Missions and Prayer

Well, good evening, good evening. Welcome to Coffee and Devotions. This is where every day you and I, we get together, we get into God's word and we grow in our love for the Lord together. And this year, 2022, we'll make it from the book of Acts to the book of Philemon. Today, we're at Acts chapter 15. Wrapping up that chapter, we'll begin in verse 22 and we'll finish up back chapter 15.
I'm so glad to be back with you this week when we pray and we'll get into God's word. Lord, we thank you so much. for the blessing it is to be in your word. Thank you that we hear from you, that you're the one who teaches us. Lord, we pray. that you would watch over us today, that we might know you, love you, and follow in your ways. We pray these things in Jesus's name. Amen. All right, here we go. Acts chapter, or sorry, Romans chapter 15, Romans chapter 15, beginning at verse 22.
For this reason, I also have been much hindered from coming to you. But now, no longer having a place in these parts and having a great desire these many years to come to you, whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while.
But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints, for it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. It pleased them indeed that they are their debtors. For the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. Therefore, when I have performed this and have been sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain.
But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe. and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. What a wonderful passage where Paul is giving some itinerary and asking for some prayers. Why don't we ask ourselves, A, what's this about? B, what's the best verse to summarize these passages? And C, what are we called to do in response to these words? Well, first, what's this about?
Well, the first paragraph, verses 22 through 29, he's saying, hey, I'm gonna go to Spain. His work in the East is done. He's gone and shared the gospel throughout Asia Minor. He's gone into Macedonia. He's gone into Achaia. He's gone right up to the edge of Italy. He didn't go to Rome. He didn't go to Italy earlier.
Why? Because someone else had laid the foundation there and he was going to establish brand new churches. But he knows that there's people all the way out in Spain. This breadbasket of the empire that he wants to go there. He says first though, before I can go to Spain I gotta go to Jerusalem and so he's hoping when he arrives in Rome before he goes to Spain, that they'll support him in the ministry, and he'll be able to use the church in Rome as a home base to launch him off into Spain, but first he's gotta go to Jerusalem.
Why? Well, because churches like Corinth and Athens, Berea, Thessalonica, Philippi have been generous. They've given money for him to take to the people in Jerusalem. There's poor people there. And we see this unity of love, this bond of peace that has established between the Gentiles who he has shared the gospel with and God's people in Jerusalem. And so he says, hey, will you pray for me? And that's what really he has in verses 30 through 32. He's asking for prayer. He says it's right.
Before this he said it's right for them to send gifts to the Jewish people in Jerusalem. Why? Because, well, they're the ones who shared the spiritual blessings. They're the ones where the gospel came from. And so they're helping out the Jewish people there. Maybe let's just go straight to calling. Maybe you can support Jewish missions, organizations that specifically go and share the gospel with Jewish people.
But he says, will you pray for me? He knows that there are enemies that he has in Judea. And so he says, pray for my protection. And then he's got a tricky task. Often when you take aid to a foreign country, it's a pretty tricky task to figure out where is it supposed to go? Who's supposed to receive what? And so he says, pray for me that he'll be able to do that while delivering the gift to them.
And he also says, pray that I'll be able to come to you. He says, pray that I'll be able to come to Rome and enjoy some sweet fellowship and friendship with you all. And so Paul's looking forward to eventually getting to Spain, but he's got to go to Jerusalem first. He's asking them to partner with him immediately in prayer, but in the future with sending him to Spain.
So what's the best verse to summarize these sections? Well, You know, there's attention here when we're underlining things to ask what's the best verse. There might be verses I really like. You know, like I would say, it pleased them and they are debtors for if the Gentiles have been partakers of the spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. I really like that verse, right? We're debtors to the Jewish people.
But I don't think that that's actually what this passage, the main part of this passage is about. I think it's actually his saying that he's going to Spain, but first he has to go there. So for that reason, I would actually say, I would underline verse 22, and then I would also underline verse 25. He's got to go to Jerusalem to minister to the saints there.
I think that's what's getting at the heart of this. But maybe you disagree with me. That's okay. Let me know down in the comments. If you're on Facebook or YouTube, let me know. Type it up down there and let me know what would you underline in your Bible as the best verses to summarize this section. Last C, calling. What are we called to do in response to this? Well, we see that we have received the gospel of Christ.
So do we support others? Paul doesn't think it's weird for a few things. He doesn't think it's odd that he would be asking for missionary support. Let me ask, do you find it odd to be supporting missionaries to go out with the gospel? Let me encourage you, rpglobalmissions.org.
Go and donate to missions organizations who will take the gospel to the nations. Do you find it odd to maybe support missions to Jewish people? There's a number of different ministries that their entire desire is to go and tell people about Yeshua, to go and tell the Jewish people that the Messiah has come, that the anointed has already arrived, that the son of David is sitting on his throne in heaven. Will we pray for the Jewish people? Will we support the poor? Will we support missions?
The Great Commission might continue to go out, not just to already reached countries, but even to places like Paul's desiring to do to Spain. I think the 1040 window is our Spain today. Nobody had taken the gospel to Spain at this time. There are places that the gospel hasn't been yet today. There are places in majority Muslim countries and in communist nations where there are missionaries going. It's not flashy work. We can't talk much about it, but they are going. But they can't do it without those who will send them and support them.
Let's pray. Father, we thank you so much that you are making disciples of all the nations. Lord, we pray that you might encourage us to see that we are those who have received grace and that we, out of the material abundance you have given us, should be sharing and caring for those who do not have or do not know Christ. Lord, we pray that you would care for those missionaries who are taking the gospel, both to the Jewish people and to unknown, unreached places. Lord, please. Build your kingdom. Care for your church. May your will be done in your kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven in Jesus's name. Amen. May the Lord bless you today. May you rejoice in King Jesus. And I'll see you tomorrow. Bye.
Thanks for listening to this week's message from God's Word for You, a ministry of Sharon R.P. Church in rural southeast Iowa. We pray that the message would be used by God to transform your faith and your life this week. If you'd like to get more information about us, feel free to go to the website, SharonRPC.org. We'd love to invite you to worship with us. Our worship time is 10 a.m. every Sunday at 25204 160th Avenue. Morning Sun, Iowa, 52640. May God richly bless you this week.