A Community that is Committed to Praying for One Another...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter in the Bible called the book of Romans that provides for us the timeless practice that followers of Jesus are to practice a lifestyle that is committed to community. Yesterday we discovered that followers of Jesus are committed to community that is committed to serving others. As followers of Jesus, we are called to practice a lifestyle that is investing our spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities serving God by serving others in community with one another.

Today, we will see Paul continue by revealing for us a second way followers of Jesus practice a lifestyle that is committed to community, beginning in Romans 15:30:

Now I urge you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, that I may be rescued from those who are disobedient in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints; so that I may come to you in joy by the will of God and find refreshing rest in your company. Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

In these verses, we see Paul strongly appeal to the members of the church at Rome to join together in unity as part of the community of believers that is united as a result of the Holy Spirit’s activity in their lives to pray for Paul as he sets out to Jerusalem. Paul knew that there would be people in Jerusalem who were opposed to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel. Paul knew that there would be people in Jerusalem that would be opposed to the kingdom mission that God had given him to proclaim the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel to the non Jewish world.

And because of that knowledge, Paul earnestly desired that followers of Jesus would pray in two specific ways. First, Paul desired prayer that God would rescue him from any potential danger that he would encounter in Jerusalem. Second, Paul desired that the famine relief fund would be received well by the members of the church at Jerusalem.

And it is here that we see Paul reveal for us the second way that followers of Jesus practice a lifestyle that demonstrates that they are committed to community. And that second way is this: Followers of Jesus are committed to community that is committed to praying for one another. Paul desired that the members of the church at Rome would unite their hearts in prayer so that he would experience that gladness that comes from God’s desires being accomplished.

What is so interesting however, is how God answered these prayers. You see God’s will; God’s desire for Paul’s life was that he would arrive in Rome. However, God’s desire and will for Paul was that he would not arrive in Rome as a free man. Instead, God’s desire for Paul was that he would arrive in Rome as a prisoner of the Roman government. After writing this letter, Paul traveled and arrived in Jerusalem, where he was arrested by the religious and political leaders of the Jewish people. After a series of trials in Jerusalem, Paul was then taken as prisoner to Rome. Paul ended up in Rome, just not how Paul thought he would end up in Rome.

And the timeless reality is that sometimes God answers our prayers with a yes; sometimes God answers our prayer with a no; sometimes God answers our prayers with wait; and sometimes God’s answers our prayer in a way we do not expect. But every time, God answers our prayers according to His will and desires for our lives. Paul desired that the community of believers in Rome pray that he would experience the peace and joy that come from knowing that God has answered his prayer according to His desires. And as followers of Jesus, God calls us to be a part of a community of believers that is committed to praying for one another.

That is why we are such strong believers in community groups at the church where I serve. We are strong believers in community groups because we believe that community groups create the environment where such loving, supportive, encouraging, and praying community takes place. That is also why we will pray corporately in groups on Sunday mornings. We do so because as followers of Jesus we are to be committed to praying for one another.

So here is a question to consider: Are you committed to community here in a way that prays for one another? Are you committed to community here in a way that results in you being involved in deepening relationships where you can love, serve, and pray for one another?

Tomorrow, we will see Paul reveal a third way that followers of Jesus practice a lifestyle that demonstrates that they are committed to community...