Divisiveness

Reading:  Romans 16:17-27
    
    Paul ends his letter with a warning:  “I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them”(Rom 16:17).  Some people are divisive.  They separate people, cause problems, and make living the faith more challenging. While they may blame others for the conflict that seems to follow them, they are the common denominator.  Such people are dangerous; Paul demands that we “avoid them.”  The reason is that they “do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naïve”(Rom 16:18).  Though they claim to follow Jesus, their true allegiance is to themselves.  We cannot trust their words, which are full of “smooth talk and flattery,” but must look honestly at the fruits of their actions.  These are strong words, but divisiveness is spiritually devastating, both personally and within a local church.

    Despite this negative pronouncement, Paul is actually full of optimism about the Romans.  He assures them that “your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you”(Rom 16:19) and that “the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet”(Rom 16:20).  The fact that we encounter self-willed people does not diminish our standing before God or our hopes of him fulfilling his promises.  “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ!  Amen”(Rom 16:25-27).  God has done so much to bless us and will complete his work, to his glory.

    Sad as it is, some people choose to cause problems in churches, families, and workplaces.  Christians must be peacemakers who seek to mend breaches, not create them.  We first follow Christ in our own relationships, then carefully examine the divisive influences we encounter in order to avoid them.

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One Thing to Think About: What is the difference between standing for truth and being divisive?

One Thing to Pray For:   Harmony within the local church
 

The Depth of Christian Relationships

Reading:  Romans 16:1-16
    
    This may look like a section to skim or skip, yet something important is happening here.  Paul gives an extended set of greetings to the Roman Christians; he obviously knows a lot of them despite the fact that he hasn’t yet visited there.  “I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church at Cenchreae, that you may welcome her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints, and help her in whatever she may need from you, for she has been a patron of many and of myself as well”(Rom 16:1-2).  Phoebe is a servant (this is also the word for “deacon,” a position of service in the church) of the church at Cenchreae.  She is deserving of honor and help because of her faithful work for Paul and the church.  There is history here.

    Each greeting seems to have a similar kind of story behind it.  Prisca and Aquila “risked their necks for my life”(Rom 16:4).  Epaenetus is “my beloved” and “was the first convert to Christ in Asia”(Rom 16:5).  Mary “has worked hard for you”(Rom 16:6).  Andronicus and Junia are “my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners” and are “well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me”(Rom 16:7).  Paul has a kind word for each person he mentions; these words were surely treasured by those mentioned.  “Greet one another with a holy kiss.  All the churches of Christ greet you”(Rom 16:16).  Paul wants the Roman Christians to know they share a bond with all other Christians.

    Relationships matter.  Behind each verse here there is a story of mutual work or late-night baptism or danger faced together or passionate conversations to build each other up.  Paul sees each one as “my beloved” or “our fellow worker”; the connections are deep.  As we work together for Jesus, deep connections are forged that last through the years and despite the miles between us.  We are not alone in our love for Jesus and dedication to him.  Those connections sustain and encourage us through the challenges of Christian living. 

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One Thing to Think About: Do I value my relationships in Christ more than my worldly relationships?

One Thing to Pray For:   Encouragement from my brothers and sisters
 

Strive Together with Me

Reading:  Romans 15:22-33
    
    In this section Paul explains his travel plans and preaching philosophy:  “I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation”(Rom 15:20).  This desire to plow new ground in the gospel means that he has not yet been able to visit Rome.  “This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.  But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions…I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain”(Rom 15:22-23, 24).  But for the moment, he is going to Jerusalem to bring the gift the Gentile churches are giving to their needy Jewish brothers (Rom 15:25-28).

    We know that this gift is heavy on Paul’s mind from the many times he mentions it to the Corinthians (1 Cor 16:1-4, 2 Cor 8-9).  Here he channels his anxiety into requests for prayer.  “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, that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company”(Rom 15:30-32).  He asks for the Romans to “strive together with me” by praying.  He asks for prayers for his safety, for the reception of his gift, and for his subsequent travel plans.  All these justifiable concerns are not just the topics of Paul’s prayers; he also asks the Romans to pray with him.

    The vivid words “strive together with me” remind us that prayer is a way we join in the good fight with other Christians.  Paul speaks of prayer as having real power to change God’s mind and thereby change the world in which we live.  He may even be thinking of Jacob striving with God until he received a blessing (Gen 32:24-28).  We may not be able to be physically present when other brothers need us.  We may not have the power to change anything about the situation ourselves.  We may struggle to have words that will help.  But we can all strive together in prayer so that God brings the blessings we seek.

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One Thing to Think About: What matters am I currently striving about in prayer?

One Thing to Pray For:   A deeper sense of the power of prayer
 

With One Voice

Reading:  Romans 15:8-21
    
    Paul wants the Jewish and Gentile Christians in Rome to welcome one another because God’s plan has always been to include the Gentiles as a part of his people.  “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”(Rom 15:5-6).  When we are in harmony as a local church, our praise to God goes up “with one voice” despite our physical differences.  While we struggle with diversity, God’s plan is that through Jesus he can build harmony from the differences, to his glory.  Paul then  summarizes this latter section of Romans:  “For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy”(Rom 15:8-9).  Jesus fulfills the promises God gave to Abraham and the patriarchs—but also expands them by including the Gentiles.  A series of OT passages confirms this (Rom 15:9, 10, 11, 12).  God has been signaling his desire to include Gentiles for a long time.

    Paul’s confidence in God’s purpose makes him unashamed to preach in distant lands where even Judaism has not reached.  “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”(Rom 15:17-18).  He sees himself on the front lines of God’s plan to bring the Gentiles to faith.  If God wants this so badly, then Paul is happy to work hard and suffer in pursuit of God’s will, wherever it takes him (Rom 15:19-21).

    God wants his people to “with one voice glorify” him, united despite differences.  As hard as it may be to accept people who are not like us—in ethnicity, manners, background, or lifestyle—the cross makes it so that we all stand equal before God.  His purpose is that we show love and acceptance to one another.  This is most often worked out in the local church.  Whatever personal sacrifices we make to preserve unity and peace in a local church, we can be confident that we are fulfilling the dream of God.

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One Thing to Think About: Do I appreciate the unity of my local congregation—and how it glorifies God?

One Thing to Pray For:   God’s glory to expand through the lives of his people
 

It’s Not About Me

Reading:  Romans 15:1-7
    
    Our willingness to sacrifice our rights for the sake of our brother is part of a broader Christian worldview.  “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.  Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up”(Rom 15:1-2).  If we believe that we are the stronger brother (see Rom 14:2), our strength should be shown in our patience and humility with those who are weaker.  Rather than insisting on our right to do what we like (“to please ourselves”), we carefully consider the impact of our actions on others (“please his neighbor for his good, to build him up”).  In this, we follow Jesus, who “did not please himself, but as it is written, ‘The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me’”(Rom 15:3).  Jesus’ entire life was consumed with the needs of those around him—not merely exercising his own rights, finding his own enjoyment, or expressing himself.  Living like Jesus means it’s not about me.

    Having cited from the Psalms, Paul reminds the Romans of the value of the Old Testament:  “For what was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope”(Rom 15:4).  The Old Testament Scriptures have value for us because they foreshadow and resonate with what is more fully revealed in Jesus, including Paul’s present emphasis on not living for ourselves.  “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God”(Rom 15:5-7).  In the same way that Jesus has received us with kindness and patience, so we receive others.  I seek eagerly to welcome the way I have been welcomed because it’s not about me.  

    It’s not about me.  Following Jesus means that God’s will comes first and others’ needs come before my own.  My rights, preferences, and opinions can be yielded if they cause harm or stumbling to others.  I no longer live for myself.  It’s not about me.

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One Thing to Think About: Why is selflessness and sacrifice so hard?

One Thing to Pray For:   A heart to prioritize others over myself