Romans 1:5-7

through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Last week we began our verse by verse study through the book of Romans..

slide four

16 chapters

433 verses

7011 words

To give you an idea of how long we might be studying this this book… ROMANS chapters long...

—There are 433 verses in the book of Romans

—There are 7011 words in the book of Romans.

Last week, we covered four verses, and 78 words.

slide five

Romans 1:5-7

And I know what you’re thinking… - THIS IS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER -

And maybe it will… But I promise you, as we crawl through this book… we will do it with great purpose..

The book of Romans is like a rich archeological find. The land is plotted out in 12 inch by 12 inch squares..

Each square is carefully removed with small delicate tools… sometimes, one grain of dirt at a time..

They use great care and precision, because the treasure that they seek to uncover has so much to teach them

LAST WEEK… IN ONE VERSE ALONE.. We spent a significant amount of time talking about our status and calling as redeemed children of God…

-We are slaves by choice to a worthy master…

-As slaves by choice to a worthy master, we are sent out with a message and a mission

-As sent out slaves, we are set apart with a holy purpose, for the sake of living out, and declaring the Gospel of Jesus.

This is what the example of Paul teaches us in verse one. This is what he says he is!!!

The man who said, “Imitate me as I imitate Christ… is giving us an example of who he is!”

That is a rich little plot of theological treasure for us to dig into, one grain at a time… and uncover for ourselves… a great treasure.

In verses 2-4, Paul gave us a brief definition of the Gospel… the prophesied life, fulfilled in the flesh, death and resurrection of Jesus…

And now… in verses 5, 6 and 7… we come across another, 12 inch by 12 inch plot of soil… awaiting our slow and detailed excavation…

Why? - BECAUSE IT IS RICH WITH THE KIND OF THEOLOGICAL TREASURE THAT IS SUPER-VALUABLE TO OUR LIVES.

As we hit the milestone of verse five today… we find out the affects of the Gospel, defined in verses 2-4, upon the life of the believer.

IF JESUS IS TRULY YOUR SAVIOR… Then this is what pours out of Jesus, into you… Jesus is the source of what we receive as Christians.

Verse five begins to show us

slide six

What we receive because of the Gospel… what we become because of the Gospel… and… because of the Gospel… what we are called to do with these lives.

1. what we receive

2. what we become

3. what we care called to do.

slide seven

The first part of verse five reads:

slide eight

through whom we have received… ()

…through whom we have received...

Now, we are going to stop right there, because it’s important for us to understand that we haven’t:

earned anything

been rewarded for our own merits

gained anything by way of privilege

attained any level of God’s approval based on our efforts of sinlessness or obedience.

We have merely… received.

Paul will say later in …

slide nine

Romans 11:36 ESV

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

Romans 11:34 ESV

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?”

slide ten

In .. through Jesus we are called into Fellowship

In … through Jesus, Paul was made an Apostle.

Here in … THROUGH JESUS… we have received.

Now, before we consider in detail what we have received… let’s first consider the obvious…

slide 11

JESUS IS A GIVER!

He is not a taker.

Some people think… if they give their lives to Jesus, then they are going to loose all of the good stuff in life.

Occasionally on the weekends, I drive for Uber. and if there is one thing that constantly gets re-affirmed to me… time and time again...

Is that there are a lot of people out there, living to party. It’s Thursday night… so they feel obligated to get drunk. Why? In preparation for the weekend.

++It’s Friday night… so they feel obligated to get drunk. They’re meeting at a bar on Saturday night where the drinks are expensive.. so they plan out, what are called ‘pre-game’ parties… where they get drunk on cheap liquor, so they won’t have to spend so much money on expensive liquor.

It’s Friday night… so they feel obligated to get drunk.

They’re meeting at a bar on Saturday night where the drinks are expensive.. so they plan out, what are called ‘pre-game’ parties… where they get drunk on cheap liquor, so they won’t have to spend so much money on expensive liquor.

It’s New Years Eve… so they’re obligated to get drunk.

It’s St. Paddy’s Day… so they’re obligated to get drunk.

A lot of thinking and planning goes into this… It is so important for people to do this. This is their definition of good… of fun… of joy…

And they think, if they give their lives to Jesus… that He is going to take their joy..

BUT JESUS IS NOT A TAKER… HE IS A GIVER.

The only things He is going to take from you, is the victory of sin and death over your life.

-HE IS NOT GOING TO TAKE YOUR JOY.

IN FACT… We see right away, that He is actually going to give you joy.

slide 12

through whom we have received grace… ()

-We know what grace means… -God’s unmerited favor…

++ But the word for grace: (charis), is akin to the word for joy… and a very basic interpretation of grace could be:

slide 13

Grace: That which causes joy

This is what we have recieved through Jesus… we have received that which causes joy.

He is not taking your joy. In fact, the things our world equates to joy, are not joy… they are fickle and deceptive imitations.

The joy that comes from God is not circumstantial.. it’s not like happiness… it doesn’t depend upon a favorable stimulus…

God’s joy, is still joy, even when life is difficult.

The path to God’s joy might confound our flesh… -We might think it strange that God offers us things that cause joy… as we abstain from the lies we once embraced for joy.

Consider what Paul said to the church at Philippi..

Slide 14

Phil 4

Philippians 4:8–9 ESV

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Philippians 4:4 ESV

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Oguk

Paul knew that Jesus is the kind of Lord that is worthy of rejoicing in… or, having joy in.

THEN, AS THEY REJOICE… they should walk in gentleness before others, they should not be anxious or fearful, They should give thanks to God..

and if they do these things… God’s peace, which surpasses all understanding… will guard their hearts and minds..

THEN, AS THEY REJOICE… Paul calls them to think upon things that are true… honorable.. just… pure… lovely.. commendable… excellent… and praise worthy.

GOD’S GIFT OF JOY… Is experienced… not down a path of addiction, drunkeness, or debauchery… -

No… it is experienced down a path of gentleness… trust… truth… honor… purity… excellence…

AND HERE’S GOD’S PROMISE: If you do these things… () … He will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus… when life brings you into a situation where peace would otherwise seem unlikely.

Go back to slide 10

Jesus is not a taker.. He is a giver… and He gives that which causes joy… -and He gives it freely..

- you can’t earn it.. - - you can only receive it, by faith. - That’s why it’s called grace.

Verse 5 goes on to say that we have received grace and apostleship…

FOR PAUL SPECIFICALLY.. Apostleship was his calling… - Paul wasn’t specifically telling the church in Rome that they were all Apostles..

slide 15

But I do believe he was telling them… that with the gift of grace, comes also, the gift of calling.

And with calling, comes purpose:

slide 16

…to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ. (Rom 1:5b-6)

With grace, comes calling… with calling comes purpose.

If someone gives you an unbelievably generous gift… generally speaking, unless you are a sociopath… - you might feel compelled towards kindness with that person.

Your thanksgiving… is expressed with kindness… you may feel brotherly affection.. you might want to return the favor in some way… you might feel compelled to help that person in their time of need… -In some way, you will be positively affected towards action, because of their kindness.

That, is exactly what the grace of God, properly recognized… should do in our life.

It should motivate us… fuel us, with Thanksgiving… to go forth and do what God called us to do.

-For Paul, it was apostleship… that is, the apostleship of being sent out with a mission and message from Jesus.

For the rest of us believers… there is the apostleship of being sent out with a message and a mission from the H.S.

With grace… comes calling.

God has not left us lacking for calling. If you are wondering what God would have you do… Just open your Bibles..

God’s perfect will for your life is revealed in the scriptures. -Even if you just start with … the verses we looked at a few minutes ago…

God will do amazing things in you, and through you.

With grace, comes calling… with calling: comes purpose.

VERSE FIVE INTRODUCES A WORD THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T LIKE.

-I know for a fact that small children don’t like this word.

-medium sized children are not fond of it either..

-teenagers? They shy from it.

-young adults? Well, it’s optional.

-Grown ups? we’ve matured beyond 25… we pay taxes, we hold jobs, we own houses and raise children… and we too, have yet to embrace this word with joy…

what’s the word?

slide 17

OBEDIENCE

yuck.

We don’t like that word.

But wait a minute: With grace comes calling, with calling comes purpose… and what good is purpose, if it’s not carried out, obediently?

Notice here, its says, ‘the obedience of faith’ -Some translators stick a definite article in there… and render it, ‘the obedience of THE faith’..

So, we would read that, and say that our faith has outlined a list of rules for us to follow and obey..

Therefore: WE need to obey the tenants of our faith.

And if we were living under the Old Covenant, where the law was a task-master, telling us what we must to do please God… then YES, WE COULD THINK OF IT THIS WAY..

BUT… under the new covenant.. His law is being written on our hearts.. We don’t obey the list of rules to prove ourselves to God.. Now, obedience is a product within us… Because we have received the grace of God.

We walk in the obedience of faith.. or the obedience of belief… because we trust God and want to see God’s work being done.

slide 18

The motivation here… is for ‘the sake of His name’.

with grace comes calling… and with calling comes purpose… and that purpose is simply this:

We want to see God glorified in all that we do. -Not just here, in our own little worlds…

=But, as we apply the Great Commission to our calling..

We want to see Him glorified… in our own Jerusalem… (our home town)..

In our Judea… (our surrounding regions)

...

And then.. expanding out… the to the uttermost part of the world..

slide 19

Let’s look at today’s final verse:

Romans 1:7 ESV

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

There’s something I want to leave you with today..

But first, we need to remove a couple words that the English translators stuck in this verse to make it more clear..

two words, that in fact, don’t make it more clear. -Two words, that may alter your understanding of what Paul is saying..

Your Bible probably has the words ‘to be’ in italics.. -That’s an indication, that they were put there to clear things up… -And usually when this happens… it does clear things up..

but folks, I don’t want you going out of this place today, thinking that sainthood is a quest or endeavor for future attainment.

Paul is telling the believers in Rome… that they:

slide 20

Are called saints!

There is nothing that they can do to earn or attain sainthood. I know that some church traditions say that you do… but Jesus does not say that.

We are not saints because of anything that we have done..

We are saints, because of what Jesus has done..

In a way… with the freely given sainthood… we begin the cYcle again..

WITH GRACE COMES CALLING… WITH CALLING COMES PURPOSE… WITH PURPOSE COMES OBEDIENCE…

In verse 7, we are back to grace. You are called saints…

Not because of anything you have done… -you and I… we are saints… because of what Jesus has done… therefore..

We are saints, because of grace.

You’re a saint by grace… therefore, you are called… and with calling.... comes purpose… and with purpose… comes obedience for the sake God’s name.

Slide 10

CONCLUSION:

Don’t get stuck at grace… don’t call it quits when you feel called. Don’t leave your purpose unfulfilled. Don’t get that far into the process of identity… simply to disobey.

God has poured so much goodness into you… so much, that brings joy..

If we, His saints, recognize it for what it is.. -We will continue to be part of changing the world we live in.

Romans 1:5-7

​

Romans 1:5-7

​

​

JESUS IS A GIVER!