1 Peter 1:1b

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Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. ~ 1 Peter 1:1

In 1 Peter 1:1-2 the Apostle Peter identifies the follower of the Lord Jesus Christ with three descriptors: Exiles, Elect, and Chosen. Today, we will consider just the first of these three descriptors. 

The Greek word translated "pilgrims” can also be translated “exiles” living in a foreign place. It is accurate to say that all believers in the Lord Christ are exiles in this world. By using this particular Greek word here, which is used only three times in the New Testament, the Apostle Peter is noting that believers do not really belong anywhere on planet earth. We belong to the Lord, and as a result we are now being increasingly defined by Him. This is what creates our uneasiness with living on earth, the Lord's definitions are quite different and smarter than the definitions of this fallen world.

Before we trusted Christ as our Savior, we felt at home in this world. After we trusted the Lord Jesus as our Savior and we were "born again" we were given a whole new take on this world. You see, until we were baptized in God's Spirit, we were under the domain of Satan himself, and, we did not even know it. And, when we were born again, it was the presence of the Holy Spirit who gradually, day by day, began to change our understanding of all things including our understanding of this world. 

Being an exile is sometimes very frustrating, causing us to feel rootless and anxious. Being Christian exiles in American culture does not end our influence. No, the Lord is quite clear that He wants us to influence those around us with His truth. We don’t get cranky that our country has been taken away. We don’t whine about the triumphs of evil. We are not hardened with bitterness. No, we understand that none of this is new. We also understand that our allegiance is not for anything this temporal world has to offer us. No, our allegiance is for the coming kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I remember the first time that I really came face to face with the idea that I was an exile on the earth. It was the summer of 1986 and I had traveled to Italy with a group of students from Columbia Bible College in Columbia, South Carolina. I remember the thought that I noticed as soon as I departed the plane that had flown us over the Atlantic Ocean; It was a thought of "I do not belong here." It was mostly due to my inability to communicate and read the road signs and other signs that were all written in Italian. I felt like a fish out of water. Although I felt many insecure feelings that were in my soul due to being out of the comforts of America, I felt that summer many things that have become immensely instructive to me over time. That summer in Italy, the Lord taught me more than anything else that I am an exile in this fallen world more so than at any other time of my life. 

In AD 60, the Apostle Peter wrote this letter to Christians who were being persecuted by the Romans who ruled the world at that time. The Romans were known for strapping Christians to stakes, doused them in oil, and light them as lamps. Christians all over the known world were in great danger, and they did not feel at home here on earth. Persecution has a way of causing us to feel out of sorts, insecure and quite alone. Billy Graham once spoke of a conversation that he had with a leader of a foreign country. He said, "In a country where Christians were looked upon with suspicion and disfavor, a government leader said to me with a twinkle in his eye, 'Christians seem to thrive under persecution. Perhaps we should prosper them, and then they would disappear.'"

Today, we live in a culture undergoing a major cultural shift in how we, as Christians, are viewed. There once was a day in America that Christianity was far more accepted than it is today. When persecution, which is growing, comes upon us, we can take courage that we are citizens of another kingdom, the kingdom of the God of the Bible. And, as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have a very different value system than that of this fallen world. Having been born again, we now operate out of a much different value system. Our default mode is now different than it was before we met Christ. This explains the trouble we experience with the world's value system. And, this should give us a greater sense of anticipation for the day when Christ shall return and take us to be with Him in heaven for eternity.

Meanwhile, God has given us the task of sharing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with all who will listen in hopes that they, like us, will be awakened to a personal relationship with God. As Jude tells us in Jude 22-23: "22 Be merciful to those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh."

"Save others by snatching them from the fire" is a reference to hell. These who need to be saved are already in the fire of false belief. They are not just confused, they have bought the lie that the Lord Jesus is not God. They are already being singed by the fires of hell, which will engulf them in the future if they do not come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The word "snatching" means "to take by force." This is the same word the Apostle Paul uses to describe the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4. When we meet somebody who is not saved, we must patiently share the truth with them, praying the Lord opens their eyes as He did ours. It may take years but we must never give up on them. The greatness of Christian exiles is not success but service. Whether we win or lose, we witness to the way of truth. And, the best way to win people to the Lord Jesus is by serving them with a heart that is broken for their everlasting souls.

1 Peter 1:1a

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"Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia." ~ 1 Peter 1:1

Today, we begin a brand new study in the first epistle written by the Apostle Peter to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ who lived during the first century in what is known today as modern-day Turkey. These believers were victims of the Dispersion which was a term that Peter used to describe the fact that these first century believers in Christ had been dispersed from their homes. They were under intense pressure and persecution in a world that had been turned upside down by the teachings, death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Before Peter was known as such, he was known as Simon. Fifty times in the four gospels, he is referred to as Simon. This name is derived from the Hebrew word which means "reed" which is a tall, slender-leaved plant of the grass family. It grows in water or on marshy ground and it is a symbol of weakness. This epistle was written by a man who from birth was named Simon which means "reed that is easily broken." Brokenness is high commodity in the economy of God. Our brokenness is a product of our fallen humanity. And, along with our brokenness comes great hurt. And, hurt people hurt people. However, when the broken come to the God who masters at fixing our brokenness, He has been known to through our brokenness bring us to the place where we experience His tremendous love. And, loved people love people. God uses broken people to help broken people, and we are all broken.

As I am sure that you already know, the Lord Jesus renamed Simon to Simon Peter. The additional name of "Peter" was given after Simon acknowledged the Lord Jesus as the Christ of the Living God in Matthew 16. Peter means rock which is always a symbol in the scriptures as a refuge or a strong foundation. He was one of the first four followers of the Lord Jesus. The Apostle Peter was a pebble who put his trust in a boulder and taught others how to build on a solid foundation. 

Peter's life teaches us the secrets of God which render a man a leader. These secrets are easily unrecognizable, because they are not found in the many success books that we would find in our local bookstore. A year after meeting Peter, the Lord Jesus called him to "Come and follow me and I will make you a fisher of men." For the next three years, Peter, along with several others, followed the Lord Jesus. At the end of those three years, Peter failed miserably by denying that he even knew the Lord Jesus. In fact, the third time he denied having a relationship with Jesus, Peter dropped what was the equivalent of the "F" Bomb.

Peter's life illustrates that failure is not the opposite of success with God. As we will discover in this great book, Peter experienced his failure so that he would be able to speak authentically into the lives of hurting people each day. Then, some 40 days after his failure, on the Day of Pentecost, Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, is used of God to lead 3,000 people to faith in Jesus by preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem.

Peter realized life-changing power because he experienced so much trouble. As is clear in this first chapter, Peter's powerful faith was the product of his many trials. Thirty years after he began to follow Jesus, Peter became a great leader, who was hardly recognizable from the fisherman become failure. This is the secret of God for becoming a great leader: great trials create great faith. We must be wise to welcome the unwanted, knowing that it is through the unwanted God does His greatest work in and through us.

According to Mark 1, we know that Peter was married. He had a wife, and, he had a mother-in-law who lived with he and his wife. And his wife is also mentioned in 1 Corinthians 9. This throws a wrench into the idea that Peter was the first pope. He was also a leader among the twelve. Every time there is a list in the New Testament of the earliest followers of Christ, Peter is always listed as number one on the list. 

The Lord Jesus spoke more often to Peter than to any other of His disciples. Sometimes He spoke to him in praise and sometimes He spoke to him in blame. No disciple was so pointedly and directly reproved by the Lord as Peter. And, not one of the disciples ever ventured to reprove the Lord but Peter.  No disciple ever so boldly confessed and outspokenly acknowledged and encouraged our Lord as Peter and he repeatedly did that. And no one ever intruded and interfered and tempted the Lord as repeatedly as Peter. All of this explains why we love Peter so much. He was the most authentic and human of all of the disciples. This is why he was so equipped to be the leader of the twelve.

Again, we like Peter because he was in many ways like us. He was impulsive, impetuous and strong willed. He was the guy who when they came to arrest the Lord Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, he drew his sword and cut off the ear of a guy named Malchus, the servant of the high priest. Peter was the guy who said, "Lord, we have left everything to follow you." And when the Lord Jesus tried to wash Peter's feet, he said, "You're not going to wash my feet." It didn't take long to recognize He said those words due to his pride. 

The many lessons that Peter learned from the Lord Jesus will become obvious as we work through this book. Peter died around 67-68 AD. And most of you know that he died upside down on a cross. He felt like he was unworthy to die in the same manner as the Lord Jesus, so they took and turned the cross upside down, and that's how he died. 

Romans 16:25-27

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25 Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began 26 but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— 27 to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. ~ Romans 16:25-27

Today, we come to the end of the book of Romans which was written by the Apostle Paul while he was in the city of Corinth. It was very likely that at this point the Apostle Paul took the pen and wrote the closing paragraph in his own hand. Paul told us in 2 Thessalonians 3:17 that this was his custom. He did this to protect his letters from forgery. Scholars agree that Paul probably suffered from a serious eye problem as indicated in his letter written to the Galatians. As a result, the Apostle Paul wrote these final words in large letters with his own hand.

In v.25 of today's passage we read, "Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began." 

We serve a God who is truly the Supreme Being of all. This  letter written to the believers in Rome begins and ends with the idea of the power of God. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so powerful that it is used of God to rescue man from eternal damnation in hell. It also has the power to establish the believer for an eternity with God. God has the power to save and to sanctify the believer in Christ. It is not only God's responsibility to save us, it is also His responsibility to sanctify us. You and I are not given the final responsibility to bring about this change that God desires to bring about in our souls through the process of our sanctification. 

Now, we are wise to walk in God's truth and His culture as spelled out in His word, and, if we walk in His truth, we will realize all of the blessings the Lord Jesus died to give us. I am sure, as Paul wrote these words, he had in mind all the instances and circumstances from the past that instruct us on God's sovereignty. Just this morning I went to a men's Bible Study and only one man showed up. I have experienced enough of God culture to recognize that He was up to something and He had something in mind that I did not anticipate. The two hour conversation that ensued would not have happened had all of the guys who were supposed to be there had showed up. It was designed of God for just the two of us to meet. All too often we accuse Satan for such things when in reality God is the one who is causing or allowing the disruption. When we are being defined by God, we will recognize such and we will fall in line with that which God is doing.

The word "establish" used here in v.24 means to set steadfastly in an immovable position. The result of this in the life of the believer in Christ is a mental settledness that causes us to be faithful to His call on our lives. This is what the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ accomplishes in the yielded life of the believer in Christ. Many mistakenly think that the gospel is just the doorway into Christianity; but the gospel is the mansion itself. As believers in Christ, we do not get the gospel and then move beyond it. We get the gospel and then we move into it. This is the way God strengthens the believer in Christ. We must be careful to preach the Gospel to ourselves on a daily basis because it is the very life of Christ in our lives that brings about the purposes and culture of God in and through our lives.

In the latter part of v.25 we read, "...according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began."

This mystery is the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. More specifically the mystery is Christ Himself living His life in, to, and through our yielded lives. This mystery includes the bad news and the good news. The bad news is that man violently rebelled against the God of the Bible. The good news is that from the foundation of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ willingly agreed to remedy man's rebellion and to die on the cross to remove the subsequent sentence of hell that we all deserve. By means of His virgin birth, His sinless life, His substitutionary death upon the cross of Calvary, and by means of the gift of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, God has given the Lord Jesus Christ all that He is and all that He has to you and to me. He has done this in order to equip us to realize that which He has called us to on this earth.

In v.26 of today's passage we read, "but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith."

Throughout the Old Testament Scriptures God hinted at the work the Lord Jesus eventually brought to pass while hanging on the cross of Calvary. The prophets spoke and wrote about it. Ezekiel had written about the fact that someday God would come and save His people and take away their stony hearts and give them a heart of flesh and He would write His law in their hearts and He would give them His Spirit. But, for a long time it was not made manifest. It was hidden and veiled. The gospel was the unfolding of this mystery, this mystery kept secret since the world began and now has been made manifest.

As the latter part of this verse clearly reveals, God did all of this "for the obedience to the faith." God didn't do all of this wonderful work so that we would continue to live in sin and rebellion against Him. God saved us to bring us into a wonderful personal relationship with Himself so that His culture would invade ours. And, He doesn't stop there. It is the nature of the truth to be used through our lives so that others might come into a personal relationship with God, as well. As a result, every born again believer is a part of the unveiling of the mystery which has been hidden from ages past and is now being revealed.

In v.27 of today's passage we read, "to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen."

And now, the Apostle Paul cries out in final conclusion, "to God, alone wise be glory." He did this because only the infinite mind of God could ever have designed such a plan. And, only He could bring it to fruition. There was no one who would be wise enough to ever accomplish such a saving work. This is what makes God the Supreme Being of all. And, just as through the yielded life of the Lord Jesus Himself, our yielded lives bring Him great glory as well. This is all part of the unveiling of the mystery that has been hidden from the foundation of this world.

Romans 16:21-24

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21 Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you. 22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother. 24 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. ~ Romans 16:21-24

Today, we return to our study of the letter written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Rome during the first century. The main goal that the Apostle had in mind in writing this book was to challenge the believer in Christ to focus on being the servant of the Lord. Clear understanding of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ will cause us to embrace the role of the servant of Christ simply out of gratitude for what the Lord Jesus for him on the cross. When we serve others, we are chiefly thanking God for his goodness in giving his Son in our place. 

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "Timothy, my fellow worker, and Lucius, Jason, and Sosipater, my countrymen, greet you."

Here, the Apostle Paul reveals those who were with him in Corinth as he wrote this letter. The first was Timothy who was Paul's son in the faith and his number one disciple. In Philippians 2 the Apostle wrote of Timothy that there was no one who was as like-minded with himself. All through all of Paul's epistles we learn of Paul's affection for Timothy.

And then there was Lucius of Cyrene who was also a Gentile.  According to Acts 13, he was one of the five men who led the church at Antioch. And then Paul adds "Jason and Sosipater." According to Acts 17, Jason was Paul's host on his first visit to Thessalonica. He was a man who gave hospitality to him and he was saved at that time. Paul stayed in Jason's home when a riot broke out in the city. Sosipater was from the town of Berea and was probably one of those noble Old Testament students who studied the Scriptures. He was in Paul's group at this time as well and is mentioned in Acts 20.

Here were six members of Paul's family, kinsmen who had all become believers in the Lord Jesus. Some were Christians before him, but some Paul influenced toward Christ. They came from various places. Sosipater was the man from Beroea, mentioned in Acts 20 as "Sopater." Paul met him in Macedonia and may have accompanied him to Jerusalem with the offering to the churches there.

In v.22-23 of today's passage we read, "22 I, Tertius, who wrote this epistle, greet you in the Lord. 23 Gaius, my host and the host of the whole church, greets you. Erastus, the treasurer of the city, greets you, and Quartus, a brother."

Up to this point the Apostle Paul dictated this letter to Tertius, who wrote it down. His name indicates that he, too, was a slave, because his name means "third." In slave families they did not bother to think up names; they just numbered the children. The brother of Tertius, Quartus, was also with the Apostle in Corinth, as well. We know that these two were educated slaves because they could read and write.

These men were gathered together with the Apostle in the home of Gaius, this gracious, generous host of the city, mentioned in Paul's first letter to the Corinthians. Gaius opened his house to the entire Christian community, so here is Paul, sitting there with his friends. Tertius is writing down the letter, and the others are gathered around listening to Paul as he dictates, and profiting much from the writing of these great truths. 

The final name is Erastus, director of public works in the city of Corinth. You can see how the gospel penetrated all levels of society, with slaves, public officials, consuls, leaders of the empire, all sharing an equal ground of fellowship in the church of Jesus Christ. All class distinctions disappeared within the church and that is what happens whenever the church works. All of these believers in the Lord Jesus were noted for their  faithfulness to the gospel of the Lord Jesus. 

In v.24 of today's passage we read, "The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen."

God has called us believers in Christ to participate in the ministry that He is bringing to fruition in this world. Without His grace operative in our lives, we will not be successfully involved in anything the Lord desires to do in and through us in this world. Two things in this world will last for eternity: the souls of people and the word of God. It is our calling to be involved in investing our time, talents and treasures in getting these two together. Be used for eternity in the lives of those with whom you have appointment with today! God is in it!

Roman 16:17-20

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17 Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them. 18 For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple. 19 For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil. 20 And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. ~ Romans 16:17-20

Today, we return to our study of Romans 16 where the Apostle Paul is showing us in practicals terms what it looks like to be the servant of the Lord. This is the goal of the believer in Christ who is growing in intimacy with the Lord, to be the servant of the Lord. This idea of selflessness will in the end be a part of the destruction of the self life that was introduced to man while in the Garden of Eden so long ago. The Apostle Paul begins this book with seven characteristics of the servant of the Lord and he ends this book with a portrait of what it looks like to be the servant of the Lord.

In v.17 of today's passage we read, "Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them."

There in Rome in that day was a group of people who professed to be believers in Christ, but, they created disunity and they erected obstacles which could have prevented the Romans believers from pursuing the life of the servant of the Lord. This group of people the Apostle Paul identified as false teachers. They taught something different than the truth that is found in the word of God. This false teaching, as a result, created division, discord, and conflict among the believers there in Rome. It was into this context that the Apostle urged his readers to recognize, and turn away from those who did not pass the litmus test of the truth that is found in God's word. 

The way we are to handle such false teachers is to make a note of them or to identify them as such. "To note" simply means to identify them or to scrutinize them through the lens of God's word. And, after we have identified their teaching as heresy, we are to avoid them and their teaching. We are not to argue with them, we are to just ignore them. The Apostle instructs us in this way because divisive people love the fact that their divisiveness has garnered for them a voice and a platform. And, if we do not give them a voice and a platform, and we just ignore them, they will eventually move on. 

In v.18 of today's passage we read, "For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple."

These particular false teachers did not serve the Lord Jesus Christ; they served themselves. They were probably Epicureans who believed in a very common Greek philosophy at that time. For the Epicurean, his individual pleasure was his life’s highest goal. As is always the case with all false teaching, the hallmark of its teaching is that it always accentuates the self life that is a disease that will eventually destroy those given to it. This is why the Apostle Paul predicated the final five chapters of this book Romans upon those three commands in Romans 12:1-2 which result in a selfless living sacrifice.

False teachers always use "smooth words" because the devil wouldn't put error in the mouth of an obvious idiot, otherwise the people would not listen to him. The words "flattery speech" is the Greek word from which we get our English word "eulogy."  This false eloquence always includes well-chosen lies that sound good and are always appealing to the self and they deceive the hearts of those who are too given to the flesh and are not being defined by God enough. This is why we must be in the word and the word must be in us every day.

In v.19 of today's passage we read, "For your obedience has become known to all. Therefore I am glad on your behalf; but I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil." 

When we are being defined by God's word and His culture, we will be obedient to God. And, our obedience will be obvious to others. It is the word of God that gives us the ability to recognize what is of God. When the culture of God has gripped us we will not be experts on the lie that says this life is about I, me, and mine. The self life always leads us to deceit, heresy and destruction.

In v.20 of today's passage we read, "And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen."

The believer in Christ must continue to hold on to the truth, because the demise of Satan is coming and is guaranteed. There is soon coming the day when our spiritual warfare will be over. And all false teachers spawned by Satan will be done away with because the God of peace will make war against Satan and He will win this final battle. And, as a result eternal peace will reign. The Apostle referred to the Lord Jesus as the God of peace at the end of chapter 15 also. But, in this final chapter his emphasis is a little different. Here, the Apostle refers more about the peace that we will enjoy because of God's provisions. Here in this final chapter of Romans, the Apostle writes about the peace that He enjoys because of the Lord's victory and we will enter into that peace. Our God of peace will end the war by crushing Satan as promised in the first prophecy in the Bible found in Genesis 3:15. 

Note the phrase "under your feet." This is a reference to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. We, the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ will reign with Him for eternity. In fact, when the Lord Jesus comes out of heaven, after the Tribulation, according to Revelation 19, He will be riding on a white horse with all the armies of heaven riding on white horses with Him. We will be in the innumerable number, and we will witness the final defeat of Satan, sin and death.

But, until then, the battle rages on.  And, until we draw our final breath on this earth, we are to be strategically engaged in this very acute spiritual battle which demands that we are daily being defined by God and His word. Interestingly, the word "shortly" in v.20 does not mean in a little bit of time, it means suddenly.  When it happens it will happen fast. The final and complete destruction of Satan and his work will come to a screeching halt and we will look on with amazement. It will be then that we will know the eternal nature of the reign of God throughout the world. And, it will be peaceful.

Romans 16:1-16

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1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, 2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ. 6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me. 8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved. 10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my countryman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord. Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them. 15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you. ~ Romans 16:1-16

Today, we come to the final chapter of the book of Romans, Romans 16. Most miss the tremendous lessons on servanthood in this chapter because it seems to just be a long list of names but it is oh so much more. For example, the first person the Apostle Paul mentions here is Phoebe who was one of thirty-three people mentioned in this chapter. Nine of them were with Paul in Corinth. Twenty four of the names mentioned here were in Rome. There were two households mentioned, and two unnamed women, the mother of Rufus and the sister of Nereus. 

Phoebe bore and preserved this letter all along the hazardous journey from Corinth to Rome. She is referenced here by the Apostle Paul as "a servant of the church in Cenchrea." Cenchrea was the port of Corinth, located about nine miles east of the city. A group of believers met faithfully there, and Phoebe was a faithful servant to them. So, the first name on this long list of names was a woman. Down through the years we have heard others accuse the Apostle Paul of being chauvinistic and misogynistic. It is true that throughout time women have been treated as subservient to men, but, a careful study of history reveals that Christianity has elevated women. The Lord Jesus Himself elevated women by involving them quite heavily in His ministry. And, women played a prominent role in Paul's ministry. As John F Kennedy once said, "A rising tide raises all boats." The very fact that the least were lifted up by the gospel speaks to its authenticity and organic difference.

In v.3 the Apostle mentions Priscilla and Aquila who were themselves from Rome. The believers in Rome were familiar with this wonderful couple who had been expelled from Rome by Caesar Claudius. They ended up in Corinth where the Apostle Paul met them in the synagogue there. I find it most interesting to note that in the synagogue service, the women sat on one side while the men sat on the other side. And, the men sat together according to their occupation. Since the Apostle Paul was a tent maker, he sat next to Aquila who also was a tent maker. Priscilla and Aquila came to faith in the Lord Jesus, and they hosted the meeting of believers in their home. For the first 200 years of Christianity, churches met in homes. There were no public church buildings like we have today. We will do well to return to the early church model. 

In v.5-6 the Apostle mentions Epaenetus who was the first to believe the gospel when Paul came to the province of Asia, of which Ephesus was the capital. One never forgets the first one he witnesses seeing go from the darkness into the light. No matter how many others follow, we never forget the first. We do not know what Epaenetus was doing in Rome, but he was cherished because he was the first to exercise faith in Asia. And associated with him is Mary, of whom Paul wrote, "Mary who labored much for us." She was one of the group of unknown women in the Gospels who had the gift of service. This underscores the fact that every gift and every talent is of utmost importance to accomplish the tasks before us in a given day. 

In v.9 Paul mentions Urbanus which was a common name for slaves in those days. Urbanus means city-bred. So it was a generic name usually for a slave who was raised in the city. But what is interesting is in the same verse, Stachys is mention. Stachys was of the royal household of Caesar Claudius. In this verse we have a slave and a person of royalty mentioned together. This is what the Lord Jesus does to a community; He brings people from the two ends of the social spectrum together. This just underscores that fact that at the foot of the cross, we are all on equal ground. 

In v.10 the Apostle Paul urges the believers in Rome to greet Aristobulus who was the grandson of Herod Agrippa I, which made him the great grandson of Herod the Great. Then in v.11, Paul highlights Herodion who was obviously somebody related to the household of Herod. And then, Paul urges them to greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who was a well-known, wealthy, influential, bad dude, who was the secretary to the Emperor Claudius, who obviously come to faith in the Lord Jesus. 

All of these names reveal so many principles that causes one to be successful in this life. One of these many principles is that fact that the Apostle Paul always had a team that was around him. That's why he was so successful. All of these people were there to support and pray for Paul in a variety of ways. One of the greatest dangers in any organization is that there is one man that everyone follows; this is not biblical. In fact, the model the Lord gives us in His word is a plurality of leadership. Add to that the fact that the Lord has equipped every believer with spiritual gifts and natural talents, the involvement of many in the decision making and the execution of the plan is the best way to go.

The list of names in this chapter reflects Paul’s purposes for writing the letter to the Romans. Paul wrote to the Roman believers about the gospel so that they would love and look out for one another, particularly across ethnic and socioeconomic lines. In a world where class envy is used for selfish purposes by everyone, it is refreshing to see ethnic differences valued for selfless reasons. Such is the nature of the Gospel and its centerpiece: the grace of God. The grace of God knows no favorites. 

We must never forget that ministry is about people. Good ministry comes out of good relationships. Paul’s list of names reflects the intense relationships that he had with believers throughout the world. Serving with brothers and sisters in Christ is one way to greatly deepen our relationships. In fact, the deepest relationships that I have in this life is with those with whom I have gone through the deepest of troubles. This is by design; our struggles galvanize us together to make us strong together.

Romans 15:29-33

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29 But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. 30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you. 33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen. ~ Romans 15:29-33

Today, we conclude our study of Romans 15 where the Apostle Paul continues to reveal to us the ultimate goal of servanthood for the believer in Christ. In these verses the Apostle provides several principles that should govern and define the servant of the Lord in everyday living. Thus, these principles will equip the servant in that which God has called him.

In v.29 of today's passage we read, "But I know that when I come to you, I shall come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ."

When the believer in Christ gets to the point of being the servant of Christ, in spite of the many trials that will be encountered, he will always recon himself blessed of the Lord because he will be being defined by the culture of the Lord. When the servant of the Lord walks in obedience before the Lord, he will always live in the blessing that was granted to every believer in Christ through the work of the Lord Jesus on His cross. When we have come into the truth and the truth has come into us, we will be the most confident, secure and mature people on the planet because our confidence will be in the Lord of all creation.

When we are living in submission to Christ, we will live in obedience to His Word which is the door through which we enjoy to completeness of that which the Lord Jesus died on the cross to give us. This explains why this is not always the case for all who call themselves believers in the Lord Jesus. You see, the economy and the culture of God is so much different than ours, and, if we are not being defined by Him we will never see that those things that we thought were curses were actually blessings. In order to get to this place we must pass the many tests in God's classroom of our sanctification which results in the rearranging of our thinking according to the word of God.

By the way, effective ministry in the will of God will always receive persecution from those who have not been trained by the culture of God. It is very easy to be a believer in the Lord and lack death in the culture of God. It is very instructive to recognize that as it turned out, the Apostle Paul did get to Rome; he got there as a prisoner. And, as a prisoner he wrote the letter to the Philippians wherein he wrote about the blessing that came into his life through the difficulties, chains, and the imprisonment that he endured while in Rome.

God's culture is always missed by those who lack a biblically informed worldview. Mike Yaconelli, founder of Youth Specialities once said, "Spiritual growth is not running faster, as in more meetings, more Bible studies, and more prayer meetings. Spiritual growth happens when we slow our activity down. If we want to meet Jesus, we can't do it on the run. If we want to stay on the road of faith, we have to hit the brakes, pull over to a rest area, and stop. Christianity is not about inviting Jesus to speed through life with us; it's about noticing Jesus sitting at the rest stop. While the church earnestly warns Christians to watch for the devil, the devil is sitting in the congregation encouraging everyone to keep busy doing "good things."

The will and the call of God will always shock us, and it should. A big part of our sanctification is that through it we are being delivered from the power of sin. There are many believers in Christ who believe that all believers should be healthy all the time and that we should have the best of what this world offers us thinking it is being offered to us by the Lord. They fail to recognize the God who allowed all of that calamity to come into the life of Job. They fail to realize that the disciples of the first century had it pretty difficult because of the call of God on their lives. No, God allows or even sometimes causes bad things to happen in the believers life because He has the highest purposes in mind. Those who look for Satan behind every trial miss God because they fail to recognize that it is through the trials of this life that God hones our heart's ability to see Him and know Him best.

In v.30-32 of today's passage we read, "30 Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me, 31 that I may be delivered from those in Judea who do not believe, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints, 32 that I may come to you with joy by the will of God, and may be refreshed together with you." 

Emphasis is placed here by the Apostle upon prayer which is the product of the Holy Spirit of God within us, awakening a desire to show love and compassion to those in need. When we catch a glimpse that the honor of Christ is involved, and the love of the Spirit is fulfilled when we pray, we will truly pray. This is what the apostle appeals to here. Life is a struggle and prayer is the primary way that we engage in the battle. Prayer is the greatest weapon we have along with the abiding Holy Spirit to usher in the results God wants to bring. 

When the Apostle Paul arrived in Jerusalem, as we learn from the book of Acts, there came a moment when he was set upon by a mob in the temple courts. They were out to kill him, right on the spot. They had rocks in their hands, and they were about to stone him to death. But it just so happened that at the critical moment, the commander of the Roman legion on the other side of the wall, in the castle of Antonia, looked over into the temple court and saw what was going on. He came down with a band of soldiers and rescued the Apostle Paul in the nick of time.

In v.33 of today's passage we read, "Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen."

Peace is one of many of the beautiful characteristics that are manifested as one of the fruits of the Spirit in the life of the yielded believer who is growing in grace. There are three types of peace in the Scriptures: Spiritual peace or peace with God. Then, there is psychological peace or peace within. The, there is relational peace or peace with others. It is the peace with God that Christ earned for us on His cross that makes the other two work in our lives. It all starts and ends in the life of the servant of the Lord with being defined by the God of peace so that we can live out of the peace of God.

Romans 15:25-28

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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.

Romans 15:22-24

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22 For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you. 23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while. ~ Romans 15:22-24

We are progressing our way to the end of this letter written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in Rome. As has been pointed out, the ultimate point of this book is service. Most people often miss the main point that God has through something, and, the book of Romans is no different. When we think of Romans we think of all of the deep theology that is in it. Theological words like justification, and sanctification. As is always the case with God, the main point is not to be found in the glamorous headline. No, God always is at work most in the subscripts of life. This is why the end result of this book is servanthood.

Today, we return to our study of Romans 15, the Apostle Paul's continuation of what a "living sacrifice" looks like. And, to the degree that we understanding the deep theology taught in Romans and to the degree that the grace and mercy of God apprehends our souls will be the degree to which we will be living sacrifices unto God and we will be useful to Him in what He is doing in this world.

In v.22 of today's passage we read, "For this reason I also have been much hindered from coming to you."

When we arrive on the porch of servanthood our wills take a back seat to the will of God. God does not always send us where we want to go. The Apostle Paul wanted for years to go to Rome, but God had other ideas that prevented it. The gospel had already been preached in Rome, and the believers there didn't need the Apostle Paul there like some other parts of the world did at that time. 

In a sense, Paul had completed his work in those regions, but there was more work to be done. Paul had laid a foundation for the Christian faith and he had planted churches in those areas. Now, others would pick up the mantle and water the seed Paul planted. Others would need to continue the work there, to disciple the believers to become mature Christians and to reach more people for the Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason, we must never believe our work for God is done while we are on this earth. 

In v.23-24 of today's passage we read, "23 But now no longer having a place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come to you, 24 whenever I journey to Spain, I shall come to you. For I hope to see you on my journey, and to be helped on my way there by you, if first I may enjoy your company for a while."

The Apostle Paul gives two reasons for his planning visit to Rome. First of all, he says there was no more place for him in the parts that he had been up until the writing of the book of Romans. Paul had preached in almost every major area in Greece and in Asia and now he didn't need to be there anymore and he felt free for the first time to travel west to Rome.

The second reason is simply that he had always had a longing to visit Rome and meet the Christians there in the capital city of the Empire which was such a critical place where he could make such a great impact for the Lord Jesus. But Rome wasn't Paul's final destination. He had his eye on another place. According to v.24, he wanted to go to Spain, a country which at that time had never yet had a gospel witness. Paul was always thinking ahead. Always laying tentative plans to do the thing he loved to do best and the thing he was called of God to do, and that was: to preach the gospel in virgin territory.

Finally, there is a huge lesson embedded in today's verses that the servant of the Lord must come to grips with if he is to be useful to the Lord in this world. The lesson is what do I do when I am delayed? In such a context, we must wait patiently. Times of waiting are very revealing, they reveal who is calling the shots in our lives. As the servants of the Lord we mustn't be too quick to rush into something that the Lord has told us to wait on. God sees what we can not see, He sees everything involved. We must trust His leading and we must trust Him to open the doors according to His timing and then we will walk through those doors.

Romans 15:17-21

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17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient— 19 in mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation, 21 but as it is written: "To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand." ~ Romans 15:17-21

Today, we return to our study of Romans 15 wherein the Apostle Paul is instructing us on the priorities of the servant of Christ. As we have mentioned since Romans 3:21, it is the grace of God that causes us to desire to be the servants of the Lord. In light of all that He has done for us, particularly rescuing us from the clutches of hell, choosing to be His servant is the least we can do. In fact, it is a joy to be the servant of the Lord.

In today's passage we learn that God has a calling on all of our lives. The particulars will always be different but the message will always be the same. The message is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The gospel includes man's hopelessness and the hope that we gained as a result of believing that God remedied our sin problem by sending the Lord Jesus to go to the cross to bridge the gap that our sin had created between us and God. 

In today's passage, we learn the utter importance of being defined by God's culture so that we are positioned to fulfill the calling God has placed on our individual lives. In today's passage the Apostle Paul pulls the curtain back on two principles that governed his ministry to the Gentile world: The utter necessity of rejoicing in Christ's work in our lives, and the power of God that enables any servant to realize God's call on his life.

In v.17-18 of today's passage we read, "17 Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus in the things which pertain to God. 18 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient."

The principle that governed Paul's ministry was to rejoice in the fact that God was at work through him in the lives of gentiles. The Apostle wrote, "Therefore I have reason to glory in Christ Jesus." Like you and I, Paul was confronted with a lot of darkness in the world in which he ministered. This is why he wrote in v.18, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me." It is God's designed to do His ministry through our yielded lives. If our lives aren't yielded, we will not realize the ministry God wants to accomplish in and through us. God does not expect us to produce the ministry! He does that. We must be diligent to walk with Him and to follow Him. As He includes us in on what He is doing in the lives of others that "we minister to," He produces the harvest.

In v.19-20 of today's passage we read, "19 In mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem and round about to Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. 20 And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man’s foundation."

The second principle that the Apostle Paul accentuates in today's passage about his ministry is: It is the power of God that enabled Paul to do the ministry that God called him to. The signs and wonders that Paul wrote of here authenticated the message of Christ's gospel and Paul's ministry. These signs and wonders were the marks of an apostle, and only apostles did these things. Today we do not need any more apostles; we have the original ones, and their writings are available to us. What we have is what Paul mentions, the power of the Spirit, and His impact on human lives. 

In 2 Corinthians 12:1-10 the Apostle wrote, "1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  

The message of the gospel of God is what the signs and miracles were designed to highlight. The same is true for you and me today. And, the power of God is best released through our yielded and broken lives. In 2 Corinthians 12:8 Paul writes that he asked the Lord three times to take the thorn from him. The Greek word translated three times is a Greek idiom meaning he asked over and over and over. The Apostle Paul was fixated on the thorn. But that was not the design of the thorn. The design of the thorn was that he would be fixated upon the Lord Jesus. This is why we have trials, so that we will be dependent upon the Lord Jesus. And this is where His power is discovered. We must be diligent today to be yielded to Him, expecting and watching His power change lives all around us.

In v.21 of today's passage we read, "But as it is written: 'To whom He was not announced, they shall see; And those who have not heard shall understand.'"

This verse is an adaptation of Isaiah 52:15 which is a Messianic prophecy. It's very close to the Septuagint version which is the Greek translation of Isaiah which was originally written in Hebrew. The context of Isaiah 52 is all about the Servant of the Lord, who is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And the context of Isaiah 52 reveals a day when the Messiah will bring all nations to Himself and they will see His glory. And those who have never heard about Him will hear about Him. And those who have never understood the truth will know. The fullness of this Messianic prophecy will come at the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus which will happen seven years after the rapture of the church. 

The Apostle Paul was a servant of the Lord who continually offered himself as a sacrifice to God. And, as such, he jumped at every opportunity to share the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to whomever would listen. This is the ultimate calling of the servant of the Lord. The more God's grace arrests our souls the more we will be aware of the utter necessity of sharing the gospel with a deceived world who unknowingly are headed to an eternity in hell. When we share the gospel with anyone who has yet to believe in the Lord Jesus, we are a part of the fulfillment of this prophecy given in Isaiah 52. I would say that is awesome! And, eternity will only bear forth the wonders of what God can do through our yielded servant lives.