Let’s back up to September 6, 2020

• Acts 19:11-20 & Intro 1 Corinthians
• Emperor Claudius dies on October 13, 54 AD
• Nero becomes next Emperor of Rome
• Paul is in Ephesus (Map) casting out demons and doing miracles.
• Apollos comes from Corinth and informs Paul of all the issues occurring (pagan worship, sexual immorality, stealing, etc.)
• Paul writes a letter to Corinth addressing these issues (we do not have this letter).
• We know that Titus went to Corinth with the letter and began collecting funds for Jerusalem. (2 Corinthians 1:15-16)
• In the Spring of 55 AD, Chloe visits Paul in Ephesus and tells him about all the division in Corinth.
• Paul begins writing 1 Corinthians.
• As Paul is finishing the letter 3 more men from Corinth come to Ephesus and tell Paul of incest, sexual immorality and has a list of questions for Paul.
• Paul finishes 1 Corinthians and addresses these issues and answers their questions.
• We covered 1 Corinthians from 09/20 – 01/21.

 
In the meantime:

• Nero lifts the ban on Jews and allows them to return to Rome.
• Paul hears of this and send Aquila and Priscilla to Rome.
• Paul wants to establish a gentile church in the Eternal City before the Jews start trickling back into Rome.
• Delegates to the Church in Rome:
•  - Aquila and Priscilla from Ephesus
•  - Phoebe from Cenchrea
•  - Rufus from Syrian Antioch
•  - Andronicus and Junias from Jerusalem
•  - Urbanus from Macedonia
•  - Apelles from Asia Minor

 
AN URGENT VISIT TO CORINTH

• Timothy returns from Corinth and brings Erastus back with him. Timothy tells Paul that his letter (CORINTHIANS B – I Corinthians) has been rejected.
• Tragically, there is a strong-willed brother in the church who defies Paul’s apostolic authority and persuades most of the church to follow his line of thinking.
• Upon hearing this news, Paul pays an urgent visit to Corinth.
• But the visit turns out to be extremely painful. The strong-willed brother defies Paul’s apostolic authority in Paul’s presence.
• And the others do not defend Paul in the midst of the man’s accusations.
• Paul leaves Corinth angry and deeply humiliated. He wants to visit Corinth again and try to correct the problem, but he chooses not to lest he experience sorrow a second time.47
• In haste, he writes a severe letter and gives it to Titus to read to the church. We will call it CORINTHIANS C. This letter no longer exists.48

 
PAUL WRITES CORINTHIANS C
(This letter is lost to us.) Year: A.D. 55
From: Ephesus
To: The church in Corinth (which is about 5 years old) Provocation: After returning from Corinth in anger, Paul composes this stinging and severe letter to the Corinthians. He writes it in pure agony and bathes it in tears.
In the letter, Paul asks the church to prove its love for him by disciplining the man who has defied his authority.

• As soon as Titus goes off to Corinth with the letter, Paul regrets writing it. He fears that its severe tone may exacerbate the situation. Paul is heartbroken and worried over the Corinthian church.

 
THE RIOT IN EPHESUS
Acts 19:21-41
21 After these events, Paul resolved by the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem. “After I’ve been there,” he said, “It is necessary for me to see Rome as well.” 22 After sending to Macedonia two of those who assisted him, Timothy and Erastus, he himself stayed in Asia for a while.
 
Opposition in Ephesus
June 57
Paul is plotting his next move. He plans to leave Ephesus and visit the churches in Macedonia (Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea) and Corinth. He then plans to bring the relief fund from these churches to Jerusalem, after which he plans to visit Rome. Paul sends Timothy and Erastus ahead of him to prepare for his arrival in Macedonia.49
23 About that time there was a major disturbance about the Way. 24 For a person named Demetrius, a silversmith who made silver shrines of Artemis, provided a great deal of business for the craftsmen. 25 When he had assembled them, as well as the workers engaged in this type of business, he said, “Men, you know that our prosperity is derived from this business. 26 You see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in almost all of Asia, this man Paul has persuaded and misled a considerable number of people by saying that gods made by hand are not gods.

• Paul’s influence in Ephesus causes many in the city to forsake their idols.

27 Not only do we run a risk that our business may be discredited, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis may be despised and her magnificence come to the verge of ruin—the very one all of Asia and the world worship.”

• As a result, the silversmiths who make their living selling miniature statues of the Greek goddess Diana (also called Artemis, the goddess of fertility) are losing customers.

28 When they had heard this, they were filled with rage and began to cry out, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

• Demetrius, one of the silversmiths, calls his fellow silversmiths together and spearheads a mob protest against Paul.
• Demetrius convinces the silversmiths that Paul is hurting their business by discrediting the temple of the Great Diana.
• Upon hearing this, the mob is filled with fury and screams out, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

29 So the city was filled with confusion, and they rushed all together into the amphitheater, dragging along Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians who were Paul’s traveling companions.

• The protest bleeds throughout the city, causing a massive uproar.
• The protesters move into the Ephesian amphitheater, which holds 25,000 people. In a ranting rage, the mob seizes Aristarchus and Gaius.50

30 Although Paul wanted to go in before the people, the disciples did not let him. 31 Even some of the provincial officials of Asia, who were his friends, sent word to him, pleading with him not to venture into the amphitheater.

• Paul wants to go into the theater to confront the mob, but the Ephesian believers prevent him.
• Even some officials of the province, who are Paul’s friends, send him a message begging him not to go into the theater.

32 Some were shouting one thing and some another, because the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together. 33 Some Jews in the crowd gave instructions to Alexander after they pushed him to the front. Motioning with his hand, Alexander wanted to make his defense to the people.

• The Jews from Ephesus wish to dissociate themselves from Paul, so they have a Jew named Alexander speak on their behalf.

34 But when they recognized that he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours, “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

• When the Ephesians realize that Alexander is a Jew—knowing that Jews do not worship pagan gods—the crowd shouts continually for two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

35 When the city clerk had calmed the crowd down, he said, “People of Ephesus! What person is there who doesn’t know that the city of the Ephesians is the temple guardian of the great Artemis, and of the image that fell from heaven? 36 Therefore, since these things are undeniable, you must keep calm and not do anything rash. 37 For you have brought these men here who are not temple robbers or blasphemers of our goddess. 38 So if Demetrius and the craftsmen who are with him have a case against anyone, the courts are in session, and there are proconsuls. Let them bring charges against one another. 39 But if you seek anything further, it must be decided in a legal assembly. 40 In fact, we run a risk of being charged with rioting for what happened today, since there is no justification that we can give as a reason for this disturbance.” 41 After saying this, he dismissed the assembly.[1]

• After several hours of mayhem, the town clerk calms the mob down and suggests that those who have a complaint against Paul go through the proper governmental channels to resolve it. The clerk then dismisses the crowd.51

 

• It is here that Paul drops to the lowest point of his life. The opposition from Ephesian “wild beasts” (as he calls them metaphorically) is so great that Paul falls into despair.52 (1 Corinthians 15:32)
• The plots of the Jews have severely tried him.53
• He describes himself as feeling “pressed out of measure,” “despairing even of life,” “having the sentence of death” upon me.

 

• (During this period of time, Priscilla and Aquila risk their necks for the apostle.)55 Back in nearby Colosse, Epaphras plants three churches in the south banks of the Lycus valley: One in Colosse (his hometown), one in Laodicea, and one in Hierapolis.56 (According to letters of Colossians & Philemon)

 
From Ephesus to Troas
Before leaving Ephesus, Paul sends for the Ephesian believers to secretly meet him somewhere in the city.

• The meeting is held and Paul speaks words of encouragement to the church, says good-bye, and heads out for Troas.
• In Troas, Paul is given an open door to preach the gospel, and he plants a church in that city.
• A community expressing God’s nature is born in Troas!
• Tragically, Paul’s mind is still unsettled about the Corinthian church.
• He desperately hopes to see Titus and find out how the Corinthians received his “severe letter.” Paul searches for Titus throughout Troas, but he fails to find him.
• Paul is so burdened about the church at Corinth that he leaves Troas despite the open door that God has given him.
• He sets out for Macedonia where he will look for Titus.57 As Paul travels to Macedonia, he fights fears within his own heart about the Corinthian church.
• When he arrives in the province, he receives opposition.
• Yet in spite of it, Paul encourages the three Macedonian churches (Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea).58
• Paul exhorts each of the churches to continue collecting for the Jerusalem relief fund, and boasts in the example set by the church in Corinth…for they have been zealous in laying up for their collection for the past year.59
• As Paul visits each church, the Holy Spirit reveals to him through various believers that tribulation and imprisonment await him in Jerusalem.60

 
 
PAUL IN MACEDONIA
Acts 20
1 After the uproar was over, Paul sent for the disciples, encouraged them, and after saying farewell, departed to go to Macedonia. 2 And when he had passed through those areas and offered them many words of encouragement, he came to Greece 3 and stayed three months.[2]
 
Finally, Paul finds Titus in Macedonia with good news from Corinth.

• Paul’s severe letter has been received! The Corinthians have repented and have taken action!
• The church disciplined the man who defied the apostle’s spiritual authority.
• But it was too extreme in its discipline.61
• Titus tells Paul that the church treated him (Titus) with great respect and humility.
• He also tells him that Corinth has slacked off in collecting money for the relief fund.62
• Paul is comforted by the report and begins writing the church another letter.63 We will call it CORINTHIANS D. This is our 2 Corinthians.
• While Paul is writing this letter, he gets word that the church in Corinth is having a new problem.
• Not long after Titus left Corinth, the church was visited by Jewish “super apostles” (as Paul sarcastically calls them) who undermine Paul’s authority and seek to bring the Corinthians under the authority of the Jerusalem church.64
• Regrettably, some of the Corinthians have received these men and their false gospel—which is a gospel of Law. The “super apostles” try to discredit Paul in the eyes of the Corinthians by telling them the following:
• Paul cannot be trusted. He is not a man of his word. Example: He changed his mind regarding his travel plans. He says one thing but does another. Therefore, his “yes” does not mean “yes,” and his “no” does not mean “no.”
• When Paul preached to you, he left out the most glorious and life-giving part of the gospel…the Law.
• Paul is not a real apostle. He does not have a letter of commendation like we (the “super apostles”) have nor does he accept money for himself. If he were a real apostle, he would have a letter of commendation, and he would take your money.
• Paul is exploiting you by asking you to collect money for a supposed relief fund.
• When Paul is among you, he is weak, humble, and unimpressive in his speaking. But when he is upset, he becomes bold, fierce, and articulate in his letters.
• Paul does not have supernatural experiences like we (the “super apostles”) have.
• Paul does not possess the impeccable Israelite pedigree that we (the “super apostles”) have.65

 
PAUL WRITES CORINTHIANS D
(This is our 2 Corinthians.) Year: A.D. 57
From: Macedonia
To: The church in Corinth (which is about 6 years old)
Provocation: Paul encourages the church to forgive the man who defied him. He shares his heart about why he wrote the “painful” letter (CORINTHIANS C).
 

• Paul responds to the charge that his word cannot be trusted and clarifies why he changed his travel plans (chapters 1–2). (The letter digresses into a parenthesis from 2:14 to 7:4.)
• He responds to the charge that he has no letter of commendation and compares his life-giving gospel with the death-giving gospel of his opponents (chapters 3–4).
• Paul exhorts the believers to not yoke themselves with unbelievers and becomes very autobiographical about his emotions behind writing the severe letter. In doing so, he exhorts the church to be reconciled to him and to the Lord (chapters 5–7).
• Paul then encourages the church to resume the collection for the Jerusalem relief fund (chapters 8–9).
• He urges Titus to visit the church along with another brother “whose fame in the gospel has spread to all the churches” (probably Luke) to help the Corinthians complete the collection.
• Titus and Luke willingly accept Paul’s appeal. In the last three chapters (chapters 10–13), Paul addresses the major charges the Jewish “super apostles” have employed in an effort to take over the Corinthian church.
• To Paul, the process of defending his apostleship is utter foolishness.
• But he does so anyway to save the church from accepting a false gospel.
• And in doing so, he exposes the fleshliness of the “super apostles” in very strong terms.
• Paul sends the letter with Titus and Luke.

 
Here is my take away from this story:

• I’ve literally had two friends this week that have been “dismissed” by their own ministries.
• Both of these men posted on Facebook about their situations.
• Both men experienced opposition based upon theology and practice.
• It is going to happen… division is a practice of the evil one if you haven’t figured it out yet.
• Division starts small and weeds its way into the very thing that is experiencing growth.
• Our flesh wants to respond just like Paul did in his 3rd letter to Corinth.
• Although there is much fleshly satisfaction in hitting the send button, we often regret our harsh words.
• We then come to the realization that it is not our place to defend ourselves.
• God said He would do that… “Well, hurry up and do it!”
• Keep teaching the Truth. Stay focused on the main thing. Jesus is the Messiah, Jesus is our Savior and Jesus is our Lord.
• The Truth will always win over the darkness.
• The Truth is greater than the secondary discussions.
• Stay focused on Jesus.
• My identity is in Jesus… not my ministry… not Leavener.

Jesus alone.

* Most of these notes come from the book: The Untold Story of the New Testament Church by Frank Viola. (Destiney Images Publishing Inc., 2004.)

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ac 19:21–41). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ac 20:1–3). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

• Paul has explained his recent travel route and current situation.
• From Jerusalem to Illyricum - (Eh-lyric-come)

 
PAUL’S TRAVEL PLANS
22 That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you 24 whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while.

• Paul is in the midst of wrapping up his 3rd missionary journey (maps).
• He plans on heading to Spain but will stop in Rome for a season to visit with believers there and raise support for his ministry.

25 Right now I am traveling to Jerusalem to serve the saints, 26 because Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem.

• He is returning to Jerusalem to give them all the funds he collected from the churches he visited on this 3rd journey.

27 Yes, they were pleased, and indeed are indebted to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in their spiritual benefits, then they are obligated to minister to them in material needs. 28 So when I have finished this and safely delivered the funds to them, I will visit you on the way to Spain. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.
30 Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, through our Lord Jesus Christ and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in prayers to God on my behalf. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea, that my ministry to Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 and that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy and be refreshed together with you.

• There is some hesitancy and doubt that the Jews will accept Paul, his ministry to the Gentiles and even the funds from the Gentiles.
• He wants them to be acceptable so it will be an encouragement to him as he continues his ministry.

33 May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen.[1]

• Reminder that God is the God of peace and He is with us always now.

 
PAUL’S COMMENDATION OF PHOEBE
16 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a servant of the church in Cenchreae (sen'kre-a – aport in Corinth/Greece). 2 So you should welcome her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints and assist her in whatever matter she may require your help. For indeed she has been a benefactor of many—and of me also.

• Paul here has the longest series of greetings to Christians that he has anywhere in the letters, which comes as something of a surprise when we recall that Paul has never visited the Roman Christian church before.
• Phoebe who apparently is the one who is carrying the letter for Paul from Corinth where he was writing to the church in Rome.
• Phoebe was probably a wealthy businessperson who has business in Rome and is therefore traveling that direction and so, of course, a great candidate to carry the letter on behalf of Paul.
• What’s particularly interesting is that Paul calls Phoebe two things: a prostatis (benefactor) (a Greek word) and a diakonos (servant).
• The first one has been translated by some people in the sense of “leader.” This is unlikely, however. The term was widely used in the ancient world to talk about what we would call a “patron” or “patroness.”
• Patronage was a very significant part of the social fabric of the Roman empire.
• Patrons were people who would, by their influence and money, help sponsor the work of others.
• Usually to succeed in that culture meant to find someone who would be a patron and who would help you advance in career or say a good word in the ear of an important person on your behalf. We call this “networking” today, don’t we?
• Phoebe then is described here by Paul as a wealthy Christian woman who is a patroness—that is, one who has used her money and perhaps her influence in the city to advance the cause of Christ.
• How about the word diakonos? The difficulty here is that this word is used in two very different ways throughout the nt. On one hand, it’s often used simply to describe someone who is a servant of Christ or a minister in a very broad sense. In this sense, of course, all Christians are diakonoi; that is, each of us is a servant of Christ called to minister on behalf of the church in certain ways.
• But diakonos was also used in a more technical way, translated in that sense “deacon,” a sort of officer officially recognized as one of the leaders in the early Christian church.
• Is Paul calling Phoebe simply a servant, or is he calling her a deacon?
• Let’s remember that in the early Christian church, deacons were not sort of the top leaders in the local Christian church.
• Those leaders were called “elders.” Deacons served under elders, helping with the financial affairs of the church, occupying themselves in the visitation of the sick, the ill, those who couldn’t get to church, as we see people doing in our day as well. So I think what Paul is saying here is Phoebe, because she is a wealthy woman sponsoring the Christian movement in Corinth (and specifically Cenchrea, the seaport of Corinth that Paul mentions here) is also recognized by the church as a deacon—that is, by someone who has a recognized role in the church under the elders to assist these kinds of ministries.[2]

 

• In addition to Phoebe in verses 1–2, Paul goes on to greet 25 different Christians by name, mentioning also others like the household of so-and-so or brothers and sisters within a certain house church.[3]

 
GREETING TO ROMAN CHRISTIANS
3 Give my greetings to Prisca and Aquila, my coworkers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life. Not only do I thank them, but so do all the Gentile churches. 5 Greet also the church that meets in their home. Greet my dear friend Epaenetus (Epi-neet-us), who is the first convert, to Christ from Asia., 6 Greet Mary, who has worked very hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus (and-dron-icus) and Junia, my fellow Jews and fellow prisoners. They are noteworthy in the eyes of the apostles, and they were also in Christ before me. 8 Greet Ampliatus (Amp-lea-tus), my dear friend in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our coworker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys (stock-iss). 10 Greet Apelles (apple-less), who is approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus (air-iss-tob-you-lus). 11 Greet Herodion (hair-rode-ion), my fellow Jew. Greet those who belong to the household of Narcissus (Nar-siss-us) who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphaena (Tri-fin-a) and Tryphosa (Tri-fosa), who have worked hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; also his mother—and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus (ass-sync-rit-us), Phlegon (Flee-gon), Hermes, Patrobas (Pat-row-bus), Hermas (Her-moss), and the brothers and sisters who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus (Fil-lol-o-gus) and Julia, Nereus (knee-roos) and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.

• There are men and women. There are people who are Jewish and people who are Gentile.
• There are people who are from very low social classes (slaves or slaves who had recently gained their freedom) and people who were from fairly high social classes as well.
• In other words, these names give us a kind of window into the early Roman Christian church as a community of Christians that was very diverse with all of the wonderful things that come with that, but also, as we’ve seen in Paul’s argument in Romans, some of the problems that come with that.[4]

16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send you greetings.

• Our equivalent to a hand shake or elbows in a pandemic.

 
WARNING AGAINST DIVISIVE PEOPLE
17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them, 18 because such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites., They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words.

• The house churches at this time did not have the Bibles we have today.
• They had the stories of the apostles that were compared and passed along.
• False teachers with agendas and selfish intent were common in the day.
• Sadly, we have Bibles on our phones and the same things is happening today.
• I like to refer to them as penalty flags.
• Can you recognize penalties in teaching as we filter what we read and hear?

 
PAUL’S GRACIOUS CONCLUSION
19 The report of your obedience has reached everyone. Therefore I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise about what is good, and yet innocent about what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

• Paul believed that Jesus was going to return any day and he lived his life/ministry accordingly.
• A preterist view believes the word “soon” means 70 AD with the destruction of the temple.
• A futurist believes that Jesus is still to come.

The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.
21 Timothy, my coworker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater (So-sis-pater), my fellow countrymen, greet you.
22 I, Tertius (Tert-e-us), who wrote this letter, greet you in the Lord.

• Tertius is the scribe to Paul.
• Papyrus was rare and expensive.
• Scribes were able to write small and efficiently.

23 Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus greet you.
 
GLORY TO GOD
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation about Jesus Christ,

• Paul’s Gospel was the good news of Jesus Christ.

according to the revelation of the mystery kept silent for long ages 26 but now revealed and made known through the prophetic Scriptures,

• The Old Testament prophesied about what was to come and now Jesus has fulfilled this prophecy.

according to the command of the eternal God to advance the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles--

• Once again, Paul is confirming his ministry and calling to the Gentiles.
• Obedience is equivalent to hearing.

27 to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ—to him be the glory forever! Amen.[5]

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 15:22-33). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 16:1–27). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

• Paul was encouraging the strong to not overpower the weak in faith.
• Stay focused on the main thing… Jesus.
• We can easily get distracted with the side show and spend many hours in discussion/debate which only brings division.

 
PLEASING OTHERS, NOT OURSELVES
Romans 15:1-33
1 Now we who are strong have an obligation to bear the weaknesses of those without strength, and not to please ourselves.

• I have my opinions and beliefs.
• I have to trust the Spirit in what to unpack with others.
• I was trained to force my opinions and beliefs on others to get them to believe the way I did.
• Evangelism 101… close the deal!
• Now… I wait.
• Text at 12:49 AM – “That is a very wise way of putting it and I think you're completely right. What you just said kind of plays into what I've been sitting on today ... I've had a lot of chaos throughout the course of my life ... my parents' and their nasty divorce, an absent father, depression and anxiety ..  Sure, a lot of people have had way more chaos but that doesn't devalue my own perceptions.

I have grown up in a life where chaos is normal and it is expected. I can see it in my mom and my brother and my father when I think about it. Each in unique ways. We all share it i think. But I think for people like us, if life doesn't have chaos it just feels uncomfortable. I really can't speak for my family but I can for myself and I feel uncomfortable when things are "calm" or "good" by the standard definition. I think I create chaos in my life to feel comfortable.
I have gotta relearn how to live again man.”
 

• I’ve only waited about 7 years for this door to open.
• But the idea that they need chaos in their life… I’m good with that.
• I seem to rally in chaos as well. I would just prefer that it is not my own chaos or that I created the chaos.
• Sometimes I still do.
• But this is where the strong in faith begin to “bear” the weight of the weak.
• And it definitely should not be for the purpose of being pleased with ourselves.

2 Each one of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.

• There is a party in our cul-de-sac this Friday Night.
• I’ll feed everyone physically with the hope of building a relationship to feed them spiritually when they come to point of crisis.

3 For even Christ did not please himself.

• Jesus didn’t come here for the sole purpose of pleasing Himself.
• Jesus came to serve others… to include you and me in the fellowship of the Trinity.
• Mark 10:45 – “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”[1]
• 2 Corinthians 8:9 - For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ: Though he was rich, for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.[2]
• Philippians 2:5-8 - Adopt the same attitude as that of Christ Jesus,
• who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited.
• Instead he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity. And when he had come as a man,
• he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.[3]
• Sure, He is pleased in you. But He came to rescue you and show you a pattern of life that works in a fallen world.

On the contrary, as it is written, The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me. (Psalm 69:9)

• Think about that for a minute.
• What David said, Paul is transferring to Jesus.
• What David said was true for Paul.
• What David said is true for the believers today.
• I expect a fallen world to reject the plan/ways of God. So…
• I don’t have to defend God’s ways.

4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. 5 Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, 6 so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

• Sadly, some people who call themselves Christians have abandoned enough of the faith, are theologically suspect enough, that it’s difficult to think of them as true brothers and sisters.
• Sadly, sometimes divisions are needed to preserve faithfulness to the truth of the gospel.[4]
• But Paul is saying that we don’t have to divide over every little difference of opinion or interpretation.

 
GLORIFYING GOD TOGETHER
7 Therefore welcome one another, just as Christ also welcomed you, to the glory of God. 8 For I say that Christ became a servant of the circumcised on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises to the fathers, 9 and so that Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,
Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles,
and I will sing praise to your name. (2 Samuel 22:50 & Psalm 18:49)
10 Again it says, Rejoice, you Gentiles, with his people! (Deuteronomy 32:43) 11 And again,
Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles;
let all the peoples praise him! (Psalm 117:1)
12 And again, Isaiah says,
The root of Jesse will appear,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
the Gentiles will hope in him. (Isaiah 11:10)
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

• The point of these Old Testament quotations then is to remind the believers in Rome that God’s purpose is to bring Gentile and Jew together in His end-time people, that this has all along been His plan, and they need to seek ways in which they can themselves work within that plan and seek to fulfill it as they become a Church of Jesus Christ, of Jew and Gentile together.[5]

 

• Greek letters in Paul’s day generally simply fell into those three parts: an introduction, conclusion, and, of course, the body in between. So with Romans 15:14, we come now to the conclusion of the letter.
• If you look at the letters of Paul, he does several usual things in the conclusions of the letters.
• He will talk about his own ministry and his plans for ministry.
• He’ll ask his readers to pray for him.
• He’ll mention some of his coworkers who are with him and send their greetings also.
• And he will greet people in the churches, praise God for their faith, and pray that God would continue to help them grow in Christ.
• The section of conclusion here in Paul’s letter to the Romans is much longer than in any of his other letters. Why is this so?
• Probably because Paul’s writing to a church he did not plant, to a church he has not even visited yet.
• He’s a bit of an unknown quantity to the Roman Christians, and so he has to spend a little bit more time talking about himself, his ministry.[6]
  ​
  

FROM JERUSALEM TO ILLYRICUM
14 My brothers and sisters, I myself am convinced about you that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another. 15 Nevertheless, I have written to remind you more boldly on some points because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, serving as a priest of the gospel of God. God’s purpose is that the Gentiles may be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

• There was still the issue of the Jews accepting the Gentiles into the faith… and the Gentiles not puffing up in what they have been given as compared to the Jews.

17 Therefore I have reason to boast in Christ Jesus regarding what pertains to God. 18 For I would not dare say anything except what Christ has accomplished through me by word and deed for the obedience of the Gentiles, 19 by the power of miraculous signs and wonders, and by the power of God’s Spirit. As a result, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum.

• Illyricum was the name of a Roman province that occupied approximately the space now occupied by Serbia, Albania. Croatia just north.
• So it kind of draws a line from Jerusalem to Illyricum through many of the places where Paul has planted churches on his first, and second, and third missionary journeys.[7]

20 My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but, as it is written,
Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand. (Isaiah 52:15)[8]

• To the Gentiles who have not been told

To the Jews who have not heard and will come to understand.

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Mk 10:45). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (2 Co 8:9). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[3] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Php 2:5–8). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[4] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[7] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[8] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 15:1–21). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

• Look back to see where Paul is going…
• Chapter 12 – Live in harmony; don’t be proud
• Chapter 13 – Submit to government and love your neighbor as yourself.
• Paul was telling the Church how to live out their life in Christ in a dark world.
• 1) This is your moment – each day – not just a few times a week
• 2) Judge soberly but don’t think to highly of yourself
• 3) Just love one another
• But specifically to the Roman Christians who were meeting in homes. (20-30 people consisted of church)
• Different teachers, interpretations and opinions from house to house.
• If division is present, how do you accomplish the main thing?

THE LAW OF LIBERTY
Romans 14:1-23
1 Welcome anyone who is weak in faith, but don’t argue about disputed matters.

• Is Paul talking about new believers and veteran believers?
• Or is Paul talking about those who are free (walking by the Spirit) and those who are bound up (walking by their flesh).
• Paul is talking about the difference in what their faith will allow them to do.

2 One person believes he may eat anything (meat), while one who is weak eats only vegetables. 3 One who eats must not look down on one who does not eat, and one who does not eat must not judge one who does, because God has accepted him. 4 Who are you to judge another’s household servant? Before his own Lord he stands or falls. And he will stand, because the Lord is able to make him stand.

• 1) Judging people based upon what they are comfortable with eating.

5 One person judges one day to be more important than another day. Someone else judges every day to be the same. Let each one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 Whoever observes the day, observes it for the honor of the Lord. Whoever eats, eats for the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; and whoever does not eat, it is for the Lord that he does not eat it, and he gives thanks to God.

• 2) Judging people because the celebrate specific holidays or else they see every day as the same.
• Are we talking about a “strong Gentile Christian faith” vs a “weak Jewish Christian faith”?
• Remember that Paul was a Jew and he sides with the strong in chapter 15.
• Are we talking about Jewish Holidays vs Roman pagan god holidays?
• Are we talking about abstaining from meat and wine because they believe it was contaminated from pagan idolatry?
• Daniel 1 – Daniel and his friends refrained from eating from the King’s table… No meat or wine.
• Daniel diet today.
• What Paul is talking about here is specific issues that he would consider “indifferent”.
• If they choose to follow holidays found in the Torah… so be it.
• If they choose their freedom in Christ so be it.

7 For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. 8 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. 9 Christ died and returned to life for this: that he might be Lord over both the dead and the living.

• This is the non-negotiable.
• Our commonality.

10 But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God., 11 For it is written,
As I live, says the Lord,
every knee will bow to me,
and every tongue will give praise to God. (Isaiah 45:23)
12 So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.
 
THE LAW OF LOVE
13 Therefore, let us no longer judge one another.

• In trying to unify these two groups, it’s also interesting to see that Paul spends a lot more time talking to the strong than he does to the weak in faith.[1]

Instead decide never to put a stumbling block or pitfall in the way of your brother or sister.

• So Paul is saying, “If what you’re doing—if by using your liberty and flaunting your liberty to do these things you think you can do—if those activities are spiritually hurting brothers and sisters in Christ, stop doing them.
• You have the liberty, but you also have the choice whether to exercise that liberty or not.”
• And Paul’s fundamental concern here is that the exercise of our liberty be done with a heart of love to others in Christ.[2]

14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself. Still, to someone who considers a thing to be unclean, to that one it is unclean. 15 For if your brother or sister is hurt by what you eat, you are no longer walking according to love. Do not destroy, by what you eat, someone for whom Christ died.

• This statement right here brings value to all believers.

16 Therefore, do not let your good be slandered, 17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

• We get caught up in the doing and comparing our faith based upon what we do rather than who we are in Christ.
• One’s traditions, opinions and expectations cannot be forced on another believer.
• It is the Holy Spirit who teaches, directs and causes us to rest in our freedom… to understand our righteousness and the peace and joy we already have.

18 Whoever serves Christ in this way is acceptable to God and receives human approval.
19 So then, let us pursue what promotes peace and what builds up one another. 20 Do not tear down God’s work because of food. Everything is clean, but it is wrong to make someone fall by what he eats.

• Their concern, rather, should be the values of God’s kingdom and the spiritual health and development of their fellow brothers and sisters.
• So Paul encourages the strong in faith not to do anything that might bring harm to the weak in faith.[3]

21 It is a good thing not to eat meat, or drink wine, or do anything that makes your brother or sister stumble. 22 Whatever you believe about these things, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. 23 But whoever doubts stands condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith, and everything that is not from faith is sin.[4]

• Paul is concerned that the weak in faith might start doing things that in their own conscience they continue to think is wrong.
• Paul doesn’t want that to happen.
• Paul doesn’t want our activity to run ahead of our conscience.
• We must first be convinced that something is right before we do it.[5]

 

• “everything that is not from faith is sin” – What does this mean?
• We have two choices: 1) Faith or 2) Not faith...
• 1) Walk by the Spirit or 2) Walk by the flesh…
• 1) Submit to the Spirit or 2) Be selfish
• 1) Rest and let the Spirit do it through you or 2) Do it in your own strength…

[1] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 14:1–23). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

• We jumped from taking care of each other in Chapter 12 to our obligations to the government.
• Why is that? What was the issue at hand?
  
  

A CHRISTIAN’S DUTIES TO THE STATE
Romans 13:1-14
1 Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God.

• This is one of those passages where our tendency is to spend most of our time trying to figure out what the text doesn’t say rather than what it does say.
• Pretty self-explanatory.
• Is this referring to specific people or the actual position of authority?
• Paul is saying authorities are given the right by God on earth to exert punishment for wrongdoing.[1]
• Paul clearly here is teaching that government is something God has established in using for the well-ordering of His creation.[2]
• Where on earth is there not a form of government? Then chaos rules.
• Anarchy -  is often negatively used as a synonym of chaos or societal collapse
• God is a god of order.
• Submission is in effect.
• We submit to government (President > police, IRS, employers, parents and eventually our own kids).
• Our society is demanding equality and as it does that, it demands equality in roles and places of authority… to a point where submission is intolerable.
• Then chaos reigns.

2 So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the one in authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. 4 For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong. 5 Therefore, you must submit, not only because of wrath but also because of your conscience.

• In verse 1 and in verse 5 Paul says, “Be subject (or submit yourselves) to the authorities.”
• Clearly that’s the main point Paul makes, repeating it to make sure we understand how important it is.
• But I do think as we read more broadly and more fundamentally biblically across the Bible, we recognize that there must be exceptions to what Paul is saying here, that there are those times when government can turn demonic.
• Government can be ordering us to do that which is contrary to the will of God, and then we have to emulate Peter and Paul in obeying God rather than man.[3]
• Video from Deron Spoo

6 And for this reason you pay taxes, since the authorities are God’s servants, continually attending to these tasks. 7 Pay your obligations to everyone: taxes to those you owe taxes, tolls to those you owe tolls, respect to those you owe respect, and honor to those you owe honor.

•  We know from secular historians that in Rome at about this period of time there was what we might call a “popular tax revolt.”
• The Roman emperors had begun taxing the population so heavily to pay for their opulent lifestyles and for their wars that the people were beginning to rebel against taxes.
• In other words, Paul might here be addressing a very specific local problem in Rome that had begun to creep into the Church at this point in time, and he would be telling the Christians, in effect, “Don’t get involved in that revolt.
• You owe taxes to the governing authorities because of who they are in relationship to your Christian faith.”
• Another point of confusion is Paul teaching their freedom in Christ.
• So it might be that some in the Roman Christian church were viewing their faith in Christ as a reason to avoid the government altogether, to live lives separate from it, to ignore it, disobey it, and just treat it as if it didn’t exist.
• That could be part of the problem here as well.
• It is well known, I think, that when Jesus has the opportunity to comment on the relationship of God and government, it’s taxes that are the context in which he makes his pronouncement, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.”
• Is it possible then that Paul once again here is reflecting the teaching of Jesus that he draws on in giving his own instruction to the church at Rome?[4]

 

• Then all of a sudden Paul makes the leap back to love.

LOVE, OUR PRIMARY DUTY
8 Do not owe anyone anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

• The one debt Paul says that we’ll never be able to fully pay is our obligation to love each other.
• That is an obligation that will remain forever open.
• There will always be new ways for us to fulfill our obligation to love one another sincerely and from the heart.[5]

9 The commandments, Do not commit adultery; do not murder; do not steal; do not covet; and any other commandment, are summed up by this commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself.

• Leviticus 19:18 - Do not take revenge or bear a grudge against members of your community, but love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.[6]
• Matthew 19:19 - Jesus answered: Do not murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not bear false witness; 19 honor your father and your mother; and love your neighbor as yourself.[7]

10 Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Love, therefore, is the fulfillment of the law.

• Is this in reference to other believers or everyone?
• But they don’t think like I do.
• They don’t have the same morals or values that I do.
• My life is like a rolling magnet, picking up nails.
• Sometimes I have to clean off the magnet.

 
PUT ON CHRIST
11 Besides this, since you know the time, it is already the hour for you to wake up from sleep, because now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.

• Yes, today you are one day closer to seeing Jesus face to face.
• Paul believed that Jesus was going to return any day.

12 The night is nearly over, and the day is near; so let us discard the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

• Paul clearly uses “day” in contrast to “the night” to talk about our ethical obligations.[8]

13 Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. 14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.[9]

• It is still the battle between walking by the Spirit and living in our flesh.

[1] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[2] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[3] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[4] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[5] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[6] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Le 19:18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[7] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Mt 19:18–19). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[8] Moo, D. J. (2014). NT331 Book Study: Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
[9] Christian Standard Bible. (2020). (Ro 13:1–14). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.