Romans 15

One of the great privileges that we have in the church is the blessing that comes from our new world of connected life together. It is also one of the things that makes the Christian life seem so strange to autonomous spiritualists. What we do and say makes a big difference to those around us. Paul has made this point in a variety of ways in these chapters on Christian living. This kind of careful, caring, connected life is an obligation for those who claim an association with a Savior who shed His blood for His family. The way of autonomy is so natural to us; pleasing ourselves and trusting our feelings to guide us into our moment by moment life choices seems almost like the only way anyone could ever live and still be true to himself.

This is all very short-sighted. Informed self-interest would cause us to consider the solid joys and lasting treasures of eternity, and to rejoice in God and His goodness now. This life of better pleasure would cause us to live beyond self. It is one of the greatest ironies of spiritual autonomy that living for self is not consistent with what is best for self. The way of greater pleasures is found in a God-focused life and in a heart that desires to please others for their good, building them up. This should be clear to us, since we see it so plainly in the cross. What was our King doing there? The cross is not the strategy of the autonomous spiritualist. It is the place where the One does something for the good of the many, with the goal that we should live in harmony with Him and with one another forever. People who believe such things welcome the weak.

This understanding of the cross as the ultimate in other-centered living must begin with the glory of God. The mission of the cross insists on the greatest possible object of our desire and affection. When Jesus went to the cross, He did it first out of desire for the Father, and out of love for the Father. Living in a way that puts God first is the only thing that makes any sense. God is first. To desire Him above all and to love Him above all is the only honest way to live. Something less than that goal is twisted, irrational, and ultimately perverse. Starting with this highest motive, we receive His command that we care for one another as a natural extension of the pleasure we have in Him.

The pleasure of God becomes our pleasure. If He has a settled affection for Jews and Gentiles who would be with Him forever, then we must dedicate ourselves to His purpose to glorify His own Name in saving Jews and Gentiles through a Redeemer. God wants Gentiles to rejoice in Him along with Jews who are called by His Name. That's what He wants, so that is our pleasure too. The Jewish Messiah, Jesus, is the hope of millions of Gentiles today, in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. The day will come when we will see His rule over the renewed earth. We hear of His great plan, and we believe. In our believing we are granted joy and peace, and we have a taste even now of what it is to walk by the Holy Spirit, but we are looking for more than a taste.

One way to look at the story of the entire Bible is through the lens of the calling of Jews and Gentiles into one body in Christ. All of the Hebrew Scriptures that we call the Old Testament is a document of preparation for the coming of the One from the Jews who will be the sacrificial Agent of redemption for all Jews and Gentiles who will call upon His Name, Jesus Christ. The New Testament is the explanation of how these Hebrew Scriptures have now been fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. The time has now come for the gathering of the nations into the fold of Israel.

This is more than just an interesting story. This is God's plan, and each of us should consider our part in this plan. We are all called to live sacrificially for the Man who sacrificed His life for us. Paul understood His part in this plan very well. How are you called to give yourself away for the glory of God? This is the way of the greatest glory for God and the greatest enjoyment for you within a connected body of beloved neighbors and friends all over the world who have embraced the Savior who embraced us first in His death on the cross.

For Paul this meant going from Jerusalem to far-off lands with the aim of seeing the church established where Christ was not yet known. There were others who supported these efforts with prayer and giving, as they longed for the glory of God through the success of these apostolic endeavors. Still others were more engaged in teaching and care for the poor within existing congregations. All were called to worship God, and to believe the good news of Christ that they were being taught. All were called to be true to their vocations within their families, and they were are called to follow the Lord in His care for others around them. In all of these good ways, the will of God is being accomplished in the building of His kingdom, and people who have never been told of him are now seeing; those who have never heard of Him are coming to understand what the Lord has done for them. This is way that all of us get to rejoice in the fact of the gospel going to Spain, and the poor being given food in Jerusalem, and many other great projects being accomplished that are way beyond us.

None of this is easy. It is a battle. It is a fight. Yet this work can be done with joy since we know about the victory of the cross. The Lord will not be stopped. He will accomplish all of His purposes. Jews and Gentiles will be together with God forever, and the perfect peace of the God who gave us His dying love will be with us in a world of resurrection glory forever.