Pray for Me!

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Pray for Me!

Dave Riddle - 2/23/20

Key Passage: Romans 15:30-33

Paul’s Passionate Plea

  • Romans 15:30 - “I appeal to you”

    • “Appeal”: parakaleō (Greek: παρακαλέω) - to beg, entreat, beseech. 

  • Romans 15:30 - “strive together with me”

    • synagōnizomai (Greek: συναγωνίζομαι) - agonize together, struggle in company  with, to labor fervently, i.e. (figuratively) to be a partner (assistant):—strive together with. Used to describe ancient Olympic wrestlers.

  • Why don’t we ask for prayer in this way?

    • Pride? Unbelief?

Paul’s Specific Requests

  • Related to Jerusalem

    • Protection

      • Romans 15:31 - “pray that I may be rescued...”

    • Reception

      • Romans 15:31 - “pray... that my ministry will be acceptable to the saints”

      • Why is Paul asking this?

        • The offering we talked about last week.

        • There was some tension between Paul and the Jewish believers who felt that he had devalued his Jewish heritage.

  • Related to Rome

    • Arrival

      • Romans 15:32 - “that, by God’s will, I may come to you with joy.”

        • He has been prevented many times from visiting them already (Romans 15:23b)

    • Rejuvenation 

      • Romans 15:32 - “refreshed together with you.”

Paul’s prayer for them:

  • God’s Serene Presence

    • Romans 15:33 - “May the God of peace be with all of you. Amen”

    • eirēnē (Greek: εἰρήνη) - peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord. The tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is 

How does the story end?

  • we can assume the Roman believers prayed along with Paul for these things.

    • Most likely an answered prayer

  • We don’t know how the Jewish believers accepted Paul’s gift.

    • From what we can see this gift didn’t appear to have caused any problems. 

      • Most likely an answered prayer.

  • Was Paul protected?

    • A mixed bag of answered and unanswered prayers.

      • He went through some terrible things and was protected from some terrible things.

  • Did Paul arrive in Rome safely?

    • An answered prayer, but not in the way Paul expected. 

      • Paul arrived, but as a prisoner after a long and harrowing journey.