Roman 15:13

Turn to the book of Romans, chapter 15.

Romans 15 · chapter mention

And as you're doing that, let me say to those of you who are guests with us this morning,

you probably have discovered, maybe shockingly, that we have the kids remain with us in the service.

I hope that's not been too much of a shock for you.

We believe that it's of value to the family to meet together for worship.

And we do have some amenities across the hall if you need a place to go.

There's both video and sound over there.

It's a place that you can let the kids be a little more loud versus over here.

And we'd invite you to use that space if you feel that you need it.

Also, I am not easily distracted.

So don't be too terribly concerned with little noises as far as I'm concerned.

And I think the people around you will be very gracious to you as well.

We've been working our way through the book of Romans.

We don't always but believe that the best form of preaching is verse-by-verse exposition.

And we have found ourselves today in chapter 15 at verse 13.

Let's read that together and then we'll pray.

Romans 15, verse 13.

Romans 15:13

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

Let's pray.

Father God, we do praise you this morning that by your grace we have been set free.

That those of us who were once far off, which was all of us, have now been brought near through the blood of Christ.

And I pray, Lord, I plead that that's the case for everyone here this morning.

That all of us have placed believing faith in Christ.

That the Spirit of God has regenerated our hearts.

That we have been caused to love you.

And I pray, Father, for those here who may not know you.

This will be the last day that that will be true of them.

And for those that do, our hearts will be continually warm to the gospel.

We might live in light of it.

We will honor you with all that we do as we go about this next week.

And we pray this in God's name.

Amen.

So Romans 15, 13.

I'd say I've been incredibly sick this week.

I'm on antibiotics now.

I'm feeling a little bit loopy.

I'm actually going to work at keeping this brief this morning.

As Paul does in his benedictory prayer.

His conclusion here at the end of what I would call his formal letter to the Romans.

He certainly goes on beyond this.

We have the rest of chapter 15 and all of chapter 16.

Which are really his closing remarks.

The Romans.

So this is the end, verse 13, of his formal letter.

The case that he's been making to the believers in Rome.

And he ends it with a simple benediction.

A prayer on their behalf.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing.

So that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

And I want to just look at three observations.

First, Paul's desired outcome for the believers in Rome.

The means for the desired outcome.

And the source of the means for that desired outcome.

So firstly, what is it that Paul wants to see happening in the lives of these Roman believers?

He wants to see all joy and all peace and abounding hope in their lives.

So notice here that the word all, the adjective all here, is in the original text.

And I would assume that all of your translations included.

If it doesn't, you may not want to use the translation you're using any longer.

Because it is in fact in the original text.

And all both applies to joy and peace.

So Paul doesn't wish that they'll have just some joy.

A little measure of joy.

A smidgen of joy.

And some peace at times in their life.

But he desires that they have all joy.

And all peace.

Sufficient measure for every aspect and part of their life.

For any circumstance in their life.

That they would have all joy.

And all peace.

Which will lead them to so that they may have abounding hope.

Again, not just a little bit of hope.

Not hope in times of trouble alone.

But abounding hope.

An overflowing hope.

An extra measure of hope.

That continues to flow and to flow and to flow.

An abiding hope.

An abiding joy.

An abiding peace.

This is Paul's desire for the believers in Rome.

So what then is the means for this desired outcome?

How is it that we have this type of peace?

And this type of hope?

And this type of joy?

Right?

It's by.

The means is by our faith.

Notice here that he says that you may have all joy and peace in believing.

The means is our faith.

Faith in what?

Faith in the promises of Scripture.

Which speak of the person and the work of Christ.

Recall contextually where we've just been.

He's given to us four Old Testament quotations from each of the four literary types of writing that we find in the Old Testament.

To show to us that God's eternal purpose for the world was to make his name known not just among Israel, but amongst the world.

Right?

To the nations.

Paul uses here in these four references starting in verse 9 through 12 Gentiles.

To show the Jewish believers here in Rome that it wasn't just them.

It was the Israelites and everyone else.

So he has just talked about, beginning in verse 8, that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness.

In order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs.

And those are the quotes that we give here.

So that the Gentiles will glorify God for his mercy.

If we back up beyond that, we see in verse 5 that the God of endurance encouragement would grant them to live in harmony with one another in accord with Christ Jesus.

Because of the encouragement of the Scriptures which give us hope in verse 4.

So notice the flow and the connection that he's making here.

So we're to have faith in what?

In the promises of Scripture which speak of the person and the work of Christ.

We talked a little bit about some of the liberties that Paul seems to take with his Old Testament quotations.

And why it was certainly permissible for him to do so.

In his inspiration, he quotes lastly here in verse 12.

He says,

The root of Jesse will come, even he who arises to rule the Gentiles.

In him will the Gentiles hope.

And this is taken from Isaiah chapter 11 verse 10.

Isaiah 11:10

Now I want you just to listen to it as you look at what's found in verse 12.

Okay?

And notice the difference here.

Isaiah 11 verse 10 reads,

Isaiah 11:10

In that day the root of Jesse, who shall stand as a signal for the peoples, of him shall the nations inquire, and his resting place shall be glorious.

A little bit different there.

Am I right?

A little prophecy on Isaiah's part.

And here we see the way Paul quotes it as it's been fulfilled.

So Paul, living in the days that the gospel has now been expanded beyond just the borders of Israel and has now gone out to the Gentiles, adds some commentary to it.

But he's also referencing Isaiah chapter 11 verse 1, which says,

Isaiah 11:1

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

A sure promise of God given to us.

And here, as he gives his commentary to it and quotes it differently, says,

The root of Jesse will come, and in him will the Gentiles hope.

A sure promise given to us.

A promise that we can believe in.

That we can place our faith in.

If you've been following us and following Paul's argument all along here throughout the book of Romans,

he's continually said to us that we're saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

If I could just easily sum up the point, the treatise put forth in the book of Romans,

it's that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

That's what he's been driving at us all along.

Recall, we've spent now, I think, almost two years in the book of Romans,

but this would have been read to the congregation.

It would have taken about an hour.

A good hour-long sermon read here.

So let's just back up and look, just in one spot, Romans chapter 5, verses 1 and 2,

Romans 5:1

to connect you back to what he's been saying all along here.

And I want to show you the beautiful connection to chapter 15, verse 13,

about joy and peace and hope.

Chapter 5, verse 1.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Okay, so notice the means.

We have been justified by what?

By our faith.

And now, as a result, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Through him, we have also obtained access by what?

Again, the means, by faith,

into this grace in which we stand.

And we rejoice, okay,

which is an exaltation, a glory in,

right,

the result of the salvation,

which is birthed out of joy.

That's what the original language means.

Exaltation comes from joy in a reality.

Okay, so there's joy again.

And what do we rejoice in?

Hope, right,

of the glory of God.

So you see the connection there.

So,

the means by which

these things come about

is our faith,

our belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

that we are saved by grace alone

through faith alone

in Christ alone.

It has nothing to do with our action.

It has nothing to do with what we can earn

of our own merit.

Because anything that we can do,

any attempt on our own,

is as filthy rags,

soiled garments to God, right?

It is by His grace

through faith in Christ.

Christ.

And this is the means

by which we have joy

and peace

and hope.

But how is it that we have this faith?

How is it that we believe?

And Paul tells us,

quite frankly here,

and simply,

in chapter 15,

verse 13,

that it is by the power

of the Holy Spirit.

He's not introducing this as a new idea.

He turned to Romans chapter 8,

Romans 8:9

verse 9.

He says to the believers in Rome,

you, however,

are not in the flesh,

but in the Spirit,

if in fact the Spirit of God

dwells in you.

Anyone who does not have

the Spirit of Christ

does not belong to Him.

And again in verse 14,

for all who are led

by the Spirit of God

are sons of God.

So we see that the faith

that works in us

works in us

by the Spirit.

And as we were born,

our hearts were hard.

Our hearts were utterly

devoid of the ability

of believing in God.

Some people believe

in a doctrine

called pervenient grace,

which is taught nowhere

in the Scriptures,

that there's somehow

some shred of good

remaining within us.

That's all that's good in us,

but we have this little ability

left to believe.

The Bible teaches the opposite.

The Bible teaches

that we're dead

in trespasses and sin.

Not mortally wounded,

not so sick

we're about to die,

but we're dead

in our trespasses and sin.

Totally incapable

of righteousness

of any kind whatsoever.

Until the Spirit of God

comes into our lives,

regenerates our hearts,

and we believe.

There's much debate

in Christendom

about whether or not

regeneration precedes faith,

or if faith precedes regeneration.

And I put forth to you

that regeneration precedes faith.

How exactly this all goes down,

I don't fully understand,

and I don't think

it's ours to understand.

But what we need to recognize

is that this is the work

of the Spirit of God

in our hearts.

It's not our own doing.

Ephesians 2,

Ephesians 2:8

verse 8 and 9.

If you struggle with the statements

I just made,

it says,

For by grace you have been saved

through faith.

For by grace you've been saved

through faith.

If we stop there,

it would be very easy to say,

I had faith,

therefore I was given grace.

Paul is careful to say,

and this is not your own doing,

it is the gift of God.

Referring to the faith,

not the grace,

as some would argue.

It's referring to the faith.

It is the gift of God,

and it's given to us

by the Spirit.

It's not a result of works,

so that no one may boast.

So none of us have any right,

any claim to boast

in our own action,

any part in our own salvation.

Our salvation was not synergistic,

it was not a work of God,

and we came alongside Him

to accomplish it.

It was fully a work of God.

It was monergistic.

He accomplished it in our hearts.

If He didn't,

we would have willingly rejected Him forever.

Willingly rejected Him.

Our lives reflected this before Christ.

Everything that we did

was absolute, utter rejection of Him.

These doctrines are so key

to our understanding of the Gospel.

And our proper understanding of the Gospel,

our belief in the promises of the Scripture,

is what brings about all joy,

and all peace,

and abounding hope.

So that whatever circumstance you're in,

whatever trouble you experience,

whatever sins you commit as a believer,

however desperate and dark

and removed from God you may feel,

you can remember the promises of God.

That the work of salvation

is fully His work.

That you have joy and peace

and abounding hope.

Because God is a God

who is sure to keep His promises.

It doesn't depend on you.

It depends on Him.

It's His work in our hearts.

Praise Him forever and ever.

As weak as I was just bouncing around,

doing some reading,

I'm going to come across a great quote

from Martin Luther,

who was a great champion of these doctrines.

Talked often about grace alone

through faith alone in Christ alone.

Lived in a day

when the Catholic Church

was teaching quite the opposite.

They were selling indulgences.

They were selling time out of hell

for their family members.

That there were works

that could be committed

to gain heaven.

And Martin Luther being troubled by this

became a monk.

And as he continued to be troubled by

how is it that I can do enough

to gain righteousness?

How is it that I could possibly achieve

this holy standard that God has set?

They put him to work

to keep him busy

translating the book of Romans.

What a bad move

on the Catholic Church's part.

And he began to see this.

God revealed to him

that salvation is by grace alone

through faith alone

and Christ alone.

And we all know that

Martin Luther was no great fan

of the Pope

and what the Pope was teaching

and proposing.

And I say to you this day

that there are many Christians

who are claiming

to have great hope

in the new Pope.

Right?

He's going to be the champion

of the poor.

Good.

That is great.

But as he stands

he's still a liar

until he begins to teach

that salvation comes

by grace alone

through faith alone

in Christ alone.

And I hope that we'll be

praying for him

because he has the ability

to see that

and to do that

and to influence

billions

with that truth.

But listen to what

Martin Luther said

of the Pope of his time.

I can't remember

who it was

but in his commentary

on Galatians.

He said,

If the Pope would concede

that God alone

by his grace

through Christ

justifies sinners

we would carry him

in our arms.

We would kiss his feet.

Now Martin Luther

who was set up

as this great enemy

of the Pope

said if the Pope

would just concede

that salvation comes

by grace alone

through faith alone

in Christ alone

I'll carry him

and kiss his feet.

Right?

Because he would be

a herald

of this great truth.

Right?

So this is the means

for these outcomes

for having all joy

all peace

abounding hope

is that we

believe

by the power of the Spirit

in the gospel

of God.

Does that seem

too simple

to you?

Want me to now

unpack all the ways

that we practically

carry this out

in our lives?

How is it that we

apply

this type of truth?

Right?

We could go on

and on

and on

about how this works

out in our lives.

The gospel

is the answer

to every one

of our ills.

Right?

It speaks

to all of it.

Let me just give you

an example.

Many of you this week

probably became aware

for the first time

of a man named

Kermit

Gasnell

I think I'm saying

his last name right.

Who operated

in a legal abortion

clinic

in Pennsylvania.

Pittsburgh.

Yes.

This story's been

going on for quite a while.

Right?

It was shut down

in 2011.

I don't share

a lot of the things

I follow with you.

I've been keeping up

with this story

from the beginning

and it has been

wrenching at my heart

for quite some time now.

Many of you

for the first time

have seen these atrocities.

Are becoming

maybe for the first time

aware of how

horrible

abortion actually is

and the degree

to which

it's carried out.

But listen.

Even in those things.

Even as our heart

breaks

for the sinfulness

of man.

How horrible

man is

to commit

such acts.

Right?

We can have

all joy

and all peace

and abounding

hope

because

included

in the gospel

of Jesus Christ

is the fact

that he will

return

and he will

make all

things

right.

He has a

perfect

and a sovereign

plan

that it's

his work

and not

our work

being accomplished.

That he will

in fact

make it all

right

and new

one day.

So the gospel

ministers

to my soul

as it breaks

for these conditions

and these situations

these things

that are going on

as I long

to do something

radical

to change things.

As I want

to be involved

in making this world

a better place

in saving those

who can't save

themselves

the gospel

ministers to my heart

because I know

that these promises

are sure

that God is a good God

that God is working

out his sovereign plan

that he is fully

in control

I can believe

in those things

and have joy

and peace

and abounding hope.

Now notice

I find

in this text

maybe you don't

maybe this is the first time

you've been thinking about it

but the order

seems a little bit

backwards

to me

because he says

that he hopes

he will be filled with

by the God of hope

with all joy

and peace

so that will have

hope

and it seems to me

that the hope

would precede

having joy

and peace

that having hope

in God

believing in the promises

of God

would then lead

to us having

joy and peace

and as I began

to ponder this

my mind was pulled

back to our context

and I recalled

back up at the end

of verse 4

Paul says

that through the

encouragement

of the scriptures

we might have

hope

right

so that's where

he began

talking about

where the source

is

and then he says

and I think

very cleverly

intentionally

says

may the God

of hope

fill you with

all joy

and peace

and believing

and so

we see that

I believe here

that it's a cycle

that's what he's

trying to say to us

that having hope

in the promises

of God

makes us

sanctified in him

regenerates us

brings to us

joy

and peace

as we believe

which births

more hope

right

because it's

evidence

of the fact

that we are his

that we're found

in him

the fact that

when we go

through difficult

times in our lives

and we can have

joy and peace

in those times

shows us

that we do

in fact

rest

in the promises

of God

that we do

hope

in the promises

of God

and it births

more hope

right

it's like a

perpetual wheel

of joy

peace

and hope

right

and the axle

of which

is

our belief

that term

abounding

in hope

to abound

in it means

that it goes

on

and it goes

on

and it goes

on

and it goes

on

and here's

the cycle

which we find

ourselves in

listen beloved

the Christian life

is not an easy

life

that promise

is never given

to us

in fact

quite the

opposite

is given

to us

he said

we'll be

persecuted

for our

faith

it's not

an easy

life

but it is

a simple

life

it's a life

of believing

being filled

with joy

and peace

in believing

the gospel

of Jesus

Christ

and then

abounding

in hope

and I think

that the trouble

is that when

we don't have

joy

and we don't

have peace

and we don't

abound in

hope

is that we

look to the

world for the

answers

we look to

pop psychology

to the answers

we look to

some pulpits

that aren't

giving us

the real

answer

to where

these things

come from

and we

fail to

look

to the

gospel

we fail

to behold

Christ

on the cross

on our

behalf

we fail

to recognize

the fact

that he's

promised

to return

he will

complete

the work

we get

distracted

by this

world

and we

fail to

look at

the simple

source

of all

of these

things

and that

is the

person

and work

of Jesus

Christ

so we see

the desired

outcome

here

and we

see now

the means

for that

desired

outcome

what is

the source

then

of the means

for the

desired outcome

what is

the source

simply

he begins

verse 13

by saying

may the

God

of hope

our God

is the

God of

hope

who reigns

over hope

who is

the source

of all

hope

our God

the great

I am

the one

who exists

apart from

any other

exterior

circumstance

from any

other

control

the one

that everything

plugs into

but he plugs

into nothing

he is

self

existent

he is

the God

of hope

the source

of all

this

of our

joy

and our

peace

and our

abounding

hope

so we

could read

verse 13

this way

the God

of hope

fills us

with all

joy

and all

peace

which leads

to abounding

hope

by working

in us

faith

in the

person and

work

of Jesus

Christ

by the

power

of the

Holy

Spirit

this is

the way

that Paul

decides to

conclude

the formal

part of his

letter to the

Romans

that their

lives would

look

like this

and he's not

suggesting that

their lives don't

already look

like this

that God's not

already accomplishing

this in them

but it's his

prayer that he

will continue

to carry

that out

that that will

continue to go

that cycle

will run

notice in

verse 14

he says

I myself

am satisfied

about you

he's seeing

already this

progression in

their lives

this great

work of God

he's confident

that the work

that God

began in

them will

be completed

back in

Romans chapter

Romans 8 · chapter mention

8

we can see

that he

knows

that the

things that

God begins

he finishes

from the

beginning to

the end

we're secure

in God's

hand

he knows

that this

will take

place

and this

is his

desire

that their

lives

will be

flavored

with joy

and peace

and with

abounding

hope

and it's

my prayer

for us

this day

the

benediction

for you

at the

closing

of this

service

that the

God of

hope

will fill

you

with all

joy

and peace

in believing

so that

by the

power of

the Holy

Spirit

you may

abound

in hope

let's pray

together