Good News! Digesting the book of Romans

INTRODUCTION: ROMANS

As a little girl I always loved Romans 8:28.  I can't remember how I picked it as my favorite verse, but I did.  It helped me through many troubled friendships, scary times, and happy times too.  I wrote it at the bottom of all my notes that I passed in class to my best girl friends.  I would sign the note, Beth, Romans 8:28.

I am sure most of you reading this also have a scripture from Romans that you love.  It is chocked full of one liners that we all know and love.  But there is so much more to Romans.  Over the next few months we are going to tear into it, chew on it and hopefully digest it! This book is one that we need to become part of us!  We need to digest it and let it become apart of who we are.  Why? This book lays out the good news!  Yes it is tough at times and I'm sure all our toes will be stepped on, but not without the solution.  This book is all about the character of God.  As we start into this book I want to start off with a song.  This is a song that means a lot to me.  Listen to the words carefully.

It is my prayer that the process of digesting this book will lead us to the alter.  It will lead us to a deeper understanding of our need for Jesus.


READ:  Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power[b] by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from[c]faith for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.

7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

How does Paul introduce himself?

It is interesting to me that he doesn't just say who he is but what his purpose is.

Who are you?

What is your calling?

If you don't know now maybe by the end of this book you will know your calling.

Does anything stand out to you in verse 5-6?

1. Through Him...

2. grace and apostleship 

3. call to obedience that comes from faith for His names sake.

4. YOU ARE CALLED to BELONG to CHRIST!!!!!

So let's look at these 4 points.

1.  Through Him:  you could say this is the central theme of the book of Romans.  Through him... EVERYTHING!  It is only through Him! 

2. Grace and apostleship:  Through him we receive grace and apostleship.  Notice the grace is the free gift and then apostleship is a call to action. This is not a gift to just hoard, it is a gift that must be shared! 

3. Called to Obedience that comes from FAITH for HIS NAMES SAKE:  from Faith comes obedience.  It is that way because that way and only that way is HIS name glorified.  It isn't because of what we do, it is because of the faith and belief we have in Him.  

4. YOU ARE CALLED to BELONG To CHRIST: In these verses and this entire book Paul is not talking to the "chosen" people.  He is not talking to the Jews.  He is writing to those in Rome who have heard about Jesus and believe.  He is talking to the those who were not hearing the prophesies from the church leaders as children and memorizing scriptures. These were not the chosen people who should have known about Jesus and should have recognized Him.   These were those in the secular world.  These were the unchurched who had heard about Jesus and had come together as a group of believers.  

If you are feeling less than.  If you don't feel like you have it all together.  If at times you feel like you don't know enough. If you have ever failed in a small way or in a big way, this book is written to you! If you are so excited about what Jesus has done in your life, (like Paul), this book is for you!  If you are wanting to share with excitement all you have learned about Jesus with those around you, this book is for you! 

You are called!

READ: Romans 1:8-16

Paul’s Longing to Visit Rome

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware,brothers and sisters,[d] that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last,[e] just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”[f]

This section is at first glance just a greeting.  It is the hello, I can't wait to see you and be with you statement.  It is that but it is also so much more.  

1. First he thanks God for them.  I recently received a phone call from someone who was working with a family and trying to convince them to send their child to Pisgah.  I can not begin to express how much gratitude I felt for them.  It was like I had a partner in my quest to get students to Pisgah.  I had someone working with me.  Paul has committed his life to spreading the news and here he is writing to people who have heard and are spreading the word and growing and he hasn't even gotten there yet.  

This past week I had a conversation with someone about their church's church plant.  They were less than supportive for a variety of reasons.  There was more a spirit of competition then of common goal and effort. We should all be working toward the same goal, spreading the Gospel to the entire world! We are not in competition with each other!

2. Second, "your faith is being reported all over the world".  Wow is your faith being reported?  Is our faith as a church being reported?  Why was their faith being reported?  

3. Paul let's them know he has been praying for them.  Are we praying for each other?  Seriously?  This past week how often did you actually speak the name of someone in this church or in our daughter churches?  Did you?  Do we give lip service to prayer without actually praying?  So today in you bible in your phone, I want you to write down the name or names of someone in this class that you are going to be praying for this week!  Let's start having a culture of actual prayer for one another!

4.  Paul talks about imparting spiritual gifts to the Romans and then he explains it.  What does he say it is? Supporting one another is vital!  Not just praying for each other but being together and encouraging one another is imparting spiritual gifts.?. How does that work?  What do the spiritual gifts do for the Romans? "Mutually encouraged by each others faith."  

Have you ever had your faith encouraged and strengthened because of the faith of a friend?  Have you ever been around someone of "great faith" and the opposite happens?  Why?  

What can we practically do to strengthen each others faith?

5. This gospel, this good news is for everyone.  It isn't just for those born in the right group, it is for the all of humanity!  How do we make sure that we share the message with all?  

6.  We don't have to be ashamed of the Gospel, why?   The good news is all about what Jesus has and will do!  Recently I was on a plane and over heard a conversation between a Christian girl and a Muslim woman.  The conversation was loud enough that everyone heard it.  The young girl was trying to convince the Muslim woman that Christianity was the only right religion.  I agreed with everything she was saying and yet I found myself feeling ashamed of it at the same time.  As I sat their cringing at this conversation I kept questioning why I was so uncomfortable with the conversation.  I tried to find fault in what the young girl was saying, maybe a wrong theology, but I couldn't find anything wrong.  Then I started questioning my own commitment to the gospel.  Was I not bold enough? As I struggled with cognitive dissonance I listened to this conversation that wasn't coming to an end. I then started praying, it was almost a prayer of apology for my unwillingness to be as bold as this girl was... but then I heard it.  It was then that I realized what was wrong...  Yes her theology was right, her knowledge, her scripture, all of it may have been right but none of it, NONE, was about what Jesus had done for her.  Everything she was sharing was trying to prove facts.  The last sentence in verse, "The righteous will LIVE by faith" says so much.  It is the life that we live, it is what Jesus has done in our life, it is how we live, free, that is the answer.  I can boldly share what Christ has done for me.  What he has done in my life!  How with Him I am free!  It is in the "Gospel" the good news of what Jesus has done for me that God is revealed.  We can argue all day about scripture and other religions but it is the gospel, it is Jesus in my heart, it is living a life that is forgiven that will reveal God.  That story, our story, of what Jesus has done for us, we never need to be ashamed of.  As the conversation on the plane came to an awkward end I found myself wondering what that conversation would have been like if it had been about her life lived with Jesus.  

If you had that conversation on a plane, what would your experience with Jesus sound like?  What has he done for you?  How has the Gospel transformed you?  

This afternoon I want to challenge you to write down what  Jesus living in you looks like.  Maybe you don't have much to write, or maybe it will be a book.  Then when we finish the book of Romans I want you to rewrite it and compare.  

It is my hope that this book will awaken the Good News in our lives!