From Saul to Paul: A New Name a New Man

Introduction

Why Romans?

Romans is the key book in the writings of Paul.

It has caused the salvation and revival of many people including that of: Augustine, Martin Luther, John Wesley, William Tyndale.

Martin Luther called Romans “the chief part of the New Testament and the very purest gospel”

Frederick Godet called Romans “the cathedral of Christian faith”

An unknown author wrote about the book “Romans will delight the greatest scholar and captivate the mind of the consummate genius, yet it will bring tears to the humblest soul and refreshment to the simplest mind”

The Author of Romans

We all know the back story of Paul.

His Name was originally Saul and he was not that nice of a guy.

He was a Pharisee and one of the chief instruments of the Sanhedrin for carrying things they wanted or needed done.

He was carrying out a task on this nature when he was meet on the road to Damascus by Jesus Himself.

He was on his way to Damascus to kill and jail followers of Christ.

He had just left Jerusalem after watching the stoning of Steven and being the one that gave the order to have him killed.

After his conversion Saul becomes Paul and becomes the most prolific writer in the New Testament and the worlds first missionary.

We see Jesus change his name which is not uncommon in the Bible we see it with Abraham(who was Abram) and Sarah (who was Sari), Jacob (who became Israel), and Peter (who was Simon).

Paul writes this book to the church in Rome with hopes of visiting it and hopefully using it as a base of operation for a missionary journey into Spain.

As we study this one verse this morning we will see four things in this this verse they are:

The preacher of the good news

Pauls Position as a servant of Christ

Pauls authority as an Apostle

Pauls power in being set apart for the Gospel

These four points tell as much about the man as they do about the message of the book.

The Preacher of the Good News

If you look at the works of Paul you can see in his writings and from his own words that God has given him a divine insight into the mystery of Christ he says that in Eph 3:4

Ephesians 3:4 ESV

When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,

He just has the ability to see things differently than most people.

Much like a painter would see the beauty in things that most people can’t.

What mystery is he talking about? Col 1:26

Colossians 1:26 ESV

the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

This refers to the time of the Old Testament when God did not fully revile His plans for salvation to the people.

The people were cut off and distant from God and He spoke to them through the Prophets.

Now God and the work of Salvation through Jesus is on full display for all people to hear and to have.

God has chosen this man; Paul who was: Jewish and Greek Educated, who had Roman citizenship, with incredible leadership ability, highly motivated, with articulate expression, was specially and directly called, converted, and gifted by God.

God does not call the qualified He qualifies the called.

Pauls Position as A Servant of Christ v1a

The first thing that you notice here is that Paul calls himself a “bond servant”

during this time in the Roman Empire (which Juda was under) they had different levels of slaves, some were higher up than others and some had more rights than others did.

The “bond servants” were the lowest ones on the list, they did not have any say over their own bodies and did not even have a name unless their master gave them one.

The word for “bond servant” in Greek is Doulos which also has a similar word in Hebrew that is ebed. Which has its roots in Ex 21:5-6

Exodus 21:5–6 ESV

But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.

Pauls here is using this word as a sign of giving himself wholeheartedly in love to the divine Master who saved him from sin and death.

This is the example that we must follow as well.

Too many times we settle for the lesser goal and take the easy path in our walk with God.

Just think what the world would look like if we were all as sold out for Christ as Paul was, we live in a world that is ravaged and raped and plundered by Satan and the things of the world.

We have the good news of the gospel yet often times we just put it in our pocket and we keep it like its for us and us alone.

We have to get to a place where we have a genuine love of Christ to the point that we are willing to be His “bond servant” and get to a place where we get everything that we need from Him.

Pauls Authority As An Apostle v1b

Paul was called as the 13th Apostle

These 13 are the only Apostles that were called by Christ and once they are called the word Apostle is not used to refer to any other person in the Bible or today.

An Apostle is someone who has been called directly by Christ, and were witness to His resurrection. Paul having his encounter after Christs Ascension.

We see proof of Pauls Apostleship before he even knows it through what the Lord says to Ananias while Paul is still blind from His divine encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus in Acts 9:15

Acts 9:15 ESV

But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel.

This was Pauls charge from Christ.

It was very specific and very to the point.

God had given Paul a task that he had never dreamed of and never asked for, and knew he would be in serious trouble if he was not obedient to His divine commission.

Most people think that they have free will over their life but we really don’t.

If you are a true believer then you will do what Christ calls you to do or He will make you so miserable and unhappy until you do it.

Looking that this point are there thinks in our lives that we need to change based on what God has called us to do?

God calls people to do different things, no matter what you are called to do it important thing is that you do it.

Pauls Power in Being Set Apart For the Gospel v1c

The most important part about the gospel is that it is of God.

Paul makes that clear in the first sentence of his epistle in order that his readers have no confusion regarding the specific good news about which he was speaking.

The word that Paul uses here for Gospel is euangelion which means “Good News”

During this time the people of the city of Roman engaged in emperor worship. Many of the caesars that ruled during this time claimed to be God on earth.

They demanded the people worship them as a God.

Also anytime something good happened to Caesar or his family they would have Heralds stand in the village squares and shout the “good news”

Since Paul was writing to these people he wanted it to be clear from the get go that he was preaching the “Good News” the salvation and that it was different than anything else that was being said at this time.

The fact that it was “of God” meant that God was the source of it. It was not mans good news but it was God’s good news.

Often people wonder why God would bring salvation to the very ones that hung his son on the cross?

But Paul himself is living proof of Gods great love and mercy for all mankind.

Even though he had opposed Christ and persecuted the church, God had made him the Church’s chief spokesman.

He could imagine no greater role than being set apart to God for the proclamation of His Gospel, the good news of salvation in Christ.

Perhaps this is the reason he was so effective, who knew better than Paul just how good the good news really was?

Benedictions 014 Benediction

014 BENEDICTION

And now may your experience be like the psalmist who said, ‘Surely God is my help, the Lord is the One who sustains me’;

May your confidence be as the apostle who said,

‘The One who calls you is faithfull, He will do it’.