Good News to Tell - Romans 1:1-17

Following a physical examination by your doctor, there is one announcement that you never want to hear. You never want him/her to say “I have some good news and some bad news” and the question is even worse, “Which do you want to hear first?” Spiritually speaking the Book of Romans has both good and bad news and in a nut-shell the bad news is: “All have sinned and come short of the Glory of God” [3:23]. Then with surprising comfort the good news is “God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us’ [5:8]. This is even greater news than hearing the doctor say “You had liver or pancreatic cancer but it is in total and permanent remission.”

Paul was converted on the road to Damascus and he became the greatest of all New Testament evangelistic preachers and writers. From the day of his conversion one of his heart’s desires was to witness to the Roman people, and The Roman Letter represents the pinnacle of his labors. All scripture is inspired, all is good and none is bad; however Romans just has to be one of the most loved and often read books because it contains the essence or core of the story of how one is saved. Please, I challenge you right now, [read Romans from 1:1 to 16-27] read the entire book, in one setting, if possible.

This letter is so different from all the other letters written by Paul, because he did not start the church there and had not been to Rome, though he had always wanted to visit there. The bible does not record the founders of the Roman church…we know that visitors from Rome were present in Jerusalem at Pentecost [Acts. 2:10] and we know that many Christians left Jerusalem after Stephen’s martyrdom and fled to other cities [Damascus, Acts 9-2], [Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch of Syria Acts 11:19], and it may-have-been that some of these went to Rome and planted the church. Roman history books record that Emperor Claudius expelled the Jews from Rome in AD 49, and it could have been that it was because of the teachings of Christ. By the mid 60’s, the time of Nero, the church had grown and was a danger to Nero who labeled them a subversive element, and blamed them for the burning of Rome. You will remember that Nero actually burned the city himself…and played his fiddle while it burned…he was a nut. Paul wrote this letter to the Roman Church in AD 58, ten years earlier. He was in prison there in about 60 to 64…Paul died there in about 64, during the reign of Nero.

All of Paul’s letters to other churches were written to people he knew, to places he had been, and about problems, opportunities and circumstances that existed. A letter is somewhat like a phone call—it is an answer to a question that another asks or it may ask questions that require answers. In this letter to the Romans—Paul did not know the people on the other end of the line…they had never seen him, and had not written to him. It was his first communication with the Roman Church.

We know Paul had never been to Rome because in 1:9-10 he stated that he had wanted to visit them for a long time, but God had a lot of work for him to do first. Paul was one of the most learned Jews who was taught at the feet of Gamaliel, and was an expert in Jewish law and an avid proponent, but he was also a Roman by birth…his father was a Roman. As a Jew he had persecuted gentiles [his own people by birth] and now as a converted Jew [A Christian] it is easy to see why he wanted to witness to his people in their capitol city, Rome. Because all have sinned he knew that they NEEDED GOD’S MERCY. And, because Christ died for them, he had some GOOD NEWS TO TELL, and this is our lesson for today.

Should you ever need to introduce me to a congregation, the greatest introduction you could make is “Ladies and gentlemen, this is John Vandiver, a SERVANT of Jesus Christ.” I wish it could be totally true. Servants have masters and masters own servants. Paul introduced himself in this letter as the SLAVE of Jesus Christ [1:1]. He recognized his Lord as his master…simply because the word Lord is the opposite of the word slave or servant. Then he immediately proclaimed his right to apostleship by telling us that he “was called to be an apostle.

If you read between lines in the gospels you will find that some did not want to include Paul as an apostle because he was not one of the twelve first personally chosen by Jesus—and even this could have been the thorn in his flesh. Paul, with good reason, knew in his heart that God called him in a very obvious and agonizing way, striking him blind for a time while on the road to Damascus. He was not the first with a personal call; Abraham heard the call of God [Genesis 12: 1- 3]. Moses answered God’s call [Exodus 3: 10]. Jeremiah and Isaiah were prophets, although they did not ask or want to be, but were compelled to answer the call from God in [Jer. 1: 4 & Isa. 6: 8]. Paul saw his life as one compelled to answer God’s call.

Paul realized that he was “set apart by God” and believed that he was called even before he was born to do a special work for his Master. He considered to be set apart by his people when the Holy Spirit told the leaders of the Antioch Church to separate him and Barnabas for the special mission to the Gentiles [Acts 13:2]. In this calling he said he received two things; the first was grace, which is always free and unearned—and he received the task of taking the gospel to the gentiles which he also considered as a special honor and a responsibility; not for his honor but as his toil.

In verses 8 through 15, Paul talks to the Romans as though he is offering a prayer of thanksgiving; he thanks God [in the name of Jesus Christ] for his relatives and friends in Rome for their demonstrated faith and lets them know that he is praying for them. He assures them that they will grow by knowing his faith and that he will prosper by sharing their faith with them and talks of their mutual need for each other. Paul lets them know that he has wanted all along to visit them that he might be able to win souls there among the gentiles. He lets them know that even though he has a Jewish background, he feels his obligation to all people, the civilized and the savage; the educated and the ignorant, Jew and Gentile—“So then, I am eager to preach the Good News to you also who live in Rome.”

This lesson closes in verses 16 and 17 when Paul says, “I have complete confidence in the gospel; it is God’s power to save all who believe, first the Jews and also the Gentiles. For the gospel reveals how God puts men right with himself: it is through faith, from beginning to end. As the scripture says, ‘He who is put right with God through faith shall live.”’ Here in we find the complete plan of salvation.

God has the power to save the lost. We must repent and believe.

We can know the way to receive salvation by reading the gospel.

Salvation is for every living creature…Jew and Gentile.

The gospel reveals the steps we must take in order for God to save us.

Finally, the gospel assures us that when we follow the plan in faith we shall live forever…in Heaven, a glorious place, so special it is beyond our ability to describe. If you believe in Heaven and Hell…you have a choice; however if your choice is Heaven, it requires you to prepare. If your choice is Hell, live as you desire, do what you want and know you are on the right road.