Romans 15:8-13

This passage truly exalts the Lord Jesus Christ.  

·        He became.  This speaks of His incarnation.  Something changed when Jesus left the splendor of heaven and His place with the Father. 

·        He became a servant.  Philippians 2:7 says He took on the form of a bond-servant (Grk. doulos).  Here it says He became a servant (Grk. diakonos).  The first speaks of His submission to His Father; the latter speaks of His submission to His peers.

·        He became a servant to the circumcision.  Jesus was in the world, but He came unto His own (John 1:10f).  His ministry was in and to Israel. 

·        He became a servant to the circumcision for the truth of God.  This does not mean He did what He did to make God true.  God is true (Rom. 3:4).  A more accurate translation is on behalf of the truth of God.  God made a promise to His Son (Psalm 2:7-9).  He made a promise to man (Gen. 3:15).  He made a promise to Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3).  The service of Jesus to Israel has confirmed all these promises, and every promise made to the fathers.

·        That the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.  The service of Jesus to Israel has brought salvation to the Gentiles as well.  This too was a promise God the Father made to the Son, the “Servant”.  “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isa. 49:6).

God’s love for the Gentiles was not a change in plans after Christ was rejected by Israel.  The four quotes in this passage make clear this was always His plan.

Ø Psalm 18:49 (v9), the great salvation Psalm of David.

Ø Deut. 32:43 (v10), the Song of Moses that promised ultimate deliverance to Israel at a time when the Gentiles would be rejoicing in salvation.

Ø Psalm 117:1 (v11), the shortest of all Psalms, calls the Gentiles to praise.

Ø Isaiah 11:1,10 (v12), an unmistakable Messianic promise that announces Israel’s Messiah will be the hope of all the nations.

This hope leads Paul to pray a prayer that ought to be on the lips of believers today on a regular basis.  The prayer is that we who hope in Christ may abound in hope day by day.  Two marks of a hopeful person are joy and peace.  They are not simply optimistic people; they are people who have found their true rest and satisfaction in Christ.  They are filled by God as they believe in Him.  In the most grievous of situations these people are marked by a calm anticipation of the future.  Truly this is only possible by the power of the Spirit.  But it is possible!

We have found this to be such a blessing in affliction.  Pray this in faith for those around you who grieve and struggle.  The ministry of Christ makes this possible for all who believe!