June 17, 2012
Morning Service

A good father’s advice:  pick your friends and role models wisely.

 

1Co 11:1 Be imitators of me, even as I also am of Christ.

 

Paul’s letter to the church at Rome is different from his other letters.  Though he truly desired to visit them, Paul never set foot in their church.  He certainly knew several of the members, who were both Jew and Gentile, but did not have a direct hand in establishing it as he did the other churches he wrote letters to.   This letter was not written to address a problem they were dealing with but it is just a clear explanation or summary of the Gospel message from Paul’s perspective (almost a dialogue).

 

Scholars believe the letter was written at the end of Paul’s third missionary journey from the city of Corinth in the year 56-58 AD.

 

 This letter to the Romans is arguably the most influential book of the entire New Testament.

·         Augustine was converted through reading Chapter 13 & 14.

·         John Calvin wrote, “When anyone understands this Epistle, he has a passage opened to him to the understanding of the whole Scripture.”

·         John Wesley received assurance of salvation through the writings of Martin Luther’s commentary on this book.

·         Martin Luther began the Protestant Church Reformation movement upon reading in Romans how the “the just shall live by faith.”

·         Martin Luther’s commentary on Romans reads like this;

 

o   “This letter is truly the most important piece in the New Testament. It is purest Gospel. It is well worth a Christian's while not only to memorize it word for word but also to occupy himself with it daily, as though it were the daily bread of the soul. It is impossible to read or to meditate on this letter too much or too well. The more one deals with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.”

 

We can say that the Spirit through the study of this letter changed the world as we know it.

 

What if???

·         We studied this letter with a new focus, a new determination, a new vision, a new hope, a new openness, and a new willingness to obey what is said, could it change our world too?

·         Look at the world we live in; is it better than it was 5 years ago?  Is our nation better?  What about our community?  What about our friends and family?  What about you?  

 

On a personal level, I truly feel God moving me to a closer walk with Him.  I also feel the prince of this world fighting against that.  It is a spiritual battle going on daily in my life.

 

 

1Pe 5:8 Be sensible and vigilant, because your adversary the Devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour;

 

1Jo 4:4 You are of God, little children, and you have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

 

How do we fight this battle?

 

Surrender-Gal 2:20  I have been crucified with Christ, and I live; yet no longer I, but Christ lives in me. And that life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith toward the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself on my behalf.

 

Trust-Pro 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding.  (6)  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.

 

Joh 14:1-3  Let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in Me.  (2)  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  (3)  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, so that where I am, you may be also.

 

Remember-

Psa 8:1-4  To the Chief Musician, on the harp. A Psalm of David. O Jehovah our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens!  (2)  Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings You have ordained strength, because of ones vexing You, to cause the enemy and the avenger to cease.  (3)  When I look at Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have established;  (4)  what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man, that You visit him?

 

I am challenging myself, and you, to approach this study as one that will change our lives.  That is how revival starts:  one person at a time.  By yielding ourselves to God’s complete control (surrender), we allow Him to use us as “instruments of righteousness.”

 

Rom 1:1 Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, a called apostle, separated to the gospel of God,

 

·         The Greek word for slave (doulos) carries a dual meaning.  The first is one of ownership or possession.  Paul looks at Christ as his owner and master, giving himself over completely as an act of love, not duty.

·         The second meaning is one of honor.  The scripture refer to the great prophets of the OT as being the slaves of God.  Moses, Joshua, and Jeremiah were described in this way.  Paul follows suit in declaring himself among those, as can we if we pay the price.  It is an honor to give control of our lives to a God who loves us beyond our understanding.  He can then use us to help build His kingdom.

 

Let’s answer that “what if” question and open ourselves up to the Spirit’s control and allow Him to speak to us in a whole new way.  Pray for a change, not for your sake, but for His.  Trust that He will do what He says and transform not only us, but those around us.