Title: We Must Be
Filled
Text: Rom 15:13
Date: March 22,2020
Place: SGBC,NJ
In chapter 14 and 15,
the apostle Paul exhorted you and I as God’s saints to receive our weak
brethren and not doubt or dispute with them.
He admonished us to follow after things which make for peace for the
good of our brethren. Paul instructs us
to follow after things wherewith we may edify one another. We must bear the infirmities and sins and
errors and shortcomings of our weak brethren.
In everything we do we are to please them for their good and for their edification
rather than pleasing ourselves—rather than doing what we want to do regardless
of how it may hurt our brethren. Then, in
our text, Paul declares the only way we will be able to do those things.
Romans 15: 13: Now
the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Proposition: The
only way a sinner like you and me can do anything that God commands is by God
filling us through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Title: We Must Be Filled
Divisions:
1) What does Paul pray God fill us with?—"Now the God of hope fill you
with all joy and peace in believing” 2) Why do we need these things?—"that
ye may abound in hope” 3) How does God fill us with these things?—"through
the power of the Holy Ghost.”
ALL JOY AND PEACE IN BELIEVING
If we would trust our brethren to Christ as we wait on
Christ to make them stand then we need what Paul prayed for—“Now the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace in believing.”
This is a beautiful name for our God—"the God of
hope.” In verse 5 we read "the God of patience and consolation”. In verse 33 we read "the God of peace.” This is God’s name because this is what
God alone give his people. God fills us
with hope, patience, consolation, and peace.
It is God alone who fills his people. Concerning those who had gifts to make things
for the tabernacle, God said,
Exodus 28:3: And thou
shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit
of wisdom,…
Exodus 35:35 Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to
work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the
embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the
weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning
work.
If it was God who had
to fill them to be able to do those physical things then we can be sure that
God alone can fill us with spiritual graces.
We cannot fill ourselves. God must fill us. How we need to stress this! What do we have that we did not receive? It is by God filling us that God keeps us
from glorying in ourselves. When we know
God must fill us, personally, then we will be more patient with our brethren
because we know they can only do what God fills them with the ability to
do. This is so important to remember
about our brethren, as well as about ourselves.
Therefore, Paul prays
for God to fill us, first of all, with joy and peace in believing. Joy and peace are two of the three things in
which the kingdom of God consists.
Romans 14:17: For the
kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in
the Holy Ghost.”
Do you remember the
reason that Paul made that statement? It
is because if we serve Christ in these things, and we know that these are the important
things in the kingdom of God, then we will use our liberty without hurting our
weak brethren.
Romans 14: 15: But if
thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably.
Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died. 16 Let not then your good be evil spoken of: 17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 18 For he that in these things serveth Christ is
acceptable to God, and approved of men. 19 Let us therefore follow after the things which
make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.” (Ro 14:15-19 AV)
This applies to so
many other things, too. If we know the
kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost rather than
outward things, such as meat and drink, then we will follow after peace and try
to edify our brethren no matter what the case may be. That is why Paul prays that God fill us with
all joy and peace in believing on Christ—that we might seek to promote peace
and unity amongst our brethren. We will
not walk around with a critical eye, accusing, ready to judge our brethren for
their shortcomings. That comes from a bitter
spirit, an unbelieving spirit, a devilish spirit.
True joy and true
peace are of God and are lasting. Carnal,
temporal joy is of the flesh and only leaves us sad. Concerning temporal joy, Solomon said,
Proverbs 14:13: Even
in laughter the heart is sorrowful; and the end of that mirth is heaviness.
We see this all around us today. The worldly joy and peace that men had a few months
ago is gone now that the coronavirus has spread over the world. Something as small and unseen as virus replaced
their worldly joy and peace with sorrow and heaviness. Nothing this world and
our sinful flesh gives lasts. The lusts
of this world will soon vanish along with all things in this world. Then, for those without Christ, comes the
heaviness of standing before the all-consuming God. But the joy God fills us with is satisfying,
lasting joy because it comes from Christ and his wonderful works.
Psalm 63: 5: My soul
shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise
thee with joyful lips: 6: When I remember thee upon my bed, and
meditate on thee in the night watches.
Every unregenerate sinner in this world is looking for joy
and peace. But they are seeking it by something
in this world by something they do themselves.
Some seek joy and peace by their works under the
law. But we have broken God’s law. Therefore,
joy and peace are impossible to obtain by the works of the law.
Some seek joy and peace in external observances of religious
ceremonies. But true religion is of God through
Christ through the Holy Spirit from a new heart God has created. It is spiritual. It is in truth. But our joy and peace are never from mere
religious exercises.
Multitudes seek joy and peace in the desires of the flesh
and of the mind. But ambitious pursuit for this world will not bring the joy and
peace of God. God makes his child know that
Christ is all our salvation. Doing so he
makes Christ all our desire. As David
said of God’s covenant with him, “This is all my desire.” That is the only way we will cease lusting
after things of this world and be content with such things as we have. Contentment comes with knowing that having
Christ we have all, regardless of what temporal things we have in this world.
Brethren, please do not misunderstand. Good works are good. It is good to assemble together, to sing, to
pray, to read scripture, hear the gospel preached and observe ordinances. It is good to enjoy things of this life that
God gives. But our joy and peace are not
in those things themselves.
God fills his child with joy through his word. Not merely by reading it. But by God teaching us what God has done for
us through his word. Many seek joy and
peace simply by reading so many chapters and verses of the Bible. Christ said,
John 5:39: Search the
scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which
testify of me.
God declares in this book that when Christ took flesh
like unto his brethren, like unto God’s elect, Christ became his brethren. He lived as our Head and Representative as
our last Adam. As God looked to Adam as
the only man in the world representing his people so God looked to Christ as
the only Man in the world representing his people. Someone might say, “But Adam was the only man
in the world. Of course God only looked to
Adam.” But when Christ took flesh and
walked this earth God looked to him as the only Man representing his people as
real as God looked to Adam as the only man representing his. All God’s elect were really in Christ. We really did what Christ did.
The word declares Christ honored the law on our behalf by
his life and death. In him we honored
the law. God’s elect have a Substitute who
bore God’s wrath. He died in place of his
guilty people. When he died at the hand
of divine justice, we died in him. The
good news is that our old man of Adam has been crucified, judged and died
before the judgment seat of God.
God declares in his word that when Christ arose we arose
in him to newness of life in him. When
Christ entered God’s presence we entered together with him. When he sat down, we sat down together with
him. Our life is in Christ at God’s right
hand right now.
The Spirit of God makes his child eat this word and live
upon it by faith spiritually as real as we eat our temporal bread and live physically
upon it.
Jeremiah 15: 16: Thy words
were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of
mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Our joy and peace is
knowing that what Christ accomplished for his people we accomplished in him. We called by the name of the LORD God of
hosts. We are really the sons and
daughters of God our Father. That is true
joy and true peace which shall never end.
Free from the law, O happy condition
Jesus hath bled, And there is remission
Cursed by the law, bruised by the fall
Christ hath redeemed us once for all
So our Joy and Peace is Christ Himself. The Lord Jesus Christ said,
John 14: 27: Peace I
leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto
you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Christ gives us HIS joy and HIS peace one way “in
believing” on HIM!
1 Peter 1: 8: Whom
having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye
rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9: Receiving [right now through
faith in Christ—receiving] the end of your faith, even the salvation of your
souls.
So Paul does not ask for dreams or visions. He prays God give his people one thing: faith
in Christ. That is how God fills us
with all joy and peace—IN BELIEVING ON CHRIST!
When God gives faith in Christ then Christ turns our fears into peace
and our sorrows into joy because through believing on Christ God imputes to us
perfect righteousness. Believing on
Christ God makes Christ our perfect holiness.
Through faith in Christ we find perfect acceptance with God IN THE
BELOVED. We find that Christ really paid
all our debt so that we owe nothing to the justice of God. Through faith in Christ we know “it is
well with my soul.”
Isaiah 61: 10: I will
greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed
me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of
righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a
bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Romans 5: 1: Therefore
being justified, by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice
in hope of the glory of God.
So why does Paul pray for this in our text? If we are filled with all joy and peace in
believing then knowing that God did all the filling, knowing Christ did all to
give us joy and peace, then we will trust one another to Christ and seek that
which genders peace and edification to one another. It is unbelief that genders self-righteousness. Self-righteousness bites and devours. Joy and peace in believing points one another
to Christ and waits on Christ to do the work in our brethren because we have
experienced the power of God doing the work in us.
THAT YE MAY BOUND IN HOPE
The reason Paul prayed that we be filled with all joy and
peace in believing is “that ye may bound in hope.”
When I have the joy and peace of what Christ has already
accomplished for me then I have a good hope of what he shall accomplish
for me—and not only for me but also for my weak brethren! Our hope for the future is in believing that God
has purposed our end from the beginning:
Jeremiah 29: 11: For
I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace,
and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Our hope is in our Covenant-Keeping God who never fails
to fulfill every promise to his child for Christ’s sake.
Psalm 75: 5: Thou art
my hope, O Lord God [covenant keeping God]; thou art my trust from my youth!
We hope in the Lord because of this:
Psalm 130: 7: Let
Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous
redemption.
Let’s talk about
those two reasons to hope in the Lord: mercy and plenteous redemption. How does this hope in God’s mercy and plenteous
redemption help me to wait on God to instruct my erring brethren.
Our hope in the Lord is
that God never ceases to shower his children in mercy. His mercies are new every morning. If I have the hope of new mercies in God then
I will be able to trust my weak brother to the mercy of God hoping in God to
make him stand.
Lamentations 3: 21: This
I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22: It is of the LORD’S
mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23: They
are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24: The LORD is
my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
Our hope in God is that his redemption is plenteous redemption. He redeemed all his elect—including my
weak brother who I am concerned for—if I know that then I will hope in God
concerning my brother! Christ redeemed
his elect from all sin—even the sin I my see in my weak brother; Christ redeemed
him so that his sin is put away forever before God—can I not hope in God to
turn my brother from his sin? He
redeemed us from the law, from its curse and from its condemnation—and my weak
brother is included in that great redemption; so if I abound in hope then I can
hope in God to deliver my weak brother.
Christ redeemed us from death and hell, satan and all our enemies and at
last he shall redeem us from the body of this death—who did all that? our Redeemer;
that same Redeemer who is able to make my weak brother stand! Therefore, let us
hope in God concerning our brethren.
Christ our Hope is the anchor of our soul. He is entered into God’s presence to make
intercession for us as our great High Priest.
Hebrews 6: 19: Which hope
we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast, and which [hope] entereth
into that within the veil; 20: Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even
Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Heb 6:19-20)
Therefore, if my soul is anchored in hope in Christ and if
my hope is in Christ within the vail then instead of breaking out the whip of
the law on a weak brother, I can go to Christ my Hope and ask his mercies upon
my brother.
As I hope in the Lord and trust the Lord to teach my weak
brethren, I will be happy in Christ and happy with my weak brethren at the same
time.
Jeremiah 17: 7: Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord,
and whose hope the Lord is!
What are we hoping
for? The apostle Paul calls it “hope of the glory of God.” That one day
soon we will see God our Redeemer in all his glory! Right now we see the glory of God in the face
of Christ Jesus by faith. Our hope is
that one day we shall see the glory of God in the face of our Redeemer face-to-face!
Job 19: 25: For I
know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the
latter day upon the earth: 26: And though after my skin worms
destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27: Whom I shall see
for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins
be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27)
1 Corinthians 13: 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1 John 3: 2: Beloved,
now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as
he is. 3: And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as
he is pure.
Now, if I abound in this hope then I will abound in this
hope for my weak brother, too. And I
trust the God of my hope to make him stand.
THROUGH THE POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST
When the God of hope fill his child with all joy and
peace in believing, when God makes us abound in hope, it is “through the
power of the Holy Ghost.” How did
helpless, dead sinners like us come to have spiritual life in the first place?
2 Peter 1: 3: According
as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and
godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and
virtue:
I have never been more certain that everything believers
have is through the power of the Holy Ghost than I am this very day! After God makes us know how totally weak we
are—so weak we cannot turn from ourselves, read God’s word, or even seek a word
for our brethren—and then the power of the Holy Ghost enters and fills us with God’s
word and strengthens us, it makes us certain that everything we have is through
the power of the Holy Ghost. When we are
weak in ourselves yet given power to believe on Christ, then we know what the
LORD said to Zerubbabel, “Not by [your]
might, nor by [your] power but by my Spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.”
The apostle Paul is the one God used to pen our
text. God kept him humble by giving Paul
a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of satan, to buffet him. Paul asked God to remove it three times. But God refused. Instead, God said to Paul,
2 Corinthians 12: 9: My
grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in [your] weakness.
Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities [that is all you
and I have to glory in believer—our absolute weakness caused by our sins], that
the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10: Therefore I take pleasure in
infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for
Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.
In our text that is what Paul is reminding us of. We are weak.
We depend upon God’s grace to fill us by the power of the Holy Ghost to
make us heed these exhortations concerning our weak brethren.
2 Corinthians 4:7: We
have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of
God, and not of us.
So, brethren, remember the context of chapters 14 and 15. If a brother is weak in the faith, we cannot
find fault with him without finding fault with God who filled him—every brother
is what he is by the grace of God.
Romans 14: 4: [God said]
Who art thou that judgest another man’s servant? to his own master he standeth
or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
What will convince me of that and make me trust my
brother to the Lord? What will make us
suffer long and be kind? What will make
us bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things for
a weak brother? When “the God of hope
fills us with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope,
through the power of the Holy Ghost.” Let
this be our prayer for one another and the power through whom we wait on Christ
to make one another stand!
Amen!