First Things First -Romans 1:8-15

People have often quipped, “If you want to understand your priorities in life, look at your checkbook.” While this might be true for how one prioritizes money and influence, there are many indicators for what is most important to an individual, group, or administration. For instance, some people have to do lists that indicate both what is most important/urgent (things at the top of the list) and that which can wait for later (things left for the bottom of the list). Recently, there has been a lot of hay made about the new presidential administration’s first 100 days. Entire cable shows have been created to track what the current president seeks to accomplish early on as these first things , we’re told, will indicate what his team believes is most important (his top priorities). By any measure—the way we spend are money, what occupies the top of our to do lists, what actions are taken first—our priorities say a lot about who we are as people AND who we are as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

As the opening of Romans continues, Paul reveals his priorities and their connection to the gospel message—the core of his letter. Though the activities mentioned in Romans 1:8-15 do not exhaust all of the behaviors that should preoccupy a disciple of Christ, these at least show what Paul believed to be of great importance as, in mentioning these here, he appears to prioritize these actions. As we look at the top of Paul’s to do list, my prayer is that we might check our own and, if necessary be challenged by Paul’s example as we strive to live more like Christ and work toward advancing His Kingdom. 

1. ACTIVITY #1: Fervent Prayer-1:8-10

Ten of Paul’s thirteen epistles open with some form of “I thank my God,” and it is no different here—“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world” (1:8). The primacy given to thanks in these letters reveals how important this was in Paul’s life personally and ministerially. Here, Paul gives thanks to “my God through Jesus Christ” highlighting the intimate relationship he shares with God the Father and God the Son via the redemptive ministry of Jesus.

Paul also acknowledges exactly what he is thankful for in this particular letter—“because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world” (1:8). Apparently the reputation of the church in Rome preceded itself on the world’s stage—namely the Roman Empire. Though from Romans 15ff we know that the capitol had probably not been evangelized, Paul is saying here that the majority of the known world had experienced or interacted with, to some degree or another, the faith of this church and its people. For this Paul gives God thanks.

Several things can be learned from Paul’s prayer life from the verses that follow this mention of thanks. First, Paul prayed persistently for the church—“For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you,…” (1:10). Another translation of verse 10 might read “how constantly I remember you in my prayers.” Such a claims reveals that Paul cared much for the church and believed that what he was requesting was of the utmost importance, for, we don’t often pray for what we don’t care about and don’t persist in what we deem trivial.

Recently, a friend of mine from university was taken ill in the hospital and on the verge of death a couple of times, requiring multiple surgeries. His parents posted a couple of blurbs on Facebook that asked for prayer and the response was immense. Dozens of people responded with promises to pray persistently on his behalf and I’m sure the family was blessed and God took notice. Why? Because people cared and found the need significant enough to bother God about it. How would you feel if everyone prayed for the church in the same way you did? I’m sure that the church in Rome found some peace and confidence knowing that Paul prayed fervently for them. I’m sure God took notice of what Paul accomplished on his knees in persistent prayer. Oh that the same would be true of us—that we “make mention of” our brothers in sisters in Christ persistently.

However, Paul not only prayed with persistence, he also prayed with passion--“…always in my prayers, making request…” (1:10). “Making request” defines for the reader what Paul means when he says “mentioning.” This present participle, more literally translated, means “to plead or ask for with urgency with the implication of presumed need.” It is the kind of praying that recognizes that only God can intervene. It is the kind of praying that demands an answer.

I’m sure that those praying for my friend in the hospital prayed like his life depended on it and, in many ways, that is exactly what it felt like. Can such an attitude be seen in the way you pray for others or for this church? What kind of attention do you think we would garner in the divine scheme of things if everyone prayed as often as you did or as passionately as you did? Something to think about as we witness Paul’s example in the opening of this letter. Before Paul even meets these people, he has already communicated that he prays persistently and passionately for them, what a comfort!

In fact, meeting with the church in Rome is exactly what Paul prayed for so vociferously—“if perhaps now, at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you” (1:10b). Paul recognizes that if it is to be, God’s will would see to it that he would one day meet those in the church of Rome. This was Paul’s prayer.

Paul makes it very clear here, that one hallmark of his ministry both to this church and to any church he is prayer. Just think of all the lives that Paul’s ministry had already touched (especially if one considers the three completed missionary journeys). In spite of this, Paul still was able to include in his prayers believers he had not yet met! This can only mean that more than preaching, teaching, or anything else, prayer took priority in Paul’s ministry. In fact, one might say of these other activities that they are merely results of the ministry of prayer than they are the ministry itself. As God was Paul’s witness, his ministry was a ministry of prayer. Oh that this would be said of the church of Rome. Oh that this would be true of our own church.

2. ACTIVITY #2: Intimate Fellowship-1:11-15

The next activity that characterized Paul’s ministry to the church is intimate fellowship—“for I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established…” (1:11). This desire demonstrates that the fellowship of believers is indicative of a commitment to a common Lord. Because Paul and the believers in Rome had both been called by the same Christ (see 1:1-7), these two had the most important things in common, rendering meaningful fellowship possible and desired. However, when Paul mentions his desire to meet with the church and fellowship with them, he does not hope to endorse potluck lunches and social graces. Fellowship for Paul meant something far more important.

Paul’s reason for wanting to meet with the church in Rome involved imparting to them some “spiritual gift.” The “gift” mentioned here is not of the same class of spiritual gifts seen listed in 1 Corinthians 12. Instead, Paul wanted to impart some spiritual insight from the Holy Spirit that would further encourage and establish the church in Rome as it continued its kingdom-building work. In other words, Paul’s eventual visit to Rome would not be for personal pleasure, but for the enrichment of the new church.

In enriching the church, Paul believed that he himself might be enriched—“that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine” (1:12). Though Paul sought to bestow something to the church, he understood that as a faith community, they too might bless and encourage his own ministry. In this aside, Paul reveals a genuine sense of appreciation for the spiritual life of others. The beautiful thing about Christian fellowship is this: what is exchanged is enriching on both a physical and spiritual level. No doubt Paul depended on fellowship throughout his arduous and sometimes difficult ministry.

Spiritually enriching and encouraging exchanges made possible by Christian fellowship are viewed in Scripture as very significant for any faith community. For instance, listen to what Hebrews 10:24-25 says:

Hebrews 10:24-25-“and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,  not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

For Paul, such a meeting with the Church of Rome could not come soon enough. In fact, Paul goes to great lengths to help them understand why it has taken him so long to get there in verse 13—“I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you, also even as among the rest of the Gentiles” (1:13). Rome was the center of the world and therefore a huge opportunity for the gospel. There was no reason Paul would not have wanted to go there. So what prevented him? Some have argued that God did not permit it (see the Living Bible translation “but God did not let me”). Others have suggested that satanic opposition prohibited his trip. Still others say that the churches already planted may have required most of his attention up to this point. Either way, Paul wanted the church to realize, in spite of his lingering absence, how important it was for him to meet and fellowship with them.

After all, as Paul continues in verse 14—“I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish…” (1:14). Rome was fool of these and, by proxy, teeming with harvest potential. Paul had made it his life’s mission to spread the good news to the gentile world (Greeks and barbarians [those who couldn’t speak Greek]) and was prepared to answer the criticisms both from the erudite and the ignorant.

Inasmuch as Rome was filled with all kinds of people in need of the gospel, Paul could not wait to bring it to them after stopping by and encouraging the church that already existed in this region—“so, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (1:15). You can almost hear the alacrity with which Paul pens these words. He can’t wait to meet this church, enjoy fellowship with this church, and partner with this church as they advance the kingdom of God in their brave new world.

So What?

For Paul, prayer and meaningful fellowship were a top priority. Can the same be said of you? Though it may be easy to claim here that prayer is priority and, as evidenced by your attendance this morning, fellowship may appear to be on your radar, does the rest of your life (how you spend your time and who you spend your time with) indicate that these are really all that important to you personally? Paul’s letter is all about the gospel of Jesus Christ—understanding it and applying it appropriately. Here, he offers his own desires as an indication of what the gospel-centered life prioritizes. His life and ministry was characterized by fervent prayer and intimate fellowship. As a result, the church was encouraged and the gospel made inroads throughout the known world. Oh that these traits would characterize this church and its people. Oh that we might be encouraged and Gospel spread as a result.

What better time to reevaluate our priorities in life than at the outset of this new series that seeks to celebrate the Gospel and apply it rightly to our daily lives!