Allies in the Fight

Readings:
Esther 10
Romans 15:14-33

Focus:
Romans 15:30a: "I implore you by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love that the Spirit inspires, be my allies in the fight."

Paul tells the Roman Christians that it has been his task to tell the Gospel to the Gentiles (the non-Jews), and that he has been particularly careful to go to places where no Christian has gone before to tell the message. He thus contrasts Jews with Gentiles, and Gentiles who have never heard the Gospel at all with Gentiles who have already heard it.

Yet Paul also binds all these groups together into one family of God. Before he can visit the Romans, he is going to take money to the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem, who are experiencing economic distress. This money has been raised by Gentile Christians. As Paul says, the Jewish Christians have shared their spiritual treasures with the Gentiles, and in return the Gentiles are sharing their material treasures.

Paul knows that there will be foes in Jerusalem who will seek to arrest him, and he asks the Roman Christians to pray for him as he goes there--to be his allies in the fight. Once again he binds the groups together into one family of God.

This is a model for us. We cannot always be together with our brothers and sisters, but we can support them through financial aid, through prayer, and through contacting them to tell them of our support. We can be their allies in the fight.