13. Always in My Prayers | Part 2
Sunday Morning Sermon
January 10, 2021
“Always in my Prayers” (Part II)
Romans 1:9-12
Pastor Marc Brashear
The title of our sermon is “Always in My Prayers.” This is Part 2 of Romans chapter 1, verses 8 through 12. This morning, now in Part 2, we return to the prologue of Romans wherein we are introduced once again to the prayer life of the Apostle Paul. It’s been a joy to begin that in this little text of Scripture, Romans chapter 1, verses 8 through 12. And prior now, to advancing upon the exalted theology, of the exalted Christ, in this exalted letter, Paul begins first things first by giving thanks to God; not to the Romans for their faith, not to the Romans for their labor of love in the gospel. Paul gives thanks to God, Romans chapter 1, verse 8: First, (he says) I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
So, before we get down to the business at hand, we must acknowledge that all that we are in Jesus Christ, all that we think, all that we believe, all that we will and do in this life is beyond our ability to produce. It’s beyond our ability as Christians to produce that in our own lives. It is impossible. All that we think, all that we believe, all that we will, all that we do in this life is the work of God by His Spirit. All that we have, all that we enjoy, all that we treasure, all that we cherish as people blood-bought by Jesus Christ, indwelt by His Spirit, all that we enjoy is beyond our ability to obtain for ourselves. It is the gift of God by His grace. What do we have that we have not received? And why would we dare act or dare boast as though we had not received it?
First – first things first – we must give thanks to our God through Jesus Christ for it all. This work of redemption, the work of ministry, the works of faith, the work of our sanctification, the work of our perseverance, the work of our future glory is a work of God and God alone through Jesus Christ our Lord. It is God who works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Now knowing that – as the Lord lays that upon your heart and mind – knowing that, it should compel us to pray. We’re dependent upon Him in everything. Apart from Him you and I can do precisely nothing. What we believe should impact how we live. And if we believe that, then we should be a people of prayer. We should be praying. And brothers and sisters, I submit to you, that to the degree that we don’t pray fervently, enthusiastically, desperately, hungering and thirsting for Him – to the degree that we don’t pray in that way, is to the degree that we don’t recognize our own need, our dependence on God. We are to live not independent upon God, but in dependence upon God. Bishop J. B. Lightfoot, 1868, said this:
“Each individual member [of the body of Christ] holds personal communion with the Divine Head! (That’s our priesthood as believers. We each hold personal communion through Jesus Christ with the Divine Head.) To Him immediately (presently) he is responsible and from him directly he obtains pardon and draws strength.”
Our life, our very existence is from Him, for Him, through Him, and to Him. Our Christian life certainly is so.
Part of what compels Paul to pray as he does in Romans chapter 1 verses 8, through 12 is what he understands of his own identity. Part of what compels Paul to pray is his understanding of his own identity. Paul, verse 1, is a slave of Jesus Christ. He is a called apostle, set apart, separated by the Lord Jesus Christ to the Gospel of God. He is consecrated, devoted, set apart, holy unto God; set apart to the One who called him out of darkness into His marvelous light. Paul is not his own. He’s not his own. He has been blood-bought out of the slave market of sin. He’s been seized, as it were, laid hold of by Christ just as we are. If you profess faith in Jesus Christ, you are not your own. You’ve been bought at a price. You are a bondslave of the Lord Jesus Christ. And as a bondslave, whose service are you in? You’re in His service to do His work, in His power, in His strength. We should pray.
Through Jesus Christ, Paul has received the grace of apostleship. Verse 5: To bring about the: obedience (of) faith among all nations for His name. So, did God give the Apostle Paul that responsibility, that stewardship, that duty, and just set him off on his own and say, “Paul, do the best you can. Don’t come back empty handed?” The Lord doesn’t say that. The Lord doesn’t do that. What God commands, God supplies. And He has ordained to do that through the means of prayer. So, Paul prays. It is as a slave of Jesus Christ. It is as a good steward of the manifold grace of God that Paul now turns to those in Rome. And what’s the first thing that he does on their behalf? Paul prays. Verse 8: First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
The last Lord’s Day we began to consider this text under 3 headings: 1) Paul’s Prayer of Thanksgiving; 2) Paul’s Prayer of Intercession; and 3) Paul’s Prayer of Supplication, or his prayer of petition. Now last week we considered Paul’s prayer of thanksgiving in verse 8. We now this morning, turn our attention to Paul’s prayer of intercession from verse 9. Look at verse 9 with me.
2) Paul’s Prayer of Intercession
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers, – Intercessory prayer is simply prayer on behalf of others. You, interceding for others, before God, on their behalf, for them. And listen, most basic, most fundamental to Paul’s service to God in the ministry of the Gospel is unceasing prayer, intercessory prayer for those on behalf of those to whom he ministers. Most basic, most fundamental to Paul’s service is prayer. Just as a prayer of thanksgiving was common to Paul's practice in introducing each of Paul's letters – we read that last week – faithful intercessory prayer was also common to Paul’s practice as well.
To the church at Ephesus:
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you always in my prayers: – That’s intercession.
To the church at Colossse:
We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, –
To the church at Thessalonica:
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing (Do you notice that recurring theme?) remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father.
In chapter 3 to the church at Thessalonica, he mentions: praying night and day without ceasing exceedingly, night and day for them.
To Timothy: without ceasing I remember you in my prayers night and day, –
To Philemon: I thank my God, making mention of you always in my prayers, –
You see in Paul a pattern of this fundamental, basic necessity of interceding for the people of God in prayer. Paul was fervent and faithful, not only in giving thanks for them, but Paul was fervent and faithful in lifting them up before the face of God in prayer for their benefit, in prayer for their blessing; interceding before God for them. Paul's heart was full of gratitude for them, full of gratitude. But it wasn't gratitude only, was it? We see in this the heart of Paul for these people, his heart full of love and compassion and concern for them as well. So full of love and compassion and concern that Paul should never cease praying for these people. Paul was constant. Paul was steadfast in intercessory prayer.
Now, this commitment to fervently, faithfully pray for them was no empty pledge. They were not mere words that Paul was saying here. When Paul wants to assure them of his care for them, his concern for them in prayer, Paul does it with an oath. Look at verse 9. He asserts in verse 9: God is my witness – (When Paul goes into the privacy of his own prayer closet and opens up his heart and mind in prayer for these people, he says) God is my witness…I make mention of you always in my prayers. He essentially swears that what he's about to tell them, say to them, is the truth.
So, notice first with me in this, that Paul is accountable for his prayer before God for them. Paul is accountable before God to pray for them. God is his witness as he serves with his spirit in the Gospel of His Son. And so, Paul solemnly, soberly calls God to witness to his faithfulness in praying for them. Now what does this mean? Why is this important? 1) God is the one who judges men's hearts. We’re not to be hypocrites in prayer, brothers and sisters. God is the one who judges our hearts. Paul is here willing to stand before the bar of God's justice, before the One with whom we must all give an account, and testifying, Paul is saying, “I'm not lying. I tell you the truth. God Himself knows that I do – without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers...”
1) Paul is not a hypocrite. These are no empty words. This is not an empty pledge. 2) This is no empty or hypocritical or lying platitude. Some say, “I'll pray for you brother,” when they don't. Some will say, “I'll be praying,” when they won't. That’s not the Apostle Paul here. That can't be us. That can't be us. If you say you'll pray for someone, pray for that person. Pray for them. With God as your witness pray, intercede. Paul is saying, “With God as my witness, I pray for you. It's my habit to do so. I do so always and without ceasing.” So, Paul is first accountable before God. Paul recognizes – do you see? – Paul acknowledges that all that they are, all they will be is by the grace of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, and it's required of Paul that he prays to that end. We need to be a praying people. We need to pray for those things. We need to pray.
Paul is first accountable before God, the One to whom he must give an account. And notice also that Paul communicates his sincerity before God. Verse 9: For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, – By “spirit” here Paul is not speaking of the Holy Spirit. Paul is speaking of his own spirit. That means Paul is saying, “I'm serving with fervency, with earnestness, and in sincerity.” Not insincerely. Paul is serving in or with sincerity.
The word “serve” there in verse 9, notice that with me, is the word λατρεύω – “latreuō”. It means “to worship.” It's a word that's used frequently the New Testament to refer to worship. Now worship certainly includes prayer, but worship includes more than prayer. Worship includes far more than what we do here on a Sunday morning – singing hymns and listening to the Word preached and praying. Worship includes Paul's service to this church at Rome with his spirit, in fervency and in earnestness and in sincerity. Our service is an act of worship before God. Certainly, prayer is included in that worship.
Paul is saying here essentially, “God knows my heart. God knows my heart.” God knows your heart. “He is the one,” Paul says, “I draw near to in worship as I serve these people, and I worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. As I serve – “latreuō” – as I worship with my spirit, with a sincere spirit, in the Gospel of His Son,” Paul is saying, “I pray.” So, Paul means to say then, that in serving the church at Rome, in serving those people, in drawing near to God in prayer on their behalf, in drawing near to God as he serves them in the Gospel of His Son, Paul is saying that he doesn't draw near to God honoring Him only with his lips. Paul does not have a heart in this that is far from Him. Paul's service to them, Paul's prayer for them is not in vain, worshiping the Lord in hypocrisy. Paul is earnest. Paul is sincere. Do you see the connection there? – whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, –
Paul serves, worships the Lord with his spirit, with his soul, with his heart. Service is an act of worship. In other words, brothers and sisters, Paul, leading us, leading you and I by example, is not merely checking boxes and doing his duty. Think with me and let's do honest soul searching before God. He's not just checking boxes or doing his duty, there's a heart and soul earnestness, a heart and soul sincerity in the worship of Paul through his service to these people. And that is a heart of love, a heart of compassion, a heart of devotion, a heart of pity, a heart of compassion, a heart of encouragement. Paul serves in sincerity.
One commentator – it’s interesting – brings to view or to light a connection between this offering of Paul in worship as he serves this church and the burnt offering presented by the Israelites in the wilderness – presented in the worship by the priests in Leviticus chapter 1, in verse 9. If you remember the offerings of sacrifices made by the priest on behalf of the people in the wilderness in the Tabernacle, even in the temple; it wasn't only the legs – that's Leviticus chapter 1, verse 9 – it wasn't only the legs that were burned. Not only the exterior or the outside of the animal, the entrails, the innards, so to speak, were to be sacrificed. The innards, the entrails were to be burnt. God wasn't merely concerned with the exterior parts of the sacrifice. The entrails were also to be burned as a sweet-smelling aroma to God. The bowels, as it were.
The bowels were considered by those in the ancient near East to be the seat of our affections. In the same way that you and I today might consider our heart, that your heart be right before God – the heart being the seat of our affections, the heart being the seat of love and compassion, devotion to God – those in the ancient near East would have said their bowels. They would have concentrated their bowels as the seat of their affections. The bowels were to be offered in sacrifice, so to speak, for the Lord; the heart as we would say.
So, when Paul makes the oath then, expressing the sincerity of his worship before God for them, Paul’s telling the church at Rome that none of his service of prayer on their behalf could possibly be boiled down to mere external formality. It couldn't possibly be boiled down, so to speak, or burnt as the exterior formality of an external, ritualistic sacrifice. He was giving his heart for them. He was from the bowels, so to speak, displaying to them his affection, manifesting to them his love, his compassion; not mere base duty, but delight – do you see? – heart. A heart filled with delight, motivated by love, motivated by affection.
Now Paul, certainly considered his prayer for this church to be his duty without question. We’re commanded, aren't we? – we’re commanded to pray for one another. His prayer was an act of obedience to the Lord. Faithfulness to his calling as an apostle was that he should pray fervently for the people, but it was far more than mere duty. And God sees him in private, sees his heart, and knows that Paul is sincere. Paul was no hypocrite.
Matthew chapter 6, verse 5 from the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself: And when you pray, (brothers and sisters) you shall not be like the hypocrites. “I'll pray for you brother,” when you don't. Boasting in your prayer life before men. “I pray and I pray. I’m a person of prayer,” when you aren't. Long, flowery prayers, as praying in the sight of men not in the sight of God. Praying in a way that is for men to hear with no concern for whether or not God is hearing.
For those hypocrites, Matthew chapter 6, verse 5: they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen (and heard) by men. (They are praying in such a way that they have an audience; not with God, but with men.) Assuredly, I say to you, (Jesus Christ says) they have their reward. But you, when you pray, (listen) go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
In other words, the Lord is saying to us, “Take heed how you pray. Take heed how you pray. Take heed to your heart when you pray.” No, let’s not pray like the hypocrites.
When Paul invokes God as his witness, the One to whom Paul draws near to worship with a sincere heart, Paul is saying to the Romans, “I mean what I say. I mean what I say. And I mean what I say when I say, I trust God who gives all good things to you. And I love you, and I care for you and when I pour out my heart to God for you on your behalf, it is my heart, a heart full of love, gratefulness, gratitude, and affection. It’s a heart full of love that I pour out to Him for you. I pray for you in the sight of God,” Paul is saying, “I have great love for you,” Paul is saying, “And I expressed the sincerity of that love for you in the way that I pray, interceding for you with God, the One who sees and hears my prayer.” Can you see how personal that is?
It's not a base, or a formal, or a ritualistic, or a cold, or impersonal thing that we do when we pray for one another. Brothers, sisters, it can't be. It can’t be that way. We're to pour out our heart. This is personal. There's nothing formal. There's nothing superficial about it. I'm in a rush to get off to work. I jump in the car. I'm driving. I'm in traffic. A guy honks his horn. I pull out in front of… you know, I’m waving him off over here. “Oh, and by the way, God, I pray for the church. I pray for my family. I pray for this and that other person.” And then you check that box thing and you've done your duty for the day. Where is the heart in all of that?
We need to slow down. We need to think about what we're doing. We need to think about Who it is we are appealing to. We need to think about who it is we are appealing for. We need to love the Lord with our heart, soul, mind, and strength; and we're to love one another. And one of the most fundamental, basic ways in which we love one another is to pray for one another, earnestly, sincerely, enthusiastically with love and gratitude in our hearts for one another. That's the prayer, isn’t it? – that God hears. And God sees you in private. He’ll reward you openly. This the means through which God blesses, and matures, and grows, and encourages, and protects, and preserves His people. We need to pray.
“All of that is done,” Paul says, “in the service of the Gospel of His Son,” verse 9. Paul longed for the good of these people. That good comes only through the Gospel of His Son. You may believe that you have it good now apart from your obedience to the Gospel. You may think that you are rich and have need of nothing. But isn't it true that you are miserable, poor, blind, and naked apart from Jesus Christ, apart from the Gospel? You must turn from your sin and put faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Don't mistake the patience and the common grace of God to you for tolerance with your sin! You must turn from sin to Christ. Judgment is coming. Turn to Christ in faith. Amen?
Now notice, Paul's prayer of intercession is not just accountable. Paul's prayer of intercession is not simply sincere, it is constant. Do you see that? – consistent persistent, steadfast, unending? Verse 9: For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers. (Notice the emphasis. Note the persistence of Paul's prayer) without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.
Now that doesn't mean that Paul was literally on his knees, day and night, 24/7 praying for these people, doing absolutely nothing else. We know that not to be true. Paul's walking all over the Mediterranean for these people. It means that he continues to pray as he ought. He doesn't give up on prayer. He doesn't draw back from prayer. He doesn't cease prayer. He prays without stopping. He prays without giving up. He prays without giving in. He does not lose heart. He does not get discouraged in his prayers for them. Whenever he prays, he does not neglect to mention them. “Every time I pray,” he says, “I mentioned you in my prayers.” He makes mention of them always.
But these are the words that Paul frequently uses to refer to regular consistent, persistent, habitual prayer. His intercession for them and for others is constant and steadfast. We see that all over his letters in the New Testament. His intercession is constant. It is persistent. It is steadfast. It is consistent. He doesn't give up. He doesn't stop. Night and day for the church at Thessalonica. Night and day for Timothy. Praying always for the church at Colosse. Prayer, and specifically intercessory prayer for God's people, was the constant habit of the Apostle Paul. And listen, prayer for one another should be our constant habit as well. We should not give up praying.
You know in a church like this with brothers and sisters like these, we love you, I know you love us. We're just very grateful to God for what He's done here. But listen, often, I think what most likely, most often prevents us from being faithful, and fervent, and steadfast, persistent, consistent in prayer; or faithful, and fervent, and steadfast, and consistent, and persistent in any active duty that we've been given is not fear but rather unbelief – that we somehow begin to think to ourselves, maybe if not consciously out of our mouth, but maybe even subconsciously in the back of our thinking, that it does no good, or that there are no answers coming, or that when we preach the Gospel that person is not going to be saved. They're just going to reject it. Or that God doesn't hear my prayer because God hasn't answered my prayers directly and immediately, and exactly the way that I thought that He should. And what happens? Somewhere in the recesses of our own unbelief, we draw back from prayer. We begin to be discouraged in our duty. We begin to be discouraged in evangelism, or discouraged in prayer for one another. And so, what do we do? We shrink back from doing that. We shrink back in faithlessness.
Our prayer should be our consistent habit. On multiple occasions the Lord Himself commands His people to pray. Mark chapter 13, verse 33: Take heed, watch and pray, for you do not know (the time of His return) when the time is.
Bless those who curse you…pray for those who spitefully use you –
…pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.
Luke chapter 18, verse 1: men always ought to pray and not lose heart, – That word there translated there “not lose heart” – the Lord is speaking of the necessity for prayer. There is an obligation for God's people to pray and not lose heart. It means “to be discouraged.” The word there “lose heart” is a word that means “discouraged.” In other words, brothers and sisters, don't get discouraged! Put your faith in God! Lift up your countenance! Why are you downcast, O my soul? Trust now in Him! – and pour out your heart in prayer. Pour out your heart – latreuō – in service to Him, in preaching the Gospel and serving one another, serving in this church, praying for the people, praying for fruit. Don't be discouraged. We are to know by faith that He hears us, and it should compel us! Our need for Him should compel us to not cease praying. Prayer, you see, is an expression of faith.
Now consider with me for a moment this duty that we have to pray and connect the dots with me. Consider this from 1 Peter chapter 2, verse 4. Listen. Brother, sisters, we come: to Him (as to Jesus Christ) as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, (are what?) are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Listen to chapter 2, verse 9: you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
What does it mean that we are a royal priesthood? What does it mean that you are a priest, so to speak, of the living God? What was the function of the priesthood? The function of the priesthood was intercessory. The function of the priesthood was to represent the people to God. The prophet, as it were, stood with his back to God, facing the people for God. The priest stood with his back to the people, so to speak, representing the people before the face of God. He was to represent the people to God. He was to stand before God on their behalf interceding for them.
Well, what are then the spiritual sacrifices that we offer up to God as His royal priesthood, as a holy priesthood acceptable to Him through Jesus Christ? What are they? We’re to offer up our bodies, our souls, our heart, our bowels, our mind. Do you see? We're to offer this worship with our spirit in the Gospel of His Son, our affections, our sincerity, our earnestness, our enthusiasm, our zeal, our love, our worship. To the praises of Him who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light, and in standing for the people on their behalf to God in intercession for them – do you see? – in intercession for one another, in intercession for this loss and dying world.
Paul says, ‘in intercession for all those in authority.’ And boy! They need it! They need it! We need it! – ‘that we might live a peaceable and quiet life.’ I pray it's not because we're failing in our responsibility to pray that we don't have a peaceable and quiet life.
In Exodus chapter 28, think with me, the Lord gave instructions for the making of what would have been just an absolutely beautiful garment to be worn by the priests who interceded for the people. That was an ephod. An ephod had on the shoulders two onyx stones, each stone engraven with six names of the tribes of Israel, so that when Aaron, dressed in that ephod, would enter into the Holy of Holies to besiege God on behalf of the people, he bore the 12 tribes of Israel on his shoulders as he went. He bore them before God as he interceded. Do you see?
The Israelites in Exodus chapter 28 made for the priest a breastplate of judgment. And it wasn't judgment against them. It was to go before God to make judgment for the things that they faced. That breastplate of judgment had 12 stones; 12 gems in settings of gold placed within the breastplate, each one engraved with the name of a tribe of Israel, such that Aaron was to bear the children of Israel over his heart as he went into the Holy of Holies to intercede for the people. That's a picture of our intercession. We’re to bear one another on our shoulders as we go into the presence of God in prayer. We’re to bear one another over our heart as we go before God to intercede for the people.
Verse 12: Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders as a memorial. (Verse 21) the stones shall have the names of the sons of Israel, twelve according to their names, like the engravings of a signet, each one with its own name; they shall be according to the twelve tribes.
Verse 29: So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel on the breastplate of judgment over his heart, when he goes into the holy place, as a memorial before the Lord continually.
Well, what about us? What about us? What about our intercession on behalf of one another? On behalf of this church? On behalf of our service before God? On behalf of the propagation of the Gospel? On behalf of the nations that should hear and turn to Christ in faith? What about our intercession for this church? Are we praying as we should? Are you praying as you should? Is it mere duty? Is it mere words on the end of our lips? – or does it reflect the right heart for the people of God? – the right heart for those who are lost and need Him? Are you just checking boxes? Are you more concerned with the judgment of men or with the judgment of God? What does your private prayer life now say about all of that? What does your private prayer life say about that?
Richard Trench wrote this:
“If we with earnest effort could succeed – to make our life one long connected prayer,
As lives of some perhaps have been and are…
If never leaving Thee – we had no need – our wandering spirits back again to lead into thy presence, but continued there…
Like angels standing on the highest stair of the sapphire throne, this were to pray indeed.
But if distractions manifold prevail,
And if in this we must confess we fail,
Grant us (God) to keep at least a prompt desire,
Continual readiness for prayer and praise –
an altar heaped and waiting to take fire – with the least spark, and leap into a blaze.”
Lord, help us to pray. Lord, protect us, compel us, motivate us, supply us, energize us, fuel us.
3) Paul’s Prayer of Supplication/Petition
Observing the prayer life of the Apostle Paul we considered first his prayer of thanksgiving, second is prayer of intercession. Consider with me third, Paul’s prayer of supplication or his prayer of petition. In verse 10, Paul begins to tell the church at Rome what he's been praying for: making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established— that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
The root of the verb in verse 10 for “making requests” is used in noun form for the word “supplication” in the New Testament. It's a word that means “supplication,” a word that means “petition.”
Acts chapter 1, verse 14: The disciples: continued with one accord in prayer and (specifically) supplication, – Same word.
Ephesians chapter 6, verse 18, we are to pray: always with all prayer and (there it is again) supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints, –
Philippians chapter 4, verse 6: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; –
That's what supplication is. It's letting your request be made known to God. It's a prayer petition asking God for what you need for yourself or for others.
Paul instructs Timothy, 1 Timothy chapter 2, verse 1: Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, –
Supplication is simply asking God for something. It’s asking God for something, making your requests known to Him, requests for yourself, requests for others.
And notice first the heart here of Paul's supplication. Paul in these verses, verses 10 through 12, employs several emotive phrases. He wears his heart on his sleeve. Look in verse 10: if, by some means – We're not to really read through the text of Scripture that way. When you read through the text of Scripture you’re making observations on the text you're studying the text. Maybe you're doing that in your devotional time. Try to think what is being communicated in the black and white words that you see on the page. – if, by some means – You sort of get a sense of the ache of Paul's heart. “I want to go to Rome! I want to go see those people, if by some means! Look at verse 10: now at last I may find a way (verse 11) I long to see you. (See. That’s no dispassionate prayer on the part of the Apostle Paul. Do you see? Verse 12) that I may be encouraged together with you (by our mutual faith.)
In other words – what is Paul doing here? – Paul is expressing his heart for these people. “God, please! May I find a way in Your will to make it to Rome!” He's not even been there before. He doesn't even know them. He’s met a couple of them. But listen to how Paul loves them and cares for them, his concerned for them, his compassion for them. “I long to see these dear people.” Paul loves them. He's never even met them. Where does this heart come from? Where do you cultivate that heart? Where does it come from? It comes from the Spirit of God and it comes through means; one of which is the means of prayer.
Have you ever noticed that when you begin to pray earnestly for someone, love for them springs up in your heart? Compassion for them, concern for them takes root in your heart, and it erupts out of your heart in prayer and intercession for them. Listen, if you find yourself embittered against someone, pray for them! Your elders do a lot of talking around here and it may be that that may engender every once in a while, some bitterness. Pray for us! We need your prayers for us! Don't be embittered or resentful toward us. If you're bitter and resentful toward another person in this church, pray for them! Love them! Serve them! And the Lord – you'll see – the Spirit of God, through that means, will cultivate within your heart a love and an appreciation for, a gratitude for, a pity for those for whom you pray – those to whom you serve. That kind of heart, that kind of love is cultivated by laboring unceasingly in prayer for the good of one another, for the good of this church.
It's always fascinating to me how you're talking to someone who is getting close to exiting here and all of a sudden, the language changes from “I love our church” to “what you guys are doing” or “that church,” instead of “our church.” There is a distance, there's a wedge that begins to be driven between you and us. That wedge, it can only be removed through love, through compassion, through earnestness, through sincerity in service and in prayer for the people in this place. You acting in love for them. We’ll talk about that more in a moment.
Notice second, the substance of Paul’s supplication. We see the heart of his application. What is the substance of Paul supplication?
Verse 10: that I may: come to you‒
Verse 11: that I may impart to you some spiritual gift that you may be established. Certainly, established in the faith through apostolic preaching and teaching.
– that you may be established…that I may be encouraged together with you – verse 12
He wants to: have some fruit among them – verse 13
He's ready to preach the gospel to them – verse 15
Paul longs to go to them. That is the substance of his supplication. Although Paul longs for that encouragement that comes from fellowship with the saints, Paul’s concern is not what he can receive from them. Do you see? Paul's concern is what he desires from the heart to do for them. Now that's worth thinking about. The substance of Paul’s supplication is that he may serve them, that he might minister to them on behalf of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel of His Son who bought them – the Lord Jesus Christ who bought them.
He says: that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, (Literally, some grace corresponding to the Spirit, caused by the Spirit, pertaining to the Spirit. And then Paul clarifies the purpose of this gracious gift: that you may be established‒ στηρίζω (stērizō) – strengthened, built up, edified, strengthened in their resolve, strengthened in their determination, strengthened in their perseverance. So, this is speaking of a gracious gift for the spiritual edification or building up of the people of God, leading to verse 12, their mutual encouragement. In other words, this is not a one-sided affair. This is not a one-sided endeavor. Isn't it fascinating that service and prayer always ends up being reciprocal and that's in the grace of God to us. It's not all one-sided. You see how this is a means not only for the good of others, but God in His condescending, compassionate grace appoints it as a means for our good, our growth, our maturity as well.
Now think with me and let's make that connection together, you and I. Paul doesn't think of the church then, as merely a place where he can be encouraged. He doesn't think of the church as merely a place where he can be fed. “And if you're not feeding me, I'm out of here at the drop of a hat. And...it better be food that I like or I'm out of here!” His concern is not a great tent making opportunity in Rome, and it just so happens he's going to hop by the church there when he's there. The tent making opportunity Is not primary. What’s primary? The church. The Lord's people. He's not there for the contemporary music. He's not there because they have the greatest kids ministry. “The coffee. That’s just the kind of coffee I like. People there don't bother me too much. “
Paul's heart is to serve those people. His needs are secondary or way down the wrung, way down the ladder. His desires are for them. He sees the church as a place, as the field in which he plants and waters. That's what it is. And his job is to go there and plant and water. That's what the church is. That's what you do.
You and I – no mystery to us – we live in a consumer-driven society. It's abhorrent when you stop to think about it and just meditate on that for a minute. It is absurd the degree to which things have gotten, where everything, everything is dressed up for market or dressed down for convenience. The church is a commodity. And just like you might consume a half gallon of milk, you consume the church. “You know and I like 2%.” “I like skim. Don't give me the whole stuff, too thick for me.” It's like Publix. You can find one wherever you go. And listen, wherever you go you find the same fried chicken at the same deli every time you do.
We are by nature apart from God's Spirit, apart from His help, we are selfish. We are self-absorbed. We are self-interested. We are self-reliant. We are self-obsessed. And we are concerned with being treated well. And we are bent out of shape when we're not, when that treatment doesn't quite match up to the expectations we've set for all those around us. Commitment is a dirty word. Accountability? “That place is a cult.” What does the Bible call it? The Bible calls it love. The Bible calls it compassion. Are you here to love these people? Jesus said: ‘I did not come to be served, but to serve and to give My life a ransom for many.’
That all sounds good to many of us. Many of us would give a hearty “Amen!” to that. Not an “Awoman.” (laughing) We would give a hearty “Amen!” to that. We would give a hearty “Amen!” to that unless or until you feel as though your needs aren't being met, and then it’s “see you later,” out the door. And many – I can't tell you how many at this point – many, many have left this place at the drop of a hat. Do you love these people so little? Where is your love? Where is your love for the Lord? – for the Lord’s church? – for the Lord's body? Where's your love for His people? Where's your sense of commitment? Where's your sense of obligation? Where's your sense of responsibility? Where's your sense of stewardship? Where is your love? It’s happened so frequently, that's frankly the first thing that comes to my mind. “I'm leaving the church because of XYZ.” “I'm leaving the church because you wear masks.” “I'm leaving the church because you don't wear masks.” “I’m leaving the church because of this.” “I'm leaving the church because of that.” And it's like, do you love us that little?
Acts chapter 20 – Paul meets with the elders from Ephesus and he tells them this in verse 18. Listen: “You know, (He’s telling this to the elders of the church) “You know, from the first day that I came to Asia, in what manner I always lived among you, (how did I live among you?) serving the Lord with all humility, with many tears and trials which happened to me by the plotting of the Jews; how I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
In other words, Paul gave blood, sweat, and tears for that church. And then he tells them, “I've shown you in every way by laboring like this that you must support the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than it is to receive.’”
Some churches you have to leave. You have to leave. They're bad for your spiritual health. And we’re obligated to: seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, – We’re to seek His Kingdom, His righteousness, His cause, His Gospel before some unbiblical notion of obligation to an unbiblical church. You see? Just like I wouldn't recommend to you the seafood out of a vending machine at a gym. (laughing) You know some churches out there can kill you. Find a good church. Find a good, solid, sound, biblical church and then humble yourself and love those people.
If you're here this morning, you’ve found one. Not for anything we've done. It’s entirely by the grace of God in Christ to us. But this is one of those churches. Humble yourself. Love and serve these people. Pray for them. Contrary to pop psychology in churches with bad ecclesiology today, it ought to be really hard to leave a good church. It ought to be really hard to leave a good church. There should be a sense of responsibility, a sense of obligation, a sense of stewardship.
But notice in the substance of his supplication, it's the fruit of serving in the Lord's church that Paul then expects to be encouraged himself together with them. It's fascinating to me, isn't it? Verse 12. This is the substance of his supplication: that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Here's the mindset. Here's the heart, the hope of the Apostle Paul, the purpose of his prayer. He knows that when he goes to the church at Rome with the heart and mind to love, and to serve, and to pray for those people when he's there among them as one who serves; when he fulfills his responsibility to pray for them, build them up, establish them, strengthen them, spiritually bless them, he knows that due to the grace of God they won't be the only ones encouraged.
Paul knows that he himself will be encouraged. And Paul, like any of us, needs encouragement in his ministry. Right? Paul needs that. Paul had a difficult ministry. And I'm sure Paul relied upon that encouragement that came from God through His Spirit to Paul, through the means of Paul’s own service to them. Paul himself will be encouraged together with them through their mutual faith.
So, listen, when you begin to think to yourself that somehow the church has failed you – “I don't get invited to fellowships like I think I should.” “These people aren't loving to me in the way that I think they should be” – or – “They haven't loved me in the way that I want to be loved.” “I'm not having warm feelings here the way that I once did” – can you see how that's probably more an indication of your own heart than it is about anything to do with this church?
We tend to not change anymore a whole lot. We're fairly consistent. There are many ways in which we need to change, don't get me wrong. You're not having the warm feelings that you used to have. If you start to think that way, then you get busy serving this church. You get busy praying for this church, loving these brothers and sisters, and the Lord by His Spirit will – just as he did for the Apostle Paul – will cultivate that encouragement in you, that you will enjoy mutually, reciprocally as Paul did with that church in Rome.
I remember a while back at a couple sitting in my office who left our church. And their primary complaint at the time was that “no one invites us to fellowships.” “No one invites us to...” They’re sitting across the desk talking to me about this. And they said, “No one invites us to fellowships.” I reminded them that I had asked them to fellowships multiple times, three times to my clear memory. All three times they declined to come to the house for fellowship. And then I asked them the question, “How many times have you asked people over to your house for fellowship? How many times do you imagine that might have been? None. Sounds silly and petty, doesn't it? That's because it is! It is silly and it is petty!
Serve the Lord's people. Get busy serving this church. Love them. Pray for them. Care for them. It's amazing what is accomplished by God through our prayer, through our service. It's amazing considering that we are wretched, sinful people, it's amazing that God would do anything through me or through you; but He does. And we, even ourselves, even ourselves in that service that we're praying fervently for God to work through to benefit or bless others, that even in that service God intends, and purposes, and condescends in compassion and grace to bless us. It is amazing.
There have been many times, too many to count, when I’ve sought in the course of my own work for the Lord to bless you or to bless someone, and Lord ends up blessing me. Even times to my shame, where I may not even feel like going or doing, and I'm going or doing to benefit someone, and I end up being, it feels like, the only one who is benefited or blessed. The Lord is just so gracious! Lord is so good to us. Paul is really clear. A fundamental, a basic, critical aspect of any work that we do for the cause of Christ, any of us – me, you, any of us – is the priority that we give to prayer in the doing of it.
John Calvin again:
“We shall lose all our labor bestowed upon planting, sowing, and watering unless the increase comes from heaven! Therefore it shall not suffice to take great pains in teaching (preaching, serving, praying, loving, encouraging, whatever it is) unless we require the blessing at the hands of the LORD…that our labour may not be in vain and unfruitful.”
It's clear from the New Testament, reading through the New Testament – we’ll be doing that together by the way, 2021 Bible reading plan “Morning, Noon, and Night,” twice this year, by God's grace – it's clear that Paul gave a significant amount of time, energy, effort to pray for those to whom he ministered; knowing that God has appointed prayer a means through which He works to bring about His good ends in His church. As a means through which He imparts some good, some gracious spiritual gift for the building up of His body, for the strengthening of His body.
It’s remarkable. You see Paul's heart, Paul’s love, Paul's faith expressed through his prayers in the New Testament. As you read through the New Testament, you see Paul's prayers all over the place. Many times, New Testament letters are replete with what Paul is praying for them. Have you noticed that? Ephesians chapter 1, verse 15. Listen to Paul's prayer for the church at Ephesus:
Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: (and then he tells them exactly what he's praying for) that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead –
And he continues, Ephesians chapter 3, just two chapters over, verse 14: For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, (now he’s praying for them) that He would grant you according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
The same is true in Philippians and Colossians, Paul praying and telling you what he's praying about. There’s a really good practice to take the prayers of Paul in the New Testament and pray them over this church, these people, this ministry. It's a good thing for us to do, to take the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit, and to echo those words in prayer for God's people. A great portion of what Paul writes in these New Testament letters is telling them what he's praying for.
A regular, sustained habit of private prayer. What about you? What about you? Do you have a regular, sustained habit of private prayer? Praying just for yourself? Praying quickly just for your needs? Just for your family? – or – for the needs of His body, His cause, His work, His Kingdom?
We’re taught how to pray by the Lord, praise God! Do you pray for that? It should be intentional? And it takes time, doesn't it? It takes thought. It takes care. And isn't that the very heart with which we should be praying? A heart of thoughtful care and concern, sincerity, and love, and compassion, and thoughtfulness. There should be time that you and I are devoting as a daily habit to intercessory prayer for our church, these people, this ministry, fruit for our labors, for other churches, for the cause of Christ, for the Kingdom. Set up a plan. Discipline your use of time.
And you know, it is not legalistic to take careful concern with how we obey the commands of God. That takes time. It takes planning. It takes thoughtfulness. It takes effort. It takes intentionality. I want to encourage us in this good work. And, brothers and sisters, I want to encourage us knowing that when we do, we ourselves are encouraged. It's a blessing from God to be a part of His work. May God help us to follow the example of the Apostle Paul as he follows Christ. Amen? Amen. Let’s pray together.