Theology for Everybody: RomansSample
Paul is talking about everybody. We need to remember that what he is saying was very offensive during his day. Paul is saying Jesus is for everybody! A lot of times, you might be for your political party. You might promote your ethnic group. You can focus on people in your socioeconomic strata or tax bracket. We might not say it aloud, but we pull for our region or people who are like us. But not Paul. And not Jesus. Jesus is over all, and everyone needs Him. Jesus is available to everyone on the planet.
We worship one God. All problems ultimately have one solution, and that is Jesus. Paul writes about Greeks and barbarians. He is referring to all the nations of the world. Paul is concerned with the wise and the foolish, meaning those who received formal education and those who did not. He included all classes of people.
Paul introduces a plan, which he will fully reveal near the end of chapter 15. He’s been doing ministry, planting churches, and preaching the Good News. Paul has ministered for about a decade, and his work is now well-proven. He earnestly wants to get to the capital city of the Roman Empire. Paul knows the city’s strategic value for the spread of Christianity. Culture is made in the major urban centers, so he knows the necessity of establishing Christianity in those great cities. The cities are hubs for media and transportation. That’s the home of universities and where thought leaders live. The city of Rome is critical for the spread of the faith, and Paul knows it. If he can get there, then he will have access to people and resources. His ultimate goal is to pass through Rome and secure the support of the believers there. That’s the stated reason for him writing the letter. He wants to get to Spain to establish a church planting network to introduce people to Jesus and open new churches.
The point of the passage is this: if you are a Christian, then someone is following you, which makes you a leader. You may be a parent, a small group leader, or a business or community leader. Your task requires prayer and planning. Prayer is asking God what He wants you to do. Planning lays out how you are going to do it. You take vision from God, and then you write it down in a systematic fashion. Paul is telling the Roman believers that he has prayed, and now he is planning.
Today’s Reflection
Whom are you leading? How much prayer and planning have you been doing?
Scripture
About this Plan
After Pastor Mark got saved in his college dorm room reading the book of Romans, this 365-day devotional is the culmination of more than 30 years of studying this incredible book. Chapter-by-chapter, verse-by-verse, this book digs into topics covered in the great book of Romans, such as justification, grace, predestination, legalism, deconstruction, and more.
More
We would like to thank Mark Driscoll for providing this plan. For more information, please visit: https://realfaith.com