RESURRECTION PEOPLE: People of Puprose (Romans 15:14-33) Major Lindsay Rowe

INTRODUCTION

     Last week I suggested that the best definition of Christianity I knew is that Christians are resurrection people. I also suggested that it would take several weeks to put together a personality profile of such people.

     What do resurrection people look like, how do they think, how do they behave? What are their outstanding character traits? We began by saying that resurrection people are people of power. They have resurrection power available to them from the inside because the Holy Spirit is within them generating the dynamic power they need, not just power to survive, but power to thrive as they live the Christian life.

     This morning I want you to understand that that power is not given to us for our own personal enjoyment and fulfillment only, in fact, as wonderful as they are, these benefits are merely peripheral. They are the natural overflow of a life lived for the purposes of God.

     God's power is given to us for a specific purpose. Acts 1:8 makes that very clear. There is the promise; "You shall receive power." But hot on the heels of the promise you will find the purpose, "and you will be my witnesses."

     Friends, we have a veritable epidemic of people who are claiming the power, but who lack any sense of purpose in their lives. They think the power is merely for them, for their personal enjoyment. The truth is that the power is given so that you can fulfill the purposes of God in your life.

     Resurrection people are people of purpose. They know that they are saved to serve, and they know where and how they are to serve.

     In his book The Purpose Driven Church, Rick Warren, says that every church is driven by something and that it is a good idea for each church to find out what its purpose for existence is and be driven by that purpose. I'd like to suggest to you that every Christian is driven by something and if life is to have meaning and fulfillment then we need to discover what it is that's driving us. You might be shocked to discover what that is. It may drive you to your knees in repentance to God. Because beyond the reality that God has a specific purpose for every Christian to fulfill, there is also the painful reality that we are more often driven by our own selfish desires and aspirations than we are by the purposes of God for our lives. We need to deal with that and we need to get our lives on track with the purposes of God for our being here on this earth and at this time in his economy.

     I want to pull three things from our scripture reading for this morning and hold them up before you as good advice for people who need to discover and commit themselves to becoming people of purpose.

     Our mentor for such an approach to life will be the apostle Paul. We can learn a great deal from a man who, at the end of his life could boldly declare, "I have finished the race." In his thinking, Paul had done what God had called him to do. He was able to declare, confidently yet humbly, "There is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day" (2 Tim.4:7,8).

     Now there is absolutely no indication that Paul didn't continue to struggle with the same issues that daily haunt you and me. But he did have a clear perception of why God had saved him and called him into ministry. He knew how to manage his life and ministry so that he would end the race with a winning attitude. He knew how everything he did fit into the purposes of God for his life. What was his secret to walking into the purposes of God?

PERSPECTIVE

     Paul kept things in perspective in his life. He did this by developing an appreciation for where he had been, where he was, and where he was going. In other words he knew what he had accomplished, what he was presently doing, and what he still needed to do in the future.

1. Where he had been.
Paul's list of accomplishments through the power of God and the Holy Spirit is rather significant (vv.18,19). Gentiles, all the way from Jerusalem to Illyricum, had come to Christ through what he had said and done. In fact, he said there wasn't any more work for him to do in these regions (v.23).

2. Where he was.
There was no doubt in Paul's mind about what God wanted him to be doing in the now (vv.25,26). You can't live in your past. You can't rest on your past accomplishments. When the going gets tough and you need encouragement its okay to read those appreciation letters and congratulation cards you've tucked away for rainy day comfort, but don't spend too much time there. Look to the past for perspective, but don't live there. If you do, you may never get to the assignment that God needs you to complete in the present.

People of purpose have come to grips with the past, they don't live for the echo of its accolades and they don't dwell on the misery of its pain. It takes some effort and we sometimes need help but the past is behind us we must get over it and get on with it. Get over its hurt and get on with its healing, and find the purposes of God for your NOW. Go to your memory file, recharge your batteries from the affirmation you find there, then walk into the purposes of God for today.

3. Where he was going.
While you are completing your present task, seek the mind of God about what he wants you to do next.

Paul's report on what he had done and is doing has woven throughout it his plans for the future. He planned to go to Spain and hoped to visit the Roman believers on the way (vv.23-29). He looked forward to their assistance and fellowship. In the immediate future, however, he was en route to Jerusalem.

     Your future might look more attractive than your present. What you are doing now might seem rather painful and negative. That's the way it was for Paul. Be careful you don't start living in the future so much that you can't complete your present assignment. As you plan for the future, make sure you leave GOD ROOM. Make sure you are reaching high enough that it will take God's involvement to accomplish your goals. But make sure that they are realistic and reachable.

DISCIPLINE

     Paul not only maintained perspective on his life and ministry, he also found a way to maintain discipline to achieve the purposes of God in his life. He established a purpose, goal statements, and a list of measurable objectives.

a. Purpose Statement
Paul's purpose statement is actually borrowed from Isa. 52:15 (cf.v.21). Can you state your purpose as clearly as Paul did? If you don't know what it is you will have a hard time staying motivated and disciplined in your life.

My mission statement: My mission is to bring glory to God by developing the potential he has placed within me, to help others recognize and realize their full potential in Christ, to equip and encourage others who are called to leadership, and to empower those who already are leaders.

b. Goal statements
Having identified his purpose, Paul then broke it down into goal statements. He wanted to preach where Christ was not known (v.20). He wanted to help new Christians to grow, so that he could advance God's kingdom. He knew their needs and wanted to be there for them.

Here are some of his goals: He wanted to reach the unreached, to equip new believers, and to see Christians working together in harmony and mutual respect and support.

c. Measurable objectives
To help him realize his goals Paul had measurable objectives. They were precise enough that when they were completed he could check them off as having been done.

(1)	Equip leaders to be able to do the work of the ministry. Write a letter to accomplish this (vv.14,15). As soon as he sent the letter he could check off that objective.
(2)	Saturate one area with the gospel before reaching out to another (v.19). Since that was finished he set his sights on Spain (vv.23,24). When he arrived in Spain he could check that one off.
(3)	Reach Spain until there was a church there. Once established, that objective could be checked off.
(4)	Deliver the famine relief to Jerusalem (vv.25,26). Again, check it off when he arrived with the money.
(5)	Be delivered from unbelievers in Judea (v.31). When he left Judea alive he could mark that one off.
(6)	Visit Rome and get assistance from the church to go to Spain (v.24).

When these were accomplished he could check them off.

     I have a vision for our corps. I believe it's a God-given vision. It's a bold vision. It has lots of GOD ROOM for we will never realize this vision without God. The vision is a little fuzzy because we need to clarify our mission. Thank God there are men and women who are now helping with that project. When each unit has clarified its mission, we will then need to set some goals. I want to ask each unit, "What do you want to accomplish for God this year?" Then I want to ask, "How will you do that?" Sounds simple enough, but to do that you need a sense of mission, you need a goal, and you need to know how you will reach your goal.

     This approach to ministry is not only biblical and organized, it will actually revolutionize every group and every person who tries it. Why? Because it brings such affirmation and fulfillment to know that you are walking in the purposes of God and that your group is doing what the living God would have it do. That brings us to the final ingredient.

SPIRITUAL DYNAMIC

     The apostle Paul knew how to maintain spiritual dynamic, or passion, in his life and work. How can you and I do it?

(1)	Make sure that what you do is biblical. Paul used scripture to state his purpose (v.21). What he was seeking to do grew out of the Old Testament promise. Ask yourself, what biblical reason do I have for doing this? You will find inner strength from God if what you do has a biblical foundation.
(2)	Make sure that what you do is prayerfully undergirded. Paul pleaded for his brothers to join his prayer struggle (v.30). He knew that prayer support was crucial to accomplishing his task. Ask yourself, have I prayed over this matter enough? Do I have prayer support from other believers to expect God's blessing. Lynette and I are so appreciative of the prayer support for our ministry. Let me invite you again to attend the various prayer meetings and bible studies to seek the mind of God and get in on his purposes for our corps. We are especially moved by the Saturday morning prayer breakfasts. Plan to join us every Saturday morning at 8:30 am. The men meet in the boardroom and the ladies meet at the quarters. God is really moving in our midst. We are a people of purpose. It is so exciting to catch a vision of what God wants to do for this corps! Plan to be a part of the team as we explore the mind of God for our corps.
(3)	You must be a team player. Paul knew that he could not do what needed to be done without the help of others. "Join me," he asked (v.30). He wanted to be refreshed in their company (v.32). Look at the list of the names of people who helped him (Rom.16). They were part of his team. They were important to him and his work. His network of helper included men and women, older and younger Christians, and representatives from other cultures. On our welcome Sunday we informed you that we are committed to a team approach to leadership and ministry. We have done our best to model this approach in the past three years. It is our desire to be among you as fellow servants, but servants who sense the purposes of God in all that we do. Mutual respect, confidence, and dependence between all parts of the corps are absolutely essential.

CONCLUSION

     Paul worked deliberately. It is clear that he knew what he had been and what he had done. He knew where he was and where he was going. He had a strong motivating mission or purpose. He had clear goal as he moved from place to place. And he worked hard to complete the tasks and objectives to enable him to reach his goals. No wonder he could say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim.4:7).

     We are resurrection people. Resurrection people are people of power. Resurrection power is for a purpose, the purposes of God in our lives. Once we know what they are, it is up to us to get organized to fulfill them.

     That's our goal for this year. It can be your goal personally as well, to get to know, and to determine to fulfill the purposes of God for your life.


Sources:
The NIV Commentary on Romans
Life Application Commentary on Romans
"If Paul got organized to reach his objectives, so can you" by Lud Golz Team Leadership in Christian Education by Kenneth O. Gangel

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