Romans 15:20-33, “Paul, Missionary Extraordinaire.”

Paul wants to visit the church in Rome on his way to Spain, but first he

must bring financial gifts to the church in Jerusalem, from Gentile believers in Greece.

Paul had not previously gone to Rome or Spain, the reason, it would seem, was the unfinished work God had for him to do right where he was (see vv. 20-22).

Paul’s priority was to go to the Gentiles, in the regions near the Mediterranean Sea, where the gospel of Christ had not been preached, and it would seem that work must be completed before he would be free to go to Rome. Paul served the Lord tirelessly, taking the gospel of Christ thousands of miles on foot and by boat.

Paul was converted to Christ when he was about 30 years old; he was then personally trained by the Lord for 3 years before being sent to take the gospel of Christ to the Gentiles; and for the next 33 years Paul endured treacherous and trying journeys, which included being locked up again and again in jails and prison.

Paul’s First Missionary Journey is recorded in Acts 13:1-14:28, where we learn that he traveled with Barnabas and John Mark. The journey began in Antioch (Syria), and went through many places from Cyprus to Turkey and back to Antioch; Paul traveled about 1400 miles on this journey, between 46-48 A.D..

Paul’s Second Missionary Journey is recorded in Acts 15:36-18:22, here we learn that he traveled with Silas, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila and Luke. The journey went from Jerusalem through Antioch (Syria), across Asia and Greece and back to Jerusalem; Paul traveled about 2800 miles on this journey, between 49-52 A.D.

Paul’s Third Missionary Journey is recorded in Acts 18:23-21:16, where we learn that he traveled with Timothy, Luke, and Others. The journey began in Antioch (Syria) and went through Turkey, Asia, Greece, and across the Mediterranean to Jerusalem; Paul traveled about 2700 miles on this journey, between 53-57 A.D.

Paul’s Fourth Journey began in Jerusalem, where he was arrested and sent to Caesarea, and from there, under Roman guard, he traveled around Cyprus, to Crete, Malta, and on to Rome, Italy, where he was on house arrest for two years and then acquitted; altogether Paul traveled about 2300 miles on this journey, between 59-62 A.D.

Paul had other travels after his release, in and around the Aegean and Mediterranean Sea (Greece, Asia, Crete) and then he returned to Rome where he was again arrested, convicted, imprisoned, and eventually died around 67-68 A.D. Eusebius, an early church historian, claimed that Paul was beheaded at the order of the Roman emperor Nero, shortly after much of Rome burned in a fire, that Nero blamed the Christians for starting.

There is no Scriptural record, and no validated record apart from Scripture, that Paul made it to Spain, although he clearly wanted to go there (vv. 23-24). History tells us that Spain wasn’t evangelized until the 3rd century A.D.; I believe that if Paul had made it to Spain, it would have been evangelized in the 1st century A.D.

According to vv. 25-26, Paul is going to Jerusalem, to bring financial gifts from Gentile believers in Greece, to believers in Jerusalem who were struggling to meet daily needs: many foreign Jews, converted at Pentecost, had remained in Jerusalem as guests of Jewish believers who lived there, a famine in Palestine had caused hard times; also, there were many Christian Jews who had lost their jobs due to persecution by the non-Christian Jews.

The Gentile believers in Greece were expressing their love for the Jewish Christians by sharing what they had with them, in an act of communion/ fellowship [koinonia].

Paul tells the Roman Christians (vv. 27-28) how the Grecian Christians were blessed to help their Jewish brothers and sisters with material goods, for all spiritual blessings granted through Christ had come to the Gentiles through the Jews, for Christ Himself was a Jew.

This fellowship between Jew and Gentile believers was important to Paul; we are all sinners, condemned were it not for Christ’s sacrifice (Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 8:1; 10:9-10), through the Cross all men, Jew and Gentile are made one people in Christ (Romans 10:11-13).

Paul deeply desired to strengthen the family relationship between Jew and Gentile believers which had not existed before the coming of Christ. Paul says he will see that the Gentile’s gifts are presented to the church in Jerusalem, after which, he hoped to visit the Roman church on his way to Spain.

See verse 29... Just as the love gifts from the Gentile believers in Greece will bless and encourage the Jewish believers in Jerusalem, Paul hopes that he will encourage the believers in Rome by the power of God’s

Spirit living and working in him, as he obediently serves Christ, fully trusting in God (Philippians 4:4-9, 12-13, 19-20).

Think about it, these words of belief and trust in God’s peace, provision and protection, were written by a man who suffered greatly for God, and most likely was put to death for his faith in God.

In 2Corinthians 11:24-27, Paul gives a brief overview of his struggles while serving the Lord the first 25 years of his ministry, up through the end of his 3rd Missionary Journey, but not including his final arrest, imprisonment, and of course his execution in Rome.

Back to Romans 15:30-32... Paul was getting ready to go to Jerusalem, he no doubt felt the spiritual oppression of what was waiting him, for the Jewish Religious Leaders would seek to silence Paul’s witness and to keep him from encouraging the Jewish Christians who were suffering much persecution and poverty; and so, Paul asks the believers in Rome to pray for him, that he might accomplish the task of bringing the Gentile’s love gifts to the Jewish Christians, that all the church in Judea might be blessed and refreshed, just as he hopes to bring blessing and refreshing to those in Rome.

See Romans 15:33... Paul gives a short but heartfelt benediction to the believers in Rome. God is the source of all peace, in fact He Himself is our peace, and He has made both Jew and Gentile into one people in Christ.

Paul’s life serving the Lord was far from a peaceful life outwardly or physically (cf 2Corinthians 11:24-27), but because of Paul’s intimate relationship with the God of Peace, he had the deep heartfelt and spiritual peace that God gives to those who faithfully seek to honor Him and to obey His Word, serving as messengers of the salvation that comes to all who repent, believe and follow Christ.

We are called to be witnesses and proclaimers of God’s Love, remaining willing and available to testify to God’s mercy and grace that has come through Jesus Christ.

May we all seek to be extraordinary missionaries like Paul.

Pastor Mike <‘(((><