Or, Striving Together to Bless the Saints
Scripture: Romans 15:22-33
Date: February 11, 2024
Speaker: Sean Higgins
Since all Scripture is inspired by God and profitable, that includes the personal intros and final messages in a letter. Some of the info is historically significant and clarifies our picture of life in Bible times, here of Paul’s travels and toils and concerns. Some of the details resonate for our own gospel growth, examples of projects and perspectives and prayers can still be relevant in our own context. We’re not trying to get to Spain via Rome, but we’re totally concerned with the blessing of Christ and serving the saints.
Paul’s tells the Romans his plans in verses 22-24, explains his relief project in verses 25-29, and makes his prayer request in verses 30-33.
Paul almost apologizes for not having been to Rome yet. Why would they have expected his visit? Probably because they were (or at least thought themselves to be) the Gentiles of Gentiles. All the places from Jerusalem to Illyricum belonged to the Roman Empire. If God called Paul as a ministering priest to present an offering of non-Jews to God (verse 16), that offering wouldn’t be complete without Romans. How can you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich without the bread? The bread in this case was never far from Paul’s mind or mission.
But he’d been busy working the middle. This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you, namely, his bold ambition to preach Christ where Christ had not yet been named (verse 20). But now, since I no longer have any room to work in these regions, he’d “fulfilled” the work (verse 19), and since I’ve longed or many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain. Spain was unreached territory, he desired to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. He says again in verse 28, “I will leave for Spain by way of you.”
[map from Corinth, Jerusalem, and Spain]
He expected mutual encouragement and edification and enjoyment. He wanted them to expect his company, and he expected their company, to be satisfied with enjoyment in their presence. He would make a visit, they would visit together.
He believed that they believed the gospel; he’d heard the reports of their faith, but without so many problems (like reports out of Corinth and Colosse and Galatia and Philippi). Romans is more systematic in explaining gospel theology than those other letters that requires more specific instructions.
Rome was a destination for Paul, just not a final home. His language suggests that Paul might be looking at Rome as a new base of operations. Antioch had been his church-hub, but first century travel and communication made sense for moving the whole support network west. Sharing their company was more than a means to an end, but partnership to push west was his goal.
He had something else to do first. At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. Southeast was the opposite direction out of Corinth from Rome. But while taking the good news to new places he’d been taking up a collection for old friends.
For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. We happen to know that moneys came in from more than those two locations, and we know this because Paul talks about this collection a lot (including 1 Corinthians 16:1-4, 2 Corinthians 8-9). It was personal to him, and he wasn’t sure it would be well received (see verse 31). He not only talked about it and supported it, he traveled with it. Why?
A couple things to note. First, the word contribution is koinonia, usually translated as “fellowship”; these funds were a token of fellowship. It’s not just that some Haves donated to some HaveNots. It’s not mostly a rich and poor, which we know because some gave out of “their extreme poverty” (2 Corinthians 8:2). This gift meant sharing, it was an expression of Gentile-to-Jew blessing. The contribution created more good than was previously there.
Second, the blessings are ordered and connected by Paul. They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if ta ethne have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.
The share is the verb form of koinonia. The nations/Gentiles shared some of the nation’s/Israel’s share.
These are not categories we made up, we get them from God’s Word. The ESV has spiritual (blessings) and material (blessings), and that resonates, even though “spiritual things” and “material things” would be the more basic translation (KJV, NASB). But blessing is in view, certainly by verse 29, and the general terms work against our narrowing tendencies.
Spiritual blessings belong with the gospel of God, Jesus Christ our Lord, and the power of God in the gospel for salvation to everyone who believes. Spiritual blessings include divine revelation and truth, forgiveness and peace, obedience and joy, knowledge of God’s inseparable love and hope. Spiritual blessings include knowledge, goodness of character, and community of one anothers and body life. Spiritual blessings include identity and giftedness and purpose. Spiritual blessings include all the things that make us jealousable, including the ability to properly evaluate and steward material blessings. These are unseen things that belong with our eternal weight of glory.
Material blessings are tangibles, things such as food and clothing (and with these we can be content, see 1 Timothy 6:8), fruit and profit. These blessings include money to buy needs and even assets, money to invest in business and futures, and money to have in order to give away. Material blessings are cans of peaches, which go best with the spiritual blessings of a can-opener so we can enjoy them (an old illustration from Doug Wilson). “The blessing of the LORD makes rich, and He adds no sorry with it” (Proverbs 10:22). Tools build and bless others. Children and grandchildren are actually fleshy blessings and not necessarily spiritual ones (see Psalm 17:14).
God gives gracious benefits, of different kinds, and we can observe at least these truths:
Being poor is not more spiritual, though saints can be poor, as in Jerusalem. There is no prosperity gospel.
And there probably should be another truth added.
This is part of why Paul cared so much about the contribution, and what he hoped it would accomplish.
In the Millennial Kingdom, the New Covenant package of blessings includes new hearts and restored land and fruitful trees and whole/healthy bodies. For now, it is a spiritual blessing to recognize and give thanks for material blessings. God is the ultimate source of both, the response of joyful thanks and stewardship apply to both.
Paul knew that koinonia in Christ could be expressed and INCREASED through koinonia in cash/coin. The Christians throughout the Roman Empire were at early stages of changing Western Civilization due to their God-given blessings, and the saints in the chosen nation weren’t sure about it yet.
This collection increased koinonia (between Gentile and Jewish Christians). Material blessings were not merely redistributed. More and better blessings (for all) were created by the giving (of some). That work continues today in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
More to come in the paragraph.
With all your blessings—spiritual things and material things—you ought to share and serve and bless. Give as the Lord your God blesses you. Give and it will be given to you. Give in order to create MORE blessings, more fellowship, more joy, more true wealth.
May the God of peace be with you all. Amen. (Romans 15:33 ESV)