Essentials Of The Faith / Sunday Morning Sermon Series / Romans

Romans 15:22-29

Sermon Title: 'God's Church is a Ministering Church:  The Ministry of Administration       Sermon Text: Romans 15:22-29

INTRO: I find it interesting, but not surprising, that we have about 60 or so adults who attend our Sunday Morning Services...and only 10-12 who come to our business meetings. I have tried to speculate why that is so.

      Perhaps some believe they only need to come to church services on Sunday...Perhaps some believe they can  just give money to support the ongoing work of the church and not to attend meetings other than Sunday morning.....or perhaps some believe that the business or administration of the church should be done by the Pastor, Elders, Deacons and Trustees.

      Folks....none of these reasons are acceptable. Now I know that there are those with small children who may have a difficult time getting out on a school night and some of our older saints may find it difficult to drive at night....

      But I think the main reason people don't come to our business meetings is that they don't think administration, is a very spiritual activity so it is not really important, so they don't have to go.

EXP: Our text today is an interesting one in that Paul seems to be sharing part of  the minutes of a business meeting he has held with those who accompanied him on his travels.

Paul's agenda includes:
1. Plan a business trip to Jerusalem to both help the poor  Christians there and to unite the Gentile and Jewish Believers.
2. Plan a brief lay over in Rome to minister to the Christian brothers and sisters there, to enjoy their fellowship and to discover
    support for the  missionary trip to Spain.
3. Plan a missionary trip to Spain to preach the Gospel to all those who have not heard of Jesus Christ.

      The text speaks of Paul's dreams, and his plans to accomplish them. He also tells of how his planing fits into divine providence, or the everyday working of God's will in our lives. Paul was keenly aware of the practical aspect of ministry: the day to day planning  and follow through of Christian service. He also held on to his dream of sharing Christ with all those who have not heard.

      Paul was able to keep the practical and spiritual in balance..in fact, I think he considered his ministry of administration to be spiritual as well. Paul understood the fact that the church is a living body which moves forward only by the Spirit of God. But that did not stop him from having a great vision and making careful plans to accomplish that vision in a responsible and organized way.

SIDEBAR: It was in the preparation of this message that I came up with a name for our quarterly leadership meetings. With Wes' approval, it will be the 'Gal. 5:25 Group'. Let's open to that passage.

      The word 'walk' here is better translated 'keep in step with'...I like that. As we minister together as a church body, in our vision setting , in our planning and in the implementation of specific ministry, we are to keep in step with the Spirit of God.  And follow as He directs our steps after the good pleasure of His will.

TRANS: Open your Bibles to Rom. 15:22 where we will find that the ministry of administration means balancing our personal desires, our dreams for God with the immediate needs God's will brings into our path.

I. Romans 15:22-23
Read: Rom. 15:22-23
    A. Personal Desire: To visit the Romans Believers

      Paul wanted to come to Rome. Not to see the sights; the pomp and glitter of the jewel of the empire, not to discuss the meaning of life with the philosophers, nor to be entertained in the  emperors court. Paul desired to go to Rome and spend time with the Roman Believers, with those who shared his love of God, and to fellowship with his spiritual family in Christ.

   B. Immediate Need: To preach the Gospel from Illyricum to Jerusalem
      That is why God hindered Paul from visiting the Roman Christians. As he kept in step with the Spirit, he had to prioritize his desires with the work God was clearly doing around him. His fellowship with the Roman Christians would have to wait.

ILL: Matthew Henry once said 'True grace teaches us to prefer that which is necessary before that with is unnecessary. And Christian prudence teaches us to prefer that which is more necessary before that which is less so.

      That's prioritizing. Up to now, Paul has had other priorities. Other more necessary things he had to do. But he assures the Romans Christians that they are in his plans and when God allows, he will visit them.

II. Romans 15:24-27
READ: Rom. 15:24-27
    A. Personal Desire: To evangelize Spain

  Here we find Paul dreaming big for God. He wants to go to Spain because they have yet to hear the Gospel of Christ. And he hopes that when he visits the Roman Christians, on his way to Spain, they will offer to be his base of operations , both financially and prayerfully while he ministers in Spain.

    B. Immediate Need: To take an offering to Jerusalem

      But, he says, I have one more important thing to do that must take priority. I need to take the offering we have collected from the Macedonian and Achaian churches to the poor Believers in Jerusalem. Paul watched as God moved miraculously in the hearts of the Macedonian and Achaian Christians in their generosity to the Jewish Believers and saw this as an immediate need. as God's will for that time.

      There is much I could say about this offering. In fact it would make a great sermon on the importance of giving with a cheerful heart. But that will have to wait till later
.
      Paul's immediate need, that which was directed by God was to take the Gentile offering to the poor saints in Jerusalem.

III. Romans 15:28-29
READ: Rom. 15:28-29
    A. Personal Desire: To visit the church in Rome on    the way to Spain.

      And he said that he knows God will bless him abundantly so that he may be a blessing to the Romans Christians when he visits. Again Paul's desire was to minister and to have fellowship with the Roman Believers. And he believed God would bless his desires.

    B. Immediate Need: To finish what he had started

      But, for now, Paul reminds them that he must finish what he has started. The immediate need is to go to Jerusalem and personally offer the collection to the poor Believers there. Paul wanted them to know that this was more than just an offering of money to help the destitute. This was an offering of peace and love from the Gentile Believers to the Jewish Believers. Paul saw that this would help to unify the two groups. After all, he has been teaching for the last 14 chapters that Gentile and Jewish Believers are one in Christ and must act like it.

      This offering is the fruit of the Gentiles obedience to Christ and to oneness in the body of Christ. That immediate need took priority over his desire to visit the Roman Christians.

Conclusion and Challenge:
Here's the conclusion:

      Paul never got his priorities confused. The immediate needs that God placed before him, he was faithful to carry out. And he kept his dreams and personal desires in step with the Spirit. That meant Paul was flexible. He made plans...short and long range plans. Scripture tells us to do that as well. Prov. 16:3, 9  21:5.

      YET, he also depended on the Spirit of God to direct him in the will of God. Paul tells us that in vs 32. 'That I may come to you in joy, by the will of God.'

Read: James 4:13-15

  We must seek and allow God's will to have priority over our desire and dreams, over all our planning.

Here's the challenge:

ILL: David Livingstone volunteered as a missionary with the London Missionary Society and they asked him where he wanted to go. He replied 'Anywhere, as long as it is forward!'

      Paul and David dreamed impossible dreams for God and they both made practical plans as God led them.

So, Where do you want to go in life as a Christian?
       Where do you want us to go in life as a Church?

 I pray your answer is like that of David Livingstone 'Anywhere as long as it is forward'

  How do we get there? How do we go forward?

1. By being active in the ministry of administration.
2. By dreaming impossible dreams for God.
3. By planning ways to implement our dreams for God.
4. And most importantly, by being flexible enough to keep in step with the Spirit as He guides our every    move.

  The ministry of administration is a spiritual ministry. As we look to God to guide our steps we must be actively involved in dreaming and planning.

  We do this by attending committee meetings, the 'Gal. 5:25' leadership meeting and our quarterly business meetings.

  Please, let me encourage and challenge you to be active and get involved in the dreaming...in the planning..in the life of God's church.

  Let's keep in step with the Spirit..together to the glory of God!