Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Well it’s the new year for me in preaching, as I have been out of the pulpit for three weeks.

It has been refreshing to listen to others speak God’s Word and for me to see both the written Word being spoken, shown and the people responding.

Thank you for the folks who have been speaking while I began to prepare our next sermon series into the book of Romans.

Last Fall, I asked Josh to ponder a bit and we looked at books that have not been discussed recently and we seemed to land on the book of Romans.

Romans,

I do recall, the days of my first year graduating from College, I was approached by a church to come and candidate for an associate position in their church.

Although God has taught me many things throughout the years, back then as we were a newly engaged couple, traveling to our first candidating session, the pastor asked if I would love to step into teaching the Morning’s series that this seasoned Pastor was walking through.

You guess it, Romans.

The Heavy Hitters of the Bible.

The strong Doctrinal Book with deep messages for the believers.

As a newly graduated pastor, eager to teach, my first response was,

No Way.....

There is so much content in this book, how could I possible speak with a confidence of what I am saying.

Now I find myself a few years later, looking upon this book with the same reservation I have as I did then, but with a greater understanding of God’s call to walk through this book with you folks.

Romans, is more than the Romans Road map to lead someone to the Gospel

It is a foundational for our understanding of God’s Truth for our lives.

Folks, I have a roadmap that I have set out as we journey through this book, but we will see how the weeks progress as to how far we will make it through.

I may not necessarily go verse by verse or chapter by chapter for if I did,

we will be in this book for several years.

My hope is that when we are through these sermons you will have a great understanding of the book and what it entails, but it will lead you through a greater desire to work through the book yourselves.

Before we get into the book, let’s pray.

Turn with me as we open the book of Romans and begin at the start.

Paul’s Purpose for the introduction

Paul’s Purpose for the introduction

Skip reading this quote, for reference only

The letter falls into the three self-evident sections of almost all communications: beginning (1:1–17), middle (1:18–15:13) and end (15:14–16:27).

The introduction consists of three paragraphs: 1:1–7, where Paul introduces himself with an unusual degree of elaboration and greets his readers in typical fashion; 1:8–15, where Paul makes a preliminary statement of his hopes to visit the Christians in Rome; and 1:16–17, where Paul sets out the main theme of the unusually lengthy exposition following thereafter.

As I was researching and preparing for preaching through Romans, one person stated that the book is easily divided into three sections.

Beginning, middle, and end

Seems simple enough until you realize that the middle covers from Chapter 1 through to 15

and finishes with a one chapter wrap up.

But for some reason, the beginning of this book by Paul to the people found in Rome takes up a large 17 verses.

You see He wrote to Jewish and Gentile Believers found in Rome.

It was written to people whom he had never met.

Paul’s other scriptures were often written to those folks who for one reason or another he had a significant impact in their lives.

But Rome comes from a different perspective.

They were believers that may have heard about this man call Paul, but may not have seen him in person.

Researchers have dated this writing to be around A.D. 57 and written while he was in the City of Corinth on his third missionary journey found in the book of Acts.

Paul, in writing to these believers, felt it necessary to speak these words of truth.

Hopefully as we journey through this text over the next few months we will discover the very things he had for the people.

Some of the themes we will cover throughout the book can be described as Key Doctrines .

Themes like

God and His Gospel

Humanity and our need

Christ’s work on the Cross

The Topic of the Holy Spirit

God’s Word and the Truth in it

God’s People and their mission

and finally God’s Love and the power that is found in that love.

With all that in mind, let’s dive into the basic introduction Paul Gives to the people in His letter to them and ultimately to us.

Take a look at verse one again

Three Elements of identification

Because the believers in this letter didn’t fully know Paul, he set out right from the beginning why it is that he was writing and under what authority it was that he could write.

In the opening verse, we can identify three elements of how he identifies himself.

A Slave, A called man, and finally one who is set apart.

To be honest church, this should be a standard by which all of us should be heading towards as we continue to grow as followers of Christ.

Slave

Let’s look at the first descriptor.

Did you see my translation, Servant, not slave.

I can get on board with this translation.

You see a servant is someone with a choice.

A choice to serve, a Choice to be under submission for someone.

For many of us, this comes easy.

When we started out in the workforce, we become someones servant.

To do the bidding of that person who hired us.

It’s a mutual agreement between two people.

We often talk about serving in the church.

Serving implies also that there is some type of payment or reward.

I often joke with folks who serve around here at the church that when I thank them, I state, their paycheck can be cashed in Heaven.

Afterall, God’s bank account is much greater than mine.

There are many passages that talk about a servant.

diakonos (Di Ack o nos)

In fact we are asked to be that as a believer.

This greek word is a description of people as a servants of God.

Often used to point out people who serve in an official capacity within the church.

I am not denying the term servant as a good description of what Paul is saying here, but if we are to fully understand what Paul is saying we need to look at the original word used by Paul

Paul is not saying servant, and maybe your translation has a better description than mine.

Because

The greek word is Doulos and not diakonos (Di Ack o nos)

The correct understanding that Paul felt he was to be called was

a slave.

This is how we define slave:

A person who is legally owned by someone else and whose entire livelihood and purpose was determined by their master.

Let me show you again in written form

A person who is legally owned by someone else and whose entire livelihood and purpose was determined by their master.

Paul begins to tell the believers that this message he is about to tell them comes from a slave, who is totally owned by His master, Christ.

Some translations state Bondservant.

It gives us a better picture but not fully complete.

Paul was a slave, not to man, but to God.

His whole life was changed that moment on the road when God called out to him.

That encounter Then Saul now turned Paul was a slave to God.

He recognized and communicated with those in this letter that his entire life was not for himself but for Christ.

In the concept of a slave, he was bought with a price, paid in full, and is owned by His master, God.

Folks, is that not what we are to be?

Christ went to the cross and paid in full the price God wanted for our lives, our eternal destiny.

It is nothing we have done or could do.

No matter what state you find yourself in today.

Christ has paid it all for your life.

Imagine how in the past, slaves were purchased.