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Believers can follow Paul’s example by praying for the salvation of lost people.
1 Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God
Share:
While the Jews had a passion for God and His law, their zeal moved them in the wrong direction.
Trusting in their own efforts pushed them farther from God instead of closer to Him.Ask:
- How did Paul’s love for the Jews lead him to respond to their needs?
Summarize:
Highlight Paul’s desire to pray for the salvation of His fellow Jews:
[Paul] revealed his affection for the Jewish people.
His heart had been broken for them,
and he had a genuine desire to see them come to faith in Christ.
Paul’s heavy burden over their lostness caused him to pray for their salvation. (PSG, p. 76)Examine:
Paul was no stranger to a misguided zeal related to the Mosaic law.
Read Philippians 3:3-11 silently.3 for we are the true circumcision,
who worship in the Spirit of God
and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh,4 although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh.
If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh,
I far more: (p> 5 circumcised the eighth day,
of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin,
a Hebrew of Hebrews;
as to the Law, a Pharisee;6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church;
as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.7 But whatever things were gain to me,
those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.8 More than that, I count all things to be loss in view
of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord,
for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish
so that I may gain Christ,9 and may be found in Him,
not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law,
but that which is through faith in Christ,
the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith,10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection
and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being conformed to His death;11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Ask:
- Why did Paul understand the zeal the Jews had regarding law?
- What did he learn about righteousness from the law after He came to Christ?
Say:
Paul had lived that life quite well.
He had checked all the boxes for being an upstanding Jew.
If anyone could claim a right relationship with God through the law, it was Paul.
But once he met Christ, Paul knew that the law would never be enough.
And he wanted other Jews to see and understand that as well.
That’s what drove him to pray for them.Ask:
- Whose salvation are you continually praying for? (PSG, p. 77)
Transition:
As Paul prayed for the Jews,
he also rejoiced over the faith of the believers in Rome-
both Jews and Gentiles.
In that, he reminded each group what it took to find salvation in Christ.Navigation