Romans 15:14-21 Click here for Bible Verses
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Romans 15:14-21. Let’s go!
Romans 15:14-21 (NIV)
14 I myself am convinced, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
15 I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me
16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God.
18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done–
19 by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
21 Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
On verses 14-21: A running theme in the book of Romans is: focus on the grace God has given you.
For example, earlier in Romans Paul writes:
“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment…” (Romans 12:3)
Elsewhere Paul writes:
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.” (Romans 12:6) Then Paul shares examples of different gifts (grace) that God gives different people to serve Him. (Romans 12:4-6)
In Romans 15:15, Paul focuses on that same point again. He says that even though the Roman Christians were already competent to teach one another, he wrote this letter to them “because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles”. In other words, for reasons Paul couldn’t fully explain himself, God gave Paul certain grace: a special burden, passion and ability to reach non-Jewish people for Jesus Christ. As Paul says in verse 20, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” Part of the grace God had given Paul was this dream to be a pioneering missionary who would take the message of Jesus Christ to people who had never heard it. Paul could even cite verses that fueled this God-given dream of his. Quoting from Isaiah 52:15, Paul says in verse 21, “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.”
What’s the lesson here? God has given each of us grace (gifts) so that we can be effective ministers for Him in this world. So if you want to be effective in serving God, focus on “the grace God has given you”. In other words, focus on the ways God has gifted you to serve Him.
How do you know what grace God has given you? Online spiritual gift tests can only tell you so much. The better test is: try serving God in different areas and ask yourself, “In which area do I see the most fruit or impact when I serve Him? In what areas has God given me a special amount of ability, experience, passion, burden or drive?” (As Paul writes in verse 20, “it has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known”.)
Focusing on the grace God has given you does not mean we should only serve God in areas where we feel passionate. Serving God is more about serving where the body needs us than about our own self-fulfillment.
Focusing on God’s grace also does not mean you should only serve in areas where you think you are the only one talented in that area (v14-15). There may be others who seem to have a similar gift as you, but don’t let that discourage you from exercising your own. After all, God had a reason for providing our physical bodies with more than one eye, more than one ear, more than one toe and more than one nostril. He often does the same with the body of Christ so that the body can be stronger.
Focusing on God’s grace means to do your very best with what God has entrusted to you. May you focus on God’s grace and make the most of all your God-given talents and opportunities for God’s glory.
Thank You Father for the grace You have given me to live for You. Please help me to focus on it and make the most of it, never taking it for granted or being ashamed of it. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
