“PAUL’S MISSIONARY MOTIVES”

Romans 1:14-16

What is your motive for serving God? More specifically, what motivates you to reach those without Christ? The Apostle Paul lists three principles that motivated him in his missionary endeavors. We find them in Romans 1:14-16.

1. I am obligated - verse 14

I am under obligation both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish . . to preach the Gospel. The apostle considered himself to be indebted to the human race for which his Savior died - indebted to preach the saving grace of God. Everywhere he went, this reality drove him (cf. I Thessalonians 1.)

Personally I don’t like to be in debt. It bugs me when I owe money to people. But beloved, there is one debt we can never repay but we are obligated to pay. Paul said in Romans 13:8, Owe nothing to anyone except to love on another. Love is a debt that we can never repay. We are indebted to our fellow man for a lifetime to love. The highest aspect of love imaginable is to share to Gospel with our fellow man. Jesus provided salvation. We are obligated to preach that salvation.

2. I am eager - verse 15

Thus for my part I am eager to preach the Gospel to you also who are in Rome. The second motive that pushed Paul forward in his service for the Lord was eagerness. He said, “The love of Christ constrains me.” That divine love made the apostle eager and anxious to reach out to others.

I have to continue asking myself, “How eager am I to reach the lost?” We may be giving money to support a missionary, and that is well and good. But personally are you eager to see someone come to Jesus Christ as a result of your ministry? Am I? Sobering, isn’t it?

3. I am not ashamed - verse 16

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes - to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Paul experienced a dramatic life changing experience on the Damascus Road. He suddenly saw himself as he was in God’s eyes. Then he realized who Jesus is and what He had accomplished for him on the cross. This made such an impression on Paul that it changed his whole outlook on life. He said in Romans 6:21 that the kind of life we used to love and boast in we are now ashamed of. That which delivered us from that life, i.e. the Gospel, we are not ashamed of.

Why should we be ashamed to stand up for the grace of God that delivered us from bondage? In the Gospel is the power of God - the dynamic of God to everyone who believes.

So: I am under obligation.

I am eager.

I am not ashamed.

Beloved, let these be our motives in our personal outreach. They worked for Paul They will work for you and me.

Love to you all.