The Power of Divine Calling
The Letter to the Romans • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
INTRODUCTION:
A- Authorship:
1- Paul the apostle is the stated and indisputable author of the book of Romans. From the book of Acts and statements in Romans, we learn that Paul wrote this letter while he was in Corinth and on his way to Jerusalem in the spring of AD 57, to deliver an offering from the Gentile churches to poor Jewish Christians (Ac 20:3; Rm 15:25–29).[1]
B- Background::
1- Romans was a letter written to a local church.
2- Unlike most of Paul’s other letter, the Roman Epistle was written to a church that Paul did not start.
The founding of the Roman church likely goes back to the “visitors from Rome,” “both Jews and converts” who came to Jerusalem at Pentecost (Ac 2:10). Many of these visitors converted to Christianity (Ac 2:41), some of whom very likely hailed from Rome.
In Acts 18:2 Luke mentioned Aquila and Priscilla, who left Rome because emperor Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave the city (AD 49). This exodus was caused by strife among Jews over “Chrestus” (Christ). The remaining Christians in Rome would be from a Gentile background. [2]
3- When the business of delivering the Gentile churches offerings to the saints in Jerusalem had, Paul looked forward to the launching of a plan which had been taking shape in his mind over the past few years. With the conclusion of his apostolic mission in the Aegean lands, he must find fresh fields to conquer for Christ. In making choice of a new sphere of activity, he determined to go on being a pioneer; he would not settle down as an apostle in any place to which the gospel had already been brought; he would not ‘build on another man’s foundation’ (Rom. 15:20).
My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else.
His choice fell on Spain, the oldest Roman province in the west and the chief bastion of Roman civilization in that part of the world. But a journey to Spain would afford him the opportunity of gratifying a long-standing ambition—the ambition to see Rome. Although he was a Roman citizen by birth, he had never seen the city whose freeman he was. How wonderful it would be to visit Rome and spend some time there! All the more wonderful because there was a flourishing church in Rome, and several Christians whom Paul had met elsewhere in his travels were now resident in Rome and members of that church. The very fact that the gospel had reached Rome long before Paul himself ruled out Rome as a place where he could settle for pioneer evangelism; but he knew that he would continue his journey to Spain with all the more zest if he could first of all refresh his spirit by some weeks of fellowship with the Christians in Rome and then, perhaps, be provided by them with a base for his advance into Spain. During the early days of ad 57, therefore, he dictated to his friend Tertius—a Christian secretary possibly placed at his disposal by his host Gaius—a letter destined for the Roman Christians. This letter was to prepare them for his visit to their city and to explain the purpose of his visit; and he judged it wise while writing it to set before them a full statement of the gospel as he understood and proclaimed it. [3]
I. WE ARE CALLED AND COMMISSIONED
I. WE ARE CALLED AND COMMISSIONED
1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
(Παῦλος δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ, κλητὸς ἀπόστολος, ἀφωρισμένος εἰς εὐαγγέλιον θεοῦ
2 ὃ προεπηγγείλατο διὰ τῶν προφητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐν γραφαῖς ἁγίαις)
A- We need to recognize who we are.
A- We need to recognize who we are.
1- We are slave of Jesus Christ. (Romans 1:1a)
“This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus”
“Παῦλος δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ”
a. The term “δοῦλος “ means “one who is a slave in the sense of becoming the property of an owner —‘slave, bondservant.
b. When Paul speaks of himself as a slave of Jesus Christ or of God , the term δοῦλος focuses attention primarily upon his belonging to Christ or to God. There are probably also important positive overtones, since in some languages of the ancient Middle East a phrase meaning ‘slave of the king’ or ‘servant of the king’ had become the title of an important person in the government. Se also Ga 1:10, and Tt 1:1
10 Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.
1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ. I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives.
B- We need to remember we are called by God to fulfill his purpose. (Romans 1:1 b)
B- We need to remember we are called by God to fulfill his purpose. (Romans 1:1 b)
“chosen by God to be an apostle”
“κλητὸς ἀπόστολος”- pertaining to having been called—‘called.’ κλητὸς ἀπόστολος ‘called to be an apostle. May be rendered as ‘urgently invited to be an apostle’ or even ‘summoned and commissioned to be an apostle.’
(1 Cor. 1:1)
1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Sosthenes.
1. κλητὸς = Called, chosen
2. ἀπόστολος = “one who fulfills the role of being a special messenger, In such a phrase, the term ‘special’ refers to having been commissioned by Jesus Christ for a particular task or role.
C- We need to reflect on the message we have been given. (Romans 1:1-2)
C- We need to reflect on the message we have been given. (Romans 1:1-2)
1 This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News.
2 God promised this Good News long ago through his prophets in the holy Scriptures.
1- It is his good news.
2- It is the good news that God promised in the O.T. and proclaimed in the N.T.
(Acts 2:29–31; 3:21–24)
29 “Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us.
30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne.
31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave.
21 For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets.
22 Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’
23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’
24 “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today.
II. CHRIST IS THE CENTER OF OUR CALLING
II. CHRIST IS THE CENTER OF OUR CALLING
3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
(3 περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματος Δαυὶδ κατὰ σάρκα,
4 τοῦ ὁρισθέντος υἱοῦ θεοῦ ἐν δυνάμει κατὰ πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης ἐξ ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν, Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν,)
A- The Person of the Good News- Jesus! (Romans 1:3 a)
A- The Person of the Good News- Jesus! (Romans 1:3 a)
3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
( περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ = concerning, about His Son)
1- The Good News is about God’s Son, Jesus.
(John 3:16)
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
B- The Proclamation of the Good News: (Romans 1:3-4)
B- The Proclamation of the Good News: (Romans 1:3-4)
3 The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line,
4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
1- He fulfills the prophesies about the messiah.
a. Jesus’ family lineage was one of many.
(Isa 11:1–11; Jer 23:5–6; 33:14–16; Ezek 34:23–24; 37:24–25)
1 Out of the stump of David’s family will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.
2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
3 He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by appearance nor make a decision based on hearsay.
4 He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word, and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked.
5 He will wear righteousness like a belt and truth like an undergarment.
6 In that day the wolf and the lamb will live together; the leopard will lie down with the baby goat. The calf and the yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all.
7 The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow.
8 The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in a nest of deadly snakes without harm.
9 Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.
10 In that day the heir to David’s throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place.
11 In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to bring back the remnant of his people— those who remain in Assyria and northern Egypt; in southern Egypt, Ethiopia, and Elam; in Babylonia, Hamath, and all the distant coastlands.
2- The reality of His Sonship was confirmed by being raised from the dead.
a. It was the Resurrection of the dead (ἐξ ἀναστασεως νεκρων , that definitely marked Jesus off as God’s Son because of his claims about himself as God’s Son and his prophecy that he would rise on the third day.
(Matthew 16:21-23)
21 From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.
22 But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”
23 Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”
(Luke 9:22)
22 “The Son of Man must suffer many terrible things,” he said. “He will be rejected by the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
(Matthew 17:22-23)
22 After they gathered again in Galilee, Jesus told them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.
23 He will be killed, but on the third day he will be raised from the dead.” And the disciples were filled with grief.
(Matthew 20:17-19)
17 As Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside privately and told them what was going to happen to him.
18 “Listen,” he said, “we’re going up to Jerusalem, where the Son of Man will be betrayed to the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. They will sentence him to die.
19 Then they will hand him over to the Romans to be mocked, flogged with a whip, and crucified. But on the third day he will be raised from the dead.”
3- Jesus is Christ the Lord. (Romans 1:4)
4 and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord.
(Philippians 2:9-11)
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
III. OUR GRACE-FILLED PURPOSE
III. OUR GRACE-FILLED PURPOSE
5 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6 And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
(5 διʼ οὗ ἐλάβομεν χάριν καὶ ἀποστολὴν εἰς ὑπακοὴν πίστεως ἐν πᾶσιν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ,
6 ἐν οἷς ἐστε καὶ ὑμεῖς κλητοὶ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ,
7 πᾶσιν τοῖς οὖσιν ἐν Ῥώμῃ ἀγαπητοῖς θεοῦ, κλητοῖς ἁγίοις· χάρις ὑμῖν καὶ εἰρήνη ἀπὸ θεοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.)
A- The calling God has given to us is a high privilege. (Romans 1:5)
A- The calling God has given to us is a high privilege. (Romans 1:5)
Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
1- It is the privilege of sharing the Good News to those around us.
For Paul it was definitely a “going” mission. (Mark 16:15)
And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.
For us is both a going and an as you are going privilege. (Matthew 28:19-20)
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
B- The Good news is that God includes everyone in the Good News. (Romans 1:6-7)
And you are included among those Gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
1- The Good News is not for a chosen few, but for all who believe in Christ! (John 3:18)
“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.
CONCLUSION:
How does recognizing ourselves as 'slaves of Christ' reshape our identity and purpose in daily life?
What practical steps can we take to share the 'Good News' with those around us in our communities?
What are some ways you can share your faith with friends who might not know about Jesus?
Notes:
[1] Blum, Edwin A. 2017. “Romans.” In CSB Study Bible: Notes, edited by Edwin A. Blum and Trevin Wax, 1778. Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Bruce, F. F. 1985. Romans: An Introduction and Commentary. Vol. 6. Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
