Since we
just finished a year-long study of Acts, I thought I’d just keep on by going
through Romans.
“Paul, a
servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of
God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy
Scriptures,”
Paul had
been converted along the road to Damascus 11 years ago and had been preaching
the gospel ever since. By this time (@AD 57) he’d completed his first two
missionary journeys and had helped to establish churches throughout the
Mediterranean.
The church
in Rome had been established by others, but he was going to be passing through
on a trip to Spain and hoped to meet his brothers in Christ there. He wrote his letter as a way of introducing
himself and letting the believers in Rome know he was coming.
Even though
they have probably heard of Paul, he names himself as a servant of Christ,
commissioned by Jesus Himself to spend his days preaching the gospel (good
news) which had been promised throughout the scriptures.
Paul knew
the price of enslavement, as he had already endured much rejection, beatings
and prison as a result of preaching the gospel.
And yet, he had been convicted of his sin by the Lord Himself, so “At
once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God.”
Those who
heard Paul became aware of his servanthood to God as well. “Following after
Paul and us, she kept crying out, saying, “These men are bond-servants of the
Most High God, who are proclaiming to you the way of salvation.” Acts 16:17
I pray that
I could also be a slave to Christ for the gospel:
Ephesians 6
“19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I
will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an
ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”
