February 9, 2025 – Romans 15:1-13

Lesson Date: February 9, 2025

Focal Scripture Passage: Romans 15:1-13

AIM: To lead students to discover three of their most important duties in the church, and to commit to rely on God’s power to carry out those duties.

 

Before class: Read the notes on Romans 15:1-13 found in the Sunday School Teacher Book.  Write the following words on the board: “Pastor,” “Elder,” “Deacon,” and “Teacher.”

 

INTRODUCTION (Create Learning Readiness): Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Pastor” written on the board.  Ask: “In a few words, how would you describe the duties of a pastor?” (to preach the Bible, minister to members, and lead the church).

Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Elder” written on the board.  Ask: “In a few words, how would you describe the duties of an elder?” (to assist the pastor in carrying out his duties, especially in leading the church).

Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Deacon” written on the board.  Ask: “In a few words, how would you describe the duties of a deacon?” (to serve and minister to the members, and to assist the elders and pastor).

Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Teacher” written on the board.  Ask: “In a few words, how would you describe the duties of a teacher?” (to teach and minister to a small group of members within the church).

Ask: “Are the pastor, elders, deacons, and teachers the only ones with any duties in the church?” (no).  Ask: “Do those who don’t serve in any of those roles have any duties?” (yes).

Add the word “Me” to the other words on the board.  Ask: “Do we as individual members of the body have any responsibilities or duties to our church?” (yes).

Tell the students the title of today’s lesson is My Duties in the Church.  Tell them in the passage we will read today we will discover three duties God assigns to every church member.

 

HEART OF THE LESSON (Bible Study):

1. Review.
   • Remind everyone that we are studying the New Testament book of Romans.
   • Ask: “What was last week’s lesson about?” (Avoid Offenses; we learned some guidelines for avoiding offenses and discovered three important truths that should guide our relationships with other believers).
   • Ask: “How have you done at avoiding offenses this week?”
2. Put Others First to Edify Them.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 15:1-3.
   • Ask: “According to verse 1, what must those who are strong in the faith do?” (bear with the infirmities, weaknesses, and failings of weaker brothers and sisters in Christ).
   • Explain the following:
     • Last week in chapter 14 we learned that sincere Christians sometimes have differing opinions about debatable things, such as what they eat and what holidays they observe.
     • The rest of chapter 14 taught us that each of us will give account of our actions to God, and that we must never do anything that might cause other believers to stumble.
     • Romans 15:1 says we must bear with the weaknesses and failings of other believers.
   • Ask: “What does the last part of verse 1 say we must not do?” (selfishly seek to please only ourselves).
   • Ask: “According to verse 2, who are we supposed to please?” (our “neighbor;” in other words, other believers in the church).
   • Ask: “What does verse 2 say is the goal of doing this?” (to edify them).
   • Explain that edify means to grow, mature, and build up.
   • Ask: “According to verse 3, who is the greatest example of putting others first to edify them?” (Jesus).
   • Tell the class that Romans 12:10 says, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another.”
   • Tell them that Philippians 2:3 says, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
   • Stress the fact that if we are “looking out for number one” we can’t possibly edify and encourage other believers.
   • Summarize: One of our most important duties in the church is to put others first to edify them so they can grow strong in Christ.
3. Strive to Unify the Church.
   • Read Romans 15:4-7.
   • Ask: “According to verse 4, why were the Old Testament scriptures written?” (for our learning, so that we might have hope).
   • Ask: “What did Paul ask God to do for believers in verse 5?” (make them like-minded with other Christians).
   • Tell the class that another important duty is to unify
   • Ask: “How does verse 6 describe the unity God wants in His church?” (He wants us to have “one mind and one mouth;” in other words, think and say the same things).
   • Ask: “What does verse 7 say we must do?” (receive and accept one another, just like Christ has received us).
   • Ask: “What makes it hard to achieve unity in the church?” (we are selfish, fallen humans who care more about ourselves than about others, so we selfishly want our own way).
   • Tell the students that Charles Spurgeon said, “We will be like-minded with one another only when we become like-minded with Christ, but not until then.”[i]
   • Summarize: One of our most important duties in the church is to strive to unify our brothers and sisters in Christ.
4. Glorify God.
   • Read Romans 15:6-7
   • Ask: “According to verse 6, what does God want us to do with one mind and one mouth?” (glorify God).
   • Explain that glorify means to praise, exalt, and highly esteem.
   • Ask: “According to verse 7, why did Christ receive us?” (doing so brought glory to God).
   • Tell the students that when we put aside our selfish differences and receive one another, God is glorified.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 15:8-9.
   • Ask: “What does verse 9 say Jesus’ coming enables Gentiles (like us) to do?” (glorify God).
   • Tell the students that the last half of verse 9 is quoted from 2 Samuel 22:50 and Psalm 18:49.
   • Read Romans 15:10-12.
   • Tell the class that those verses contain quotations from Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalm 117:1, and Isaiah 11:1 and 10, all of which reveal that God planned to save Gentiles so they could glorify and praise God.
   • Stress the fact that Romans 15:6-12 repeatedly tells us to glorify God.
   • Ask: “Do you spend more time glorifying God or complaining about your circumstances?”
   • Summarize: One of our most important duties in the church is to glorify In fact, that’s one reason He saves us.
5. Results of Doing Our Duties.
   • Ask a volunteer to read Romans 15:13.
   • Tell the students this verse reveals the results of doing our duties of edifying other believers, unifying the church, and glorifying God.
   • Ask: “What four things did Paul ask the God of hope to fill his readers (including us) with?” (joy, peace, and hope, through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God).
   • Ask: “Do you want joy in your life?” (yes, everyone does).
   • Ask: “Do you want peace?” (yes, everyone does).
   • Ask: “Do you want to abound in hope?” (yes, everyone does).
   • Ask: “Do you want the power of the Holy Spirit in your life?” (yes, everyone does).
   • Stress the fact that the context of this verse reveals that to have those four things, we must get busy doing our duties of putting others first to edify them, striving to unify the church, and glorifying God.
   • Summarize: The wonderful results of doing the three important duties God assigns us in the church are joy, peace, hope, and power.

 

PERSONAL APPLICATION: Direct everyone’s attention once again to the words “Pastor,” “Elder,” “Deacon,” and “Teacher” written on the board.  Remind them that at the beginning of today’s lesson we talked about the special duties of the people who hold each of those positions in the church.

Direct everyone’s attention to the word “Me” written on the board.  Remind them that we said every believer has some duties in the church, even if they don’t hold one of the positions listed on the board.

Remind the students that the title of this lesson is My Duties in the Church.  Tell them we have discovered three important duties each of us has in our church.  Ask: “What are those three important duties?” (put others first so we can edify them, always strive to unify the church, and in all things to glorify God).

Ask: “How are you doing at putting others first so you can edify them and build them up?”

Ask: “How are you doing at promoting unity within the church?”

Ask: “How are you doing at glorifying God and encouraging others in the church to do the same?”

Remind everyone that the results of doing those duties are joy, peace, hope, and power, which are things we all want.

Ask everyone to bow their head and close their eyes.  Tell them to silently confess to the Lord failures in any of those important duties.  Tell them to commit to rely on God’s power to carry out those duties from now on.  Allow a moment for silent prayer, and then voice a prayer of commitment to do our duties.

 

CONCLUSION: Ask everyone to memorize Romans 15:1.  Tell them to look for tangible ways this week to put others first to edify them, unify the church, and glorify the Lord.  Tell the students if they are not members of the church, they should join today, and then get busy doing their God-assigned duties.

 

 

[i] KJV Spurgeon Study Bible, Copyright © 2018 by Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, All rights reserved