September 28, 2003

PAUL'S SERVICE FOR JERUSALEM

Romans 15:25-33

 

   Paul's last full measure of service to Jerusalem was the collection and delivery of a substantial financial offering. He called it "my service which I have for Jerusalem ," and prayed that it would be accepted. He had worked for years, long and hard, to collect this abundance from all the Gentiles among whom he had ministered.

   This offering is first mentioned in 1 Corinthians 16:1, "...concerning the collection for the saints." He wrote, "as I have given order to the churches of Galatia , even so do ye." And he had spoken of the giving of these churches to encourage the churches of Macedonia for he told them of the readiness of the Corinthians, how that "Achaia [Greece] was ready a year ago," and that their zeal "had provoked very many" of these Macedonians to give as never before. (See 2 Cor. 9:2.) But now the Macedonians had given very generously and sacrificially but the Corinthians were slack, and failing to come through as promised.

   To encourage the Romans to help in this great offering Paul mentioned the giving of churches from both these areas, "For it hath pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem ..." (Rom. 15:26).

   Even the church at Ephesus probably participated, for when Paul finally arrived in Jerusalem and was participating in a Jewish purifying ceremony in the temple, certain Jews from Asia [Asia Minor where Ephesus was] stirred up all the people because they had seen Paul with Trophimus, a Gentile believer from Ephesus, and falsely assumed he had polluted their temple by bringing in this Gentile convert. The scene erupted in clamor such that Paul would have been killed had he not been rescued by Roman soldiers.

   The last mention of this offering came long after when as a prisoner before Felix Paul said, "after many years I came to bring alms to my nation and offerings..." (Acts 24:17-18). How heartbreaking to see grace working in the saved Gentiles and hardness and bitterness working in Israel . They would not even listen. Think of the Lord weeping over Jerusalem , "How often would I have gathered thy children together...but ye would not" (Mat. 23:37). I would...Ye would not!

 

Ivan L. Burgener