What a Gospel!
Notes
Transcript
Pray
Pray
Welcome to Rome, 2000 years ago.
capital of the Roman empire - the largest most powerful empire of it’s day.
This is where it’s at! Wealth, comfort, rulers, power.
But also oppression, poverty.
Great thinkers and philosophers and academics.
Everything goes through Rome - you’ve seen the films and documentaries and or read your history books, and some will have even been there to see the ancient but magnificent ruins.
But Rome is not the only impressive obeject of our attention - so is this book called Romans.
Romans is one of those books that helps us tie the whole bible together.
Written by Paul the apostle, to the church in Rome,
who we’ll get to know a bit as we go through, it shows us what true Christian life is.
What we should believe and what we should be and do.
That is what Paul says his job is as he writes this letter:
Speaking of himself he says:
Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.
Along side such practical encouraging calls to humble obedience to our Lord God,
There are 2 big themes that run through this book and they are both a natural and inevitable result of the Gospel.
Firstly Unity -unity among all believers from all and any background - the particular issue of unity in Romans is unity between the Jewish and the Gentile (non-Jewish) Christians of which there is a contentious mix in Rome.
Secondly - Mission. Paul is writing to the Romans to ask them to partner with him in mission. Taking the Gospel to those who have not heard.
I plan to (do so when I) go to Spain. I hope to see you while passing through and that you will assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while.
We will begin to see how these 2 themes relate - mission requires loving those who are different and uniting in the Good news of obedient faith in Jesus.
And unity demands that we love one another enough to support and or go to reach God’s people - however different they are to us.
So into our passage today.
Which introduces the whole book.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
Paul introduces himself,
he’s an apostle - meaning he has met the risen Lord Jesus in person and been commissioned by Jesus to have a teaching authority as an eyewitness to his resurection.
As such there were no more apostles after this time, and as such we rely on their teachings in the NT as the revealed Word of God.
And Paul is straight into to the basis of his letter.
It’s all about the Gospel - for which God has set Paul apart.
And so what is the Gospel? and our first Point?
1 - Jesus is King!
1 - Jesus is King!
I dont’ know what you think of when you hear the word Gospel - which means Good News
but if you’re like me then it’s portably that the good news is
that I can be forgiven of my sins
becasue of Jesus taking my punishment when he died on the cross in my place -
so that I might have life eternal with Him - forever.
That’s all very true - and is the gospel
- but it’s not actually where Paul starts when he wants us to understand the Gospel.
He starts with Who Jesus is!
Because it is who Jesus is that is Good news,
and as a result of who he is, we benefit.
the gospel (God) he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures
So first of - the gospel is nothing new in the first century.
Paul points out that if we want to understand the gospel - we must understand the OT,
The Gospel is what all of history has been about
- the Good news was prophesied about and lived out,
and modelled and foretasted all through the OT.
So what is this Good news?
regarding his (Gods) Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David,
The Good news is the Son of God!
Who became man - and crucially not any old man -but a man in the line of the OT Jewish King David
- from whom a promised saviour would come.
But he is not just an earthly human in a great line of Kings - he is also Christ, the anointed one, - the promised king of kings - Son of God.
and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is tricky verse - it does not mean that Jesus was not Son of God until he rose to new life.
That word appointed means something more like crowned.
In other words - what Paul is saying is that
at the resurrection the one who had always been Son of God was changed from being ‘the Son of God in weakness on earth’ to being ‘the Son of God in power’
All will now one day see Jesus Christ as Lord.
The gospel then is quite simply:
end of v4 - Jesus Christ Our Lord.
‘Jesus’ (the man), but also ‘Christ’ (Messiah, anointed King), ‘our Lord’ (the ruler of all and heir of the world, king of all kings eternal)
And he’s ‘our Lord’ whether we call him that or not! He is King.
Well why is that good news? The Gospel?
emphasise HIM
Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake.
Paul links who Jesus is to everything.
BEcasue Jesus is King - he and the other apostles received ‘grace and apostleship’ to call not just the Jews who have the OT promises of this savaiour - but now all people - the Gentiles.
Even you gentiles in Rome he says v6.
Paul is writing to predominantly Gentile Christians in Rome to reassure them
- that despite the many Jewsih Christians amoung them, this Gospel - this Good news that Jesus is King - is not just for the JEws - but for Gentiles too!
Jesus is not just King of the Jews through the line of King David - but Christ Our Lord. King of Kings!
And so he concludes is introduction:
Romans 1:7 (NIV 2011)
To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Thinking of the Gospel as being who Jesus is before we think of then what he did for us is a very helpful corrective for us I think.
If the good news is that Jesus is King -Our Lord - then our response cannot be - few I’m saved, doesn’t really matter how and what I do with my life - I’m forgiven and get eternity. NO.
The good news is primarily that JEsus is our King - our Lord -now and forever,
So our response, motivation, is not about us - but about Him.
OUr faith is not just - what’s in it for us, but our faith is one of joyful obedience , our call is not to be a forgiven people (although we are) but, v7 - a HOLY people - becasue we’re loved by God.
When you wake up we should be thinking
- How can I be Holy today.
How can I honour and prasie and obey and live for My king.
He is my Good News, becasue He is my King.
If we don’t have a faith that leads to obediecene - to holiness, - then we have missed the Gospel - that Jesus is Our KING!
Pauls knows no faith that skips straight to the results we get from the Gospel
faith for Paul is to belong to the rule and Lordship of Jesus.
- That is the good news
- and when we humbly submit and repent to Jesus our King
- we are wonderfully forgiven and saved.
It’s this perspective of Good News - the Gospel - that then we see in action from Paul,
He does not believe the Gospel is purely about him being forgiven
- so he can now get on with his life as he sees fit.
No, he sees the good news as ‘Jesus is Now my King! Hallelujah!’
I get to now live with him as my Lord and King! What a privileged! I’m called to be holy.
I can now do nothing but live for and obey Him!
So how does he then live his life - in obedience - whatever the cost.
And Paul has been instructed by Jesus to take the Gospel - that Jesus uis King of all to the Gentiles.
SO we see that explained now:
Jesus is King
2 - and Must be Proclaimed
2 - and Must be Proclaimed
as you read v8-15 - there is a real sense of urgency, desperation, excitement from Paul that he must get to Rome - to have the privilege of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus is King also to them.
v9
constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times
v10
I pray that now at last I might come
v11
I long to see you
v12
I planned many times to come to you
v14
I am obligated, - I am so eager
What is his desperation ot get to Rome?
Well it’s unity and Mission.
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
Unity - you’re just as valuable and equal to all the other Gentiles and clearly as important to Paul as even His own people the Jews!
Not only does Paul want to impart a spiritual gift, but he explains but he wants to benefit mutually from their encouragement to him.
They will give each other spiritual gifts of encouragement and strengthening. Much like we should’ve aim to do here each Sunday.
Here is a Jewish apostle - of all people - expressing his desire to be encouraged by them!
THis is some display of humilty and unity in the Gospel - Where JEsus is the only one to be impressed by!
And Mission:
Parts
I planned many times to come to you in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
and
That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
The Gospel demands unity and mission.
Paul would like nothing more than to proclaim the gospel to the Roman Christians and the Roman lost.
Notice he’s very clear that he is desperate to have the privilege to tell them the Gospel - even though they must already know it.
Such in the Good News - that you can never tire of hearing it. Or atleast we should not!
And why would we - when it is proclaiming Jesus, Christ, Our Lord!
But the harvest Paul desires is not just sanctifying encouragement amoung believers
- but undoubtedly reaching those who have not yet heard. And We can do that together when I come says Paul!
Quite simply - becasue Paul and the Roman church know that Jesus is King,
That good news must be proclaimed.
Because - v16-17
3 - Because this is how God Rescues
3 - Because this is how God Rescues
Proclaiming Jesus as King - even when faced with opposition - which Paul will ultimately face when he gets to Rome, and as he’s faced his whole preaching career,
is nothing to be ashamed of!
Why?
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
The gospel that Jesus is King is the power of God for salvation - for everyone who believes.
The good news is that we can be saved through faith in Jesus.
- but it is only any sort of salvation becasue it starts with Jesus the King.
Jesus Christ Our Lord. The Son of God
- who was resurrected in Power and Crowned the (v4)- the son of God.
Knowing who jesus is - and that he himself defeated death in all Power from God
- means that when we consider our own salvation - and proclaim the Good News of Jesus Our King to others
- we do not do so in some random hope.
We do so, knowing that the power to save has already been demonstrated in Jesus,
and that Jesus being the crowned King of all power, the Son of God,
saves others now through the simple message of the Gospel.
As I proclaim, says Paul - the every power of Christ Our Lord’s resurection,
the power of God himslef -
will act upon all those who God is calling to obey Jesus in faith.
They will not be able to resist His Power, if they are being called by God, By the Gospel, to live with Jesus as their King.
I’m coming to you says Paul and I’m not ashamed to preach the Gospel to anyone - Jew or Gentile - Wise or foolish - becasue when the Gospel of Jesus is proclaimed - God’s resurrecting Power can save!
If I don’t proclaim it there is no power.
If I do proclaim, the Power of God is unleashed to do His work as he sees fit.
We can have that same confidence when we speak to our colleagues, friends, family about JEsus Our King.
Let me summarise where we’re up to before we close with a final encouragement:
The reason Paul loves the Gospel so much is - as we’ve said
Becasue: it starts with JEsus the King,
Made man,
raised to new life,
crowned as Lord of all. -King
The result is that he has the power to save sinful humans like us,
from the hell and judgement we deserve before God and are given new life,
but importantly
- a life that is a calling to be holy and obedient in our faith in Jesus.
And so that message must be proclaimed - for it will save those being called.
But as Paul closes his introduction about the Gospel he wants us to return to glorifying God, not ourselves:
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’
God has designed this Gospel to demonstrate God’s own righteousness!
What does he mean? Well Paul helps us by quoting
Hab 2v4 in v17.
The context in Habakuk is that ‘righteous’ people wait for God’s rescue because they trust his promises,
whereas others are proud and think they can save themselves.
How does this relate to faith and righteousness here?
Paul’s point is that the Gospel saves by Grace alone - freely.
- so we need only trust the promises of it - that Jesus is King, is resurrected, and will return to bring home his Holy and obedient people.
And all this proves God’s righteousness becasue it shows that he is faithful to his promises in every way.
He promises no sin will go uinpunished - and so Jesus is punished in our place.
He says a saviour, the Christ will come - and so JEsus comes to save us and give his life for us.
He pormsies eternal life for those who have faith - and so Jesus in power is resurected from death so that we can be too!
And every person who has faith - from beginning to end - OT and NT, still today - has been saved by this Gospel - By Jesus the King.
In the OT they waited patiently trusting in a Messiah, in the NT they saw him be born, live, die and rise again, and today, we look back and remember.
The unifying point of every person who belongs to God is that they trust God’s righteousness to fulfil what HE promised.
That is what faith is - to glorify God for all things - and to not put trust in our own works - BUt his..
So, TO finish - here are a few New Years resolutions for us from this passage:
1 - Remember God before Ourselves.
1 - Remember God before Ourselves.
I say this becasue Paul does that all though our passage:
His view of the gospel does not start or end with us - it starts and ends with God.
The Gospel is actaully not all about us - while we benefit unimaginably in salvation from it - the Gospel is actually Good news becasue JEsus is King,
it has power because of Jesus’ work on the cross and his resurection,
and it reveals God’s righteousness - in which we trust
. Paul considers God at all times not his own benefits.
His own benefits are wonderful, and he constantly thanks God for His and others faith - but his motivation in life doesn’t come just from his own salvation - but rather - his motivation is the glory of God under the Kingship of Jesus.
I think this will give us a much godlier outlook on life.
2 - Remember we are called to be Holy - Faith leads to obedience
2 - Remember we are called to be Holy - Faith leads to obedience
This is the reaction to the first resolution really.
If we focus on the glory of God, Jesus as our King and Lord - then no true faith can be without a responce in obedicene and seeking to be holy.
If we don’t strive to obey and be holy - then we have forgotten our Lord IS king! - We have forgotten the Gospel that saves.
And so remember him - and remember who he is - then pray and strive to be holy.
3 - Remember the Gospel leads to Unity and Mission
3 - Remember the Gospel leads to Unity and Mission
We’ll explore this more over the coming weeks - but perhaps there are some in our congregation who you havent’ made the effort to talk to, or befriend, or make sacrifices for
- because they’re different from you.
Go and chat to them - mutually share spiritual encouragement.
LIke a Jew having to make an effort with a Gentile, or a Gentile feeling inferior to a Jewish Christian in Paul’s time.
we are all equally united UNDER Jesus our King,
And if Jesus is King - then we will also want to partrner with others to ensure, like Paul - people are going to those who have not yet heard.
But more of that in coming weeks.
Pray
