Romans: Session 1

All right. Well, good morning. I'm going to I'm going to coin Tom. Sprays. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Bought this about five times and every time I teach it is something new, something exciting, and I was going over this lesson from all the notes from the past. I had this week and I got overwhelmed with amazing new stuff that I saw. So this is not just, okay, Tik-Tok this 5 times before we're going to get their gear is 5 time before kind of lesson. This is fresh. This is something new that got, his has really laid upon my heart. So let's let's begin with a word of prayer. Father. We thank you for the privilege being able to be here. This morning. We thank you for those who have come out to hear your word. Father. It is your word and it is you that is on display this morning. Not anyone else. I pray that your spirit would be our teacher as we move through this amazing book. I pray in Jesus name. Amen. Okay, so we're going to go through and look at some important items that are are part of the book of Romans know. This is what I would call my my favorite screen. It is the screen that shows me the whole purpose of the Gospel. What is the gospel? And when we talk about the book of Romans, it is the righteousness of God, that is review. And so, how is the righteousness of God revealed? What we see, we know that God's righteousness is a just righteousness. He's must judge thin. He can't just winked at sin and let sin go. We also know that God is merciful and he is long suffering and gracious. So, how does that come together? We see that it comes together at the cross, where God's judging righteousness of God saving righteousness, come together and in Jesus Christ, and in him alone. Can God's righteousness. Be revealed and how we can have a part of that. We are a part of that.

so,

Why Romans k y Roman. What? What why do you want to come and study Romans?

Gospel According to Paul. What is it about? Romans? That is so exciting and so important and so I don't like that. That is a great comment. Civilization is at times.

Yeah, yeah, right, you know. Did, we're not the only ones that are looking forward to studying Romans and have had it impact of Romans. And in our life. I'm sure you've all heard of Luther and Augustine and some of them are our way back. Like, you know, Augustine was back in. What it's a 480 D and Martin Luther King s, these are men and Wesley in the 1600s. He's our man of God that we look at and we consider to be pretty prominent Christian leaders. Every one of these men came to Faith. True, studying Romans. And, you know, my Tennessee is the one that allow brain or something. So if I go through this quickly, it's because I know, I only have 40 but you all know, we went through that 500-year celebration back in in 2017 and the fact that Luther, who was speaking after, how can I know the righteousness? How can I be righteous before God, if you became a monk and the torture himself, he crawl on his knees and he went without food and all these things happened to him. He just was trying to become righteous. He's always said, he knew himself to be a sinner. But tell how to become righteous in, as he, as we will see, when we get to it. He was reading into the chest, shall live by faith. Not open his eyes and became Born Again, In fact, that that same phrases used, three times three other times and scripture, and in the book of habakkuk is where we read it first. And then course, here in Book of Romans that we will see that but also where in the book of Galatians, And in the book of Hebrews, all it in four, different places in Scripture, A courtier will see that they actually are quoting when we get to it. They are quoting the book, the back door and then a man named John chrysostom. You know, Kristen Empress Austin, you know, personally we have nobody from that era. So they will know if we pronounce it wrong or not, you know, but John chrysostom important that he had Romans read aloud to him once a week. How's that incredible? So what was it? So important that that many of reformists? All this has the god-given key to understanding scripture. That's r.c., Sproul says, if you had one book of the Bible, we know that all scripture. It is is god-breathed in all scriptures important. But if you had one book of the Bible in which you had to Rio, you had, and that was it. It would be the book of Romans. Because here, we see the greatest things. It shows us what sin is about, where they come from the law of judgment, human Destiny. Faith works, great justification, and sanctification elections, The Plan of Salvation to work at pricing of the spirit. The Christian hope the nature and life of the church, and the place of the Jew and the non-jew, or the Gentile. And the purpose of God, the philosophy of the church and world and world history, the meeting. And that's enough of the Old Testament and the duties of Christian, citizenship and the principles of personal, godliness, and Holiness, and morality contained in the Book of Romans. When we're done studying Romans, there should be no doubt. What the gospel is we should have no doubt the plight of mankind. We should have no doubt how God can be both just and justifier. We should be no doubt. It's how we are to live. There should be no doubt of what God expects of us. So this is a fabulous, but that's why we're not going to do it in 13 weeks.

And what you're saying is that Romans is Paul, Systematic Theology. Yes. It really is a good way of saying that you will know. Theology, you will. So we're going to begin with what we would call the background and introduction. Okay, let's take a look at the overview map of that. Okay. Contacts is extremely important, you know, if we go through the author, the the time of writing the place of writing and and and all that kind of stuff. Sometimes they can we get through this introduction part and just get to the word of God know cuz contacts is key for us to understand the book of Romans. We must understand the context in which was preaching or Paul was writing, right. This is a short interview with small view of the Roman Empire that was in charge. So we see here that it started down here, Jerusalem the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and they probed Plain make, proclaim the gospel. And as many as three thousand Souls were saved. But if you remember in, in, in the, in the book of Acts 1:8, Jesus was saying, you know, that you're going to be my Witnesses where in Jerusalem to Dee and Samaria to the uttermost parts of the earth. And if you look at that passage of scripture is in that one book, Max, so began in Jerusalem, but then when persecution said in a specially around Stephens persecution, when he was stoned, what happened. Well, they went from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. And they, they worked her way up through this area and they eventually ended up in Antioch. In fact, Antioch became like the launching headquarters as it were. Of the early church became that the mission focal points were they? They, they brought missionaries in, and they send them out, and they Antioch. And then you see the other parts in the end. We we mention app, assist in Corinth. There was a lot of Galatians up here, and, of course, thessalonica and all those. But these are kind of places where Paul travel, let me talk about, you know, in Judea Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth, do to them the other most parts of the Earth. By the time, the New Testament completed was basically hear all the way out to Rome. Because how is it? That Rome was very important. Paul wrote 1st Corinthians for necklaces and possibly the book of Galatians. And, and we'll see here in a minute in a few minutes that Corinth was significant, because we're Paul mette Aquila. Tell him we'll talk about the impact they had but this is also where Paul wrote the book of Romans.

Rome, as I said, was ruler of the world at this point context is Paul's writing to the Christians, at Rome Rome was in charge. They were everything they were in charge of the whole world at that time. The emperor was to be Worship in. This was not just in Courage, but it was enforced. The emperor was looked at as if he was a God. He was divine.

The emperor Claudius had commanded that the Jews had to leave Rome and it as a result. Paul got to meet Aquila and Priscilla in. Corinth. This is where it all went under house arrest in Acts 28 and from house arrest. He writes, Ephesians Philippians Colossians. And and and with the last one is four of them.

YouTube gentle by Lehman Road. Philemon, also from house arrest with believe that Paul was released from house, arrest. And he engaged in a fourth missionary journey, which he wrote 1st, Timothy and Titus. He was finally brought back to ruin the second time and wrote 2nd Timothy and he was beheaded. This is the context. This is the area. This is the land that were talking about. As we look at the book of Romans. You also have to keep in mind that room at the time did not this pit delineate between Jews and Christians to the right. Yes. It was an offshoot from Judaism.

Yep. Yep. Yep.

Yep, correct. Correct. This is just an overview of real quick. Look at the area from. I want you to notice. First of all, you know, there was of the deify Claudius that the emperor was considered to be gone. It's very important that we understand it. You know, we think things are tough today. We live in a nation where we see corruption in government and all that got to stop. We say, oh, Lord. How long, how long the context of the book of Romans? The context of the New Testament era is that they were under control of a, of a of Rome and that the ruler of Rome was it was mandated that we they worshipped him. At least they don't mandate that we were worshipped by, right? Okay, but they were just really important all the negative stuff. We're going to think about Roman that a worship only has stuff was used by God. Because Rome. Was they had a a mass transit system that the gospel could be proclaimed and people could move out. They had a tremendous way of keeping peace. Their armies were everywhere. They they watched over they they if you were Roman citizen you were well taken care of and Paul uses that throughout his life. The wrong was used by God. To promote and propagate and to proclaim the gospel and people grew by the letters that were written for the New Testament. We're carried on Roman roads, throughout that area to be red and become a part of the hand of the scripture. So this isn't very, very important. Yes because of room. There was a Common Language. Yep. Yep.

One. Common language was. So think about this. This is the contact of the book room. So let's get to all that stuff that we call boring.

Okay, you might say who's the author? Well, every place isn't porse. It was the Apostle Paul Wright. Well, there's all kinds of evidence that it was possible. And by the way, why do we say that? Is because

Get this. Of time. There was a lot of circulation of letters. people claiming to be somebody were writing, gospels are Epistles to people, some of them actually claim to be from

So it is important that we understand that. Who actually wrote Romans, but is very clear. There's, there's a lot of evidence. There's external evidence. For instance, Tyrone, polycarp rainiest artillian. They were all all the early church fathers and they claimed. They knew they were first century people. Many of them and they knew that this was written by the Apostle. Paul. There's internal evidence. The very first verse Paul a servant of Christ. Jesus called to be an apostle set apart to the gospel of God. So and then throughout this, this, this Epistle of Paul refers to himself. As he's talking to the brothers here in and 15:14. I myself and satisfied about you. My brothers that you yourself are full of goodness and so on and then ever in verse chapter. 16th or 17th. I appeal to you Brothers. Sophie Apostle Paul starts the book claiming that it's from Paul. And then he very, very compassionately lovingly, talks about himself and the children and the, the Christians at Rome together. So there's a lot of external internal evidence. So we will say that the Apostle Paul really did write. So, where was the place of writing? Well, we already kind of gave it away in the beginning. It's from Corinth. How do we know it's from Corinth? Well, he mentions two people in here, gayest and erastus gayest. And erastus. They were both from Corinth ractis was settled down there. Yes, was it gives a greeting from, and we see that here in 16:23, is called winding up the letter, he says, gas, who is host to me, and to the whole church, reach you a rastus the sea. The treasurer and our brother quad cuartas reach you. So this was, we seen evidence that this was written right from Corinth. There's another one bb bb. Bb was what it was a woman of very influential woman of very, she was called a a woman who served in fact, they use the word yacht, the acne with regard to her, but she would probably the one who took the letter from Paul and send it to Rome. Escorted it to rub here. We see that she was commended, our sister phobia servant of the Church of synchronous and creative the suburb of Courant, right? So with all evidence that we can see, Romans was written from car. That was about the time of the writing. Well, there is evidence to believe that is somewhere between 57 and 58 ad up. Think about this. Okay, he's writing to Rome. We had that map up there, right? Of all the area. This is 5758 a d to Heaven happen. It was somewhere around, 3334 a.d., Do in less than 25 years. The gospel stupid that began in Jerusalem all the way to Rome. But I do think about so much so that Paul was established Paul was writing to the church. So let's look at this, Look at this little timeline and here we can see in this timeline or Paul's first missionary journey. The second missionary journey, and add during his third missionary journey. He is in Corinth and from Corinth on his third missionary journey. He writes the book of Romans, okay. And over here, 8060 Paul travels, to Rome, and that is what we would consider. The first time. He went to Rome now. So that means that while he was on his third missionary journey, just prior to its arrival in Jerusalem, cuz there's there is a we're going to talk about the purpose of him writing here in a second, but he was going to bring about a collection for the Saints. I'm moving along. I'm going to go right to the background of the church here. Okay, let's talk about this church. So how was this church begun?

Will you think the Paul found this church? No, he didn't do nothing is really revealed in New Testament at the start of this church. It is possible that those were saved at Pentecost, went back to Rome and brought the gospel. It is also possible that those were part of the dispersion after Stephen's martyrdom went to Rome. But there is also a year, we meet this, this young couple. I don't know if they were young or not. I quila and Priscilla. Now, you're sometimes people say well which one was the woman Aquila and Priscilla, so I got the koala with the man Priscilla was the woman that Priscilla sounds more feminine in Aquilla, I believe. So what about these people? Well, we read first about them is that they were in Rome. And along with the Jews that I already mentioned, they were expelled from Rome by Claudius and they were found by Paul at Corinth during his second missionary journey. Read about this in Acts chapter 18 after traveling with Paul to Ephesus and working with a church there. We find them back at Rome and hosting a church in their home. And that's in Romans 16, you'll see that. So somehow pull caught up with them from from Rome. They met with Paul and they went along with Paul. They, they went along with this missionary dirty, but somehow they ended up back in Rome. And not only were they back in room, but they posted a church, a house Church. They're so cool and Priscilla, maybe. But I think that's very important to know that the Church of Rome is not just we think of the church in a, in a sense of the universal church because there were several several house churches. In Rome that we will look at it in a little while. So let's talk about this church, Malden found this church. We really don't know how it started. But the truth is a true church. Look at them the reputation. What was their reputation like their reputation? Paul says, is for Faith and Obedience of, we see that in in verse 8, we won't get the birth date this week and obedience back in 16:9. He was well known it was widespread. One of the things that we want to. How to understand a true church is going to have an effect on the people around them. So think again, we're in Rome the center, the Epic Center of the of the Roman Empire where the worship of Claudius was required and hear these Christians. And by the way, our history tells us Even during the persecution of Christians when they were martyred burned at the stake and fed to lions and all that people in Rome were saying why, why are we killing the best citizens that we have? They were considered to be the best citizens of Rome. So they had a good reputation, a true church will always have a good reputation. Okay, so let's look at the, the purpose old boy. I wanted that time isn't stopping. Is it? I wanted to be done this by quarter up, but it's not working of writing.

Polaris. Wanting to know to go to Spain, and always wanted to go to Spain in the fridge, but we got to Spain or not. We don't know. We don't know if we believe there was a fourth missionary journey when he was released from house arrest, but he got this pain. We're not, we're not really positive. But he wanted to preach, stop off at room before his way to Spain. Also, there was a cancer in the church called a tour at that time called that Judy eyes and teachers in. And what we mean by a judaizing, teacher is the route. They were Jewish teachers who had quote-unquote professed to Believe In Christ. However, They they proposed or or really mandated that anyone who wants to be a Christian needed to be circumcised first. You know, and I needed to keep the ceremonial law. So there was a, there was a syncretism between the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the ceremonial law of the Jews, and it was a very strong movement. It was very cancerous, and they would come into the churches, and they would fill the churches with this false teaching. But one of the biggest reasons is that Paul wanted to set straight the design and the nature of the Gospel. He was not responsible for the start of the Church of Rome. So we wanted to make sure that they knew the doctrine and doctrine of the word and we are setting that straight. And also this is important. This is really important. This doctrine that they wanted to make sure. That would being taught. They wanted to let the people know that this Doctrine was sufficient. It's a field. What is locked? Lacking in both the heathenism in Judaism of that day. And that it would effectively replace those systems.

And that would provide an arming as it were. Equipping of the church against gospel perversion. So that was really, really important of all, finally looks look at the theme, the theme is very clearly stated. In Romans chapter 1, verses 16 and 17. Where Paul says, I am not ashamed of the Gospel bird has the power of God for salvation to everyone who believe that the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it. The righteousness of God has revealed from Faith to Faith. That is written. The righteous shall live by faith in these two will pull them apart. When we get there. I need to versus Paul State, his confidence in the gospel. And the reason for it, the bulk of the epistle is a Boda to explain. Why. And how the gospel of Christ is God's power to save those who believe. All right. It is so important. Is that we know so, well really are the outline for the Book of Romans real quick overview map. You guys have this in your note, you know, chapters 1 through 320 run, talk about Sin from 3:20 to the end of the first chapter 5, and I talked about salvation, chapter 6, through 8:1 talk about sanctification number to talk about the sovereignty of God, the most controversial passages of scripture. In all scripture is found in chapters 9 through 11 of Roman Timmy, talk about. Stop burning. Then then 12, through the end of the book. We're going to be talking about Christian Duty, Christian Liberties, and if you look at this, You can see this breakdown. Give you a real zoomed-out overview, Okay, so,

Doctrine Doctrine. No. Boring is it? No?

What webull? Is that it? We can stand up here and we can rattle off the solos and find a scriptural basis to them and and we believe in predestination in the election and an all those great doctrines of Grace and we can Spotify that. Is that the end? No, I love how Paul dust has chapters 1 through 11. We're going to delve into professional, Theology, and Doctrine. And starting in chapter 12, going through the end of the chapter of the foundation of what we believe there should be some transformation. Some change in our lives. And that should be evident outwardly. Okay. Paul does a great job of unraveling, what we believe in, showing how it is to be implemented through our daily lives. Okay? For the half-hour, vintage.

Now, let's look at moments.

With that. Yeah, I know, right? I like that. That's good. Rome wasn't built in a day lead to Rome. Yeah. I don't know. I feel like the Lord is judging me greatly because of all the puns that I left at Ebenezer. He's brought me to a place. I Repent, okay. All right. So this is the first part you look at our our secrecy that the salutation The Gospel According to concerning, God's son verses 1 through 7. You know, we read these things over and over again, you know, we look at the beginnings of books. And sometimes we just kind of quickly, Passover them, this salutation is one of the longest opening set Paul's given any church and it is extremely important. So let's at least read this and we'll see how far we get. So Paul a servant of Christ. Jesus called to be an apostle set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy scriptures, concerning his son. Who was descended from David according to the Flesh and was declared to be the to be the Son of God in power, according to the spirit of Holiness, by this Resurrection, from the dead, Jesus Christ. Our Lord through home. We have received Grace and apostleship to bring about The Obedience of faith for the sake of his name among the nation. Among all the nations, including you, who are called to be long to Christ. Jesus Christ to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be Saints, grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Now. In a net, Randy could probably be out for this. These seven verses for probably be what 23 sermons maybe right? Okay. Think about that, 2345 50 minutes Herman's and I'm going to do it. In 10 minutes. Not really, but I may have to come back and look at Paul's Place in life. So Paul calls himself. B, a servant and Apostle. Those are extremely important. A servant in an apostle. He uses the word for serving hear the word. Do us do us and is extremely important word. It is the Greek form of this word. There are other words for Servant or slave with. This is very very important one from cell phone service, but it is one who gives himself up to another's will. In fact, if you were to be able to read the Septuagint, which is the Greek translation of the Old Testament, you will come upon this word in the book of Exodus. And this is where it finds its greatest foundation. And here we are seeing Moses, tell the people something very important says, but the slave play me says, I love my master, my wife, my children. I will not go out free. So for whatever reason. This servant is a serving of Master. It could have been he owed the money. It could be a number of reasons why he was the slave and at the end of that period of time is fulfilled his duty. He was now able to go free and what is the servant to say? I love my wife, my map, to my wife, my children. I will not go out free. Then the master shall bring him to God and he shall bring him to the door or the door post. And it's mastershield bore his ear through with an all, and he shall be his slave forever. Now, it's important for us to understand that the contest this slave is now serving his master for what reason?

He's committed to him. He looks at being his slave as something. That's not Grievous, something. That's not horrible. It's not out of obligation. I know I love my master. I want to be with him. I went to stay with him. This is the word that the Apostle Paul uses with regard to the Lord. Jesus Christ. My master the Lord Jesus Christ. I am committed to him. I will serve him no matter what.

And really an entry in regard to our relationship with Christ. That is how we should all call it. We should call ourselves a bondservant bomb slave.

Paul uses this word. Call. They said called. And in this is it's a great word. We're clay tossed and it's an adjective uses. It three times. He uses it once here in the first person who uses it in versus 6 and 7. I'm really what this word means. This is a divinely selected and appointed one, one who has been it's an adjective. So so we could say he was divinely elected and appointed doulos servant.

This is important that we understand. So how did Paul become a servant of Jesus Christ?

Who was appointed? He was called the right here in the beginning. We see God's Sovereign election, right? Paul saying I was called, I was appointed to be a servant of Jesus Christ, and then, he called himself and apostolis of an apostle, and it's in a technical sense. It's one who is sent forth with orders. However, This, we believe to be a uniquely gifted person or position of authority, given only to those with seen or been with Christ. Don't know. We're so used to this word, Apostle has passed away with the passing of the early church Apostles. Okay, call pools in that. We are ones who were sent for but in the sense that the Apostle Paul is using We are not Apostles. Papas were used to write scripture. Here's a portion that Paul mentions in 1st Corinthians chapter 9. Am. I not in a castle? Have I not seen Jesus, our lord?

Nowhere, is he saying when the qualifications of being the possible is? What? You had to see the Lord. When did Paul see the Lord on the road to Damascus? Who are you?

And you don't know if you would bear with me. You know, what the Holy Spirit wrote. Scripture using these men of God that he brought it in Grammar with grammar are so important. The word do lost a slave, a bondslave who was called appointed. And Paul saying, I was an apostle. I was set forth with a mission. And the next word goes exactly along with that with the word set apart. The idea of to mark off. From others by boundaries. This is an important word.

And I'm going to, I'm going to give you some a little bit. I don't know, a whole lot of Greek, a little bit of Greek enough to be dangerous or not to at least understand the context of things. So this word is in the perfect tense and I'll explain that in a minute. It is also in the passive voice that when I say passive voice, what am I meaning? If something is passive, when you are passive. Are you doing the action know? Something is doing the action to you. This is important. Indian the test, the perfect test. It is something that happened in the past. But it has present-day, implications example. That is the word. It is finished, by Jesus said that the implications of Christ dying for our sins, that was in the past. Right? But it has present tense implications that the perfect test. The really what Paul is saying here is that he was set apart sometime in the past. With present-day implications, it means something that he was set apart. And what I'll look at that because we've all been set apart set apart by God. Stewie been set apart or as it says here that we were marked off by boundaries. And again, when you read scripture, look for things like this word for, all right? For Many times it's used it's a it's a coordinating conjunction with. Its used to connect this thing to this and Define what I just said here, but in this case it is the what we would call. The preposition of purpose, know where the policy thing. I was set apart, for a purpose. Here's the purpose. What was the purpose?

Set apart the gospel, the good news. God. I can see I got one minute left. So I'm going to try to finish this first first, hear the gospel. The good news. I was set apart. From from eternity past, I was set apart for the proclamation of the gospel and it is not just any. He said he says, oh God, it was designed by God and what it comes from god. So let's get the picture. Now, Paul calls himself a duel a bond servant of Jesus Christ who's been called a cold one. Apostle, that was set apart. Many before the foundations of the Earth was laid for what the preaching of the Gospel that is from God and is of God. That's quite an introduction. Isn't it? Don't listen to what I'm going to say is what he's going to say, so that takes us to verse why I'm going to try to move a little faster last next week, but The introduction is important. So I have negative 1 minute.

Yes. Working relationship. It's not the one that's like that. Yes. It is a person that is willing to endure anything because they know that their Master is so loving and kind and generous and can they are they wanted to serve him willingly? Yes.

Grace versus work.

Yeah, that's right. Absolutely. Yep. Okay, let's let's pray. Thank you so much for the privilege of coming together, and to be starting this book and I just praise you for the opportunity to be able to unpack. This, this glorious gospel, this glorious and kissell. I pray that you would help us help us to take time this week to even read through this passage and have your Holy Spirit speak to us and that we would meditate on what it means to be called by you and set apart for the gospel by the right. I praise you for the opportunity to be here this morning at bless us. If we go into the service, maybe be filled with with with praise and worship Jesus name. Amen.