Alliance Church
May 13, 2001
Pastor David Welch
“A Passionate Purpose”
Romans 1:1-17
Introduction to the series
How is it possible for a person to compensate for ignoring the living God?
How does an errant person reconcile with a holy perfect God?
Can a person corrupt by their very nature ever get right with God?
How do those who are children of God’s wrath by nature find present and future peace with God?
How does what Christ did in His life, death, resurrection and ascension apply to my life?
What happens to those who never hear of Christ? Are the lost really lost?
Is there any hope or relief for this tug-of-war that seems to continually simmer in my soul?
What practical difference should I expect to see if I reconcile to God?
These are common concerns affecting mankind today.
The Bible does directly address these concerns.
In fact, Paul through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit wrote a letter to the people of Rome a couple centuries ago to enlighten them concerning the good news of new life in Christ.
The letter written by Paul bears the name of the readers – Epistle or letter to the Romans.
This is one of my most favorite letters.
Oddly enough I have never preached through the book, Bible Studies, but not the focus that preaching though a book demands.
At this juncture I want to reaffirm my belief in the value of verse-by-verse study of the Scripture.
We have all but lost the art of following the argument of Scripture (actually the Holy Spirit) as it was written.
Too often we rip out a chunk of truth here and there and try to piece the scraps together and make sense out it.
This practice sometimes results not in deeper understanding of truth but actually error.
Expending the energy to understand the logic of the Scripture in its context is part of what it means to renew the mind.
Romans 1 exposes a darkened mind.
Romans 12 urges a renewed mind.
Since we spent over a year following the life, death and resurrection of Christ through the eyes of the apostle John I felt directed by God to follow up with the narration of such a great salvation with Paul’s letter to the Romans detailing the theology and practical application of our salvation.
Of all of Paul’s letters, Romans comes as close to a logically presented theology of salvation as we will get.
One fourth-century writer calls Paul’s letter a “spiritual trumpet.”
Paul’s “trumpet” calls our attention to a number of spiritually essential issues that must not be disregarded or diminished.
My goal throughout this endeavor is that we will more deeply understand the great truths of our great salvation so wonderfully presented in chapters 1-8 and having understood them more deeply seek to live them more diligently as encouraged in chapters 12-16.
Consider this series a spiritual journey intended by God to deepen your walk with Him.
Commit to applying truth as you encounter it and God enlightens it.
This is more than an intellectual exercise.
This is a spiritual pilgrimage to greater spiritual maturity.
I am much more interested in evidence of the spiritual renewal presented in Romans than our ability to intellectually recall selected facts about Romans.
Max Lucado wrote the following in the introduction of his book called, “In the Grip of Grace” a book based on the truths discovered in Romans.
“Martin Luther called Romans ‘the chief part of the New Testament and…truly the purest gospel.’ God used the book to change the lives of Luther, John Wesley, John Calvin, William Tyndale, Saint Augustine, and millions of others. There is every reason to think he’ll do the same for you.”
PRAY
Ask God’s blessing on the new journey.
Introduction to the passage
Paul began and ended this most influential letter with a deeply personal touch.
Even though Paul intended a highly theological presentation of the gospel, his heart of passion for people emerges like fitting bookends to his letter.
In the first seventeen verses of the letter we get a glimpse of the person, purpose, position and passion of this most impressive servant of God as well as the point of his writing.
We learn a great deal by observing people.
Perhaps by carefully observing this servant of God we might be challenged to take an honest look at our own purpose and passion.
Introduction
None of us appreciates telemarketers calling and interrupting our dinner or life.
Until recent years they might call and chat on and on like a long lost friend until finally they would get around to the point of their call.
Fortunately, today the law requires they identify themselves and their purpose right up front.
Paul followed the direct approach by setting some things straight right up front, like who he was, what he wanted and intended and his authority to speak for God.
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I. Paul’s Portrait
A. Name – “Paul”
So much could be said about Paul.
Volumes have been written about Paul.
I will let Paul tell you probably the most important facts Paul himself felt vital to share.
"As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. Now I am on trial because I am looking forward to the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, O king, they say it is wrong for me to have this hope! Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead?
"I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many of the believers in Jerusalem to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. Many times I had them whipped in the synagogues to try to get them to curse Christ. I was so violently opposed to them that I even hounded them in distant cities of foreign lands.
"One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. About noon, Your Majesty, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ’Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to fight against my will.’
" ’Who are you, sir?’ I asked.
"And the Lord replied, ’I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. Now stand up! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and my witness. You are to tell the world about this experience and about other times I will appear to you. And I will protect you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am going to send you to the Gentiles, to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
"And so, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to that vision from heaven. I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must turn from their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. But God protected me so that I am still alive today to tell these facts to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen— that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead as a light to Jews and Gentiles alike."
Suddenly, Festus shouted, "Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!"
But Paul replied, "I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. I am speaking the sober truth. And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak frankly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—"
Agrippa interrupted him. "Do you think you can make me a Christian so quickly?"
Paul replied, "Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains." Acts 26:1-29 NLT
What about your testimony?
Do you have a “before and after” story?
Does your life demonstrate a difference since you have embraced Jesus?
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B. Association with Christ
“bond-servant of Christ Jesus”
Paul considered himself a voluntary slave or servant of Jesus.
A bondservant was one who, when offered freedom, chose rather to serve his master for the rest of his life.
"But if the slave plainly says, ’I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently. Exodus 21:5-6
Before asserting his position of authority, Paul identified his personal relationship with Christ as one of slave/master.
In Greek and Roman culture this term was used as one who was born a slave or made a slave or one who served his master to the disregard of his own interests, one whose will was swallowed up in the will of his master.
How would you describe your personal relationship with Christ?
Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 1 Pet 2:16
For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord’s freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ’s slave. 1 Cor. 7:22
In contrast to Paul’s characterization of humble slave, he affirms his authority to proclaim the gospel.
C. Position of authority and purpose
“a called apostle”
An apostle was a designated messenger.
This was Paul’s calling, his vocation.
This position was one determined by God.
Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), Galatians 1:1
The official office of apostle required several elements.
• Personally seen the physical historical Christ especially post resurrection (John 15:26-27 Acts 1:21-22)
• Given a personal commission by Jesus (Acts 1:8)
• Worked miracles (Matt 10:8)
Paul:
• Saw the resurrected Christ (I Cor 9:1)
• Commissions and taught personally (Gal 1:11-20)
• Worked miracles (2 Cor 11:12)
This was not a point of pride for Paul.
He included this to bring authority to the truths he was about present.
He claims to speak for God.
As an apostle he claimed the truth of the gospel to be an accurate representation of what Jesus taught him.
For I would have you know, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
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; and I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries among my countrymen, being more extremely zealous for my ancestral traditions. But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son in me so that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went away to Arabia, and returned once more to Damascus. Galatians 1:11-17
and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 1 Cor. 15:8-9
What position has God called you to?
Father, mother, teacher, elder, saint,
Paul reminded these believers that they to were the “called of Jesus Christ dearly loved by God.” vs 6-7
Paul’s authority as apostle came by reason of God’s act of setting him apart as his messenger for the purpose of declaring and defending the faith.
“having been separated (by God) for the gospel of God”
God chose Paul as His messenger.
The word used here means to mark of by boundaries, or to set apart for some purpose.
Paul used the perfect tense of this participle.
“Having been separated at a point in time and still set apart by God for the task.”
Paul had a definite focus to his ministry.
He was no longer set out of society to study the law by his own choice but to set apart to preach the gospel of God by God Himself.
His ultimate purpose and vocation centered in the good news of God.
You are all touched by God to declare his good news to a dark and dying world by our life and lip.
We all have a calling associated with the gospel of God.
Paul briefly touches on the core of this “good news of God.”
The Gospel
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which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning His Son, Romans 1:2-3
• It was promised before hand in the Scriptures
The gospel is inseparable linked to what God revealed throughout the ages in the holy Scriptures
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• It concerns God’s Son
Don’t get distracted from the point of the gospel – it concerns Jesus God’s Son!
The whole Old Testament is filled with references to Jesus Christ – Messiah – the fulfillment of the Divine plan established before the foundation of the earth itself.
God’s Son
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who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship
• Born a descendant of David according to earthly records (fully human)
• Declared the Son (descendant) of God according to the resurrection and the Spirit (fully God)
Core conviction related to the fact that Jesus is both fully God and fully man.
Seed of David – Son of God!
• Through whom we have received grace and apostleship
In Paul we find not only God’s compassion but also God’s purpose!
Paul continues to talk about the purpose of his apostleship.
Set apart for the gospel
Set apart to bring about obedience of faith
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to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ;
Paul’s assignment was not just the preaching of the gospel but obedience to it as well.
Not for Paul’s glory or accomplishment but for the sake of Jesus.
This is similar to the Great commission passage in Matt 28.
Make disciples! Baptizing and teaching to observe what I have commanded you.
Paul, right up front, identifies himself, his association with Christ, his credentials, his purpose and subject matter as well as his readers.
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to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 1:4-7
John Stott summarizes six elements related to the gospel as follows.
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The good news is the gospel of God, about Christ, according to the Scripture, for the nations, unto the obedience of faith, and for the sake of the Name.
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II. Paul’s Passion
A. Passion to Pray
1. Thanksgiving
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. 1:8
What is the focus of Paul’s thankfulness to God?
The continual worldwide testimony of their changed life (their faith)!
It was not their wonderful cathedrals.
We saw the cathedrals still standing to day. Impressive but cold and empty!
It was the testimony of obedience to their Lord and master motivated by a genuine faith.
Having offered thanks to God for their faith, Paul continually asked God to bring them together.
2. Petition
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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, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. 1:9-10
Paul prayed with a thankful heart.
Paul continually mentioned them in his prayers.
Paul asked to make the way to visit them.
This is not the only people that occupied Paul’s prayer life.
He prayed continually for those he knew personally and even for those he had NEVER even met.
What are we praying for people?
Do we have a passion to pray?
Of FIRST priority Paul had a passion to pray for others.
By the way, as a rule Paul began praying for a group of people when he heard of their faith in Christ. We expend a great deal of energy praying for people to come to Christ and then drop them when they do. It is not really the New Testament pattern for prayer.
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B. Passion to promote spiritual maturity
For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. 1:11-13
Paul prayed to visit them to that he could promote unity and generate greater life change and fruitfulness.
This prayer was based on an internal longing, a passion to see personally visit them.
I yearn, I desire earnestly, ache inside to see you.
He focused on maturity, establishment, encouragement and fruitfulness.
Look at the words.
Impart (to share with someone)
Established (to set or firmly fix, to support or confirm, stabilize)
Mutual encouragement through reciprocal ministry and exercise of spiritual gifting
The word is the same word used of the ministry of the Holy Spirit.
The word is linked with the preposition for “together” thus encourage together.
Paul longs for mutual encouragement.
This is not the picture of the power preacher coming to town to bring revival to a struggling group of believers.
Paul fully expects that he experience encouragement himself through this family of Christians through the exercise of their faith and gifts.
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I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
Do we have a passion to see growth at Chico?
Do we ache inside to gather and personally see one another so that we can give out what God has given us and receive what God has given to others?
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Paul’s longing to interact with these believers was based on a basic passion, which in turn, was based on a foundational persuasion.
C. Passion to preach the Gospel
1. I am under obligation to preach the gospel
I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 1:14
Paul felt obligated to share the good news of forgiveness in Jesus with others.
The word is just what it says.
One who owes something to someone, to be in debt, to be under obligation to follow through
Same words used in the Disciple’s Prayer “forgive us our debts”
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are made manifest to God; and I hope that we are made manifest also in your consciences…For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 2 Cor. 5:9-15
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This healthy sense of obligation generated an eagerness to extend his borders to the Romans.
2. I am eager to preach the gospel
So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 1:15
“Eager” ready, eager, passionate about, willing, resolute, inclined, all fired up.”
It shares the same Greek root as the word translated “anger”. a strong wind a strong passion of the mind.
This is a deep emotional drive to preach the gospel at Rome.
What about our eagerness to share the good news of life in Christ?
Do we have that sense of obligation to pass on the good news?
Perhaps we are not fully persuaded as Paul was persuaded.
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It was this persuasion that caused Paul’s passion to pray, promote maturity and preach the Gospel?
III. Paul’s persuasion
1. I am not ashamed of the gospel
Negatively Paul was not ashamed of the gospel.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, 1:16a
I am continually not ashamed.
To be disappointed or feel ashamed becaue of failure.
In this case Paul was passionate about preaching the gospel to the Romans because he has no doubt about the effectiveness of the gospel.
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for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." Romans 10:10-13
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2. I am convinced the Gospel is the power of God for salvation
Positively, Paul was convinced of its power to save.
for the gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." 1:16b-17
Paul had many other persuasions or convictions but this one drove his passion for ministry to believers and outreach to non-believers.
The power to save lives does not lie in our methods or approach or personal persuasion techniques.
The power to turn men to Christ lies in the good news itself.
Paul affirmed to the Corinthians that he purposely didn’t come with persuasive words.
I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. 1 Cor. 2:3-5
The power of the gospel message lies in the fact that it reveals the need for and the way to righteousness or right standing before a holy God.
The good news is that sinful man can be reconciled to the offended holy God through the finished work of Christ.
Alienated man can return to the relationship originally intended by God at creation.
Thus Paul introduces the theme of his correspondence – the righteousness of God.
However before he will be able to talk about God’s righteousness, he must deal with man’s wickedness or ungodliness.
We must fully understand how far off we are from God’s standard before we will see the need for God’s intervention.
So Paul will spend the next three chapters demonstrating that we all face God’s wrath for our wickedness and failure to include him in our life (ungodliness).
I can’t help but wonder how many of us have no passion to share the good news because we are either ashamed of the gospel or are not fully convinced of its power to change lives.
Some may even be struggling with the state of you own life.
If it hasn’t “worked for you, how will it work of others.
If your are not convinced that the gospel is the power of God for salvation in you own life how can you expect to be passionate about its potential in others.
Without this persuasion you will have no passion to pray, promote spiritual maturity or preach the gospel.
Benediction
To those whose lives have never been transformed by the power of the Gospel…
"THE WORD IS NEAR YOU, IN YOUR MOUTH AND IN YOUR HEART"—that is, the word of faith which we are preaching, 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; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For the Scripture says, "WHOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on Him; for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED." Romans 10:8-13
To those without a passion for ministry…
May God grant repentance leading to knowledge of Him and fill you a renewed passion. A
Passion for praying for one another.
Passion for promoting spiritual maturity
Passion for sharing the good news with those who have never heard.
Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25
