I thank my God for you, Part 1 – Paul’s longing for the faithful Roman Church
Big Idea: Always thank God for the Church’s faith in Christ and be eager to exchange spiritually strengthening gifts for the Church’s fruitfulness.
Passage: Romans 1.8_15
It’s a great thing to come to Church, isn’t it?’
Who walked to Church this morning? Who came by car? Who came by train?
I’m so glad that you came, and I’m especially thankful to those who had to spend an hour or more coming in.
Besides those of us who come physically, there are actually quite a few who join us online.
Some live within the city of Sydney.
I know of someone who lives about 500km away who watches our service regularly.
There’s even someone who lives 900km away who watches our service on a fairly regular basis.
However, I think the furthest may be Peter’s Mum.
She watches us all the way from Canada!
However, I’m not sure whether she’ll be watching today because Peter’s not preaching.
We’re not a big church, but relatively speaking, we have quite a few people watching us from far, far away.
Why would they want to watch us at all?
And they don’t watch us as if we’re a show; they are genuinely thankful to God for us.
Why would someone more than 500kms away be thankful for our Church?
Today, we’ll begin with the first of a three-part Thanksgiving series.
Each week, we’ll be looking at Paul’s thanks to God for three different Churches.
In each of these passages, Paul says something to the effect of, “I thank my God for you”
Today, we’ll be looking at Paul’s thanks and longing for the faithful Roman Church.
And so, please open your Bible to Romans chapter one beginning from verse eight.
We’ll see three things in today’s message:
1. Thank God for the faith of the Roman Church
2. Paul’s longing to see the saints of the Roman Church
3. Paul’s eager to exchange spiritual gifts with the Roman Church
Before we look into it, let’s pray, “Heavenly Father, by the power of your Spirit of holiness, please open our eyes to the glory, the beauty and the truth of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, Amen.”
1. Thank God for the faith of the Roman Church
Firstly, Paul thanks God for the faith of the Roman Church.
Where’s the Roman Church? In Rome, of course.
Rome is at the heart of the Roman Empire.
It was the centre of that part of the ancient world.
As the old saying goes, ‘All roads lead to Rome’.
The Romans had a vast network of roads, and they all ultimately led back to the City of Rome.
Rome was an important city, from both a political and an economic point of view.
It’s like Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane…Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin and Hobart all combined into one.
Rome was a very impressive city.
And somewhere in this magnificent city, there was a network of small churches, all of them almost certainly smaller than our church here today.
The Apostle Paul heard about the Churches in Rome but hadn’t met them in person.
Even so, he was so happy to hear about them that he wrote a letter to them.
Paul began by explaining who he was.
Here’s the summarised form: Paul presented himself as a servant of Christ Jesus, set apart by Christ Himself to proclaim the gospel, the good news of Jesus.
This gospel of Jesus was promised by God thousands of years ago, fulfilled in the Person of Jesus, who died and rose again.
The aim of this gospel is to bring about obedience of faith for Jesus.
Paul said that the Roman Church network came about as a result of this Gospel.
Paul then tells the Roman Church how he heard about them.
Look with me at verse 8, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world.”
Different churches are known for different things.
It might be the music, or the building, or the teaching, or even the social actions.
What’s the Church in Rome known for?
They were known for their faith.
Wherever there was a Roman road in a town, and if a church did meet in that town, chances are the people of the church heard the news about the faith of the Church at Rome.
While it may be true that the Roman Christians were very faithful to the Lord, Paul’s focus was not on their faithfulness but on the object and the focus of their faith.
Paul thanked God for them because they believed in Jesus.
Jesus was the focus and object of their faith.
Paul thanked God for the Church in Rome because the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ had reached the great city of Rome.
Someone travelled on one of the many Roman roads and brought the gospel of the Lord Jesus to Rome, and people there became Christians and formed a church.
The Apostle Paul thanked God for the Church at Rome.
Now notice that even though Paul didn’t know them personally, he wrote to them with great affection and emotion.
Listen carefully to how he addressed them, in verse eight, “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world.”
This was Paul’s God, to whom Paul prayed through Jesus, whom Paul served.
Paul thanked God through Jesus for the church at Rome.
They weren’t just some church miles and miles away.
These Roman Christians were close to Paul’s heart.
In these eight verses, Paul used the word “I” twelve times.
Paul loved the Church at Rome and thanked God constantly for them.
Look with me at verse 9, “God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in telling the good news about his Son—that I constantly mention you.Paul made an oath to God, “As God is my witness”.
Paul didn’t want the Church at Rome to think that he was just being flattering. He wanted the Church at Rome to know that God himself had witnessed Paul praying for them.
He wanted them to know that God had witnessed how Paul constantly mentioned the Church at Rome in his prayers.
Paul called on God as his witness; he could not have appealed to a higher authority!
This is the God whom Paul served in his spirit, in his heart of hearts, as Paul proclaimed the good news of Jesus.
The original word for “served” here was used many times in the Bible to mean worship.
That is, Paul worshipped God by proclaiming the good news of Jesus.
This is still how we worship God today.
We worship God by our service to God.
One of the key ways we serve God and worship God is by proclaiming the gospel.
By God’s mercy and grace, this gospel had reached Rome and Paul, even though he hadn’t preached the gospel there, thanked God constantly for the Church in Rome.
Paul mentioned the Church at Rome constantly in his prayers.
Who do we mention in our prayers?
While we should definitely pray for the troubles and trials in our lives, we would fall far short, and God’s people will be all the poorer if the only person you ever mention in your prayer is you.
And yet, I suspect that left to ourselves, we often do exactly that: we just pray for our own problems and concerns.
Can we say with Paul that with God as our witness, we pray constantly for the Church, whether the Church here in Kogarah or a Church far away from here?
And more than that, do we thank God constantly for the faith of the Church?
As good as it is to thank the faithfulness of the Christians, will we thank God for the object of the faith of these Christians?
Will you thank God constantly that there’s a Church here that teaches the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ?
I thank God that even though some of the people who watch us online every week couldn’t physically be here with us, they thank God for us, for they know of our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
I’ve mentioned this many times, but one of our Church’s most loyal watchers is my former Youth leader, Jack.
Jack can’t leave his house often because of his health, but he would watch us whenever he gets the chance, which is almost every week.
Sometimes, he would call me to let me know if there was a problem with the sound.
He was listening and watching our broadcast carefully.
I thank God for Jack, and Jack thanks God for the faith and the growth of our Church.
How about you? I thank God that some of you do, because I hear you give God thanks for our Church when you lead us in prayer and as you pray in our prayer meetings.
Even so, I know that thanking God for the faith of our Church is not the default posture for some of us.
However, if I can challenge you, that before you pray or even speak about a concern you have about the Church, that you will thank God for at least three things about the Church.
Don’t pray thankless prayers; like Paul, always pray thankful prayers for the Church, beginning with thanks for the faith of the Church.
2. Paul’s longing to see the saints of the Roman Church
Not only did Paul thank God for the Church at Rome; he also longed to see them.
Verse 10, ‘always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you.’
Paul was begging God in his prayer to see them.
Can you hear the longing in Paul’s voice? Can you imagine his prayer to God? “Dear God, it’s me, Paul, again, asking for the same thing again. Please, please open the way for me to visit the Church at Rome. I beg you, please, let me go and see the church members at Rome!”
Earlier this year, a group of our Church members went to Taiwan to visit Kenny, one of the missionaries we support.
They were keen to see Kenny’s ministry and to encourage Kenny.
As a Church, we’ve prayed for them, and these members who had heard of Kenny longed to see Kenny.
They did end up going in May this year and at least one of them had asked whether we should go back soon!
It’s wonderful to hear their longing to see Kenny and his church.
Paul longed to see the Church at Rome and begged God constantly to open up the way for him to go.
As much as Paul wanted to go to Rome to visit the Churches there, he knew that it wasn’t ultimately up to him.
He would only go if it’s God’s will.
It’s not ultimately about Paul making plans, even ones that are godly and good for gospel’s sake.
Paul didn’t presume on God’s will; he trusted and waited for God’s will.
Paul didn’t give a reason here in chapter one why he couldn’t go to Rome.
However, in 15:20-24, we get a better glimpse of the context of why he couldn’t go to Rome until now: “My aim is to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I will not build on someone else’s foundation, 21 but, as it is written, Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand. 22That is why I have been prevented many times from coming to you. 23 But now I no longer have any work to do in these regions, and I have strongly desired for many years to come to you 24 whenever I travel to Spain. For I hope to see you when I pass through and to be assisted by you for my journey there, once I have first enjoyed your company for a while.”
It wasn’t until Paul finished preaching the gospel on the Eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea that he began preaching on the western side (Spain and surrounding countries) of the Mediterranean.
But now, the time is right. Paul had done all that he could in the East.
And so, Paul prepares himself to go to the West to proclaim the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Listen once again to how eager he was to visit the Church at Rome, in verse 11, “For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you”.
He really, really wanted to see the Church at Rome.
Paul wanted very much to see the Church at Rome.
Who do you very much want to see?
There may be a close friend, a close relative, that you very much wanted to see.
It’s a good thing to see people we love and catch up with them.
How much do you want to see the people here at Church, either here in Kogarah, or churches elsewhere?
I’m glad that over the years, there have been people who came and told me that they enjoy the community here.
But what Paul is talking about is more than just a warm community.
He’s talking about a community that had come into existence by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
He’s talking about a people who have been born again!
He’s talking about people that God loved so much that he’s gave his one and only Son.
The people at Rome may be lovely to be around with, but that’s not why Paul wanted to see them.
Paul wanted to see them because their very existence demonstrates the power and love of God.
That’s what the Church is.
Whether it’s a mega Church or a little Church like ours or a tiny Church in Rome, like the one Paul was writing to,
each church that meets around the gospel of Jesus Christ, each church that lives and breathes the gospel, is a testimony of God’s power and love.
Churches are wonders of God’s love in motion.
Churches are beautiful to behold, not only when things work perfectly, but also even during those times when they don’t work perfectly.
Perhaps it’s during the hard times, the humbling times, the times when we feel our vulnerability, that we see the love and patience of God even more clearly, even more powerfully.
As the old hymn teaches us, “My song is love unknown–my Savior’s love to me; love to the loveless shown, that they might lovely be.”
God longs to see the Church of His Son, the Church of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Paul, servant of Christ, longed to see the Church of Jesus that meets at Rome and other places.
True servants of Christ will also share God’s longing and Paul’s longing for the Church.
Where else would you rather be?
When I was growing up in Hong Kong, my parents would take me and my sister to Church.
A typical Sunday would begin with leaving our house by about 7:30am, taking the bus for about 45 minutes to an hour to go to Church.
We would stay there for the whole day, until about 5pm.
Looking back, it might have seemed like long days, but they weren’t, for there was no place we would rather be.
I’m thankful that my parents were committed to their church and taught me to love the Church as well.
And so, parents, keep up the good work.
Teach your children to commit their ways to the Lord as you take them to Church and teach them to serve at Church.
Help them develop a longing for the people of the Church.
Pray with them for the good of other Christians, not just for the good of themselves.
Cultivate a longing in them for the people of the Church.
Of course, it’s not just the children who need to cultivate a longing for the Church.
All of us need to do the same.
May our God help us see the beauty of His Church and may he give us a longing for the Church, the beautiful bride of Christ.
Paul’s eager to exchange spiritual gifts with the Roman Church
As beautiful as the church in Rome may be, Paul didn’t want to just go there to appreciate the Church’s beauty.
Paul was eager to go to Rome in order to exchange spiritual gifts with the Roman Church.
Look with me at verses 11-12, “For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.”
Paul wanted to give spiritual gifts to strengthen the Church at Rome and for him to also be mutually encouraged by the Church at Rome.
He was eager for a spiritual gift exchange.
It’s a little like the difference between going to a restaurant and going to another person’s home for dinner.
When you go to a restaurant, you go there to be served.
You expect the waiters to come and fetch you a glass of water.
There will be times when the chef has not cooked to your taste, and you ask to see the manager. You want to make sure that you’re getting a good deal for the money you’re paying.
If you go to a family member’s home, you’ll also need to pay, but most of the times, it would be a plate of food that you bring or a gift you bring to the host.
You might ask them for a glass of water or your might just go and help yourself.
If your auntie cooks in a different way, you do not ask to see her manager.
And no, do not go to your uncle, your auntie’s husband and complain about your auntie’s food.
Even if the food is not your favourite, you decline politely.
Some people see the Church as a restaurant.
You go to Church to be served by professionals.
If they are not being professional, you make a complaint, usually to the Senior Minister, the Assistant Minister or to other stakeholders, depending on the denomination you’re from.
But that’s not how the Church works.
Coming to Church is like going to a family dinner; it’s like going to Sunday Dish.
The Apostle Paul certainly wasn’t eager to go to the Church at Rome to be served.
Rather, he longed to go to the Church at Rome to give some spiritual gift. In the context of the passage, this spiritual gift refers to how Paul understands and applies the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul had been talking about the gospel throughout this passage, and it makes sense to see that Paul wanted them to be strengthened as they grow in their understanding of the gospel.
Paul wasn’t eager to go to Rome to make him feel good.
He was eager to go to Rome because he wanted to give spiritual gifts that strengthen God’s people.
Paul also knew that the giving wasn’t a one-way traffic.
He was looking forward to being mutually encouraged among the Roman Church.
Paul wasn’t presenting himself to be superior to the Romans.
Rather, he humbly looked forward to being encouraged by them.
Look with me at verse 13, “Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles.”
Paul wanted to go to Rome so that there would be a fruitful ministry among them, just as he had among other Gentiles.
The kind of fruitful ministry is the growth of the new converts to Jesus that Paul had seen in other Gentile places.
Paul also saw himself as being in debt to both Greeks and Barbarians, the wise and the foolish.
Paul owes a debt of gospel proclamation to them.
It wasn’t an option for Paul to tell the Gospel to the sophisticated Greeks, or the straight-shooting Barbarians, the wise counsellor, or the thoughtless fool.
For Paul, the servant of the gospel, it was an essential obligation.
That was the reason for Paul’s drive, Paul’s eagerness.
He must go to the Church at Rome to fulfil his obligation to them, as a servant of the gospel.
Paul had this drive, this eagerness, this longing to see the Church at Rome in order to exchange spiritual blessings with them.
How about us? We might not have the same desire for the Church at Rome, but do we have the same desire for the Church here, at Kogarah?
Do we long to see other Christians in order to give them spiritual gifts that strengthen them?
On one extreme, there are some Christians who meet with other Christians in order to reap some benefits from them, whether it’s physical or spiritual.
At the other extreme, there are Christians who feel spiritually superior to other Christians, who think only of what they give to others and don’t think other Christians can give anything good back to them in return.
Both groups miss the mark terribly.
The first group is self-serving, and the second group is condescending; neither is what the Bible teaches us to be.
As servants of the Lord Jesus, let’s be other-people-centred and mutually encouraging.
Think about which part of the gospel another person may benefit from, and look for a chance to speak to them about it.
Even if, and perhaps especially if, you’ve been a Christian a long time, don’t assume that a newer Christian has nothing to encourage you with.
Let’s hear about their triumphs and their struggles as they learn to live as a Christian.
Also be ready and vulnerable to let the young Christian see who you really are and have them pray for you.
It’s a joy to be exchange spiritual gifts; it’s a joy to mutually encourage one another in Christ!
Part of my preparation for the sermon this week was done in an airport.
I was at Brisbane for two days to visit two Christian brothers who live up there.
One of these was Mark, who flew down here weekly for several months this year to join us for Sunday service.
When Mark wasn’t able to come down, I decided that I should go up to Brisbane to visit him.
I think he must have come down to our Church at least twenty times, and so I thought one visit up to Brisbane was the least I could do.
It wasn’t easy! It was a long journey.
I’m sure Mark must have travelled many more times than I had and knew how to get through the journey very smoothly.
However, for newbies like me, it took a little longer.
Even so, it was great to catch up with Mark without rushing to the next thing.
It was a great two days, (first day my ministry coach, and second day, Mark), but it also meant being away for two days.
I was thinking to myself, “Why did I do it? Why was I so keen to visit these two brothers?”
Then I read verses 11-13, “For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. Now I don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministryamong you, just as I have had among the rest of the Gentiles.”
Those were the exact words to what I was thinking and how I was feeling.
God has summarised my reasoning, my prayer, my journey in these verses.
I was eager to encourage them, I planned for months to visit them, so that we may be mutually encouraged.
While I won’t be going to Brisbane on a regular basis, I would still love to visit and encourage other brothers and sisters whenever I could.
Out of all the Christian brothers and sisters I know, St Paul’s Kogarah, you are the one that I meet with the most.
You are the ones that I spend most of my time meeting and encouraging, even as I’m being encouraged and strengthened by you.
And I suspect that our Church is where most of us see other Christians as well.
When you meet with other Christians, whether here at St Paul’s Kogarah or anywhere else, make it your intention to exchange spiritual gifts with them.
Speak words of truth that strengthen and not words of discouragement that weaken.
Be eager to meet one another in person and to speak the words of the gospel with them.
Don’t see your fellow Christian either as a waiter or a customer in a restaurant.
See your fellow Christian as a fellow brother or sister in God’s own home, ready and eager to serve our Lord by serving one another in love.
Why would someone more than 500 km away be thankful for our Church?
My prayer is that it’s because they have heard about our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
My prayer is that they marvel at the gospel of Jesus Christ, which brings new life and grows disciples of Christ, even at St Paul’s Kogarah.
My prayer is that we will one day meet all of you who are watching us online now, so that we can be mutually encouraged.
Always thank God for the Church’s faith in Christ and be eager to exchange spiritually strengthening gifts for the Church’s fruitfulness.
Here are the three Questions for us to think about this week:
1. Who from the Church do you mention in your prayers?
2. Who from the Church do you long to see?
3. What words of encouragement from the Gospel will you give to another Christian?
Friends, would you join me as I thank God in prayer for our Church?
“Our heavenly Father, thank you that in Christ you have called us to be yours. Please forgive us for the times when we acted selfishly towards our brothers and sisters. Forgive us when we make condescending comments on those around us. By your Spirit, please give us an eagerness to tell the gospel of our Lord Jesus. Give us a fire, a zeal, that longs for fruitful ministries in our Churches. And please give us a thankful heart for your Church, for whom our Lord Jesus died. Take away our thankless, faithless hearts and replace them with generous, thankful hearts. We pray this through Jesus, who reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever, Amen.”