Our Plans & God’s Will

About this sermon

Introduction: Many of the lasting lessons we learn, we learn retrospectively. Some of the best lessons we can learn, we learn in advance, by listening to wise teachers. But many lessons we eventually learn by listening to the teacher named “experience.” Some of those lessons are hard. Learning by experience happens, not only when we reflect on our own lives, but when we pay attention to the lives of others. Biographies are not just entertaining, or informative, they can also be formative, and enlightening. We can learn something from someone else’s life that helps us to live. When we look back at our own lives, we often recognize that though we might have had some understanding of the principles we now know — back in the days upon which we are reflecting — we certainly did not see as clearly as we see now. That would have been true of the apostle Paul. In Romans 15:22-29, we have the unique opportunity to read of Paul’s ministry plans, with the advantage of knowing how they turned out. When we hear his plans and we compare it with what happened, we learn some things about our own lives, and our own plans. The Spirit of God preserved Paul’s plans for a reason. He means for us to learn something from it. One of the things we learn is how to think rightly about what it is that we desire to do, what we think we will do, what we plan to do, and how that often relates to what it is that God has destined us to do. ESV Proverbs 16:9 The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. This morning we look at four lessons about how our plans are subject to the will of God. • GODLY PEOPLE MAKE SUBMISSIVE PLANS (vs.22-24) We are not told when Paul’s vision turned in the direction of Rome. The book of Acts gives us at least one instance, when plans formed in his mind. After a chaotic but fruitful ministry in Ephesus, Paul turned his gaze to Rome. ESV Acts 19:21 Now after these events Paul resolved in the Spirit to pass through Macedonia and Achaia and go to Jerusalem, saying, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome." But our text indicates that not only has there been a desire to make his way to Rome, but there have also been plans to do. Perhaps even attempts to do so. And this desire and effort has been FOR YEARS (vs.23). Yet, at the time he writes this letter, he has been “hindered” or “prevented.” It is a passive voice form of the verb ἐγκόπτω. Circumstances outside of Paul have meant that he was not able to get to Rome. Paul has planned to make his way to Rome, but those plans have been submitted to the will of God. He has submitted those plans to God’s will in two ways. • SUBMISSIVE TO GOD’S EXPRESSED WILL (Paul’s calling) “This is the reason.” “What is the reason, Paul?” The reason he expressed in verses 18-20. His calling has explained his delays in getting to Rome. Paul is called to a pioneering ministry that focuses on Gentiles. This was made plain to him early on in his ministry. It was established at the time of his conversion. ESV Acts 9:13 But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name." 15 But the Lord said to him, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. ESV Galatians 2:6 And from those who seemed to be influential (what they were makes no difference to me; God shows no partiality)-- those, I say, who seemed influential added nothing to me. 7 On the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been entrusted with the gospel to the circumcised 8 (for he who worked through Peter for his apostolic ministry to the circumcised worked also through me for mine to the Gentiles), 9 and when James and Cephas and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. AND IT IS THAT WORK THAT HAS NOT YET RELEASED HIM TO GET TO ROME. What has Paul been doing? He has been preaching the gospel in areas where no churches have been planted. He has been winning people to Christ. He has been planting churches. He has been strengthening those churches. SOMEONE ELSE HAS TAKEN THE GOSPEL TO ROME. It would not represent the same kind of work for Paul.