Set Apart For His Glory

Secular -

"A high-powered executive with a huge ego was standing in a long airport line. Annoyed by the wait, he pushed his way to the front desk, slammed his ticket down, and demanded, 'I need a first-class seat immediately! Do you have any idea who I am?' The gate agent smiled, picked up the intercom microphone, and announced to the entire terminal: 'May I have your attention please? We have a gentleman at Gate 4 who does not know who he is. If anyone can help him identify himself, please step forward.'

Saul spent the first half of his life making sure everyone knew his title, his authority, and his status. But when Jesus saved him, he traded his pride for humility and called himself a bondslave something that he would have never called himself before he met Christ.

Historical/Cultural Context -

Author: Paul the apostle

Date: Approximately A.D. 56–58

Place of writing: Corinth, most likely

Recipients: Christians in Rome, consisting of both Jewish and Gentile believers

Purpose and setting:

Paul wrote Romans to explain the gospel systematically and to establish the theological foundation for the Christian faith. He had not yet visited Rome, but he knew that the church there was important and desired to minister among the believers. He was also preparing to travel to Spain and hoped that Rome would become a base for further missionary work.

The Roman church:

The church appears to have included both Jewish and Gentile Christians. Tensions could arise because Jewish believers had a background in the Law of Moses and Jewish customs, while Gentile believers had come directly from pagan backgrounds. Paul addresses questions concerning the Law, circumcision, food, holy days, God's promises to Israel, and the relationship between Jewish and Gentile believers.

Central theme:

The major theme of Romans is the righteousness of God revealed through the gospel and received by faith. Paul explains that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners and that neither can achieve righteousness through works of the Law. Salvation is provided through Jesus Christ and received by faith.

Biblical Text -

Romans 1:1–7 NKJV

Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

-[Prayer]-

Life Principle - When you belong to Jesus, grace changes your identity from self-serving to set-apart, empowering you to live humbly for His glory and serve within His Body.

Life Point - Christians Are Saved by grace, set apart, and placed in the Body to serve.

Exegetical -

Romans 1:1–7 BSB

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Homiletical -

This opening is a mouth full and it is chocked full of things that we are going to go over.

First of all he calls himself Paul

His name before he was converted was Saul. It was a Hebrew name meaning “requested one” or might say the one you go to for answers.

But upon his conversion on the road to Damascus he changed his name to Paul. A roman name meaning “little”

What happened? Why would Saul change his name to Paul?

Good question, glad you asked. Before his conversion he was full of himself, prideful, and perhaps arrogant.

Now, because of his encounter with Jesus and realizing he was completely wrong about Christianity, he has come humbly before Jesus and has been wondrously saved from sin.

This brings about two things in his life. Humility and access.

He got access to God the Father through the shed blood of Jesus and because he now walks in humility he continues to have access to God.

James 4:6 BSB

But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

True humility is the result of Grace given in our lives. It is a gift of God that we should walk in it.

I have met some big names, and not-so-big names in the Southern Baptist Convention and without a doubt, the majority of those that I have met from large churches or the Association have one major problem. They look down on smaller church pastors. They have an air of arrogance. Maybe 60%-70% of the ones I have met. Now that could just be because I don’t have an adequate sample size. This anecdotal evidence so don’t take me to the bank on that.

But it does remind me that we need to ask God to give us humility and the ability to walk in it. If you don’t seek humility as a christian God will put things in your life that will definitely humble you.

In this same verse he says he is a servant of Jesus Christ.

To serve Christ properly we need to walk in humility.

Now the term servant there is bondservant or more accurately bondslave

Exodus 21:2 BSB

If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free without paying anything.

A bondslave comes to the decision that he wants to stay with the master for the rest of his life. Beyond the six years. They would then drive a nail through the slaves ear and put an earing in it. This showed that he was a slave by choice not by requirement.

Paul is saying that he came to Christ and became a slave to Christ. A slave by choice, but a slave nonetheless.

Now he says he is called by God to be an Apostle, set apart for the Gospel by God.

The term apostle means one who is sent out. That simply means that God has revealed to them that they should be an apostle of Jesus Christ. We call them Missionaries today. They are the biblical apostles today.

Now grant it, Jesus’ closest disciples had a special anointing, which means empowerment, compared to all of us today. For example, I don’t see anyone who is called to continue to write scripture today. The canon of scripture is closed and anyone who declares they are writing scripture is a heretic.

There are many people in Christendom who go around calling themselves Apostles because with that title they think that it makes them special. Guess what? It doesn’t they are who they have always been in Christ.

Anyone who calls themselves an Apostle, meaning like the disciples, I watch very closely and nine times out of ten, they preach some kind of heretical doctrine or teach things that just aren’t Biblical.

Now the interesting thing is that we are all called to do something in the body of Christ. Whether that is preaching, teaching, or cooking. Yes I said cooking. If God calls you to be a cook or chef then you do that unto the Lord. We are told that there are many parts of the Body, but one Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:12–13 BSB

The body is a unit, though it is composed of many parts. And although its parts are many, they all form one body. So it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free, and we were all given one Spirit to drink.

1 Corinthians 12:15–21 BSB

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact, God has arranged the members of the body, every one of them, according to His design. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I do not need you.” Nor can the head say to the feet, “I do not need you.”

We are called, generally, to the great commission. That is number one, don’t neglect telling people about Jesus.

We are also called, individually, to do something within the body of Christ and more specifically in this body of believers at this church.

Find out what God has called you to do and do it.

Well Pastor how do I know?

Well, what does your heart get excited about doing in the church? What ministry is He calling you to do, that isn’t happening right now? That is what you are called, at least for now, to do.

But make sure to pray it through, we don’t want to make the mistake of thinking something is God when it is just the imagination of our minds.

Pastor, what if nothing comes up? I can think of nothing beyond the Great Commission?

I got some questions for you:

1) Are you sure you’re right with God? If not, you better spend some time getting right with God.

2) Are you doing the Great Commission? If not, start there.

3) What was the last thing God called you to do that you’re not doing? Well, go do that then.

Now Paul tells us that He is set apart

What does that mean?

Acts 13:2 NKJV

As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”

You know a lot of people will minister for the Lord, but not a lot of people minister to the Lord.

It is far more important to minister to the Lord. Well how do you do that?

worshipping, praising, giving thanks and the one that get me in trouble is Prayer

I am not talking about your laundry list of things you want God to bless. I am talking about coming to the Lord in repentance, and then silence. If you have never done that, then it looks like this:

You come and you say Lord please speak to me through that still small voice and let me know it is you, by your peace, by your presence. Now doing this may lead you to particular scripture, chapters, texts. Just remember to use a good hermeneutic. Meaning to remember to read in context of the rest of the scripture. The verses before, after and the rest of the Bible.

The Christians here were ministering to the Lord, combined with fasting. What is the point of fasting? It is to give up something in order to spend more time with God.

Now it says he was separated to the Gospel. Which means Good News.

The good news is that Christ paid your debt before the Father so that you didn’t have to go to Hell. He has made us in right relationship with God.

By the way the word for Gospel is “evaggelion” from which we get the term evangelist.

Every sermon, teaching, writing, whatever that doesn’t have the Gospel in it, the good news of Jesus Christ in it is something you shouldn’t listen to.

why?

Because that good news effects how we see and interact with the world. If you can take the Gospel out of these things and not have it effect the sermon then there is something wrong with that sermon.

To be separate means he was called to be dedicated, consecrated and set apart for the service of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We are all called to separate from the world. If you look like any other human being and you aren’t walking in Christ then what is the point? You are just like everyone else. You don’t just tack Jesus onto your current life, no, you give up your current life for the Life He has to offer. You become changed and different. People will notice the difference in you as you become like Christ.

Illustration -

There is a difference between a common kitchen sponge and surgical tools. You use a kitchen sponge to wipe dirty counters, scrub floors, and toss in the trash when it gets gross. But a surgeon's scalpel isn't left lying on a greasy counter. It is sterilized, kept in a velvet case, and reserved only for saving lives. Many Christians try to live like kitchen sponges—soaking up the world's filth all week, then asking God to use them on Sunday. God is calling us to be surgical instruments: sanitized by His word, set apart from common use, and reserved exclusively for The Master's hands.

Life Point - True faith falls in love with Jesus, lives for His glory alone, and walks boldly in the holiness He bought.

Exegetical -

Romans 1:2–7 BSB

the gospel He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Homiletical -

Now let’s look at verses 2 & 3

You will find that some people get initially excited about walking with Jesus, but when reality hits of what that means and the day-to-day commitment of it. They tend to lose that passion. Most of the time they come back and then lose it again and then comeback and the cycle repeats.

You have to remember that from the time that Paul was gloriously saved to the time he penned Romans was 25 years. During that time he was dedicated, consecrated, and separated.

So what is the biggest difference between Paul and a lot of Christians today?

Well, he didn’t fall in love with some theological concept or an idea about God. He fell in love with Jesus.

If Christians would come to the fact that Jesus wants a relationship with people. It would change the world. It would change this church. We need to come to the end of ourselves and understand deep down in our inner being that we can talk with Him, share our concerns and lives with Him, and have a relationship with Him.

In all of history that is a revolutionary concept.

Romans 1:4 BSB

and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

This verse is a mouth full and one that shouldn’t be read without slowing down to catch it.

The fullness, of His revelation was at His resurrection. Through God’s Power. He declared the fullness of the son of God to the world. Something else happened that day. He made it evident that He is our God. To call Him Lord in the original language here declares that He is worthy of worship. Which means He was and is God. As a jew Paul would not have worshipped anything but God and He worshipped and declared Jesus is God.

Romans 1:5–6 BSB

Through Him and on behalf of His name, we received grace and apostleship to call all those among the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

He says that he, Paul, has received grace, which is unmerited favor, and apostleship which was his call to ministry, to do something.

That is, be obedient to the Faith. How was he to be obedient to the faith. By proclaiming the faith to all nations, Jews and Gentiles alike.

This was not for his namesake, not for his ego, not for his praise. But for Jesus’ name. Meaning he did everything he did because he wanted to see Jesus magnified in all the earth throughout every nation.

Then he says that we are also the called of Jesus Christ. Meaning that we are called to do everything Christ asks us to do for His glory, not for our own glory, not for any other reason.

Romans 1:7 BSB

To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Now we get to the greeting as it were.

To all who are in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.

What is a saint?

A saint is not some special person throughout history like the Catholics and Eastern Orthodox believe.

The word saint means Holy, or Holy ones and he is called all believers in Rome holy ones.

Now how could he call everyone there Holy?

Because they are Holy by the blood of Jesus. At salvation we give up our sin and receive His holiness so that we can stand before God and be seen as clean in His eyes.

There are two types of people in this world. Either a believer, a saint, or an unbeliever, a pagan. That’s it. No in between. We are standing before God the Father not on our own merits, but on the merits of Jesus for He did not sin.

2 Corinthians 5:21 BSB

God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.

1 Peter 2:24 BSB

He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. “By His stripes you are healed.”

As a side note “By His stripes you are healed” is not about physical healing. When put in context it is talking about our standing before God and how Jesus dealt with our sin. Which is more important than this physical or corporeal world. God is more concerned with the condition of your soul than He is, necessarily, about the condition of your physical body.

Why? Because the soul lives on. Your body will not.

Hebrews 9:27–28 BSB

Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment, so also Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many; and He will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who eagerly await Him.

Life Principle – When you belong to Jesus, grace changes your identity from self-serving to set-apart, empowering you to live humbly for His glory and serve within His Body.

Call to Action – altar call….