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Among God's people are dreamers. They see the challenge of opportunity, not the dread of problems. They see needs, not threats. They envision the joy of victory, not the cost of defeat. They are the visionaries who always are moving toward the distant horizon. No matter what they have done, they are always restless, always ready to advance toward a new goal. At times these people are not easy to be with, but they always should be easy to rejoice with.
Paul was such a man. Read 2 Corinthians 11:22-33. "Paul, was not one lashing from the Jews enough? Or one beating with rods? Was it not enough to be shipwrecked once? Or to go to prison once? Was it not enough to place yourself in danger just one time? Or be physically deprived of necessities just once? Was it not enough to have the care and concern of just two young congregations on you? Why go and begin additional new congregations who will look to you for guidance in trying times?"
Wonder how Paul would answer such questions? "It is a part of my commitment. If the price of others knowing about Christ is my physical discomfort, it is worth the price. I do not invite trouble or look for trouble. Yet, you need to realize that when you seek to rob Satan of anyone, you can expect trouble. Why do you think personal trouble is too big a price to pay to advance God's kingdom?"
Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote this letter (verse 22). He had intended to visit, but things kept getting in the way. He planned to visit them, but not to stay. Why? Was there no spiritual need, no work to do in Rome? Obviously just from the information contained in this letter spiritual need existed and there was much work to be done. Then why not go to Rome and work? That work simply did not fit his personal criteria in his personal ambitions.
Now Spain, there was the place! It had lots and lots of people who had never heard of Jesus Christ, and there was not a single congregation of Christians there. He had exhausted possibilities of virgin territory in Macedonia and Achaia. His plans were to take a contribution from gentile congregations in those areas to Jerusalem to aid Jewish Christians in physical need [thereby hopefully impacting the rift between Jewish and gentile Christians in a positive manner], visit the congregations in Rome, and then begin a new adventure by traveling to virgin territories in and around Spain. Rome was merely to be a stop on his way to Spain (verse 28).
Do not get the wrong impression of Paul. He did not work on a "convert them and leave them" plan. When he began a congregation, evidence indicates he stayed in contact with them (consider 1 Corinthians 1:11; Galatians 1:6; and 1 Thessalonians 1:6, 7). He stayed knowledgeable of what happened in them. At times he visited them (consider Philemon, verse 22). At times he received a report from someone who knew them (consider Colossians 1:7-9). He wrote them and presumably received letters from them (consider 1 Corinthians 7:1). He encouraged them to exchange his letters (consider Colossians 4:15, 16). Evidently Paul did not feel free to go to a territory that had never heard about Jesus Christ until he stabilized the new congregations he began.
Years ago I heard Christians say that no one had the right to hear the gospel twice until the whole world heard it once. That was not Paul's concept. For example, he taught in the Jewish synagogue in Ephesus for three months until synagogue attendees became hardened against his teaching (Acts 19:8, 9). Then he began teaching every day in the school of Tyrannus for a period of two years (Acts 19:9, 10). The result was that both Jews and non-Jews throughout the area of Asia heard the word of the Lord (Acts 19:10). Paul made certain that the people he converted had opportunity to understand the significance of what he taught them. He reminded the Christians at Corinth that some planted and some watered, but it was God who gave life and growth to the seed (1 Corinthians 3:6).
Here are some insights called to your attention in today's text. The first: all our personal plans for God are subject to change. Paul planned to go to Spain, but he never made it. When the people in Spain heard about Jesus Christ, they did not hear about our Savior from Paul.
The second: because our intents are godly and will address a genuine spiritual need does not mean they will happen. Paul was not going to Spain on a pleasure trip to recover from all his hard work. He was going to Spain to teach about Jesus Christ to people who had never heard about the Savior. While Paul did not plan to stay in Rome and teach, Paul stayed in Rome and taught. He taught about Jesus Christ in circumstances he did not envision for himself. The 'what' he planned to do [teach about Jesus Christ to people who did not know him] did not change, but the 'where' surely changed [that occurred in association with a prison and court experiences, not in Spain]. As Christians, who we are does not change. Where we are may unexpectedly change.
The third: our ambition to 'fix' a detrimental situation may not 'fix' it at all. Paul taught the gentile congregations it was only proper for them to aid Jewish Christians in Jerusalem since they were the root of their spiritual blessings (consider Romans 11:11-24). Because of this teaching, Paul was part of the group who took a benevolent gift from gentile congregations to Jerusalem [the collection mentioned in 1 Corinthians 16:1 and 2 Corinthians 8]. Paul's intent was to allow the gentile gift to improve the tension between Jewish and gentile Christians. He would accompany the gift to Jerusalem, come to Rome for a visit, and leave Rome for Spain. His intent was fine. The need was real. The plan was need oriented. However, the situation did not go as Paul planned. Never conclude if your plan for God does not work as you intended that it was wrong to plan or intend something good. Let God use you regardless of what happens.
For Thought and Discussion
Link to Teacher's Guide
Lesson 13
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