Sermon Tone Analysis

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A Study of

The Book of Romans

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by

David Looney

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Introduction

The Gospel

The State of Israel

Instructions on Christian Conduct

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Intro to Romans

 

! Historical Context

                One can almost imagine Paul praying on the rooftop of Gaius house in Corinth, Greece.

He looked to the east toward his Jewish people and hurt because of their rejection of the Gospel, and turned west toward un-evangelized Spain as his new expedition.

It was around 57 AD and Paul had traveled from Jerusalem north to Damascus then around the Mediterranean Sea evangelizing and organizing churches for the last ten years.

When he had evangelized and established churches in most of modern Turkey he set out on his second missionary journey moving further west into Greece.

Beginning in the north He evangelized and organized churches there as well.

Corinth was one of these churches.

His third missionary journey he set out again for Greece.

There he stayed in Corinth with his friend Gaius.

Paul had a philosophy that lead him to “…preach the Good News where the name of Christ [had] never been heard…” (Romans 15:20 NTL).

Now that he had reached the majority of Turkey and Greece, he wanted to move west to new territory.

West of Greece was, Italy.

Italy however, had already received the Gospel.

The fact that “all roads lead to Rome” meant that Rome heard the gospel before Paul could get there.

Further west yet, was Spain.

Now Spain had not been evangelized.

It was new ground, and Paul was ready to go, but if Paul was going to go to Spain he would need the help of the closes church; Rome.

Paul had wanted to visit Rome for a long time and preach the gospel there, but had been prevented thus far (Romans 1:13).

So then, now that he was planning an expedition to Spain, Rome was probably on the way.

This was good, because he would probably need help from the Christians in Rome.

As Paul planed his next trip to Spain and looked to Rome for support he new he had questions to answer.

Paul had many enemies.

Some people saw his message of salvation as a license to live immoral lives.

Paul admits in Romans 3:8 that some slander Paul accusing him of saying “the more we sin the better it is” (NLT).

Paul knew that these accusations needed to be addressed, especially to Rome since they heard everything.

Paul also knew there were other issues.

There were questions about whether or not the faithlessness of the Jewish people was a sign that God was casting them away.

Another major issue was the fact that the incredible numbers of Gentiles being saved were not assimilating into the Jewish Christian Church.

The ethnic and cultural divisions were very serious and unity was becoming extremely difficult.

Paul was to write a letter to Rome that would address all of these issues.

Paul evangelized all the north and west Mediterranean.

The Gospel

!

1:1-17 Opening

!! 1:1-7 - Address

 

Paul begins his letter to the Romans the same way any one today would begin any letter, by identifying himself.

Paul identifies himself as “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called /as /an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”  Before he identifies his readers Paul takes verses 2-6 to describe in further detail that Gospel to which he has been “set apart for”.

This topic [the gospel] will be the centre theme of this epistle.

After introducing himself Paul describes the intended recipients as those who have obeyed faith (1:6) and in verse seven the addressed are more specifically identified as “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.”

As noted above, Paul takes 4 verses to clarify what he means by the /Gospel/ when he describes himself as “set apart for the/ Gospel/ of God”.

Paul makes the following points in verses 2-6 regarding the Gospel referenced in verse one.

·         He promised the /gospel/ before hand through His prophets in the scriptures

·         Concerning his son, a descendent of David in the physical sense

·         Declared the son of God by the resurrection

·         Jesus

·         The same Jesus that through whom “we” received grace and apostleship to bring the gentiles to obedience to faith

 

!! 1:8-15 - Paul’s Desire to visit Rome l[DLL1] 

 

                Having[DL2]  introduced himself and addressed his readers, Paul takes seven verses to greet the Roman believers by addressing his pride for them and his attempts and desires to visit them.

1.       1:8 Paul is thankful  for the Romans because their faith is known throughout the world

2.       1:9-13 - Paul’s visit to Rome

 

i           1:10 - Paul’s Prayer: to finally visit Rome

ii         1:11-12 – Paul’s Purpose: to impart a gift[1]

iii        1:13 – Paul’s Plan: Paul has been prevented from visiting.

His desire is to visit Rome and preach the Gospel there.

iv       1:14-15: Paul’s   Obligation: To preach the Gospel to all people.

!! 1:16-17 - Thesis Statement

 

                                Romans 1:16-17 seem to operate much like a thesis statement, summarizing the main purpose of this epistle.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For in it /the /righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous /man /shall live by faith.”

(Romans 1:16-17 NASB95)

!

1:18-2 - The Guilty

 

        Paul begins his treatise on the Gospel by first describing the need for salvation.

In 1:18-32 Paul has the easy task of showing that the gentile pagan does not have any excuse for his sin and is guilty before God.

Paul’s Jewish readers readily agreed with him on this point.

In Chapter 2 however, Paul turns on the self-righteous Jew | /3:1-20 All Are under Sin//1.

//Entrusted with the oracles (Giving much responsibility and worsesning plight if unfaithful)//2.

//Through the law comes knowledge ofsin (realization for the need fojustification (“(/ |

and proves that the man who judges the gentile is just as guilty.

Paul concludes in 3:1-20, that all men regardless of their position with the law are all guilty before God… “none are righteous, no not one”.

!! 1:18-32 - The Sinner is Guilty

 

                Paul first demonstrates that the gentile or lawless sinner can not use ignorance as an excuse.

He has his conciseness telling him exactly what God’s will is.

He then shows that pagans disregarded God and as a result God gave them over to their own lust and eventually depraved mind.

!!! 1:18-20 – The Sinner knows God

 

i           1:18 – God’s anger against all wickedness is revealed

ii         1:19 - God has made Himself evident to all

iii        1:20 - His divinity and power are displayed in nature

 

!!! 1:21-23 – Idolatry

 

i           Although they knew God they did not honor or give Him thanks

ii         Instead they became futile in their speculations and their foolish heart was darkened.

Thinking they were becoming smarter they became fools and began to worship images of men and beasts.

!!! 1:24-26 - The Devolution of the Sinner

 

i           So God allowed them to follow the lusts of their hearts

ii         So that their bodies would be dishonored among them

iii        They worship creation rather than man

iv       That’s why God gave them over to “degrading passions”

v         1:26-27 – People turned to Homosexuality­

 

a)      Women

b)      Men

c)       Consequences

 

vi       1:28 - And since they did not think it proper to acknowledge God, He abandoned them to their foolish thoughts