Love's Utility 3 - Church's Passionate & Practical Execution

INTRODUCTION:

1. Love's Utility: Christ's Ministry to the Gentiles vv8-13
   Christ, the Supreme Example: Jesus, Word made flesh as the Word fulfilled.

2. Love's Utility: Paul's Ministry to the Gentiles vv14-24
   Christians, the sanctified Expression: Paul, Word made real as the Word is worked out by God's grace.

3. Love's Utility: Gentile Ministry to the Jews vv25-33
   Church serving Christ, the Word, & One another

I. CHURCH'S DEBT v27

a. Unto Christ/ "spiritual things," origin of spiritual things (debt to the Person of Christ); understood from BROADER context 1 Cor 6:19-20

b. Unto the Gospel/ "spiritual things" understood from IMMEDIATE context (debt to the testimony of Christ); the saints in Macedonia received salvation through the preaching of the gospel truth in the hearing of their ears. Rom 8:10-13

c. Unto His Church/ Truth since that Pentecostal Day, Christ building His church (indebted to the truth & reality of Christ's Church).

1. Church established for truth (1 Tim 3:14-15)
2. Church united in & by truth (Eph 2:19-22)
3. Church, past, present & future (Rom 1:13-15)

II. CHURCH'S DUTY v26; (Rom 13:8)

a. Provision 1 Cor 9:11

b. Prayer vv30-33; Eph 6:12

1. Submission to God's will (Luke 11:2)
2. Provision for performing by God's grace in God's grace (v31; Heb 4:16)
3. Power to proclaim Gospel (vv30-33; Acts 4)
4. Partner w/Paul in the Gospel (v30)

c. Proclaim the Gospel vv20-21, 28; Rom 1:16-17

III. CHURCH'S DELIGHT v32
w/model of Christ (vv8-13), joy Heb 1:9; 12:2

w/ministry of Paul (vv14-24), joy, Phil 4:1; 2 Cor 1:14