1. Praying for SPC Romans 15:1-13
What do you pray for the church at SPC? (ie each other individually and as a group) What would you like others to pray for you?
Our prayers reveal our ambitions and concerns.
We can also shape our prayers by using a model, as a form of discipline. Series looks at Paul’s Prayers for the church. Easy to overlook amongst the doctrine and exhortation, but interesting to see what he says he prayed.
Can we use these as a model to base our own prayers on?
What would it be like if these prayers were answered at SPC?
Some themes we will meet: unity in Glorifying God, knowing God better, love, joy and mission.
This week: Romans. Read Romans 15:1-13

2. What should church life be like?
What makes an ideal church? [discuss]
Characters:
Alice –somewhere she can work alongside likeminded people
Barbara – prayer nights & feeling spiritual
Carol –affirmation and support from friends
Dave –great music
Erik the Viking –detailed expository sermons (which he can critique)
All of these may be nice to have, but these are not what Paul prayed for the church in Rome to be more like. Read Romans 15:5-9 & 13.
In summary:
we should all be like Christ –united in Glorifying God; and
we should have the inner strength to be this.
Look at each concept in some more detail

3. Glorifying God Convictions Character Competence
The chief purpose of the church is to glorify God in every situation (vs 6). We are like Spotlights that help people to see Jesus better, and to appreciate him. How do we do this?
What glorifies God? 3 areas we should work on (C’s)
1. Conviction of what he has done in the Gospel –ie knowing that Christ has “accepted me” (vs 7) –with all my faults, failings, errors- to bring praise to God! Understanding and appreciating his mercy & grace (see vs 9). Praising God for his mercy (vs 9-12). “The Gospel is the Power of God for the Salvation of Everyone who Believes” (1:16). God is glorified most of all by the Gospel –so understand the Gospel better! Knowing what God has done, so that we can tell others.
Examples: why did Jesus have to die? Does the Gospel mean you can act however you like? Is there some other way people can get to God?
2. Character: shaped by Grace; in line with our convictions. Eg loving being generous to others vs concern for our own security; giving up our rights in order to build up others (see vs 1). Having enough concern for others to tell them what God has done.
Examples: what would your life be like if you loved your neighbour as yourself? What if you showed as much generosity to others as God has shown to you? How would your lifestyle and political views change to increase your opportunities to share the Gospel?
3. Competence: able to know what to say and how to say it –to persuade others of the truth of the Gospel, and to build others up in their convictions and character. Eg being willing to invest you time and effort in developing the skills needed to evangelise and disciple others, so that they are better able to glorify God for his mercy.
Examples: practicing sharing the Gospel door to door; knowing how to lead a Bible discussion; understanding how to listen to someone who is stressed, so that you help them to calm down.
A church glorifies God where everyone in it is growing in Conviction, Character and Competence, so that it is equipped to get other people to understand his mercy.
Is this your prayer for SPC? Is this your prayer for you?

4. Like Christ, United in Glorifying God
Paul emphasises the importance of being united in glorifying God (vs 5). What does unity look like in practice?
Working as a team: “one heart and one mouth” (vs 6) –eg learning together, developing same convictions, having consistent character, together striving for competence. A team helps each other, is on the field (not in the stands), and cheers each other on. A team is on the same side, shooting in the same direction…
Accepting each other as team members (vs 7), and helping each other to develop our convictions, character and competence. This is the point of vs 1-2 –we bear with each other, to build each other up, just as Jesus works to build us up. Eg. Stages of spiritual growth:
Dead –we work out the best way to help people understand the Gospel –eg by respectfully engaging with their beliefs and asking questions, by being able to explain the Gospel clearly.
Babies –we welcome new believers into the team and accept some need patient support in understanding the Gospel. We each actually take the time to teach the basics of the faith…
Children –we take the time to answer questions and don’t hinder their faith, even when may be focussed on own spiritual needs (eg the situation in ch 14 re food). As children we strive to grow up!
Young adults –we give opportunities to do things and support them even if could do better. We encourage, rather than criticise.
Parents –we develop the skills to be parents to others in the faith (ie disciple them); we allow others to mentor and develop us (requires humility).
We model our lives and character on Jesus –how can we be a team of mini Jesus-s?
Is this your prayer for SPC? Do you want to grow as a team member? (if so –how do you plan to do so?) How can you share your experience of life with others to help them to grow? (eg older women mentoring younger women…) (meeting in smaller groups to pray and encourage each other).

5. Give me strength! Is this easy? Actually no. We need help.
This is why the focus of Paul’s prayer is that we should have Endurance and Encouragement.
Endurance: we’re in for the long haul –people take time to change (may exhibit the same faults for years); we don’t always have time or energy to develop as we would like. God’s kingdom takes time to build -we’re investing for the future.
Encouragement: we continue to believe it’s worthwhile:
Helping others to build conviction, character and competence is valuable (and a good use of our time, when contrasted with (eg) money, sightseeing, building an Instagram profile etc);
God will achieve his purposes –just as in Christ he has fulfilled the OT promises (vs 9-12), so he will build his church. Ultimately, it is He who will recognise our work & say “well done”. Even if the day to day situation looks small scale and short of resource.

6. Help me to be positive!
We can’t just learn to endure and feel encouraged. We need to rely on God’s Holy Spirit to help us. See vs 13. Trusting in the God of Grace we develop three Core Christian characteristics:
Joy –we find satisfaction in our work for God; we don’t see it as drudgery.
Peace –we’re not anxious about our situation or stressed –we can cope with other people’s faults.
Hope –we have confidence about the future.
These are Spiritual gifts –we need to pray for these attributes. But they also all flow from the Gospel, so we will develop them the more we meditate on the Gospel –knowing God has forgiven us for the past; accepts us completely and loves us in the present; and has eternal life in store for us in the future. This gives us Joy, Peace and Hope.
We want God to help us to experience all of these emotions more clearly as we seek to glorify him as a team at SPC. Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and what he has done for us.

7. So is this your prayer for SPC?
Glorify God
As a team
Keeping going
Filled with Joy, Peace and Hope
Our mission is to Glorify God. Our prayer is that we achieve this –individually and as a team. Pray that we do it, that we keep on going, and that we keep going with Joy, Peace and Hope.