We are starting a new series today with the Letter to the Romans! Please have your Bibles, bulletin and pen ready.
Let us note the power of Rome and what the city was like.
2000 years ago, when Christianity was born, the Roman Empire was quite powerful (show map). From the city of Rome, the Empire stretched to Spain, Great Britain, Central Asia, Africa, and the Middle East including the holy city of Jerusalem.
The City of Rome was of course a metropolis with a population of about 2 million people! Because of the vastness of the Empire, the City of Rome had people from all over the world including Jews. It is also estimated that half of the population in the City were slaves. Can you picture the City of Rome and its people?
Here’s a picture of a model of Rome……
Can you picture this? (show Chicago skyline picture)……
Picture the City of Chicago without planes, trains, and automobiles and everyone wears a dress, that’s what Ancient Rome was like!
When the Letter to the Romans was written, there were likely many churches not just one main one; and so the letter was for the church as a whole in the City of Rome. The Letter to the Romans is like a Letter to Chicagoans.
As we will note, the letter was transcribed by Tertius for the Apostle Paul while he was in Corinth. We had just finished studying the Letter to the Ephesians. Do you remember who delivered the Letter to the Ephesians?? – Tychicus!
You know who delivered this Letter to the Romans?
Open your Bibles to the end of the Letter to the Romans; look at Romans 16:1-2……..
A woman from a church in Corinth delivered this important letter, not only to the Christians in Rome, but for all Christians including us! Tychicus and a woman named Phoebe were ordinary people in church who served by delivering letters and their simple act of service impacted the entire Christian Kingdom!! There’s a Biblical principle right here isn’t there? God can multiply even our little service for the Lord! And look at v22 of Rom.16… Tertius ministered by simply being a secretary! God can multiply even our little service for the Lord! Let us all commit to serving in the church no matter how simple it may be.
Now, please stand as we read together from Romans 1. Read aloud with me, Romans 1:1-7……………
We can note that Paul wrote the letter for the Christians in Rome (as we noted, transcribed by Tertius). What can we note about Paul from verse 1? Paul was a servant of Jesus Christ, he was called to be an apostle, and set apart for the Gospel. The meaning of an apostle is actually defined here in v1. An apostle is one who serves and set apart from others to be an ambassador; and an ambassador brings messages with authority from the one he or she represents. And who does the Apostle Paul represent with authority?
Paul was an ambassador for Jesus Christ! And so, even though the letter was written by Paul, Paul spoke with authority for Jesus Christ; i.e. it was actually Jesus Himself who wrote this Letter to the Romans!
How will we treat this letter from our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ?
And what is the main message from Jesus Christ given to Paul and sent to the Christians in Rome? The main message of the letter is the Gospel! The end of v1 and v2 tells us that the Gospel is from God, promised through the writers of the Old Testament! What is the Gospel?
The Gospel means Good News! The Gospel of God is the Good News promised by God, given by God, and to be declared by people called by God! The Good News was promised by God through the Prophets of the Old Testament. The Good News was given by God through Jesus Christ who left heaven, lived a perfect life on earth as a human being, died on a cross for man’s sin, and rose from the dead to reveal He is God!
And to those who believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and God are called by God to declare this Good News to others.
Did the apostle Paul just decided all by himself to be a messenger of the Gospel? What does v1 tell us? Paul was called by God to be an apostle, to be taught and to declare.
Now look again at v6-7………..
Who else are called by God? God also called all the Christians in Rome to be messengers of the Gospel.
Turn briefly with me to Romans 10:14-15…….
God calls Christians to have beautiful feet! Do you remember what these beautiful feet are in the Full Armor of God? The beautiful feet of Christians are fitted with the Shoes of the Gospel of Peace!
And we read in v7 of Romans 1, Christians are loved by God, called to be saints, and can have grace and peace!
Are you a Christian? If you are a Christian, you are loved by God, you are a saint, and grace and peace is available to you! If you are not a Christian, God’s wrath is still upon you. God’s wrath can be forever until one becomes a Christian.
It is important to know how one can be a Christian isn’t it?
What will you say If someone asks you, how can one become a Christian?
Of course we can simply say, believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and you will be a Christian. But what is the Gospel? What is the Good News? Let me suggest to you to explain the Gospel using Romans 1:1-7. If the Gospel is the Good News promised by God, given by God, and to be declared by people called by God, shouldn’t we answer the following three questions to affirm our Christianity.
#1. Do I believe the promises of God about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament?
From Genesis to Malachi, the Lord and Savior of the world was promised and foretold. Jesus Christ is God and He was there from the beginning! For many of us this may not be difficult. But for those born Jewish, this can be difficult. If you have a Jewish friend, pray for them and help them understand that the Messiah of their Scriptures is Jesus Christ!
#2. Have I received the Gospel given by God?
God gave Jesus Christ to become a man to die on a cross to cleanse man of sin. All our sins were taken by Jesus Christ on the cross once and for all. Do I truly believe this and have truly received this gift of forgiveness? Can we truly say, in God’s sight I am holy because of what Jesus did on the cross. It is not good news if it isn’t realized!
#3. Am I answering the call to obey Jesus Christ?
Faith without works is dead! Jesus calls His Believers to go and make other Disciples of Christ!
These were the questions asked of the Christians in Rome!
These same questions are asked of us today.
Can we truly say yes to these three questions? If so, you are loved by God, you are a saint, and grace and peace is available to you now and forever!
One final question for us this morning: Does the Good News of eternal life with God stop with us?? Why not??
There are still people living today who need to hear the Gospel! There are 4 persons born on earth every second!
The people of the future will need the Gospel!
Until Jesus returns to earth, there are people who need to hear and receive the Gospel of Salvation!
Our feet can be beautiful to someone as we bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
Your feet will be beautiful to someone when you tell them about the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!
