#DailyDevotion The Mystery Of The Gentile Children Of Abraham

January 27th
Read Rom 15:14–33
Rom 15:14-16 I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another. (15) But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God (16) to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit…(27) For they were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have come to share in their [the believing Jews] spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.

Paul brings his letter fully around here in the second the last chapter. In other chapters he reminds us that salvation came from the Jews. He has also taught us that there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile in the manner of salvation. All have sinned. All are saved through faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ. While we may not always wonder about this mystery of salvation, it is there that at one point, the Gentiles, the non-Israelites, were without salvation. The word of promise had been lost to them. But it was God’s plan that through Abraham’s seed (Jesus), God would provide many children for Abraham, that is, the Gentiles who would believe in Jesus, Abraham’s promised seed. Now we are one with God’s holy people Israel through faith in Jesus Christ. But to a certain extent, we should marvel at this mystery that we who were not a people, who had no mercy have been given mercy and made the people of God.

So Paul encourages them that they are able and possess everything they need to correct and instruct one another in the faith. Someone else had laid the foundation at Rome, most likely Jews from Rome who are at Jerusalem at Pentecost. But he writes this letter and sometimes has been bold in it on some points so they may have reminder of the faith in which they were baptized and instructed. Indeed, it is a reminder to us who have been baptized into the faith and instructed in it all that our Lord Jesus Christ had instructed his apostles and were reminded of these thing by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Through Paul’s ministry and those who followed after him we are now an offering to God. We are that acceptable offering and sanctified by the Holy Spirit through the preaching of the Gospel, the administration of Baptism, the perseverance of the Lord’s Supper, the reading of the Word and the conversation and consolation of the holy saints of God of which each of us are and belongs to. We do not call ourselves out of this world. We do not sanctify ourselves. The Holy Spirit does this through His ministry of Word and Sacrament, the good news of Jesus Christ. He moves and impels us to make use of these gifts of God. For the prophet has written, Isa 49:20-22 “The children of your bereavement will yet say in your ears: ‘The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell in.’ (21) Then you will say in your heart: ‘Who has borne me these? I was bereaved and barren, exiled and put away, but who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; from where have these come?'” (22) Thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and raise my signal to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.”

Holy Spirit, continually sanctify us by Good News of Jesus Christ, that we may be an acceptable offering to God our Father. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.