefore I can be most useful to you if I remind you of that which is written in the Bible- God's eternal, infallible Word to remind you of God's unchanging truth and to ground you in that truth. Jesus prayed for this, “Sanctify them by your truth – your word is truth“ (Jn 17:17). It is by the truth that we are changed.
I want to be useful to that end.
And finally…
4. 1:13-15 A FRUITFUL MAN
Paul’s prayerful desire is to “strengthen” (1:11b) the
Roman church, by the use of his
spiritual gift. But that is not all. No hardworking farmer works in a field
without desiring a result. And so Paul
says “ …that I may reap some harvest
among you as well as among the rest of the gentiles…” (1:13). A farmer plants to reap fruit ! My prayer is that this
time that God has given us together, for as long as He deems, may be a time
when God would be pleased to let
the ministry of the Word not fall on
barren soil, but on rich fruitful soil
(Parable of the sower and the seed – Mk 4).
To that end will you pray with me that I would be such a man to you? Thankful, prayerful, useful and fruitful!
And God shall receive all the
glory, and we shall receive all the satisfaction. Amen
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