#2 9-17-06 AM – HCBC
Paul and the Gospel: Romans 1:1-7
Who is it for?
Who is it from?
What does it say?
What do we do about it?
Who is it for?
The Church at Rome
When Paul wrote, no Apostle had yet visited Rome.
The early church at Rome would have struggled with how to be Christians with
their Jewish influences.
Paul had a strong desire to minister the truth of the gospel to them.
The Church through History
“Commentators agree that most, if not all, of the great revivals and reformations
in church history have been directly related to the book of Romans.”
In A.D. 386 Aurelius Augustine, after reading Rom 13:13-14, received Jesus
Christ as Lord and Savior and went on to become one of the church’s
outstanding theologians and leaders.
A thousand years later, Martin Luther, of Wittenburg, Germany became
convinced that Paul’s central point in Romans was that the righteousness
of God is received by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Over 200 years later, John Wesley came to understand his own need to trust
Jesus Christ for salvation because of the book of Romans.
The Church at Hollis
The book of Romans is for us!
It repeatedly uses key words:
God = 154 law = 77 Christ = 66 sin = 45 Lord = 44 faith = 40
The book of Romans is for today.
It is for those who have yet to come to salvation.
It is for Christians as well!
Who is it from? Paul: Man with a Testimony!
Before I met Christ…
Born in Tarsus – Roman citizen
Taught the Scriptures and the traditions – Learned to work
Leaned tent-making
Studied under Gamaliel
Was a chief persecutor
Present at Stephen’s stoning
How I met Christ…
Near Damascus - Saw a bright light - Was blinded - Led to Damascus
Ananias sent to him – He believed - Was baptized
Since I met Christ…
Preached in Damascus - Went to Arabia – Returned to Damascus – Visited Jerusalem
Befriended by Barnabas - Persecuted by the Jews - Sent by vision - Went to Tarsus
Brought to Antioch - Barnabas - Ministered at Antioch
First Missionary Journey (13:1 – 14:28)
Antioch - Iconium – Lystra – Derbe - Returned to Antioch
Second Missionary Journey (15:36 – 18:22)
Syria and Cilicia - Lystra – Phrygia and Galatia - Philippi – Thessalonica – Berea –
Athens - Corinth – Ephesus – Antioch
Third Missionary Journey (18:23 – 21:17)
Galatia and Phrygia – Ephesus - Macedonia and Greece - Troas – Tyre – Caesarea
In Jerusalem
Received by the church - Seized by the Jews -
Defense before Sanhedrin
In Caesarea
Defense before Felix - 2 year imprisonment - Appeal to Caesar
Defense before Agrippa – sent to Rome
In Rome
Preached in Rome - Six letters – last words 2 Tim 4:6-8
What does it say? Bad news – Good news - Doctrine Implies Practice
The Wrath – The Grace – The Plan – The Will
What is the good news of God?
What is God like?
How can God send people to hell?
Why are there false religions and idols?
Why are there sex perversions, hatred, crime, dishonesty, and all the other evils in the
world, and why are they so pervasive and rampant?
What is the standard by which God condemns people?
How can a person who has never heard the gospel be held spiritually responsible?
How good is man in himself? - How evil is man in himself?
Can any person keep God’s law perfectly?
How can a sinner be forgiven and justified by God?
For whom did Christ die?
Where can men find real peace and hope?
What is grace and what does it do?
Why is living a faithful Christian life such a struggle?
Why is there suffering?
How secure is a believer’s salvation?
What is the Christian’s responsibility to Jews and to Israel?
What do we do about it? Let’s read it and do what it says! Let’s study and apply it!
We read it. Hear it – read it – study it – memorize it – meditate on it]
We receive it. [accept its truth] [recognize our need] [repent]
We rely on it. [Do what it says] [Change and grow] [Make our goal to please Him]
[Become imitators of God]
We repeat it. [The Great Commission] [Ambassadors for Christ]
Paul and the Gospel 1:1-7
The origin of the gospel is God v. 1
Paul, - A servant of Christ Jesus, - Called to be an apostle - and set apart for the gospel
of God
Paul begins by introducing himself as a servant of Jesus Christ.
This puts him on a level with his readers. He is saying I am one of you.
I too have given my life to Jesus Christ, just as you have.
This also communicates to the readers that Paul considers himself a servant.
But in addition to being a servant, Paul is an apostle.
Paul says: “Yes, I am one of you! Yes, I am a servant! But, also I am an
Apostle, a special servant with a special responsibility.”
Paul then describes his special responsibility as being set apart for the gospel.
Paul says, “The purpose of my life is to preach the gospel!”
Every Christian is called to a special work.
In God’s sight, every Christians calling carries the same weight.
To be a mother raising children in her home is every bit as important as
being an Elder in regards to being and doing what God has set one
apart to be and do.
Paul realized and submitted to do what God had set him apart for!
He was set apart for the gospel of God! Romans is a book about God!
The origin of the gospel is God!
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture v. 2
The gospel he promised beforehand - through his prophets - in the Holy Scriptures
We know that the writers of the N.T. were carried along by the Holy Spirit as
they wrote about the gospel,
But the good news that they wrote about did not come to them as a
complete novelty,
because God had already promised it through His prophets in the O.T.
Jesus Himself was quite clear that the O.T. Scriptures bore testimony to Him,
that He was the son of man of Daniel 7,
that he was the suffering servant of Isaiah 53!
Jn 5:39 You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you
possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,
Lk 24:25-27 He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Christ
have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27 And
beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them
what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture.
The origin of the gospel is God!
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture.
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ v. 3-4
Regarding his Son, - Who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, -
And who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God -
By his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
The gospel of God is the gospel of His Son.
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ – the substance of Scripture is Jesus
Christ!
All of the Bible must be understood in the light of Jesus Christ!
Paul proceeds to describe Christ by two contrasting phrases:
2 titles:
“Son of David” was a universally recognized messianic title
This title goes back to 2 Sam 7:12ff. where God
promised to establish David’s throne forever.
The title was picked up by the prophets Isaiah,
Jeremiah, and Ezekiel
The title “Son of David” referred to Messiah in his
humanity.
“Son of God” goes back to Ps 2:7
Mt 11:27 "All things have been committed to me by
my Father. No one knows the Son except the
Father, and no one knows the Father except the
Son and those to whom the Son chooses to
reveal him.
2 verbs:
“became” refers to Jesus’ descent from David by birth
“declared” Jesus is proclaimed to be the powerful Son of
God
2 qualifying clauses:
“according to flesh”
Referring to His pre-resurrection ministry
“according to spirit of holiness”
Referring to His post-resurrection ministry
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ!
The origin of the gospel is God!
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture.
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ.
The scope of the gospel is all the nations v. 5
Through him and for his namesake, - we received grace and apostleship -
to call people from among all the Gentiles - to the obedience that comes from faith.
Paul says here in verse 5 that through Jesus and for the sake of Jesus, he had been
given the undeserved privilege of being an apostle.
Paul always attributed his apostleship to God’s gracious decision and appointment.
As he goes on to state the function of his apostleship, he discloses further aspects of
the gospel.
He defines the scope of the gospel as all the Gentiles.
The gospel is for everyone who believes, first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
Paul, though he was a patriotic Jew, and had a heart for the Jews, acknowledged that
he had been called to be the apostle to the Gentiles.
We too, if we are to answer the call we have been given in the Great Commission,
Must abandon all pride of race, nation, tribe, or class and acknowledge that
God’s gospel is for everyone, without exception and without distinction.
The scope of the gospel is all the nations.
The origin of the gospel is God!
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture.
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ.
The scope of the gospel is all the nations.
The purpose of the gospel is the obedience of faith v. 5
Through him and for his namesake, - we received grace and apostleship -
to call people from among all the Gentiles - to the obedience that comes from faith.
Paul’s definition of the response which the gospel demands is the obedience of faith.
It is the obedience that comes from faith. Faith produces obedience!
Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive
as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where
he was going.
By faith, Abraham obeyed and went!
The gospel message is intended to produce obedience that comes from faith.
A true and living faith leads inevitably into a life of obedience – a total,
unreserved commitment to Jesus Christ!
This is the Bible’s response to those who argue that it is possible to accept Jesus
Christ as Savior without surrendering to Him as Lord.
The purpose of the gospel is the obedience of faith!
The origin of the gospel is God!
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture.
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ.
The scope of the gospel is all the nations.
The purpose of the gospel is the obedience of faith
The goal of the gospel is the honor of Christ’s name v. 5-6
The words for his name’s sake which our NIV places at the beginning of verse 5,
actually come at the end of the Greek sentence and so form something of a
climax.
The reason that Paul desired to bring the nations to the obedience of faith was for the
sake of the glory and honor of Christ’s name.
We know that God has exalted Him to the highest place and given Him the name that
is above every name in order that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and
every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.
If God desires that every knee should bow and every tongue confess, so should we!
We should be jealous and zealous for the honor of His name!
We should be troubled when it is unknown.
We should be hurt when it is ignored!
We should be indignant when it is misused!
We should be always determined that His name receive the honor to which He is due.
Stott: “The highest of all missionary motives is neither obedience to the Great
Commission (important as that is), not the love for sinners who are alienated and
perishing (strong as that incentive is, especially when we contemplate the wrath
of God, verse 18), but rather zeal – burning and passionate zeal – for the glory of
Jesus Christ.”
The goal of the gospel is the honor of Christ’s name!
The origin of the gospel is God!
The testimony of the gospel is Scripture.
The substance of the gospel is Jesus Christ.
The scope of the gospel is all the nations.
The purpose of the gospel is the obedience of faith
The goal of the gospel is the honor of Christ’s name
The result of the gospel is grace and peace v. 7
In verse 7, Paul moves from the gospel to the Christians at Rome.
He has described himself in his apostleship and his message!
He now addresses himself to his readers.
Rom 1:7
To all in Rome –
who are loved by God –
and called to be saints:
Grace and peace to you –
from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul describes the believers in Rome in three ways:
1) loved by God …His own dear children
2) called to be saints …the holy people
3) recipients of grace & peace …Num 6:22-26
Num 6:22-26 The LORD said to Moses, 23 "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you
are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: 24 "' "The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; 26 the LORD
turn his face toward you and give you peace."'
Grace:
Grace summarizes the Christian message!
It’s all about the grace of God!
Grace is God’s favor expressed to mankind!
1 Cor 15:10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was
not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the
grace of God that was with me.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.
1 Pet 5:12 With the help of Silas, whom I regard as a faithful brother, I have
written to you briefly, encouraging you and testifying that this is the true
grace of God. Stand fast in it.
Eph 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not
from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
Peace:
Peace is the result of God’s grace!
It was peace between the Jews and Gentiles.
It is peace between God and man.
We have been reconciled to God and we have peace!
Rom 3:17 says; People outside of Christ do not know the way of peace!
Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
Rom 8:6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit
is life and peace;
Rom 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with
everyone.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but
of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,
Rom 14:19 Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to
mutual edification.