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HOW HAVE WE LOVED AND HONORED SOMEONE IN THEIR DIFFERENCES?

WHAT DID GOD SAY IN HIS WORD?

8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, 9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.” 10 And again it is said, “Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.” 11 And again, “Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples extol him.” 12 And again Isaiah says, “The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles; in him will the Gentiles hope.” 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

14 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. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 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.

17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 18 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, 19 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 Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

Recall from Sunday:

God’s promises for the nations fill us with hope (Rom. 15:8-13) and grace (15:14-16) to believe and step forward to fulfill these promises for the nations (15:17-21).

Reflect:

What are the most significant notes you took during the sermon? What did you learn about God and his plans for us from the Bible passage?

WHAT DID GOD SAY TO ME THROUGH HIS WORD?

God’s rescue plan has always included blessing and rescuing the Gentiles (15:8-13), even though Gentiles seemed the furthest from God and excluded from his family. Who do you know who seems far from God or who you struggle to believe could ever trust in Jesus? What does the history of God’s rescue plan have to say to you about whether they can be saved?

Paul’s letter to the Gentiles is a reminder, which is an expression of God’s grace through him to the church. What regular reminders of God’s plans and purposes do you have in your life? How do you keep focused on God’s mission throughout the week?

Paul’s express goal and confident hope was that he would continue to help new people follow Jesus in new towns because God had been so good in his mission so far (15:17-21). Do you have a goal and a plan for forming relationships with unchurched people? How is God calling you to step out in faith to see his promises fulfilled?

HOW CAN WE LOVE AND HONOR PEOPLE IN THEIR DIFFERENCES?

Loving and honoring people in their differences is necessary both in and outside the church. If we don’t love those who don’t know Jesus, we’ll not desire to help them come to know Jesus either. Discern together who you know who does not know Jesus yet, and commit to showing them love in a specific way this week. Pray together that God would help you love these people well.