LESSON 1:
Paul's prayers, sprinkled
throughout his fourteen epistles, have been subjects of study
for many years. I think, outside of our Lord himself, no one
ever prayed any greater prayers than did this man of God.
Seldom if ever does he ask for
anything for himself. Always he seems to pray for others. He is
an intercessor, if one ever lived! And when he pleads with the
Lord, even for those saved under his ministry, he asks that they
grow in love and knowledge and zeal and discernment, all in
relation to their Lord!
But today, in this short
paragraph, Paul does ask for something! Something for himself!
Not directly mind you, but through others, through the
Christians at Rome.
This is what he says.
"Now
I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and
for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in
your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from
them that do not believe in Judaea; and that my service which
I have for Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints; that I
may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you
be refreshed." Romans 15:30-32
Some of these needs are practical.
Others are more spiritual.
"That I may come to you with joy,"
partly anyway, is a request for safety in travel.
That the Romans
then, once Paul arrives, "may be
refreshed" is more spiritual in nature.
Once these prayer
"parts" have been studied one by one, we shall, the Lord
willing, put them all back together as a "whole unit," thereby
seeing the beauty of this elongated "prayer request."
A divinely
inspired "prayer request," too.
And again, once
this is done, we should be able to better pray for the
God-called Preachers of our land!
To pray for our
Pastors!
To pray for the
radio Preachers!
Or the Preachers
whose printed sermons have been such sources of blessing to us!
Praying for
Preachers!
Maybe even, and I
hope I'm not being "selfish" here, praying for traveling
Preachers too!
That's certainly
what Paul was by this time in his life, an evangelist carrying
God's Word near and far.
Today we study
just that opening word, "beseech." It's the first word in the
Greek Text, the Textus Receptus, the manuscript that gave us the
King James Bible. This fact alone gives it great importance,
great emphasis.
And "beseech" or
"parakaleo" is not expressed here as a command! That is a bit
surprising.
Paul is not
demanding that folks pray for him.
He is asking
them to do so.
"Parakaleo" means
"to encourage" someone to do something. "To urge" them to follow
a course of action. "To request" it. Even at times, "to beg"
their assistance.
As you probably
already know, the verb literally means "to come alongside" a
person, in order to help him with a task or uplift her spirit,
whatever the most urgent need might be. "Kaleo" is "to call or
summon" in Greek. And "para," a preposition as well as a prefix
here, means "beside" someone.
Paul wants
someone, really a group of people, "to snuggle up beside him"
and walk with him and uplift him ... in prayer ...
concerning several pressing needs!
We can only hope
that numbers of Roman Christians did just that!
Praying for Paul,
what an honor!
Praying for that
Preacher you love and respect, that feeds you God's Word every
Sunday, that's a privilege too!
Many today, many
of God's choice men, are fighting the devil as never before! The
war is on!
Others are
wounded in battle!
Discouraged.
Some have even
quit, temporarily we hope!
They need
helpers!
Prayer helpers!
Someone like
"Timothy" or "Titus" or "Aquilla" or "Priscilla" to stand by
their sides and pray, pray, pray!
I, for one, want
to be such an intercessor!
For the men of
God!
Who will join me?
You can make a
different in your Preacher's life!
Primarily because
of this one fact, God answers prayer!
Yes He does.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 2, THE
REST OF VERSE 30:
Paul just asked the Romans to
pray for him. And he named at least four items for their prayer
lists, too.
Here they are:
1. Safety from lost, ungodly
men.
2. Acceptance of his "love
offering" by the poor saints in Jerusalem.
3. A successful trip to Rome.
4. And "refreshment" from the
Lord, once he arrived in the capital city.
We will, the Lord willing,
analyze these one by one, starting tomorrow. Romans 15:30-32
lists these in word-for-word detail.
Meanwhile, today, Paul gives
two reasons why such prayers should be offered. And these
reasons are highly spiritual, too.
"Now
I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and
for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in
your prayers to God for me." Romans 15:30
Paul's welfare,
his continuation in the ministry, benefits both the Lord Jesus
Christ and the good Holy Spirit of God.
So, pleading the
aid of God the Son and God the
Spirit, Paul carefully builds his "prayer list!"
Everything he is
about to request, all four desires, are for Jesus'
sake!
I am afraid that
some of my requests might be less nobly motivated! Maybe "for
Brother Bagwell's sake?"
How about you?
The preposition
"for" is merely "dia," which, when followed by a genitive
object, means "through." It is "the Lord and the things He owns"
that propel Paul to enlist these prayer helpers.
"For the Lord
Jesus Christ's sake."
Also, "for the
love of the Spirit." In other words, if Paul can immediately get
to Jerusalem, then later to Rome, the Holy Spirit and His
"fruit," especially His "love," will be greatly spread!
Or maybe this.
Paul is suggesting that anyone who loves the Holy Spirit will
want to pray for the Apostle, because Paul is indeed the "Holy
Spirit and His power" preacher! "And
my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of
man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power."
1st Corinthians 2:4
These two prayer
motives,
"for the Lord Jesus
Christ's sake, and for the love of the Spirit,"
are far superior to most praying done today.
These give
praying "in Jesus' Name" deeper meaning, for sure!
"Now
I beseech you, brethren, for the Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and
for the love of the Spirit, that ye strive together with me in
your prayers to God for me." Romans 15:30
Paul next adds a
verb to describe this prayer "action" he is seeking.
"Strive together"
with me in your prayers!
"Sunagonizomai"
fuses a preposition, "sun," and a verb that initially comes from
the noun for "agony!" Literally, "to be in agony" as you pray!
To pray earnestly! Vigorously! As if at war! As if in a contest
against evil!
Powerful word
picture here!
Prayer, real
prayer, is not always easy! Or effortless!
It can be
"agonizing!"
The noun for
"prayers" is interesting, too.
"Proseuche" means
"to express a wish," meaning a "desire" or "prayer," but in the
"face" of God or "presence" of God Himself! "Pros" means right
"before" someone. And "euchomai" means "to express that desire."
Going to God,
boldly, with your needs and desires and longings!
And Paul,
uncharacteristically so, adds "for me!"
Pray "for me!"
"For" is a
translation of "huper," a preposition meaning "on behalf of."
For Paul's sake, too!
We have just had
a short lesson revealing Paul's "theology" of prayer! Especially
intercessory prayer, praying for others.
Now, next, we go
to item number one on his wish list, a sanctified wish list I
might add.
Obviously, it has
nothing to do with a new chariot or a fresh toga or an elaborate
headquarters building, but safety to keep
on preaching God's precious Word!
What a man of
God, the Apostle Paul!
He "teaches,"
even as he "prays!"
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
May we be
effective learners.
LESSON 3,
PAUL'S FIRST PRAYER REQUEST:
Paul the Apostle at times seems
to be absolutely unconcerned about his own safety!
Bold as a lion!
For example, in that
silversmiths' riot at Ephesus in Acts 19, a huge crowd worked
into a frenzy, Paul wanted to enter the meeting hall and speak!
Almost a sure death for him! But Luke tells us:
"And
when Paul would have entered in unto the people, the disciples
suffered him not." Acts 19:30 shows us how Paul actually
had to be restrained!
And at Lystra,
after having been stoned, watch what happens!
"And
there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium,
who persuaded the people, and, having stoned Paul, drew him
out of the city, supposing he had been dead. Howbeit, as the
disciples stood round about him, he rose up, and came into the
city ...." Acts 14:19-20, where Paul goes right back into
the place, a deadly place at that!
Again I say,
brave and fearless Paul!
It's hard to
scare a man who lives for Heaven!
"For
I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart,
and to be with Christ; which is far better." Paul in
Philippians 1:23
But, Paul also at
times seemed to want to stay on earth a while longer and serve
the Lord!
Look at what he
wrote in the very next verse, Philippians 1:24!
"Nevertheless
to abide in the flesh is more needful for you."
For you Philippians, he's really
saying.
Therefore, we
find at least twice where Paul asks folks to pray for his
safety! In order to continue serving his dear Lord!
Here's 2nd
Thessalonians 3:2. "Finally, brethren pray
for us ... that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked
men."
Very plain!
And our Text
today.
"Now
I beseech you, brethren, that ye strive together with me in
your prayers to God for me; that I may be delivered from
them that do not believe in Judaea." Romans 15:30-31
See that last
clause?
"That I may be
delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea."
Romans 15:31
That's asking for
prayer ... for safety!
The verb "may be
delivered" is "ruomai" in Greek, meaning "to be rescued!" It is
thought to be built upon the "reo" root, a verb picturing a
rapidly flowing, wild, raging river! Someone being suddenly
extracted from such danger! Pulled to safety!
The subjunctive
mood of "ruomai" here expresses Paul's strong "desire or wish or
longing" to remain alive and preach the precious Word of God!
"From," the
preposition preceding the pronoun "them," is "apo." It means
"away from" or "far off from." It speaks of "separation," for
sure!
And these wicked
men, what about them?
They "do not
believe." Spelled "apeitheo," the word literally means "not
persuadable!" They at least have rejected Christ as their
Saviour! But possibly more is indicated, "apeotheo" can also
imply "stubborn, rebellious, disobedient!"
They meant to
"harm" Paul!
Here is a typical
example. "But
the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the
chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and
Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts."
Acts 15:30
Such malicious
treatment happened to Paul again and again!
From these
God-haters, Paul seeks deliverance!
That's what he is
asking the Romans to pray for him,
"That I may be
delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea."
Romans 15:31
But why Judea
specifically, the area in which Jerusalem itself is located?
Because that's
where Paul is headed!
To serve the
Lord!
But, to be fully
truthful, the Lord had already told Paul to "stay out" of
Jerusalem. To go preach to the Gentiles!
Jesus' very
words: "Make
haste, and get thee quickly out of Jerusalem: for they will not
receive thy testimony concerning me." Acts 22:18
But Paul returns
anyway!
He was that
passionate about seeing Jews get saved!
Into the jaws of
death he traveled!
More can be
added, but at least we have seen how Paul was going into a
dangerous situation.
And that he
sensed that peril, very acutely!
And he sought the
prayers of God's people everywhere.
Prayers for
protection!
"Finally, brethren pray for us ... that we may be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked men."
That leads me to
this application today.
Do you pray for
your Preacher?
It is likely that
there are some folks who do not like him,
especially preaching as he does! Straight from the Bible!
Some might want
to hurt his ministry.
Others just might
want him to leave the Church. Maybe they have
another person in mind, to fill that pulpit!
Others could be
angry at him for some personal reason, real or imagined.
And the devil, if
he is on the job, is always looking for men and women to "stir
up" against real God-called Preachers!
One of these
troublemakers just might have surfaced, even where you worship!
Not to mention
the God-haters of the land, a group that is increasing all the
time it seems!
Pray for your
Pastor's safety!
And for God's
Hand to be on that young Preacher in your Church, the one who
has such promise for the future, such potential for the Lord!
And for the
Evangelist, too!
And why not
include that godly missionary?
That God would
"deliver them" from harm!
Particularly from
activists who despise the Word of God and holy living and
Christianity in general!
This would be a
valid prayer!
A Biblical one
indeed!
I enjoy asking
God's people to pray for my safety even while driving, traveling
across the land.
After all, we are
promised ...
"He,
the Lord, will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth
thee will not slumber. The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD
is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite
thee by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD shall preserve thee
from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. The LORD shall
preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for evermore." Psalm 121:3-8
Wow!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 4,
PAUL'S SECOND PRAYER REQUEST:
Here's prayer request number
two!
Except the list is not mine,
but the Apostle Paul's!
"Pray ...
that my service which I have for
Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints." Romans 15:31
What does he
mean?
Paul has a burden
for the Christians in and around Jerusalem.
There had been a
famine in that land for some time, seriously so.
And Paul had been
collecting money for these needy brothers and sisters for months
now, from the Churches he visited. "But
now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it hath
pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain
contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. It hath
pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the
Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things,
their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things."
Romans 15:25-27
The great
Apostle's burden is that these funds will not be rejected by the
Christians in Judea, but gladly accepted.
Some in
Jerusalem, especially those who leaned toward the doctrine of
the Pharisees, still disliked Paul, very much! They often tried
to turn others against him, too.
Paul needs some
love and cooperation here.
What better way
to get it ... than prayer?
That brings us
back to our Text today.
"Pray for me ...
that my service which I have for
Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints." Romans 15:31
The noun
"service," Paul's word for his financial gift to the Jerusalem
Church, is "diakonia." It is a derivative of "diako," meaning
"to run errands!"
Paul is a
"servant" to the saved people in Judea!
He's been running
around the world collecting funds for their time of need!
The verb "may be"
translates "ginomai," that is, "to come into existence, to be
born, to happen."
And the adjective
"accepted" is "euprosdektos," anything that is "well-received,"
gladly taken and used! "Dechomai" means "to take with one's
hand." And "eu" means "well or good." The "pros" in the middle
means "face to face," better yet, "to or towards" a person!
If the Christians
at Jerusalem will not spurn Paul, the love gift will be more
gladly received, the Lord's work will more rapidly progress, and
God will get more abundant glory!
Yes!
Praying for love
and harmony and togetherness in the Church!
The request
again:
"Pray ...
that my service which I have for
Jerusalem may be accepted of the saints." Romans 15:31
But, to make
today's Lesson practical, can I pray this for my Preacher?
Yes, of course.
Maybe like this
...
"Lord, give my
Pastor a loving spirit."
"And may his
words and deeds be seen as genuine and caring to his people."
"And may those in
our Church appreciate and honor and follow the Preacher as he
leads us week after week."
"Forbid any
dissension and rejection of our Man of God, I pray. Just don't
let that negativity get started in our Church."
"In Jesus' Name,
Amen."
Acceptability!
That's the word.
James, when
describing the wisdom that comes from God, said it was
"easy to be intreated." James 3:17
A preacher once
told me that expression meant "approachable."
That's close
enough for today!
Paul wants
approachability to the Jerusalem saints.
Remember this
great verse too. "He
that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that
which he hath given will he pay him again." Proverbs
19:17
Well then, in
Heaven right now Paul is a wealthy man!
Isn't this a
sweet thought today?
A Preacher
wanting his people to love him and accept him and respond to his
ministry!
God, grant such
to your Men today.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 5,
PAUL'S THIRD PRAYER REQUEST:
Paul is asking prayer ... for
himself!
He needs the Roman Christians
to pray this request on his behalf. "That
I may come unto you with joy by the will of God." Romans
15:32
This sounds like
an itinerary!
It's a prayer for
Paul's travel plans!
It's "erchomai"
as a subjunctive verb, "hope to come, want to come, plan to
come."
Paul certainly
intended to come to Rome.
And he did!
It's just that he
went a little later than planned, and as a prisoner instead of a
free man!
Also note that
Paul did not want to go from place to place based only on his
personal desires.
No.
But "by the will
of God."
"Dia thelema
theos," that is, "through God's willingness." Or, according to
God's wishes. God's desire! God's permission!
No Preacher wants
to be anywhere God does not condone!
That would
certainly be a dangerous place!
Ask Jonah!
Then too, Paul
wants to make the trip "with joy."
"Chara" just
means "gladness."
One is wise to
turn his travel time into pleasant occupation, if at all
possible.
Can you imagine
this?
Asking a whole
Church to pray ... that you, a traveling Preacher, can come see
them!
But that's just
what Paul has done.
"Now I beseech you, brethren, that ye
strive together with me in your prayers to God ... that I
may come unto you with joy by the will of God." Romans
15:30 and 32
You see, Paul has
made travel plans before, only to have them disrupted. For
example, in Thessalonica, "Wherefore we
would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but
Satan hindered us." 1st
Thessalonians 2:18
And his bold
plans to go to Spain may or may not have been fulfilled. The
Bible just does not tell us. "Whensoever I
take my journey into Spain, I will come to you: for I trust to
see you in my journey, and to be brought on my way thitherward
by you, if first I be somewhat filled with your company."
Romans 15:24
It seems that
Paul believed in praying about everything!
Including travel!
By the way, Paul
never traveled needlessly! He always had a spiritual goal in
mind! Or maybe many lofty goals!
Even regarding
these Romans! "For I long to see you, that
I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be
established." Romans 1:12, Paul is coming to help them
grow in the Lord!
Now, truthfully,
I do not know how to apply this specific prayer to your Pastor.
But the Holy Spirit surely does! He can show you.
Yet I do know how
to apply it to the Evangelists God has called and placed
in His Church today.
They travel all
the time.
Every week,
sometimes every night.
"Lord, keep them
safe!"
"Lord, only open
the doors where You want them to be!"
"And Lord, give
them peace and joy and safety as they drive or fly or whatever."
This might seem
like the "lightest" of Paul four requests in our Text, Romans
15:30-32, but it is not!
The "where" of
Christian service can be as important as the "who" or the "when"
or the "why," at least at times.
Remember what
Abraham's servant said, as he sought a bride for Isaac.
"I, being in the way, the Lord led me."
Genesis 24:27
Talk about being
in the right place at the right time!
"Lord, put us
where you want us to be!"
Then, more
personally ...
"Heavenly Father,
please bless this week's travel plans. Three nights of driving
through metropolitan Atlanta to preach Thy precious Word ...
then coming right back across town as soon as the Service has
ended."
Folks, as I
travel, pray for me please.
Thank you.
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 6,
PAUL'S FOURTH PRAYER REQUEST:
Paul needing "rest?"
But that is exactly what he
seems to be suggesting in Romans 15:32. He has asked the
Christians in that local Church to pray for him. He even has a
whole "list" of needs!
And here's the last one. As
they say, "last but not least."
Tell us, Paul:
"Brethren, strive
together in your prayers to God for me; that I
may with you be refreshed."
Paul wants to "be
refreshed."
The verb here is
"sunanapauomai." It means "to have a time of rest." Or, "to have
a relaxing visit" with someone. The heart of our word, "pauo,"
is virtually our English word "pause." To take "pause!"
This is dong
exactly what Jesus taught His Disciples.
"And He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert
place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and
going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat." Mark
6:31, still using "anapauo."
Paul, physically
speaking, seldom ever rested! Or so it appears. Spiritually he
was a dynamo too!
So, it's good to
know, he occasionally took rest time, probably while
multi-tasking in some other beneficial area, but still "rest"
time.
But Paul did not
often do things "alone."
Even resting!
He was addicted
to the company of good Christian companions.
So he carefully
puts on his prayer list, "that I may be
refreshed with you!" When the Apostle gets
to Rome, then, he will rest!
Maybe while
studying the Bible with the Romans, resting then!
Or while learning
more about them and their whole Church family!
Or in a season of
prayer.
The Romans and
Paul, on retreat!
Even the verb "sunanapauomai"
hints at this "togetherness." The prefix "sun" means "along
with" others!
Rest might be
better with a companion or companions!
At least to Paul
that is so.
The man was not a
"loner," not a "recluse," not even an "introvert!"
He's a "people
person!"
Even when
resting!
And, truth be
told, according to the lexicons, "sunanapauomai" includes some
rather "intimate" insinuations. Nothing questionable mind you,
not at all, but a bunch of men bunking under the same grove of
trees somewhere, on a cloudless night, traveling to the next
preaching station! Fellowshipping over the things of God as they
drift off to sleep!
Eating meals
together, focusing on vibrant "spiritual truth," as well as eggs
and cheese!
"Brethren, strive together in your prayers to God for me;
that I may with you be
refreshed."
Paul is human,
after all!
He too needs
"rest."
Now, to apply
this Text, this sliver of a Text, to the Preachers we know.
There is
absolutely nothing wrong with asking God to give them rest, as
well! The Preachers on your "list," your prayer list.
"Lord, lift their
worries!"
"Give them
peace."
"Scatter their
enemies!"
"Let them rest."
"Give them good
fellowship with other Believers of like mind!"
"Strengthen their
bodies!"
"In Jesus' Name,
Amen."
And don't forget,
even the Lord God Almighty, after creating this whole world in
six days, rested on the seventh!
If He did so, we
has best follow His example.
Rest!
An occasional day
"off!"
A short vacation
maybe!
God even gave the
Jewish people, the whole Nation of Israel, one day in seven ...
just to rest and worship!
"Six
days shall work be done: but the seventh day is the
sabbath of rest, an holy convocation; ye shall do no work
therein: it is the sabbath of the LORD in all your
dwellings." Leviticus 23:3
Need I say more?
And, in obedience
to Paul's request today, I have somehow managed to sleep late
this morning!
Nearly too late!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
LESSON 7,
CONCLUSION:
For the past six days or so we
have been studying Romans 15:30-32. In these verses Paul is
requesting prayer, for himself!
I have called these Lessons
"How To Pray For The Preacher!"
But this is not the only place
Paul seeks the prayers of the saints.
He does so again in the
Epistles of Ephesians and Colossians, as well as in Second
Thessalonians too.
For example, in Ephesians Paul
asks for prayer in the area of "open doors." Listen:
"Pray
for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my
mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel."
Ephesians 6:19
Opportunities to
preach, literally being "prayed in" by the people of God! For
their Preacher!
The noun
"utterance" is just "logos," words to speak!
The adverb
"boldly" is "parresia," meaning "saying everything" for God!
Holding back nothing! Preaching "the whole counsel" of the Lord!
All the Bible!
Then in
Colossians Paul asks for prayers yet again. This time he says:
"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same
with thanksgiving; withal praying also for us, that God would
open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of
Christ, for which I am also in bonds." Colossians 4:3
Now, Paul has
Believers in two different Churches praying basically the same
prayer for him! "Open unto us a door of
utterance!"
And, if God opens
such doors, no man can shut them!
This tactic gives
me the idea of asking folks everywhere, in every Revival Meeting
I preach, to pray on my behalf!
A small army of
prayer warriors, beseeching Heaven for Brother Bagwell!
Then in Second
Thessalonians 3:1 we find Paul praying for God's Word to
"have free course and be glorified."
That is, while Paul is preaching!
"Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the
word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified,
even as it is with you." Prayer for the Bible, its
impact and power!
"To have free
course" is "trecho," a verb basically meaning "to run!" To run
without restrain! To run without being tripped!
And it's always
right to ask God to glorify his Word!
Just think, every
time Paul preaches many are praying!
Just for him!
Such blessings,
as here showered on Paul, can change lives forever!
Preacher friend,
build you a prayer list!
And get some
folks to pray it for you!
I plan to spend
the rest of my earthly time doing exactly that, along with a
few other things.
Getting people to
pray for me!
Because God
answers prayer, you know!
--- Dr. Mike Bagwell
Do you pray for
some Preacher, every day?
Your Pastor, the
Evangelist, a Missionary?
Or some young
Preacher in the Church?
Once you figure
out the "who" of your preacher praying, the "what" will come
much more easily!
After all, we
serve the God Who answers prayer!
And that's a
promise!
What
encouragement to prayer, read it again!
