20240616 Romans 1:14-16 The Three “I Am’s” of the Christian
The Book of Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Welcome to Vertical Church
42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.
The authority of the Bible - Scripture alone
The sovereignty of God
Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone
All true worship is vertical, it is directed to God, it is for the glory of God, and it is to be seen as an offering to God
Scripture alone, Grace alone, Faith Alone, Christ alone, For the glory of God alone.
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Call to Worship - Psalm 148
1 Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh from the heavens; Praise Him in the heights! 2 Praise Him, all His angels; Praise Him, all His hosts! 3 Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all stars of light! 4 Praise Him, heavens of heavens, And the waters that are above the heavens! 5 Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For He commanded and they were created. 6 He caused them to stand forever and ever; He gave a statute and it will never pass away. 7 Praise Yahweh from the earth, Sea monsters and all deeps;
8 Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, doing His word; 9 Mountains and all hills; Fruit trees and all cedars; 10 Beasts and all cattle; Creeping things and winged bird; 11 Kings of the earth and all peoples; Princes and all judges of the earth; 12 Both choice men as well as virgins; The old with the young. 13 Let them praise the name of Yahweh, For His name alone is set on high; His splendor is above earth and heaven. 14 And He has raised up a horn for His people, Praise for all His holy ones; For the sons of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise Yah!
Scripture Reading - Romans 1:14-16
14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 In this way, for my part, I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 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.
Romans 1:14-16 The Three “I Am’s” of the Christian
Introduction:
Paul’s opening remarks to the Church in Rome
1 Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, having been set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4 who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we received grace and apostleship for the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 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. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 9 For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how without ceasing I make mention of you, 10 always in my prayers earnestly asking, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be strengthened; 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged, while among you, by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may have some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
In verses 1-13 Paul tells us:
Paul a slave of Christ
Set apart for God’s gospel
A promised gospel
A Christ centered gospel - the gospel is the life and work of Jesus and how sinners receive the benefits of his perfect life and atoning work
A trinitarian gospel - salvation is the work of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
A saving gospel
A transforming gospel - Paul the persecutor became Paul the preacher
If the gospel is all this - what is the responsibility of the believer? What is our mission, our purpose, out goal?
After explaining the gospel, in Romans 1:14-16 Paul will tell us what he is bound to do, what he is responsible to do, what he must do.
And by implication, what Paul says he must do every believer must also do.
And Paul tells us in a way that points to the way that Jesus was dedicated and committed to His mission.
14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 In this way, for my part, I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 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.
In v14 Paul says, I am under obligation
In verse 15, I am eager to proclaim the gospel
In verse 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel
This takes us back to Jesus in the Gospel of John and His 7 I am statements
I am the bread of life: (6:35, 48, 51)
I am the light of the world: (8:12, 9:5)
I am the door of the sheep: (10:7, 9)
I am the good shepherd: (10:11, 14)
I am the resurrection and the life: (11:25)
I am the way, the truth, and the life: (14:6)
I am the true vine: (15:1)
In a way, Paul is saying that if Jesus the one who alone can give eternal life, then every believer is compelled to be a steward of the gospel and therefore has a responsibility to be active in the sharing of the gospel.
And Paul describes the ministry and duty of the believer 3 ways:
(1) It is a debt to be paid forward
14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
Under obligation - in the KJV Paul says, I am a debtor
How is Paul a debtor, how is he under obligation?
Why is Paul a debtor? Salvation is the free gift of God.
Who is Paul in debt to?
Paul has never been to Rome, how is under obligation to Greeks and barbarians, the wise and the foolish?
The known world and the wild world. The upper class and the unlearned. Bar bar bar
Obligated to believers and unbelievers. - the ise and the foolish.
32 Instead, be kind to one another, tender-hearted, graciously forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has graciously forgiven you.
33 ‘Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?’
When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.
The phrase we use today is “pay it forward”
We have a double obligation: we have been given salvation and we are forever in debt to the one who gave us the gift of salvation. We have been rescued and redeemed from the slave market of sin. But now our master commands us to share what He has done to us with others. We are under obligation to share the gospel with the lost.
There is a seriousness to this o ligation:
6 ‘But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.’
Do you see the seriousness of our obligation? Do you rejoice in the greatness of your salvation, your forgiveness, the grace and mercy you received? The understand that you are a debtorx, you are a person under obligation to go and tell the world.
(2) A willingness and a passion
15 In this way, for my part, I am eager to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
If the gospel is for everyone and we are under obligation, what should our attitude be? I am eager
“Eager” (prothumos) is a compound word that pictures the forward lean of a runner, pressing forward with the gospel. The main root word for “eager” (thumos) is the same word for passion. The word gives the picture of a horse that is breathing heavy, ready to charge ahead in the day of battle.
to proclaim the gospel
to you also - Paul has been preaching but now he wants to extend his ministry
Who are you comfortable with? Are you able to step out of your comfort zone?
As we move ahead and grow, who will we reach, how will we welcome them? We do not change the message, but we may need to change our level of passion.
(3) Committed to gospel centered ministry
16 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.
7 Substitutes for the gospel
Legalism - religious rules
Sacramentalism - religious rituals
Communalism - we are a social club, we are here to build relationships
Emotionalism - This is a place to experience and to be moved
Moralism - this is a place to learn to be a good person
Therapeutism - first used in the 1850’s - a place to be happy
Deism - we believe in God but we keep God at a distant
Therapeutic Moralistic Deism is the most common form of Christianity in North America today.
It is not gospel centered, it is self centered. It is felt need, I come to church to be entertained, I come to church to be told I’m not a sinner, I’m a potential; I’m not depraved I’m deprived, God accepts us the way we are. Rather he accepts us despite the way we are.
The gospel cuts through false teaching of our age and presents the Christ who is the God who humble humbled himself by adding flesh to his deity, lived perfectly and in full obedience to the law, died as our substitute, taking our sin upon himself, experiencing the full wrath and separation of the Father, and clothing us in His righteousness, that we might be given faith and be declared righteous.
16 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.
The Jew and the Greek or non Jew - once again Paul is saying everyone
The gospel is the power of God - there is a divine human cooperative, a work of God through the obedience of his followers in the gospel
The gospel is preached and the Holy Spirit sovereignly saves.
We are to share the gospel to all people that the elect might hear and be called to salvation.
We do not have to make the gospel powerful. It is intrinsically powerful in itself. All we do is present the gospel as God gives us opportunities. Then we pray that God will cause its power to be unleashed in their souls when it is received by faith. The gospel is a supernatural message with supernatural power.
Do you see yourself as obligated to share?
Are you eager to share?
Are you truly convinced that the gospel is the power of God and it is able to save. We are simply beggars telling other beggars where to find bread.
Benediction:
Flock of the Lord Jesus Christ: May the Lord your shepherd refresh you in your daily places, stand beside you in your dark places, provide for you in your dangerous places, and welcome you into His dwelling places. Amen.