Sermon Series “The Gospel of God – A Study of Romans”
Week #1 “Introduction to Romans”
Text: Romans 1:16-17
INTRODUCTION: Knowledged and experienced, a district attorney makes his case. After calling witnesses, presenting evidences and giving an airtight summary, he leaves the jury with a stirring challenge
The apostle Paul was intelligent, articulate and committed to his calling. Like a skilled litigator he presents the case for the gospel to the believers in Rome
More than any other individual, Paul is responsible for the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire
He made three missionary journeys through much of the Mediterranean world
He gives the most systematic presentation of the Gospel found in the New Testament
In fact one scholar said:
Matthew through John gives us the “Gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ”
The Acts of the Apostles give us the “Gospel of the Holy Spirit”
But it is in Romans that we are given the “Gospel of God”
History: Paul most likely wrote this epistle while in Corinth, as indicated by those who he mentions in his writing
Notable: It was by the hand of a female servant, Phoebe, that Paul sent this important Epistle
(Phoebe was from the Corinthian church according to Romans 16:1)
Off Subject: The same word used for “servant” to describe Phoebe is the word “Diakonos” where the church gets the word Deacon. Phoebe was a Deaconess
The Roman Church was most likely founded by believers converted at Pentecost
While mentioning all who heard and were converted at Pentecost, Acts 2:10 states “Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,”
Purpose: Paul’s purpose in writing to Rome was to teach the truths of God’s grace to believers who had never received apostolic instruction
The overall theme of Paul’s letter is that righteousness comes from God – It is God who justifies the guilty by GRACE ALONE through FAITH ALONE
Note: Because Romans is the preeminent doctrinal work of the New Testament it naturally contains a number of difficult passages
1. The perpetuation of Adam’s sin (Ch 5)
2. The temptations of Paul as a non-believer and as a believer (Ch 7)
3. The doctrines of election and God’s sovereignty (Ch 8-9)
4. The future of Israel (Ch 11)
5. The role of Human government (Ch 13)
Our Goal: In the next few weeks of study we are going to look at Romans as a whole – many dangerous and improper doctrines have been established by studying only one or two verses form this book
Rule: Remember the first rule of Bible study is to always look at the text according to its context – you gain perspective on what a verse is saying when the entire thought, chapter or even the whole book is taken into account
This evening we are going to look over Paul’s introduction. He gives three exhortations within the first seventeen verses:
I. The Exhortation of Christ (v.1-6)
a. He explains Jesus’ earthly genealogy
i. (v.3) “…Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh…”
ii. Paul was saying the Jesus’ physical birth fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament
iii. It also verifies Jesus’ reality as a true historical character
1. Jesus is not only talked about in the Bible
2. Tacitus, Josephus and Pliny the Younger, all ancient historians and writers, confirm Jesus’ historicity
iv. This is important because there was a sect of Christians who believed Jesus was spirit only and never truly flesh
1. This was a major problem that John dealt with in his first epistle
2. 1 John 4:2,3 “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”
v. Paul and John were confirming that a belief in the physical nature of Christ is necessary and even a test of true Christianity
b. Paul then explains Jesus’ heavenly genealogy
i. (v.4) “…declared to be the Son of God… by the resurrection from the dead”
ii. The word ‘declared’ is the same word we receive our word for ‘distinguish’
iii. It is by Christ death, burial and resurrection that He can be declared and distinguished as The Son of God
iv. His victory over death was the supreme demonstration and most conclusive evidence as to who He is
II. The Exhortation of Christ’s Church (v.7-15)
a. Paul thanked God for the church’s faithfulness
i. (v.8) “…I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.”
ii. The church of Rome was very evangelistic church, with a reputation for being faithful
iii. Illustration: “What are we known for?” Some churches are known for bake sales, car washes and community events – But above all we should be known for our faith. What are we known for?
b. Paul interceded for the church
i. (v.9) “For God is my witness… that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers”
ii. If our church is going to grow, we need real intercessors, who cease not in praying for the church’s ability to reach the lost
iii. Illustration “Rather go to class” A man held an intercessory prayer meeting at his church. People began showing up saying, “Is this where the class on intercessory prayer is?” He said, “No, we aren’t teaching a class, we are going to actually intercede in prayer for our church and prayer requests” Dismayed, the people began leaving – all willing to learn, but only few willing to do
c. Paul sought the church’s fellowship
i. (v.11,12) “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.”
ii. What Paul just said exemplifies fellowship
1. He will share his gifts with them
2. And they will share their gifts with him
iii. And all together will be encouraged
III. The Exhortation of the Gospel (v. 16-17)
a. Paul tells of his unashamed love of the Gospel
i. (v.16a) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation…”
ii. The word “power” used here is the same word where we get “dynamite”
iii. God gives the dynamite of the Gospel to all who believe
1. Quote: Only through the power of God’s Gospel could stony sinful hearts be broken and fall prostrate before a Holy God
2. The Gospel is effective because it carries the omnipotence of God
3. It is God’s power that overcomes our sin and gives us new life
b. Paul tells of the far reaching love of God
i. (v. 16b) “…for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”
ii. This verse confuses some, but here is what it means:
1. God chose Israel as a nation to be His witness (Ex 19:6)
2. The ministry of Christ was first to the Jews (Matt 15:24)
3. It is through Israel that God brought salvation to the whole world (John 4:22 “Woman at the well”)
c. Paul tells of God’s requirement for righteousness
i. (v. 17) “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith”
ii. The term ‘faith to faith’ means simply faith only with nothing in between
1. While it is true that faith produce good works, these works do not play a part in our salvation
2. It is by faith alone that a person is justified – a key doctrine of Romans and the whole Bible
iii. Paul showed how this powerful doctrine supercedes OT and NT scriptures
1. “The just shall live by faith” is a quote from Habakkuk 2:4
2. Never has righteousness been imputed because of works, but always because of faith
CONCLUSION: In the first few lines of this great doctrinal work we have a strong case for
(1) Christ (2) Fellowship (3) Faith
I want to leave you tonight with a quote: A. W. Tozer eloquently described the unusual characteristics of a Christian who lives by faith. “A real Christian is an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for one whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to someone he cannot see, expects to go to heaven on the virtue of another, empties himself in order to be full, admits he is wrong so he can be declared right, goes down in order to get up, is strongest when he is weakest, richest when he is poorest, and happiest when he feels worst. He dies so he can live, forsakes in order to have, gives away so he can keep, sees the invisible, hears the inaudible, and knows that which passeth knowledge.” To live by faith means embracing a lifestyle that contradicts most of life. (Let us pray)
