All Roads Lead to Rome
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Reaching out Ahead of Your Journey
Reaching out Ahead of Your Journey
Have you ever reached out ahead of your journey to prepare your visit? This is something which those that have a message, agenda, or reason to build ahead of time the validity of their message desire to do.
One of the jobs I have enjoyed was being a Project Specialist for exterior building needs for Lowe’s. In that job, I would receive hot leads for people who were interested in having some type of remodeling completed.
Part of this process included calling the customer ahead of my travel to ensure they were truly interested in the appointment and truly understanding of what would be required of them while I was there.
You would be surprised at how many people did not understand what they had signed up for or what services we would do.
Planning Your Trip
Planning Your Trip
Many of us do the same thing for ourselves when we plan a vacation. We investigate the destination. If we have certain places we want to visit, we plan ahead by calling and ensuring the prices are accurate, the times are available, and the method of getting there is safe and sure.
Providing Security Along the Way
Providing Security Along the Way
We also, in our jobs, plan many times to communicate with people for serious reasons. Whether it is to perform a major remodel on their homes to reorganizing their finances to aiding with their emotional well-being, we are all working among others who need to understand the fullness of our intentions. The client’s insurance of our abilities often come with the proof of who we are along with recommendations.
God is the one who Calls His Messengers
God is the one who Calls His Messengers
In his plans to go to Rome, Paul reaches out with a letter to describe in detail his intentions for his journey. In the opening part of his letter, he not only provides a compassionate prayer for those he has not even met yet, but he ensures that he validates the reason behind his journey.
Romans 1:1-7
Romans 1:1-7
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,
concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,
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,
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake,
among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
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.
Paul reaches out ahead of his journey with the intention of sharing how he has come about this knowledge, why he desires to share it so much with people he has not even met, and has learned through his travels that reaching out with this information that is so profound and important for them to hear ahead of time provides people with the opportunity to reason over this information.
Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,
Paul begins his letter by first proclaiming his status and how he reached it. You will notice first that he is a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, one who is bonded to his master. He is truly going to do whatever his Lord, Christ Jesus desires of him.
How many of us do not place Jesus as our Lord?
We often think of Him as our best friend who is able to provide so much for us, but there is more to the journey than the safety of eternal life. There are others to reach.
This is where Paul mentions his purpose that his Lord has called him. Jesus Himself called Paul to work on behalf of reaching those outside of the Israelite community.
Paul’s calling to be an apostle was one that was so closely aligned with the gospels that the church afterwards deemed Paul’s letters scripture as they spoke the truth of Jesus Christ.
Breaking down further how he was to speak to others as an apostle, Paul ensures that he has been set apart for the gospel of God.
which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,
What is interesting here is that Paul follows up the intention for himself to be set apart for the gospel to include that God promised this gospel long before in His prophets who God had called many years before.
The gospel is not something new found within the three days from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.
No, Paul ensures those reading this that God Himself has always been declaring the good news from the beginning of creation until Jesus returns again.
That is the good news that we must share and it encompasses much more than we often give credit for.
Since Paul is reaching out to those who may not know the holy scriptures, he desires for them to learn what God has fully promised in them.
concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh,
God’s good news has always pointed towards the Messiah, His Son Jesus Christ. Paul is fulfilling the desire for those who want to know how this person, Jesus, meets the qualifications of being the Son of God.
Lee Strobel mentions in his, “Case for Christ” there are too many prophecies to fulfill that only Jesus Christ has fulfilled according to these scriptures.
Many people have chosen to look into the scriptures to find arguments against who Jesus is only to come out believers, ministers, and prophets themselves.
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,
While the declaration of the power of God is displayed in the proof of the resurrection, here Paul exclaims that it is a declaration also to prove that Jesus was who He claimed.
On the road to Damascus, Jesus gave Paul his journey. Paul ensures the readers in Rome will realize that Paul is sincere in his intentions and that it is not the words from his mouth that are so important but that the words are the ones given to him by Jesus.
Jesus testified of His own authority, power, and intention to reach the world with the truth through those who would be willing to take up this mantle.
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake,
Jesus provides so much more than a ticket on the ride out of this world. In any manner, it would be a ticket for a roundtrip due to the words in Revelation that the new world and new Jerusalem will be where God dwells with His people.
Paul knows that only God provides the grace and calling to speak His truth. This is not only for a select few. It is for the obedience of all people.
In Paul’s culture, those who were considered Gentiles were any that were not Israelites. There begins to be a distinction afterwards for those who would not believe who Jesus is and in doing so choose to divorce themselves from God’s entire message.
Today, we have people who doubt the validity of the scriptures and our words as we attempt to reach others with the truth.
It is only for the glory of God, “for His name’s sake” that we are to do this.
among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
In hearing the truth or reading the truth, Paul knows he is compelled to reach all people to be called to understand the entirety of who Jesus Christ is.
Being called to listen and be part of the kingdom of God is for everyone who will listen, obey in their faith, and submit their lives to the king, Jesus who reigns forever.
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.
Paul closes out this first sentence to the romans with a compassionate outreach to let these people know they are called as saints as well. Even before Paul knows their response, his prayer is that they will listen to the words he has sent them. He also understands there are many more who can reach others than he can himself. If it is his means to only be able to provide them with reasonable arguments, Paul will do so and continue to pray they are provided with grace and peace which only God can provide.
Your Journey must be Both Truthful and Compassionate
Your Journey must be Both Truthful and Compassionate
I’m sure you have desired to write someone the truth of a situation. There are many times when someone wants to share the truth in a manner not very Christ-like. You lash out on an e-mail your intentions for people to hear the truth with words that often put them out as soon as the first sentence is read.
If you are to reach others with the truth of Jesus Christ, make sure your words are as compassionate, graceful, and praising as the words Paul provides to people he does not even know.
Paul does not hold back the truth shortly after this introduction. But he sets up his audience by providing a way for them to know how he feels about them first. In your messages to others, people must know you care for them as well as desire for them to hear the truth.
Christ’s Bride Must also Be both Truthful and Compassionate
Christ’s Bride Must also Be both Truthful and Compassionate
Churches often forget the part of being welcoming to all no matter their background. When people are searching for the truth, they must be met with what Paul gives here, grace and peace first to those who are seeking it.
We must also provide a path for truth at the same time. Paul’s introduction provides a way for us to realize that we must show compassion, care, and intention before doling out severity in a person’s situation.
How are we helping a person realize they are called as saints by the Lord Jesus Christ by first condemning them before they start?
Paul’s first sentence is a way for us as a church to recognize there is a method to reach out to others we do not know first.
Yes, we desire that all are saved just as God does first. However, the methods we often go about that often provide a roadblock to our intentions.