Romans: An Introduction
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Transcript
Importance
Importance
Romans is the most complete explanation of the Gospel. In the Old Testament we have the foundations for the Gospel. In the Gospels we have the life of Christ, culminating in the death and resurrection which are the basis for good news. Acts tells of the spread of the gospel.
Romans explains in detail the gospel.
Chrysostom, had the entire epistle read to him twice a week.
St. Augustine was convicted and saved after reading verses from Romans 13.
Martin Luther’s life was changed by the verse “The righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17), and his life in turn changed the course of history. Of this book he said, “The epistle to the Romans is the true masterpiece of the New Testament and the very purest gospel, which is well worth and deserving that a Christian man should not only learn it by heart, word for word, but also that he should daily deal with it as the daily bread of men’s souls. It can never be too much or too well read or studied, and the more it is handled the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes.”
Melanchthon copied it twice by hand to know it better.
John Wesley, the great revivalist in England, and founder of the Methodist church.
John Bunyan was inspired by Romans to write Pilgrim’s Progress.
Background
Background
Romans is not the first epistle, or letter, that Paul wrote. His first work was Galatians.
Paul wrote this letter while he was in Corinth, preparing to take the offering he had been collecting from the churches he established, to help the believers in Jerusalem. This was written while he stayed in Gaius’ home, and was written by the secretary, Tertius.
I, Tertius, who wrote down this letter, greet you in the Lord.
Gaius, whose hospitality I and the whole church here enjoy, sends you his greetings. Erastus, who is the city’s director of public works, and our brother Quartus send you their greetings.
The Churches in Rome
The Churches in Rome
Paul is writing to the believers in Rome. Churches he did not establish, though he knew a few of the people who were there, as we see in Romans 16.
Purpose
Purpose
However, the majority of the people there he did not know, and so he was writing to them before arriving so they would truly understand who he was, and what he taught. There are little hints in the letter that they likely heard false reports about what he taught, and this letter was a complete explanation of what he taught. This was in one aspect, his missionary support letter. He was expecting to spend time with them to minister to them, but his real goal was to go on to reach others in regions where there were no churches, no gospel witness. He was hoping they would support him.
Of course, being an apostle appointed by Jesus, he also wrote to exhort and encourage them to know the true gospel and the power of the gospel life! What is that? The same life that Paul was experiencing.
Theme: The Gospel
Theme: The Gospel
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
The gospel is the power of God to save us. What does that mean?
What does it mean that righteousness is by faith from first to last?
What does it mean the righteous will live by faith?
What is this gospel, and in what ways does it save us? What are we saved from? What are we saved to? What does it have to do with daily living?
That is what God, through Paul, reveals in this letter.
The gospel for Paul was not just about becoming saved, or becoming a child of God. It was about the change it works in us to live a whole new life in God! Paul was transformed by the gospel! He wanted the Roman Christians, and us, to know that transformational gospel!
All too often we think we know the gospel. We have heard it so many times. But, if we are not holy sanctified yet, and none of us are, we do not yet know the gospel as we need to know it. We need to keep feeding on the basics of the gospel, and allow the Spirit to use it to transform us each and every day. That is what the gospel is about. We sorely need it! Just as so many others before us needed it, we still need it today.
Outline
Outline
It is hard to work our way through this book over the course of months, which it will take us as we only have so much time each Sunday.
To help us keep in mind where we are in the book, we will be developing an outline to keep our place in the context of the whole message as we work through it bit by bit.
I want to work through it verse by verse, but in large enough chunks that we get the main points as Paul develops the concepts God has given him.
1. Introduction: It’s all about the Gospel | Romans 1:1-17
2. Doctrine of the Gospel |Romans 1:18-8
3. Divine Plan of the Gospel | Romans 9-11
4. Duty of the Gospel | Romans 12-14
5. Dedication of the Gospel | Romans 15-16
Let’s begin...
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
Paul the great missionary to whom many of you owe your lives...
Servant - bondservant, slave of Christ Jesus
He belonged to Jesus. He was not his own, but Christ’s property.
To the Greeks, servile term
to the Jews, a servant of God was a great honor
to believers, we would agree with the Jews...
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
A called apostle - This was not what he chose to do, but what God appointed him to be and do
When going gets tough, you need to know your calling. If it was my choice to minister, I would have given up a long time ago. If it is just a choice, we can change what we are doing when the going gets rough. If it is a calling, we find strength to endure.
Apostle - authority to represent, to preach, to exhort, to encourage, to discipline
This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
Same root as Pharisee - Pharisees set themselves apart for the Law, for themselves to do what they thought was fulfilling the Law.
Paul was set apart for God’s gospel now.
Purpose of him representing God...
Set apart for the gospel of God - the good news from God, about God
which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,
tied to the scriptures, a fulfillment of the scriptures
Paul quotes from the Old Testament often, showing that this is not something distinct from the Old Testament.
regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
It’s about Jesus...
The god man.
Humanly - descendant of David
regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
appointed - marked out beforehand, but shown by the resurrection to have power and authority!
Son of God in power
Power and authority over sin and death, over all!
All authority has been given me!
through the Spirit of Holiness - his holy life before his death was essential, and also demonstrated just who he was
resurection of the dead is the more literal… not just his resurrection, but there will be a day when the dead will hear his voice and rise!
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
kata sark, kata pneuma - comparison of weakness in his humanity, and power in his resurrection
For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live with him in our dealing with you.
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name,
Jesus appeared to Paul, giving him great grace, and the mission to represent him
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.
Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.
Obedience that comes from faith...
I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done—
but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith—
Literally the obedience of faith
the obedience God is looking for is faith
faith leads to obedience
And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us.
Faith does not lead to a get out of jail free card.
Faith leads to obedience.
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name,
For His name’s sake
If we are called by His name, what we do reflects on Him. How is your reflection? Does he appreciate how you make him look?
among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
It isn’t just Paul who belongs to Jesus.
to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
A saint is not one who has done something extraordinary but one who is in the One who is truly extraordinary. - Tony Merida
What about me?
What about me?
Do I view myself as a servant of God? I belong to Him to do with as He pleases? I have been bought with a price. I need to do His will.
Am I called? yes. We are. What are we called to be and do? His Holy People. We will see that more clearly as we go through Romans.
Am I set apart? yes!! What does that look like?
Am I obedient?
Do I make Jesus look good?
Do i know I am loved by God?
I have Grace and peace from God my Father. Do I meditate on that? What does that mean for me today?
What does it mean that Jesus is Lord, with power?