Romans 1

Unashamed of the Gospel

I would like to begin a new series on the book of Romans.

This book is considered Paul’s masterpiece, a very well-constructed summary of Christian Theology.

The book of Romans played a direct role in the conversion of Augustine, Martin Luther and John Wesley.

Leland Ryken's an emeritus professor at Wheaton college wrote : "Until recently, Romans was studied in American law schools in order to teach students the art of presenting an argument. Probably true for Yale, Harvard, Princeton that had a strong biblical beginning, but now they have moved far away from that.

Yale’s motto is “Lux et Veritas” (Light and Truth). This is the same school that Henry Opukahai’a and Thomas Hopu attended and gave their lives to the Lord, their lives as we know changed the history of Hawaii.

Henry and Thomas became unashamed of the Gospel.

Let’s pray

Revelation

Unashamed of the gospel

1 Knew his calling.

Rom 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

Twenty-five years before Paul wrote this epistle to the Romans he was on the road to Damascus to imprison the Christians there. When suddenly about noon there came a light brighter than the mid-day sun and there the Lord said, "Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me? And he answered and said, "Who are you Lord? That I might serve you Lord. Now twenty-five years later Paul writes, "Paul, a servant or a bond slave, of Jesus Christ."

Paul introduces himself as a slave, someone who belonged to a master and had no rights of his own. Slavery in ancient Rome played an important role in society and the economy. Besides manual labor, slaves performed many domestic services and might be employed at highly skilled jobs and professions. Accountants and physicians were often slaves.

They were property at the utilization of their master.

Paul was born in Tarsus Cilicia(now in Turkey) in between 5-10 AD

He was a Pharisee, member of the Sanhedrin, (supreme court), a persecutor of Christians, he watched Stephen’s be stoned to death an approved it.

Called as an Apostle

An apostle, in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος, literally "one who is sent off",

Paul was sent by Jesus just like you and me.

Set apart to preach the good news, Paul was set apart, when he was a Pharisee, of many things and many events, They wouldn’t even walk by a gentile to not get contaminated by them they would cross the streets. Now as he introduces himself, he is saying that he is set apart to preach the gospel.

Rom 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God

Rom 1:2 which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures,

The good news

Rom 1:3 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,

Rom 1:4 and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies.

Good news is about a God who loves us, sinners law breakers, enemies of God, He loves us so much that He sent His only son to pay for the penalties of our sins, to died our death, to set us free from the power of sin and death and give us eternal life.

Rom 1:5 through whom we have received God's favor and a commission as an apostle in His name to urge upon all the heathen obedience inspired by faith,

Rom 1:6 among whom you too as called ones belong to Jesus Christ

2 commissioned to Share the good news.

We received God’s favor and a commission as an apostle to urge all unbeliever’s obedience inspired by faith.

Paul is very clear about who he is, but also clear about who we are in Christ Jesus.

An apostle, in its literal sense, is an emissary. The word is derived from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος, literally "one who is sent off", an ambassador.

And all of us who received God’s favor, also received a commission as an apostle to urge all unbeliever’s obedience inspired by faith.

Have you received God’s favor? You are commissioned as an apostle.

Mat 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Mat 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

The great commission is for you and me. This was not only for the 11 disciples around Jesus that day.

Years ago, I was teaching in Iasi, Romania

One afternoon I hear someone knocking at my door telling me I had a visitor, I was surprised I never met anyone from Romania except a friend in Switzerland and she was there when I left,

When I came down, I was introduced to this woman in her late 30’s, she was from Brasil so we spoke in Portuguese,

Several years before she was working with a church who sent her as a missionary to work with a village up in the mountains of Iasi, after several years they pulled out of Romania, but she loved her work with the children, she was a schoolteacher, it was a difficult situation, they had no paved road so when it rained she had to walk about 30 min in the mud, from the last bus stop to her classroom, the problem with her ministry was, it was among the gypsies.

Romanians and many in Europe despises gypsies, so she was alone up there, no churches were behind her ministry, no one knew she was out there,

I was very thankful to meet her, and challenged by her life, would you be willing to follow Jesus if he would call you into a similar situation?

That’s what the apostle Paul did, he was an obedient servant of Christ preaching the gospel to gentiles.

Are you willing to follow his example ?

Rom 1:7 to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called saints; Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ!

Some of the other translations adds a ‘to be’ here, called to be saints, translators trying to help insert that, but in the Greek is not there, that’s why is written in italic, was added on. The translation I chose for you is the Young’s literal translation.

Paul had not been in Rome, he was writing this letter from Corinth from Gaius house, at the end of his third missionary trip, he dictated to Tertius and the letter was carried out by Phoebe a deacon.

how did the gospel got to Rome?

In the book of Acts

Act 2:8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

Act 2:9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,

Act 2:10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome

Act 2:11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"

They start the church in Rome and Paul heard of their faith and work

Rom 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.

Rom 1:9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,

Rom 1:10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.

Paul was praying for them but longing to join them to impart some spiritual gifts.

Rome was the center of the world. Paul Longed to go to Rome, he wanted to preach there wanted to impart gifts among the believers.

Paul already had a record of seeing cities considered wicked be transformed by the power of God like Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, Antioch of Pisidia and many others. I cant’ wait until I get to Rome.

Rom 1:11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—

Rom 1:12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Rom 1:13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.

Rom 1:14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.

Paul was a debtor, There are only two ways to become a debtor, you borrowed money now you have to pay it back, or someone gave you money to give to a third party and now you owed them, Paul was a debtor because of the great gift God gave him so he could share with the world.

Rom 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.

3 The power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

The gospel is the good News, why be ashamed of it.

Yesterday we had a beautiful memorial service for Pastor David Rees Thomas, like Paul he would say I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.

Pastor David, just like Paul preach the gospel everywhere he went, Rotary club, Costco, Walmart, on the soccer field, and he saw the power of God at work.

I remember a couple years ago going by the hospital on Oahu to see David he was having heart problems he almost died, by the time I got there all the nurses knew him and they were so blessed by him, some had come to the Lord others were receiving prayers, I went to pray for him, he was ministering to me, why be ashamed of the power of God.

Rome loved power the roman legion was considered the best fighting power in the world, the best military power.

Rome was so powerful that when Caeser Augustus woke up one morning and had a sudden whim, he decided to take a census of the world,

just because of that statement he caused whole populations to move, that’s how Joseph and Mary, got caught into it having to go back to their city of origin to register. One men’s order, they found out something interesting during that census that 55million people were subjects of Rome. when Caesar was in a bad mood, or angry the kingdoms and kings tremble, it would affect everybody.

With all that power to show, they had something missing, they were powerless to save, they were powerless to change a soul.

Paul had the message that could transform lives, that’s why he said I’m not ashamed of the gospel is the power of god to salvation,

They were strong militarily but weak morally.

One of the philosophers of Rome Seneca said Rome is a cesspool of iniquity.

No wonder paul said Im

Millions have come to Christ because they believe.

Paul is not ashamed because the Get’s people right with God

Eternal life is a free gift from God

Martin Luther

Rom 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

Righteousness of God is an expression of God’s Holiness

The just shall live by faith. From faith to faith.

Gal 3:11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because "the righteous will live by faith."

Revelation will come as we live by faith.

Unashamed of the Gospel

because

Know your calling.

You are commissioned to Share the good news.

Know that the gospel is the power of Go to salvation of everyone who believes.

In it the righteousness of God is revealed

If you never asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior let me, give you an opportunity to do so.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Joh 3:16

To receive Him we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner, I’m sorry for my sins, I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke itand said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks thiscup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amene.