Romans 1_1-7 Good News
Secular:
- Ever have someone try and tell you about a subject you think you know pretty well…
- They come in and make declarations of this or that…
- Imagine this upper crust church in Rome… Paul decides to declare his authority to speak… how open do you think they were?
- How open do you think we are…
- Some of us have many years of church life and we sit and we here the words… do we allow then to penetrate our soul.
- Paul is gangbusters excited to write this letter… he gives away most of the rest in the first 7 verses!
- He is pumped to tell us something…
- It is time to tune in… and hear again…
Biblical:
Romans 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Personal:
- I remember every year in school… take the summer off and come back and do last years work for the first month to remind us of all the GOOD STUFF we forgot over the summer… e-gad that was boring…
- But… if you forgot one key component in Math… boy did you get messed us as you went along.
- Forget how to multiply fractions…
- Forget the quadratic formula…
- Forget what BEDMAS stands for…
- Everything else would be standing on some pretty shaky ground…
Bridge:
- The Call, The Gospel and the Effect…
- Set your anchors in the Good News of Jesus Christ
Body:
The Call:
1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.
The Call to being a bond-servant
· Simeon was a bond-servant of the Lord… waiting for the Christ child… Luke 2:28… then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, 29 "Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; 30 For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES, And the glory of Your people Israel."
· Christ is described as coming as a bond-servant… Philippians 2:7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
· What of this bond servant… few were paid… some were sold… others however gave there life freely and permanently to their master.
· Exodus 21:5 "But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,' 6 then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.
· Paul opens Romans, Galatians and Titus…
· James… Peter and Jude
The Call to our gifting
· Romans 12:6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
· Do what we are called to…
· Lead… serve… teach… exhort…
· Serious stuff…
· 1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
·
·
The Call to the Gospel
· Resurrected Christ… left this charge
o Mark 16:15 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.
· 1 Corinthians 9:16 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.
· Are we not set apart…
· Galatians 2:20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
· Psalm 4:3 But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself; The LORD hears when I call to Him.
· Eph 2… formally walked according t the lusts of the flesh… the ways of this world…
· We are set apart as messengers of the Gospel… ambassadors of Christ
The Call - Set your anchors in the Good News of Jesus Christ
The Gospel:
2 which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, 4 who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,
· The Gospel Promise
· Genesis 3:15, 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:15; Psalm 110:4; Isaiah 4:2,7:14,11:1-2, 11:10, 49:6,61:1; Daniel 9:24… the promise of the Saviour or Deliverer our Redeemer
· Then there is the promise of the New Covenant
· Historically… not knew…
· It is in the very promise of Christ that the O/T believers were saved by grace… through faith in the promise of God… their Saviour… Our Saviour
· The Gospel Fulfillment
· John 1:29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
· Promise of life to come John 14… the cross….
·
· The Gospel Power
· Power to Transform death to life…
· Jesus from the tomb… but also believers...
· Ephesians 2:1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins…
· Power transform us from sinful to holy…
· Is it realized… was in Christ… is it in us…
· Ok to have power to the house… flip the switch!
The Gospel - Set your anchors in the Good News of Jesus Christ
The Effect:
5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
· Effective Obedience
· Paul rec’d his grace and apostleship…
· Paul rec’d his salvation and gifting… why? For what?
· apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
· Paul’s letter wasn’t being evangelistic… pointed at someone else… it was pointed at the church!
· It was written to the believer… telling us… be obedient to the faith… for the sake of Jesus Christ!
· Effective Grace and Peace
· Accept the Grace
· Gain the Peace
· Of our Father
· And of our Saviour
The Effect - Set your anchors in the Good News of Jesus Christ
The Call
The Call to being a bond-servant
· Surrender to Christ… not begrudgingly
· 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,' Exodus…
The Call to our gifting
· Do what God gave you the gifts to do…
· Get in the right place… do the right things…
· Peter Drucker… when he talked of setting up business said it is important not only to get the right people on the bus… but to get them in the right seats…
· Be where God wants you… doing what He specifically designed you for!
The Call to the Gospel
· We are set apart as messengers of the Gospel… ambassadors of Christ
The Gospel
The Gospel Promise
· Jesus is the promise of God… His perfect revelation
· Know Him… Know His Promise
The Gospel Fulfillment
· Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world… Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand!
The Gospel Power
· Be transformed from Death to life!
The Effect
Effective Obedience
· Preaching obedience…
· Paul’s call to the church…
· Those of Christ…
Effective Grace and Peace
· Relish the Grace and Peace of God