Romans 1:1-17

In our quest to preach/teach through the grand book of Romans, we really haven’t spent much time, if really any in Romans 1:1-17. So, let’s deal with it in this blog.
Paul was a man on a mission. His mission? To spread a cure to a problem called sin and separation that was traced all the way back to the Garden of Eden through the sin of Adam. He felt his mission was to distribute the most precious gift the world had ever been given; the gospel of Jesus Christ—the cure to the sin problem. Paul simply wanted his readers to understand that he was about to unfold the reason why there is a “good news” to a “bad problem.” (For a better understanding of the church at Rome, read my blog entitled, “The Purpose, Occasion, and Background to the Church at Rome.”)
Here are a few key things that Paul does in this salutation to get the readers ready to hear the most amazing story ever.
1.Paul greets them in 1:1-7 with the final salutation in verse 7. Notice in verse 1 that Paul calls himself a “bond-servant.” The Greek word for “bond-servant” is doulos. No one wanted this title. It means “slave,” “under someone else’s control.” For Jews it even carried the idea of their slavery in Egypt. It simply meant “the loss of freedom.” Paul readily identifies himself as person who was under full control and service to his Lord, Jesus Christ.
2. Paul also calls himself an apostle. This word simply designated Paul as not just an ordinary preacher of the Gospel. He had a special task. He was appointed and sent out by God to do an extraordinary task that only a few had been asked to do.
3. In Romans 1:2-5 Paul simply but yet profoundly tells the church at Rome three things about the gospel message:
i. The origin of the gospel—vs. 2
ii. The content of the gospel—vs. 3
iii. The gospel’s purpose—vs. 5
4. In verses 8-13 Paul encourages these believers. A letter from a fellow servant but also someone of Paul’s stature would only affirm, confirm, and encourage their work. Here’s how he does it:
i. He prays for them—vs. 9
ii. He tells them that he wants to join them—vs.10
iii. He promises to help them spiritually and with ministry—vv. 11-13
5.In verses 14-17 Paul pours out his passion on this church. Since the power and dominion of sin is no respecter of person, neither is the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul tells them that he feels as if he is obligated to share the gospel with everyone whom he comes in contact with. He sincerely felt as if he was in debt to people who knew not the saving grace of the Messiah. And Paul was not ashamed of his message, mission, or methods of the gospel.
It is my prayer that I become as eager and passionate as Paul with the gospel that saved my life. It is my prayer that NP becomes this eager and passionate about the gospel as well.
FOR I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, FOR IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES….