The model of Christ, missionary desire and final greetings
Teacher
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Lesson 13
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
Romans 15.8,9,18-22
Romans 16.25-27
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
8For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God’s truth, so that the promises made to the patriarchs might be confirmed 9and, moreover, that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written: “Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing the praises of your name.” 18I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.
20It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.
Romans 15.8,9,18-20
BASIC BIBLICAL TEXT
21Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” 22This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.
25Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, 26but now revealed and made known through the prophetic writings by the command of the eternal God, so that all the Gentiles might come to the obedience that comes from faith— 27to the only wise God be glory forever through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Romans 15.21,22; 16.25-27
GOLDEN TEXT
1 Corinthians 9.16
For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
AIMS
* Reflect on the unfinished task of the Great Commission;
* Understand the evangelizing mission of the Church;
* Recognize that, as a disciple of Jesus, you have a firm commitment in your Christian walk to spread the gospel message.
INTRODUCTION
The apostle Paul was very clear to himself that the primary task of the Church is to preach the gospel of the good news and to announce the Kingdom of God to the whole world, without any kind of favoritism (1 Cor 9.16-23). With that in mind, he did everything he could to preach the gospel and reach people for Christ. In the broadest sense, he was a great evangelist, a church planter.
His strategy was not to build on someone else's foundation, but to preach Christ in places where Christ had not yet been announced (Rom. 15:18-21).
INTRODUCTION
After his missionary work on the eastern side of the Roman Empire, the city of Rome became the apostle's main target. And, at the end of the epistle, he takes stock of his activity in the East and sets out his future program, which aims to reach Spain with the gospel of grace (Rom. 15:23, 24).
However, Paul's travel plans to reach the Romans with the gospel of Christ suffered an "accident en route" and were therefore altered. The apostle was eventually arrested in Jerusalem, where he had gone to deliver the collection of the Macedonian and Achaian churches in favor of the poor of the Jerusalem community (Rom. 15:25).
1. PAUL AND THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN ROME
1.1. THE BEGINNINGS OF EVANGELIZATION IN ROME
The origin of the formation of house churches in Rome is unknown. The tradition that Peter was its founder has no historical support, as he was still in Jerusalem in A.D. 39. (Gal 1:18) and there are no references in Acts or any other letters of Paul to Peter's presence in Rome; moreover, it was not Paul's object to build on another's foundation (Rom. 15:20). As Isaiah 52:15 prophesied, the apostle desired to take the gospel into new territory.
1.2. Christianity presence in Rome
We know that there was a lot of travel at that time and that there was a continuous migration from the capital to all corners of the empire. Chapter 16 of the letter under study bears witness to the fact that many Christians in the Roman congregation came to the capital from other regions, especially Asia Minor, Paul's missionary environment.
1.3. Christian community in Rome
At the time of writing this letter, Gentile Christians already represented the majority in the community. However, at the same time, one needs to have a large share and influence in the Judeo-Christian community, as Romans 9-11 and 16:7,11 especially show.
There was no cohesive Christian community in Rome, with a single large meeting space, for Paul not only mentions the domestic community around Priscilla and Aquila (Rom 16:3-5), but also attests, in verses 14 and 15, to the existence of several independent communities. Therefore, Paul addresses his letter not to the single ekklesia in Rome, but to all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints (Rom. 1:7a).
2. PAUL'S MISSIONARY-PASTORAL WORK
2.1. FOCUSING IN THE LOCAL NEEDS
All of Paul's writings grew out of his missionary-pastoral work and focused on the problems and needs of local churches. The Letter to the Romans also belongs to this genre, but it is the least local in the sense that Paul had not yet been to Rome personally. The missive was his opportunity to expose the gospel message to Christians, Jews, and Gentiles residing in the capital of the Empire.
2.2. The focus of the gospel message
Paul's message has its main focus on the fundamentals of Christianity, which he received by revelation. He wrote about the nature of sin, the plan of salvation carried out on the cross, the Christian's union with Christ and the way in which the holy spirit works in the life of the saved, endowing him with power and authority in promoting the virtues of the Lord Jesus and the believer's holiness. In addition, he did not fail to speak about the place of the Jewish people in God's plan, ethics in the Christian's life and the hope of future life, after Christ's return to seek His church.
The apostle did not write the Letter to the Romans with the intention of presenting a systematic theology. However, the way in which its exposition was ordered made this letter the most theological in the entire New Testament, since it presents, in an organized way, the main theme of Christian theology, which is justification by faith.
2.3. Focus on strengthening Christians
Paul's purpose can be identified from his direct statements in the text and deduced from the content. In addition to asking for prayer for the difficult task that lay ahead and that he might go and see them (Rom. 15.30-32), he expressly recorded that he wished to contribute to the strengthening of Christians in Rome (Rom. 1:11, 12).
Paul was sure that through his instruction he would bring benefits and blessings to the house churches of Rome.
3. THE GOSPEL PROCLAMATION
Each of the gifts and ministries given to the Church are spiritual in nature. However, they evoke the urgent need for the performance of a service on the part of every truly redeemed person of Christ, which is the proclamation of the gospel. Thus, both Jews and Gentiles can be partakers of the root of Jesse (Rom. 15:10-12).
That "root" is not the nation of Israel, but Jesus himself. In the penultimate chapter of the epistle, he quotes Isaiah 11:10 to show that Jesus emerges from the house of David and rules over all nations. So when he mentions the "root" of the olive tree, he is talking about our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Gentiles are and always will be the ”wild olive shoot" grafted onto the original "root" from which they continually draw life. (GREATHOUSE, W.M.; LYONS G. New Beacon Bible Commentary, Romans. Central Gospel, 2017).
3.1 The Church task
The main task of the Church on Earth is evangelization (Mk 16:15,16). Matthew 28:19,20 describes what came to be called the Great Commission. Jesus gave this command to the apostles just before ascending to heaven. This command pretty much sums up what Jesus expected the apostles and all of his followers to do in his absence.
If the Church does not experience a real and powerful spiritual revival, in a few decades Europe will either become Muslim or Christianity will no longer influence it.
3.2. GOSPEL IS THE POWER OF GOD
The abundance of salvation quotes in the Pauline letters clearly shows that behind Romans 1:16 is the scripture that Paul reads, with Christ - and his work - as a central figure. The apostle's focus is to show that the gospel is not mere information about God's saving plan, but is the very application of God's righteousness in the salvation of everyone who believes. In the gospel, the saving purpose of the Most High is fulfilled, whose main goal is to reach human beings through His immense love, regardless of any cultural aspect, because His inclusive love encompasses all.
In this way, Paul shows the decisive motive of his proclamation of the gospel and of his universal concept of mission. In the face of humanity that has succumbed to the power of sin and the wrath of God, which is manifesting, the gospel needs to be preached universally to all nations in order for them to believe and be saved.
3.3. Final doxology
The epistle ends in a spectacular way, showing the supreme need of every human being to give glory to the one God, infinitely wise, through Jesus Christ (Rom. 16:27). This doxology summarizes all the great ideas of the epistle, such as: the power of the gospel preached by Paul; the revelation of the righteousness of God in the salvation by faith of all the nations of the earth.
CONCLUSION
The study of Romans should revitalize faith through the knowledge of God's righteousness in Christ, promoting spiritual steadfastness and enthusiasm in sharing the message of God's love urgently, reaching as many people as possible. Everyone who is a disciple of Jesus is entrusted with this most noble task with the exception of no one.
GOD BLESS YOU!
EBD ADVEC
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