Bible Reading: Romans chapter 1 verses 8-17
SERMON OUTLINE:
(1). Paul appreciates them (vs 7-8).
(2). Paul prays for them (vs 9-10a).
(3). Paul longs to encourage them (vs 10b-13).
(4). Paul has an obligation towards them (vs 14-15).
(5). Paul introduces his theme to them (vs 16-17).
SERMON BODY:
Ill:
• A story is told about Albert Einstein
• (The German mathematician and one of the greatest physicists of all time.)
• Was once asked by a student, “Dr. Einstein. How many feet are there in a mile?
• To the utter astonishment of the student, Einstein replied, “I don’t know.”
• The student was sure the great professor was joking.
• Surely Einstein would know a simple fact that even schoolchild knows.
• But Einstein wasn’t joking.
• When the student pressed for an explanation of this gap in Einstein’s knowledge,
• Einstein declared,
“I make it a rule not to clutter my mind with simple information that I can find in a
book in five minutes.”
• Albert Einstein was not interested in trivial data.
• His passion was to explore the deep things of the universe,
• To plumbs the depth of mathematical and physical truth.
• TRANSITION: This letter of Paul contains the big issues.
• He will explain big and at times deep theology.
In this section the apostle Paul does two main things.
• (1st). He reveals his desire to go to Rome,
• He explains exactly why he wanted to visit there.
• (2nd). He introduces the main topic of the letter,
• We noted last week this is a letter of doctrine,
• i.e., the why and the what Christians believe.
• And the key verses in this letter are verses 16-17.
• OK, let’s look at the letter,
• And we will divide it up under five headings.
(1). Paul appreciates them (vs 8).
“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.”
Question: What exactly was it that the apostle Paul thanked God for?
Answer: Their faith.
Ill:
• I saw this photo on Facebook this week,
• And it perfectly illustrates faith.
• This guy believes that his car is safe where he has parked it,
• Or maybe he wants the building to collapse for the insurance! Who knows?
• But I’m going with the first option!
Ill:
• We all probably know the expression, “All roads lead to Rome”
• The expression was apparently true!
• As 29 military highways radiated out from Rome.
• The empire's 113 provinces were connected by 372 roads,
• Which covered over 250,000 miles (400,000 km),
• And 50,000 miles (80,500 km) of them were paved with stones.
• TRANSITION:
• Those Roman roads allowed the first Christians to travel all over the then known world.
• And as they travelled, they shared and preached gospel message.
• i.e., There is an insightful verse in one of the apostle Paul’s other letters (Philippians.)
• A letter he wrote while under two years of house arrest in Rome.
• (Philippians chapter 4 verse 22).
“All God's people here send you greetings,
especially those who belong to Caesar's household.”
• The throne of the Caesars was at this time occupied by Nero,
• This letter was written around 57 or 58AD and Nero died ten years later in AD 68,
• Nero was more a monster rather than a man.
• Cruelty not compassion was his trademark.
• And he was not at all nice to Christians.
Ill:
• In the summer of 64 AD,
• Rome suffered a terrible fire that burned for six days and seven nights,
• It consumed almost three quarters of the city.
• The people accused the emperor Nero of the devastation,
• Claiming he set the city on fire for his own amusement.
• In order to deflect these accusations and placate the people.
• Nero laid the blame for the fire on the Christians.
• And if you do a simple Google search,
• You can read about the terrible fate that many Christians experienced as a result.
• But warning, it will not be pleasant reading!
• TRANSITION:
• So, it could not have been easy to be a follower of Jesus in Caesar’s household.
• It was not a place for the faint hearted!
• Maybe that is why those in “Caesar's household” and the city of Rome,
• The capital of the Roman Empire.
• Were being talked about, “Everywhere.”
APPLICATION:
• Believe me when I say that our church has a reputation.
• You may not know what it is,
• But that does not change the fact that our church has a reputation.
• e.g., Just like each school in the area has a reputation (ask a parent),
• e.g., Each restaurant has a reputation (TripAdvisor)
• e.g., Each business has a reputation (check-a-trade)
• Likewise, each Church has a reputation.
• It may be a good or it may be bad,
• It may be indifferent (many people in our community might not even know why we exist).
• But for all three groups, we have a reputation.
A good reputation and credibility are two of the most precious things one can have in life.
• King Solomon wrote in his book of wisdom (Proverbs chapter 21 verse 1).:
• “A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold”
• Quote: Henry Ford (founder of the Ford Motor Company) once said,
• "You can't build your reputation on what you're going to do."
• Plans and intentions are wonderful, and necessary for success,
• But they are only good when you fulfill them.
Let’s continue to show people what we’ve got now.
• We have the good news of the gospel – hope in a world of darkness!
• We have a family, the Church, a loving community.
• We have a loving God who is not distant but wants to be involved in our lives.
(2). Paul prays for them (vs 9-10a).
“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 in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times;”
We are given two insights here into the life of the apostle Paul:
• FIRST: he is the travelling preacher (vs 9).
• And as he has gone from place to place, he has heard about these Roman Christians.
• SECOND: In verse 10 he is the praying pastor.
• He was praying for this Church regularly and they were probably unaware of his prayers.
Ill:
• When you read the last chapter of this letter, there are some people mentioned by name.
• It is a giant list of names, thirty-four to be exact.
• At the time this letter was written the apostle Paul had never been to Rome.
• There was no Zoom, Facebook, email or even telephones.
• So how come the apostle Paul knew these people by name?
• He probably got this knowledge from his tent-making friends, Aquila and Pricilla,
• (We met them in Acts chapter 18 verses 1-3).
• They were forced to leave Italy when Claudius Caesar deported all Jews from Rome.
• They worked alongside and spent time with the apostle Paul,
• And they told him who was there and what they were doing.
• Then when the apostle Paul prayed for this Church,
• He could pray for many by name,
• Because he knew who many of these people were and what they did.
Note: Paul says (vs 9), “God…is my witness”
• Sometimes we tell people we are praying for them,
• But if we are honest, that is not always the truth!
• Here at DRC, we need to be praying for one another,
• That is why we have a prayer guide divided into undated days of the month,
• So that we can regularly pray for one another!
• The idea is good,
• But it is only good if we actually use it!
(3). Paul longs to encourage them (vs 10b-13).
“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 and sisters, 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.”
Ill:
• Video illustration: Encouragement - Concert TV Spot | Pass It On
• YouTube: https://youtu.be/-JWh0ZWmFWw
• TRANSITION:
• Correction does much, but encouragement does more.
• In these verses the apostle Paul first encourages these Christians,
• And later he will correct them.
Ill:
• We probably all know the phrase ‘Spoonful of Sugar’
• It comes from a line in Mary Poppins’ famous song with a similar title.
• Mary claimed that,
• ‘A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down in the most delightful way’.
• TRANSITION: You can take the horrible tasting medicine,
• If you have had the sweetener beforehand.
Ill:
• There are seven churches named for their locations in the Book of Revelation.
• Each one received a letter from Jesus.
• Where possible the Lord starts with a commendation before correction.
• TRANSITION: That is a good principle for leaders, bosses, parents to follow!
Note:
• The phrase "impart to you some spiritual gift" can be misleading,
• Because it sounds like the apostle Paul wants to help them have a spiritual gift.
• But the text actually means that he wants to give them the benefit of his gifts.
• In other words, as he uses his gifts to bless them,
• They too will return that blessing to him as they use their gifts and talents.
Ill:
• God has given to his church different gifts,
• Every Christian has at least one, often more than one, who knows, maybe 7 or 8.
• Listen! Nobody got missed out!
• They are given by God, and he does not make mistakes!
Quote:
“Spiritual gifts are a skill or ability that enables each Christian to perform a function in the body of Christ with ease and effectiveness”.
In six places in the New Testament, at least 22 spiritual gifts are mentioned.
• Romans 12:6-8.
• 1 Corinthians 12:8-10.
• 1 Corinthians 12:28.
• 1 Corinthians 12:29:30.
• Ephesians 4:11.
• 1 Peter 4:11.
• Seven spiritual gifts are identified and mention in Romans chapter 12,
• The job of every Christian is to discover their spiritual gift(s) and use it.
• Remember: Gifts are not weapons to fight with,
• They are not toys for my personal pleasure.
• They are tools to build up the Church of Christ!
Note:
• Spiritual gifts are not limiting,
• They are not exclusive to a particular ministry:
• e.g., You may not be an evangelist, but you can still do evangelism.
• e.g., You may not be Pastor, but you can still do pastoral work,
• Point is we can all do various tasks,
• But we will do those jobs better, easier, more naturally if we are gifted!!!
Remember: The church is a living body not a collection of individual body parts,
• We need each other to operate effectively and biblically!
• He will talk more about this in chapter 12.
• But that is another reason to be a member of a Church and not just a Church attender.
• Get involved, use your gifts and talents to the maximum!
(4). Paul has an obligation towards them (vs 14-15).
“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 in Rome.”
Ill:
• We noted last week in verse 1 the apostle Paul used a Greek phrase,
• That was very offensive in Roman culture.
• The word translated as, ‘servant’ is actually the word, ‘slave.’
• Now in this verse he uses another offensive phrase,
• Rome was a city that prided itself on its high cultured wisdom,
• Yet the apostle Paul says (vs 14).
• NIV: “I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish.”
• KJB: “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both too wise and to unwise.”
• GNB: “For I have an obligation to all peoples…
• to the civilized and to the savage, to the educated and to the ignorant.”
Ill:
• I don’t want to worry you but here is a sad set of statistics.
• More than 1,600 Royal Mail staff,
• Have been caught stealing from the post in the last five years.
• It means that on average,
• One Post Office employee is sacked for theft for every working day of the year.
• The Royal Mail has 162,360 employees.
• So, your postie, like mine is probably a jolly good fellow or lady.
• TRANSITION:
• These people will have been charged with, ‘Interfering with her majesty’s mail”
• The apostle Paul reminds us that we commit that crime every day,
• Like the apostle we are commissioned to take a message to a lost world,
• Paul specific calling was to the Gentiles (non-Jews/of the nations).
• And we are in debt to them until we deliver that message!
• The simple way to discharge our debt is to share the good news!
Challenge this week:
• Ask God to give you that one opportunity that will allow you to do just that.
• Pray that it will come naturally and need not be forced,
• Then seize it!
• (Why not have a booklet, an invite, a gospel on you that you can then pass on?)
(5). Paul introduces his theme to them (vs 16-17).
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.””
• His key theme is ‘righteousness.’
• This word in one way or another will be used over sixty times in this letter.
• (Sometimes translated as, ‘righteous, just, justified’).
Ill:
• If you want to know what ‘righteousness’ means, simply cut the word in half, ‘Right.’
• Right with God and right with other people.
• A right relationship with God and right relationship with other people.
• And that only happens when.
• We hear the gospel, understand the gospel and believe the gospel.
Note: The apostle Paul tells us four things about this gospel.
• (1st). It is a message of good news – “the gospel.” – the evangelion,
• (2nd). It is the gospel of Power - "Power of God".
• (3rd). It is the gospel of salvation – saved from and saved to!
• (4th). It is the gospel for everyone - “everyone who believes.”
• Note: believes not behaves,
• “The righteous will live by faith” and not by works.
• The root of salvation in faith and the fruits of salvation are good works,
• But never get them the wrong way round,
• Otherwise, you have put the cart in front of the horse.
• Today we might say, the caravan in front of the car.
• The gospel message is a fulfilment of the Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 4,
• In that prophecy we are told that the just would live by faith,
• This was a foretelling the truth,
• That eternal life is only possible through faith and not works.
Ill:
• The year was 1515.
• The place: Germany.
• The man: Martin Luther
• As a young man Martin Luther nearly lost his life in a thunderstorm,
• And it made him afraid to die because he was afraid to face God,
• Because he knew he hadn't got his sins forgiven.
• Now Luther became a religious man,
• And I mean religious spelt in capitols, highlighted and underlined!
• e.g., He became a Professor of theology,
• e.g., He took, participated in the seven sacraments of his day,
• e.g., He prayed to saints, 3 every day, that's 21 different saints a week.
• e.g., He prayed to Mary.
• e.g., He had gone on pilgrimages and looked at relics and images.
• e.g., He did every religious act an individual was required to do.
• And none of it had brought him assurance of the forgiveness of is sins.
One day a man by the name of John Tensil came to his district selling indulgences:
• An Indulgence, came from the Roman Catholic Church,
• It was a way to raise money for that institute.
• You paid a certain amount of money,
• And in return you got a certificate,
• That promised you the full or partial remission of punishment for sins.
• It was a wicked practice, which stole the money from the poor,
• And gave them a false hope of forgiveness!
John Tensil came to Luther’s district selling indulgences:
• Martin Luther knew within his soul that this was not right,
• So, he said to Tensil, "You cannot buy forgiveness".
• Then he realised if you cannot buy forgiveness, then you cannot earn it either!
• And that started the ball rolling!
• Then one day this Augustinian monk was lecturing on the Book of Romans.
• And one verse leaps out of the pages of his Bible,
• And ‘hit him right between the eyes’
• "The (righteous) just shall live by faith" (Romans chapter 1 verse 17).
• This was the beginning of change in Martin Luther's life.
• And the beginning of the Protestant Reformation.
Ill:
• This of course did not go down well with the Roman Catholic Church,
• On one occasion Luther was called before his saintly superior Van Stourpitz,
• And Van Stourpitz said to him.
"Martin Luther, if you take away all these things that you call crutches, to a tottering faith.
If you take away Mary, if you take away the saints, if you take away images, if you take away penance and pilgrimages, if you take away all this, what will you put in their place?"
• Martin Luther reply was short and to the point:
• "Jesus Christ, man only needs Jesus Christ".
• Not man-made traditions and religion but it is all about Christ!
• And the good news of the gospel is this.
• “The righteous will lives by faith.”
SERMON AUDIO:
https://surf.pxwave.com/wl/?id=AD9Ig1xXul5TeIiK2BU7hMilWG4xsO5C
SERMON VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/EEIs8LbxDa4
