Romans 15: Helping Weaker Members, Ministering to Everyone and Paul’s Future Plans

Here is the lesson plan for tonight in Wednesday evening Bible class. We are almost through with our study on the book of Romans. It is a marvelous study on Christian grace and freedom and our responsibilities to God and each other.

If it can be of use to you, feel free to use it. If you would like the whole series, contact me and I will send it to you.

Romans 15: Helping Weaker Members, Ministering to Everyone and Paul’s Future Plans

One thing the Bible says quite plainly: we have the duty and obligations as fellow-members of the body of Christ to help each other attain heaven. Jesus himself said, in Matthew 18:16, If anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. We have the responsibility to help each other inasmuch as we can.

That does not mean that we necessarily order our lives around the whims and wishes of others. Paul is not talking giving in to another person’s preferences or desires. But it does mean that we help each other. As it says here, even Christ did not please himself. Jesus put aside all that it was his right to have in order to become human and reach out to us. So, as 1 John 3:16 says, we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

Paul is also beginning to wind his book up. This section probably marks the beginning of his personal remarks. The book of Romans was more than likely a circular letter, like 1 John and 1 Peter, one sent to all the churches and used by them all. The way verse 13 is worded shows a break, an ending of his thoughts.
Just as 1:1-16 shows a personal beginning, from verse 14 on is a personal ending. He probably did this for all of the major churches, or at least the ones he was personally acquainted with.

In vv14-22, Paul tells them of his mission to people like them, non-Jewish. He says that he was glad to be able to spend his life among people that were so different from himself and his people, the Jews. He would not teach law or traditions or customs; he would preach Jesus and him crucified. In vv20-22, he says he had not come to them before because of the fact that he always felt his calling was to go to those who had not heard the gospel.

But now he wants to come. The book of Acts with Paul in Rome as a prisoner, so he got the chance to come. We don’t know what happened after that, but at least he got his wish. He had more plans after Rome, but we do not know the outcome. The book of Acts just stops.

QUESTIONS:
1. How much duty do we have in helping others who are weaker than we are? How much do we order our lives around others?

2. Can you cause someone to offend by accident? Is there a difference between irritation and offense? Or between personal preference and biblical mandate?

3. How does Jesus’ example show us how to act? Did Jesus do everything everyone wanted him to do? Did he ever cause someone to stumble? (cf 1 Peter 2:4-8)

4. Does a pastor have more of a responsibility than the regular members?

5. Why do you think an apostle or teacher would write a general book to everyone? Wouldn’t that be kind of arrogant?

6. Does it matter whether or not this book was written to the Romans specifically?

7. Why would God take a man out of his comfort zone, an area that he knew a lot about, and put him into an area about which he knew nothing? Can a person really function like that?

8. Why do you think Paul wanted to go to Rome so badly?

9. He went as a prisoner. Would it have been better if he went as a regular person?

10. Why do you think the book of Acts just stopped? Why not keep on? Do you want to know more? Does it matter?