It has been good and sweet, encouraging, and sometimes terrifying to read the Acts of the Holy Spirit through men and women called of God to carry The Message of Jesus to the world.  The movement is now well on its way, as many follow The Way.  Thousands are believing that Jesus is indeed the Messiah come to save us—The One and Only Son of God who the prophets told about through the centuries before He came to earth. Jesus is The Way, Truth, and Life—The Only Way to God.

Both Jews and non-Jews learn that Jesus redeemed us from punishment for our sins by laying down His life in our deserved place on a cruel cross.  They hear that God then raised His Son in resurrection power from death to Life eternal three days later.  God then honored Jesus as King of kings, and Lord of lords—forever!  This act of resurrection from death to life secures our hope of eternal life if we believe.  This gift of His Son is our salvation!  This gift is a result of God’s unchanging, relentless, unconditional love for us.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”  John 3:16-17, NIV

Although imprisoned for preaching Jesus, Paul does not hesitate in his assignment to proclaim The Message of Jesus.  He sends letters of love and encouragement to all the churches.  The church is growing in the numbers of new lives changed and transformed by Jesus as The Body of Christ.  Paul tells them how each one in the Body of Christ has been given certain gifts and abilities in order to build and encourage each other in healthy ways so that others may know Jesus by the love that is growing because of Jesus in them. 

It’s an ever-growing learning process!  Believers in Jesus are growing in His love and learning to walk in His ways but the church is made up of imperfect people who don’t always “get it right” and need help and correction.  Paul is the one assigned to carefully encourage and correct while still in chains.  He takes pure joy in seeing the church accept everyone, showing no favoritism, and love “like your lives depended on it”!  All people are drawn to those who love well.  Our work is to pass on The Message of Jesus in a spirit of love, Paul teaches.

God’s church today still leans on this wisdom God produced through Paul’s writings for the church.  Jesus is the Cornerstone of His church and Jesus is the Head of the Body of believers.  Jesus began this work with Peter and many other committed disciples. Later we will read and meditate on their letters, too!  But for now, let’s dive into the letter to the Romans!  Commence to learn so we can pass on The Message as “clearly as we should” so others will know and follow Jesus!

Romans 1, The Message

I, Paul, am a devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to proclaim God’s words and acts. I write this letter to all the believers in Rome, God’s friends.

^2-7 The sacred writings contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God’s Son. His descent from David roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our Master. Through him we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ! And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master Jesus, the Messiah.

^8-12 I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That’s first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him. And God, whom I so love to worship and serve by spreading the good news of his Son—the Message!—knows that every time I think of you in my prayers, which is practically all the time, I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you. The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache. I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don’t think I’m not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.

^13-15 Please don’t misinterpret my failure to visit you, friends. You have no idea how many times I’ve made plans for Rome. I’ve been determined to get some personal enjoyment out of God’s work among you, as I have in so many other non-Jewish towns and communities. But something has always come up and prevented it. Everyone I meet—it matters little whether they’re mannered or rude, smart or simple—deepens my sense of interdependence and obligation. And that’s why I can’t wait to get to you in Rome, preaching this wonderful good news of God.

^16-17 It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else! God’s way of putting people right shows up in the acts of faith, confirming what Scripture has said all along: “The person in right standing before God by trusting him really lives.”

WHAT DO WE LEARN—HOW DO WE RESPOND?

Letters to imperfect people of the perfect forgiveness of Jesus!  Paul has a definite writing style and position.  In his letters, he begins by going over who we are as believers.  If we know who we are, we will begin to know why we exist, live, and breathe as believers of Jesus. This is the “secret,” he will write to the Colossians, “Christ in us!” (Colossians 1:27).  In the middle of Paul’s letters, the word therefore will appear and change the direction of thee letter from who we are to what we are suppose to do given who we are in Jesus.  “Therefore” is there for a reason an signals the shift! 

Romans is a life-changing letter for people who are willing to admit they are sinners.  “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Paul writes to the Romans and as a reminder to us.  In this Holy Spirit inspired letter, Paul explores all the wrong options and takes us to the only correct one. The wrong solutions are pleasure and pride (Romans 1-2); the correct solution is Christ Jesus (Romans 3:21–26). According to Paul, we are saved by grace (undeserved, unearned favor) through faith (complete trust) in Jesus and his work.

Paul’s letter concludes with practical instruction for a growing church, including thoughts on spiritual gifts (Romans 12); genuine love (also Romans 12); good citizenship (Romans 13). The final chapters provide brilliant instruction for dealing with everything from church division to difficult brethren. 

Even though Paul cannot physically visit the churches, God has given him the gift of powerful, Spirit filled wisdom; writing from his imprisonment to those who are imprisoned without Jesus.

The Message: “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

Lord,

Thank you for Paul who was believed and was fully committed to you.  Thank you for teaching us through Paul’s letters to the Body of Christ.  Thank you for forgiving us when we get it wrong with loving correction. Thank you for encouragement when we get it right as we you lead us. Give us wisdom to live daily in Your Name for Your Glory in ways that please you. 

In Jesus Name, Amen