Romans Week 2 July 24, 2022

Introduction

Paul, a life lived of purpose.

Romans 1:1–7 ESV

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be 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 descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 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, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7 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.

In his first few verses Paul expresses the commitment that he is called to. What he lives for.

William and Catherine Booth, founders of the Salvation Army. The Booths’ daughter, Evangeline, characterized her parents this way: “Very early I saw my parents working for their people, bearing their burdens. Day and night. They did not have to say a word to me about Christianity. I saw it in action”[1]

So in this first section we're going to see that Paul is called by God to the mission laid before him.

Paul, A Man Called By God

The story of the English teacher who gave up being a teacher to become a mailman.

there was once an English professor at a university who decided all of a sudden to quit his position and become a mailman. A friend of hers tried to encourage him with the old work ethic adage saying Charlie, if you're going to be a mailman, then be the best male man in the whole world! His friend responded and said you know, I'm actually a terrible mailman. I'm the last one to get to the post office everyday and I can't sleep at night. His friend asked him why that was and the new mailman responded

“There are so many lonely people on my route. They had no one to visit them until I became their mailman. Have you ever tried to sleep after drinking 15 cups of coffee?” His friend realized that this man who gave up being a college professor so that he could walk a male route was truly alive and happy fill in his life doing something deeply meaningful to him.

I love this quote:

Romans A. Paul: Called by God (1:1–6)

There is nothing so debilitating as life without purpose. Conversely, there is nothing so energizing as life filled with purpose. A life purpose will bring focus and drive to anyone, be they Christian or non-Christian

Romans A. Paul: Called by God (1:1–6)

if a mundane purpose can empower an ordinary person, think what a divine purpose could do in the life of one who is linked to the eternal purposes of God

Romans 1:1 ESV

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

Paul took pains here to make sure that the church knew who he was and what he was all about. In the same way he did with his letter earlier to the church in Galatia he wanted them to know he was on a mission for God .

It can be deceptively tempting to think of the apostles as having overly simple lives. We can look at the contributions that they made and we can look at the ministries that they had and think that God called them to live a life of simplicity with a single focus. And when we do that it can be tempting for us to dismiss the apostles as those other people. Those other people like the mother teresa's of the world or the David livingstons who pioneered the mission fields and live in the jungle. We can dismiss them as those other people and we can dismiss them as having greater faith than we do. But the reality that we must come to as we encounter the book of Romans is that God calls each and everyone of the Romans and us to the same kind of obedience. This is an obedience that comes by faith.

Paul's life was defined by the same things that we are called to:

James 1:7–8 ESV

7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 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.

He lived with a single minded focus on God and he lived as someone that truly had cast aside weights and things that hindered him for the sake of running the race with perseverance looking to Jesus.

Should you expect a specific calling from God in your life?

3 Callings in the New Testament

A call to Salvation

Acts 2:39 ESV

39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Romans 8:30 ESV

30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

A call to God’s Kingdom related purposes and plans

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Romans 11:29 ESV

29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

A Call Specifically to Ministry

Romans 1:1 ESV

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

1 Corinthians 1:1 ESV

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

We should all (as believers) listen for God’s leading to where He has called us.

Paul taught in multiple places about the variety of spiritual gifts in the church. We each have a gift and a place where God has called us.

Many times God simply calls us to use the gifts He has given us where we are until He calls us somewhere else.

Acts 16:10 ESV

10 And when Paul had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go on into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

We're going to spend the next year waiting through a truly profound and theologically rich book. So much so that I intended this week to cover 15 verses and it looks like I'm only going to do 7 verses. But we must never lose in the middle of the theology Pauls driving purpose to point us to the mission of salvation. We are on a mission to bring the gospel to more people we are on a mission to bring the gospel to bear on more lives. The purpose of Romans is 2 that end.

Theology serves missions.

The Three Identities of Paul

Servant

First of all Paul considered himself a servant of Jesus Christ. And it's fascinating to remember that servant hood does not mean passivity. Just because Paul considers himself a servant it doesn't mean he is now an active or rather a passive individual sitting around rating to be told what to do. As a servant he has a driving goal to bring the gospel of Jesus to the gentiles.

But more importantly Paul shared the same perspective that Jesus shared.

John 4:34 ESV

34 Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.

The word that Paul uses here for a servant is the Greek word doulos or as it would be more commonly understood slave. In the Old Testament law this was referenced to someone who voluntarily chose to stay a slave to a master because he loved his master and wanted to stay faithful period to stay marked as a servant to a master he loved. How many of us engage in Christian service out of a love for God a commitment to God as a worthy master?

But the word for servant or slave was not just used in the Old Testament when Paul wrote this letter to Rome and they heard the phrase doulos they thought slave. Historians believe that at the time the Romans was written the majority of the population of Rome was under some form of direct servitude. Some form of slavery. No don't get me wrong freedom from slavery was something that everyone pursued and wanted in order to make themselves better. But slavery was something quite common.

Can you imagine the reaction of people hearing Paul voluntarily identify himself as a slave?

In that world it was unthinkable.

Read that phrase again... Paul a slave of Jesus Christ. He wasn't a slave because he had to be there but because he chose to be there.

Paul was someone who chose to be used by God. Who allowed himself to be God's instrument. If you were a Jew you would immediately think of Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the other prophets who were called as servants and used by God.

If you can willingly submit yourself as a servant to a great master you are truly free.

Apostle

Before Paul met Jesus he was someone sent by the religious leaders to capture and in prison people. After his encounter on the Damascus road he was sent by Jesus to set people free. An apostle is someone sent. And the sender determines the ministry of the apostle. I don't think we have all received this ministry of apostleship today. But I do believe We live as those sent by God.

Apostles are simply those sent to do a mission.

3 Categories of Apostles in the NT

Category 1: Jesus

Hebrews 3:1 ESV

1 Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession,

John 17:18 ESV

18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

Category 2: The Original 12 Disciples

Mark 3:14 ESV

14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach

Category 3: Other people who lived during the time of the apostles but were not present with Jesus.

Paul, Barnabus, Timothy, Silas

Of course Paul met Jesus thoroughly establishing his apostolic credentials.

Acts 26:15–18 ESV

15 And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Are there still apostles today?

Some churches believe this is simply another role in the church and people are called apostles in certain ministries. Others, myself included see the role of apostles as a reference to a period of time during the beginning of the church.

Ephesians 2:20 ESV

20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Paul the one who was set apart for the Gospel

Part a reference to his gentile ministry calling. Part a reference to the mission the whole church is called to.

He echos Jeremiah here

Jeremiah 1:5 ESV

5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Galatians 1:15 ESV

15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace,

Paul mentions the gospel over 10 times in Romans. He talks about many different aspects of the Gosepel from a ticket to Heaven to that which frees us from sin today and more.

The Gospel is a broad concept that Paul is going to expand for us through this letter.

Romans A. Paul: Called by God (1:1–6)

the good news has its roots in the Old Testament, its fruit in the New.

The Gospel Paul is bringing.

Romans 1:2–4 ESV

2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

Romans A. Paul: Called by God (1:1–6)

Paul’s gospel is the gospel regarding God’s Son, born of a physical mother, making him fully human; conceived by the Spirit of holiness, making him fully divine and sinless; and raised by a father who was a descendant of David, qualifying him as well as part of the royal lineage in Israel. It is the gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Paul bring a Gospel of our risen Lord and savior proclaimed in the Old Testament and fulfilled in the new.

Romans 1:5–6 ESV

5 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, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

For His Name’s Sake

God’s name was and is blasphemed around the world

God wants his saving name prolclaimed thourhgout the world

Because it’s through the name of Jesus we are saved

Romans 10:13 ESV

13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

God’s name is to be revered and praised throughout the earth

Romans 15:9 ESV

9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles, and sing to your name.”

God’s name is worthy!

You who are called to belong...

Paul is building a case to go beyond Rome

Acts 1:8 ESV

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Paul is passionately pointing to where the gospel needs to go.

What is our purpose and mission?

Do we see the many people throughout our communities who don’t know Jesus.

Do we see the many around the world who don’t have the savlation that comes t hrough Jesus alone?

May we have eyes to see as Jesus did and to respond as Paul did.

Matthew 9:36 ESV

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.