The Forgotten Chapter

06.03.13

Romans 15.18-21 18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, 19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ; 20 and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, 21 but as it is written,

“Those who have never been told of him will see,

and those who have never heard will understand.”

I seem to remember most of the book of Romans, or at least where stuff is in the book of Romans (which really isn’t a book but a lengthy letter called an epistle.) So, today I sort of mindlessly loaded up my computer and drifted through three chapters of the Proverbs (which seemed especially thorny today) and then flipped over to the Roman letter and realized, “Wow, I don’t think I remember what’s in Chapter 15!”

And so, after reading it, I said again, “Wow, I forgot all that was in here!” I forgot that Paul demonstrates what an Example Jesus was in His earthly ministry as the Middle-Man between man and God. I forgot Paul explained that Jesus was the Hope of salvation for both Jews and Gentiles. I forgot that Paul describes his ministry as exclusively to the Gentiles. And I forgot, Paul talked about going to Spain. Not sure if he made it or not, but he talked about it.

Romans 15 is like a middle child in a large family (in this instance, 16 kids so to speak.) And sometimes it’s easy to lose track of a kid or two when there are so many. The point of this is remember what you read and remember why it’s there:

·         Jesus Christ is our Example of Someone who came on orders from Another and faithfully carried out His mission without flinching.

·         Jesus Christ is the Hope of all who believe in Him – both Jew and Gentile (a continual theme of the Apostle Paul)

·         Paul’s letters are especially meaningful to Gentile (I am one) because he was God’s minister to the Gentiles “…from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum” and points beyond.

·         And Paul made it his ambition: to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.”

Today, the Forgotten Chapter is my reminder that I, 2000 some years later, am a recipient of Paul’s ancient ambition. Thank You God!