Romans – God’s Glorious Gospel
“Sure Could Use Good News”
Romans 1:1-7
* The pop singer, Anne Murray, recorded a song which said, “Sure could use, a little good news today.” I don’t know about you, but surely is a truism for me. You see, we live in a world which is inundated with bad news. Read a paper, watch the news, listen to the radio, or worse yet, check the internet, bad news abounds. Iraq, Iran, world hunger, disease, killings, drugs, divorces, immorality, abortions, and the list goes on without end.
* It was into a world like this that Paul sat down one winter, in the house of Gaius, and wrote a letter to the church in Rome. He knew that the believer in Rome needed many things. He knew they needed a better understanding of the gospel of God. He knew some encouragement. He knew they needed a brother, a mentor, a friend to come along side of them and hold them up. He knew that they needed “stirring up” in their faith. They needed much.
* In response to their need he penned the wonderful letter that we call the “Book of Romans.” Today we begin a journey through the 16 chapters of this letters and we’ll call this series of messages, “Romans- God’s Glorious Gospel.” So turn with me to Romans 1:1-7.
* In his 3-volume study guide on Romans called “Foundations for our Faith”, Dr. Adrian Rogers entitled the first chapter, “The book that changed the world.” Think about that thought for moment. What a grandiose statement. But not so grandiose when you consider history. Many of the great Christian leaders had their faith ignited by a deep study and divine understanding of Romans. Some may ask why? Back to a modern day legend, Dr. Rogers tells us that in this letter Paul writes about sin, salvation, sanctification, sovereignty, sacrifice, and service to, of, and for, God himself.
* Consider this; this book changed the lives of men like St. Augustine, Martin Luther, the Wesley brothers, and even John Calvin. This letter to the church at Rome is a life-changing letter. My prayer is that it will change us.
* Let’s read the first 7 verses. (Prayer)
x* Do you really want some good news? Verse 7 offers you and me the best news a person can receive. First, it tells us we are loved by God and secondly, Paul asks for us to be given grace and peace from God. This is really good news because the news in this world is not so good.
* At the heart of all the bad news in this world is the 3 letter word, “SIN”. Since the sin of disobedience in the garden, sin has given nothing but heartache, headache, and chaos to mankind. At the heart of Sin is Selfishness. We wonder why selfishness seems to make its way into every Bible message we hear, it is because this attitude controls most of what we say and what we do. By the way, this is the sin which the Bible calls “pride” and it builds a gulf between us and God. In fact, God turns His face from the proud.
* Have you ever considered what sin produces? First, it produces guilt. As well will see later in Romans, the Bible says that we see enough of God in creation to discern right and wrong. Deep inside of each one of us, where only God sees, many carry hidden guilt, but that’s only one. Next, it produces meaninglessness. With sin’s guilt pulling at our conscious, we have difficulty making sense out of life. With every step, we know something is not right so we simply wander along with little purpose or direction. Now, add to guilt & meaninglessness, “hopelessness”. With sin producing these three in tow, it takes little time to feel like “what’s the use”, “why do I try”, or “Is there anything ahead?” Whether we realize it or not, this is Satan’s ploy. He wants us to give in and give up about being who God’s designed us to be. The sin he leads us into produces guilt, meaninglessness, hopeless-ness, and ultimately misery. I know that many times I say “tongue in cheek” that misery loves company, but have you thought about why that is true? It is because that for the person who is internally miserable there is no way to offer joy to anyone. Remember, “out of the overflow of the heart..” and “as a man thinks in his heart…” Sin has, can, and will beat us up. But guess what, God has good news;
* (Re-read vs 1) Think about this; God has Good News! For this sinful world full of sinful people He gives good news!
* And what is this good news? Without hesitation or reservation, it is HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST. In Christ we find everything we need for time and eternity. Look at how Paul encouraged the Romans about Jesus. He focused on Jesus, exposed the truth about Jesus, and pointed them to Jesus.
* If we are to be a Jesus church or a Jesus people, this would be good to understand. Here is the good news:
1) The Promise of Jesus – Paul was indeed a learned man. As a Pharisee, He had studied the Holy Scriptures for years and now had a clear understanding of Jesus through His study. This is why he only made it as far as verse 2 when he referenced the “prophets” and the “Holy Scriptures.” The prophet prophesied and the scripture told of the coming one. All of the Old Testament points toward the promised one, Jesus. Adrian Rogers says, “Jesus is the hero of the Old Testament.”
* The promise of Jesus is seen in Genesis 3 when he is referred to as the “seed of the woman” that would crush the serpent head. The serpent had been used of Satan to call sin to enter the world. Now that disobedience had taken its toll, to release the power of sin was require a very special person. Jesus was the promised person.
2) The Provision of Jesus – But don’t just see the promise of Jesus, also see the Provision of Jesus. To be the person of promise required some identifying and recognizable marks. According to the Holy Scriptures, He had to come from the seed of David and be born of a Virgin. You see, what had to be provided was someone who could defeat the “power hold” that sin has over the world. He had to be a man but He also had to be God. With the Virgin Mary as His mother and the Spirit of God as His Father, Jesus was the provided one. Had He been human and not divine, He would have been blasphemous before the Father. Yet, had He been divine and not human, He would have been irrelevant to humanity. In Christ was provided everything humanity needed for being freed from the power of sin.
3) The Power of Jesus – The Bible says He was “established as the powerful Son of God through the resurrection from the dead.” Verse 4 is the key to us understanding the God’s Glorious Good news. Jesus was not some wild eyed, half baked, crazy thinking, young man. History records that Jesus bodily was raised from the dead. In His resurrection He established, confirmed, affirmed, and even displayed to be the powerful Son of God.
* Do you want some REALLY good news? It is Jesus, powerful Jesus, and wonderful Jesus. There’s power in the precious name of Jesus. Just say it with me, “Jesus”. Jesus is the one who walked on the water, calmed the stormy sea, gives sight to the blind men, and Jesus set the sinner free. He gives hope to the hopeless and helps those in need. He is Father to the fatherless, and gives life eternally. Jesus does all this, but have you ever wondered why scriptures say, set the captive free? In the power of Jesus is the good news that you can be freed of sin’s guilt, free of a life that is meaning-less and hopeless, and free of the misery that it brings.
* This is the power of Jesus.
4) The Purpose of Jesus – Although this passage doesn’t expressly say, “the purpose of Jesus is,” it does list some clues for us to consider. Verse 5 says, “We have received “grace””. Grace is us getting what we do not deserve and that is forgiveness and eternal life. When you read Peter epistles you discover that Peter was taken by the grace of God. Peter knew how bad he had failed Christ and Christ was the one to grant grace. Paul then refers to “apostleship” as our place in Him. He wants to take us and change us from what we are into one that is commissioned by Him, an ambassador for Him, a representative from Him. The way this happens is that we become “obedient to the faith.” What does this mean?
* His purpose is the best news of all. Through Him, I can be released of all our sin’s debt, can be changed from the sinful person that I am, can be given life to the fullest now, and be assured of my eternal life beyond death.
* You want some good news? There it is, it’s Jesus. And after all He’s done, He stands waiting for you.
