Every church… Is an eclectic gathering of people in a unique place and time

• This is US: We are an eclectic gathering of people in a unique place and time
• Alaska: This wild, transient, frontier that collects people from all kinds of backgrounds.
• It’s why I love Starting Point and being a part of a small group community.
• There is where you get to hear the stories – the backgrounds…
• Outside of what we have in common through Christ, outside of this
• I don’t know that we would say hi and connect in the grocery store checkout line
• But here, we have the one important thing in common.
• I was born in raised in New York in the 80s and the 90s.
• I was born and raised to believe that anything west of the Hudson River in New York, the people and the places, were foreign, strange, and not worth knowing.
• We all have strong roots, ideas, and ways that drive us…
• Religious traditions, ideas about how to live…
• And yet here we are.
• Surrounded by brothers and sisters from all kinds of backgrounds and stories – Unified in a common gospel and vision for life.
• Here we are, journeying together underneath the word of God, our testimonies, and shared experience of life in Christ together.

Every church… Is an eclectic gathering of people in a unique place and time

• This is US and This is ROME:
• Rome was the capital of the Roman empire: Most of Europe, North Africa, Near East
• Experiencing a Golden Age: Wealthy, literary, artistic
• Cultural center, morally decadent
• Surrounded by the worship of many pagan gods
• Even their emperors/leaders were worshipped
• Military strength and physical might was king
• Domination… Conquest
• In the ROMAN CHURCH. Two Groups (Talk about diversity)

• Jews:

  • Centuries of learning and growth in their knowledge of God and his ancient plans to set apart his people, to bring his presence, and to save them.
  • They brought with them into the church a baseline understanding that God loved them and was on the move on their behalf.
  • They had a strong sense that they belonged – fueled by the generations.
  • Things were about to change for the Jews in Rome.
  • They were going to be invited to see the continuity between God’s plans and work in the ancients and how it was fulfilled in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus. New concept.
  • What’s also unique about Jewish Christians in Rome is that the they were thrown out of Rome by Claudius for 5 years, and near the time of Paul’s letter were allowed to come back.
  • Jews were now poised to consider the fact that God had non-Jewish people in mind for acceptance as God’s people too.
  • Being Jewish in some ways made things easy for them, and in other ways made things hard.

• Gentiles:

  • Did not understand the God of the Old Testament
  • They weren’t exiled from Rome by emperor Claudius. They carried their faith in Christ back to Rome from the intensity of Jerusalem – Pentecost and the signs and wonders that occurred shortly after Jesus’ death, and established themselves as a church for years.
  • They were learning the Jewish history of their Christian brothers and sisters
  • And were newly invited into faith.
  • They had to wrestle though the fact that even though they didn’t bring to their faith a firm religious history, that they belonged.
  • Paul was writing to the church in Rome in the middle of this reunion of Jews and Gentiles as they were figuring out how to be a church together
  • And despite these differences, they were going to journey together to become a significant work of God, firmly established in the middle of Roman culture
  • Being Gentile in some ways made things easy for them, and in others ways it made things hard.

• And this is US

  • Some of us, we’re like the Jews, bringing into the church religious backgrounds… reframing our denominational backgrounds and aligning them with new life in Christ
  • Some of us, we’re like the Gentiles, it’s all new, and we’re left wondering… do I belong here… is it OK that all of this is new
  • For some of us, what we bring to our faith in Christ makes things easier, in others ways it makes things hard.

Every church… Is an eclectic gathering of people in a unique place and time

• True For Us, True For Rome

Why Did Paul Write This Letter?

Every church… needs to grow in understanding of all facets of the Gospel.

• The Good News of The Gospel… In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the triune God of Israel has acted decisively to reconcile the world to Himself. In Jesus, everything has been changed and is new. The longing of hearts is fulfilled.
  
  • True for Rome and true for us
    
    • ROME needed help with the Gospel
    • They needed a preaching and teaching ministry
    • They needed clarity so that they could pivot to the world and to culture with the right information so that they could go on mission to each other and their neighbors with this ministry of clarity, reconciliation, healing, restoration
    • They needed to un-do, examine, reframe, clarify, and refine their religious knowledge and experiences inside of the Gospel

Every church… needs to grow in understanding of all facets of the Gospel.

• Its’ true for ROME and it’s true For US
  
  • We need help with the Gospel
  • We need a preaching and teaching ministry
  • We needed to pivot to the world and to culture with the right information so that we can go on mission to each other and our neighbors with a ministry of clarity, reconciliation, healing, and restoration
  • We need to un-do, examine, reframe, clarify, and redefine our religious knowledge and experiences inside of the Gospel
• FOR US…The scriptures are the source for discovering God’s story and defining how to live and practice our faith.
  
  • But for the Church in Rome there was no bible yet!
  • The story of Jesus, had not yet been circulated in written form
  • This letter, written by Paul to the Romans may have been the first piece of Christian literature
  • It was a serverely needed systematic presentation of the Christian Faith
    
    • Every church… needs to grow in understanding of all facets of the Gospel.
  • True For ROME, true for US

Paul, was God’s man for the mission of apostleship to this Early Church

• What is apostleship? In the New Testament, when we hear apostle…
• An apostle is someone who had seen Christ and been specially commissioned to help the church.
• One of Paul’s tasks as an apostle was writing this letter to the Roman Church.
  
  • It is called a “Letter”
    
    • When I write a letter
    • Picture on cardstock
    • I write 100-200 words of encouragement or challenge
    • Stamp, address, return address, drop in the mail…
  • Paul’s letter was really a “Textbook”
    
    • A, keep on the shelf, keep referring to it, timeless reference
    • You can read it start to finish, but it’s so rich and so dense that you’ve got to go slowly to get the depth and significance of what is being communicated
    • We’re going to take 18 weeks to digest Paul’s letter
    • It’s summer, so I’m glad for the app and the website so I can keep up if I’m not here
    • I’m glad for community groups where these things are digested and processed more.
  • Paul, was God’s man for the mission of apostleship to this Early Church and To Us

What was God’s Goal through Paul

• To unify the church under the gospel – this eclectic group
  
  • In Christ they had everything they needed in common for life and ministry
    
    • Paul was going to show them that
  • To clarify how to live out their faith – in a unique and troubled landscape and culture
    
    • Like a skilled lawyer/professor to present a case
    • In Christ, they had everything they needed to engage relationally with each other and with culture.
    • To prepare them for ministry, for Rome and beyond (Paul had Spain in mind)
    • And to bring Unity
    • Paul was going to show them that
• God’s Goal through Paul, for unity and clarity is the same for us

And Today: We’re going to cover, simply the introduction, verses 1-17

• How do you start a 16 chapter densely packed textbook – letter?
• Paul did two things really well! He was truly God’s man for the job.

• 1. He honored traditions

  • Honored the tradition of ancient letter writing
    
    • He introduced himself and acknowledged his audience
    • This was especially important because he never met them before
    • Especially important because he was planning to come to them in person
  • Honored the traditions of the Greek/Romans
    
    • Speaking to those people, in that time
    • Easy for him to do because he was Roman
    • Because of this he could speak uniquely and specifically to the Gentiles
  • Honored Hebraic/Jewish tradition
    
    • Because he was a Jewish scholar
    • He could speak uniquely and specifically to Jews
  • Honored His new Life In Christ – A new tradition that was being established
    
    • That was difficult to understand given everyone’s background
    • But that he experienced first-hand! Because of his radical new birth in Christ

• 2.He employed good preaching and teaching

  • What is good preaching and teaching?
  • I think we would all agree that good preaching does two things:
    
    • Good preaching takes a grand theology and makes it clear, relevant, authentic, and persuasive
    • Good preaching and teaching makes a grand theology real and practical by offering a personal testimony was clear, relevant, authentic, and persuasive
  • Good preaching and teaching: a good work intertwining a grand theology and a personal testimony

This is exactly what we see in these first 17 verses in the book of Romans:

• A Grand Theology
• A Personal Testimony

Here’s the Grand Theology Paul is Introducing

• The Gospel Completely Overhauls Your Understanding of God (Theology)

Here’s the Personal Testimony Paul is Revealing

• The Gospel Completely Overhauls Your Story (Testimony)

Today we’re going to walk right through these 17 verses

• Think of Rome: Accessing this grand theology – Jews and Gentiles alike
  o That the gospel completely overhauls their understanding of God
• Think of Rome: Feeling the reality of Paul’s story
  o That the gospel can completely overhaul their life stories
• Think of Your Life and The Life of This Church
  o We need both theological clarity and inspiring testimony
  o Praise God for the completed work of the Bible
  o Praise God for the living testimonies all around us

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

Personal Testimony in verse 1

• Paul defines himself as a servant, and an apostle, set-apart for God
• This was in direct opposition to the Roman way.
• Culturally Romans were dominators whose might was leveraged to control others – through fear – Romans, technically, were “set apart” for Rome, for expansion by force. Romans were not servants.
• Even more, if you know Paul’s story (If you don’t, you must read Acts Chapters 7-9)
• Paul was a leader of the frenzied Roman persecution of Christians, emprisioned them and worked to put them to death.
• Here he calls himself an apostle. Apostles in the New Testament were those who had seen Christ and were commissioned for special work for the church.. not for Rome.
• Pauls entire vision, mission, purpose, and actions were reclaimed and re-defined for the Gospel – True for Paul… True for Us
• This testimony must have been staggering to hear for the Jews and for the Gentiles
• This was not the Paul they had heard about in the past
• His life was radically changed through Christ
• Testimony speaks, doesn’t it
• If there are people in the church that you know, but you don’t know their coming to Christ story. You need to ask about that!
• The most common response to testimonies when I hear them…
• No Way! Amazing!

Grand Theology in Verses 2 and 3

• Saying to the Jews… now is a brand new chapter in your understanding of God
• The story of Jesus doesn’t cancel prophecy and your traditions… it fulfills it
• The story of God is not on pause, the story of God has continued, this New Testament or this New Way is the fulfillment of the Old Testament
• Jesus is the Kingly descendent of David you have been waiting for
• Saying to the Gentiles… learn this history, it’s rich and it’s real!
• You are being wrapped up and into a story that is so much larger than you
• The church traditions that we came from, if you have one, apart from the transforming work of God in you personally – were probably empty and confusing apart from the Gospel
• The Jews and the Gentiles were learning about a real, living, engaging, personal relationship with the creator of the Universe

4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,

Theology Only in Verses 4-6

• Jesus is the Son of God
• God in the flesh – The Emmanuel, God with Us
• Who came to earth, ministered miracles and teaching about the kingdom come…
• Jesus was resurrected from the dead
• Paul is proclaiming, Jesus’ death and resurrection as THE WAY
• The free gift making “apostleship” a life of belonging and purpose possible for all
• Apostles in the New Testament were those who had seen Christ and were commissioned for special work for the church, not for Rome, not for the synagogue, not for knowledge, not for control of others…
• Rather… You are apostles!
• Paul is saying to both Jews and Gentiles… You can “see Christ” and be commissioned for special work for the new church, not just your culture and your traditions
• This is the new tradition! We, together, God in us and through us…
• We are going to make God’s name great
• It’s all of us… together
• What a theology!
• Did you know that Christ’s coming, his ministry, his death, burial, and resurrection was for you?
• Saved by faith, able to engage obedience, belonging to Him, joining him on mission to seek and to save the lost
• That’s good theology.
  7 To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Theology v7

• You are all loved by God and called to be saints
• You Jews, who have known all along that you were called out special
• You Gentiles, who are now also included in all of this
• We’re family

Testimony v7

• I bless you in the name of Jesus
• I have not come to persecute, jail you, enable your death
• I am for you in the name of Jesus
• Clear theology, amplified by testimony

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.

Testimony starting in verse 8

• God is the mediator of my relationship with you and my gratitude for you
• For the church in Rome and for US

Theology continuing in verse 8

• In Christ we have global influence
• As a church you have a testimony in this community and beyond
• For the church in Rome and for US

Testimony through verses 9 and 10

• Before God, I am sold out in the depth of my spirit for the gospel
• And I am fervently and intensely praying for you
• I am serious about what God has called me to, in helping you with the gospel, and I really hope I can come and see you
• My mission in life has been completely redefined by the Gospel

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Testimony verse 11

• My life is now about giving and receiving not dominating and taking
• I will pour out my life to help you grow not perish

Theology in verse 12

• Our life as a community is about giving and receiving
• We all have a role to play, in encouraging each others faith
• Everybody matters

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians,[d] both to the wise and to the foolish.15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Testimony in verse 13

• My ministry desires and plans are surrendered to God’s timing and direction
• I can’t shake my zeal, but my zeal is surrendered to Christ
• And my preaching is for everyone… Those of you who come with some religious understanding and those of you who are completely new to all of this

Theology in verse 14-15

• The gospel doesn’t discriminate
• You and others may come from different backgrounds…
• But this gospel crosses cultural, social, racial, and economic lines
• I know that not much has been done before this to reach you, Gentiles, for God
• But Gentiles, be convinced, you belong and you are acceptable to God.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

Testimony in verse 16

• I am not ashamed of this message
• God has leveraged every part of my life story: my training and my education, my citizenship, my intensity, my mind, and my weaknesses for the gospel

Theology also in verse 16-17

• For you Jews, that know God’s attention to your people and your unique status in His eyes, the Gospel is for you. All your striving to get religion right… you can rest now because of the work of Christ.
• For you Gentiles, welcome to the family
• And by the way, striving is over for all.
• Life in Christ starts now, right here in the land of the living…
• And it continues as we live forever with Christ in heaven…

…PAUSE…

18 Weeks: The Book Of Romans

• A Grand Theology and a Personal Testimony.
• From one of the greatest teachers of all time
• And this message…
  o The Gospel Completely Overhauls Your Understanding of God
  o The Gospel Completely Overhauls Your Story
• It’s good for us to walk through the book of romans
• Letting the teacher (UP), the Apostle Paul, this teaching ministry of the church, your life group, and your testimony.
• Walk us through one of the greatest textbooks ever written
• The result…
• Clarity, Understanding, Transformed Hearts, Restored Hurts, Deeper Relationships
• Unity

Pastor’s Challenge

• How has your understanding of God been transformed by the gospel?
• Write your testimony (30 second, 3 minute, 30 minute versions) and share it with someone who is eager to listen.
• How can you bring unity to the church?

We’re going to end our time today sharing the communion meal

• This makes sense in terms of what we’ve been talking about today
• Because, regardless of our background…
• Our religious background, our sin background, our understanding
• Our culture, where we’re from… all of it
• We are an eclectic gathering of people in a unique place and time
• But we are one body, unified through faith in the Gospel
• The Good News that In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the triune God of Israel has acted decisively to reconcile the world to Himself. In Jesus, everything has been changed and is made new. The longing of our hearts is fulfilled.