An Invitation and Introduction To Martin Luther, Romans was “the chief book of the New Testament.” There are any number of reasons Luther might have felt that way. First among them is surely that in Romans is found the answer to humanity’s most perplexing, some would say most profound, question: “How can I be right with God?” How can my obviously unrighteous (un-Godly) self ever hope to stand before the righteousness of God? The clear answer of Romans is: “Because God gives me faith to believe that God counts me (judges me) to be righteous for the sake of Christ.” This theme is boldly stated in the first chapter, developed and argued for most of the rest of the book, and in latter chapters held to be the basis for how this new life in Christ is expressed in the real world of believers. Beginning next Sunday, we will be reading Romans together. The reading for each week will be on a Sunday bulletin insert and on our web page, along with a few comments and questions to guide our reading. Join us for reflection and meditation on the Book of Romans. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 1:7 Read Romans 1: 1-7 When Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Rome sometime between A.D. 54 and 58, he was writing to a church in which he had never been. He had heard of their faith and had wanted to visit them. Romans is in a real sense a letter of introduction for him, to them, before his visit. More importantly, it is an introduction to his understanding of what God was doing in Jesus Christ. That is why it is such an important document for Christians in every age. Paul begins by firmly grounding Jesus in the age-old plan of God for the salvation of humankind, a plan that is most definitely “good news.” Through Christ, Paul writes, we have received grace and an apostleship. We have been called to belong to God and to Jesus, and to be dedicated to God. Grace and peace are ours from God and from Jesus. An apostle is one who is sent as an ambassador or envoy of another. To whom are you being sent? How will you exercise your apostleship this week? Since you are dedicated to God and His Son and belong to them, what aspects of your life need to be tweaked to more closely express that special commitment and relationship? With what conscious effort will you go about doing that? Try this week to more consciously live in that grace and peace that are God’s gift to you. “I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.” Romans 1:14 Read Romans 1: 8-15 As customary in his letters, in the first paragraph after his opening remarks Paul assures his readers of his gratitude to God for the witness of their faith. In this letter he then expresses his deep longing to visit, though circumstances have thus far prevented him. Verse 9 Paul prays incessantly for these people he has never seen. Have you ever felt strengthened in faith or spirit by the prayers of people who are essentially strangers to you? Are there those barely known to you whom you can lift up before God today? Service personnel? A harried clerk in the store? A struggling single parent? A neighbor, co-worker, employee? Verse 12 The stated purpose of Paul’s longed for visit is that they might be “mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” A benefit of faithful worship, study and fellowship together is the mutual up-building of faith. When I am low or dis-spirited your faith and faithfulness lift me up. When you are down I may be able to return the favor. But only if we “mutually encourage one another” as we meet together. Verse 14 Paul considers himself a debtor to people of all kinds of faiths and philosophies. His grasp of Christ would have been less than what it was had he not been confronted and challenged by those of differing faiths and no faith. What can we learn from people of differing faiths and no faith? How? “...the gospel...is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith.” Romans 1:16 Read Romans 1: 16 - 17 For the fifth time in just 16 verses Paul mentions the word “gospel.” Here he describes its essence. It is the power of God for salvation to to everyone who has faith. This is the theme he is going to expound and explain. And it's a good thing too because here it isn’t entirely clear. The righteousness of God is variously described as the pure moral goodness, perfection and upright justice of God - the gold standard of behavior, being and relationship. The gospel reveals the righteousness of God. It is revealed “through faith for faith.” Meaning through the absolute faithfulness of God, to those who in faith trust God’s faithfulness. You have to ponder that a bit to get its electrifying significance for our relationships to God and one another. What is actually revealed is possibly better expressed in an alternate translation of verse 17, “the one who through faith is righteous shall live.” How does the fact that you know you can trust God to be absolutely faithful change your day? Since salvation is the gift of God to everyone who has faith you are now set free from sin to do what? “…the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness…” Romans 1:18 Read Romans 1: 18-32 Paul established in 1:16 that God’s salvation is a gift to those who by faith trust God. But sometimes even a gift lovingly given is not really needed. Here Paul shows that God’s salvation is the one thing everyone needs. He does this by noting that there is a general revelation of God’s nature and power in creation, not a full revelation such as we have in Jesus, but enough for everyone to know and honor God as Creator. That we do is indicated by a catalogue of representative human attitudes and behavior that runs the gamut from sexual sins to simple envy and rebelliousness toward parents. In an insightful twist Paul explains that the wrath of God is not revealed in direct divine destruction as we might expect, but in God’s giving us up to our sins (vs. 24). Thus, having been abandoned by God to our sins, it is our sins that destroy us. It follows then that God’s salvation is the one thing that everyone needs. Jesus promises to be with us always (Mt. 28:20) and is called “Emmanuel” (Mt. 1:23), which means “God with us.” If we are given up to our sins by God we are even more so saved from our sin and its consequence by the faithful presence of God and by faith Christ. Paul’s catalogue of sins is not exhaustive. What sin(s) exercise power over you? How does faith in God’s presence and Christ help confront that power? “Do you not realize that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 Read Romans 2: 1-16 Verses 6, 10 and 16, slash like a rapier at Paul’s contention that we are saved by God’s grace through faith. This section is necessary to address a crucial question: “If salvation is God’s gift, then what of moral responsibility? If God freely forgives, why not sin?” Paul’s answer is that the whole purpose of God’s kindness, forbearance and patience that results in our salvation is to lead us to repentance. Created in the image of God our life should glow with that image. Tarnished by sin, it doesn’t. But restored to God in Christ, God’s image in us is refurbished. We live in Christ, who is himself the very image of God. We are like silver, tarnished and discolored by sin. Cleansed by Christ, the tarnish is removed and the brightness restored. The free gift of God’s salvation sets us free to do good and reflect in our lives the goodness of God. We are to be morally responsible. Therefore Paul can say that, though we are saved by grace through faith, the righteous judgement of God will take into account “each ones deeds” (vs. 6) and “the secret thoughts of all” (vs. 16). The fullness of the gospel is what we do with what we believe. Read again verses 14 and 15. Is there then room in the mercy of God for those who do not know Jesus? Prayer Thank you God, for my salvation. Create in me a clean heart (repentance). Lead me by your Spirit to think and act more like Jesus. Amen. “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Romans 2:24 Read Romans 2:17-29 Here Paul addresses Jew Christians in the congregation. Their chief fault was spiritual pride. They imagined themselves more favored by God than Gentile Christians because they were circumcised descendants of Abraham. Paul’s point with them is essentially that sinners are sinners, be they Jew or Gentile, Christian or not. One problem with spiritual pride is self- deception. To use an image Jesus used, the spiritually proud person tends to see the speck in another’s eye, but not the log in his/her own eye. Another problem is that spiritual pride is a turn-off. A non-believer smells hypocrisy, sneers, and rejects the faith claims and the God of the believer. God is thereby dishonored by the negative witness of the spiritually proud. True people of God are not those who glory in and rely upon the long history, lineage and traditions of their faith, but those who live according to the faith; not those proud of their spiritual accomplishments, but those whose lives honor God. As Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Mt. 7:21) One reason we have a period of self-examination and confession early in our worship liturgy is that spiritual self-deception always seeks to trip us up. What are the things people see in us that dishonor God? How can our lives be a more positive witness? “...what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?” (vs. 1) Read Romans 3:1-8 We are not Jews. As with some forms that come our way, are we to skip these verses and go on to those that come next? No. We are in these 8 verses. Paul has just argued that circumcision and descent from Abraham do not guarantee right relationship with God. Some might therefore ask, “Then of what good are they?” His answer is that it is not so much a matter of special election and status as it is of special responsibility. The Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. They were to be a blessing to the world by sharing that revelation and God’s desire for relationship with people (Gen. 12:3). Not all were faithful. But that does not nullify the faithfulness of God. God can be trusted to be faithful even if we can’t. And where are we in these verses? We have been entrusted with the revelation of salvation in Jesus Christ. That is a matter of special responsibility. We who enjoy the fruits of salvation are to be a blessing to the world by sharing with the world that revelation and the relationship with God that is its fruit. Yes, we fail. The church itself often fails. But our sin, our failure, does not diminish the truth of God’s Gospel. The faithfulness of God trumps our infidelity every time. How do you strike a balance between enjoying the fruit of salvation and sharing that fruit in the widest possible way? How can Christ Lutheran Church be better at being a blessing to the world? How can the ELCA? What is our task after God “restores to us the joy of salvation” (Ps. 51:12)? Prayer Holy God, teach me to value the gift of your salvation above all things. Show me how to orient myself always to you. Amen.