CrossGroups Connection Guide
Today’s Scripture Focus: Romans 15:4-13
Today we finish up our journey through Romans. Last week, we focused on the beginning of chapter 14, in which Paul warns the “weaker” brothers and sisters (those who kept kosher dietary laws and Jewish religious festivals) not to judge their fellow Christians. In the rest of the chapter, Paul equally warns the “strong”. These are the Christians who are mature enough in their faith to not worry whether certain food or drink is forbidden. With this maturity comes responsibility. The strong must neither flaunt their eating habits, provoking the weak, nor try to convince them to eat non-kosher foods, thus violating their own consciences. Instead, those who eat non-kosher should just do so quietly and privately until the weak grow in their faith.
In the Roman Empire, those with power had access to unlimited pleasure, while the weak existed to please the strong. Paul reverses this in Romans 15. Those strong in faith must not be weak in love. They must not use their strength to seek their own pleasure, but that of their weaker neighbors. This is what Christ did for God (by taking the “insult” of the cross) and the Romans. All the Old Testament (the only scripture the Romans used) pointed to the suffering Christ. Paul’s prayer for the Romans is that Christ, revealed in scripture, would be the means God used to give unity to the various Roman house churches. He’s not interested in conformity and consensus on non-essentials, but unity in purpose and spirit in glorifying God.
15:7-13 conclude not just this appeal for unity, but the body of Romans. Paul has demonstrated decisively in this letter that a) Christ died to save the Jews, proving God’s faithfulness, and b) Christ died to save the Gentiles, proving God’s mercy. Paul summarizes this truth with a list of scripture quotations, proving this was God’s plan all along. In rabbinic style, Paul selects passages from the three major portions of Jewish scripture – the Law (Deuteronomy 32:43 in Romans 15:10), the Prophets (Isaiah 11:10 in Romans 15:12), and the Writings (Psalm 117:1 in Romans 15:11). Paul concludes with a prayer – one that shows that as Jews and Gentiles believe together, rather than fight, they might overflow with joy and peace, rather than sadness and strife.
The balance of Romans makes up a traditional closing to one of Paul’s New Testament letters. Beginning in 15:14 he basically picks up where he left off with the greeting portion of the letter in 1:15. He restates and expands upon his plans to visit Rome, and then travel on to Spain, once he has delivered the offering he has collected to Jerusalem – a project that has taken many years to complete. He asks the Romans to assist him in this plan, diplomatically requesting staff, provisions, and money once he arrives. He recommends they receive Phoebe, possibly the woman delivering the letter to the Romans, and closes with various personal greetings, taking a little longer to do this than in other letters he writes, probably because he hadn’t actually been to Rome.
Romans is a beautiful summary of the power of Christ’s love. We celebrate that love and power on this Easter Sunday.
• Go around the table and share prayer requests. Have someone lead in prayer.
• Let everyone who would like to share anything exciting from their week.
• Did anyone do last week’s assignment? What was the result?
• Ask these three questions. Let as many answer each one as they would like.
1. Paul has a lot to say in Romans 14-15 about observing special days. Why is it good to set aside Easter to celebrate the Resurrection?
2. Is there anything in today’s scripture that especially speaks to you?
3. What questions would you like to ask about today’s scripture?
• Go over this week’s assignment (below). Commit to work on it together.
Today’s Sermon
Key Truths –
• Roman response to Resurrection = love.
• Our response to Resurrection = love.
• God’s response to Christ’s love = glory.
• God’s response to our love = glory.
This Week’s Assignment –
Take ten minutes every day to respond to God’s love by expressing your thanks and praise.
