Sermon Cloud

Introduction To Romans

Coleridge calls the book of Romans “the profoundest book in existence.”

Chysostom had it read to him twice a week.

When I was in Paris I wasn’t sure if I should be struck by the sheer size of the architecture or by the intricate art work covering every structure.  The book of Romans is like that, it’s huge but beautiful. 

INFLUENCE

In the 4^th century a distinguished philosopher and teacher named Augustine was under conviction concerning the truthfulness of Christianity.  He was a brilliant and attractive man; but he also lived a completely immoral life, and felt like he was in a vice grip of sexual immorality. He tells of this in his 8^th book confessions, relating how he was convinced of the truthfulness of Christianity, but could never put off his sins.  One day while in a garden he heard some children singing “tole lege tole lege” “take and read”  he thought this was odd for a children’s song so he thought it was from God.  Obeying the message he rushed to where a copy of the Bible was lying, opened it up and began to read the first words his eyes made contact with.  He read Romans 13:13 “Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarrelling and jealousy.  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify it’s desires.”  Augustine became the greatest figure in the church next to Paul and Martin Luther. 

The second example of the letters influence can be found in Martin Luther.  He was no part animal like Augustine, he was the exact opposite.  Luther was a pious, earnest, monk who hated God.  He wanted to please God—but God’S demands were too high and so Luther hated him deep down in his heart.  He found the harder her worked, the higher the bar would climb.  In desperation Luther turned to the Bible the book of Romans and found in the first Chapter as early as verse 17 that the a righteousness from God is revealed from faith to faith, and that the righteous shall live by faith.  He was saved and this is how he put it, “I have no love for that holy and just God who punishes sinners.  I was filled with secret anger against him.  I hated him, because, not content with frightening by law and the miseries of life us wretched sinners, already ruined by original sin, he still further increased our tortures by the gospel…but when by the Spirit of God, I understood the words –when I learned how the justification of the sinner proceeds from the free mercy of our Lord through faith…then I felt born again like a new man…in very truth the language of the apostle Paul was to me the true gate of paradise.” 

Wesley

John Wesley and his brother started a religious club that sought to obtain salvation through their good deeds and devotion.  Later he and his brother moved to Georgia with an attempt to convert the Indians.  Not a single Indian converted to his mode of religion.  Disillusioned while returning he dropped in on a Moravian Bible study where they were reading Luther’s preface to the book of Romans.  Wesley wrote in his journal, “About a quarter before 9, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.  I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death.”

Many are attempting to rape God.  Men seek to lay hold on God in ways that are foreign to his holiness.  John 14:6, “No man comes to the Father, but by me.  John 10:1, “He who climbs up by another way is a thief and a robber.” 

John Bunyan

Was so inspired as he studied the book of Romans in a jail cell that he wrote pilgrims progress.

Karl Barth  C.S. Lewis

These men grew up in steeped liberalism and intellectualism.  The philosophy of the day was that men were good in nature and could share a dream of utopia.  World war 1 happened and their theories went out the window. Both these men turned to the book of Romans and realized quickly that man is inherently evil and destructive in nature.  These men both delt a devastating blow against liberalism.

Luther called Romans, “the chief part of the New Testament and the very purest gospel, and that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart and occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of his soul”

Calvin wrote that “if we have gained a true understanding of this epistle, we have an open door to all the most profound treasures of scripture.”

The great Swiss Commentator F. Godet wrote that in all probability “every great spiritual revival in the church will be connected as effect and cause with a deeper understanding of this book. 

Christianity is the most powerful, transforming force in human history—and the book of Romans is the most basic, most comprehensive statement of true Christianity.  Included as the first letter in the Canon. 

The fundamental human problem is not to understand what proper behavior is: generally we know this quite well.  The problem is we don’t do what we know we should do.  Our hang up is that we do not love God.  Even if I understand that God loves me, there is a deep seated hatred in my own life towards him that comes naturally.  Romans shows us how God deals with this problem.  

Now we are about to read Paul’s introduction and greeting.  He is going to summarize who he is and what he’s about. 

Rom. 1:1   Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, 

Paul…..It’s amazing that Paul’s name is even here—he of course in the author but he used to hate Gentiles, now he is writing to them.  Paul’s name used to be Saul,  Saul means “requested one” Paul means “little”  that’s always the way it goes with someone who has truly encountered Jesus.  Like John the Baptist we begin to pray that he would increase and we would decrease.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ…….The word used here is doulos which means bondslave—this would paint a vivid picture in the mind of a Jew.  Exodus 21:2 sheds light on what this means.  According to Jewish Law if a man fell into debt he could become a slave of his debtor.  When the 7^th year rolled around that slave had a choice to either stay or go free.  If the slave had a good master they oftentimes remembered how things weren’t going so well with them when they were free, so they could choose to stay. If he wanted to stay the slave would go to the tabernacle and the priest would drive a nail through his ear into the door post signifying he loves his master and wanted to remain his servant. 

Called to be an Apostle……

God is gracious to press us towards a specific purpose for the benefit of the church. The word apostle means “one who is sent out”.  In the NT there are 3 groups of apostles.  God appointed one apostle—Jesus Christ (Heb.3:1).  Jesus appointed 12 apostles who traveled with him.   Then we see in the book of Acts the Holy Spirit appoints Barnabas, Titus, Andronicus, Junia, and a whole host of others are called apostles appointed by the Holy Spirit who go and pioneer movements in specific areas for the gospel.  The Lord calls each of us uniquely and personally.  As the Father is has sent me so I am sending you.  Everyone is called to be sent, its how we are sent that will be different. 

How can we know what are specific calling is?  It’s very simple.  What’s flowing from your life presently?  What comes easy for you?  What’s working out supernaturally for you?

Issac dug a well in order to water his flock, but the inhabitants of the land challenged his right to be there.  So he called the well “esek” or “contention”, moved down the road and dug another well, and struck water once more.  The inhabitants came out and said, “this is our territory, Get out of here”.  So Jacob named that well “Sitnah” or “hatred” so he went down the road a little  farther.  He dug a third well.  This time no one bothered him—so he called the well “Rehoboth, “there’s room for me”.  (Gen.26

Issac had a job of watering sheep, he didn’t complain about it and he ended up at Rehoboth.  I have found the life of ministry just like this.  There were things I was gifted at and I struck water, but it ended up being hatred because God wanted to place me in a specific place. 

Set apart……..

When was Paul “separated to the gospel”?  It was when he was ministering to the Lord in Acts 13.  He was worshipping with Barnabas in praise and adoration and thanksgiving.  There is a lot of talk of doing great things for the Lord but that is not as important as spending time with him.   

Ezek. 44:10 But  the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols  when Israel went astray,  shall bear their punishment.

Ezek. 44:13 They  shall not come near to me, to serve me as priest, nor come near any of my holy things and the things that are most holy, but  they shall bear their shame and the abominations that they have committed.  14 Yet I will appoint them to keep  charge of the temple,  to do all its service and all that is to be done in it.

Ezek. 44:15   “But  the Levitical priests,  the sons of Zadok, who kept  the charge of my sanctuary  when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me  to minister to me. And they shall stand before me to offer me  the fat and the blood, declares the Lord GOD.  16 They shall enter my sanctuary, and they shall approach  my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge.

This is an extremely important passage that says standing before people, sharing with people, and ministering to people is to only flow from our personal worship with Jesus.

Paul was also separated from birth Gal. 1:1 tells us.

All the while Paul was persecuting the church the Father knew what he would be doing.  I say this to remind us as parents that our kids have destinies.  Therefore our job is not so much to “mold them” but to “unfold them”.  We sometimes have ungodly expectation for our kids and expectations that are not the Lords. 

 for the gospel of God…..

This verse is a dump truck packed full of awesome.  Paul’s used to be a Pharisee which means “separated one” the difference here is what you are separated to…..not separated from.  Paul used to find his identity in things that he was against, rather than things he was for.  Many people desperately want to be free of their sins by focusing on their sin and thinking about their sin, and the 7 steps to get rid of their sins.  This is what a Scottish preacher called “the expulsive power of a new affection”.  There is a certain Oak Tree called a Pin Oak that keeps it’s dead leaves through winter.  It is not until Spring that the oak sheds it leaves—the reason being that the new sap produced within pushes new leaves out that knock off the old leaves.  This is how the new life works in us, as we look at Jesus we start to become like him.  We are to be set apart to the gospel.  We need to take our eyes off of our sin and place our gaze on Jesus.  This is why the word gospel means good news.

This is why Paul could write in Phil. 3:12   Not that I have already  obtained this or  am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.  13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do:  forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,  14 I press on toward the goal for  the prize of the upward  call of God in Christ Jesus.  15 Let those of us who are  mature think this way, and if in anything  you think otherwise,  God will reveal that also to you.  16 Only  let us hold true to what we have attained.

2 (Which he had promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures,)

concerning his Son,  who was descended from David   according to the flesh

Twnent-five years before on the road to demascus after encountering Jesus Christ Paul became a servant for Jesus when he said, “Lord what do you want me to do?”  And for 25 years he kept at it.  Commitment was really the key to Paul’s success in ministry.  He left everything to focus on one thing singulary: serving Jesus Christ passionately. 

Some people today get excited about walking with Jesus and ministry—but only in spurts.  Why was Paul so dedicated? I would suggest because he had an encounter not with theology or philosophy but with the risen Lord.  If you’re only a student of theology and ecclesiology and missiology, you can easily miss the heart of ministry entirely.  But if we really understand Jesus is risen and dwelling within us—then we can talk to him, share our concerns with him, and fellowship with him. 

A while back I was talking with a contactor who was struggling with a decision to make.  He was asked to build a building that would be used for a new-age conference center.  He knew there was money in it but he didn’t feel good about it.  What should I do?  Well because you are born again the Lord promised to write his will not on tablets of stone but upon the tablets of our hearts (Jer.31:33).  You see I could give you all kinds of reason biblically why you should avoid that place, and I can also give you all kinds of reasons biblically why you should go in there, be the light of the world and storm the gates of hell.  Suddenly his face lit up as he realized it’s not about a principle or theology, it’s a matter of touching the “risen seed of David” Jesus Christ personally. 

4 and  was declared to be the Son of God  in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

If there was no resurrection than Jesus was not an acceptable sacrifice.  The resurrection proved that it took. If Jesus just died than we are fools, still in our sins, simply following some guru at best.

 5 through whom  we have received grace and  apostleship  to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name  among all the nations,  6 including you who are  called to belong to Jesus Christ,

We have received grace—underserved blessing and apostleship—direction for ministry, this was not mere theology for him, it was reality.

Rom. 1:7   To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:

The words “to be” are not in any of the original manuscripts.  Thus it should read “You are called saints”.  Most people have the idea that saints are special people who earned the rank throughout history.  But the truth is there are only two categories of people—there are saints, and there are pagans.  Therefore, if you are a believer you are a saint.

7(b)Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul uses two different languages here, Grace is Charis a greek work while peace is shalom a Hebrew word.  Paul always put these words in this order because man will never experience peace without understanding grace.  If you are trying to be holier or more deserving of God’s blessings, your Christian life will not be full of peace.  But if you understand grace—that God blesses and gives unconditionally—you’ll stop trying to earn His blessings, and you’ll have peace.

From God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Peace from God has two components. 1. First of all peace from God implies peace with God, which is the positional and unconditional because Jesus Christ took upon himself all of our short comings and sins, problems, weaknesses, and rebellion. Rom. 5:1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:  

Most of us constantly feel that the Lord is disappointed with us, that he looks down with a grimace on our lives because we aren’t missional enough, or don’t do devotions and pray enough.  But here the apostle Pauls says, Grace and peace to you all because Jesus did it all. 

2.  Second, we have the peace of God, which is experiential and comes through prayer.

Phil. 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Perhaps this is what happened to you this week…..The kids acted up and you lost your cool, your husband let you down, the housework piled high, and as the tension was building you thought to yourself I should pray but as soon as you thought this the enemy was right there saying Pray? Now that you have a problem you want to pray?  What about devotions, Mr. prayer person? You haven’t sought the Lord at all and you think you can just come here and think I should pray?

You see we know we have problems and issues all too well, we are all too aware of our failures.  But we think the Father wont here us if we haven’t been stellar.  In reality there is nothing further from the truth.  Look at our Lord and friend Jesus Christ , as he was sweating great drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemane on our behalf, Judas showed up on the scene with a large group of soldiers. When Jesus saw this after being betrayed by a kiss Jesus said, “Friend, what do you seek”  The heart of Jesus was revealed in that moment, even after being betrayed Jesus calls him friend and leaves the door wide open.  This one with whom we walk is so incredibly gracious.  He’ll respond to you and work with you anytime you call upon Him.