Romans 15:28-29 - In the Fulness of Christ's Blessing

Romans 15:28-29 - ²⁸ When therefore I have completed this and have delivered to them what has been collected, I will leave for Spain by way of you. ²⁹ I know that when I come to you I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ.


Message: In the Fulness of Christ's Blessing
 
Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome

What the Lord is Saying:  

These verses are a continuation of the thought from the last set of verses (15:25-27) when Paul, prior to going to Spain, wanted first to go to Jerusalem to be with the people there. He wanted to give and help supply their needs. They were impoverished and hurting. The people from Macedonia and Achaia had sent them gifts as well. He had collected gifts for the people in Jerusalem and once his task was complete, he would leaving to Spain by way of Rome so that he could also visit the Romans Christians. It is important to finish the tasks we begin. He did not do things half-hearted. 

I know from the Book of Acts that he did in fact make it to Rome, though not in the manner or the plan he had hoped, but he did make it. 

"I will come in the fullness of the blessing of Christ." 
What is significant about this statement? 

First, he will come to them in the fullness of Christ's blessing in the sense of Christ's approval. Second, when he got to Rome, he would enjoy the full blessing of Christ on his work. Third, coming in the fullness of the blessing of Christ means that Paul would receive the joy and encouragement of the edifying work of the Savior through the ministry of the Romans to the Apostle.

According to John's MacArthur's commentary on Romans:

Because he lived continually in obedience to the Lord, his life was always blessed. Obviously, that blessing did not exclude physical hardships and afflictions, as he mentions in (verse 31 and in many of his other letters). But nothing physical could rob him of the fulness of that spiritual blessing....What is often referred to as the “health and wealth gospel” was the furthest thing from Paul’s mind. His obedience to Christ cost him dearly in both of those areas. Because of his service to Christ, he suffered imprisonments, beatings, stonings, dangers from Gentiles as well as Jews, and a host of other hardships (see 2 Corinthian 11:23-27). But none of those outward problems could rob him of his inner blessing. To the contrary, he wrote, “my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, and… most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.… In every way,… Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice” (Philippians 1:12-14, 18). Paul’s hardships gave him greater opportunity “to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles” and to offer them as an offering to God, “acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:16) and thereby receive the blessing that only such selfless service to the Lord can bring. He knew “the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension”; he knew “how to get along with humble means” and “how to live in prosperity”; and God supplied all his “needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, 12, 19).

Promise: May I be in prayer for the fullness of the blessing of Christ in my life, thought the activities that I do, in the relationships that i have.