Quote from Forum Archives on May 6, 2002, 12:19 am

Posted by: DRjim <DRjim@...>

Hi

Can you always send me an attachment?

JIMMc

jmichaelwalls@juno.com wrote:

> PAUL’S MINSTRY TO THE ROMANS
> Romans 1:14-17
> Introduction: This epistle was written to the Christians that were in the
> capital of the Roman empire- Roman itself. Rome was one of the most
> wicked cities in the world. There was pagan worship on every corner. The
> chief religion was the worship of the Emperor.
> Of all the epistles that Paul wrote, this is perhaps the most important.
> Paul wrote epistles that we have in our Bibles to seven churches. It is
> interesting to note that John wrote to seven churches in the Book of
> Revelation. Here are some notes that I have in my oldest Bible on the
> book of Romans. The book of Romans is "A miniature Bible". The book of
> Romans is "The greatest document on our salvation". The book of Romans is
> "The cathedral of the Christian Faith". (In fact that is what I am
> calling this particular series.) The book of Romans is "The grand summary
> of Christian faith and practice".
> The central subject of the Book of Romans is the righteousness of God. By
> the time we get to chapter sixteen, there should no doubt in your minds
> of the righteousness of God and also the unrighteousness of man. The word
> "righteousness" is mentioned in thirty-three times.
> The key phrase of this book is "of God." It is found seventy one times in
> this book.
> There are several other words that mentioned many times in the Bible. The
> law is mentioned fifty two times. The word "all" is in this epistle
> forty-six times. The word "sin" or "sins" is mentioned forty-one times.
> Other key words are "death", "in Christ", "flesh", "God forbid",
> "therefore" and "impute" or "imputed". I challenge you to read through
> this book this week.
> This book has quotations from fourteen Old Testament Books in it. The
> Book of Psalms and the Book of Isaiah was quoted most often.
> The Book of Romans made a difference in my life. On the night I was
> saved, which was almost thirty years ago, my pastor used the book of
> Romans to lead me to the Saviour. What a night that was in my young life!
> I remember hearing him read Romans 10:13 to me and making it personal.
> "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." He
> read it to me this way: "For Mike shall call upon the name of the Lord
> Mike shall be saved." That night I did just that and God did His part. He
> saved my soul.
> It also made a difference in my life in another way. I was saved in May
> 1972. In September 1972, I was in my first revival meeting as a saved
> person. One night the evangelist gave the invitation two fold. He opened
> the invitation to people being saved. He also mentioned that young people
> to surrender to the ministry. That night God spoke to my heart in regards
> to preaching. I talked with the evangelist that night after services. He
> referred me to Romans 12:1-2. ("I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
> mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
> acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not
> conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your
> mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect,
> will of God.") He told me that I needed to present as a living sacrifice
> to the Lord, which was to be my reasonable service. In retrospect, almost
> thirty years later, it is more reasonable today than it was that day and
> time of my life. I have not been all I should have been but thanks be
> unto Calvary, I am His to be used by Him for His reasonable service.
> The Book of Romans has been used countless times by folks to lead people
> to Christ. It has made the difference in many folks' lives also. It was
> the book of Romans that changed John Wesley so completely that he was
> used by God to bring about the Great Awakening in England that saved
> England from the same fate as the French in the French Revolution. The
> conditions were similar in England as France unto the Great Awakening.
> Martin Luther, the Catholic monk, was saved when he read the Book of
> Romans. In fact, Martin Luther said this in his lectures on the Book of
> Romans. "This Epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament and
> the very purest Gospel, and is worthy not only that every Christian
> should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with every
> day, as daily bread of the soul. It can never read or pondered too much,
> and the more it is dealt with the more precious it becomes, the better it
> tastes."
> Many of the doctrines of the faith are found in the pages of this book.
> We see the doctrine of condemnation of sin in this book. We see the
> doctrine of justification from sin in this book. We see sanctification
> against sin in this book. We see the glorification from sin in this book.
>
> Not only is it a book of doctrine, it is a book of daily living for the
> Christian. Romans chapters 12-16 gives practical guidelines to many
> portions of life for the Christian.
> God allowed Paul to give his heart for the Jewish people. God still loves
> the Jewish people. He can and will save any Jewish person who trusts
> Jesus Christ as Saviour.
> I will never to completely do this book complete justice. I will be
> preaching from key passages that are needed in the months ahead. It is
> good if you will pray that the Lord gives understanding as I study this
> great book and also that He use me to illuminate some passage to your
> heart as we go through this book together.
> In our scripture we find some precious truths that serves as an
> introduction to the Book of Romans. Let's start our journey. Let me get
> you read this passage once again with me. I want to underline or
> highlight seven key words in our text. These seven words give you the key
> to the whole book. The words are "gospel", "ashamed", "power",
> "salvation" "believeth", "just" and "faith". These words will help you in
> your study and reading of this treasure chest of God's Word.
> Paul makes some bold statements in our text. He says, "I am a debtor" in
> verse fourteen. He tells us "I am ready" in verse fifteen. The he
> proclaims in verse sixteen "I am not ashamed."
> If any other man had made these bold statements, I would have said he was
> bragging. But we know Paul was no braggart.
> Let me give you four thoughts about Paul in this introductional message.
> I. PAUL'S ACCOUNTABLITY
> Vs. 14
> "I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise,
> and to the unwise."
> Paul realized that he was a debtor to the Lord Jesus. In the past, he had
> persecuted Christians but now he goes every where preaching. He knew he
> had an obligation to reach all he could. The interesting part he won
> people to Christ without modern conveniences, computers, cars, gospel
> literature or even a completed Bible.
> He knew he was accountable to try to win all he came into contact. A
> person position in life did not matter to Paul. He preached to the poor.
> He preached to prisoners and he preached to princes. He felt his
> obligation. He knew he was accountable.
> Let me give you the first of many practical applications that we will
> find in this book. We are also debtors. We can no more pay for our
> salvation than Paul could. It was a debt of love. It is our obligation
> and accountability that we are to try to reach our friends and family and
> those around us. We are also accountable for our missionaries reaching
> folks also.
> Let me try to illustrate this with a portion that I hear on "Christian
> Classics" this past week. They are reading the book on the life of
> Jonathan Goforth. Jonathan Goforth and his wife were missionaries to
> China. At the departing service for the Goforths, there was another
> couple going to Africa. This couple was going to a place that was called
> the "white man's graveyard". It was the diseases that killed most of the
> white men. This man, his wife and young child left and asked that the
> church pray for them as they went to this dangerous portion of Africa.
> The church promised to pray faithfully for their missionaries. After
> about a year, the missionary's wife and young child died. Then the
> missionary got a disease that was going to be the death of him. He left
> Africa and returned to Canada. He did not let the church know that he was
> coming home in that he would be home before the letter would get there.
> He showed up on Wednesday night prayer meeting after the services
> started. He sat in the back. The message was preached and the church had
> its prayer meeting without one mention of any missionaries. As the pastor
> was getting ready to dismiss the church, this man stood and made this
> statement: "No wonder I failed on the mission field, you failed to pray
> for me."
> That was a rebuke to that church and should be to us also. I believe we
> are accountable for ourselves but our missionaries also. We are debtors.
> We see his obligation.
> II. PAUL'S ASSIGNMENT Vs. 15
> "So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are
> at Rome also."
> This word is the same as a word that we find in Acts 17:11. It described
> the church is Berea.
> Acts 17:11
> "These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received
> the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily,
> whether those things were so."
> Paul tells us he was ready. That word "ready" in the Greek means
> predisposed or willing. It has the meaning of eagerness on his part. Paul
> was obedient to his assignment given by the Lord. He was not deterred by
> fear. Remember what I said was the chief object of worship in Rome. It
> was Emperor worship. Paul was faithfully proclaiming the Lord Jesus
> Christ was the King of kings and Lord of lords. Most people were afraid
> to preach this because of fear of the Roman government and its long arm.
> But Paul was not indifferent for their welfare but he was under God's
> direction. He was willing, eager and ready to give these folks the gospel
> just like he had in Antioch, Ephesus, Athens and Corinth.
> We must be ready and eager to give the gospel to those we come into
> contact. We have many tools that were not available to Paul the apostle.
> We have many gospel tracts at our disposal. We have Christian radio
> stations. We have a completed Bible at our disposal. We have many Bible
> programs in our computers. We have good transportation at our disposal.
> But are we eager, willing and ready to preach the gospel to those around
> us?
> What is the gospel? The best commentary on the Bible is the Bible itself.
> Let's let it answer that question.
> 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
> "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how
> that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he
> was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
> scriptures"
> This is not a social gospel either. A social gospel wants to change the
> outside of a person first. Or change his environment. That is putting the
> cart before the horse. The gospel message changes men from sinners to
> children of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17
> "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are
> passed away; behold, all things are become new."
> Paul was obedient to the assignment God gave him. The question is, are
> we?
> III. PAUL'S ATTITUDE Vs. 16
> "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
> unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to
> the Greek."
> It was seen in that he was not ashamed of the Gospel. He demonstrated a
> real openness to giving the Gospel. His attitude showed that he was not
> ashamed of the power of the gospel. 1 Corinthians 1:18
> "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but
> unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
> It is the Gospel that brought light to our poor, blind minds. It is the
> power of the gospel that transformed us from dead sinners of Satan to
> living sons of God. Many times we do not show this openness and have a
> poor attitude to the gospel. The preaching of the Gospel cost Paul. He
> was stoned in one city to death. He was cast into prison for preaching
> the Gospel. He was beaten on numerous occasions.
> You would think that he would have gotten gun shy of the gospel. But his
> openness was seen in every situation of his life.
> His attitude was that salvation was opened to all men both Jew and
> Gentile. Salvation is the deliverance from sin, the safety from the wrath
> of God, soundness of true Bible living and the spiritual healing from the
> guilt, guile and godless of sin.
> Are we timid or should we say we are ashamed of the Gospel? We can give
> it to anyone. We must have this attitude of openness of giving the
> gospel.
> What gave Paul this attitude? It was the power of God. The Greek word is
> translated like our word dynamite or better yet a dynamo. Dynamite is a
> one-time deal. Boom and the deed is done. A dynamo is a constant source
> of power and strength.
> Creation was mere finger-play to God but redemption required nothing less
> than the mighty arm of God!
> Isaiah 53:1
> "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD
> revealed?"
> Creation cost God very little; redemption cost God His only Son. It took
> the power of God to transform Saul (the chief persecutor) into Paul (the
> chief apostle). It takes the power of God to save and transform any
> sinner.
> When Paul penned that word "everyone", he was revealing that God’s gospel
> was not a select few. It is for everyone who will believe. Our human
> responsibility in salvation is to believe. Everyone who believes the
> gospel is saved.
> IV. PAUL'S AFFIRMATION Vs. 17
> "For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as
> it is written, The just shall live by faith."
> This verse several observations of Paul and he affirms as truth. What are
> these truths?
> The righteousness of God is revealed. I will not spend a lot of time on
> this because it covered in next week's message more thoroughly. When you
> see God's righteousness, you see your unrighteousness more clearly. You
> hold up two items that are white and you will know which is the true
> white by its brightness. Our righteousness is as filthy rags when
> compared with the righteousness of God. We can not hold a candle to the
> righteousness of God. Man lacks righteousness. Man needs righteousness
> and he needs God’s righteousness.
> The second part of Paul's affirmation that is observed is found in these
> words "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." Martin Luther added a word in his
> Bible that is implied. The word is alone. "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH
> alone." Too many people try to live by another way. Martin Luther was a
> former Catholic monk and he wanted his Catholic friends to know that
> salvation was faith in salvation alone. It was not in religion, church
> membership or such. It is a faith in the Lord Jesus alone. Ephesians
> 2:8-10
> "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it
> is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are
> his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath
> before ordained that we should walk in them."
> I want to deal with a word rather quickly. It will be the subject of
> chapter three. It is the word "just". We are made just by salvation in
> Jesus Christ. The word "just" means that in the mind of God it is just
> like we have never sinned. The blood of Saviour erases our past. We are
> only accountable for the life from that day that we have trusted Christ
> as Saviour.
> Are we affirming allegiance by our observation of these truths found in
> these words?
> Conclusion: Are we living in such a way that we will be able to give a
> good accounting of our lives to the Lord one day?
> Are we true the assignment given by our Lord? We must be ready to preach
> the gospel to those we come in contact. If you are not saved, then you
> cannot preach the gospel. You need the gospel. The greatest proof of the
> Gospel is a changed life.
> What is our attitude to the gospel? Is it only good for some and not
> others? It is the basis for our witnessing for the Lord.
> Are we affirming that we are justified in God's sight by our faith in Him
> alone? If you are trusting religion, rituals or reformation to get you to
> heaven, then you are mistaken when the Bible plainly tells that salvation
> is by faith in Jesus Christ alone.
>
> Pastor Mike Walls
> Freedom Baptist Church Smithfield, NC
> All scriptures are King James Bible
> Isa. 41:10
>
> --
> To unsubscribe, send ANY message to <pastormail-unsubscribe@welovegod.org>

--
Jesus is the sweetest name I know
Have you acknowledged His Lordship in your life?
My sermons page:
preachhim.org/sermons.html