BODY OF SERMON
See previous sermon for introduction.
In our analytical outline, we are in the section ...
I. Salutation (Romans 1:1-17)
A. Paul and His Calling (1:1-7)
PREACHING OUTLINE
THEME: GOD WANTED YOU TO HEAR THE GOSPEL
OBJECTIVE: The listener will appreciate the great effort of God to bring the gospel to humanity.
STATEMENT: How God wanted you to hear the gospel!
TEXT: Romans 1:1 "the gospel of God"
I. The Gospel Was Planned in the Mind of God (2)
Romans 1:2 (Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)
• Some get the idea that God tried to work with the Jews but that He failed.
• No, all of this was known of God from the beginning.
• The church was not an afterthought, but a forethought in the mind of God.
• Listen to the account of the disciples on the Emmaus Road.
Luke 24:44-47
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,
46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
II. The Gospel Was Purchased by the Messiah of God (3-4)
a. His Descent (3)
Romans 1:3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;
• The great genealogy of the King in Matthew's gospel declares this fact. (Mt. 1)
• Listen to Paul in Romans 9.
Romans 9:3-5 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.
b. His Declaration (4)
Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
• It is the Resurrection that proved Jesus' claims to be the Messiah.
• Scholars tell us that "spirit of holiness" is the Divine nature of Christ.
• "In power" (Dative of Realm/sphere) I.e., within the realm of His divine power He establishes the claim that He is indeed the Son of God.
Acts 4:10 [Peter preaches ... ] Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
John 2:18-22 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things?
19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
20 Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?
21 But he spake of the temple of his body.
22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
III. The Gospel Was Placed in the Man of God (1, 5)
Romans 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Romans 1:5 By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:
a. Saved to Serve
"Christ ... by whom we have received grace."
• Every Sunday School child knows of the day that God arrested the Apostle Paul.
• The Damascus Road experience is well known.
• And we must remember how great the love of God is for us.
• He went to extraordinary means to insure that there would be a messenger of the gospel for us!
• While the grace refers in part to his calling to the apostolic ministry, we cannot forget the call to salvation that we see in Romans 8:28, 30.
• Paul loved to tell the story, and he told it often!
b. Sent to Serve
"Called to be an apostle"
"Christ ... by whom ... we have received ... apostleship"
1) The Purpose
"for obedience to the faith"
2) The Place
"among all nations"
3) The Person [Check to see if this is corrected on the handout]
"for his name"
IV. The Gospel Was Proclaimed by the Messengers of God (5+ Romans Context)
Remember that no apostle founded the church at Rome. See the four influences above.
• Visitors from Rome at Pentecost
• Priscilla and Aquila
• Relatives of Paul
• Phoebe (Seems to have already had some contact with the believers there)
V. The Gospel Was Productive by the Miracle of God (6-7)
Romans 1:6 Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:
Romans 1:7 To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
a. The Work of God in the Believer
1) They are Called of God (Rom. 8:28)
"called to be saints"
2) They are Loved of God (John 3:16)
"beloved of God"
b. The Wishes of Paul for the Believer
1) Grace
"grace to you"
2) Peace
"and peace"
QUOTE: The Hebrew concept of peace (Heb. shalom) did not just mean freedom from stress, anxiety, and irritation. It included the fullness of God's blessing. Paul desired a continually deeper and richer experience of spiritual blessing for his readers. The linking of "Jesus Christ" with the "Father" implies the deity of the Son. — Tom Constable's Notes on the Bible
"From God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ"
CONCLUSION
• When we remember the great love of God that planned the gospel, the sacrifice of God that purchased the gospel, the heart of God that sent messengers ... Oh, how God wanted you to hear the gospel.
• Then, when we remember the first witnesses that gave their lives for Christ and the blood of the martyrs that died at the hands of the Catholic church in their effort preserve the Scriptures ...
• The pastors, evangelists, and missionaries that have faithfully preached to us that Word ...
• How terribly tragic would it be if you and I do not respond to the call of the gospel.
• For, even after all that God has done, the final decision is yours.
• Grace, great grace is available.
Romans 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
ILLUS: Mel Trotter
Grace is always more abundant than sin. Spurgeon has a sermon on this text entitled, "Grace Abounding over Abounding Sin."
This was the experience of Mel Trotter, who was such a great influence for Christ in Chicago and in fact the entire nation during the first half of this century. As an alcoholic he had fallen so low that on the evening he finally stumbled into the Pacific Garden Mission and found Christ, he was under the influence of alcohol he had purchased with the shoes taken from his little girl's feet as she lay in her coffin. So wondrous was the effect of God's abounding grace in his life that eight years later he was ordained to the Presbyterian ministry, became an outstanding evangelist, and founded more than sixty-seven rescue missions from coast to coast. "But where sin increased, grace increased all the more." There is always more grace! Preaching the Word - Preaching the Word – Romans: Righteousness from Heaven.
