Passion and Pain for God's Kingdom

Somewhere in your phone there is a contact you scroll past without opening. A brother who stopped coming to church. A father who does not want to hear about Jesus. A friend from college. You love them, and it hurts. This message is about Paul’s pain for his own people in Romans 9:1-5, and what that kind of burden should do in us.

Romans 9:1-5

Paul writes, “I speak the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit, I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my people.” His passion was so deep that he would have suffered himself if it meant they could know Christ.

The Heart of Paul: A Deep Burden for His People

Paul loved his own people so much that he would have given up his own place in Christ for their sake. That is not a preacher’s exaggeration. It is a man weeping over his family.

A Personal Relationship with the Holy Spirit

Paul says he is speaking the truth, and that his conscience confirms it through the Holy Spirit. Before he talks about anyone else, he talks about his walk with the Spirit. If you want to be effective in anything God gives you, you must have a strong personal relationship with the Holy Spirit, so that He leads you in your daily walk with Christ. Not once a year. Daily.

Sorrow for Those Who Do Not Know Christ

Paul experienced deep sorrow for his people. The word sorrow here can carry fear and heaviness, but his pain was not for himself. It was for the ones who did not know Jesus. His greatest desire was for his fellow Israelites to know Christ. If you truly love your family, your friends and your community, you will not be indifferent to their eternity. A mother in Zirakpur who prays at 5 a.m. for a son who has walked away knows exactly what Paul felt.

Love and Action Go Together

Paul’s love for his people showed in what he did. True love does not sit back while someone perishes. When you care about a person, you naturally want the best for them. If you love people who are far from God, you will pray for them, you will show them the love of Christ, and you will be ready to speak of Him when they ask.

Three Things to Keep in Mind About Salvation

Before you carry a burden for anyone else, be clear about what salvation is and where it comes from. Paul’s example challenges us to consider our own place in God’s kingdom. There are three lessons to remember.

1. Salvation Is a Gift from God

Salvation is not earned. It is freely given by God. Romans 1:16 says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 3:23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The consequence of sin is death, but through Jesus we receive the free gift of eternal life (Romans 6:23).

Because you received salvation as a gift, do not take it for granted. A gift that changed your life is a gift worth telling others about, so that they too can experience God’s grace.

2. Jesus Loves Everyone

Christ’s salvation is for everyone, not for a select group. Romans 5:8 says, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 8:1 assures us that “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” God accepts us not because of what we have done, but because of whom we have received: Jesus Christ. And Romans 8:38 begins Paul’s great list: neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, nothing in all creation can separate us from the love of God.

This truth should move us to love not only fellow believers but everyone. We love people as Christ loves us, and we point them gently to Him.

3. We Have a Responsibility to Share

Paul saw himself as a debtor to all people. He had received something, and he owed it to others. We have a job in God’s kingdom: to bring people to Christ by prayer, by love, and by honest words when the door opens. Salvation is not achieved through human effort, cleverness or pressure; it comes through God’s grace alone. Our part is to pray for people and to show them the love of Christ. God does the rest.

Fighting for Our Loved Ones

Do not sit quietly while Satan takes control of the lives of the people you love. Pray. Fast. Speak the name of Jesus over your home. Our message is simple and we do not change it: Jesus is the Saviour. Romans 8:38 is a promise that nothing can separate us from God’s love, so we can carry on without fear. Paul never stopped and never rested; he worked tirelessly to spread the gospel. Every day, live the gospel in some way, through your words, your actions, or your prayers.

Conclusion: A Call to Action

A burden that never becomes a prayer or a conversation is only a feeling. Paul’s passion and pain for God’s kingdom set an example for us. His love for people should move us to:

• Strengthen our relationship with the Holy Spirit.
• Grow a heart that truly cares for those who do not yet know Christ.
• Remember that salvation is a gift, freely given by God.
• Share the love of Jesus with everyone, whatever their background.
• Take responsibility for living the gospel and praying for people by name.

May we carry the same passion Paul carried, with a burden for those who do not yet know Jesus, and lives given to God’s kingdom.

This week

• Write the names of three people you love who do not know Jesus and pray for them by name every morning.
• Ask the Holy Spirit each day for one chance to show the love of Jesus, and take it when it comes.
• Send one warm message to someone who has drifted from church, with no lecture, just love.

May the Lord give you Paul’s heart and Paul’s tears, and may you see Him answer the prayers you pray for the people you love. God bless you abundantly.