We had a good start to the book of Romans, with the message of the Gospel succinctly expressed.
• Having introduced himself, Paul gave us concise statements of the Gospel of God.
• The good news has to do with Jesus Christ, the descendant of David by birth and declared the Son of God by His resurrection.
• Jesus’ death and resurrection brought us into a new relationship with God.
In these few lines, Paul laid out the thrust of his letter – the message of the Gospel.
• This letter of Romans is different from the other letters he wrote, which concern the churches and their problems and needs.
• Romans focuses on God and His plan of salvation for man, both Jews and Gentiles.
Why Romans?
• Paul wrote the letter while he was in Corinth during his 3rd missionary journey.
• He was on his way back to Jerusalem with the collections from the Gentiles churches.
• So the practical reason was to tell the Roman Christians that he was planning to visit them after this trip to Jerusalem.
More importantly, he writes to present a clear explanation of the Gospel, the message that he has been entrusted with and proclaiming all this while.
• This was probably called for because of the differences in understanding between the Jewish and Gentile believers, with regards to their salvation in Christ.
• Paul set forth the Gospel to unite them theologically and present Christianity fully.
• Romans turn out to be the longest of Paul’s letters that we have and the most in-depth and comprehensive exposition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
That explains the introduction. He set the tone right.
• It is not about his message but the message of God; a message that is built on the foundation of God’s revelation in the Scriptures.
• It is not an afterthought but the plan of God all along and fulfilled in the Person and work of Jesus Christ – his death and resurrection.
• To bring lost humanity back to a living relationship with Him.
Michael led us through verses 1-7 last Sunday. It was but the first part of the introduction; we have barely started.
• Verse 1 starts with “Paul”, FROM Paul and then verse 7 “TO all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” and the greetings.
• Only from verse 8 did Paul starts to address them. So we are still in the introduction section today, verses 8-17.
In this section, Paul builds a rapport with his readers, explaining how he got to hear about them. Three things we can learn from Paul from this passage today.
• we see Paul's concern for the Christians, his compassion for the lost, and his conviction in the Gospel.
Romans 1:8-13
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you — 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.
HIS CONCERN FOR THE SAINTS
Paul builds a rapport with his readers, which was necessary.
• He has not visited Rome. He has not met them; only heard about them.
• Yet we see his heart for them, for the saints of God, loved by God (cf. 1:7), even in places he has not visited or churches he has not founded.
How did the Gospel reach Rome? It was likely brought to Rome by Jewish Christians who had returned home from Jerusalem after the Pentecost (Acts 2)
• Luke mentions to us in Acts 2:10b-11 that there were “visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism)…” who were present in Jerusalem at the Pentecost.
• They saw the miracle, heard Peter’s sermon and was probably among the 3000 who were converted. They returned to Rome with the Gospel.
Although Paul had long wanted to visit them in Rome, up to this point in writing, he has not been able to do so. But he heard about their faith in Christ.
• Paul described their faith as being ‘proclaimed in all the world’ suggests that he has not just heard of their faith in Corinth but many other places as well.
• Paul thank God that in his travelling around he has been hearing of the Romans’ faith.
What a remarkable witness. We see the impact of the Gospel even in a place where none of the apostles or Paul has visited.
• We see the work of God among His people. And in a rather difficult city like Rome.
Paul’s concern was expressed in his constant prayers for them.
• And one of his prayers was for God to open the way for him to travel to Rome and meet them.
• 1:11 “For I long to see you…” 1:13 “I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented)…”
• NIV: “I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now)…”
Does this sound familiar? Many times we have good plans but they did not turn out well. We plan but the Lord establishes our steps.
• Having concluded ACTS we know that God answered his prayer, but only after some delays and over some trials.
• Prov 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
• Paul says in 1:10 “…asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.” BY GOD’S WILL. Even with good intentions, he waits on God.
• He prayed and waited. He prayed with submission. This is not easy. Most of us pray without submission. We pray, demanding.
I came across Charles Spurgeon’s interesting comment on how Paul finally got to Rome:
“I do not suppose that Paul guessed that he would be sent there at the government’s expense, but he was. The Roman Empire had to find a ship for him, and a fit escort for him, too; and he entered the city as an ambassador in bonds. When our hearts are set on a thing, and we pray for it, God may grant us the blessing; but, it may be, in a way that we never looked for. You shall go to Rome, Paul; but you shall go in chains.”
• God answers prayers, surely. He answers our prayer and fulfils His will, but not always in the way we want.
What was Paul’s good intention?
• He hoped to impart some spiritual gift to strengthen the church – NOT in the sense that he has some ‘special gift’ to give them but that he can be a blessing to them.
• We may confuse this phrase with the “spiritual gift” mentioned in 1 Cor 12. Those are gifts of the Holy Spirit, given by the Holy Spirit. The context here is different.
• The next line explains it: “that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.” (1:12)
• Paul wants to bless them, encourage them and strengthen the church. They in turn can encourage him. The ministry is two-way.
This is the heart of a pastor. Paul’s concern goes beyond the churches he established but to all the saints of God everywhere who are loved by God (1:7).
HIS COMPASSION FOR THE LOST
Romans 1:13-15
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians (non-Greeks), both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
Paul wanted to reap some harvest among them; he was eager to preach the Gospel and save some souls. He was driven by a desire to fulfil an obligation he says (1:14).
• KJV puts it, “I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.”
• Why the Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish? These are categories known in Roman society and Paul uses them to mean ALL PEOPLE.
• “I owe all of them…” whether they are the Greeks (cultured ones), the barbarians (non-Greeks, uncultured ones), the educated wise or the uneducated slaves.
What debt did he owe all people? The Gospel.
• It was given to him freely and entrusted to him now. The Lord had called him to be an “apostle to the Gentiles”.
• He was determined to “carry His name before the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel” wherever they are (cf. Acts 9:15) [quoting the Lord’s words to Ananias]
• I want to come to you “… in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles” (1:13).
• “I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.” (1:15)
Despite the way the Romans pigeon-holed the Gentiles along a spectrum – Greeks and barbarians, wise and foolish – Paul has compassion for ALL.
• If he rephrased it: “I am under obligation to reach them all with the Gospel…”
• Everyone needs Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female (cf. Gal 3:28), Greek or barbarians, wise or foolish.
Paul ended his introductory words with two more lines – the punchlines for the book:
Romans 1:16-17
16For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” [Habakkuk 2:4]
HIS CONVICTION IN THE GOSPEL
The world needs it. Why? What’s the big problem of humanity that calls for such a great act of God to rescue them?
• Paul goes to expound on this problem of man in the next section, Rom 1:18 to 3:20.
• Why the need for Jesus? We will cover that over the next five Sundays.
The Gospel is man’s only hope. “… it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” (1:16) Clearly humanity needs to be SAVED.
• The Romans probably believe that they are most powerful, but despite all their might, the Romans, like all men, are powerless to make themselves right before God.
• All the philosophies and belief systems cannot help men change their life and live righteously. Only through the Gospel can we have the power of God for that.
And this Gospel has to do with our faith in the unique Person of Jesus Christ, which Paul highlighted right at the start of his letter.
• Rom 1:2-4 [the Gospel of God] 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and 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…
• The resurrection of Jesus proves for all time that He is humanity’s only hope.
• No one can satisfy the wrath of God against sin except Jesus Christ. He satisfied it fully, how do we know, because God raised Him from the dead and exalted Him.
Paul was unashamed to deliver the message of the crucified and resurrected Saviour, whether to kings and philosophers or beggars and slaves.
• From his experience, some would come against it with evil intent, others would laugh at it with ridicule, but Paul knows, through his own encounter, that the Gospel has the power to change lives. It started with him.
• This salvation is the work of God that sets us in a right relationship with Him, and therefore with one another in Christ.
This faith is not about agreeing to some set of rules and creeds (that is religion) but to believe in the Person and work of Jesus Christ and accept Him as our Saviour.
• It involves our surrender to God in repentance and our willingness to submit to Him.
• This faith in Jesus changes us. It reveals the righteousness of God in the lives of those who believe, which is the thrust of his letter.
Listen to what Paul wrote later on when he was in Rome – Phil 3:8-9.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.
Salvation is never a matter of what we do. We trust in what God has done through Christ and continues to do so today.
• This faith in Jesus Christ becomes the basis of our lives today; we who are justified by faith will live by faith today in Jesus Christ.
• “The righteous shall live by faith.” The power that saves us is the power that keeps us today, living in righteousness.
I came across an article a few days ago in Salt&Light. Its title captured my attention: “How can a loving God send good people to hell?”
My spontaneous answer was, “No, He didn’t.” How could this be true, knowing the Gospel?
The article was good. It turned out to be an adaptation of a sermon by a lay leader Andrew Thomas from St George’s Church. Let me quote just one paragraph:
“In his classic book, The Great Divorce, C S Lewis wrote: “All that are in hell choose it …The door to hell is always locked from the inside”.
By which he meant that it’s not so much that God angrily throws us into hell and locks us in, it’s people themselves who, by their refusal to love and obey God, lock themselves away from the divine love.
God is not out to condemn us. He is the One who came for us.
• He came out with a rescue plan and a Rescuer so that we can be forgiven and saved. That is what He really wants.
• Are you saved today? Is Jesus Christ your Saviour? Do you know you are a sinner in need to be rescued? Turn to Him today and accept Jesus into your life.
Three Lessons We Can Learn From Paul:
• His Concern for the Saints
• His Compassion for the Lost
• His Conviction in the Gospel
PRAYER:
Yes, Lord, we believe. We believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of His life, death and resurrection, for our salvation today. We trust and obey you, Jesus and look forward to the day we see you.
We pray for all who are searching today, among our loved ones, colleagues and friends. Pray for your grace and mercy to come upon them, to enlighten them and help them to see the light and turn to you. May this pandemic leads all men to see the helplessness, the hopelessness and the futility of life without you. Bring them home, Lord, for your own name’s sake.
Thank you for the move of the Gospel in our own lives and throughout the world today. We pray it in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
