Proud of My Work for God | Jason Ricafranca | Romans 15:14-21
Is there someone in your life where you’ve posed the thought, “I can’t imagine where I’d be if it weren’t for you”? I sometimes think of impactful teachers, pastors, friends, and especially my wife when I think about how I would answer this question.
There’s something special about having someone so impactful in our lives that we can’t even begin to imagine what our life may look like today without their involvement.
This Sunday we’re continuing our slow wind-down of the final couple chapters in the book of Romans. In Romans 15, the Apostle Paul shares about the specific calling he has received in life that was tied to the grace that was shown him by Jesus. Because of the grace of God that brought Paul to faith in Christ, Paul found his calling to minister, evangelize, and share the good news to people from all over the world!
I can’t imagine what my life would have looked like if God hadn’t used loved ones and friends to not only share the gospel, but disciple me in my faith growing up as a young man (and even today)! My hope and prayer is that this Sunday, as we dive into Romans 15, that we are reminded of the salvation we have received from Christ and feel compelled to share this good news to others around us!
Looking forward to hearing about your Thanksgiving holiday and opening up the word with you all this weekend!
Blessings!
- Pastor Jason
Romans 15:14-21
14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers,[a] that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. 15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God 16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. 17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God. 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.”