Scripture text:  Romans 1:1-15

 

 

 

 

 

Mother Teresa said, “The biggest disease today is not leprosy or tuber-culosis, but rather the feeling of being unwanted.” Our greatest need is to love and to be loved. Love means security and significance. The need for love is fully met through our relationship to God in Christ.

 

 

 

“God is love. Whoever lives in love, lives in God and God in him” (1 John 4:16).

 

 

 

Paul lived by the law until he met Jesus on the

Damascus Road

and found the liberty of living in love. He would later write:

 

 

 

“Love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:10).

 

 

 

That’s an amazing statement for a former Pharisee to write.

 

 

 

Everyone has heard the saying, "All roads lead to Rome." For the apostle Paul it was more than a saying; it was a strategy for carrying the gospel of Jesus to the world. From the mighty city of Rome, its great highway system stretched across the world. Paul knew the gospel would ring out from the city and spread to the nations.

 

 

 

Although he had made several attempts to visit the city to preach the gospel he was repeatedly hindered. But while he was in Corinth, he learned that Phoebe, a member of the Corinthian church, was planning to visit the imperial city. So he wrote a letter of commendation in the spring of AD 57 during his third missionary journey, to the Christians in Rome and sent it with her. The church was predominantly Gentile but also had Jewish believers. This letter would become the crowning mark of Paul's literary achievements.

 

 

 

Perhaps Paul, more than any other early church leader or theologian, pondered the deep mysteries of the Christian faith seeking to not only understand them, but to communicate them in a simple, relevant fashion. In this way his writings have matured believers down through the centuries of Christian history and none with greater impact that Romans.

 

 

 

I.                 IDENTITY IN CHRIST

 

 

 

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-  the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures  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.  Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.  And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.  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. Romans 1:1-7

 

 

 

Christ gives us a new identity of significance:

 

 

 

1.      Servant: doulos; bond-servant; motivated by love; to lose our will to the will of Christ; of the Lord Jesus who has all power and he has loved us and gave himself for us:

 

 

 

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20

 

 

 

 

 

2. Apostle: to be given a task or assignment; to both hear and to accept the call. Today we carry on that apostolic call to be witness of Christ to the ends of the earth.

 

 

 

2.      Set apart: dedicated by God will’s from birth:

 

 

 

For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;  also set apart by the church and confirmed by the leaders. He was not set apart for privilege or self-advancement but for the work of the ministry. Galatians 1:13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

II. SET APART FOR THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

 

 

 

1.      The gospel in Old Testament

 

 

 

Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. Now He said to them, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled." Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. Luke 24:27, 44-45

 

 

 

So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place;  that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." Acts 26:22-23

 

 

 

As to this salvation, the prophets who prophesied of the grace that would come to you made careful searches and inquiries,

 

1 Peter 1:10

 

 

 

 

 

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one's own interpretation,  for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.

 

2 Peter 1:20-21

 

 

 

2.      The gospel is a person not a principle, Jesus Christ, the Son of God; fully human yet fully divine

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.   He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 1:1-4, 14

 

 

 

 

 

3. The defining event is the resurrection of Jesus:

 

 

 

that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved!

 

Romans 10:9

 

 

 

4. The gospel is called by several categories:

 

 

 

the gospel of God:

 

 

 

Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, Romans 1:1

 

 

 

the gospel of Christ,

 

 

 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  Romans 1:16

 

 

 

the gospel of His Son, 

 

 

 

For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, Romans1:9

 

 

 

 

 

Paul calls it “my gospel”:

 

 

 

How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, "HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THE FEET OF THOSE WHO BRING GOOD NEWS OF GOOD THINGS!"  Romans10:15

 

 

 

and the gospel of the kingdom:

 

 

 

"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. Matthew 24:14

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

III. THE CALLING OF GOD

 

 

 

1. Called by Christ and for Christ: “Through him and for him”

 

 

 

2. Called to belong to Christ Jesus

 

 

 

3. Called to be saints: Special, unique, devoted

 

 

 

4. Called to call others to faith and obedience:

 

 

 

 

 

We have received both grace:

 

 

 

And with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33

 

 

 

and apostleship:

 

 

 

but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."  Acts 1:8

 

 

 

5. Called by love:

 

 

 

God has not predestined some for eternal death and others for eternal salvation. God’s call is inclusive… not exclusive. 

 

 

 

He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, Ephesians 1:5

 

 

 

 

 

Christ died for the whole world.

 

 

 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

 

John 3:16

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV. BRINGING OUT THE BEST IN OTHERS

 

 

 

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.  God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you  in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God's will the way may be opened for me to come to you.  I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-  that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.  I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.  I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.  That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome. Romans 1:8-15

 

 

 

 

 

1. Compliment others, praising them and showing gratitude

 

 

 

2. Prayer: Spiritual growth is facilitated by intercessory prayer. Prayer is God’s way of getting us involved in the lives of others. Prayer frees us from controlling and manipulating others.

 

 

 

3. Encouragement: We need to give and receive ministry. It takes humility to be both instructor and student.

 

 

 

4. Obligation: Paul was obligated as a “debtor” because of the support he had received and obligated to preach the gospel.

 

 

 

He speaks of being debtors to the Spirit:

 

 

 

So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh-- Romans 8:12

 

 

 

and to love.

 

 

 

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  Romans13:8