Sermon notes from Sunday 23 June 2019 pm
Romans 1 verses 1 - 7
Whenever we come to the book of Romans it is widely thought that the church in Rome was founded by Peter but that is not likely. Not even the apostle Paul is accredited with the founding of this church. The foundation of the Roman church we read about here goes back to the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 verse 9. The people who were gathered were from many different nations, they all came to Jerusalem because of the Pentecost feast. On that particular day they heard something they had never heard before. They heard Peter preach and thousands were gloriously saved. Acts 2 verse 10 "and strangers of Rome." It is thought and assumed that people there that day travelled from Rome, taken the Lord as their Saviour and Lord then returned to Rome and started a church. Paul now writes to them, gives to them some great doctrines to stand upon for the days ahead. Paul takes it through this book and shows them what they need to believe. These 7 verses give a great introduction to the apostle Paul and to the gospel of saving grace. He doesn`t take too long to get to the gospel in this great introduction.
We find Paul defends his ministry. Paul gives a threefold qualification for his ministry. He was always opposed where he went, he was criticised in the words he preached and the ministry he had. The devil is always quick to oppose anything that stands for Christ even today. We find that those faithful to the way of God face opposition to it. There were those gathered in Rome who could not listen to Paul. Paul decides to defend the gospel. In verse 1 the first thing he describes himself as is a servant. The word used is really a bond servant, no better than a slave of Jesus Christ. That is how he felt. It was a public declaration because he is not ashamed of it. He is the property of the Lord Jesus Christ. If we are saved we are the property of Christ. The Lord came down into the slave market of sin when he took on himself the form of a servant. He purchased the slaves for himself. Paul was a slave, he became the property of Jesus Christ. When he came into the world he realised he was the property of the devil but now he was translated into the family of God. Something happened that day on the Damascus road. He knew he was changed. He looked back to the day on the Damascus road when he had those letters in his pocket. He hated anything to do with Christianity. He was heading to Damascus to imprison other believers. It didn`t matter who they were - young child or an old man or woman. If they believed in Christ this man hated them with a vengeance. He was determined to cast them into prison. On that road he was brought to his knees. He was saved by God`s grace that day. This man knew something happened that day. He became a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Acts 24 verse 26 Paul gives his testimony. He was a young zealous Jew who could point to the place in the road where he met with the Lord Jesus. Think of the woman at the well. Jesus made his way to Sychar to the place where a woman came out to draw water. The Lord spoke to her and she became a believer of Christ. That well would be memorable forever in her life. Zacchaeus lived in Jericho when he climbed a sycamore tree one day. The Lord stopped and invited him to come down. That tree would never leave his mind. That is where he met with the Lord, changed his life completely. I was greedy and envious but the Lord changed me and gave me salvation. Paul is defending his ministry against these false preachers in Romans. Can we point to a place, a time, a day when we trusted the Lord as Saviour. Paul is taking them back to that time. Are you saved by God`s grace tonight? Was there a moment when the Lord convicted you of your sin and it is real to you tonight? Then Paul goes on to describe himself as an apostle. The word apostle means sent one. He is proving his ministry here. Acts 9 verse 15 Ananias was told by God "he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel." He was qualifying his calling - "separated unto the gospel of God." If you are a child of God you are a slave and God is your master. An apostle is a sent one. You have a message tonight. You have a life transformed, changed. In the home that you are living in there are people who want to see the Lord in our lives. Paul defends his ministry.
Paul dispels a myth. Paul is taking his hearers to the word of God. Perhaps here in the roots of this church there were those who rejected this wonderful message because it is so old. Paul goes back centuries to the prophets to prove his point. He dispels a myth - based on the word of God. There is only one book that counts. Everything needs to be based on this one book. Paul points them back in time. Peter on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2 when the people were speaking in tongues, knew they were unlearned, he pointed them back to Joel. The people hearing these different languages could not understand what was going on. They thought they were drunk. Peter defends what was happening - this is that which was spoken of the prophet Joel. He took them to the scriptures back in time. Paul is dispelling a myth - you will find the gospel in these pages of the prophets. Remember the Bereans when they heard the gospel being preached, how Jesus died on the cross, that God laid on him the sins of the world. The Bereans went home and searched their own scriptures. They wanted to see for themselves that what Paul was preaching was true. Peter himself said "For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Peter 1 verse 21) Think of Moses as he gets the scroll into his hands - God wants to tell him about the creation of the world. He wants Moses to record it all. He then goes on to record the fall of man, the sinfulness of man. Genesis 3 verse 15 is the first mention of the gospel - of a Saviour. Paul was dispelling a myth. This great salvation plan of God can be traced back to Genesis 3. God took the animals, put them to death, took their skins and made Adam and Eve coverings. It took Jesus to shed his blood to dress us in the righteousness of God that we might be able to stand before him without sin. This is the word of God Paul says, how we can be saved. He follows the salvation plan to Genesis 3. Every lamb put to death from then on was a picture of the Lord being put to death. The Jewish nation took those lambs as a sacrifice for their sin. When Jesus died no more lambs were required, we are to come to Christ and trust him.
Paul develops this message. In verse 3 we see the Lord`s own son Jesus` birth, death and resurrection through the scriptures. Paul is developing this message. He points to Christ and introduces his hearers to the 2 natures of Christ - "the seed of David" is the human side, the body he took on and in verse 4 "and declared to be the Son of God with power" we see the God nature. In Matthew 3 verse 17 Jesus came out of the waters of baptism when the heavens opened. The Spirit came down in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven said "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." We cannot explain how God took on human flesh and came into this world, then on the cross of Calvary died for our sin. Paul takes the Saviour right from where he was conceived in Mary`s womb, born into the world and right through his life sinless and perfect, right through his miracles and teachings to Pilate`s hall, being beaten then suffering and dying on the cross and rising from the dead, all for our sins.
He describes the means. How does the gospel transform lives - verse 16 it is the power of God. It is that power that makes you a new creature in Christ. In verse 5 we are told we receive grace. I deserved a lost sinners hell. "The soul that sinneth that soul shall die" but something happened - Christ looked at me and he loved me. He knew that before we lay in a Christless hell for all eternity, He came down into the world to take your sin. He placed it on his own body, died on the cross to pay the price for us. What do you need to do with this message? You need to believe it and simply accept what it says. Believe it for yourself. There is no other name given among men whereby we must be saved. Would you seek to go back out again tonight, to take the chance you might slip into a Christless hell with no escape or will you come and trust him who can save to the uttermost and change your life?
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