01-A) The Sender - Rom 1:1-7
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last Sunday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus. We have spent about seven weeks really honing in and focusing what took place on the cross over 2000 years ago and the ramifications to the world of that event. Jesus, the son of God came into the world with a full human nature. Living and dying, so that weak, evil, hateful, sinful people could be saved. It is the event we put our hope and trust in that, I a sinner am saved from the wrath of God for my own sins because God, planned before the foundation of the earth to make me an adopted and saved son.
3 Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. 5 He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
Without the sacrifice of Jesus, there would be no hope or future for us. We would continue to live in darkness and frustration in the consequences of our sin. My charge for us today is that we do not turn from last Sunday as if we are turning to some other topic today. Instead, I want us to be looking forward in anticipation to the next celebration while we live today in light of the risen savior.
We are going to start Romans today and we will like still be in it this time next year. But before I start I want to ask a simple question.
What is the scripture? What is this book that we have in our hands today? That we sit next to our bed at night? The reason I ask this, this morning, is depending on what you believe about this will fundamentally impact what you receive from the Lord as we go through Romans.
Is it important to a believer? or is it an old outdated book? Is it God’s words or man’s? Is it powerful or just a book like any other? It is effective or useless in our lives? The reason I ask these questions is that I feel that we must, we must, see scripture in the way that God has intended.
16 For we did not follow cleverly contrived myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ; instead, we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased!” 18 We ourselves heard this voice when it came from heaven while we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 We also have the prophetic word strongly confirmed, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you know this: No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, 21 because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable for teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
We are living in a time where 9 out of 10 Americans state that they have a bible at home. But when you look at almost any statistic you will find a struggle with bible engagement, comprehension, and application.
Americans, especially are regressing into a post literate world. The screens and the bombardment of visual materials is crowding out all reading in our lives not just in relation to the bible. With this trend there is a leaving of the words of God. There is a turning to the visual stories about Jesus that studios are producing. Though I think in some way these can have some benefit, the fear I have is that people become familiar with incomplete stories about God but they never actually come to meet him in his word.
Why do I bring this up this morning? We are going to go through a letter of Paul’s that has been the spark that fueled the fire to some of the most impactful conversions and powerful revivals. It has so much depth and a truth in it that it will be a work to go through it. If we come to it lightheartedly we will miss the life changing truth that is in it. This letter will challenge you, may even break you and build you back up, if you take it seriously. If you come to seek the Lord through his written words.
Come prepared on Sunday to hear from God. Come with a note book, and a real bible. Pray before you come. Meditate on the word after you go. Sit in your families and discuss it. Read it over and over again this year. I believe this book will change our church. It will mature us as believers. It will strengthen our faith. It will give us boldness to speak the good news of Jesus.
Let us, get ready and dig into to the treasure that we are going to uncover.
So today we turn to Chapter 1 and we read the greeting of this letter.
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures—3 concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh 4 and was appointed to be the powerful Son of God according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection of the dead. 5 Through him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the Gentiles, 6 including you who are also called by Jesus Christ. 7 To all who are in Rome, loved by God, called as saints. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
In this beginning greeting he introduces himself to the readers, defends his authority to speak on these topics and introduces that primary focus of the letter of Romans. Reveal the gospel in deeper detail and to teach on how the believer and the church is to respond and live in light of the Good News.
His Name
His Name
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
This letter leaves no question to who the author is, Paul. The one who would write almost half of the new testament with 13 books. A man that God saved as a demonstration of God’s patients and mercy. Of his saving grace.
12 I give thanks to Christ Jesus our Lord who has strengthened me, because he considered me faithful, appointing me to the ministry—13 even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man. But I received mercy because I acted out of ignorance in unbelief, 14 and the grace of our Lord overflowed, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate his extraordinary patience as an example to those who would believe in him for eternal life.
So how was this demonstrated. How did his life change. What does Paul mean by the statement that he was the worst of them.
1 Now Saul was still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord. He went to the high priest 2 and requested letters from him to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them as prisoners to Jerusalem.
Here we see a man is a blasphemer, a man against God, a persecutor and murderer. A violent man. He was so consumed with his desire to wipe out this “threat”. That he even requested letters that would give him authority to take away mom or dad or any men or women who were found to belong to the Way. We can think men like this in history. They are consumed with wiping out a group. This is a man who stood out amongst those against the new church. He was solely motivated destroy this group in the name of God. He would defend what he thought was right.
3 As he traveled and was nearing Damascus, a light from heaven suddenly flashed around him. 4 Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul said. “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “But get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the sound but seeing no one. 8 Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing. So they took him by the hand and led him into Damascus. 9 He was unable to see for three days and did not eat or drink. 10 There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” “Here I am, Lord,” he replied. 11 “Get up and go to the street called Straight,” the Lord said to him, “to the house of Judas, and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, since he is praying there. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and placing his hands on him so that he may regain his sight.” 13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard from many people about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has authority here from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” 15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
The Lord meets with Paul personally and powerfully. Paul is overwhelmed by the presence of the Jesus as he reveals to Paul that he is the one that Paul is persecuting. He is now blind. Lead by the hand. What a time for him. Minutes ago he was on a mission. It was clear to him. Get rid of those that are against my God. I will get them all. He sees the path ahead of him with single minded determination. Now he finds himself physically blind, stumbling with each step. With to horrid realization that every person that he had put in prison, every person that was lead to their death for their profession of Jesus as risen, they all died because he was wrong.
Ananias is unsure but God reassures him so he goes. He believes that God will do this as he greets him as brother.
17 Ananias went and entered the house. He placed his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road you were traveling, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 At once something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he got up and was baptized.
Deep in our sinful hearts we have this kind of fairness code. When ever we see someone else get blessed we call out “that’s not fair”, Why didn’t I get what they got. Or we work for something so hard and then we see someone else get what we want and we know they did not deserve it the way we do. Like the older brother in the prodigal son, when he comes home and throws a fit that his dad is celebrating that his wayward brother has returned. There is darkness, in our hearts when we look out into the world and say they do not deserve to be saved. They are beyond God’s saving hand. Their sin is way worse than mine so I will not pray for them or share with them the message of truth.
But here God demonstrates his mercy and grace by saving the man who’s mission was to remove the church from the world. And in so doing Paul became an example that God can save anyone, that all can be saved, that there is nothing that you can do to cause God to turn his back to you. Paul would
8 More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. 10 My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, 11 assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead.
The man writing this letter has been transformed by the Love and Forgiveness of Jesus. God, directly interacts with Paul, and how does he see himself as a child of God. What is his identity?
His Identity
His Identity
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus. We went in depth into the culture and topic of salves in the old testament and New testament when we went through 1 Timothy 6:1-2 on the last weekend of January this year. When we look at the word in Greek it means slave, and has the idea of a bondservant. In the context of there culture there was slavery would look like what we think of in our history. Of taking people from their families and using them in many ways. But in this culture there were times when it made sense to become a bond servant. There were rules about it in the old testament and a person could even choose to be a permanent slave if their masters were good and gracious to them. There were slaves that would run and organize households and would be treated well.
When we look at the New Testament there are about 7 Greek words that are translated into servant or slave. Each of them revealing the completeness of submission and humility before the Lord. In 1st Corinthians we read,
1 A person should think of us in this way: as servants of Christ and managers of the mysteries of God.
This word for servant was used to describe as those that would row at the bottom a ship. This was one of the harshest places and the lowest of the low slaves in the time. The different uses were used to convey this new life of living for the Master for the Lord Jesus.
15 And he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for the one who died for them and was raised.
The life of a believer is no longer their own. He died and was raised to save. And the response is a life devoted to Jesus. This seems to almost be a foreign concept in the church today. Many are blindly devoted to their church leaders and pastors. Many of which are false teachers. But there are many who put their trust in the people who stand in the front instead of the one who sits on the throne.
Others will look at the list of rules and will attempt by works to achieve some type of solace or comfort in the world. Constantly feeling like they can never meet the requirements.
Others will confess Jesus as master, but will never ask him what he wants. Never interacts with him. Takes the title but not the position.
Others will look at his words and instructions and just say “no today Jesus”. Those instructions are not for me.
Or those that read in the scripture that he has work for you to do, that he has given you a gift and that the gift is ment to build up the church. But they never cultivate the gift or use it.
The master gives many tasks and many gifts for the Christian to live out their life. Fully devoted to him.
His Calling
His Calling
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
Though all are to no longer live for themselves. There are specific tasks, and callings that God will put on specific people. Here we see the calling of Paul to be an apostle. The word means a sent one. Like an ambassador.
The word apostle is used nearly 80 times in the New Testament. It has both a specific and general meaning. In the general sense all believers are sent ones as we are sent into the world but it is primarily uses were to speak of the 11 that Jesus appointed minus Judas, Matthias replacing him and Paul.
They were men who were given authority and signs.
1 Summoning his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.
12 The signs of an apostle were performed with unfailing endurance among you, including signs and wonders and miracles.
Paul was called by Jesus specifically to be a sent on to the Gentiles.
15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is my chosen instrument to take my name to Gentiles, kings, and Israelites.
Jesus directly
15 “I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. 17 I will rescue you from your people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
From Jesus and God.
1 Paul, an apostle—not from men or by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised him from the dead—
Called to be an apostle. The word means to be summoned to be an apostle. Through the appointment by God he was sent to the Gentile world. To those outside of the Hebrew nation to call them to repentance for the forgiveness of their sins and to testify that God had done just that in his own life. God is at work at appointing people to the tasks and positions that people are in.
From the leaders of churches.
28 Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd the church of God, which he purchased with his own blood.
There are many today that seek to lead God’s church but they do so for the wrong reasons the wrong motivations. The seek the spot light, they need to be needed, they have been convinced that they can do it. But the real reason they should be there is that they are called and appointed to be there. It is beleiveing that that gives the strength and boldness to continue through the hard times.
Paul’s life was not easy. He had some issue that he pleaded with God to remove and God said no.
6 For if I want to boast, I wouldn’t be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will spare you, so that no one can credit me with something beyond what he sees in me or hears from me, 7 especially because of the extraordinary revelations. Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. 8 Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.
Paul would be chased out of towns, yelled at, imprisoned, beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, on the road mile after mile. The people he trained would betray him, those he taught would follow false teachers down the wrong path but in all of it he would stay faithful and strong because he had been called to this mission.
Set Apart
Set Apart
1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—
Through out the bible we see that God sets apart for himself a people.
26 You are to be holy to me because I, the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be mine.
He instructed the Israelites to set apart the firstborn offspring to the Lord.
11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and gives it to you, 12 you are to present to the Lord every firstborn male of the womb. All firstborn offspring of the livestock you own that are males will be the Lord’s.
The tribe of Levi was set apart to be the priests.
11 Aaron is to present the Levites before the Lord as a presentation offering from the Israelites, so that they may perform the Lord’s work. 12 Next the Levites are to lay their hands on the heads of the bulls. Sacrifice one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering to the Lord, to make atonement for the Levites. 13 “You are to have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you are to present them before the Lord as a presentation offering. 14 In this way you are to separate the Levites from the rest of the Israelites so that the Levites will belong to me.
He commanded them to set apart the first fruits of their crops to the Lord.
To the readers of this letter they would be very familiar with the idea of God setting apart things and people for himself. And this man, Paul was called before he was ever born.
15 But when God, who from my mother’s womb set me apart and called me by his grace, was pleased 16 to reveal his Son in me, so that I could preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone.
Paul is set apart for the purpose of preaching to the Gentiles, set apart for the Gospel. As we go through this letter we will come to see that the gospel is the center of all of it. Like a diamond he will reveal truth after truth about the depth and work of the gospel in lives of Christians. This is what he was set apart for.
We don’t have the same calling that Paul did, his was unique for a special purpose but we are still to be used by the master. To follow him and to grow in him.
20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable. 21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. 22 Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Conclusion
Conclusion
I started this sermon with the question What is scripture? When we look to God we see that he has spoken through his son, demonstrated his love, and when we look to Jesus we have seen God. We are called to follow and grow into the image of Jesus who saved us. But who here as found that it can be really hard and really discouraging looking at the sinless savior and then our own lives. But we see that God gave examples to us to follow, to show that we can grow and be used by God.
That no matter our past, God can use you for great thing. In 1 Corinthians Paul will tell them “Imitate me as I imitate Christ”. To see him as a man transformed by God and being used by him. A man who calls himself a servant to the Lord, who is fulfilling the calling on his life, and who is set apart to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Good News that sinners can be forgiven of their sins, the good news that God loves, and made a way for the separation between God and man to be removed.
We see the extraordinary way that God intervened into Paul’s life but he was saved in the same way we are by faith. Our salvation is just as big of a miracle as his was.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Blessing/Benediction
24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.
