20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
21 Rather, as it is written:
“Those who were not told about him will see,
and those who have not heard will understand.”
In today’s scripture we read how Paul quotes Isaiah 52:15 when he speaks about his urgency to take the gospel to those who do not know the Messiah. He had such a heart for those who did not know about the Messiah! Paul in this chapter points to a fulfilled prophecy. It was prophesied in Isaiah that even those who were not told about Him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.
Point to ponder
Let us ask the Lord to open the eyes of our hearts to see Him. Let us celebrate God this week for His mercy to bring understanding, even to those who did not hear, and opening the eyes to see – even of those who were not told!
8 Now I say that Jesus Christ has become a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made to the fathers, 9 and that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written:
“For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles,
And sing to Your name.”
10 And again he says:
“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!”
11 And again:
“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!”
12 And again, Isaiah says:
“There shall be a root of Jesse;
And He who shall rise to reign over the Gentiles,
In Him the Gentiles shall hope.”
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Once again keeping in mind the background of the congregation in Romans, it is such a hopeful encouragement offered by Paul to all the people in this congregation. Paul makes it clear once again at the end of this letter that both the Jew and Gentile has access to God. That He is the hope of all nations! In a time when we may look at the world around us and feel hopeless by all the increasing evil and destruction we see - may He remain our Hope because He is faithful to His covenant and faithful to His character as a merciful God.
Thought to ponder:
May the God of Hope fill us with joy and peace in our believing so that we will have an abundance of Hope by the power of the Holy Spirit!
Firstly I would like to apologize for what ended up being the absence of Monday Devotions last week. Sometimes life catches up with me...
Resuming our journey through Romans this week, we are focusing on Romans 15: 5-7
5 Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, 6 That together you may [unanimously] with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah). 7 Welcome and receive [to your hearts] one another, then, even as Christ has welcomed and received you, for the glory of God.
When reading this scripture we need to just remind ourselves of the background of the congregation in Romans that Paul is writing this letter to. There were both Jewish and Gentile believers that all became part of the community of believers in Jesus as the Messiah. When Paul then admonishes and encourages the congregation with these verses to have patient endurance with each other, and to welcome and receive each other to their hearts with a united heart and one voice, he is doing so against the background of these religious and cultural differences.
The message of this is as true and relevant for us today as it was for the congregation in Rome. 2000 years later we still need to pay attention and receive each other into the body of Christ's believers with patient endurance, mutual harmony, full sympathy in spite of all our cultural and other differences. And for but only one reason: "so that we will be able to praise and glorify God the Father and Jesus Christ the Messiah with united hearts and one voice"
Furthermore, there is only one reason why we can welcome and receive each other in this manner, and that is because "Christ has welcomed and received us, for the glory of God "
Point to ponder:
I think this is profound truth - If Christ can receive all of us - why can we not receive each other? How are you and I faring in terms of receiving those around us, in spite of our differences, into the body of Christ? What is the price to pay if we do not? As a body we cannot with united heart and one voice bring praise to the glory of God. What an indictment against the current affairs and state of the community of believers...
Let each one of us make it a practice to please (make happy) his neighbor for his good and for his true welfare, to edify him [to strengthen him and build him up spiritually]. 3 For Christ did not please Himself [gave no thought to His own interests]... AMPC
Non-Nobis isthe motto for the council for social service professions in South- Africa, where all social workers and social auxiliary workers have to register in order to be able to work as a social worker or social auxiliary worker. It means "Not for ourselves". In today's scripture Paul reminds us to do exactly that. To live and serve others for their benefit and to build others up, just as Christ did not serve Himself but came to serve us, to build us up selflessly, not giving thought to His own interests, but serving us for our benefit and interest to the point of giving His life so that we can live.
Point to ponder
Maybe we need to review our motives for whatever we are doing in life. Are we serving our own interests, or are we serving to benefit and build up others spiritually in the way God planned for us to do when He created us?
