The Gospel of God

Introduction

Turn with me, Brethren, to the book of Romans. We will look at Romans 1:1-7 this morning. (READ)

Pray with me please.

This morning, we begin our journey through The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans.

This is the Apostle Paul’s magnum opus. His apostolic dissertation. His treatise on the doctrine of the Gospel that has shaped thousands of believers.

Martin Luther was converted while he was writing a commentary on Romans 1:16-17. Saint Augustine, John Wesley, and many more.

I am not sure that I can impress upon you enough the importance of this letter.

The church at Rome was likely planted by Pentecost Travelers from Acts 2. After hearing the Gospel during that Jewish Feast, they returned home, sharing about their Messiah along the way.

This would likely mean, that up to the point in their existence, they would have no apostolic teaching.

Paul wrote this while in Corinth on his third missionary journey (A.D. 56-58).

Claudius Caesar expelled the Jews from the city around A.D. 49-54 (when he died).

Acts 18:1–2 “After these things he departed Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, and his wife Priscilla, who recently came from Italy because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome. He came to them,”

The church in Rome by this time was primarily Gentile, with a few returning Jewish believers.

This would/could have left the church vulnerable as there were few who would’ve know the Scriptures, therefore Paul was eager to go to them (1:11). In the meantime, he wrote this massive treatise on the Gospel of God.

Sin

Salvation

Sanctification

Sovereignty

Service

As you and I seek to live in a predominantly pagan and potentially “hostile” to the gospel area, lets remind ourselves of these rich gospel truths, as we go through Romans as a book, starting today.

As Paul begins his letter, he introduces himself, and then summarizes the Gospel in 7 points.

The Writer of Romans

Paul

Slave

Apostle

Set Apart

1. The Gospel Begins with God (v. 1b.)

2. The Gospel is Promised in Scripture (v. 2)

3. The Gospel’s Substance is Jesus Christ (vv. 3-4)

4. The Gospel’s Purpose is the Obedience of Faith (v. 5a)

5. The Gospel’s Scope is all the Nations (v. 5b)

6. The Gospel’s Goal is to Glorify God (v. 5c)

7. The Gospel’s Blessing is Peace (v. 7)