[Sunday, February. 2, 2024] By the Grace Given to Me | Romans 15:14-21
[English Sermon 영어 설교]
Sermon by Rev. Jinkook (Danny) Sohn
2025. 2. 2. 주일예배 설교- 로마서 강해 34
본문: 로마서 15:14-21
제목: 내게 주신 은혜로 말미암고
설교자: 손진국 목사
Though Romans is often called an epistle of doctrine, from chapter 12 onward, it talks about practical ways of living by faith. The portion of Scripture today, along with next week's, serves as a summary of the entire letter to the Romans.
Do you believe in Jesus? This letter is written to believers in Jesus.
[Romans 15:14] I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
At the time Paul wrote this letter, he was on his third missionary journey, writing from Corinth. He would later visit Rome after completing his third journey. This means that Paul had never been to Rome, nor had he met the believers there. Yet, he calls them "my brothers and sisters." I hope we have the same heart. Even though we have never met or spoken to each other, because we believe in Jesus, we have a sense of brotherhood, as we share the same Father. I receive about 10 to 20 emails or messages a month. They are updates from missionaries. Just yesterday, I received a prayer letter on Kakao from a missionary serving in Ukraine. When I read such updates, sometimes I feel joy, and sometimes I feel sorrow. There are times when I feel as though I am experiencing what is happening there. What do I feel during these moments? "This is not my heart. It is the heart of the Lord that He has given me."
What is the Lord’s heart? Even though we have never met, because we believe in Jesus, we support one another, laugh together, and cry together, becoming brothers and sisters. This is something we should be incredibly grateful for. I hope that this gratitude and deep emotion overflow in both you and me. Turn to your neighbor and say, "You are my brother. You and I have the same Father."
To be able to make such a confession within a community is grace. The Lord has called each of us not to live our faith alone, but to be surrounded by precious brothers and sisters. Do you believe this? It is grace. We have all received God's grace. And it is by this grace that today's passage talks about what the believers should do.
1. Remember the Grace You Have Received
[Romans 15:14] I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.
What is Paul saying to the believers in Rome? He is praising and encouraging them even though he has never met them. He is commending them for being full of goodness and knowledge and for being able to admonish one another. To be full of goodness means to be filled with the goodness of God, in other words, to be filled with the Holy Spirit. To be full of knowledge does not refer to worldly knowledge, but to the knowledge of God, being filled with His Word. Paul is confident that they are full of the Holy Spirit and the Word, and that they are able to encourage one another in this way.
I am also confident. I am confident that all of you here are filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word, and that you are encouraging one another and doing the work of the Lord. While preparing this sermon, I asked myself, "Am I really confident? Truly?" I hesitated for a moment. Are our believers really like this? Then I asked myself again, "What about you? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word and doing the work of the Lord? Are you also encouraging others?" When I asked myself this, I thought, "What would I say if the Lord asked me the same question?" And I came to a conclusion: I decided to overcome my doubts and to be confident. "Yes, I am confident. I am confident that both I and our believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word and are doing the work of the Lord." I declared this in faith.
Last week, I shared about not looking at the present state, but at the potential, and declaring it. I believe this is the same kind of encouragement that Paul was giving.
After encouraging them with such praise, Paul begins verse 15 with "However."
[Romans 15:15] Nevertheless, I have written to you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again because of the grace God gave me.
Even though Paul is confident in their faith, he writes boldly to remind them of the grace they have received. What is it that he wants them to remember? He wants them to remember how they were saved and became God's children, and how they have been filled with the Holy Spirit and the Word to encourage one another. It is through the grace that God gave him that he is able to write boldly. The grace they received in salvation, the filling of the Holy Spirit, and the Word is all God's grace.
We are those who should remember the grace God has given us. On the other hand, what does this mean? Don’t forget the grace you have received.
[Application] Think about who you were before receiving God’s grace and who you became after receiving it. Share your thoughts on the grace you’ve received.
2. The Ministry Given to Us is Also a Grace
[Romans 15:16] This grace was given me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
Paul says that being called to serve as the apostle to the Gentiles is a grace. God has called both you and me to believe in Jesus Christ, the greatest blessing that humanity can receive, and has also set us apart as workers of the gospel, to serve as priests who spread the good news. Do you believe this? Do you believe you are priests? Some may think, “The pastor is the priest, but what about us?” “Why do you think that?” “Aren’t pastors the ones who wear a gown and administer the communion service?” No, this is a misunderstanding.
All believers in Christ have received the ministry of priests. [1 Peter 2:9] But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
What does a priest do? Stretch both arms wide, one hand up towards heaven, and the other down towards the earth. A priest stands between God and people, taking the blood of the sacrificial lamb to approach God on behalf of the people, and when God accepts it, granting the blessing of forgiveness, the priest spreads this blessed message. In other words, the priest's role is to proclaim the gospel of God to people, leading them to repentance for their sins and to accept Christ, so that they may come to the Lord. To put it simply, the priest's ministry is one of saving people. What does verse 16 of today’s passage say? [Romans 15:16] This grace was given me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
What does the ministry do? It offers the Gentiles as a sacrifice, sanctified by the Holy Spirit, so that they may be acceptable to God. What does this mean? Under the law, Gentiles could not be an acceptable offering to God. But in the Holy Spirit, through faith in the gospel, sinners are justified and sanctified, becoming God's children who are accepted by Him. Therefore, being a servant of Christ Jesus is a wonderful privilege.
There are various ministries in the church: preaching, praise, the kitchen, Sunday school, small groups, administration, and so on. What is the purpose of all these ministries? To save people.
Receiving a ministry means God is calling you to serve in these areas, and it is a grace He gives you. Do you believe this? Do you think of receiving a ministry in the church as a grace? Many people think of receiving a ministry as a burden, not a grace. “I don’t want to be a deacon.” In reality, receiving a ministry in the church can be burdensome. I remember when I first received a ministry. I believed in Jesus in September of 1997, then went to Korea, got married, and returned. During that time, we had a student retreat, and they asked me to give a testimony. Then, in December of 1998, they asked me to dedicate myself as a teacher and an assistant deacon. I was surprised. This was the first time I received a ministry and served. But what surprised me even more was when, two years later, God called me to study theology. I strongly resisted at that time. Why? Because I had just gotten married and had a child, and now I had to work, but He was asking me to study theology? Since then, I continued to say “Do I really have to do this? I don’t want to” when I was called to serve as a missionary, when God called me to be the senior pastor of a church, when I was invited to another church as a senior pastor, and when He gave me the calling to start a new church. I remember always saying “I don’t want to, I can’t.” But each time, God did not punish me. Instead, He used His word and the words of those around me to help me see my true self and understand His will. And each time, I repented. The one thing I repented of was this: I had confessed that I had died when I believed in Jesus and said I would live in obedience to the Lord’s will. But still, with my uncrucified self, I wanted to choose what I wanted. I remember when the church I had served at for seven years wanted to appoint me as the senior pastor. I told my wife, “I don’t want to be the senior pastor of that church,” and her words were like the voice of God: “What good or bad thing do we have? If God wants us to do something, then it is the best thing.” When I heard that, I realized that my self was still alive inside me, trying to do what I thought was good and acting as if I were the master. I repented.
So today, I want to boldly proclaim to you all in faith: “I have died.” “Christ lives in me.” “He is my Lord.”
Dear beloved brothers and sisters, let us know that being called to God's work is not a burden, but a wonderful grace. Let us accept this with gratitude, joy, and excitement.
[Application] What ministry does God want me to fulfill? How am I responding to His calling?
3. Fulfill the Mission He Has Given You by His Grace
God gives us the ministry by grace, and He also gives us the mission that comes with it. But fulfilling this ministry and mission is not easy. There are many physical and mental challenges and hindrances. Nevertheless, dear brothers and sisters, what fills your heart? It must not be filled with evil thoughts. However, we need to remember one thing: If God has entrusted a task to us, He will not leave us alone. The Lord will be with us and give us the strength to fulfill the mission.
[Romans 15:19] by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God, so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
Paul confesses that all the great things he did were accomplished by the signs and wonders, and the power of the Holy Spirit, that God worked through him. Ultimately, he is acknowledging that it wasn’t his own doing but God's grace that allowed him to achieve such great things. And then he says, "From Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ." "Fully" means that he proclaimed it widely, thoroughly, and everywhere.
Where is Illyricum? It is in the northeastern part of Greece, Macedonia. During Paul’s missionary journeys, there were no cars. He mostly walked. His first journey was about 2,000 km, the second journey was about 10,000 km, the third was 15,000 km, and his journey to Rome was around 5,000 km. Altogether, it’s estimated that he traveled about 40,000 km, of which about 30,000 km was by foot. During Jesus’ public ministry, He walked a minimum of 21,600 km, according to the book The Footsteps of Jesus published by National Geographic. If we consider that the distance between Seoul and Busan is 400 km, Jesus walked between them 54 times, and Paul 75 times. The distance from the northernmost point of New Zealand, Cape Reinga, to Stewart Island in the south is 1,454 km. Paul likely walked that distance 20 times. Why did he do this? How did he fulfill his mission? Because the grace he received was so great. The fact that he was saved was so amazing and thankful, and he wanted to share this joyful news with as many people as possible. Paul was constantly walking and proclaiming.
I once heard someone say that when they retire, they want to live in different countries for a month at a time. Another friend said they wanted to live in a peaceful place with good water and air, asking how life in New Zealand was. Not long ago, another person asked if I would follow my children to Australia if they moved there. Every time I heard such things, I thought, “Should I try that too?” But when I imagined that life, it didn’t seem appealing, nor joyful, or happy. My response was, “I will be where God has placed me to fulfill the mission He has entrusted to me. I can’t just go anywhere else.”
Let’s greet each other: “Let’s live according to the mission entrusted to us.”
I may be pastoring fewer churches now than before, but I am much happier, more grateful, and more joyful. Why? Because I believe it is the mission God has entrusted to me. Does this mean there are no difficulties? No. Sometimes it is hard and exhausting. Last night, I was talking to a deacon, and when he asked, “How are you, pastor?” I said, “I am full of stress.” I do daily early morning prayers and go to Swanson in the west, where I spend 10 hours, with 8 of those hours spent driving a bus. I was tired and weary, and yesterday, my sermon preparation didn’t go well, so I spent the whole day in front of my laptop, finishing at midnight. My eyes hurt, my shoulders were sore, and I was sleepy. But don’t misunderstand me. It’s not that I don’t like it. While working and serving is not easy and sometimes exhausting, it is not something I dislike. Because when I think of the grace I’ve received from the Lord up until now and at this very moment, I am filled with gratitude and strength once again.
[Application] What mission has God entrusted to me? Am I fulfilling it well? If not, what is the reason?
Dear beloved brothers and sisters, remember that it is all by God's grace. Reflect on the grace you have received. May you fulfill the ministry and mission He has given you by His grace, seeing His work alongside you, and may your life be filled with joy and gratitude as you live it to the fullest.
하늘소망교회(담임 손진국 목사)는 뉴질랜드 오클랜드 북부 실버데일에 세워진 한인교회로 '하나님의 마음으로 사람을 살리는 교회'입니다.
Hope of Heaven Baptist Church (Senior Pastor: Rev. Jinkook Sohn) is a Korean church established in Silverdale, Auckland, New Zealand. It is a church that saves people with the heart of God.