Unlearning Romans Series

- RECOVERED BY GRACE -

Unlearning Romans

Introduction

Today we begin a twelve-lesson journey through the book of Romans under the theme RECOVERED BY GRACE. September is Recovery Month and we will end the month with a Recovery Sunday on the 29th. We hope anyone in recovery of any kind will feel welcomed anytime, but especially that day. The truth is we are all in recovery from the struggle with sin in our lives and the only true recovery we can experience comes through the grace of God.

To understand recovery means that we understand what it is that we are recovering from - and that requires honest self-evaluation. In Romans, Paul peels away all the layers of self-deception, denials, guilt, shame, and pride - to replace them with grace and truth that comes through Jesus. This impacts every relationship we have - God and others!

In that sense, I’d like us to unlearn Romans. Many perceive Romans to be …

- Too hard. Difficult to read, parts that are hard to understand.

- Too theological. A theology textbook that doesn’t really deal with real life.

- Too harsh. Paul deals with our sins in specifics, not generalities.

- Too dated. Out of touch with contemporary culture.

- Too familiar. Some might feel that the Roman road has been traveled so often it may not have anything new to offer.

If you have any of those preconceived notions of Romans, I’d like for us to unlearn them together and see the message of Romans with fresh eyes. God help us to do that!

3. The first step to unlearning Romans is to see it in its context. What’s happening in the Roman church? Our first hint is in Acts 18:1-3.

Acts 18:1-3 After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade.

1. Collision of Cultures

No one knows how/ when believers came to be in Rome. The best guess is Jews on a Pentecost pilgrimage to Jerusalem heard the gospel, gave their lives to Jesus, and returned home to Rome. So, in Acts 18, Paul meets with Aquila and Priscilla, who were among the estimated 20,000 Jews expelled from Rome in AD49.

This expulsion is a historical fact recorded by the Roman historian Suetonius: "As the Jews were indulging in constant riots at the instigation of Chrestus, he banished them from Rome" (Life of Claudius, 25.4). This is our first hint of the dramatic / intense conflict between the Jews who followed Christ and those who still did not. Previously looked upon with some tolerance, the Emperor Claudius chose to deal with the uproar among the Jews by sending them out of Rome. That’s how Aquila and Priscilla left Rome and came to Corinth. Claudius died in AD 54 and the Jews were allowed to return to Rome.

What happened to the church when the Jews were expelled? Gentile Christians continued to meet and worship God. They actually had to assume leadership of the church. Five years later, Jewish believers returned and thought they would resume their leadership roles - but to do that, Gentiles would have to step out of the way.

This collision of cultures precipitated tension that needed to be addressed by someone who could see both sides of the issue and offer a path forward. Apostle Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, a well-trained Jewish believer, along with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes with the answer.

We learn much about how to function and get along together as God’s Family from the instructions Paul gives the Roman church.

2. Rebuilding From the Rubble (Romans 1:1-7)

Romans 1:1-7 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David[b] according to the flesh 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, 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, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Out of the rubble of division and struggle, Paul points clearly to the way of reconciliation - and it is not based on the strengths of individuals, special skill sets in negotiation - but upon the Gospel. The Gospel is good news of salvation for all men. The Gospel also affects our behavior, thoughts, and how we treat others. The appeal to the Gospel is strong portion of the first eight chapters. In chapter one he begins to rebuild the Roman church from the rubble of division.