Notes From Jon

These next two posts were actually delivered as one sermon, but I expanded on them both and thought they deserved to be split.  This first part deals with the atual text of chapters 15-16, then the next post deals with the lessons we’ve learned from the entire book.

Closing Things Out
Romans 15-16

The beginning of chapter 15 carries on from Paul’s discussion in chapter 14, where we left off last time.  As we learned then, it seems the manner in which we disagree (not the content) on things in the Body of Christ really does make a difference.

Romans 15:1-13 (NIV)

¹We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. ²Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. ³For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Read the rest of this entry »

My series on Romans is not over yet, but it has taken a break for Advent.  In the meantime, I was able to deliver two more sermons – including this one covering difficult passages in chapters 9, 10 and 11.  I took these as a chunk because they seem to fit together as one long “tangent” Paul chases – albeit a very important and informative tangent.

As some previous entries, this post is more notes and commentary than sermon – I referred to these notes as I preached, but the final format was much different.

This week, we’re going to cover a little more ground than we have been so far.  At this point, Paul gets into a discussion that certainly has theological value, but is aimed more for his audience in the Roman church.

He gets into a discussion about the place of the Jews in God’s plan.  And he talks about it for three chapters.  This was a difficult topic for the Christians of the early church – they KNEW that their religion had sprung from Judaism.  Jesus himself was a faithful Jew!  And because of this, they knew the history of the promise that God had made to the Jewish people almost as long as they had existed – that he would be their God and they would be his people. Read the rest of this entry »

Romans 5:1-8
“Rejoicing in Suffering?”

Last week we talked about the plotline of the story Paul is telling.  The exposition, the narrative hook, the rising action, the climax, and the falling action.  We also talked about how this is not just a novel or some story we’re reading – but that at the climax, each of our stories begin.  We hear the good news, we are confronted with the power and truth of the Gospel.  The rising action asks the question: How will we respond?  Paul assumes we will respond in true faith that changes our lives.

So Paul continues in chapter 5:

Rom 5:1-2 Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,  (2)  through whom we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of God’s glory.

This sounds good so far, right?  But Paul never leaves well-enough alone.

Rom 5:3-8 Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,  (4)  and endurance, character, and character, hope.  (5)  And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

And why do we have hope?

(6) For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  (7)  (For rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person perhaps someone might possibly dare to die.)  (8)  But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Woah, Paul.  Why’d you have to go there?  Rejoicing in “the hope of God’s glory” from verse 2, that’s good.  Why don’t we skip a few verses?  There’s no need to talk about suffering, is there? Read the rest of this entry »

Romans, Part 3:
“Exhibit A”
2:12-24

Following Paul’s argument thus far:

• No one has an excuse: everyone, no matter who or where we are, has some idea of a greater power, and some idea of what is right and wrong.
• Even though we have known God, we still turn away from him.
• Our sinfulness is a result of our turning from God – he allows us the freedom to choose obedience or disobedience.
• Because we have all turned from God in some way, the quantity or quality of the sin is not for us to compare or judge – only God can give judgment. We can give only grace.

Now Paul turns his argument toward the Law – a difficult topic, especially for us as Christians.  This has always been a sticky subject for us – in what ways are we still under the Law?  Paul could go off on tangents here about the meaning of the Law for us in the aftermath of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.  He certainly takes time to look at these ideas elsewhere…

But here, Paul will not be distracted.  He is bent on making his argument plain.  And it is specifically to Jews and Christians now that he is speaking.  Because no matter how we may want to point the finger at the “heathens,” we are the very worst because we KNOW the law, and yet we STILL disobey!

Paul uses imagery of the courtroom, and uses many terms from the courts of his day.  And as in any courtroom, the ultimate standard is the LAW.  Remember that Christianity came from Judaism, and these Jews had spent their entire lives trying to understand and to live by the Law. Read the rest of this entry »