Attitudinal Influence
Romans 1:8-17
Intro: Sometimes it’s easy to get so caught up in our own concerns and defending our own ideas sometimes that we don’t see the bigger picture of how our attitudes and actions might be affecting those around us. That could have been going on in the church at Rome. Remember the situation at Rome? Paul was writing to a church that was most likely started by Hellenistic Jews, possibly in the early 30’s AD. It may have taken 10 or more years for Gentiles to become part of their number. Almost 20 years after its inception, the church faced a huge dilemma. All the Jews were expelled from Rome, and the Gentiles who had put their faith in Jesus were left to fend for themselves for about 5 years. It was within the next year that several church leaders in Jerusalem gathered to discuss how Gentiles fit into the picture. After hearing testimony from Peter, Paul, and Barnabas about how God had specifically led them to preach the good news to Gentiles and had worked many miracles among them, they agreed that God was not asking the Gentiles to become Jewish through circumcision or Torah observance. They just asked the Gentiles to observe four basic guidelines: avoid eating meat containing blood, avoid eating the meat of animals not properly slain or strangled; avoid fornication and avoid anything to do with idol worship. Other than fornication being forbidden, most scholars view the other guidelines as ways to avoid needlessly offending Jewish brothers and sisters, rather than as moral or ethical issues.
-When the Jews we allowed to return to Rome a few years later, they found that much had changed. It is possible that Jewish feasts and festivals were not being observed. It is possible that the Jewish Sabbath was not being kept. Some Gentiles may have been eating meat that was considered unclean to a Jew.
-It would have been easy for some of the Gentiles to say, “Hey! We were doing just fine before you came back. We don’t need you Jews.” Likewise, it would have been easy for some of the Jews to say, “Hey! You Gentiles have made a big mess of our church, you bunch of dirty pagans! We don’t need you either!” Now it is possible that a few might have started down this path of disunity, which was one of the reasons Paul wrote the book of Romans. It is through this lens that I am viewing these verses today. I believe that Paul is setting an example for the Jews and Gentiles alike to have a Christlike attitude toward one another as they follow Jesus together. You might say that our attitude determines our altitude as we seek to follow Jesus.
-So let’s look at Paul’s example so we can learn to respond in love to fellow believers, to those who don’t yet believe, and so we can evaluate our own attitude towards the gospel - the message about Jesus.
I. Proper Response towards Fellow Believers
Romans 1:8-13 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 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. 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong-- 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith. 13 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.
1. Thankfulness (8) - Paul was thankful for the believers in Rome- most of whom he’d never even met! He cites his reason for his thankfulness- their faith is being spoken of all over the world. They had put their faith in God and embraced what Jesus had done for them through His life, death, and resurrection. He had made them righteous! They were forgiven! They had been changed from the inside out! No doubt they became sermon illustrations for Paul as he preached the good news everywhere he went.
-Are you thankful for your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you find yourself feeling superior to others who don’t worship or believe the way you do? Thank God for them! As long as they are trusting in Jesus for their forgiveness, then their genuine faith will make a difference wherever they go.
2. Prayer (9-10) – Paul said he prayed for the Christians in Rome constantly.
-One of the greatest indicators that you really care about somebody is whether or not you pray for them. When you take the time to pray for someone that shows that you value them and that they are on your mind. Furthermore, the prayers you pray can make a positive difference in their lives.
-As Paul leads by example, the Roman believers see that it is appropriate to pray for other believers – even those they might be having problems with. Just in Paul’s opening words, and in his example, he would say, “Jews, pray for the Gentile believers among you. It will make a difference in how you treat them. Gentiles, pray for the Jews among you. It will change your attitude towards them.”
-Our attitudes toward one another will have a huge impact on the credibility of our faith. If your faith in God doesn’t change you on the inside, don’t expect anyone else to want what you’ve got.
3. Proximity (10-11) – Paul said he was praying that he could come to them. He said, “I long to see you….” Paul wanted to hang out with them. He wanted to be near them and be able to look them in the eye and share the life of God with them.
-Do you seek out the friendship and companionship of other believers? If not, you are missing one of God’s gifts to us – fellowship. Friendship, relationship, brotherly love – whatever you label it, we all need it! Get together with people who know God. It will do you good, and it will do them good!
4. Strength and Encouragement (11-12) – Paul wanted to be with them so he could impart some spiritual gift to them that would make them strong. But it wasn’t just Paul blessing them. It was mutual. He knew that he would be encouraged by them even while he was giving encouragement to them.
5. Partnership (13) – In addition to caring about the believers in Rome, he cared about those he might be able to bring into the faith by his personal visit there. Paul knew that everywhere he went there were people who needed to know Jesus. And it would have been totally out of character for Paul to visit the church at Rome without sharing the good news about Jesus with as many as he could. And no doubt he would help them get connected with the family of believers so there would be ongoing teaching, training, worship, fellowship, and ministry available to them. This way, Paul would have a harvest among the believers at Rome.
-As we consider our attitude towards fellow believers, we need to begin to see that we are co-laborers who have a mission. The mission of God is to seek and save those who are lost. We need to realize that it takes all of us to show people the way to faith in Jesus. Studies have shown that very few people come to Christ based on the faith of one person. In our culture, it is estimated that it takes the influence of more than 80 people to bring one person to Christ. There are no lone ranger evangelists. It takes all of us following Jesus and doing life together as partners in a great work that is far beyond any one of us. That leads us to the next point.
II. Proper Response towards Future Believers
Romans 1:14-15 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.
1. Accept a sense of responsibility for those who need Jesus
-What made Paul feel obligated? His calling. God called him to tell people the good news that Jesus forgives people and changes their lives when they put their trust in Him. Paul’s commission came from none other than Jesus Himself.
-What about us? Do we have a responsibility to the people in our lives who do not know Jesus? I’m sure you know what I think already. But have you accepted that responsibility, or excluded yourself? Not everybody is called to be an evangelist, but we are all called to be witnesses of who Jesus is and what He has done in our lives.
-Once we realize that we as children of light are part of the mission of God to a dark world, it should change the way we live. It might even change the way we spend our time and our money. It might just change our whole focus in life to something that lasts forever, rather than playing the accumulation game. No matter how much we gather before we die, we need to remember that it all goes to somebody else eventually. But when we share spiritual riches with others, there will be the eternal reward of seeing them in heaven – and that will last forever!
2. Develop an eagerness to share Jesus with others
-Our obligation is not a grudging one because we do it out of love for God and others. And because we’ve been called to share in God’s life, we are also called to share God’s life with those around us. Our obligation to share is expressed by an eager desire to tell people about Jesus.
-Again, remember that our attitude towards fellow believers will have a direct impact on our success in sharing the gospel with those who we want to become believers.
III. Proper Attitude Towards the Good News
Romans 1:16-17 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Do not be ashamed of the good news about Jesus
Realize how powerful it is to save and transform people
Understand it is for everyone who believes
Know that God’s righteousness is transferred to us through the gospel
This righteousness is completely by faith in God
Wrap Up: What kind of influence do you want to have on those around you? Your attitude towards fellow believers, future believers, and toward the message of the gospel itself will determine your level of influence.
-If you aren't trusting in Christ alone for your forgiveness, then the good news hasn't produced righteousness in your life. If you aren't living by faith in Jesus, then you still need to receive the good news and embrace it wholeheartedly. You can call on the Lord right now and begin a life of faith that qualifies you to receive the righteousness of God.
