Romans 1 A Gospel

 The first of a series on Romans. 
ROMANS 1A
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL…. ROMANS 1:16-17
Introduction:   
Things to Ponder as
The New Year Begins
I had amnesia once – maybe twice.
I went to San Francisco. I found someone's heart.
All I ask is a chance to prove money can't make me happiness.
I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous.
They told me I was gullible, and I believed them.
What if there were no hypothetical questions?
One nice thing about egotists is that they don't talk about other people.
A flashlight is a case for holding dead batteries.
I used to be indecisive. Now, I'm not sure.
Is there another word for synonym?
If swimming if so good for your figure, how do you explain whales?
Show me a man with both feet firmly on the ground, and I'll show you a man who can't get his pants off.
Is it my imagination, or do buffalo wings taste like chicken?   Copied

I am taking you on a new journey with me.
I believe that it will give you many more points to ponder in the new year.
I believe that it will have a few more serious points than what I just read.
I believe that it is a journey that God will have for us to take.
It is a journey that I have not taken before.
It is a journey that we will take together.
It is a journey that will take several months or more.
I am going to journey through the 16 chapters of the book of Romans.
My goal is a chapter a week, looking a part of that chapter in the AM, PM, & Weds. Bible Study.
This is not a journey that I have on file so I hope it goes as I feel in my heart that it will go.
I want to share two things with you this morning.
An introduction to the book.
The overall theme of the book of Romans.

I.    Intro to Romans
A.    Author: The apostle Paul
This book was Paul’s longest, most theological and most influential letter.
This is perhaps why it was placed first among his 13 NT books that he wrote.

B.    Background
This letter was wrote as a part of Paul’s mission to the Gentile world.
Paul did not start the church in Rome. 
He had not been in Rome before.
It is not believed that the church there was started by Peter or any other apostle.
The church could have been started by
Some Jews who were among the 3000 that were saved on the day of Pentecost in response to Peter’s message.
Or some of Paul’s converts from Macedonia or Asia could have started the church there.
It is believed that Paul wrote Romans near the end of his third missionary journey.
We will learn more about this much later in chapter 15. 

C.    Purpose
Paul wrote this letter to prepare the way for his ministry there.
It seems that they were misinformed about Paul’s message and theology.
He felt it necessary to tell them about his preaching of the gospel.
He sot to correct some wrong attitudes that they had.

I see a directive for all of us in this new year from this first chapter.
Pray
Proclaim
Live Righteously

II.    Salutation,  Verses 1-7
This is a rather lengthy salutation.

A.    Paul introduced himself as a servant.
A servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle.
Many of his other letters he began with Paul an apostle.
He humbly called himself a servant.
He was committed to Jesus Christ as his Lord.
He wasn’t writing out of his own doing but out of obedience as a servant.
This servant was called to be an apostle.
His call and his being an apostle go together.  
He was set apart for the gospel of God.
The gospel is the message proclaimed. 
This gospel is very much connected to the promises of the prophets that were given in the OT. 

B.    This gospel is regarding or concerning the son of God.
He was a descendant of David.
Conceived of the Holy Spirit to be the Son of God.
Jesus was not appointed to be.
He was conceived to be the eternal Son of God.
Then a reference to His resurrection is made.

C.    The Son of God has called me.
We received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.    Verse 5
You in Rome have been called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Verse 6 & 7
John 15:16  You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
Grace and peace to you….  
I want to go to verses 16,17 for the heart of our message today.  These two verses appear to be the theme of the book of Romans.
As we look at this theme we will see why Paul was so determined to preach the gospel in Rome.

III.    Theme:  I am not ashamed of the Gospel.
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, suggests eight reasons why we should not be ashamed of the gospel.

A.    It is good news
The word gospel means good news.
No rational person should be ashamed to share good news.
I understand why one would be hesitant to share bad news.
We should be ready, willing and able to tell good news to all.
Paul was eager to go to Rome and tell them the good news.
Verses 10,11,14,15 relay his eager desire to be in Rome and share the good news to them.

B.    It is about salvation
This good news is about salvation.
… for the salvation of everyone who believes.
Do we understand our need for salvation?
Paul helps us understand our need of salvation a bit later in Romans.
Romans 3:23
Romans 6:23
Paul was eager to proclaim the good news about the gift of God that is eternal life.

C.    It is about God’s way of salvation
Man can not save himself.
All have sinned means that all mankind is condemned.
There is none righteous no not one.
Adam and Eve tried to cover themselves.  They made fig leaves into garments.  But God made them garments of skin.
God’s way is through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Romans 6:23
Romans 8:1-3  1. Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2. because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering
John 3:16
John 14:6

D.    It is powerful
“Because it is the power of God….
It is powerful enough to do what God wants it to do.
When you and I relay the gospel we are relaying the power of God to save.
I believe that the most powerful tool ever used by mankind is the gospel of Jesus Christ.

E.    It is for everyone
The salvation of everyone who believes.
Acts 16:31
The Philippian jailer ask Paul what must I do to be saved.
Paul replies believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved and your house.
It is for the Jew first.
Is the Jew better than you and I.
Salvation came through the nation of Israel, through the tribe of Judah.
The human ancestry of Christ came through the Jews.
They were given the first opportunity to receive this salvation.
He came unto His own but His own received Him not but to them that received Him He gave the power to be the sons of God.
Then for the Gentile.
That is you and I.
We are the whosoever that believes in Him.
Acts 2:21  This is Peter on the day of Pentecost.  “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” .
 “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (Revelation 22:17).

F.    It is revealed to sinners
Revealed means that it is not something that we could have figured out ourselves.
Man has invented religion.
He has invented many religions.
He has invented many religious ways.
The gospel is a light that has been revealed. 
The light has come to shine in darkness.
We didn’t create the light it was revealed by God to us.

G.    It is about a righteousness from God
We are not at all righteous.
All have sinned,  There is none righteous.
God has imparted His righteousness to us through His Son Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:21-22, “But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.”

H.    It is by faith from first to last
What does Paul mean when he says “by faith from first to last”?  A more literal translation of the phrase suggests it means, “from the faith of one who has believed in Christ and received the righteousness of God to another who comes to believe as a result of the first Christian’s testimony.”
I received my salvation by my faith.
I pray that my faith encourages you to have faith and receive that same salvation.
Then I pray that your faith will prompt you to share you faith with others and that they will receive the faith.

Conclusion:   
Philip Henry, brother of the well-known Puritan Matthew Henry, calling one day upon a tanner, found him so absorbed in tanning a hide, that he did not notice his pastor’s approach until he tapped him on the shoulder. In confusion the man said, “Sir, I am ashamed you found me thus.”

“Nay,” replied Philip Henry. “May the Lord Jesus, when He comes, find me discharging with the same faithfulness, the duties of my calling.”

Brothers and sisters, like Philip Henry, and like the Apostle Paul, let us not be ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for everyone who believes. Amen.

I believe that the Lord wants each and everyone of us to begin this new year
Knowing and understanding the gospel as our source of salvation.
And not being ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe.
Paul was eager to get to Rome and share this good news with them.
I want you and I to have that same sense of urgency and eagerness to tell the good news to others.