Romans 1:1-7

From Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. This gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his Son who was a descendant of David with reference to the flesh, who was appointed the Son-of-God-in-power according to the Holy Spirit by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord. Through him we have received grace and our apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles on behalf of his name. You also are among them, called to belong to Jesus Christ. To all those loved by God in Rome, called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ!

Prayer

Question: Why are you here? 

The next 28 weeks are going to be SUBSTANTIAL.

For the next 7 months, it’s not important “IF” you show up, it’s important HOW you show up.

Objectives Today:

Who is Paul?

What is the gospel?

How was the gospel written “beforehand “?

How are we saved?

What are we saved for?

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Who is Paul?

His name was Saul

Named after the first King of Isreal

Born of the tribe of Benjamin – best tribe

Circumcised on the 8th day – raised in Church

Tarsus – greek city – jewish heritage – roman citizen

Tarsus was a big city with the best law school in the region

Paul went to that Law School

He was taught by Gamaliel.

Paul was a pharisee of pharisees.

He had the Old Testament MEMORIZED

GOOD

In the eyes of the Law, He was REALLY GOOD

The first time we see Saul show up is in Acts 7

He oversaw the killing of Stephen

Saul was a religious terrorist.

GOOD + BAD

Whether you are good or bad, you can be SAVED! 

a slave of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle,

Paul wants us to know that He is not his own. He wants us to clearly see not WHO he is but WHOSE he is.

Refer 2 weeks ago to the sermon about Slavery in Colossians.


Set Apart For The Gospel Of God

What is the gospel?

GOOD NEWS

In order for something to be news, it has to happen. 

In order for it to be good news, it has to be a response to bad news

The gospel – The good news that, even though we were spiritually separated from God because of our sin, God made a way for us to live eternally with Him through Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. 

Promised Beforehand

How was the gospel written “beforehand”?

In the law and the prophets and the whole Old Testament, the whole thing is about ONE thing. 

The Bible is not about YOU. It’s for you, but not about you!

It’s about this man, who was God, Jesus. His life, death, burial, and resurrection from the dead. 

The whole Bible points to Jesus. 

Genesis

And God in Genesis 3:15 says, 

“her offspring will attack your head, and you will attack her offspring’s heel.” 

This was the first time God prophecies the coming of a savior, Jesus, who will crush the head of the serpent. 

And for the next few thousand years after this, is the story of God bringing about his plan to restore and redeem all of humanity.

Abraham – God credits his faith as righteousness.

Before the law ever existed, God counted Abraham righteous. Abraham didn’t earn his righteousness

Isaac – his near sacrifice represents God’s son’s future sacrifice.

Jacob – “heel grabber” changed his name to Israel

Joseph – thrown into a pit for slavery, became the vice president of Egypt. 

Joseph says, “what you intended for evil, God intended for Good”

That points to a future plan of God that what the enemy intends for evil in killing Jesus, God intends it for good (the salvation of many)

Moses – God’s people spent a few hundred years in slavery

Moses goes to pharaoh, demands the release of His people.

10 plagues

The final plague, death of the firstborn. (Points to Christ) 

Put the blood of lamb on doorpost and the death angel will passover your house. 

Beginning of passover. 

The 10 commandments

The commandment serve 2 purposes:

1- to show us what a perfect life looks like

2- to show us how imperfect we are because we break them all

In 2 Chronicles, the portable church of Israel becomes a permanent church and they build a temple.  And year after year after year they people come to the temple for worship and offering of sacrifices as the law required. 

The prophets, people like Jeremiah and Isaiah predict the future birth, life, death, and resurrection of a savior, a messiah. 

PAUL IS SAYING…hey, this has been talks about for a very, very long time! The entire Old Testament ,the story, the prophets, all of it points to Jesus. 

Even Malachi – “for you who fear my name, the son of Righteousness will rise with healing in His wings”

After Malachi – 400 years of silence

Birth Of Jesus

John the Baptist – in the desert – preaching and he stops.

“Look the lamb of God who comes to take away the sin of the world”

Baptism of Jesus

The heavens open up and God affirms it

Death of Jesus

You and I are reconciled to God. 

Just like Adam woke up and was face to face with God.

You now can wake up spiritually, and be face to face with God. 

Jesus In Every Book

  In Genesis, Jesus is the offspring of the woman

• In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb.

• In Leviticus, He is our High Priest.

• In Numbers, He is the Pillar of cloud by day and the Pillar of fire by night

• In Deuteronomy, He is the Prophet like unto Moses.

• In Joshua, He is the Commander of the Lord’s army.

• In Judges, He is our Judge and Lawgiver.

• In Ruth, He is our Kinsman Redeemer.

• In 1st and 2nd Samuel, He is the Seed of David.

• In Kings and Chronicles, He is our reigning King.

• In Ezra, He is our faithful Scribe

• In Nehemiah, He is the Rebuilder of everything broken

• In Esther, He is our Mordecai, our Advocate.

• In Job, He is our ever-living Redeemer.

• In Psalms, He is our Shepherd.

• In Proverbs, He is our Wisdom.

• In Ecclesiastes, He is our meaning for life.

• In the Song of Solomon, He is the loving Bridegroom.

• In Isaiah, He is the Prince of peace

• In Jeremiah and Lamentations, He is our weeping Prophet.

• In Ezekiel, the Glorious Lord

• In Daniel, He is the fourth Man in the “fiery furnace.”

• In Hosea, He is the faithful Husband

• In Joel, He is the Outpourer of the Holy Spirit.

• In Amos, He is our Burden-bearer.

• In Obadiah, He is our Judge and Savior.

• In Jonah, He is the risen Prophet.

• In Micah, He is the Ruler of the world from Bethlehem.

• In Nahum, He is our Stronghold.

• In Habakkuk, he is the Watchman

• In Zephaniah, He is the Mighty to save

• In Haggai, He is the Restorer

• In Zechariah, He is the branch of David; the One pierced for us

• In Malachi, He is the Son of Righteousness

Conclusion

grace

How are we saved?

What are we saved for?

1) obedience of faith

Sanctification 

2) all the Gentiles 

Mission

3) on behalf of his name

To bring Glory of God.