Romans chapter one. First verse. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, Separated unto the gospel of God. Let's go to the Lord once more in prayer and then we'll come back to this. Lord, thank you for your word.

Thank you for the apostle Paul and how you used him. I used him to bring many souls to the savior. I used him to bring glory to your name. I used him to pin these words, your words for us that we might know you and your way of salvation. The gospel of Jesus Christ.

Thank you again for the opportunity to worship you here today and for all that you have done for us that we can never repay. May we, at least today, do our very best to honor you, to listen to you, and go forth from this place to serve you. In Jesus name, amen. Paul identifies himself as the author of this letter to to the believers in Rome as for for whom he expresses an eager desire to come visit as we'll see in a moment that he might encourage and strengthen them in their faith by giving them the word of God, the gospel and as he had been prevented up to this point to coming to them to he had been striving to visit them but it just hadn't happened. He wanted to share at least some of what the Lord had laid on his heart now to help them and so he did this by sending a letter.

In doing so, under the inspiration of the spirit, he left us with the most thorough exposition of the doctrine of salvation in the scriptures. Now, there is no one scripture that is more important than another. They are all important. They are all vital. That is why God gave them to us.

They are all necessary for the Christian. To walk closely and obediently with the Lord. But this particular passage of scripture, Romans one through three, sets forth piece by piece the doctrine of salvation. In a very clear and thorough way that we might understand it. That we might be assured of our faith in it.

And that we might be able to share it with others. It is a passage which we would be well advised to become more familiar with today for our own assurance and our own growth in the faith. So, let's quickly, let's take a deeper dive into the opening salutation of Paul's letter this morning and in so doing, take a closer look at Paul. And his heartbeat. So, beginning again in verse one and we're going to read down through verse seven or eight.

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated on the gospel of God, which he had promised to four by his prophets in the holy scriptures. Concerning his son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience in the faith among all nations for his name. Among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First thing I want us to see this morning from Romans one is Paul's description of himself.

Paul's description of himself. He's he's introducing himself to these Roman believers at the beginning of his letter. Only makes sense to do. Many of us are quite familiar with the apostle Paul but those to whom Paul was writing may not have been so familiar with him, who he was. So, he hits all the important parts in rapid succession in this opening section.

What is it that they need to know? Now, there's many things you could know about the apostle Paul that we learn about from scripture. He was a Jew, but he was born in a Gentile city in Cilicia, Tarsus Cilicia, which is today in Turkey. He was raised in devout Jewish home. Eventually, he left home to go to Jerusalem where he studied underneath of some of the greatest rabbis and teachers of his day in Judaism.

He became a teacher himself also. He became a servant to the Sanhedrin, the ruling council in Jerusalem and he spent several years of his adult life hunting down Christians to have them arrested and jailed and sometimes even executed because he believed that Christianity was a cancer in Judaism and that he wanted to eradicate and so that's what he did until one day, he met who? He met the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus on his way to the city of Damascus to arrest some Christians that were there and take them back to Jerusalem. The Lord stopped him in his tracks and the Lord saved his soul and the Lord called him into his service. There are many other things we could talk about in regards to Paul today but these are the things here in the verse one in particular that he chose to relate to his readers.

So, let's look at them. First of all, I want us to see his humble position. His humble position. He introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ. Now, as I mentioned, he was a master of Old Testament scriptures.

He was a teacher, a rabbi in Judaism. Well learned man. However, how he introduces himself is as a servant and so we see his humble position and of echoes the words of David here in Psalm 8,410. He says, for a day in thy courts is better than a thousand, I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of wickedness. Paul, the great apostle, the great teacher, first and foremost, introduces himself in several of his books as a servant.

Servant here means not a hired servant whose service is dependent upon a promised wage. That's not this word. This word is doulos. It means bond servant. It describes one who has bound himself in service to another out of love, out of loyalty, and fealty.

Basically, a slave by choice. That is what Paul introduced himself as. A servant, a bond servant, a slave by choice. To Jesus Christ. This is the first thing Paul wanted his audience to know.

Not just that he was a servant but they also wanted him to them to know who he served. A servant of Jesus Christ. Now, you see that made all the difference. He didn't want to be a servant to to Caesar. He didn't want to be a servant to just any master on Earth.

But to be a servant of Jesus Christ. Now, that's something different. That's something special. That is something to be thankful for. That is a place of honor.

To be the servant to the incarnate son of God, the savior of the world, the promised Messiah. Some might think it honorable to be servant to an earthly king or king or queen but so much more the king of kings and the Lord of lords and Paul did not see this as a reason to be ashamed. He saw it as a reason to glory in. Something to be happy about and something that he felt others should be happy about as well. A servant of Jesus Christ and if you're a child of God today, you are also a servant of Jesus Christ.

Though we don't always act like it. We should. And it isn't it isn't a burden. No, it is a blessing to serve in the house of the Lord. Second of all, he wanted them to know he was an apostle.

He said, a servant of Jesus Christ called to be an apostle. So, we see his humble position and now his privileged vocation. On a couple occasions, he also introduced himself in other books as an apostle. The term apostle means sent one. It may be used generally to describe someone sent by God with a task but most often, it's used specifically in scripture to to describe a unique group of 12 people.

We often know them as the 12 disciples or the 12 apostles. This unique group of 12 people commissioned and sent personally by Jesus Christ during his earthly ministry. These 12 were chosen. These 12 were trained. They spent day after day, three years walking with Jesus Christ on this Earth.

They were special not because they were smarter than everybody else, not because they were even more faithful than everybody else but because they were called of God. He chose them for this particular task. These 12 were chosen during Christ's earthly ministry with one exception. And that is the apostle Paul. Who was chosen in person on the road to Damascus.

When the heavens opened and Jesus spoke directly to Paul that day and called him to be the apostle to the what? To the Gentiles. These men were unique in their calling to establish Christ's church on Earth. They were gifted by Jesus himself to perform miracles and works much like Christ's miracles. They were called uniquely to be largely responsible for the writing of the New Testament scriptures which form the basis of the doctrine of the church today.

Matter of fact, the scriptures in the early church were sometimes called the apostles doctrine. And that's what it says in Acts two. They continue daily in the apostles doctrine. That is the doctrine delivered to the apostles to be shared with us so that we would know God's will so that we might know more about him so that we might know the gospel and be able to share it. Paul was indeed part of a very important group but not of his own choosing but God's.

As he points out by the use of the word called. He didn't choose to be an apostle. No. God stopped him dead in his tracks on the road to Damascus and turned him 180 around. Paul, God called him to be an apostle and God used him greatly.

So, we see Paul the servant. We see Paul the apostle and we see Paul who was set apart or separated unto the gospel of God. We see his humble position, his his honored vocation, and his joyous dedication. Why was it that Paul was dedicated to? It was to the gospel of God.

The gospel of Jesus Christ. We'll come to it again a few minutes but look, if you would over to verse 16, he says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. It was his joyous dedication in life to be dedicated to the proclamation of the gospel. That is what he had been called to by God and that was what he was going to do. And nothing by God's grace would stand in his way.

The gospel being the good news that brings salvation to all who receive it. The good news, that's what the word gospel means, good news or good tidings. That brings salvation to all, all who receive it. The good news concerning the person of Jesus Christ and his redemptive work by which we are saved. It says in verse three, concerning Jesus Christ, our Lord.

First Peter three eighteen, says, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just, that's him. For the unjust, that's us. That he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickened or made alive again by the spirit. Jesus Christ is the focal point. He is the person of the gospel.

The gospel is not just a formula. The gospel is not just a list of do's and don'ts. It's not just psychology. It's not just a religious teaching. The gospel is Jesus.

He is the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father but by him. It is all about who he is and what he did for us. When he died on the cross and rose again from the dead. Though Paul was used of God to fulfill many tasks necessary for the establishment of local churches, the first and foremost and his heartbeat was the preaching of the gospel.

For apart from it, there could be no converts. And apart from it, there could be no churches. It was his heartbeat. It was his mission. It was his dedication.

To the gospel and to the person of the gospel. Jesus Christ is Lord. As he mentions here, the gospel which was promised a four time by the prophets in the holy scriptures. The prophets foretold of this gospel centered around the son of God, Jesus Christ. It says here in the end of verse three, which was made, speaking of Jesus, made of the seed of David according to the flesh.

Here's the promise, second Samuel seven eleven through 13. Also the Lord telleth thee, that is David, that he will make thee an house when thy days be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom, how long? We say, well, that's talking about Solomon. You know, he built the temple and yeah, but there's one part missing there.

Solomon died. Solomon's temple was destroyed. The kingdom of Israel went into exile a few hundred years after Solomon. But when Jesus returns, he will establish his kingdom forever. And he was born of the seed of what?

Of David. You see, we won't take time this morning but if you look in Matthew chapter one, the apostle Matthew gives us the lineage of Jesus Christ and that lineage comes right down the royal line of David to Jesus. The Bible tells us the manner of his birth in Ephesians seven fourteen. He was born of a virgin, unique. It tells us the place of his birth in Micah five two.

Bethlehem and that's where he was born. It tells us the manner of his ministry in Isaiah 53. Humble and sacrificial. The manner and purpose of his death for he was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities.

With his stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray and the Lord hath laid on him that is Jesus, the iniquity and sin of us all. That's in Isaiah 53, hundreds of years before Christ was born. It tells us of his resurrection in Isaiah 53. The Lord shall prolong his days.

He died, he was cut off, it says, not for his sins but for ours And then his days were prolonged. That means he rose again. And it tells us of his exaltation. And the passages are too numerous to begin to mention. Of all the Old Testament scriptures that speak of the exaltation and coming kingdom of Jesus Christ.

The coming of the Messiah was not a secret. It was foretold. The Jews were awaiting it, at least some of them. Sadly, most of them missed it. We see that Jesus was identified powerfully as the son of who?

The son of God. How? By his resurrection from the dead. Turn if you would over to first Corinthians, just a few pages after Romans, you come to first Corinthians. Look at first Corinthians 15.

What is the gospel? Well, the gospel was foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament concerning all these things about Jesus Christ and it was fulfilled in Christ in the New Testament as he came and he ministered and he died for our sins and he rose again from the dead and that's what Paul recites here in first Corinthians 15. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you are saved if you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that's the Old Testament scriptures. That he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures and that he was seen of Cephas, that is Peter, then of the 12.

After that, he was seen of above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles, and last of all, he was seen of me also, as one born out of due time. Paul says, here's the crux of the matter, a dead savior can't save anyone but a living one can and Jesus Christ is very much what? He is very much alive. And able to save all who come to him by faith.

He is the son of God and he proved it. The Pharisees and others were asking him in the latter year of his ministry, show us more signs, more miracles, heal more people, do these and he said, no. He said, I will give you just one more and that is the sign of the prophet Jonas who was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights. So shall the son of man be in the heart of the earth. Three days and three nights and indeed he was and indeed he came back forth.

Out of the grave alive and Jesus is back to Romans one and Jesus is responsible by his grace alone, not by personal merit or works or power but Jesus is responsible by his grace alone. For the saving and sending of Paul and others to bring all nations, peoples in every place into the obedience, into obedience to the faith of Jesus Christ for his glory. Verse five, by whom we have received grace and apostleship for the obedience to the faith among all nations for his name. Again, was it Paul that chose Christ or Christ that chose Paul? Was it Paul that chose apostleship or was it Christ that chose him to be an apostle?

It is by the grace of God that we are saved. We didn't earn it. We are not worthy of it but yet he died for me and he died for you And if you will receive it, you will too become a son of God. And he has a mission for you as well. Ephesians two eight and nine tells us, for by grace are you saved through faith.

And that not of yourselves, it's the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, not our own. We're his workmanship. Created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. You know, God's got a will and a purpose for you being on this planet.

God's got a will and purpose for saving your soul. You have, there's a neighbor, there's a child, there's a friend, there's a relative, and there may be many of them that need to see Jesus Christ in you. They need to hear about Jesus Christ from you and you are here for a purpose just as Paul was and therefore, he saved you by his grace through faith in his name. Thus, the preaching and the power of the gospel that Paul preached, it changed lives, it saved souls. This redeemed group of believers of which they were and we are a part, a sampling of, have been called of God to faith in Jesus Christ, his son, through the hearing of the gospel whereby we are saved.

So, faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God. Romans ten fifteen. You know, this church he wrote, they were a sampling of the redeemed in Christ Jesus and if you know Christ as savior, you are too. We're all part of a bigger congregation of believers. Who have been commissioned to represent Jesus Christ on this Earth.

Who have been blessed and privileged to serve, to be servants of Jesus Christ our Lord. That others may see our good works and glorify our father which is in heaven. He says in verse six, among whom are you also the called of Jesus Christ. You are also privileged. Privilege to be the children of God with a purpose.

The service of him. We see Paul who he is. His humble position, his honored vocation, and his dedication to the gospel. But here also, we'll just take a quick look at his recipients. To all that be in what?

In Rome. Verse seven again. To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all and your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit and the gospel of his son that without ceasing, I make mention of you always in my prayers.

Making request, if by any means, now at length, I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart you, unto you some spiritual gift to the end you may be established. That is that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me. Now, I would not have you ignorant brethren that often times I purpose to come unto you but was led hitherto that I might have some fruit among you also even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise.

So, as much as is in as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are in Rome in Rome or at Rome also. So, he introduces himself and then he talks, speaks to his recipients. Who is he writing to? All the believers that beware in Rome. And as the Lord recorded this and preserved it for us, he's also talking to who?

He's also talking to the believers in Largo in Clearwater, Florida this morning. The believers that are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints. Now, I'm going stop just for a moment because that word saint is sometimes confusing to some because of Catholic church and others that have kind of confused the term. What does the word saint mean? Well, the word saint means separated or set apart ones.

It's from the same root as holy and sanctified. But saints do not set themselves apart by their works which is what many people believe to be the case. They are set apart not, they do not set themselves apart, they are set apart by who? By Jesus Christ. By his grace unto salvation and eternal life.

If you are saved, you are a what? Saint. If you are not saved, you are not a saint. But that could change today. Come to the Lord Jesus Christ and he will make you his child and he will set you apart unto himself.

And you will be a saint. The church does not make that determination. A priest or a pope does not make that determination. Christ Jesus does when he saves your soul by his grace and sets you apart in himself. Second Corinthians five seventeen, therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

All things are passed away. Behold, all things are become new. If you are in Christ, you are a saint and Paul is speaking to you today. As same as he was speaking to them. You don't have to be part of some special educated group.

You don't have to have a degree after your name. You don't have to have been in church your entire life. You don't have to have done some particular far out task in order to be honored with the title saint. No, Jesus Christ did the task when he died for you on the cross and rose again. So that you, on his merit, and by his grace, could be called a saint in Jesus Christ.

These saints to whom Paul writes here, he mentions to them how grateful he is. How grateful he is it? It just made Paul's day, week, year to hear about other saints, about other believers in Jesus Christ. Whether they were churches that he had planted, or whether they were churches that someone else had planted, he was grateful and always glad to hear what God was doing in the life of others. Nothing brings more joy to the heart of a pastor or a minister than to see God at work in the lives of individuals.

Bringing them to salvation in Jesus Christ. Helping them to grow in the Lord. Nothing is more satisfying. Nothing takes the place of that. He says, not only am I grateful for you but I'm always praying for you.

Any sincere pastor or evangelist is a praying pastor or evangelist. Particularly for those who have come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as savior, who are struggling and dealing with many different things in their life. Prayer works. Prayer changes lives. God answers prayer.

I can't change you. He can. He can through the preaching of his word but also through the work of his spirit. And we need to pray for one another. As Paul did for the Romans.

Number three, for whom he was desirous to visit. He wanted to visit them. He makes a big deal of that here. He wanted to visit them to impart some spiritual gift. He wanted to visit them that he might establish them in the faith as mature Christians that he might comfort them and be comforted by them and their mutual work in the Lord.

That he might bear fruit among them and the salvation of more lost souls to the preaching of the gospel. Gospel to which he was bound by Jesus Christ. No matter who the audience, he was eager now to do so in Rome. He was willing, eager, ready, chomping at the bit to come out of the gate and get to Rome. Well, he was gonna get there, not quite as he planned.

But he got there and God used him, even from house arrest. God knows what he's doing. But it begins with a willing heart. Do you think Paul was willing? I think he was willing.

He says so. Are you willing? Are you willing to be used in your neighbor's life? In your relative's life? In your coworker's life?

Are you chomping at the bit? To tell them the gospel. To get wisdom from God to know how to help them. Paul was. You can be too.

So, we see Paul's description of himself, his recipients, and finally, once again, his message. Verse sixteen and seventeen, he says, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein is righteous is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith.

Once again, it brings us back to the message to which he is dedicated to the gospel. Sir, he says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Paul says, I'm not ashamed. I'm not ashamed to come to you. I'm eager to come to you.

There's nothing anybody can do to make me ashamed of my savior or to make me ashamed of the way of salvation in the gospel. To make me be quiet, to shut me up. To embarrass me, because it's not about me, it's about him, it's about you and if it's about him and it's about you, then what's going to embarrass me? Nothing. If I'm preaching and teaching and proclaiming the good news of the gospel.

I was reading and I have a John MacArthur study Bible. I was reading some of the notes in it and I like the way he put this. Verse 16, I am not ashamed. He had been imprisoned in Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica, smuggled out of Berea, laughed at in Athens, regarded as a fool in Corinth, stoned in Galatia. But Paul remained eager to preach the gospel in Rome.

The seat of contemporary political power and pagan religion. Neither ridicule, criticism, nor physical persecution could curb his boldness. I like the way he put that. He was not ashamed. All that we might be so inclined and determined to reach our brothers and sisters, our coworkers, and neighbors with the good news as Paul.

Unashamedly and undeterred. They won't always listen the first time. They might ridicule you. But keep praying and keep sharing good things will happen. God will bring the increase.

Don't be ashamed of the one who humiliated on a cross, on the streets of Jerusalem, suffering for you. Don't you be ashamed of him. He says, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel is powerful. I am not but God's word is.

God is through his word. The gospel meaning not only the words but the person of the gospel Jesus Christ, Who by means of his sacrifice alone is able to bring salvation to all who believe in his name. For whosoever shall call in the name of the Lord shall be what? Saved. Any conditions there?

No. For anyone who will call in faith on Jesus Christ as Lord and savior, God will save but how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear unless someone tells them. And that is up to us. The gospel to everyone who believes regardless of race or nationality or station in life, that means a lot to people in every age but it doesn't mean anything to who? Doesn't mean anything to God.

John one hundred eleven and twelve, for he came unto his own and his own received him not. Those were the Jews. What was the problem? They were Jews? No.

The problem was he came unto them and they what? They rejected him but as many as received him, to them gave you power to become the sons or the children of God even to them that believe on his name and if you believed on his name, you're a child of God. By God's grace through the sacrifice of his son and if you're not today, you can be forever changed. And he finishes in verse 17 with this, for therein or whereby is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith that is as it written, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. It is by the gospel.

It is by the death of Christ and the offer of salvation. A righteous God is revealed and that he took upon himself our sin, our punishment, our hell, so that having paid the necessary price for our sin upon the cross. We might have the opportunity by his grace to be forgiven for our sins and save from God's just wrath through faith in Christ. You see, sin has to be what? Punished.

A righteous, just God cannot let it go unpunished. So, what did God do? So that we wouldn't have to be punished. He sent his son and punished Christ in my place. You say, why did he do that?

For God so loved the world. He so loved you. He so loved his creation. He did not want us to spend eternity separated from him in a place called the Lake Of Fire. So, gave his son.

He punished his son so that we might be forgiven through faith in him and therefore, as a just and righteous God revealed in the sacrifice of himself for sinful man. That all who put their faith in him might be saved because the just, the justified live, that is possess and enjoy eternal life only through faith in who? Jesus Christ. There is no other way. All those other leaders, all those other religions, they're all made by man and they do not provide a way of what?

Salvation. All they make your life a little better here, there, if you follow these rules or try those things, yeah, maybe. But they cannot save your soul. There's only one way. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No man cometh to the father but by me. But without faith, it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must that he believe that he is and he is a rewarder of them that diligently serve serve him. Seek him. Have you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone? As the only means of salvation from sin and hell.

As is revealed here in the holy scriptures by the mouth of the apostle Paul or are you yet in your sin? Unconvinced and unmated unmotivated to receive the good news. Here it is. We preached it. You've heard it.

Now, what are you going to do with it? Going to give a hymn of invitation here in just a moment. We'll sing a verse or two. The Lord has put it on your heart to make that decision today. You can.

If you'll come as we sing. I'll meet you right down here. We'll go aside and I'll show you how you can be safe today and know it and your life will be changed forever. Let's pray. Dear God, thank you Lord for this day.

Thank you for your word, the apostle Paul. For how you used him to reach the Romans and many others with the gospel of Jesus Christ and to reach us. To the recorded letter. That he wrote. Under your inspiration.

That's been preserved for us today that we can read it and study it and learn from it. And Lord, we do pray if there's one here that's never trusted Christ as savior as we sing the song song of invitation. We pray Lord they would come. And I pray Lord for us who know the Lord that we would get rid of any shame that the gospel, any embarrassment that the gospel would bring into our life. We would take our eyes off of ourselves that we would see how privileged it is to be a servant of Jesus Christ and that we too would see the power of God in the presentation of the gospel and see more souls come to the savior.

In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.