Romans 1
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Romans 1 in Three Parts
Romans 1 in Three Parts
And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,
Romans is evidence of Acts 2. This may be the start of the Christian Church.
50k Jews living in Rome by the time of Jesus, maybe more
63 BC Pompey brought a TON of Jews as P.O.W’s
Met in homes- synagogues were not actual buildings.
Synagogues were ruled by gerousia, “council of elders. (Not close to the temple so no priest was needed)
Claudius in 41 AD ordered the churches to stop meeting!
Claudius in 49 AD had previously ordered all Jews out (Not all- Herods)
Lots and lots of persecution, Nero, Caligula, Claudius.
The big idea is that there are two groups in the church- jews and gentiles and there is a dispute over who belongs.
Jews: Law, Ancestry, Ritual, (got there first) - minority
Paul and Jack (MINE) - we do the same thing with our traditions (no egg hunt)
Gentiles: likely wealthy, free men, majority
Aside - Abuses on both sides, racism in both directions, spray paint on mosque last week. We are all made in the image of God. (Slander, Neglect,
Christianity started as a conspiracy theory by a racial minority.
Thanksgiving (Romans 1:8-10)
Sets up pt 3 of this sermon. Thanks God for their Faith, not their works.
What is the core piece of your religion- not your faith - religion? Why do you bother with coming to church, or with any tradition or ritual at all?
eg. driving a pickup this week- its purpose is to haul and tow. contra CA pickup with big tires.
The central piece of our religion is a life of gratitude that God has made us His own.
The Book of Concord The Third Article: On Being Made Holy
I believe that by my own understanding or strength I cannot believe in Jesus Christ my LORD or come to him, but instead the Holy Spirit has called me through the gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, made me holy and kept me in the true faith, just as he calls, gathers, enlightens, and makes holy the whole Christian church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one common, true faith.
The core of the christian religion is gratitude for God’s generosity.
Thanksgiving is at the heart of the Christian Life. Paul uses this word 43 times in the letter.
The Eucharist (Communion) is the center of the christian life.
When was the last time you had communion? The table is here. I have a car, bike, motorcycle and airline miles. Thanksgiving should be in and with you.
Remember no temple so they were used to having to find a new reason for gathering (thanksgiving, mutual encouragement v.12)
The Christian religion is not primarily for me. It is about what God has put into life. He has placed himself into your shoes and made you Holy not because of works but because of LOVE.
Desired Outcome (Romans 1:11-15)
v. 11- Paul wants to come together to spiritually strengthen others. Why do you want to come back to church? Is it self serving or generosity? Why do you want to stay away?
v. 13 Paul makes it clear that he has not been there. Crazy. It does not matter. It is heart that matters
1 Sam 16:7,
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
This idea of heart is the justification for his conversation with them all and he subtly points to them as one church.
Brothers. He is calling all people as one. Jews, Greeks, Alcoholics, temple servants, slaves, freedmen. Brothers.
Book 5 love languages: Affirmation, Touch, Gifts, Quality time, Acts of Service.
Fine book- dude is a Baptist Pastor not a Psychologist or sociologist.
Focuses on works- not on intent. 8th Commandment!
The Book of Concord The Eighth Commandment
You are not to bear false witness against your neighbor.
[16] What is this? Answer:
We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light.
The only reason why anyone puts up with any of us is not because we are good and like-able people. (Look at me!) We rely on the grace of others. We rely on the grace of God.
Paul spends the first 3 chapters of Romans tearing us all down- proving that none of us are really that great.
I spent Thursday night on a Camp Call- you do not ask for money by telling them how difficult they are.
The desired outcome is that the church will be unified in Christ so that Paul can move onto Spain to share the content of the faith and the religion of Christianity.
The mission of God is has always been to fill creation with His Glory.
Doctrine (Romans 1:16-17)
Paul lays out the doctrine of Justification- a doctrine where God brings us out of death and loss into life by grace. Grace is a special kind of God’s love directed towards those who are unworthy.
Time for a second truck story. This week I drove F250 and went to the hardware store. I recieved a special kind of love solely because of someone else’s work.
The gift is only rejected if I refuse to accept it. Heres a truck heres your old civic.
Take your faith for a drive- try it on. You fit in here and everywhere.
This is the good news- you have to do nothing other than receive the gift. This is the gospel.
It is the dunamis the power of God from v. 16 dunamis is where we get the word dynamite.
It destroys the hold of sin and shame.
This week your job is to apply the same view of justification - that all people belong to the kingdom of God.
The moment one of us is about to disparage or dismiss someone instead encourage and invite.
God has invited you to be part of His Kingdom. Will you join us?