Paul's Letter to the Roman Church

Romans 1:1 - NLT - This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.

As we embark on the journey through the book of Romans, the first thing we know is that it was written by the Apostle Paul, who identifies himself as

• a slave of Christ Jesus

• chosen by God to be an apostle

• sent out to preach his Good News.

Paul wasn’t just any ole body. He identified himself not to brag, but to let the reader and hearer know the letter was authentic, and that what was in the letter came from God.

The Apostle Paul penned for sure 13 and possibly 14 of the 27 books of the New Testament, so he has significant influence in the New Testament church in terms of direction. The church as we know it today, with Christ as the foundation was formed after Jesus ascended to the Father.

Let’s look a little deeper at the Apostle Paul. He was born Saul of Tarsus on the southern coast of modern-day Turkey. In today’s society we often judge a book by its cover, meaning we assign importance, knowledge, and status by the way a person looks.

Some of Paul’s descriptors were

• short

• bald

• bow-legged

• meeting eyebrows (translation— he had a uni-brow)

• hooked nose

• round shoulders and

• he had some sort of physical infirmity, a thorn in the flesh, he asked God three times to take away. To which God told him no and told him, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”

While he seemed weak, his strength was in Christ and he drew from that well on a regular basis. Don’t let it get past you that to draw from that well he had to on a regular basis spend time with the filler of the well.

If you’re not reading and studying and praying and meditating for yourself…if you think that just coming to church on Sunday and listening to a few songs and a 20 - 30 minute sermon is going to give you enough power to fight the battles the enemy is going to throw at you all week long…I’m so sorry to tell you, you will find yourself beat up on a regular basis. Wondering what went wrong and why it’s happening to you. Paul knew where his help came from, and he engaged that help often.

But looks aren’t everything, Paul was also described as being full of grace, sensible, easily accessible, sweet and inspired with the Holy Spirit. He was humble, he didn’t have bodyguards keeping the people away from him and he didn’t mind traveling to help the churches, remember traveling in those days was walking. But he also didn’t have a problem letting you know who he was.

In 2 Cor 11 Paul is dealing with false prophets and how the people are listening to them. Paul has a tone; you might even say a ‘tude in this portion of his letter.

Starting in verse four reading from the NLT he says, “You happily put up with whatever anyone tells you, even if they preach a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different kind of Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. 5 But I don’t consider myself inferior in any way to these “super apostles” who teach such things. 6 I may be unskilled as a speaker, but I’m not lacking in knowledge. We have made this clear to you in every possible way. 7 Was I wrong when I humbled myself and honored you by preaching God’s Good News to you without expecting anything in return? 8 I “robbed” other churches by accepting their contributions so I could serve you at no cost. 9 And when I was with you and didn’t have enough to live on, I did not become a financial burden to anyone. For the brothers who came from Macedonia brought me all that I needed. I have never been a burden to you, and I never will be. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, no one in all of Greece will ever stop me from boasting about this. 11 Why? Because I don’t love you? God knows that I do. 12 But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve. 16 Again I say, don’t think that I am a fool to talk like this. But even if you do, listen to me, as you would to a foolish person, while I also boast a little. 17 Such boasting is not from the Lord, but I am acting like a fool. 18 And since others boast about their human achievements, I will, too. 19 After all, you think you are so wise, but you enjoy putting up with fools! 20 You put up with it when someone enslaves you, takes everything you have, takes advantage of you, takes control of everything, and slaps you in the face. 21 I’m ashamed to say that we’ve been too “weak” to do that! But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm. 28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? 30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.”

Paul had given them all he had to give, for free, and they were listening to these false apostles who had infiltrated the church. Does any of this sound familiar? Paul in essence said, I may not look like much, and I may not be the best speaker, but I got skills and I ain’t no punk. He had to just for a moment act like a fool and let them know his credentials and that what he did and what he gave, was done and given out of love.

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Paul was educated under Gamaliel, tent making was his profession and what he did when he went to a town to take care of himself when he had to. He was a Pharisee, he spoke two, possibly three languages, Greek, Hebrew and maybe Latin. When he believed something, he was all in as evidenced by his persecution of Christians as Saul. Most notably, he was there and held the coats of those stoning Stephen, the first martyr for Christ. But after he had his Damascus Road experience, he was all in for Christ.

He was the apostle to the Gentiles, he called himself the least of the apostles and chief of sinners. He had no visions of grandeur about himself. He knew who he was, what he was called to do, and did it, despite the troubles he encountered for doing it. He said, “I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”

You gotta know where your help comes from.

The letters Paul penned were written to comfort, console, teach, and direct today’s disciples. Romans is both doctrinal and practical.

Today when we preach our messages, we read just a few versus, we give it in small bites. If we read them the way they were designed to be read, out loud and the entire book in one sitting, many folks wouldn’t show up.

So it’s important to know, when we give a Scripture text, it’s just a few words taken out of an entire letter written in a different time, to a group of people, who were needing answers to certain questions and situations. It’s a snapshot of a whole.

Paul’s answers were inspired by God, we know that because the Bible is the inspired Word of God, written by men. His writings and answers were based on

• the location of the church

o was it located in a city filled with temples and altars erected to false gods

o was it in the heart of a port city where different people and influences were constantly coming through

• what issues were they dealing with?

o were outside influences infiltrating the church

o was there infighting

o were there simple misunderstandings

o was someone planting seeds of dissension and…

• who the leader was?

o was it someone young

o was it someone older

o was someone trying to undermine the leader

Paul wrote letters, because most of the time he couldn’t be there in person to answer their questions—fortunately for us. So now we get the benefit of hearing from God on things that are still happening and that we’re still dealing with in the church today. It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.

The book of Romans is the first in order of Paul’s letters. It is also the longest and most quoted of his letters. In his book The Message of the New Testament,Mark Divers describes the book of Romans as, “…a clear, logical exposition of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

At this time, Paul’s reputation has spread throughout the region. The church at Rome was not founded by, nor had ever been visited by Paul, which may be why he wrote such a lengthy and concise letter. Again, fortunately for us. It’s not certain who started the church in Rome but it’s believed it had been in existence since 30 AD and this letter is dated in the mid 50’s AD, so this church had been in existence for about 20 years at the time this letter was written. This goes to show it doesn’t matter how long a church exists there will always be questions and issues. Why? Because the church is made up of people who have questions and issues.

This church at Rome had Jewish and Gentile believers in it, which may have been the reason for some of the confusion and questions that needed to be addressed.

Picture it. You have God’s chosen people, the Jews and the people they thought were beneath them, everyone else or Gentiles, coming together to worship a Jesus, many of them probably had never met before and now they’re trying to bring everyone together to the knowledge of Christ. You have Jews dealing with the Old Testament knowledge, customs, and traditions they had and Gentiles dealing with the idol worship that was common to them. It was a mess.

Paul takes this opportunity to explain Christianity to a group of people who are trying to come together as one body in Christ. Not much has changed today. We’re coming with our individual church backgrounds and beliefs about what we think church is supposed to be, what people are supposed to do and how worship is supposed to be displayed. And that doesn’t even cover what people coming from the world are trying to bring into the church.

You can’t bring the stuff from the world into the church. We are to be separate from the world. The church is not supposed to think like, look like, or act like the world.

As we discover the book of Romans, let us keep in mind two words. The first is justification. Not in terms of justifying wrongdoing, but in terms of how we can be right with God. To be justified is to be declared right before God. The second word is reconciliation. How are we reconciled to God? Paul addresses both of these in the book of Romans.

Some other things we will cover as we learn about this book include

• sin and judgement

• righteousness

• salvation

• faith

• the death and resurrection of Christ

• the law

• the Holy Spirit and

• obedience and self-sacrificial love

If you have any doubt about what it is you believe, if you have any questions about what it is you’re supposed to be doing, come on this journey with us through the book of Romans.

This book is a great teacher for new Christians and a great reminder for those who have been in Christianity for a while. It’s the standard to use to evaluate your walk. The yardstick to measure how your walk is lining up with the Word of God. Does your life look more like Christ, or does it look more like the world? Can others distinguish you from those around you who don’t profess Christ as their Lord and Savior?

If you’re coworker or family member walked into the church, would they be surprised to see you there?

We won’t be perfect, but we can and should strive to live lives that are pleasing to God, lives that are holy and acceptable to God and that starts with a life that receives salvation.

God gave his only begotten Son to save a world full of sinners so we could be reconciled to him. Sin separated us from God, but he loved us so much that he gave.

I saw a story yesterday that the mother of a 5-month-old and a 2 year old, fought with the family dogs who for unknown reasons attacked the children killing them. The mother is in the hospital with innumerable stitches, bites to her arms legs, hands, and face as a result of trying to save her children. She ignored the danger to herself and took on the peril of fighting two dogs to try and save her children. She was willing to give her life for her children and she tried the best she could.

God gave his only Son to save a dying world, to pay for the sins of an often selfish, self-entitled, self-centered, egotistical, ungrateful people. Sounds harsh, but that is much of the society we live in today.

Let’s stop being me focused and turn to being God-focused, let Jesus turn your inward focus to an outward one, filled with love for your fellow man and woman.

Jesus died on a cross so you would have the opportunity to live an abundant life here on earth and in eternity, to receive that life it just takes three things

1. admit you are a sinner

2. believe in your heart and

3. confess with your mouth that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for your sins, rose again, and ascended back to the right hand of the Father where he intercedes on your behalf

In a prayer it would sound like this, “Lord I confess I’m a sinner, please forgive me. I believe that Jesus is your Son and that he came and died for my sins, rose again, ascended back to heaven, and now sits at your right hand praying for me. Jesus, I give you my life, please come into my heart and be Lord of my life, in your name I pray, amen.

If you prayed that prayer for the first time, welcome to the family of Christ. Contact us a let us know of your decision, then find a Bible believing, Bible teaching church in your area where you can learn and grow and work for the glory of God. If you’re in the Douglasville, GA area and would like Love Christian Center to be that place, go to the contact us page of our website at www.lovechristianctr.org and send us a message or come on down to 3500 Hwy 5, Ste 101 in Douglasville and join us in person.

If you’re here today and have never received Christ as your Lord and Savior, you don’t have to leave here today the same way you came. The doors of the church are open for salvation.

Perhaps you’ve already made that choice, but you don’t have a church home where you can work out your soul salvation, the harvest is ripe, but the laborers are few and if you’d like to make Love Christian Center your church home, we welcome you to come.

The final call is for those who are here and perhaps you strayed away and you’d like to rededicate your life to Christ. Sometimes we just need to start again, isn’t it good to know God gives us that opportunity, He’s the God of another chance, if that’s you, come on down right now.