Romans 1:8-12

Sunday Morning:  November 14, 2004

Text: Romans 1:8-16

PAUL AND THE WORLD HEARD

Romans 1:8-9  "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. 9. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing (as a persistent cough] I make mention of you always in my prayers;"

FAITH OF THESSALONICA

1 Thessalonians 1:8  For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

FAITH OF EPHESUS

Ephesians 1:15-16  "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16. Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers;"

FAITH OF COLOSSI

Colossians 1:3-4  "We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 4. Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,"

FAITH

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

FAITH PLEASES GOD

Hebrews 11:6  "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

EVIDENCE OF FAITH

Matthew 6:33  "But seek [present active] ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

A WORTHY WALK

1 Thessalonians 2:12  "That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory."

WELL PLEASING

Ephesians 5:10  "Proving what is acceptable [well pleasing] unto the Lord."

WELL PLEASING UNTO GOD

Romans 12:1-2  "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable [well pleasing] unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable [well pleasing], and perfect, will of God."

AMBITIOUS TO PLEASE

2 Corinthians 5:9  "Wherefore we labour [ambitious], that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted [well pleasing] of him."

SERVED WITH SPIRIT

Romans 1:9  "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;"

LABORED MORE ABUNDANTLY

1 Corinthians 15:10  "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

A FERVENT SPIRIT

Romans 12:11-13  "Not slothful [slow, lazy, delay] in business [zeal, press, speed]; fervent [to seethe, boil, bubble] in spirit; serving the Lord; 12. Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13. Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality."

APOLLOS WAS FERVENT

Acts 18:25  "This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, . . ."

DELAYED FOR A PURPOSE, ROMANS

Romans 1:10  "Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you."

HINDERED FOR A PURPOSE

1 Thessalonians 2:18  "Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us."

SOME SPIRITUAL GIFT

Romans 1:11-12  "For I long to see you, that I may impart [bring forth, offer ] unto you some spiritual gift (not plural), to the end ye may be established; 12. That is, that I may be comforted [exhort] together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me."

DIFFERENT GIFTS

1 Corinthians 12:4  "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit."

GIFTS GIVEN BY THE HOLY SPIRIT

1 Corinthians 12:7-11  "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every (saved) man to profit withal. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

PASTOR TEACHER

Ephesians 4:11-12  "And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:"

ESTABLISHED

Ephesians 4:14  "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;"

GIFT GIVEN BY TEACHING

1 Timothy 4:14  "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by [through] prophecy (teaching), with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery (a body of elders)."

SOME SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Romans 12:6-8  "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7. Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8. Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness."

GIFT OF TEACHING

1 Peter 4:10-11  "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."