INTRODUCTION: Setting the scene
ROMANS: An introduction – setting the scene.
(ASD 8 and 10am – 22nd June – (Romans – a letter that makes sense of life by Andrew Ollerton pgs. 1-15 Basecamp and Backstory!))
Today we start a brand-new sermon series which will run during the summer months looking at the book of Romans.
Often, we spend time in the Gospels or looking at the Psalms – depending on the church season we may branch out into some prophecies and promises at Advent, or lamentation in Lent. In the past, we’ve looked at shorter New Testament books like Ephesians, James or Philippians. However, we’ve shied away from Romans…
You see Romans is one of the of great masterpieces of Scripture, it is rich, deep and complex – yet at first sight, it can be quite confusing, bewildering and long – it is challenging and hard work – it looks at tricky issues, and so we tend to ignore it, or at least shelf it for another day.
However, Romans is an amazing, magisterial letter, born out of the lived experience of the Apostle Paul.
It is full of deep understanding, insights and theology that will draw us closer to God.
Now there is no denying it, Romans is about theology (how we speak and think about God), but it isn’t a mere theology – something that is abstract or theoretical. Rather the theology of Romans is about a way of life, about a grounded, rooted, lived out theology.
I first became familiar with Romans as a teenager worshipping in my local Baptist church. A new minister, Richard arrived, and he loved the Apostle Paul – and particularly the book of Romans. Time and time again he would direct us back to the wisdom found in Romans.
Although a historical letter, written to a particular people, in a particular place, with the right lenses on, Romans provides pivotal and important help and guidance for us today as we face so many issues.
Romans will help us to become more confident in the gospel – the good news of Jesus for all people, and more united and focussed on mission.
And so over ten weeks using material from the Bible Society and Andrew Ollerton, we’re going to explore Romans – for this is a letter that makes sense of life.
Now, it’s been said that if the NT were the Himalayas, Romans would be Mount Everest, and chapter 8 the summit. Now Andrew Ollerton loves mountains, and so he draws on this metaphor:
He imagines Romans as a vast landscape – complex and challenging but also highly rewarding. He invites us to journey with him, taking on the challenge of ascending to the summit, enjoying the view, and then descending to put into practice what we’ve learnt on the other side.
The image captures the adventure of what lies ahead. First, we’ll consider the original context of the letter and survey the route of the gospel. Then we must head down into the valley of sin, a low point from which we need rescuing. Here we discover salvation, the way in which Jesus has secured the way out, through faith in him. This brings us to the place of peace, where we can take a breather and bask in the love of God. Then we press up the ridge of freedom – a narrow section with steep drops either side. Suddenly we emerge onto the summit of hope and enjoy panoramic views of God’s eternal purpose. Next, we navigate the cloud of mystery, a chance to think about purpose and meaning… before descending into practical teaching. The descent of devotion calls us to a life of radical love, and the return to community shows us how to make a difference in society. The onward mission equips us to share the good news with others.
And so, we have a great adventure ahead – and like any adventure, the more effort you put in the more you will be rewarded by the experience and insights you gain along the way. Once you’ve conquered Romans, the whole Bible will be easier to explore.
So, can I urge you to read the book or Romans this week. If you were to read it in one sitting, it would take about an hour. Or you may want to split it into a few chapters at a time… But this week, please give it a go – read the whole Book – don’t be put off by the scale of the challenge!
Then each week we will explore in more detail set passages – we will look at Romans to see what each passage meant in context. The we will look through Romans, as if through a lens, to see what it means today. This double movement ensures we do justice to the biblical text, allowing it to speak on its own terms.
I would also urge you to buy Andrew Ollerton’s book – it is fantastic – fresh, succinct, simple yet with great depth, discovering, explaining, illustrating and applying key truths for us today.
So, this morning we’re going to explore a little bit of the backstory.
So, who wrote Romans? The answer may seem obvious Paul – the Apostle Paul, or was it… well, yes and no!
Romans 16:22 says “I Tertius, who wrote this letter, greet you in the name of the Lord.” However, Romans 1: 1 says that the letter is from Paul. So, what is going on?
In the ancient world, long before printers and computers, you could employ a professional scribe to write important documents. In Paul’s case he may have had a severe eye condition that affected his ability to write neatly. So, the words and ideas came straight from Paul, but Tertius was the scribe who put pen to paper.
The relationship between Paul and Tertius illustrates a more general point about the authorship of the Bible. While Paul didn’t put pen to paper, he was the originator of Romans in the sense the ideas stemmed from him. In the same way, God didn’t put pen to paper, yet he is the ultimate author of the Bible. He inspired the ideas that humans wrote in such as way that the Bible is God’s trustworthy truth. As Paul concludes in another of his letters, “all scripture is God-breathed.”
And this will be important as we study Romans. The author of a text gives authority. If we imagine Romans to be merely musings of a first-century person who though the earth was flat, then we might be tempted to dismiss it – especially the challenging bits. However, is Romans is ultimately inspired by God, then we should want to embrace and explore its message. Through a unique experience with the risen Jesus, Paul was given authority to write scripture. The message of Romans is far more than human ideas and suggestions – but wisdom, guidance, truth and perspective that all makes sense today.
So, who was Paul?
Paul introduces himself as ‘a servant of Christ Jesus’. Romans was first written in Greek, and the first two words rhymed, Paulos Doulos. the word ‘Doulos’ means slave. In first century, more that 30 percent of the population in Rome were slaves to wealthy masters. They were treated like machines, bought, sold, beaten, abused. if you were unfortunate enough to be born a slave your goal was to become a freed man or woman. That’s why the opening verse of Romans is bizarre. Paul was a well-educated Roman citizen, from a privileged and prestigious background. In a culture where every slave wanted to be free, it's a strange way to identify as a slave of Jesus Christ.
This subversive introduction reveals how much Paul was obsessed with Jesus Christ. You see from the moment Paul encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road, Jesus became Paul’s magnificent obsession.
Paul was previously known as Saul. A religious zealot who hated Christians, even murdering several. But after a 180-degree turn and a name-change, Paul became the most influential missionary of all time. The letter to the Romans captures the essence of the good news that had left Paul blinded by God’s grace. After following Jesus, Paul became convinced that to discover true freedom involved embracing a counter-intuitive lifestyle as a servant – a slave of Jesus Christ. For Paul, you will only discover your true self when you centre your whole life on God.
So, who was Romans written to?
So, Christianity had already reached Rome without the direct influence of Paul. It likely came through merchants who first heard the good news in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and brough the message to Rome. As Paul wrote, there were a substantial number of people who were already meeting in several locations across town, around 200. As Paul addresses them it is with great affection and warmth – he names 27 friends.
Now some of these Christians were meeting in the villas of wealthy individuals, but also in workshops and sheds. These were friends and families gathering with the doors locked, risking their safety. They were real people, tired from work, oppressed, hurting, yet hungry for the truth.
The early Christians were diverse – the list of names at the end of the letter shows a remarkable range of people, some Greek, some Latin names, and Jewish names. Some were wealthy, some were labourers and some slaves. In Roman society there would have been segregation – but in the Christian community they ate at the same table and belonged to the same family. As we will see, Paul’s goal throughout Romans is to demonstrate that ‘in Christ’ far more unites us than should ever divide us.
Paul’s greetings also allude to the significant role that women played in leading, directing, and sharing the good news of the gospel. Some have accused Paul of patriarchy or even misogyny, however this is unfair in the light of his references to women, who deserved public honour for their hard work and bravery.
So, it’s useful, helpful to understand this backstory before we launch in next week… so let’s imagine the original scene…
A family of poor Jewish believers enjoying a meal with some Roman slaves in a large villa on the outskirts of the city. A special guest has arrived, with something special to share. After dinner, blinds are drawn as she takes out a secret parchment from her shoulder bag. With hushed silence in the room, Phoebe begins to read:
Paul, a servant in Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God… to all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be His holy people: grace and peace.
Lord Jesus, thank you for Paul’s wonderful letter and all we have heard today.
Please be with us throughout this series as we explore the book of Romans.
Open our eyes to the depth and beauty of the gospel so that we may have a richer grasp of all that you have done in the past and all that you continue to do in us today.
Lord, help us not to be ashamed, confused or quiet about the gospel.
Teach us through Romans so that we may be more confident in you and share our love for you more openly and widely.
Amen.