Chapter 15                    

Romans: -1- -2- -3- -4- -5- -6- -7- -8- -9- -10- -11- -12- -13- -14- -15- -16- 
  15: 1 • Now, we who are strong are committed to carrying the doubts and hesitations of those less able and not to please ourselves. 2 Let each of us please his neighbor into good towards the act of constructing [the house of God]. 3 For even Christ did not seek to please Himself, as it is written: “The reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen upon Me” (Psalm 69:9). 4 Whatever is written was all written for our instruction, so that through our steadfastness and through the summons and encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope. • 5 Now, may the God of steadfastness and encouragement give you to be of the same heart-gut thinking with one another down to the finest details of Christ Jesus. 6 So that, having the same desire and with one mouth, you might glorify the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. • 7 Therefore receive one another [interactively be part of one another’s lives with strong personal interest] in exactly the same way that Christ received you into the glory of God.

8 For I say that Christ became a servant of circumcision for the truth of God, in order to confirm the promises given to the fathers 9 and to all the ethnic families, for the sake of mercy, to glorify God. As it is written: “Through this I will acknowledge You and speak Your same word among all the ethnic families, and to Your name I will sing” (2 Samuel 22:50). 10 And again it says: “Rejoice, you many ethnic families together with His people” {Deuteronomy 32:43). 11 And again: “Praise the Lord, all ethnic families; and praise Him, all the peoples” (Psalm 117:1). 12  And again, Isaiah says: “There will be from the root of Jesse One arising to be the source and chief of all the ethnic families; in Him the many ethnic families will hope” (Isaiah 11:1 & 10). • 13 And may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace inside of believing; that you might abound inside of hope inside of the power of Spirit Devoted.

14 I am persuaded now for myself concerning you, my brothers and sisters, that you also are full of goodness. Since you are filled with all knowledge {the knowledge of God and of Jesus Sent – John 17:3}, you are able also to establish such knowing in one another’s minds. 15 I have written more boldly to you, to bring these things to your remembrance, through the grace given to me by God 16 that I might be an official servant of Christ Jesus to the many ethnic families, to minister in the devotion of the Gospel of God, so that the offering of all ethnic families might be well-pleasing, they having been made devoted inside of the Devoted Spirit. 17 Therefore I boast inside of Christ Jesus in those things that connect with God. 18 For I will not speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me into the many ethnic families submitting to the hearing of word 19 as He has worked inside the power of signs and wonders, inside the power of the Spirit of God.  And as for me, that I might fully proclaim the good news of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum. 20 Thus I am now ambitious to preach the gospel where Christ has not been named, so that I might not build upon another’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: “Those to whom it was not proclaimed concerning Him, they will see; and those that have not heard will understand” (Isaiah 52:15).

22 I have been hindered many times in wanting to come to you. 23 But now, because I no longer have a place in these regions, and have had a great desire for many years to come to you, 24 on my way to Spain, I hope to see you in my passage, and to be equipped by you there, so that I might be filled full by you before continuing. 25 I am going to Jerusalem first, however, to minister to the devoted ones. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to share with the poor among the devoted ones in Jerusalem. 27 For they were delighted to do so as debtors to them, for if the different ethnic families have shared in the spiritual things, they are also committed to minister the material things to them. 28 Having finished and sealed to them this fruit, I will set off through you into Spain. 29 I know now that in coming to you, I will come in the fullness of the good-speaking of Christ.

30 I encourage you now, brothers and sisters, through our Lord, Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers for me towards God, 31 so that I might be delivered from those in Judea who refuse to be persuaded, and so that my service in Jerusalem might be well-received by the devoted ones. 32 Then, when I come to you in joy, through God’s desire, I will enjoy the rest of Christ together with you. 33 And the God of peace be with all of you. Let it be so; it is so.
 		  
 
Gospel Comments Notes
• Ruling Verse 8: We carry one another’s great weight of value (see Galatians 6:2) inside our own hearts into God. Regardless of any clash or difference of ways, we bear any reproach ourselves, just as Jesus does for us, that our brethren might know that God dwells inside of them.

• Speak Christ: As brethren together, we share the same heart-gut thinking that is the Lord Jesus now part of the fabric of our lives. We share the same desire together, that God dwells among us as Love, that our Father would be at Home in our midst. Thus we speak Christ our life together into Glory.

• The Form for God through Jesus: To receive one another just as Jesus receives us is to be part of one another’s lives with strong personal interest, the practicality of Love. Putting Jesus upon ourselves gives us everything; receiving one another costs us everything. Yet this is how God lives, this is where God dwells; receiving one another is God coming through, it is Father at Home. Our love for one another is the Father’s greatest work, that is, Glory.

• Ruling Verse 3: As we put Jesus upon ourselves, as we receive one another, so God comes through into our world as Rivers, as the power of Spirit Devoted, God manifest in the flesh.