To the Ends of the Earth (Romans 15:23–24)

But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.
– Romans 15:23–24

So this is Paul describing why he wrote the book of Romans, the letter to the Church at Rome. He says, “There’s no more work for me to do in these regions,” which means all the places he’s been traveling, where he has been sharing the gospel and planting churches.

Romans 15:23–24 shows us Paul’s mission-minded trajectory.

But I want you to think about that statement with me for a second. No more work to do in those regions. He’s writing this letter from the city of Corinth, which was a totally messed-up place.

There was such a great need for more gospel work to happen in Corinth. So how can Paul say there’s no more work for me to do here? Or in all these other places where he had been and cities where he’d planted a church? But that’s the point. Paul is saying, by God’s grace, the gospel has come to these cities. There are Christians in these cities. Now there are churches in these cities, and I’m coming to you because I need help from you to keep going to Spain.

Why Spain? Because they had never heard the gospel in Spain. Because there were no Christians and no churches in Spain. And the command of Jesus for His Church is to keep pressing on in making disciples until all the nations, until all the peoples, all the tribes, all the languages have been reached with the gospel. Which means the Church’s mission is not finished while there are still more places that haven’t heard the gospel.

And this is why we pray for unreached people all the time on this podcast. This is why I would say biblically to every follower of Jesus, you have a part to play in spreading the gospel to all the nations. And as soon as I say that, people always think, “Well, what about the needs here?” Isn’t there a need for the gospel in, fill in the blank, whatever place you live? The answer is, of course, there is. And praise God, you’re there right now. And there are other followers of Jesus there right now. There are likely churches where you are right now that can share the gospel with people.

Romans 15:23–24 reminds us to embrace our role in God’s global mission.

And so yes, there’s work in that sense to be done there. At the same time as the Church together, we have a responsibility to keep pressing on to places where the gospel hasn’t gone. Which means some people, like Paul, need to move to those places.

But not everybody. Paul’s not writing this letter to the Church at Rome, saying, “Everybody needs to pack their bags and go to Spain”. But some people do. And even if they’re not moving there, Paul’s saying, “I need you to help me on my journey there”. So the Church at Rome had a responsibility to help Paul get the gospel where it hadn’t gone. This is specifically with their financial resources. That’s what he goes on to talk about in the rest of Romans 15.

So this is where, okay, every single one of us has a part to play in reaching the nations with the gospel. First with our praying. It’s what we do on the podcast. And to believe God is using our lives as we pray for the spread of the gospel to all the nations. Prayer actually matters. God responds to the prayers of His People. So we’re praying.

Then look at your resources. How can you give to help the gospel go to places where it hasn’t gone yet? And then, where is God calling you to live? This is one of the things, the phrase I often use is, let’s make disciples of the nations starting right where we live. So wherever any one of us lives right now, yes, God’s called us to make the gospel known there.

This text calls us to be global-minded Christians

And God, wherever You lead us, God help us to make disciples of the nations wherever You lead us. And who knows, only God knows where God will lead us, where He will direct us to make disciples among the nations, whether it’s on short-term trips, whether it’s going for a week or two, or a month or two, or a year or two, or maybe packing our bags and moving permanently to another place. But that’s where every one of us, as followers of Jesus, has to be open.

That’s what it means for Him to be the Lord of our lives. We should be open to however and wherever He wants to use us to make disciples of the nations.

So God, we pray in light of Romans 15, lead us. Guide us, direct our lives. Use our praying, use our money, use our gifts, use our talents, our time, and use our future. Cause our plans and dreams revolve around however, wherever we can most faithfully make disciples of the nations, starting right where we live. God, we pray You would help us to faithfully share the gospel. Help us lead people to life in You, encourage others in their lives in You, wherever You have us living right now and wherever You may lead us in the future.

A Prayer for gospel workers

God, I just pray over every single person, every age and stage of life, who’s listening to this right now. Direct their steps in the days to come and use them far beyond what they could ever ask or imagine for the spread of Your glory among the nations, specifically for the spread of Your glory through their praying, their giving, or their going. However You lead them among people who’ve never heard the gospel. I pray that You would send out Pauls from those who are praying right now to take the gospel where it’s never gone. Raise up people just like You did in the Church of Rome to help the Pauls get there.

We pray for your blessing on all those who are working in those places right now who are listening to this. God, please give them success in what they’re doing. We pray for our brothers and sisters around the world who are working in hard-to-reach unreached places. Oh God, help us as Your Church to play the part You’re calling us to play in making Your grace known in all the world. God, help us to live for this and die for this. In Jesus’ Name we pray. Amen.