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Read Romans 1:8-15
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8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Romans 1:14
I am often amazed when I look at my life and realize how many Christians I hang out with. Not that this is a bad thing, necessarily, but how many times do I seek out being with those who are far from God? Dan Kimball wrote, “We are content living in our little Christian subculture as citizens of the bubble, but we don’t even know it, because everyone in our social circle is also in the bubble.”
St. Paul never stayed in a bubble; he was not ashamed to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone he encountered, “both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.” More than being unashamed, Paul feels obligated to share the message of hope found in Jesus Christ no matter who they are. Do we? Do we feel obligated to share with those who are not anything like us?
As we walk through Romans this Lenten season, think about your relationships. Are you surrounded with people just like you? The Great Commission in Matthew 28 applied to Paul as it does to us today. Like Paul, we are blessed to share the Gospel.
Prayer
Triune God, strengthen me to be your witness to all people in my life. Amen.