LessonOne--Romans1:1-17
We triumph in the gospel
1:1-7 Paul greets the Romans Paul'sgreetingwillhelpusknowPaul better.
Verse1Paulintroduceshimself.
Keywords:
Paul
servant
Christ
Jesus
called
apostle
Verses2-4PaultellsusaboutJesus,whois theheartofthegospelPaulpreached.Jesus wasa humanbeing.Hedescendedfrom DavidthroughMary.Andheis theSonof God, aswasshownbyhisresurrectionfrom thedead.
Keywords:
gospel
prophets
HolyScriptures
Lord
Verse5Paultellsushisministryis
through____________andforthesake of____________
initiatedbyChrist's____________and authorizedby_________________.
directedtowardcallingthe____________ tothe____________________.
Verses6,7Theletterisaddressedtothe ChristianchurchesinthecityofRome.Paul salutesthemwiththeperfectChristian greeting:graceandpeace.
Keywords:
saint
grace
peace
1:8-15 Paul tells about his plans to visit Rome
Verses8-10ForPaul,Godisthesourceof everyblessing.Pickoutatleastthree phrasesinthissectionthatexpressPaul's thankfulness,humility,anddependenceon God.
Verses11-15Paul'sprimarypurposeinlife wastoserveGodbyservingotherswiththe gospel.
Verse11PaulwantstogivetheRomans ____________tomakethem___________.
Verse13Paulwantstohavesome ____________amongtheRomans.
Verse15Pauliseagertopreachthe ____________tothem.
WhydidPaulwriteadoctrinalbooktothe Romanchurch?
AsapreachertotheGentiles,Paul consideredtheRomanstobeunderhiscare. Hehadnevermetthem,sohisfirsttaskwas togivethemacompleteoverviewofhis teaching.
ButPaul'spurposewentdeeper.Heplanned tocontinuehismissionaryworkwestward intoSpain(15:28).TheRomanswouldplay animportantpartinthiswork.Recallhow thechurchatAntiochwasPaul'smissionary baseforhisjourneysintoAsiaMinorand Greece(Acts13:1-3).Romewastobehis missionarybaseforthethrustwestward. Whataprivilege!Butwhatagreat responsibility.
Thisletterwasdesignedtopreparethe RomansforPaul'svisitonhiswaytoSpain. Itwouldstrengthenthemandputthemon thesamewavelengthasPaulsotheycould givehimthe moral,spiritual,andeven financialsupporthewouldneed.
ThebookofRomansisadoctrinaltreatise withamissionarygoal.Sounddoctrineand solidmissionaryworkgohandinhand.
1:16,17 The gospel of Jesus Christ
Verse16Paulgivesusthegoalofthe gospel.
Keyword:
salvation
Verse17Pauldefinesthegospel.Each phrasehelpsusunderstandit.
Thegospelpreaches
a____________
from____________
thatis____________
andcomesthrough____________.
Paulisnotashamedofthisgospel.
Thisisthelastwehearofthegospel messageuntil3:21,wherePaulwilldescribe itmorefully.Forthenexttwochapters,we willhearnotabouttherevelationofGod's righteousness,butabouttherevelationofhis wrathoversin.
Summary
Paulintroduceshimself,hismission,and hismessage:thegospelofforgiveness.
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.
For next time
1. Readthefollowingintroductionsfrom someofPaul'sotherletters.Howdo theyparallelPaul'sattitudeasexpressed inhisintroductiontoRomans?
a. 1Corinthians1:4-9
b. Ephesians1
c. Philippians1:3-11
d. Colossians1:3-14
e. 1Thessalonians1:2-10
2. Read1:18--2:5.Asyouread,think aboutthefollowingquestions:
a. WhyisGod'swrathrevealed?
b. Whatisthetruththatpeople suppress?
c. Howmanypeoplesuppressthis truth?
d. Whatsindoesthissuppressionof truthleadpeopletocommit?
e. WhatisthepurposeofPaul's discussionofhomosexuality,and whydoeshegiveusalonglistof othersins?
f. If1:18-32isspokentoGentiles,to whomischapter2spoken?
Romans1:1–17(EHV)
Greeting
1Paul,aservantofChristJesus,calledtobeanapostle,setapartforthegospelofGod, 2whichhepromisedinadvancethroughhisprophetsintheHolyScriptures. 3Thisgospelisabout hisSon—whointhefleshwasbornadescendantofDavid, 4whointhespiritofholinesswas declaredtobeGod’spowerfulSonbyhisresurrectionfromthedead—JesusChrist,ourLord.
5Throughhimwereceivedgraceandthecalltobeanapostleonbehalfofhisname,tobring abouttheobedienceoffaithamongalltheGentiles, 6includingyou,whowerecalledbyJesus Christ.
7ToallthoselovedbyGodwhoareinRome,calledtobesaints: GracetoyouandpeacefromGodourFatherandtheLordJesusChrist. Paul’sDesiretoCometoRome
8Firstofall,IthankmyGodthroughJesusChristconcerningallofyou,becauseyourfaithis beingreportedallovertheworld. 9Tobesure,God,whomIservewithmyspiritbyproclaiming thegospelofhisSon,ismywitnesstohowconstantlyImake mentionofyou.Inallmyprayers, 10Ialwaysaskifperhapsatlastawaymightbeopened,ifGodwills,formetocometoyou. 11I certainlylongtoseeyou,inorderthatImaydeliversomespiritualgifttoyou,sothatyouare strengthened—12thatis,whenIamwithyou,thatwewillbemutuallyencouragedbyeachother’s faith,yoursandalsomine.
13Idonotwantyoutobeunawareofthefact,brothers,thatIhaveoftenplannedtocometo youbuthavebeenpreventedfromdoingsountilnow.Iwantedtohavesomefruitamongyouin thesamewayasIdidamongtherestoftheGentiles. 14IhaveanobligationbothtoGreeksand non-Greeks,tothewiseandtothefoolish. 15ThatiswhyIameagertoproclaimthegospelalsoto youwhoareinRome.
ThePoweroftheGospel
16ForIamnotashamedofthegospel,becauseitisthepowerofGodforsalvationto everyonewhobelieves—totheJewfirst,andalsototheGreek. 17Forinthegospela righteousnessfromGodisrevealedbyfaith,forfaith,justasitiswritten,“Therighteouswilllive byfaith.”
1997NorthwesternPublishingHouse.Reprintedbypermission.