ONE VOICE – ONE MISSION

Devotionals for International Women’s Day 2025, Day Seven of Seven

By Cheryll Pereira, Mumbai City, Maharashtra, India 

Question for reflection:  What is the first thing you would like to do when you wake up in the morning? 

Romans 15:14-16 (NIV)

I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles. He gave me the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

1. Encourage

In verse 14, Paul is encouraging the believers. He says he is convinced that they are 

• full of goodness 
• filled with knowledge and 
• competent to instruct one another

When you look at the disciples that you minister to, do you feel they are full of goodness, knowledge and able to instruct each other? 

Very often, I don't feel that way. I feel that every problem can only be solved by me and that I have all the answers. I, however, need to trust that they are competent to instruct one another as the Scripture declares. When I checked the meaning of instruct, it says ‘to teach someone a subject or a skill, to tell or to order someone to do something.” For those of us who are ministers, let’s focus on teaching, advising, or requesting gently. 

2. Be Bold  

In verse 15 Paul mentions that he is being bold in reminding them again on some points because of the grace God has given him. When you read chapters 12, 13 and 14 you will notice Paul being bold on several topics – for instance: to offer yourself as a living sacrifice; to not think of yourself more highly than you ought; to have a sincere love for each other; to submit to the authorities; to accept those weak in the faith and many, many more points.

The same boldness that Paul has, we need to emulate. Do we remind the disciples on these important points that Paul emphasizes repeatedly or do we let things slide because we want to avoid confrontation? Being bold means confronting people – in a loving manner. Call things out as you minister to God's people.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” NIV

3. The Mission

Ministering can mean to perform a public act of service. Paul was a religious teacher, a Hebrew of Hebrews and he persecuted the disciples of Jesus to the point of approving the killing of Stephen. Once he met Jesus, his mission changed. His mission earlier was to kill disciples but now his mission was to bring people to the Lord. Having begun as a Jewish rabbi he was now a priest who had to minister to the Gentiles and present them as an acceptable sacrifice to God. 

Today our mission is the same as Jesus’ mission (Luke 19:10). We also need to present every person we lead to the Lord as a pleasing and acceptable sacrifice. This is an ongoing process. Romans 15:16 is filled with the language of priesthood. Paul says he serves as a “ministering priest” of Jesus Christ, presenting the gospel as a “priestly service,” so that Gentile converts would be an acceptable sacrifice to God.

For further reflection: 

As we complete this week of devotionals on the theme of One Voice One Purpose, let us devote ourselves to our purpose of being focused on Jesus' mission.

Encourage someone every day. Be bold and address issues.

Am I and the people I minister to, an "offering acceptable to God" or are there some things that need to change? Let’s pray to glorify God with our lives, our voices, our purpose as we gather to celebrate International Women’s Day 2025!

Cheryll became a disciple in 1987 and has served the church in Mumbai, Delhi and Chennai, India. She and her husband Mark currently lead the East Sector in the Mumbai church.