Eager to Preach

Romans 1:11-15

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Ants

What is it that you are very eager to personally do in this world for the rest of your life? What task, activity, or ambition that you wish to accomplish and want to spend most of your time while still alive and able? It says in Proverbs 6:6, Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! And in Proverbs 30:25, Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer.

Did God design ants as object lesson for their small and simple lifestyle?

God has designed all living things with unique ability, especially, for them.

Of all living creatures, mankind is created in the likeness of our Creator. We can learn from other creatures and decide on whatever is beneficial for us, but by our human sinful nature, our decision and action can result to eternal condemnation.

But, praise God that He loved us. He sent His One and Only Son Jesus Christ to pay for the penalty of our sins. And, He transformed into new creations all who believe Christ. New lifestyle in Christ replaced the former worldly lifestyle.

As believers of Christ, what is it that you want to spend most of your time? Have you received spiritual gifts? They are used to express personal experience with Christ as Lord and Savior and invite others to believe the gospel of Christ.

2 Timothy 4:2 says, Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Particularly, the term ‘preach’ pertains to public proclamation of the gospel and matters pertaining to it, made by Jesus, by the apostles and other Christian teachers. It is properly interpreted ‘herald, proclaim or announce’ publicly the gospel of Christ, with conviction and persuasion. The gospel of Christ is binding word of God for eternal accountability to all who hear it.

To “preach” isn’t secret but public announcement of the gospel of Christ. “Persuasion” is expected from preachers of the gospel of Christ. How? Preachers should rely upon Christ’s Spirit. To convert believers is the work of God’s Spirit. “Conviction” is expected from preachers. First and foremost, they should believe personally the gospel of Christ. It’s not sensible to preach what you can’t believe!

Apostle Paul had personally experienced the power of the gospel of Christ. He longed to see the church in Rome and impart his personal experience.

1. Impart

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Apostle Paul planned to impart some spiritual gift to make them strong.

Spiritual gift comes from the Holy Spirit. It proves that Christ is active in our life, and it strengthens us to keep on trusting Him despite our circumstances.

To grow strong in your faith in Christ, keep using your spiritual gifts!

The church in Rome had exemplary faith as it was reported all over the world, and Paul was very eager to see them. He was encouraged by their exemplary faith and wanted to encourage them. Why? Paul may have perceived a persecution. Indeed, Christians in Rome were persecuted by Emperor Nero.

When Paul had imparted some spiritual gift, the Christians in Rome were encouraged and strengthened in their faith. During persecution, they continued to trust the Lord. Paul himself was encouraged by believers in Rome. He continued to preach the gospel of Christ. Additionally, Apostle Paul encourages in:

1 Corinthians 1:6-9, God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Genuine fellowship with Christ is active and not dormant. Paul said that all believers don’t lack any spiritual gift. Meaning: We received spiritual gift when the Spirit of Christ came into our life. The Holy Spirit guarantees eternal security in Christ, and spiritual gifts guarantee that we received the Holy Spirit. When our spiritual gift is utilized for God’s purposes, His faithfulness is revealed in our lifestyle. Check your life! Are you actively using your spiritual gift, yet?

It says in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

The Lord knows which spiritual gift is appropriate for us. Spiritual gifts do not make us more important than other Christians. All believers are crucial parts of the body of Christ, the church, just as eyes are as significant as any body part.

How to!

Many people suggest various ways on how to remove armpit hairs. There are a number of suggestions on how to trim hairs, eyebrows, beards or remove unwanted hairs, but no article on how to remove eyes, nose, hands or feet? Ey?

Hair is important, especially, for beauty but not very crucial to life activities.

Pray and desire that your spiritual gift will be significant to the body of Christ.

Apostle Paul encourages us to desire prophetic gift in 1 Corinthians 14:1.

1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

When we desire something, we are motivated to pursue it. As believers, we must desire the love of God to overflow through us to love and obey Him. And, desire spiritual gift of prophecy. Why? Spiritual gift of prophecy includes eagerness to preach the gospel of Christ and eager to inform others about it.

2. Inform

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

Paul informed the church in Rome for them to be aware of his plan to visit them. And, why did Paul say that he might have harvest among the church in Rome? Certainly, he trusted that the church in Rome had genuine faith in Christ. Right? So, what was implied that Paul hoped to have a harvest among them?

Paul preached the gospel of Christ for listeners to respond. He encouraged his disciples also to keep on believing until the Day of Christ. It is why he told the church in Rome that there’s mutual encouragement by each other’s faith. When Paul arrived in Rome, he was encouraged to keep on preaching about Christ.

Christ reminds us in Matthew 6:19-21, 19Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This may have reminded Paul to desire a harvest of eternal treasure in the church in Rome. Christ encourages accumulation of eternal treasures while living in this world, not in eternity. The phrase, “to store up treasures” implies “saving much eternal treasures” not for others but for ourselves until Jesus returns.

Christ teaches in Luke 12:16-21, 16The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. 17He thought to himself, “What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.” 18Then he said, “This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. 19 And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’” 20 But God said to him, “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” 21This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.

Can you accept that whatever Christ declares is true? Christ is the Truth. Whatever He says is true. Christ said that God considers it foolishness to be not rich toward God. So, if we do not store up eternal treasures, it is foolishness.

What did Christ mean about not rich toward God? It says in Ecclesiastes 5:19,

19 When God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. 

To the material world, money is wealth. God gives ability to be rich. God also define which one is acceptable as wealth to Him. It could be material or spiritual. He decides. He gives wealth. So to be rich toward God, we also need to ask Him to enable us to be rich toward Him, and it’s not us to decide.

Apostle Paul exemplified how to harvest eternal treasures whenever we can.

He wrote in Philippians 4:1, 1My brothers and sisters, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm in the Lord in this way, dear friends!

He also testified in 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

And in 2 Corinthians 1:14, 14You will come to understand fully that you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Paul had glorious joy about the Philippians because they have matured spiritually. They continued to send their financial support for his missionary journey. He sensed similar glorious joy for the Thessalonians because they became model church not just in Macedonia but also in the province of Achaia.

The church in Corinth had also matured in their spiritual life so that Paul told them that he will boast of them in the Day of the Lord Jesus, His return.

Parents gloriously boast on their children for their achievements. Similar is a practical expression of the glorious joy of Apostle Paul about his disciples.

Paul planned to visit and have spiritual harvest from the church in Rome. Actually, he ended his missionary journey in Rome. The Lord directed his steps.

It says in Proverbs 19:21, 21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. And in Proverbs 20:24, 24A person’s steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?

What’s your plan? Make sure your plan has eternal significance. Pray and know very particularly what spiritual gift the Lord gave you. Ask God for His plan and how you may prepare for it for you to fulfill His purposes in your life.

God assigned Paul as apostle to the Gentiles. Paul felt obligated to reach out to everyone. He felt indebted to preach the gospel of Christ with eagerness.

3. Indebted

14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Why did Paul feel obligated to preach the gospel of Christ to all people?

The term “obligated” can be properly interpreted as “indebted” or “debtor.”

Paul considered himself as a debtor or someone under “obligation” to pay back his debt. He was indebted or obligated to pay back to everyone, why?

Christ saved and called Paul as apostle to the Gentiles. Paul felt obligated to pay back for his eternal life, and he’s eager to preach the gospel of Christ.

Whoever God calls, He empowers. Whoever God empowers is eager to obey.

Of course, Paul can’t pay back the eternal life he received, but he claimed it personally as his obligation to preach the gospel of Christ to everyone.

Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:8, Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

The terms, “obligated” and “debt,” evolved from the same Greek word.

Paul felt obligated to preach the gospel of Christ to everyone, and God’s love for everyone overflowed through him. When the love of Christ overflowed in Paul’s life, he was compelled to tell others about what God has done in his life.

Truly, when we accepted Christ as Lord and Savior, we received His Spirit. The Holy Spirit bears fruit in our life so that we have love for others. And, the best practical exhibit of our love for others is to make sure that they will also receive the Lord’s gift of eternal life, right? What is greater gift than eternal life?

David Livingstone

David Livingstone, missionary to Africa, was known for his explorations. He crossed Africa from end to end. He saw slavery in Africa and spoke out against it. He believed in the dignity of Africans despite of indigenous spiritual beliefs.

Someone said, “His heart belongs to Africa.” When he died, African natives removed his heart and buried it in Africa. His body was buried in Europe.

As a result of his missionary work, a tribal prince believed and helped the gospel of Christ spread throughout the continent of Africa accordingly.

Are you called for international missions? Are you scared? Don’t feel bad! There’s positive side to be afraid. It’s possible that God He wants you to serve Him locally not internationally. Or, He wants you to wait for His right time. Maybe, the Lord is still preparing the person He wants to believe in Christ through you.

Christ warns in John 12:48, 48There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.

Those who heard the gospel of Christ are eternally accountable to their response. Apostle Paul heard it and eagerly told others his personal experience with Christ. It helped him mature spiritually. How about us? How do we respond?

Let others know about your personal experience with Christ. Pray for desire to serve Him internationally or locally. He will empowers you for sure.

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