Open up your copy of God's Word to the Book of Romans.
It's been a good journey going through this book, chapter by chapter, verse by verse.
I pray it's been a blessing to everyone's soul.
I'm getting towards those final days, final weeks of finishing up this book.
And today we will be in Romans 15, 14 through 21 will be our text today.
But truly Romans is what some people have said, the gospel according to Paul.
No other New Testament book gives us so much systematic theology and doctrine of what our salvation and our redemption means.
And in chapters 12, all the way up through where we're at today,
Paul is now working out again the practical living implications of the gospel.
So if you have, in fact, believed and had true faith in what he has said in the previous chapters,
if you believe those things, then your life will look like the final chapters of Romans.
So God's saving grace always leads us to a new life in Christ and what it looks like to follow Jesus.
So right thinking lives to right living.
And two weeks ago, at the beginning of the chapter, verses 1 through 6,
we see that Paul calls the strong believers, those who are mature in Christ,
to bear with the weaknesses and failings of weaker believers.
Then last week, we looked at how God, with the help of God, the Scripture, etc.,
helps us to be patient with one mouth and one mind, we may glorify God.
And so we give verses 8 through 13,
Paul gives more reasons for accepting one another,
showing that Jews and Gentiles are in fact one in Christ,
and that that was a part of God's essential outworking of salvation.
That was a part of his great plan for redemptive history,
was to bring all peoples, Jews and Gentiles, into a single group that glorify him.
So Romans is just chock full of gospel salvation.
And again, it's like if our salvation was put on trial, Romans would be our case.
Like that's what we would want to put forward in a legal sense of how we have been saved and redeemed in Christ.
Martin Luther in the Reformation, who obviously, he was sent away to study the Scripture,
and Romans is what actually struck him more than any and kind of brought him to true faith.
But he wrote about the book of Romans,
It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart,
but occupy himself with it every day as the daily bread of the soul.
It can never be read or pondered too much.
And the more it is dealt with, the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes.
So something beautiful about the book of Romans.
So again, we're getting into our text today.
We see how God used Paul to establish the churches throughout the Gentile world,
particularly the way he's referring to is the Roman world.
So he explains his unique ministry that God gave him graciously to the Gentiles.
And so this is kind of where we pick up today.
Let's read our text together.
This is verses 14 through 21.
He says,
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.
But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder,
because of the grace given me by God,
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.
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 by word and deed,
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 Iklarim,
I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ.
And thus, I make it my ambition to preach the gospel.
Not only will Christ have already been named,
lest I build on someone else's foundation,
but also as it is written,
those who have never been told of Him will see,
and those who have never heard will understand.
And that's our text today.
Join me in prayer.
Lord, we again just offer up this time to You.
I pray that You would just use Your Word
to accomplish Your will in our individual lives
and as our corporate body
that You would work in and through us.
It would have the desired effect that You intended on us.
So just help me to communicate clearly
what is here in Your Word.
In Christ's name, Amen.
So, as I said earlier,
Paul is beginning to explain his unique ministry
among the Gentiles
and how he planted churches throughout the Gentile world.
And so I have just four points today
to help you kind of walk through this verse by verse.
But the first one is Paul, the partner in faith.
Paul, the partner in faith.
This is verses 14 and 15.
He says,
I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge,
able to instruct one another.
But on some points I have written to you very boldly
by way of reminder
because of the grace given me by God.
So it's pretty profound, I think,
that Paul actually wrote his greatest letter
to a church that he had never been to before.
in that kind of while.
Like, he actually had never quite been to Rome yet.
He had hoped to get there,
and that's his plan to come to them.
And eventually, he will eventually go to Rome,
which looked, again,
the center of the ancient world at this time.
All roads lead to Rome, so to speak.
But he had actually never been there.
So I think it's just profound
that he wrote one of his greatest letters
to a church that he actually hadn't met in person.
So he goes out of his way
to assert confidence in them.
He says, addressing them, my brothers,
meaning he assures them that he is satisfied,
that he's fully convinced,
fully persuaded
that God has worked in them.
He says that they are full of goodness,
which speaks to the quality of their moral character,
their godliness,
their godly living.
Not necessarily perfect,
but this idea of just growing in the goodness of God.
And from whom, right,
all goodness comes from.
In fact, our English word, God,
comes from the old Saxon term
that means the good.
That's where we get God from.
And so it's saying that
the goodness of God has filled you.
Psalm 119, verse 68,
it says that you are good and do good.
Like God does good
out of the overflow of who He is.
He is good.
So His goodness is given
and enabled them
not by their own strength or morality,
but by the Holy Spirit.
He is convinced of their moral goodness
and godliness.
Now as you read in Galatians 5,
like goodness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.
So that moral goodness is seen
visibly in good works,
which God ordains in the lives of all believers.
Then He goes on in verse 15.
He goes,
but on some points,
I've written to you very boldly.
Okay?
So before we do that,
He also mentions,
I messed up my notes here,
so forgive me,
but the rest of verse 14,
He mentions that
they are able to instruct.
That's important to sort of point out.
With all knowledge,
able to instruct one another.
And that word instruct
means to admonish,
to warn,
to give counsel to somebody.
And with the knowledge
that they've been given
about God and the gospel
and the word of God,
from that knowledge,
they are able to counsel
one another inside the church.
They are able to give advice
to one another
and warn against wrong conduct.
So,
He's pointing out
to ordinary believers,
especially those who are mature
and have a greater level of wisdom,
that they ought to give
one another
just practical living,
sound advice
on everyday living.
And so,
I think it's amazing
that I'm thankful
that I see our church
just sort of doing this
in so many ways.
Like,
we have been
blessed with God's word
and for many years
been blessed
with sound teaching
in God's word.
And that has led to
all of you
counseling one another
in God's word.
admonishing one another,
encouraging one another
in God's word.
And that's what the church
is supposed to do.
It isn't just,
well,
you have a problem,
so go talk to the pastors,
right?
It's,
we can counsel one another
according to
the knowledge and maturity
that God has given.
So,
Paul is saying that to them.
Like,
I'm convinced
that you have
all the knowledge
and all the truth you need
to instruct
and counsel
one another.
And then he goes on
to verse 15.
On some of these points
I've written to you
very boldly.
So that word
boldly means
daringly,
decisively,
openly.
So meaning that he hasn't
withheld anything
from them.
Right?
There's some stuff
in Romans that are hard
to wrap your head around
and he doesn't
hold back.
He kind of like just
says it how it is
and lets them
hear the truth.
And he declared
all the truth
that was written
in this letter
to them
very boldly.
So,
then he says
by way of reminder.
So,
in some sense,
the church,
the believers in Rome
did know about
some of the things
that Paul was writing about.
And I was reading
on this
and at least
two different commentators
said this
and I was like,
I don't know
if I really agree with that,
but they said that
he was not necessarily
pointing out
their need
to hear all this
because they knew it already.
And I'm like,
have they understood
Romans already?
Like,
they understood
the whole book
of Romans already?
And,
I mean,
that would be
a bit far-fetched to me.
But what I would say
is that
he knew they understood
the foundational
gospel message.
But his desire
was to build upon,
enhance that knowledge,
to add to it.
And as I said before,
we never move on
beyond the gospel,
only into a deeper
understanding of it,
a more profound
understanding of the gospel.
We greatly increased
their knowledge of it
and added on,
built on,
to what they already knew
in their knowledge.
So,
I think that that's
kind of what we're after
in this text.
So,
there may be things
that it would be good
for you to hear again.
Things for me
to hear again.
And it isn't saying
that I don't think
that you understand
the simple gospel,
but also,
you need to grow
in your profoundness
of it
and never tire of it.
Continue to grow
in your knowledge
of the depths
of God's salvation
for you.
Everything he's written
about in Romans,
redemption,
justification,
reconciliation,
forgiveness,
adoption,
all these things
that he talks about.
Election.
All these things
he talks about
in the book of Romans.
You can spend
the rest of your life
pondering
and never fully,
fully grasp
all those things
that are there.
This moves us on
to point number two.
Another,
this is verse
that Paul played.
Point number two,
Paul,
the priest.
This is verse 16.
It says,
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.
So you see here,
he calls himself
a minister
of Christ Jesus.
That Greek word
means like
to be subordinate
to a public
administrator,
connecting it
maybe to someone
who served
in the public
worship of God.
And that's what
he's kind of
going after here.
It's interesting
when you look at
the different terms
for minister
or ministry
in the New Testament.
You know,
in our day,
being a pastor
can be
a like
cool,
glamorous job
where pastors
get up on Sunday
and they want to be
the guy,
the guy in the spotlight,
the guy getting
the attention
and they're putting
on productions
more or less
to entertain people
and they like that.
They like being
in the center.
If you actually know
me and Nathan,
we don't like
being up here.
It's not our thing.
We'd rather be
behind the scenes
doing things
but out of compulsion
we have preached
the gospel
when there was
no one else
able to do it
for many years here
and we stepped
into that role
but another word
for minister
that is used
in Luke 4.20
and Acts 13
this one fits
the description
well for me.
It actually means
under rower.
How many of you
have ever seen
an old movie
where it's like
the Roman Empire
and they're out
in the ships
and they have the oars?
Anybody seen Ben-Hur?
Anything like that?
It means that
you're down there.
It means that
you are an under rower.
Humble,
lowly,
unrecognizable.
Spurgeon wrote this
about being a minister
of the gospel.
He said,
we are ministers.
The word has
a very respectable
sound.
To be a minister
is an aspiration
of many youth.
I mean that
that's just cool to them.
That's what they want to do.
Get the attention.
He says,
perhaps if the word
were otherwise rendered,
their ambition
might cool.
Ministers are servants.
They are not guests,
but waiters.
Not landlords,
but laborers.
The word
has been rendered
under rowers.
Men who tug
at the oars
on the lowest bench.
It is hard to work
to row a galley.
So meaning like
a galley ship
for like the Roman
or Greek triremes.
Those on the upper
bank
had the advantage
of fresh air.
So those rowers
on the top
had the advantage
of fresh air.
Those who were
beneath them
were more closely
shut in.
But I suppose
that the lowest
bank of rowers
would faint
with heat
as well as
worn out
was sore
and travail.
He says,
Brethren,
let us be content
to wear ourselves
out
in the worst
position possible
if by our labor
we can speed
the passage
of our great
Caesar
and help
the progress
of the trireme
of the church
in which it
has embarked.
We are willing
to be chained
to the oar
and to work
through life
to make his
oar
cleave the waves
with not as captains
nor as owners
of the galley
but as oarsmen
of Christ.
That's what they did.
They chained
the slaves
to the lower oars
so they couldn't
just run.
They had their life
dependent on
how they rowed.
So he goes like
let us be content
to speed
the ship
of Christ.
Lower oarsmen.
So that's what
this word means.
So Paul says
he is a minister
of Christ Jesus.
Right?
He goes,
he's a minister
of the gospel
and the gospel
is used by Paul
but in very rich language.
He calls it here
the gospel of God.
In Romans 1.9
the good news
of his son.
In 1 Corinthians 9.12
the good news
of Christ.
2 Corinthians 4.4
the glorious
good news.
Ephesians 6.15
the good news
of peace.
and in Revelation
14.6
it's called
the everlasting gospel
or the everlasting
representative
of the old covenant.
I am a representative
of the gospel.
And so
to
the Gentiles
remember
and
before Christ
came
Gentiles
were excluded
in a huge way
from any
form of relationship
with God.
furthermore
they were barred
from access
to the holy places
and the temple.
They were seen
by Jews
as unclean
defiled.
Keep in mind
that's most of us
in here
that's
you know
anybody
outside of
the Jewish nation.
And he says
they were
defiled
and unclean.
but Paul
now
is writing
of how
the Gentiles
may offer
he can offer
them to God
in an offering
that is sanctified
and fully
acceptable
to him.
He has been
God's instrument
to bring about
a great change
in the redemptive
plan of God
where he took
not just
the message
the gospel
of God
to the nations
to the Gentile
nations
not just
to the Jews
and in this way
he is completely
different from
Old Testament
priests
who just
mediated
for the Jews
by offering
sacrifices
at the temple.
And so
remember this
like prophets
represented
God
to the people
priests
represented
the people
to God.
What Paul
is trying to say
here is that
he is a priest
on behalf
of the Gentiles.
He wants to
represent
the Gentiles
to God
and that
Gentile
converts
are the
offering
that he
is giving
up to
God
and asking
that it
would be
acceptable
and pleasing
to God
and is set
apart
by the
holy
sanctified
by the
Holy Spirit.
And so
if you want
to
there's just
maybe two
other places
for you to
turn but
I'll spare
you this one
I'll just
read this to
you.
This is
Acts 9
10
through 16
but this
is when
Paul
had been
this is
after
he was
confronted
by Christ
on the road
to Damascus
he was on
his way
to
imprison
and possibly
kill
Christians
in Damascus
he was set
totally against
Christ
and Christ
met him
on the road
and saved
him
so now
he's blinded
and he's
in Damascus
and
God
comes to
a believer
in Damascus
named
Ananias
says
verse 10
there was
a disciple
at Damascus
named
Ananias
the Lord
said to
him
in a
vision
Ananias
he said
here I
am
Lord
the Lord
said to
him
rise up
and go
to a
street
that is
called
straight
and the
house
of Judas
look for
a man
of Tarsus
named
Saul
for behold
he is
praying
and he
has seen
a vision
a man
named
Ananias
come and
lay hands
on him
so that
he might
regain
his sight
but
Ananias
answered
Lord
I have
heard
from many
about this
man
how much
evil
he has
done
to your
saints
at
Jerusalem
and there
he has
the authority
from the
chief
priest
to bind
all
who
call
on
your
name
so
he's
saying
I've
heard
about
this
guy
he's
scary
he's
out
to
get
us
so
I'm
nervous
to go
to him
and it
says
but the
Lord
said
to him
go
for he
is a
chosen
instrument
of mine
to carry
my name
before the
Gentiles
and the
kings
and the
children
of Israel
for I
will show
him
how much
he must
suffer
for the
sake
of my
name
so
Paul
from the
very
beginning
he was
God's
chosen
instrument
to go
to the
Gentiles
and that's
that's
serious
it means
we should
listen to
him
like God
singled him
out for
that
purpose
and of course
he shared
with Jews
along the
way
but his
primary
focus
was for
those who
were outside
the blessing
of Israel
and so
he is that
mediator
in that sense
that he
preaches
God's
gospel
and carries
it to
the Gentiles
and makes
that acceptable
to God
by the
Holy Spirit
those Gentile
converts
would be
his offering
to God
so to
think about
this in
our ways
in what
ways has
God called
and equipped
and gifted
you
directed you
to serve
him
by
serving
others
in what
way
are you
serving
and sharing
the gospel
are you
being faithful
to that
do you
know what
that is
in what
ways
is God
not only
working
in you
through
sanctification
but working
out of
you
through
service
to others
it's
important
to realize
those
things
and like
all these
roles
that
Paul
had
he
was
always
pointing
forward
to
Christ
and
his
glory
this
goes
on
to
point
number
three
Paul
the
preacher
Paul
the
preacher
this is
17
through
19
he
says
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
by
word
and
deed
by
the
power
of
signs
and
wonders
by
the
power
of
the
spirit
of
obedience
spirit
of
God
excuse
me
so
that
from
Jerusalem
and
all
the
way
around
I
have
fulfilled
the
ministry
of
the
gospel
of
Christ
so
it's
important
to
realize
here
that
Paul's
role
was
extremely
unique
he
was
called
again
to
go
to
the
Gentile
word
a
pivotal
moment
in
redemptive
history
and he
was
God's
instrument
to
do
that
a
huge
role
in
expanding
the
church
yet
he
always
seeks
to
keep
the
spotlight
on
Christ
and
not
himself
a
lot
of
people
would
see
that
as
a
huge
reason
to
boast
in
themselves
like
God
chose
me
to
do
that
in
that
cool
and
that's
not
at
all
he
is
aiming
at
the
word
proud
here
means
to
glory
or
to
brag
to
boast
and
actually
even
means
rejoice
in
Romans
5
the
Hebrew
translation
would
be
hallelujah
to
give
praise
right
so
there
are
legitimate
reasons
to
glory
and
exult
in
his
work
for
God
and
what
he
has
done
on
behalf
of
Christ
that
he
has
accomplished
those
things
he
actually
wrote
in
Galatians
6
but
far
be it
from
me
to
boast
except
in
the
cross
of
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
by
which
the
world
has
been
crucified
to
me
and
I
to
the
world
so
there
is
a
permissive
form
of
boasting
it
means
to
brag
and
to
lay
it
on
thick
about
that
you
love
and
appreciate
and
so
this
is
a
permissive
form
it's
a
humble
acknowledgement
of
everything
he
has
achieved
and
accomplished
through
Christ
by the
power
of
the
Holy
Spirit
so
let me
just
pause
here
for
a
second
what
is
it
we
all
do
it
okay
even
if
you're
not
a
big
talker
you
do
it
other
ways
what
is
your
boast
what
is
your
brag
what
do
you
brag
about
what
do
you
make
a
big
deal
out
of
is
it
something
that
honors
God
and glorifies
God
is it
something
that you're
seeking to
get attention
for yourself
are you
more focused
on
your position
or role
in God's
kingdom
rather than
on God
himself
are you
concerned
more about
the temporal
rewards
of a
position
that you
might hold
versus
seeing
the
Lord
himself
as
your
reward
I
think
very
few
people
in
the
scripture
maybe
it would
be a
tie
between
these
two
guys
but
John
the
Baptist
and
Paul
Jesus
said
about
John
there
is
no
man
born
of
woman
greater
than
John
so
contemplate
that
and
remember
when
John
first
came
on
the
scene
like
he
was
the
stuff
like
all
the
people
were
going
to
see
him
they
were
flocking
to
him
from
everywhere
he
had
the
big
crowds
he
was
like
the
man
everybody
was
going
to
watch
and
his
baptism
for
the
remission
of
sin
and
eventually
right
Jesus
came
on
the
scene
and
all
the
people
stopped
going
to
see
John
and
started
to go
see
Jesus
instead
so you
pick up
on that
so put
yourself
in
John's
position
oh man
I'm like
not as
popular
or not
as cool
anymore
and that's
not
that was not
John's
attitude
but his
some of
the men
who
John
discipled
came to
him
and basically
said that
though
they came
to him
this is
John
4
and they
said to
him
Rabbi
he who
was with
you across
the Jordan
to whom
you bore
witness
look
he is
baptizing
everybody
now
meaning
like
they're
all
going
to
him
now
not
coming
to
see
our
cool
show
anymore
and
all
are
going
to
him
and
John
answered
a
person
cannot
receive
even
one
thing
unless
it is
given
to
him
from
heaven
so
meaning
that
any
good
thing
that
comes
is
only
a
gift
of
God
and
if
it's
a
gift
you
can't
boast
about
it
was
something
given
that
I
am
not
the
Christ
but
I
was
sent
before
him
the
one
who
has
the
bride
is
the
bridegroom
the
friend
of
the
bridegroom
who
stands
and
hears
him
rejoices
greatly
at
the
bridegroom's
voice
therefore
this
joy
of
mine
is
now
complete
he
must
increase
but
I
must
decrease
this
is
Paul's
attitude
as
well
he
only
wants
to
boast
in
glory
and
the
fact
that
God
has
done
things
through
him
for
his
own
glory
he
is
quite
content
to
be
kind
of
behind
the
scenes
and
not
be
the
one
up
front
all
the
time
if
you
actually
know
Paul's
personality
if
you
read
about
it
he
wasn't
like
that
kind
of
guy
he
wasn't
like
what
the
Roman
and
Greek
world
was
used
to
they
wanted
a
warrior
king
like
guy
but
he
pointed
all
things
to
Christ
and
so
do
you
cherish
your
role
in
the
great
wedding
more
than
the
wedding
itself
you
rejoice
when
you
hear
the
bride
groom
are
you
angry
that
you're
not
getting
the
attention
anymore
be
very
careful
about
all
these
things
and
Paul
goes
on
and
he
says
in
the
next
part
of
this
verse
18
he
being
very
careful
to
point
to
where
all
this
comes
from
for
I
will
not
venture
like
meaning
I
won't
even
get
close
like
I
won't
even
try
to
get
close
to
speak
of
anything
except
what
Christ
has
accomplished
through
me
so
meaning
all
of
God's
enabling
grace
all
of
God's
strength
and
power
that
he
gives
to
his
people
as
we
humbly
!
go
to
!
him
and
!
to
carry
out
and
accomplish
his
will
for
the
purpose
to
bring
the
Gentiles
to
obedience
so
he's
summarizing
his
entire
ministry
here
at
this
point
by
saying
God
has
accomplished
all
this
work
through
him
by
word
and
by
deed
both
by
preaching
about
Christ
and
his
actions
his
sacrificial
love
his
service
to
them
some
people
some
ministries
some
churches
get
criticized
for
doing
one
or the
!
there
are
whole
denominations
that go
on
mission
trips
and
they
just
build
schools
and
they
give
food
to
people
and
they
don't
preach
the
gospel
while
they're
there
then
others
may
go
and
preach
the
gospel
but
won't
actually
feed
the
hungry
won't
actually
help
them
so
Paul
is
doing
both
by
word
and
deed
he
is
proclaiming
Christ
proclaiming
the
gospel
and
humbly
serving
!
those
people
so
therefore
in
Christ
who
has
worked
through
him
to
the
Gentiles
so
something
I
thought
about
was like
do you
find
yourself
often
frustrated
and
burned
out
in your
service
to
God
by
serving
others
frustrated
that
others
aren't
seeing
your
work
frustrated
that
you're
not
getting
the
recognition
that
you
think
you
deserve
if
that's
the
case
you're
very
likely
serving
in
your
own
strength
and
for
your
own
glory
that's
a
dead
indicator
if
you're
feeling
that
way
in
your
role
but
when
you're
doing
it
for
God's
glory
and
he
supplies
you
the
strength
it's
a whole
other
story
then
he
goes
on
verse 19
that
his
ministry
was
accompanied
by
powerful
signs
and
wonders
referring
to
miracles
that
accompany
Paul's
gospel
proclamation
throughout
his
ministry
so
miracles
he
mentions
a
sign
something
that
pointed
to
the
power
of
God
the
power
of
Christ
that
those
things
came
from
this
showed
also
God's
mercy
and
love
for
broken
sinners
right
so
this
is
a
sign
like
this
is
showing
you
this
is
pointing
to
God
and
his
power
these
miracles
then
it
says
wonders
that
just
simply
means
like
these
acts
were
so
astonishing
they
were
amazed
by
what
they
saw
and
so
all
these
things
accompanied
Paul's
preaching
of
the
gospel
to
the
Gentiles
so
he
has
covered
the
entire
Gentile
world
there
so
I
could
ask
you
this
question
like
how
can
Paul
say
that
his
work
has
been
complete
when
many
have
still
not
heard
in
the
gospel
well
you
kind
of
see
that
in
the
following
verses
this is
kind
of
cool
like
Paul
didn't
necessarily
go
to
every
single
Gentile
city
in
the
Roman
world
but
he
went
to
like
a lot
of
main
centers
like
Corinth
Athens
eventually
he
goes
to
Rome
these
places
that
were
crossroads
where
he
planted
a
church
and
from
that
church
people
went
out
and
planted
other
churches
do you
also
know
that
the
Colossians
that
was
planted
by
somebody
who
actually
came
to
know
Christ
in
Ephesus
when
Paul
was
in
Ephesus
and
they
took
that
back
and
they
started
the
church
at
Colossae
so
by
that
he
bringing
the
gospel
to
all
the
outlying
areas
and
so
this
leaves
us
with
the
last
point
number
four
Paul
the
pioneer
this
is
verse
20
through
21
he
says
and thus
I
make it
my
ambition
to
preach
the
gospel
not
where
Christ
has
already
been
named
unless
I
built
on
someone
else's
foundation
but
as
it
is
written
those
who
have
never
been
told
of
them
will
see
those
who
have
never
heard
will
understand
so
Paul's
main
focus
and it
should
be
ours
as
well
is
to
preach
the
gospel
he
says
in
areas
where
the
name
of
Christ
has
not
yet
been
spoken
the
name
of
Christ
has
not
been
heard
there
no
churches
planted
this
is what
we would
call
in missions
the
unreached
peoples
people
that
have
no
access
to
the
bible
or to
the
gospel
to
the
church
and
so
he
said
thereby
right
fulfilling
the
prophecy
spoken
in
Isaiah
52
talking
about
the
Messiah
he
says
Isaiah
said
almost
700
years
prior
he
the
Messiah
will
sprinkle
many
nations
kings
will
shut
their
mouths
on
account
of
him
for
what
they
have
not
been
told
they
will
see
what
they
have
not
heard
they
will
understand
so
his
desire
was to
find
new
territory
where
he
could
preach
the
gospel
which
explains
in the
following
verses
why
he
wants
to
go
to
Spain
which
I
have
believed
that
he
actually
did
end
up
in
Spain
since
he's
kind
of
gone
around
the
Mediterranean
world
the
Roman
world
at
this
point
Spain
was
still
kind
of
a
target
for
him
to
go
to
a
huge
part
of
the
Roman
Empire
and
yet
his
ambition
!
again
not
an
absolute
rule
because
it
was
fitting
for
him
to
go
to
Rome
itself
eventually
the
seat
of
all
Roman
power
and
influence
that
was
his
goal
to
eventually
go
there
and
so
this
verse
particularly
verse
21
verse
20
is
the
battle
cry
for
our
missions
to
go
to
the
unreached
peoples
we
need
to
go
and
fulfill
the
great
commission
I'm
thankful
that
our
church
has
in
ways
participated
in
this
also
thankful
that
I
have
friends
that
are
abroad
that
are
preaching
to
the
unreached
peoples
I
remember
I
remember
when
9-11
happened
and at
that
time
my
small
god
was
the
United
States
military
and
that's
like
what
I
wanted
to
do
I
wanted
to
join
and
I
wanted
to
go
fight
because
of
what
happened
on
9-11
and
a lot
of
my
friends
did
and
after
that
though
like
obviously
I
got
turned
down
because
I
have
a
respiratory
disease
and
I
was
so
sad
angered
frustrated
and
now
I
know
why
I
am
so
thankful
like
God
intended
for
me
to
fight
a
different
kind
of
war
the
eternal
and unseen
war
versus
the
temporal
and
there
was
another
time
when
I
had a
lot
of
my
friends
that
were
getting
ready
to
graduate
and
go
overseas
that
were
going
to
go
do
missions
and
to
unreached
peoples
and
I
had
that
same
feeling
that
I
had
a
long
time
ago
like
I
feel
stuck
here
I
can't
go
I
want
to
go
to
the
unreached
but
I
feel
like
my
health
has
sort
of
chained
me
here
and
one
of
my
friends
a
guy
named
Justin
told
me
that
I
think
God
has
like
planted
!
you
here
to
help
disciple
and
train
us
so
that
we
can
go
out
you
are
the
drill
instructor
you
are
the
guy
training
us
to
go
abroad
that
was
such
an
encouragement
to
me
to
know
my
role
and
in
Justin's
wedding
he gave
us
little
pocket
knives
that
had
Matthew
24
14
carved
on
it
so
turn
to
Matthew
24
today
Justin
and
his
family
are
in
a
closed
and
dangerous
Middle
Eastern
country
predominantly
Muslim
they've
been there
for a
few
years
now
and
this
is
one
of
those
verses
that
rings
hard
on
him
to
go
and
preach
the
gospel
where
Christ
has
not
yet
been
heard
the
gospel
has
been
yet
to
be
proclaimed
!
Matthew
24
verse
14
this
is what
Jesus
said
verse
14
the
gospel
of the
kingdom
will
be
proclaimed
throughout
the
whole
world
as a
testimony
to the
nations
and
then
the
end
will
come
right
astounding
It's
God's
plan
to reach
all the
nations
all the
peoples
all the
different
nations
around
this
world
and
to
bring
the
men
to
one
and
Jesus
says
when
that
happens
the
end
will
come
and
so
we
have
friends
that
are
abroad
doing
this
now
seeking
to
usher
in
the
kingdom
of
God
and
we
can
play
that
role
here
we
can
preach
the
gospel
where
we
are
at
we
can
be
involved
in
the
sending
and
the
praying
of
people
overseas
and
so
I ask
that
you
would
remember
there's
a
bigger
picture
at
work
here
than
just
what's
going
on
here
today
that
you
remember
the
work
of
God
that
is
abroad
and
the
so-called
pioneers
that are
out there
going
to
places
where
there
is
no
church
no
Bible
and
to
bring
new
converts
from all
these
different
nations
into
one
people
that
we
might
glorify
God
with
one
voice
so
let's
pray
that
happens
this
isn't
our
home
we're
not
meant
to
be
here
forever
it's
all
going
to
come
to
an
end
so
how
does
that
alter
your
thinking
about
what
you're
pursuing
and
doing
right
now
live
for
Christ
and
his
kingdom
and
it
will
not
fail
so
this
is
what
Paul
is
saying
that
he
glories
in
what
God
has
accomplished
through
him
and
his
ministry
to
the