Romans: Good News For Today's World
(Bible Study Handout prepared by Glenn Creech)
Introduction:
-Discuss which over-the-counter pain reliever(s) you use for headaches and fever. Why?
-No pain reliever will work for everybody all of the time. Some pain relievers may work for some people sometimes.
-Paul's message in his letter to Roman Christians....
The gospel of Christ is for all people all of the time.
-For people rooted in the religious system of Old Testament Israel.
-For people with no religious roots at all.
Content of Romans
-Explanation of God's way to be saved
-We can be right with God through Jesus Christ
Our sin is contrasted to the gift of salvation through Christ
Purpose of Romans
-Paul wrote as a prelude to a visit in which he hoped to link up with Roman Christians for the purpose of sharing the gospel with everyone in that part of the world
-Paul wanted to share his belief that Jews and Gentiles alike needed the same Gospel.
Themes
-Everyone needs to be saved
-Benefits of salavation...blessings...peace with God...helping others know God's Grace
-Resources...we don't serve sin anymore...Holy Spirit leads us to be free to serve God
-The grandest presentation of Christian doctrine in Scripture.
-"Imputed" righteousness...put to your account
-Sanctification...God imparts His righteousness to us...develops holy character
-Just...justified...declared to be righteous by God
Paul had delivered an offering to the church in Jerusalem that was given by the church in Corinth. While in Corinth, he wrote the letter to the Roman church, about AD 56.
-Why Romans is so special...liberated minds...understanding of the essential Gospel of Christ...started spiritual revolutions.
Augustine - theologian...liberated after reading Romans
Martin Luther - scholar, reborn in peace, changed the face of Europe
John Wesley - no sense of assurance of his acceptability, Holy Spirit revivals
John Calvin - "When anyone gains a knowledge of this Epistle he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture."
Lesson 1: The Apostle's Attitude (Romans 1:1-17)
The wonderful good news of God...It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trust Him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! (Romans 1:16)
Stan: I'm so impressed with a church friend named Tom. I know that he gives lots of money to missions through our church. And, while riding in his car I saw a stack of gospel tracts on the console. I know that he gives them to people to meets in his job as a pharmaceutical sales rep. Once I asked him how he became so intentional about sharing. He simply stated that hearing the Gospel really changed his life and that he was convinced that it would make a difference in other people's lives as well.
From a personal experience, Tom was confident in the power of the Gospel.
Paul: God's power accompanies the good news of Christ.
What ways have you seen God's power when people are confronted with the message of Christ? __________________________
Paul's Realistic Appraisal of Himself (Romans 1:1-6)
Scripture notes:
-"a servant of Jesus Christ" - slave, obliged to serve Christ, gave up exclusive rights to his own life, bought with a price
-Self-centeredness causes us to compromise the potential for what we can accomplish for God.
-"called to be an apostle" - an apostle's responsibility? Founding churches were Christ was unknown.
-"Called" - selected, commissioned, given a task by God
Paul was a servant apostle - lived with the challenge of the tension between humility and authority.
"separated to the gospel of God" - set apart at birth to be a "gospel man of God"
No accident - heritage, education, personality, gifts, his years of brutal mistakes, Roman citizenship, Greek culture, Jewish training...all factors to perfectly equip Paul
Paul - a one-goal man...to take the ministry of grace to all nations
Paul's Deep-Rooted Appreciation of the Message (Romans 1:1-6)
Scripture Notes:
-Paul had an undying confidence in the validity and relevance of the message
-What is the motive of a sales person who convincingly promotes a product and the later goes to work for a competitor? _______________
Paul was unshakably loyal to the Gospel of God.
Paul was severely criticized by the Jews about the gospel message. He went to great pains to show that the message was "promised before by God's prophets in the Holy Scriptures."
Paul delighted in showing from the scriptures that God's dealings and promises all were "concerning His son, Jesus". And, that Jesus "was born of the seed of David". Jesus was not a mere man, not even a royal man. He was "declared to be the son of God."
He was "established with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the dead".
Why is it important to be confident in the Gospel? __________
Paul's Warm-Hearted Interest in People (Romans 1:7-12)
Scripture Notes:
-Driven people tend to be unsociable, isolated, and aloof.
-Paul displayed great love for people, a must for a minister of Christ.
"Called to be saints" - Paul recognized that they too felt a sense of calling. They were the "beloved of God". He sensed that he should develop a deep relationship with those with whom he had so much in common.
"Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" - Paul loved to hear about the churches that were actively engaged in the propagation of the Gospel. The church at Rome was the topic of Roman conversations.
"In the will of God"
"That I may impart to you some spiritual gift" - a concrete manifestation of grace...the gift of the Spirit..."for the strengthening of the people".
Goal of ministry - to spiritually establish people...immeasurable improvement and spiritual activity.
"That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me." Paul's possible visit would result in blessing him as well.
Some ministers are careful to preserve an aura of detached sufficiency that leads people to believe that the blessings flow only one way. They are sadly mistaken.
There is always a mutuality of blessing among the people of God.
(Bible Study Handout prepared by Glenn Creech)
Introduction:
-Discuss which over-the-counter pain reliever(s) you use for headaches and fever. Why?
-No pain reliever will work for everybody all of the time. Some pain relievers may work for some people sometimes.
-Paul's message in his letter to Roman Christians....
The gospel of Christ is for all people all of the time.
-For people rooted in the religious system of Old Testament Israel.
-For people with no religious roots at all.
Content of Romans
-Explanation of God's way to be saved
-We can be right with God through Jesus Christ
Our sin is contrasted to the gift of salvation through Christ
Purpose of Romans
-Paul wrote as a prelude to a visit in which he hoped to link up with Roman Christians for the purpose of sharing the gospel with everyone in that part of the world
-Paul wanted to share his belief that Jews and Gentiles alike needed the same Gospel.
Themes
-Everyone needs to be saved
-Benefits of salavation...blessings...peace with God...helping others know God's Grace
-Resources...we don't serve sin anymore...Holy Spirit leads us to be free to serve God
-The grandest presentation of Christian doctrine in Scripture.
-"Imputed" righteousness...put to your account
-Sanctification...God imparts His righteousness to us...develops holy character
-Just...justified...declared to be righteous by God
Paul had delivered an offering to the church in Jerusalem that was given by the church in Corinth. While in Corinth, he wrote the letter to the Roman church, about AD 56.
-Why Romans is so special...liberated minds...understanding of the essential Gospel of Christ...started spiritual revolutions.
Augustine - theologian...liberated after reading Romans
Martin Luther - scholar, reborn in peace, changed the face of Europe
John Wesley - no sense of assurance of his acceptability, Holy Spirit revivals
John Calvin - "When anyone gains a knowledge of this Epistle he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture."
Lesson 1: The Apostle's Attitude (Romans 1:1-17)
The wonderful good news of God...It's news I'm most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God's powerful plan to rescue everyone who trust Him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! (Romans 1:16)
Stan: I'm so impressed with a church friend named Tom. I know that he gives lots of money to missions through our church. And, while riding in his car I saw a stack of gospel tracts on the console. I know that he gives them to people to meets in his job as a pharmaceutical sales rep. Once I asked him how he became so intentional about sharing. He simply stated that hearing the Gospel really changed his life and that he was convinced that it would make a difference in other people's lives as well.
From a personal experience, Tom was confident in the power of the Gospel.
Paul: God's power accompanies the good news of Christ.
What ways have you seen God's power when people are confronted with the message of Christ? __________________________
Paul's Realistic Appraisal of Himself (Romans 1:1-6)
Scripture notes:
-"a servant of Jesus Christ" - slave, obliged to serve Christ, gave up exclusive rights to his own life, bought with a price
-Self-centeredness causes us to compromise the potential for what we can accomplish for God.
-"called to be an apostle" - an apostle's responsibility? Founding churches were Christ was unknown.
-"Called" - selected, commissioned, given a task by God
Paul was a servant apostle - lived with the challenge of the tension between humility and authority.
"separated to the gospel of God" - set apart at birth to be a "gospel man of God"
No accident - heritage, education, personality, gifts, his years of brutal mistakes, Roman citizenship, Greek culture, Jewish training...all factors to perfectly equip Paul
Paul - a one-goal man...to take the ministry of grace to all nations
Paul's Deep-Rooted Appreciation of the Message (Romans 1:1-6)
Scripture Notes:
-Paul had an undying confidence in the validity and relevance of the message
-What is the motive of a sales person who convincingly promotes a product and the later goes to work for a competitor? _______________
Paul was unshakably loyal to the Gospel of God.
Paul was severely criticized by the Jews about the gospel message. He went to great pains to show that the message was "promised before by God's prophets in the Holy Scriptures."
Paul delighted in showing from the scriptures that God's dealings and promises all were "concerning His son, Jesus". And, that Jesus "was born of the seed of David". Jesus was not a mere man, not even a royal man. He was "declared to be the son of God."
He was "established with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the resurrection from the dead".
Why is it important to be confident in the Gospel? __________
Paul's Warm-Hearted Interest in People (Romans 1:7-12)
Scripture Notes:
-Driven people tend to be unsociable, isolated, and aloof.
-Paul displayed great love for people, a must for a minister of Christ.
"Called to be saints" - Paul recognized that they too felt a sense of calling. They were the "beloved of God". He sensed that he should develop a deep relationship with those with whom he had so much in common.
"Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world" - Paul loved to hear about the churches that were actively engaged in the propagation of the Gospel. The church at Rome was the topic of Roman conversations.
"In the will of God"
"That I may impart to you some spiritual gift" - a concrete manifestation of grace...the gift of the Spirit..."for the strengthening of the people".
Goal of ministry - to spiritually establish people...immeasurable improvement and spiritual activity.
"That is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me." Paul's possible visit would result in blessing him as well.
Some ministers are careful to preserve an aura of detached sufficiency that leads people to believe that the blessings flow only one way. They are sadly mistaken.
There is always a mutuality of blessing among the people of God.
posted by Andrew Brown at 11:51 AM
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