Promised

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December 23, 2007 - Romans 1:1-17

Open It

  1. What are some of the normal ways people begin a letter or a phone call?

  2. When have you been startled by the opening paragraph of a letter?

  3. If you were writing the initial letter to a pen pal, how would you introduce yourself?

Explore It

  1. How did Paul introduce and identify himself to the Romans? (1:1)

  2. What special calling on his life did Paul feel? (1:1)

  3. In what ways has God revealed His gospel to people? (1:2-4)

  4. Who is the focus of God's gospel? (1:2-4)

  5. What credentials does Jesus have to confirm His claim as Son of God? (1:3-4)

  6. What did Paul and others receive as a calling for their lives? (1:5)

  7. Who were the new group of people being exposed to the gospel message? (1:5)

  8. What were the Gentiles and all people being called to believe? (1:5)

  9. How did Paul describe the people who were receiving this letter? (1:6)

  10. To whom was this letter written? (1:7)

  11. What kind of greeting did Paul send to his audience? (1:7)

Get It

  1. In what way do you feel God has placed a special calling on your life?

  2. What purpose for living has God given you?

  3. What words do you use to describe yourself to others as a follower of Jesus Christ?

  4. How did you feel when you realized God's gospel was meaningful to you?

  5. What do most people today believe about God's plan for the world?

  6. What do most people today believe about God's plan for their personal salvation?

  7. How have your beliefs about Jesus Christ changed during the various stages of your life?

  8. In what ways would remembering in prayer each day God's calling on and plan for your life affect your daily walk with Christ?

Apply It

  1. With whom could you share God's unfolding plan of salvation for the whole world?

  2. How would you explain God's plan of salvation to a friend?

  3. To what friend could you explain God's love and your response to His plan of salvation? How?

Notes

Romans 1:1: Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome. Neither he nor the other church leaders, James and Peter, had yet been to Rome. Most likely, the Roman church had been established by believers who had been at Jerusalem for Pentecost (Acts 2:10) and travelers who had heard the Good News in other places and had brought it back to Rome (for example, Priscilla and Aquila, Acts 18:2; Romans 16:3-5).

Paul wrote the letter to the Romans during his ministry in Corinth (at the end of his third missionary journey just before returning to Jerusalem; Acts 20:3; Romans 15:25) to encourage the believers and to express his desire to visit them someday (within three years he would). The Roman church had no New Testament because the Gospels were not yet being circulated in their final written form. Thus, this letter may well have been the first piece of Christian literature the Roman believers had seen. Written to both Jewish and Gentile Christians, the letter to the Romans is a systematic presentation of the Christian faith.

1:1 When Paul, a devout Jew who had at first persecuted the Christians, became a believer, God used him to spread the gospel throughout the world. Although it was as a prisoner, Paul did eventually preach in Rome (Acts 28), perhaps even to Caesar himself. Paul's is found in Acts 13:9.

1:1 Paul humbly calls himself a servant of Jesus Christ and an apostle ("one who is sent"). For a Roman citizen-which Paul was-to choose to be a servant was unthinkable. But Paul chose to be completely dependent on and obedient to his beloved Master. What is your attitude toward Christ, your Master? Our willingness to serve and obey Jesus Christ enables us to be useful and usable servants to do work for him-work that really matters.

Romans 1:2: Some of the prophecies predicting the Good News regarding Jesus Christ are Genesis 12:3; Psalm 16:10; Psalm 40:6-10; Psalm 118:22; Isaiah 11:1ff; Zech. 9:9-11; Zech. 12:10; Malachi 4:1-6.

Romans 1:3-4 Paul states that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, and the resurrected Lord. Paul calls Jesus a descendant of King David to emphasize that Jesus truly had fulfilled the Old Testament Scriptures predicting that the Messiah would come from David's line. With this statement of faith, Paul declares his agreement with the teaching of all Scripture and of the apostles.

1:3-5 Here Paul summarizes the Good News about Jesus Christ, who (1) came as a human by natural descent, (2) was part of the Jewish royal line through David, (3) died and was raised from the dead, and (4) opened the door for God's grace and kindness to be poured out on us. The book of Romans is an expansion of these themes.

1:5-6 Christians have both privilege and a great responsibility. Paul and the apostles received forgiveness ("grace") as an undeserved privilege. But they also received the responsibility to share the message of God's forgiveness with others. God also graciously forgives our sins when we believe in him as Lord. In doing this, we are committing ourselves to begin a new life. Paul's new life also involved a God-given responsibility-to witness about God's Good News to the world as a missionary. God may or may not call you to be an overseas missionary, but he does call you (and all believers) to witness to and be an example of the changed life that Jesus Christ has begun in you.

1:6-7 Paul says that those who become Christians are invited by Jesus Christ to (1) become part of God's family, and (2) be holy people ("to be saints," set apart, dedicated for his service). What a wonderful expression of what it means to be a Christian! In being reborn into God's family we have the greatest experience of love and the greatest inheritance. Because of all that God has done for us, we strive to be his holy people.

1:6-12 Paul showed his love for the Roman Christians by expressing God's love for them and his own gratitude and prayers for them. To have an effect on people's lives, you first need to love them and believe in them. Paul's passion to teach these people began with his love for them. Thank God for your Christian brothers and sisters, and let them know how deeply you care for them.

Romans 1:7: Rome was the capital of the Roman empire that had spread over most of Europe, North Africa, and the Near East. In New Testament times, Rome was experiencing a golden age. The city was wealthy, literary, and artistic. It was a cultural center, but it was also morally decadent. The Romans worshiped many pagan gods, and even some of the emperors were worshiped. In stark contrast to the Romans, the followers of Christ believed in only one God and lived by his high moral standards.

1:7 Christianity was at odds with the Romans' dependence on military strength. Many Romans were naively pragmatic, believing that any means to accomplish the intended task was good. And for them, nothing worked better than physical might. The Romans trusted in their strong military power to protect them against all enemies. Christians in every age need to be reminded that God is the only permanent source of our security and salvation, and at the same time he is "our Father"!

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