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GIVE TO MISSIONS
Romans 15:23-28
23But now having no more place in these parts, and having a great desire these many years to come unto you; 24 Whensoever I take my journey into Spain, I will come to you for I trust to see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward by your, if first I be somewhat filled with your company. 25But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. 26For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. 27It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. 28When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.
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REVIEW
Economic opportunities and the excitement of city life attracted many to Rome, the greatest city of its day. Yet God drew Paul to Rome to meet spiritual needs. The manner of his expression is gracious, and for our imitation. Even our common discourse should have an air of grace. He assures them that he had a great desire to see them; not to see Rome, but to come unto you (v.23), a company of poor despised saints in Rome. He had a special desire to see them because of the great character they had in all the churches for faith and holiness. He tells them that the reason why he could not come to them was because he had much work cut out for him elsewhere. God had opened a wide door for him. Man purposes but God disposes. The gospel does not come by chance to any place, but by the will and counsel of God.
What he expected in them: to be filled with their company. The satisfaction we have in communion with the saints in this world is put partial. It is partial compared with our communion with Christ. That will fill the soul. What he expected from God with them, v. 24. He expected to come in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ. Concerning what he expected from them he speaks doubtfully: I trust to be brought on my way and to be filed with your company. We cannot expect too little from man, nor too much from God. When ministers are fully prepared to give out, and people fully prepared to receive, this blessing, both are happy. He gives them a good reason why he could not come and see them now. He was going to Jerusalem, as the messenger of the church’s charity.
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PRAY FOR WORKERS
Matthew 9:35-38
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.
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REVIEW
Observe how Christ in his preaching had respect, great and wealthy cities, but the poor, obscure villages; there he preached, there he healed. The souls of those that are meanest in the world are as precious to Christ, and should be to us, as the souls of those that make the greatest figure. To the public worship. He taught in their synagogues that he might bear a testimony to solemn assemblies. That he might have an opportunity of preaching there, where people were gathered together, with an expectation to hear. (v.36) He was moved with compassion on them; not upon a temporal account, as he pitied the blind, and lame, and sick; but upon a spiritual account; he was concerned to see them ignorant and careless, and ready to perish for lack of vision. It was pity to souls that brought him from heaven to earth, and there to the cross. Christ pities those most that pity themselves least; so should we. They were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. No creature is more apt to go astray than a sheep, and when gone astray more helpless, shiftless, and exposed, or more unapt to find the way home again: sinful souls are as lost sheep; The case of people is very pitiable, who either have no minsters at all, or those that are as bad as none; that seek their own things, not the things of Christ. (v.38)Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest. When things look discouraging, we should pray more and then we should complain and fear less. All that love Christ and souls, should show it by their earnest prayers to God, especially when the harvest is plenteous, that he would send forth more skilful, faithful, wise, and industrious labourers into his harvest. Christ puts his friends upon praying this, just before he sends apostles forth to labour in the harvest. Further observe, that Christ said this to his disciples, who were to be employed as labourers. They must pray.
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DISCIPLE THE NATIONS
Matthew 28:18-20
18And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
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REVIEW
Jesus did not stand at a distance, but came near, and gave them such convincing proofs of his resurrection, as turned the wavering scale, and made their faith to triumph over their doubts. He came, and spoke familiarly to them, as one friend speaks to another. All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. As God, equal with the Father, all power was originally and essentially his. He has power of dominion over the angels. He has power of intercession with his Father, he intercedes not as a suppliant, but as a demandant; Father, I will. He has all power on earth too; he prevails with men and deals with them as one having authority, by the ministry of reconciliation. All souls are his, and to him every heart and knee must bow and every tongue confess him to be the Lord. This our Lord Jesus tells them to take off the offence of the cross; they had no reason to be ashamed of Christ crucified, when the saw him thus glorified. Go ye therefore; Christ stirs up his disciples, to disperse themselves all of the world. That salvation by Christ should be offered to all, and none excluded that did not by their unbelief and impenitence exclude themselves. Their instructions are to go into all nations, preach the gospel to them, work miracles among them, and persuade them to come in themselves, and bring their children with them, in to the church of Christ, and then admit them and theirs into the church, by washing them with waters. Two solemn farewells we find our Lord Jesus giving to his church. “I leave you, and yet still I am with you.” He departed in love. Then the Amen bespeaks Christ’s confirmation of this promise, Lo, I am with you. Our Amen to Christ’s promises turns them into prayers. |
