Good morning, and a blessed Thursday morning to you.

Would you open up your Bibles, please, to Romans, the 15th chapter? Romans chapter 15 for our time in God’s Word today.

I’ve always found it interesting that when you look at the Scriptures and ask yourself the question, “What does a pastor need to be competent in?”

Did you know that there’s only one thing that’s listed? That’s in 1 Timothy, the third chapter: an apt teacher. That’s the only area of competency that a pastor is called to have.

Now, certainly there are qualifications to be a pastor that we see in Scripture. But to be able to be an apt teacher, that’s the only competency that Scripture highlights.

Well, to be able to teach is certainly not limited to the pastoral office. Not at all.

Look with me, please, at verse 14 of chapter 15 of Romans. Paul writes this:

“I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”

Let’s look at that verse closely.

“I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness.”

That talks about moral character. That’s the work of the Spirit in our lives.

Are any of us perfect?

Absolutely not.

But this manifestation of goodness is the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. Remember Galatians 5—the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Goodness is embedded in that fruit of the Spirit.

So Paul says that they’re full of goodness, filled with all knowledge.

In other words, they’re doctrinally secure. They’ve been taught correctly. And then, “able to instruct one another”—to be able to teach.

That’s a calling for all of us.

You see, when we’re taught, God uses His Word and matures us. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, the 14th chapter:

“Brothers and sisters, do not be children in your thinking. Rather be infants in evil, but in thinking be adults.”

When the Word goes forth, as the Word is taught, God matures us.

He also continues to remind us—reminding us of the glorious Gospel that, through Christ, through His death on the cross, we are forgiven; that the tomb is empty; the sacrifice has been accepted.

Reminding us of who we are in baptism.

He continually reminds us as we are taught.

So we’re matured, we are reminded, and we receive those life-giving promises that crackle with power for us.

A week from this coming Sunday will be Rally Sunday. We’re beginning classes again for age three through adult.

It’s a wonderful time. I encourage your participation because we know that when the Word is taught, God uses it to mature us, to remind us, and to give us His life-giving promises.

“I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.”

Let’s pray.

Thank You, God, for this time in Your Word. Your Word is truth.

We give You thanks, O Lord, that You call us all to teach, and we give You thanks for what You accomplish as Your Word is taught.

In Jesus’ precious name, we pray.

Amen.

May God bless you today.

Encourage someone.'

Pastor Eibel