Good News for 2005 (Romans 1:1-17)
Mary Batchelor - January 2, 2005
Background
Paul had spent the previous ten years evangelising four provinces of the mighty Roman empire. He had established churches which were now in the hands of local leaders. For some time he had also been collecting gifts of money from the new non-Jewish churches to give to the hard-up Jewish Christians in Jerusalem. His next task was to take these gifts to Jerusalem. But no travel was possible until spring came, so he spent the winter of AD 56-57 at the home of his good friend Gaius, in Corinth – where he wrote this letter, to explain - at length and at leisure - the fantastic good news he had been chosen by God to preach worldwide.
Meanwhile, Paul is planning ahead. After the Jerusalem visit, why not break fresh ground and go further afield to preach the gospel in Spain - oldest province of the Roman empire? And, crowning joy, he could visit Rome on his way. Although born a Roman citizen, he had never visited the capital of the Empire. So here he writes to tell the Christians in Rome that he plans to come and see them; but he also takes the time to tell them, in full, the whole wonderful gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul begins in the usual way (for letters of that time) by saying who is the writer, who he is writing to and adding a greeting (v.1-7). Then he discusses the visit to Rome that he hopes at long-last to make to Rome.(10-15). But from the very first verse, Paul keeps repeating one word – Gospel, or as it literally means - GOOD NEWS!
The Good News
1-4, 14-17
Paul begins by telling us that his message is not some newly thought up idea:
The Gospel was promised long ago (v.2)
Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet announced: ‘There is good news for the city of Zion. Shout it as loud as you can! Don’t be afraid to shout to the cities of Judah, “Your God is here!” (40:9) …Look! The powerful Lord God is coming to rule with his mighty arm.’
Isaiah’s good news was that the Jewish people who had suffered under foreign rule were to be liberated at last by their coming King.
John the Baptist picked up on that promise and proclaimed that their King was indeed coming and Jesus began his own ministry with the news that the Kingdom of God - God’s reign - was at hand. (Matt.4:23)
The Gospel is Centred in our Lord Jesus Christ (v.3-4)
At Christmas we have been remembering that Jesus was born a human person, descended from King David, as promised, and that he is the one who would rule on David’s throne for ever. (v.3-4). But in spite of his humble lifestyle and humiliating death God had demonstrated clearly by raising him from death, that he is also God’s Son!
Paul gives him his full title: Jesus Christ our Lord (Jesus, the King, our Lord) (v.4)
Jesus - the word for Saviour – because he is the one who will save his people from their sins (see the angel’s words to Joseph Matt.1:21).
Christ - The Messiah – the anointed one – who would be his people’s King
Lord - Supreme ruler of all. The Romans and all those in the Empire were required to acknowledge ‘Caesar is Lord’ in their oath of allegiance to him.
As Lord, Jesus Christ demands the allegiance of all. Tom Wright explains:
‘The gospel isn’t like an advertisement for a product we might or might not want to buy, depending on how we felt at the time. It is more like a command from an authority we would be foolish to resist. Caesar’s messengers didn’t go round saying “ Caesar is lord, so if you feel you need to have a Roman-empire kind of experience, you might want to submit to him”. The challenge of Paul’s gospel is that someone very different to Caesar, exercising a very different kind of power, is the world’s true lord.’ (Paul for Everyone part 1, p.5)
The Gospel Shows God’s Power to Save (v.16)
The good news of the gospel shows us that God is able to save – to set free – not only people, but the whole troubled creation. His authority is real – he can do what he promises.
The Gospel is Available to Everyone (v.16)
The good news is not for Jews only but for those the Jews called Gentiles and who they believed were not able to share God’s blessings. In fact, Paul’s special call from God was to tell non-Jews that God’s saving rule was for them too.(v.5)
v.14-15: ‘As you know, to me it doesn’t matter which side of the river you’re on, what team you support, what car you drive or what side of the road you drive on… Who cares whether you’re Jewish or British or Finnish, when you can be God-ish? ‘ (Street Bible)
The Gospel is Received by Faith (v.17)
Righteousness in the Bible is a legal term meaning ‘in the right’. God is always in the right – now he is ready to put us ‘in the right’ with him.
Pistis (Greek word for faith)
Faith – on the human side – means more than holding certain beliefs in my head or exercising blind trust. It includes a certainty based on God’s unchanging character and involves giving to God the obedience that comes from such trust. The same Greek word for faith can also be translated ‘faithfulness’. When we receive the gospel by faith we give our oath of loyalty to Christ the King to follow him faithfully. We receive the gospel not by deeds of goodness on our part, but through a trusting relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Paul’s greeting – a New Year greeting for us to take into 2005
GRACE (v.7b) We first experience God’s grace - his undeserved love to meet our needs – when we receive the gospel and become his people. His overflowing love, his strength and sufficiency are also there for us to enjoy in the days ahead, however uncertain or troubled.
PEACE We have ’peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ’ when first we receive salvation. The peace that comes from trusting him in all that comes can also be our ongoing experience as we rest in him and obey his rule in our lives.