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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
May 13
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Today's Pathway:
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Paul is continuing to discuss his ministry to the Gentiles. In verse 17 he speaks of "glory". The word means "to rejoice" or "to boast". Because he has seen Gentiles come to Christ through his preaching of the Gospel, he rejoices in what God has done through him. Please note that Paul is not boasting about what great things he has done. He glories "through Jesus Christ". He recognizes that anything that has been accomplished has been done by the power and grace of God. In II Corinthians 10:17 Paul wrote,
"But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."
God deserves all the praise for any spiritual works that are accomplished. It is true that He uses men to do His will, but it is not the men that are doing it - it is God. Paul goes so far in verse 18 as to say that he didn't have the boldness to talk about anything except what Christ had done. In Acts 21:19, when he went to Jerusalem and spoke to James,
"he declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry".
Henry Morris wrote,
"Paul will glory only in what Christ has done through him. He is sure that Christ has done great things through him, and he is glad that he can draw attention to those things. But he is not trying to attract adulation. It is what Christ has done that is his theme."
What Christ had accomplished through Paul was that the Gentiles had become obedient to the Word of God. The last phrase of verse 18 has been interpreted two ways, either one of which could be correct. It could be that Paul was able to see Gentiles get saved because of his words and deeds, or it could mean that the Gentiles became obedient to the Lord in their words and deeds. Both should be true statements. We as Christians ought to be speaking and living in such a way that we would point the lost to Christ. And when they do get saved, their words and deeds should show that they have truly become new creatures in Christ.
In verse 19 Paul reiterates why God deserves the glory. Paul did some amazing things during his ministry. Acts 19:11-12 tells us that
"God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them."
Yet the truth is that he was only the vessel: God did those signs and wonders. Paul's preaching was empowered by the Holy Spirit. Paul declared this in I Corinthians 2:4,
"And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power."
Because of what God had done for him, Paul was able to preach the Gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum. Illyricum was a Roman province in the area of modern day Bosnia, Albania, and Croatia. William Newell described Paul's Gospel journey this way:
"Between Jerusalem and Illyricum lay the province of Syria, with its spiritual capital Antioch; and next to it Cilicia, with its great center Tarsus, Paul's own home. The next province was Pamphylia with Perga and Attalia; and above that Pisidia; then Lycaonia, and above that the great and difficult Galatia with the churches Paul founded there. Next was Asia (Turkey), centered at Ephesus, of course, and the mighty work there; then at Troas across the Aegean came the call from Macedonia, and its cities Philippi, Berea and Thessalonica, the saints of which lay so close to the apostle's heart. Then Achaia, centered at Corinth, whence he wrote this present letter to the Romans, and finally we arrive at Illyricum."
Paul accomplished spectacular things for God. People were saved and churches were started. But all the glory belonged to the Lord. If you and I are enabled by God to serve Him in way that allows us to achieve great things, let's remember that it was all done by His grace and power, and point all praise towards Him.
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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