The Preacher of the Gospel
Romans 1:1
July 15, 2007
We have concluded the book of John.
I hope that after studying that great gospel,
You have now buried in your heart a deep seated conviction about Jesus.
John told us what we should have learned.
John 20:30-31 “Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Now we are going to move in to study the gospel.
And we are familiar with the gospel.
We talk about it all the time.
“Gospel” EUANGELION = it literally means “good news”
It is also where we get our word for evangelism.
And so we are familiar with the gospel in that sense.
But suppose someone told you to go out and evangelize
Or share the good news with someone else.
COULD YOU DO IT?
What is the gospel?
How do you share it?
Where do you start?
ON A SIMPLE NOTE, IT IS THE SAME THING WE LEARNED IN JOHN
For look at what Paul says about the gospel.
Romans 1:3-4 “concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,”
BUT THIS IS ONLY THE SURFACE,
THE GOSPEL IS MUCH DEEPER THAN THAT.
This is why we are now studying the book of Romans.
It has been called the most complete book in the New Testament.
John Calvin said,
“When any one gains a knowledge of this Epistle, he has an entrance opened to him to all the most hidden treasures of Scripture”
(MacArthur, John; MacArthur New Testament Commentaries: Romans 1-8; Moody Press, Chicago, Ill; 1991, pg. x)
Martin Luther said that Romans is:
“the chief part of the New Testament and the very purest gospel.”
(ibid, pg. x)
Frederick Godet called Romans:
“the cathedral of Christian faith.”
(ibid. x)
Such is the book of Romans.
A book of immense depth.
Paul was the one who wrote it, and even he had to stop and marvel At the truth which God was revealing to him.
Romans 11:33-36 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? Or WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM THAT IT MIGHT BE PAID BACK TO HIM AGAIN? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
It seems that even the mind of Paul is blown away.
Such is this book of Romans.
WE NOW BEGIN THIS STUDY SO THAT WE MAY HAVE
A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF THE GOSPEL.
FOR JUST AS THE TRUTH OF JESUS HAS BEEN MALIGNED
SO ALSO HAS THE GOSPEL BEEN MALIGNED
And this is unacceptable.
For just as there is but one God (Jesus). There is but one gospel.
Ephesians 4:4-6 “There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.”
There is “one faith”, one gospel, and as we study the book of Romans,
It will unlock that gospel to you.
The first seven verses of Romans serve as the introduction.
These set the foundation for the remainder of the book.
The rest of the book follows the direction set forth here.
Verse 1 shows us: THE PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL
“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,”
Verse 2 shows us: THE PROMISE OF THE GOSPEL
“which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the holy Scriptures,”
Verses 3-4 show us: THE PERSON OF THE GOSPEL
“concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord,”
Verse 5 shows us: THE PURPOSE OF THE GOSPEL
“through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake,”
Verses 6-7 show us: THE PEOPLE OF THE GOSPEL
“among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; to all who are beloved of God in Rome, called as saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Just in those 7 verses we learn a great deal already
About the purity and purpose of the gospel.
And this morning we are going to look at the first verse of this introduction.
“The Preacher of the Gospel”
Romans 1:1
And as we study this verse this morning,
I would simply ask you.
WHAT TYPE OF PERSON PREACHES THE GOSPEL?
OR
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A PREACHER OF THE GOSPEL?
This we will see this morning as we fix our eyes on this man
Whom God used to reveal the gospel like no one else.
There are three things we see in this first verse that I want to show you this morning.
#1 THE MAN
Romans 1:1a “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus,”
Most of you are certainly quite familiar with this man named Paul,
But I do want to give you a brief background on him.
He was born a Roman citizen in the city of Tarsus,
Which was a city that housed a great Roman university.
Acts 22:3 “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated under Gamaliel, strictly according to the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today.”
He lived the early part of his life with great zeal for Judaism.
Philippians 3:5-6 “circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.”
He had a great zeal for God, but it was incredibly misguided.
So much so that he actually missed the whole point to the Old Testament, And failed to recognize God’s Messiah.
This is why Paul was able to so accurately explain the fallen state of Israel.
Romans 10:1-4 “Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.”
Paul understood them because he was one of them.
He was a man filled with zeal without knowledge,
And this knowledge led him to do horrendous things
All in the name of religion.
As a young man Paul took it upon himself to completely stomp out
This band of new believers that were being called “Christians.”
Acts 7:58-60 “When they had driven him out of the city, they began stoning him; and the witnesses laid aside their robes at the feet of a young man named Saul. They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!” Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” Having said this, he fell asleep.”
He witnessed the stoning of Stephen.
This event should have softened Paul’s heart. It did just the opposite.
It seemed to light a fire in him
That caused him to go after the church like no one else.
Acts 8:1-3 “Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. Some devout men buried Stephen, and made loud lamentation over him. But Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house, and dragging off men and women, he would put them in prison.”
Paul became a man consumed with hatred for the Church of God.
He later expressed this hatred while on trial.
Acts 26:9-11 “So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities.”
Of all the Jews that hated Christianity, Paul was the ring leader.
As far as hostility to the church was concerned,
It can quite literally be stated that Paul was indeed “the chief of sinners.”
He was Satan’s number one servant against the church.
It was this rage that sent him on a trip to Damascus.
But Saul would never persecute another believer,
For on the road Jesus would confront Him.
Acts 9:3-9 “As he was traveling, it happened that he was approaching Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, but get up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” The men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; and leading him by the hand, they brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”
Ananias would lead Paul to faith in Jesus Christ,
AND PAUL’S LIFE WOULD MANIFEST AN INSTANT CHANGE.
Previously the biggest threat to the church, now the biggest threat to orthodox Judaism, and Paul’s life was instantly in danger.
He had to be sneaked out of the city in a basket at night.
And of course this was only the beginning.
And this was indeed his calling.
For even when God was leading Ananias to witness to Paul, God said:
Acts 9:15-16 “But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
But it didn’t matter, Paul was a new creation.
He was now the chosen instrument to preach the gospel.
And what we learn from Paul is exactly the type of person
God is using to preach the gospel.
Look at how Paul identifies himself.
“Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus”
“bond-servant” translates DOULOS
It finds it’s picture in the Old Testament.
Exodus 21:5-6 “But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,’ then his master shall bring him to God, then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently.”
It was the picture of one who was a willing slave.
They were not forced into submission, they chose to submit.
And they did it out of love for the master.
Their service was not to gain freedom…
Their service was not to gain power…
Their service was not to gain possessions…
Their service was simply a way to stay close to the master they loved.
And that is where we find Paul.
He loved Jesus, and desired to serve Him.
This is the type of person God uses to preach the gospel.
God used Paul because Paul loved God.
And there is a great place for us to start.
Earthly credentials are of absolutely no value.
(Remember how ordinary the disciples were)
God is looking for those who are totally in love with Him
And devoted to His service.
Look at what Paul said:
2 Corinthians 4:6-7 “For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”
Paul said, God gave us “the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God”, and God stuck “this treasure in earthen vessels”
God doesn’t seek out the most beautiful vessels…
God doesn’t seek the most valuable vessels…
God stuck this gospel in an old clay pot.
God is looking for those who are whole-heartedly in love with Him.
Remember when Peter was recomissioned?
John 21:15 “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”
Paul was a bond-servant of Jesus.
WHAT TYPE OF PERSON PREACHES THE GOSPEL?
“A man with a sense of commitment to Jesus”
The Man
#2 THE MINISTRY
Romans 1:1b “called as an apostle”
We also recently talked about what this meant.
The apostolic authority that Jesus gave them in the upper room.
1 Thessalonians 2:6 “nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.”
So in one sense,
Paul is reminding the Romans that this letter is not a suggestion,
But comes with the authority of Jesus Christ.
But in it’s purest sense,
Paul was “called as an apostle” simply meaning that he was a “sent one”.
Paul was knew that he had a purpose in life.
You can see that just by studying the book of Romans.
Romans 1:9-15 “For God, whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel of His Son, is my witness as to how unceasingly I make mention of you, always in my prayers making request, if perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you so that I may impart some spiritual gift to you, that you may be established; that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”
It is hard from that verse to decipher if Paul was under command,
Or if he was just doing what he wanted to.
SO SUBMISSIVE: “He wanted to do what he was commanded to do.”
Romans 11:13 “But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,”
Romans 15:14-21 “And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. But I have written very boldly to you on some points so as to remind you again, because of the grace that was given me from God, to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles, ministering as a priest the gospel of God, so that my offering of the Gentiles may become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Therefore in Christ Jesus I have found reason for boasting in things pertaining to God. For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ. And thus I aspired to preach the gospel, not where Christ was already named, so that I would not build on another man’s foundation; but as it is written, “THEY WHO HAD NO NEWS OF HIM SHALL SEE, AND THEY WHO HAVE NOT HEARD SHALL UNDERSTAND.”
In fact, I think that Isaiah 52:15 (a verse he quotes there)
Must have been his verse of confirmation.
Paul knew that he was called by God to be an ambassador.
And this is the type of person that God uses.
It is hard for God to use a person who isn’t sure of his calling.
That type of person is requiring God
To orchestrate circumstances in his life
That will put him at the right place at the right time,
And also supposes that someone else will initiate the conversation.
Imagine you are a boss,
And this is how you have to communicate to your employees.
TALK ABOUT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE.
Yet that is how many expect God to use them.
And many seem quite content with their complete lack of service “God just hasn’t given me an opportunity.”
If you are not looking for people to share the gospel with,
Don’t be surprised if you never find someone.
Paul was focused. He knew he had been called (just as we have) And he was working towards obedience to that call.
WHAT TYPE OF PERSON PREACHES THE GOSPEL?
“A person with a sense of commitment to Jesus”
“A person with a sense of the calling of Jesus”
The Man, The Ministry
#3 THE MESSAGE
Romans 1:1c “set apart for the gospel of God.”
This really builds on and clarifies his sense of calling.
For Paul wasn’t just going.
Paul was a preacher of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:16 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”
You see this in his stubbornness to continue to preach the gospel, And in his unwillingness to be distracted from preaching the gospel.
1 Corinthians 1:17 “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”
It is apparent that Paul had a real sense of conviction.
He was a preacher of the gospel.
But not just any gospel.
“the gospel of God.”
Our world is full of gospels.
But that is not what we are to preach.
Paul was “set apart for the gospel of God.”
And this is really the crux of the book of Romans.
It is how God’s gospel is different from every other gospel.
Paul was committed to God’s gospel.
And it took commitment.
God’s gospel is not always readily seen as good news.
It strips you naked before it clothes you.
It puts you on your face before it picks you up.
It breaks your heart so it can mend your heart.
The gospel can be quite offensive.
Remember this fellow?
Luke 3:16-18 “John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.”
The gospel is offensive to people,
It offends their love of self, and requires the loss of everything in the world.
But that also comes with a message of hope, joy, and eternal life.
It is GRACE revealed through WRATH.
It is MERCY revealed through JUDGMENT.
It is LOVE revealed through REJECTION.
It tells men that they are filled with sin, totally depraved, unworthy of any good thing, and incapable of changing.
It tells men they must completely turn their backs on themselves, and let go of everything they love in life.
It requires the complete forsaking of their personal hopes, dreams, and all their worldly treasures.
It requires brokenness, and hatred of sin, mourning over our own wickedness, and hungering for the things of God.
It is the narrow gate that Jesus spoke of.
BUT WITH IT COMES THE GOOD NEWS OF GOD’S FORGIVENESS.
That “what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did; sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us…”
THAT IS GOD’S GOSPEL AND IT IS GOOD NEWS.
And Paul was committed to it.
That is the type of person that God uses.
But we are finding fewer and fewer who actually do it.
The gospel is so distorted today, it isn’t funny.
And that shouldn’t surprise us.
2 Timothy 4:1-4 “I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.”
Galatians 1:6-9 “I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!”
AND WHAT A SHAME.
Because the gospel is the only way of salvation.
Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
People cannot be saved apart from the preaching of the gospel.
So if people will not preach it, God does not use them.
Paul however was a preacher of the gospel, and he was used of God.
WHAT TYPE OF PERSON PREACHES THE GOSPEL?
“A person with a sense of commitment to Jesus”
“A person with a sense of the calling of Jesus”
“A person with a sense of conviction to preach the gospel of God”
ARE YOU THAT TYPE OF PERSON?
Paul was, and only eternity will truly show
How much this “bond-servant” was used by God.
OH THAT WE WOULD FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE.
1 Corinthians 9:16 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel.”
