IIT UBF - University Bible Fellowship at IIT

Daily Bread

Where Christ Was Not Known

Date: Jun. 28, 2023

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: 15:20

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,

Paul acknowledged himself as a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. Paul realized that his role was to be like a priest proclaiming the gospel of God to the Gentiles. In fact, this letter’s audience was likely the congregation of Gentile Romans since the letter was written to the church in Rome.

Paul is proclaiming only what Jesus had done through him to accomplish God’s will of bringing Gentiles to Christ. Paul confidently proclaims that he had preached the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem to Illyricum. Paul says it has always been his ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known.

God’s will is the same for us. Are we actively preaching the gospel where Christ is not known? Jesus said the harvest is plentiful (Mat 9:37). There are many who are waiting to hear our gospel message. Whether they accept it or not, they are all in need of the saving grace of Jesus in their lives. We should learn from Paul. We should actively go to our campuses, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our families and let them hear the gospel message where Christ is not known.

Prayer: Prayer: Father, please help us to preach your gospel message where Christ is not known.

One Word: One Word: Preach the gospel where Christ is not known.

Daily Bread

A Good King is Humbled

2 Kings 18:1-16

Key Verse: 18:5

He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel, so that there was none like him among all the kings of Judah after him, nor among those who were before him.

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