Romans: The Heart of the Gospel – Paul: The Man and His Message

Peter Barnes | Romans 1:1-4

SERMON NOTES
PAUL:  THE  MAN  AND  HIS  MESSAGE
Romans 1:1-4

– Martin  Luther:  ‘The  more  time  one  spends  in  it,  the  more  precious  it  becomes  and  the  better  it  appears.’  He  wanted  Christians  to  know  it  by  heart,  as  ‘the  daily  bread  of  the  soul’.  God  has  used  it  to  bring  blessing  to  many,  including  Augustine,  Luther,  Calvin,  John  Wesley,  and  Robert  Haldane.

1.  Paul  as  servant  and  apostle  set  apart  by  God.

– 1:1;  a  servant  (doulos)  but  note  Joshua 14:7

– God  set  apart  His  prophets  e.g.  Isa.49:1;  Jer.1:5

– note  Acts 26:15-18

2.  This  gospel  is  promised  in  the  Old  Testament.

– 1:2;  see  Rom.3:21;  Gal.3:8-9, 29

– the  Old  Testament  tells  of  the  Messiah’s  world-wide  authority  (Ps.2:8);  His  divine  and  human  person  (Isa.9:6);  and  His  dying  for  sinners  (Isa.53:6)

3.  The  gospel  is  about  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.

– 1:3-4;  in  His  humiliation  (v.3)  and  His  exaltation  (v.4)

– Son  of  David  according  to  the  flesh  (Ezek.34:23-24;  Mark 10:46-47);  but  appointed  the  Son  of  God  with  power  through  the  resurrection.  He  was  already  the  Son  of  God  before  the  resurrection  (Matt.3:17;  11:25-27;  16:16-17)  but  now  it  is  with  power  (cf. Acts 2:36)

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