The Power Of The Gospel

INTRO

Paul wrote over half of the 21 letters (epistles) in the New Testament. Today’s lesson will include an overview of this new section, Paul’s letters, an overview of Romans, and Romans 1 itself. Paul’s letters would have been hand-delivered to the people of a region. Every letter had an audience and a theme. Paul wrote Romans to the believers in Rome and clearly identifies himself to them in this letter. Paul, initially known as Saul, was from the tribe of Benjamin. He was also a Roman citizen (Acts 16:37). He was born in Tarsus around the same time as Christ was born. Around AD 33–34, Paul was traveling on the road to Damascus to persecute Jewish believers of Jesus when he himself met Jesus. He immediately began to proclaim Jesus as the Son of God in the synagogues (Acts 9:20). Galatians 1:17-19 says Paul went to Arabia and then back to Damascus for three years before traveling to Jerusalem, where he met with Cephas and James (Jesus’ brother).¹

Paul disappeared for three years when he received a revelation from Christ (Galatians 1:11-12). Paul was responsible for the spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. The book of Acts describes Paul’s three missionary journeys—it is the timeline of his life after his conversion. All the epistles he wrote were the psalms (like David expressing his emotions) of those encounters. In the epistles, Paul either wrote back to those he had visited or he wrote ahead to those he wanted to visit. Second Corinthians 10:10 states Paul’s “letters are weighty and powerful, but his physical presence is weak, and his public speaking is despicable.” Paul found his strength, power, and source in the Lord (Philippians 4:13). Paul had discovered God’s grace was sufficient for him (2 Corinthians 12:9–10). All of this enabled Paul to finish the race well (2 Timothy 4:7).²

Romans was written near the end of Paul’s third missionary journey while he was ministering in Corinth (Romans 16:1, 23). Although Paul wanted to visit Rome, he went to Jerusalem (Romans 15:25). He did not make it to Rome until later, but he sent this letter through Phoebe (Romans 16:1). While in Jerusalem, Paul was beaten and arrested by the Romans. Even when they realized Paul wasn’t guilty, they kept him in prison for two years (Acts 21). Paul appealed his case to Caesar, was put on a ship to Rome, but was shipwrecked on the journey. Once in Rome, he ministered for a time before being arrested again, and in AD 65–67, where church tradition says he was martyred (2 Timothy 4:6).³

Rome was the capital of the Roman Empire and by far, was the most important city of that time. Founded in 753 B.C., the city was not mentioned in Scripture at all until the New Testament. Rome was located along a river 15 miles from the sea. In Paul’s day, it’s estimated about one million people lived in Rome, many of them slaves. Church tradition maintains Paul was martyred during Nero’s reign, outside of Rome along the Ostian Way. The church in Rome was probably started by those who had been in Jerusalem on Pentecost (Acts 2). Paul began his letter by saying he wanted to come to Rome but was prevented from doing so (Romans 1:13). Romans has much to study, and it can be intimidating. MacArthur says Paul’s main purpose in writing Romans “was to teach the great truths of the gospel of grace to believers who had never received apostolic instruction.”⁴ Unlike some of the other epistles, Romans wasn’t written in response to bad theology or because people were living ungodly lifestyles. It was Paul speaking with authority into the believers there in Rome to impart truth to them. Paul wrote to them for five reasons: to edify them (Romans 1:11), to preach the gospel (Romans 1:15), to get to know them so they could encourage him (Romans 1:12), so they could pray for him (Romans 15:30), and to help Paul continue to do ministry (Romans 15:28).⁵

As we have studied each book of the Bible, we’ve come up with one word or phrase we believe describes Christ in that book. Our word for the book of Romans is Justifier (Romans 4:23–25). Jesus literally became our answer, our Justifier, the One who came in our place so we could have life. You’ll see this theme of Deliverer and Justifier in Jesus who puts us in right standing with God. When you think about the cross, begin to think about Jesus as the Justifier.

TEACHING

Romans 1:1-7: Paul introduces himself as a servant of Christ, an apostle, and a preacher in the first four verses. Paul was “singled out for God’s good news” (v. 1). Paul was also a missionary to the Gentiles; his whole call in life was to share with them the good news (v. 5).

Romans 1:8-15: According to Warren Wiersbe, Paul expressed his concern for them, was thankful for them (v. 8), prayed for them (vv. 9-10), loved them (vv. 11-12), was in debt to them (vv. 13-14), and was eager to visit them (v. 15).⁶

Romans 1:16-17: Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, so he carried it first to the Jew and then to the Gentile (v. 16). For in the gospel, “God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith” (v. 17). There was nothing that would stop Paul from sharing what he believed; not persecution, not beatings, nor even shipwreck. Paul preached the message, but he knew that it was the power of God who did (and still does) the work. Paul was eager to preach the good news so the people could see how they could be delivered from their willful spiritual ignorance and evil self-indulgence, and rescued from the wrath of God. Truly the gospel can set people free, but only the power of God can overcome mankind’s sinful nature and give new life.⁷ Wiersbe points out Paul had confidence in the gospel for these reasons: “The origin of the gospel is the gospel of Christ. The operation of the gospel is the power of God. The outcome of the gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The outreach of the gospel is that everyone will believe.”⁸

Paul’s ministry was to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile. Christ’s ministry was first to Israel, and through Israel, the gospel came to the world. This gospel is meant to go to everybody.

CLOSING

Spend time reading Romans 1. Don’t rush through it, but give yourself time to really read and process. Can you imagine what would happen if we really got what Paul wrote and began to live it out? Our communities would be completely different. If we were completely unashamed of who we are in Christ, then people would either say, “Here comes that crazy person,” or people’s lives would be radically changed. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel—you have nothing to lose. It’s really God’s power working through you into a person, so they can receive salvation.