IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Paul, a Minister of Christ Jesus

Date: Feb. 11, 2020

Passage

Romans 15:14-33 (ESV)

14 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. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 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 may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 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, 19 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; 20 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, 21 but as it is written,

  “Those who have never been told of him will see,
    and those who have never heard will understand.”

22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, 24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. 27 For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. 28 When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. 29 I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.

30 I appeal to you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf, 31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company. 33 May the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Daily Bread

Key Verse: 15:16

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 may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1. God's grace to Paul (14-22)

God called Paul out of his life of persecuting the Lord. He gave Paul much grace. He made this terrible sinner a minister of Christ Jesus and sent him to bring the good news to the Gentiles. He saw his task as a priestly duty-to make the Gentiles an acceptable offering to the Lord. Because of this, Paul had boldly preached the gospel all over. But he wanted to go and preach somewhere new, where the gospel was unknown. Paul truly wanted to fulfill Jesus' world mission command-to preach the gospel to all nations. We too have been called by God and given His grace to be shepherds. This is our priestly duty.

2. Paul's plan to visit Spain (23-33)

Paul really wanted to preach the gospel in Spain, where no one had yet been. He would go through Rome to get support for his journey. But first, he had to visit Jerusalem to deliver an offering to the poor saints there. But there was danger there. So Paul asked for prayer support from the believers in Rome.

Prayer: Prayer: Lord, help me to see my call as a shepherd to be a priestly duty. Help me to preach the gospel.

One Word: God gave us mercy to be shepherds

Daily Bread

Misery of Disobedience

Genesis 34:1-31

Key Verse: 34:30

Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble on me by making me stink to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites. My numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.”

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