Throughout human history, man has asked the important questions, “Who are we? Why are we here? What’s the meaning of life?” Many today live without purpose because they don’t know their purpose. Every major industry or company has a purpose statement. Some are simple and direct. Other companies seek to inspire or motivate. No matter what the company or organization is, each one states their purpose for their existence. The purpose statement is the goal, the motivation, or the reason and direction of everything. Sadly, many Christians and churches live without purpose. They don’t know their “why” behind living. Here at Victory Way Baptist Church our mission statement is, “To know Christ and make Him known.” Our purpose is Jesus Christ. He is our reason for all that we are, all that we do, and all that we strive to do in faith. It is all “of Him, through Him, and to Him” (Rom. 11:36). What’s the purpose of life without a purpose? Each believer must be mission minded. The gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ is our motivation and mission. He is our purpose!
Today’s passage will be Rom. 15:14-21 which says, “14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. 17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.” The letter to the Romans begins with the prologue of the opening chapter where Paul sets the stage for the grand treatise of the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ. Then, throughout the letter he gives his body of argument leading to the practical living by faith. As he ends the practical section in the previous verse of this passage, Paul now begins his epilogue of closing the letter out. Finally, he speaks of himself, his relationship with this church, his desire to see them, and then says his final goodbyes and exhortations. Paul had not yet been to Rome, but desired to go and planned to go. He would of course end up there in the last years of his life under house arrest before his beheading. Throughout the letter to the Romans, Paul is not giving the church anything “new,” but instead is pushing them to go deeper, wider, and higher in the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ. He is reinforcing, restating, and reestablishing the transformational truth of the person and work of Christ. In this epilogue, we see God’s tool of truth, the Apostle Paul. We see the man behind the message and mission of the gospel, grace, and glory of Christ. Paul stands as an example of faithful humble obedience to the Lord. In this passage, we will look at what it means to have a mission minded ministry through Paul’s boldness, boasting, and burden. These three things should serve as the marks of a mission-minded ministry seen in the lives of individual believers, but also, perhaps especially in the local church. What we see about Paul, the man, and the ministry of the local church at Rome (and all others) will encourage us to be mission minded in the ministries of our life and local church.
First, let’s look at Paul’s boldness in Rom. 15:14-16 which says, “14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another. 15 Nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort, as putting you in mind, because of the grace that is given to me of God, 16 That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” There are two aspects to his boldness that we see in these verses.
One, Paul gives a bold compliment to the church at Rome. The compliment that he gives is encouraging to the readers, but also challenging them, and us to continue on in faith. Paul is “persuaded” or fully convinced that the church is a mission minded ministry in Rome. This compliment is to encourage them, but it serves as an example to us today as to what a healthy mission-minded ministry of a local church should look like. A mission-minded ministry is morally pure. He is persuaded that they are “full of goodness.” The word “goodness” is the word “agathsune” (agathos – good). It means an active goodness, virtue, or moral character. Goodness deals with both the inner and outer man. True goodness is having a beneficial attitude and actions. Paul also speaks of goodness in Gal. 5:22 and Eph. 5:9 as marks of a faithful believer. We aren’t mission-minded if our morals don’t line up with the mission of the gospel, grace, and glory of Christ. A mission-minded ministry is also doctrinally pure. Paul says that they were “filled with all knowledge.” The word “filled” means to be filled to the brim, complete, or controlled. It is in the perfect tense signifying that it has been previously filled but is persisting in being filled. The church at Rome had graduated from the gospel. The letter was written to take them up a grade in their knowledge of Christ. This very phrase was a part of Paul’s prayer for the church at Colosse seen in Col. 1:9-14. Here, we are reminded that our behavior and our beliefs are inseparable. You and I will never have to worry about knowing too much doctrine or knowing Christ too much in our practical life. Knowing leads to growing, but as we grow, we grow in knowing Christ deeper, higher, and wider so that we can be an effective mission-minded ministry for the glory of Christ. Furthermore, a mission-minded ministry is practically pure. Paul tells them in his compliment that they are “able also to admonish one another.” The ability to practically live the Christian life is the power of the Holy Spirit within us as seen in Rom. 15:13. Paul is saying that they already have what they need to minister to one another. Each believer is a part of the ministry and the local church functions to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (See Rom. 12:3-7; Eph. 4). The word “admonish” is the word “noutheteo” which means to place in the mind. The word is used to include a ministry to one another that encourages, advises, and gives warning by the power of the Spirit and truth of the scriptures. This isn’t a giving of one’s own opinion, but it is admonishing based upon the authority of the word of God. This can only happen through maturity. Mature Christians can admonish and be admonished. If you can’t be admonished, then you aren’t as mature as you think and certainly aren’t mature enough to admonish another if you can’t handle it yourself. Admonishing is the practical ministry that keeps everyone focused on the mission of the gospel, grace, and glory of Christ. It is through admonishment that we grow in holiness, harmony, and hope as Paul has dealt with extensively in the practical section in this letter.
Two, Paul is bold in his writing because of the bold commission that was given to him by Christ. Paul was not their pastor but wrote pastorally to them with his apostolic authority as one set apart for the Gentile world. Boldness is not brashness, but rather it is to ability to speak freely and frankly. Paul is direct in his writing throughout the letter. He says that he does this “because of the grace that is given to me of God, that I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost.” Paul started off his letter with this commission in Rom. 1:13-15 he says, “13 Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. 14 I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. 15 So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.” Also, Acts 9 records Paul’s conversion and commission from Christ in the road to Damascus where Paul was transformed and set apart to take the gospel to the Gentile world. This was God’s bold commission for Paul’s life. Now, interestingly, Paul was not a priest and did not come from the line of the priests (See Phil. 3:3-14). Yet here he uses the word “leitourgos” for the word “minister” instead of the typical “diakonos.” Paul uses the word that is associated with public service, but also that of priestly service. This word is used this way in Acts 13:2; Phil. 2:25; 1 Pet. 2:5; Heb. 8:2. Paul is not saying that he is a priest in his lineage, but that his ministry is acting as a priest on behalf of the “gospel of God” for the Gentiles to be saved and sanctified unto the Lord so that God would be glorified through the heathen coming to saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (See Rom. 15:8-12). Once more, Paul puts the emphasis of His work on the enabling and energizing power of the Holy Spirit who has saved, sealed, sustains, strengthens, and satisfies believers together in Christ. A mission minded ministry must be bold or courageous in these days that we live. We must boldly live morally, doctrinally, and practically pure by the power of the Holy Ghost who energizes and enables us to live on mission for the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ.
Second, let’s look at Paul’s boasting in Rom. 15:17-19 which says, “17 I have therefore whereof I may glory through Jesus Christ in those things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, 19 Through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Paul’s boasting is not in his achievements, but instead they are focused on the achievements of the gospel to bring Jew and Gentile together by the gospel and grace of Jesus to the glory of Jesus. A mission-minded ministry doesn’t have to promote itself, count nickels and noses, or advertise itself. Mission minded ministries make much of Jesus! Note though, that when someone compliments something that the Lord did through you (examples: preaching, singing, giving, serving etc.) we are not to take credit for ourselves, but we also aren’t supposed to dismiss it. Instead, we are to boast in the Lord’s work for, in, and through our lives. God’s gospel, grace, and glory have been entrusted to us ordinary jars of clay (See 2 Cor. 4). Paul makes clear throughout these verses that his boasting is in Christ alone. He makes the same comments in Gal. 6:13-14 saying, “13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” Paul boasts in the ministry that Christ has accomplished through Paul by the power of the Spirit and the preaching of the scriptures. The message of the gospel is announced, and God’s mission is accomplished through man’s availability by faith. A mission minded ministry boasts only “in those things which pertain to God.” Paul was a mighty tool in God’s hand because he knew that his strength was Christ in him. Paul boasts in the work that God did through the messages and miracles in his life “by the power of the Spirit of God.” Through Paul’s obedience, Gentiles have obeyed the gospel call. The apostle has made clear that he wasn’t the best preacher, but that God uses the foolishness of preaching to save sinners (See 1 Cor. 1-2). A mission minded ministry is not one that is “strong,” but rather one like Paul that knows how weak and frail it is so that God’s might, power, and authority would be seen. It is all about Christ’s word, work, and will. C.H. Spurgeon wrote about this saying, “The power that is in the Gospel does not lie in the eloquence of the preacher, otherwise men would be the converters of souls, nor does it lie in the preacher’s learning, otherwise it would consist in the wisdom of men. We might preach until our tongues rotted, till we would exhaust our lungs and die, but never a soul would be converted unless the Holy Spirit be with the Word of God to give it the power to convert the soul.” Notice as well that Paul doesn’t boast in the “signs and wonders” as much as he does in the fullness of the preaching of the gospel. It is the gospel that is “the power of God unto salvation,” not “signs and wonders.” Paul talked the talk and walked the walk. With his life and lips, he boasted only in and of Jesus Christ (“by word and deed”). Paul completed his mission, but boasted only in the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus; however, Paul was confident that he had given it his all for the mission of the gospel. He lived a gospel fueled, grace filled, and glory focused life (See Acts 20:27; 2 Tim. 4:5-8). Can we say the same?
Third, let’s see Paul’s burden in Rom. 15:20-21 says, “20 Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: 21 But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.” A ministry that isn’t done out of a burden is just a serving for one’s own self-righteousness. Paul shows us his burden by saying “so have I strived to preach the gospel.” The word “strive” is key in showing us his burden and reminds us to live with the same burden on our hearts. The word is “philotimeomai” from “philos” (friend/familial love) and “time” (honor). The idea is that of an earnest ambition or aspiration to accomplish a specific goal. It also has the implication of a total giving of one’s self to complete the task. Paul was single-minded or mission minded. The gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ consumed his entire being. His sole focus was to proclaim Christ with every fiber of his being until his dying breath to all who would hear the sound of his voice. In this passage, we hear Paul’s pastoral heart, but we see his work as a metaphorical priest, a preacher, and a pioneer. Paul preached where none had gone before and to people who had never heard of Christ. He didn’t view himself in competition with anyone else’s ministry. He was willing to spend and be spent (2 Cor. 12:15). Paul quotes Isa. 52:15 in Rom. 15:21, but we should consider all of Isa 52-53 to see the complete thought. What Paul is saying is that his burden is to see that all the world might hear the gospel and come to Christ.
Today, there are billions who have never heard the gospel and thousands of people groups without access to the word of God. Yet, we will still complain about the temperature in the sanctuary. We will still fuss about petty preferential differences. We will get all in a tizzy when someone doesn’t “carry their weight around here.” We will continue to not give to missions weekly. We will continue to walk by the gospel tract rack and keep our mouths closed. Where is our burden? Where is our boldness? Where is our boasting? We boast about programs and buildings. We boast how good we are. Dear church, will we boast in Christ? Will we boldly proclaim Him? The Lord desires that we would be morally, doctrinally, and practically pure as this church in Rome not so that we would feel good about ourselves, but so that we might be bold in our witness, boast in the gospel, grace, and glory of Jesus Christ, and be burdened to live by faith for the furtherance of the gospel. May we strive to be a mission minded ministry.
Grow With Pastor Joe 
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