Romans 1:8-15

Introduction

Two weeks ago we looked at Paul’s introduction of Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish messianic expectations, and examined what that meant for the OT sacrificial system. We also examined Paul’s pointing to Jesus’ resurrection as the underpinning of his argument to his non-Jewish audience. And examined the historical reasons to find the resurrection of Jesus entirely credible.

As I was listening to some sermons this week I came across another piece of this that I wanted to share:

A Bedrock Confession

According to the earliest source we have on record for Jesus’ death and resurrection, a hidden pearl found within 1 Corinthians 15, Jesus appeared to multiple individuals and groups, and at least one enemy. This creedal tradition, according to virtually all scholars, dates to within five years of Jesus’ death. Through this source, we can reach back to the earliest years of the Christian movement in Jerusalem, to the bedrock confession of the earliest followers of Jesus.

Here is what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:3–8:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

This catalog of Resurrection appearances is unparalleled in the New Testament, even in all of ancient literature. We learn from this list that Jesus appeared to three individuals: Cephas (Peter), his chief disciple; James, his brother; and Paul, his former enemy. And we also learn that he appeared to three groups: the Twelve (disciples, minus Judas); more than 500 early followers; and all the apostles.

That Jesus appeared to more than 500 men and women at the same time is a truly remarkable claim. Paul boldly puts his credibility on the line when he mentions that most of them are still alive. After all, he is essentially inviting members of the Corinthian church to travel to Jerusalem and speak to these witnesses, investigating for themselves what it was like to see the risen Jesus. We can see, then, that solid eyewitness testimony to the risen Jesus was readily available in the decades following his resurrection. As G. K. Chesterton observed in The Everlasting Man, “This is the sort of truth that is hard to explain because it is a fact; but it is a fact to which we can call witnesses.”

Text:

English Standard Version Chapter 1

Longing to Go to Rome

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

We have two words her that I think really jump out:

Pistis which just as it is rendered here is the work for faith, or less commonly the word for assurance or belief

and the second on Sterizo which just as we have it here translates as strengthen but is alway frequently used to mean establish

So what’s my point. Paul is so sure it the common faith he shares with the Roman believers some 2,700 kilometers away from his home church is a common faith that will serve to strengthen and mutually encourage them both.

Can we even say that we would have that confidence walking into a church across town? If we don’t it means we have gotten lost in secondary issues. Either finer points of doctrine, or culture (cowboy church), or Lord forbid politics. The call of the Christian life as David Platt puts it is:

The gospel is a call for every one of us to die – to die to sin and to die to self – and to live with unshakable trust in Christ, choosing to follow His Word even when it brings us into clear confrontation with our culture.

And you could add to that any numbers of things culture, race, income level, education, the list is endless.

I heard a pastor say once something to this affect:

I have more in common with a Christian halfway across the world, separated by language, culture, geography than I have with a non-Christian jut down the street.

If you really think about that it is a pretty powerful idea (at least it was for me). What he is saying is if you look at what’s important, what’s going to last, our connection our common touch points are stronger with a Christian tradesman in Mongolia who has never seen a baseball or football game, who has never heard of Fox News or the New York Times, who has never even seen an episode of Bridgerton or a single Marvel movie. Then they are with someone with whom we share all those commonalities, and a shared language, and close proximity.

Now if you are anything like me, this probably doesn’t feel true at least not all the time. But Paul knew it to be the case. He longs to go to Rome to be with the church there knowing that their common faith creates a bond that will lead to all sorts of fellowship and encouragement. He has no concern that he is a country preacher for a far off province. He knows that the mutual faith that exists between him and the Roman church transcends everything.

So back to my earlier point if and when this doesn’t feel true. When our cultural connections feel stronger than our shared faith I believe it is because we are focusing on the wrong things. Remember the author of Hebrew’s exhortation:

Jesus, Founder and Perfecter of Our Faith

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Which leads to Jesus’ vision for the Church in John 17

John 17:21-23 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

So If we were to ever to be able to realize that our strongest and deepest connections are those with others of faith because we were running with endurance and keeping our eyes focused it would lead to a unity beyond anything we have seen (something similar to what Paul here feels for the Roman church), and we would come close to being that witness Jesus imagines in John 17.

Such a witness would show to the world that Jesus has changed everything.