Sermon Series: Messy Faith – Developing a Culture of Love.
Sermon Title: A Heart for People
Date: 3-19-2023
Speaker: Andrew Scott
Romans 12: Love is Serving
Romans 13: Love is Submitting
Romans 14: Love prefer others.
Romans 15:1-13 – Love Overflows
Romans 15: 14 – 33 – Love is about people.
Romans 15:14-16 (NASB95)
14 And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. 15 But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that [my] offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Romans 3:10-11 (NASB95)
10 as it is written, “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; 11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD;
1Corinthians 2:12-13 (NASB95)
12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual [thoughts] with spiritual [words.]
1) Your life’s mission is a
and a
offering to the Lord.
Romans 15:17-19 (NASB95)
17 Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. 18 For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, 19 in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.
Three boasts that Paul makes:
1) Gentiles coming to faith in Christ and being discipled.
2) Signs & Wonders accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit.
3) Paul was able to preach the gospel 1400 miles from Jerusalem to Illyricum (modern day Yugoslavia)
2) God gets the
for everything.
Romans 15:20-29 (NASB95)
20 And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was [already] named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; 21 but as it is written, “THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.” 22 For this reason I have often been prevented from coming to you; 23 but now, with no further place for me in these regions, and since I have had for many years a longing to come to you 24 whenever I go to Spain–for I hope to see you in passing, and to be helped on my way there by you, when I have first enjoyed your company for a while– 25 but now, I am going to Jerusalem serving the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 Yes, they were pleased [to do so,] and they are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual things, they are indebted to minister to them also in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have finished this, and have put my seal on this fruit of theirs, I will go on by way of you to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
3) The
is more important than the
.
Romans 15:30-33 (NASB95)
Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and [that] my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; 32 so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find [refreshing] rest in your company. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.
4) A congregation on mission needs to be a
congregation.
Instruction:
1) Our mission is Sacred.
2) The outcome of our mission belongs to God.
3) A heart living on mission is a heart that dreams.
4) A heart on mission is a praying heart.
Life Group Questions:
1) What does it look like to live on “mission” in our daily lives? What gets in the way from living our lives with intentionality?
2) What keeps Christians from “admonishing” one another? Does the modern clergy (professional pastors) laity (congregation) dynamic impact this? (Rom 15:14)
3) How do you calculate success in your life? By what standard are you judging your life? How did Paul measure success? (Rom 15:17-19)
4) How does having a Biblical worldview shape the way we live? (Careers, family, dating/marriage, neighbors, friendships) What in our culture is pulling us away from a Biblical worldview? How will this impact living a life on mission?
- Expanded Sermon and Study notes available online and in the foyer.