The Romance of Romans-Part 119

[Michael]

Romans Chapter 15 cont'd

But first I have to go to Jerusalem to bring a gift to the believers
there. God moved upon the hearts of the believers in Macedonia and
Achaia to take a collection for the poor believers there. They were
very pleased to do this because they realized that they are indebted
to the Jewish believers for the spiritual heritage that they have
shared with the Gentiles and they feel an obligation to serve them in
a material way as a token of their gratitude. After I deliver this
"spiritual fruit basket" to them, I will come by to see you on my way
to Spain. And I am confident that I will come to you overflowing with
the fullness of the blessing contained in the good news of Christ.

Comments:

When Paul was first converted to Christ, the apostles in Jerusalem
were suspicious of him and his motivations. Along the way, he had his
tensions with those leaders from Jerusalem as they were all seeking to
understand what God actually required of the gentiles who were turning
to faith in Jesus. They were very unlike the Jewish believers in their
cultural backgrounds and there was some religious pressure on them to
conform to various cultural preferences of the Jewish believers that
were not essential to obeying the gospel and to pleasing God via
genuine spirituality in Christ.

However, it is very interesting to note that as they hammered out
their different strategic thrusts in ministry they heartily agreed on
one thing from the very start:

And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no
difference to me; God shows no partiality)—those, I say, who seemed
influential added nothing to me. On the contrary, when they saw that I
had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter
had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised (for he who
worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised
worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), and when James and
Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that
was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas
and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.
Only, they asked us to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager
to do. Gal 2:6-10

Paul remembered his commitment to his brothers in Jerusalem and,
ironically, when they found themselves many years later suffering from
a poverty primarily due to a drought, Paul inspired the gentile
believers across his mission fields to give generously, in a material
way, to these very people.

May we also open our hearts to Christ to be eager...in light of the
many things we are eager for...to help those in need...so help us God.