Christ Fellowship Church February 4th, 2018

Romans: The Disciple(r)’s Heart Romans 1:8-15

Paul wrote Romans to both explain the power of the gospel and expand the footprint of the gospel.

[He] was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations. (Romans 1:4–5)

Paul wanted the Roman church to be strengthened by the gospel and spreaders of the gospel.

Question: Do we have this same heart?

3 Characteristics of the Disciple(r)’s Heart

#1 –Thankful for the Lord’s Work (v. 8)

• Paul rejoiced that the gospel flourished in Rome (of all places!).

… “and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus.” (Acts 17:7)

• Paul thanked God for the faith of the Roman Christians.

For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake. (Philippians 1:29)

• Let’s…

o Give thanks wherever we see faith in Christ.

Keep clear fences but keep them low, and shake hands over them often. (Mark Dever)

o Pray for more of God’s work in the world.

#2 - Available for the Spiritual Good of Others (vv. 9-13)

• Service to God cannot be conducted apart from prayer to God.

Talking to men for God is a great thing, but talking to God for men is greater still. (Bounds)

Apart from me you can do nothing. (John 15:5)

• Paul prayed for an opportunity to reap a spiritual harvest.

o “Impart to you some spiritual gift” is simply the idea of doing spiritual good to other brothers and sisters in the body of Christ.

o “Imparting” is mutual encouragement from one another’s faith.

February 11th: Romans 1:16-17 Christ Fellowship Church February 4th, 2018 • Application:

o Are you open to God’s desire to use you for the spiritual good of others?

o Are you investing in others in this body?

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

§ Can you encourage others by your presence on Sunday mornings?

§ Can you encourage others by your engagement past Sunday mornings?

• How are you doing spiritually?

• What is God teaching you?

• Where are you struggling?

• How can I pray for you?

#3 – Aware of the Obligations of the Gospel (vv. 13-15)

• The obligation of the gospel speaks of a way to honor God as stewards, not as a way to repay God as borrowers.

If the gospel has come to us (which it has), we have no liberty to keep it to ourselves. Nobody may claim a monopoly of the gospel. (John Stott)

o We are not custodians of the gospel; we are stewards of the gospel.

o Paul’s burden to share the gospel derived from his surprise over the gospel.

[Jesus] said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19)

• Paul is eager to preach the gospel because everyone (including the church) needs the gospel.

The law is divine and holy. Let the law have his glory, but yet no law, be it never so divine and holy, ought to teach me that I am justified, and shall live through it. I grant it may teach me that I ought to love God and my neighbour; also to live in chastity, soberness, patience, etc., but it ought not to show me, how I should be delivered from sin, the devil, death, and hell.

Here I must take counsel of the gospel. I must hearken to the gospel, which teacheth me, not what I ought to do, (for that is the proper office of the law,) but what Jesus Christ the Son of God hath done for me: namely, that He suffered and died to deliver me from sin and death. The gospel willeth me to receive this, and to believe it. And this is the truth of the gospel. It is also the principal article of all Christian doctrine, wherein the knowledge of all godliness consisteth.

Most necessary it is, therefore, that we should know this article well, teach it unto others, and beat it into their heads continually. (Martin Luther) February 11th: Romans 1:16-17