Romans 15:14-21
Scripture: Romans 15:14-21 (ESV) “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, but as it is written, ‘Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.’
Devotion:
My older sister was a track runner in her younger days. She ran all kinds of distances but to my mind the most interesting race is the relay. Before she got involved with it, I never knew how strategically relays were planned. Depending on your specific strengths as a runner, you were were either the starter, the person who carried the team on the back straight, or the finisher who powered the team home. Every runner has a unique leg of the race to run.
But if one of the runners fail, the whole team fails. You can only succeed when everyone plays their part. Each segment contributes to the success of the team. This is the kind of team effort Paul describes in Romans 15. He acknowledges the strengths of the Roman Christians—goodness, knowledge, and the ability to teach each other. But they don’t have it all sorted yet. So they need Paul to write boldly to them to help them sort out the parts they don’t get right yet. His writings ultimately make up the contents of what is now the book of Romans in our Bibles. So thank goodness the romans didn’t have it all sorted!
But having said what he said, Paul reflects on his unique role in spreading the Gospel. He has a specific calling to be a minister to the Gentiles. He knows that his part of the relay race is to reach out to those who haven’t heart about Jesus yet. Even though his previous work has been marked by signs, wonders and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit, he doesn’t focus on the miracles he has seen. His focus remains on spreading the word to the “uncharted territories,” spiritually speaking.
Now we are not the Apostle Paul. Not all of us have a calling to spreading the gospel everywhere. Not all of us have a drive to lay new foundations where Christ has never been proclaimed. But we all do have a unique role in God’s plan. We do have a role to play in his kingdom.
You are uniquely gifted and placed by God to grow his kingdom wherever you are. The question is, are you making use of the gifts, skills and opportunities God has given you to spread the gospel. Or are you content with just getting up, going to work or school, just earning your keep for another week, all without actually making a difference in the world.
This passage challenges us to consider our own personal callings within the broader mission of God. All of us have a part to play.
But are you playing that part?
Prayer:
The content below was originally paywalled.
Father, thank You for entrusting us with the gospel. Help us to discern our unique roles in Your mission. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to venture beyond the familiar, and empower us to bring Your message to those who have yet to hear it. May our efforts be pleasing to You, sanctified by Your Spirit. Amen.
Spiritual Challenge:
Today, think about an area in your life or community where the gospel is needed but not yet present. Consider what steps you can take to bring the message of Christ to this “uncharted territory.” Whether it’s a conversation, a service project, or starting a study group, ask God to use you as a pioneer of His good news.