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25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem. 27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things. 28 Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain. ~ Romans 15:25-28
Today, we continue our study of Romans 15 where the Apostle Paul has been showing us in practical terms what it looks like to be a servant of the Lord. You will remember that the outline of the book of Romans is: Romans 1-3 the sinful condition of man, Romans 4-5 salvation or justified by faith, Romans 6-8 sanctification, Romans 9-11 the sovereignty of God, and Romans 12-16 service. As indicated by the outline of this book, the goal of it all is servanthood.
In v.25-26 of today's passage we read, "25 But now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints. 26 For it pleased those from Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem."
Many years before Paul wrote the book of Romans, according to Acts 15, the Apostle Paul was sent to Antioch with a letter. In that letter, Paul was specifically asked that he be careful to remember the poor in Jerusalem. And now, many years later, he is fulfilling that requirement. He has taken up an offering and now he wants to deliver it personally to the desperate believers in Jerusalem. In fact, according to Acts 6, we are informed that the widows in Jerusalem did not have enough food to eat at that time.
The word "minister" used here in v.25 was used by the Lord Jesus in Matthew 20:26 when He said, "If you want to be great in my kingdom, you must become a servant." In this verse the Lord used the word "diakinos" which is translated "minister" in Romans 15:25 and "servant" in Matthew 20:26.
Then when we go on to read Matthew 20:27 which reads, "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave." In this verse the Lord Jesus used the word "doulas" translated "slave" in Matthew 20:27. The usage of these two Greek words "doulas" and "diakinos" underscores what every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is called to: a life where we are continuously losing sight of self and continuously gaining the heart of our maker and savior for others. And, as the Apostle indicates in v.26 of today's passage, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia were getting the very same message from the Lord.
The New Testament world was sharply split into slaves and free persons. A "doulos" was a person owned by another. There were millions of slaves in that day. They were everywhere, and it is no surprise that local Christian congregations included many slaves. Slavery took many shapes. One slave might chop vegetables in the kitchen. Another might be a scribe for a wealthy landowner. Still others worked to death in a copper mine. Their fate depended on the character of the master, because there was one central fact in the life of a slave: You were the property of a master. Such is the case with the servant of the Lord.
Interestingly, the word translated "contribution" in v.26 is the Greek word "koinōnia." This is the Greek word for fellowship, and essential to experiencing "koinōnia" is the sharing of things, in this case money. All of this just underscores the very true and old adage, "Where God guides, He provides." And, underscored in this passage is the subtle idea that God will always meet our needs, especially when it equips us to accomplish that which God has called us to individually. I am grateful to have been reminded many times by my late and dear friend, Mike Gasaway, of a William Carey quote who once said, "God's work done God's way will not lack God's supply."
In v.27 of today's passage we read, "It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things."
"It pleased" the Macedonian and Achaian believers to share their money with the needy in Jerusalem. They did it because it was in their heart to do it. They did it because of love. They were not coerced to do this. And, even though they did it willingly, they were in debt to the Jews because of the role the Jews played in bringing to the earth the Messiah.
When our understanding of a servant of Christ raises to a certain level, we will contribute to the needs of others in whatever way the Lord leads us to participate. It was the servant heart of the believers in Macedonia and Achaia, and, it was the servant heart of the Apostle Paul that made them all willing enough to participate in the meeting of the needs of the needy believers in Jerusalem.
In v.28 of today's passage we read, "Therefore, when I have performed this and have sealed to them this fruit, I shall go by way of you to Spain."
As indicated in this verse, the servant of the Lord does not quit until he has accomplished the calling of God upon his life. The Apostle Paul had a great sense of priority, and, because of this priority, he took the offering from the believers in Macedonia and Achaia first to the most needy in Jerusalem. There is no realization of our future dream as God would have it for us when we do not know how it is to give ourselves totally to the priority that exists right in front of us in the moment in which we live.
I close today by bringing your attention to the fact that the Apostle Paul refers to this monetary gift that he delivered to the needy believers in Jerusalem as "this fruit." The money was the fruit of the Macedonian and Achaean believers' love and faith. The image of "fruit" is closely connected with the life that the gospel brings into our once ruined lives. I find it quite instructive to realize that the Apostle Paul used this word translated "fruit" at two more times to describe two other things in Romans: winning souls to Christ in Romans 1:13, and pursuing holiness in Romans 6:22. Thus, there are three kinds of fruit: giving, witnessing and pursuing holiness which we will find hanging from the tree of our everyday lives as we learn to walk with Him more consistently.
