Sermon outline on the book of Romans

Posted on October 25, 2017 by howtobesaved@abiblecommentary.com

ROMANS SERMON CHALLENGE:  ACCEPTING ONE ANOTHER-A PERSONAL JOURNEY INSPIRED BY ROMANS-Ben Williams

INTRODUCTION

  1. My adolescent and teen years were spent in the Appalachian coal mining areas. Racist attitudes the norm.
  2. I picked-up and practiced many of the false stereo-types, prejudices, biases. God was patient, at work to change me, using 4 major life experiences:
  3. Being assigned to room with 2 black teammates, college basketball
  4. First job as teacher in an inner city school
  5. Tenure in a major inner city ministry
  6. HST class, Letters of Paul, Dr. Rick Oster

THE REASON FOR ROMANS

  1. My training in studying Romans from Sunday School, commentaries, college classes shaped by Reformation/Lutheran tradition: Romans 1: 16-17 the theme.
  2. Paul laying out his gospel in general terms in a generic tract applicable to any church in the Mediterranean
  3. Romans 1-8 emphasized; 9-11 skipped over; 12-16 given only passing mention.
  4. Romans, like all N. T. epistles, is occasional in nature, i. e. arising out of and intended for a specific occasion, specific circumstances.
  5. WHAT were those circumstances? How does Paul’s doctrine and theology serve the needs of the Christians dealing with those circumstances?
  6. “The question is NOT, ‘Why did Paul write Romans’, but ‘Why did Paul write THIS letter to the Roman church?”(James Walter, Ethnic Issues in Paul’s Letter to the Romans)

THEME OF ROMANS

  1. An often overlooked but major theme/purpose of the book, stated clearly in Romans 15: 7-9a. READ
  2. Outline of entire section 15:1-13
  3. Appeal to “accept one another” with Jesus as example (vs.3a; repeated in vs.7b).
  4. Scriptural justification for the appeal (vs. 3b-4; repeated in vs. 8-12).
  5. Paul’s priestly prayer of blessing and entreaty for enactment (vs. 5-6; repeated vs. 13; note Rom 15: 16 as Paul describes his priestly role)
  6. I’ll make the case for Romans 15:7-13 as the principal theme of the letter using the following:
  7. Historical background of 1st century Rome: factors fomenting the problem between Jew and Gentile.
  8. Briefly look at the major sections of Romans to see how they reflect and address this problem.
  9. Share some practical principles from Romans as they apply to today’s race issue.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:  RACIAL CLIMATE OF FIRST CENTURY ROME

  1. Unaccepting attitude toward the Jews in first century Rome expressed by prominent Roman historian, Tacitus:
  2. “A race of Ethiopian origin….driven by fear and hatred of their neighbors to seek a new dwelling place.”
  3. Their customs are “perverse and disgusting.” Their religion, “tasteless and mean.” They “sit apart at meals, they sleep apart, and though, as a nation, they are singularly prone to lust…” (Tacitus, History, 5. 2-5)
  4. Horace links the word “weakness” (Romans 14: 1; 15:1) with Jewish observance of certain dietary restrictions. (Sat9.68-72, cited in Pauline Theology. Vol III. Romans, p. 290); “weakness” was an unflattering term.
  5. Typical of Jewish attitudes toward Gentiles is Philo’s disdainful comment that, “the disposition of the Egyptians is inhospitable and intemperate; and the humanity of him who has been exposed to their conduct deserves admiration.” (Philo, On Abraham, 107)
  6. Other examples reflected in Galatians 2:14-15;
  7. Acts 10:27, Peter speaking to a large gathering at a Roman Centurion’s household.
  8. Exacerbating the problem was the rise to power by Roman emperor Claudius who thought the Jews were “fomenting a common plague for the whole world.” He ordered them to be expelled in 49 A.D. (Acts 18:1-2)
  9. This expulsion likely included those Jewish Christians still living according to some of the Law of Moses.
  10. The leadership of the church likely shifted from predominantly Jews to Gentiles. Decrease of Jewish influences, sources. Gentiles in worship without Jewish rituals, customs
  11. 5 years later when Jewish Christians were allowed to return under Nero, they probably received a cool reception. At the time of Paul’s writing, this ‘melting pot’ of Christians was still eating and fellowshipping with one another in the house churches; yet there was… (Rom. 12: 3, 16; 14: 1, 10, 13; 16:17-20)
  12. The attitude Jewish-Christians toward Gentile-Christians reflected in… (e. g. Rom 2: 17-20)
  13. Gentile-Christian attitudes toward Jewish brothers/sisters…..(Rom. 14:1; 11: 18,20,25)

TRANSITION:  Given this cultural setting, Paul sets out to address this situation theologically in Rom 1-11 and then specifically applies the doctrines in Rom 12-16 to their social interactions and interpersonal relationships.

COMBATTING ATTITUDES OF JEWISH, GENTILE RACISM

  1. When Paul speaks of the “righteousness of God”, he frames it in terms of Jew/Gentile relationship in Christ (e.g. Rom 1:17; 3:21-27; 4:2f, 9; 5: 1, 9; 12-19; 9:30-32; 10:3, 6, 10, 12); culminating in 15: 7-13
  2. In fact, whether Paul is discussing “righteousness,” “gospel,” “faith,” “the law,” the context is consistently Jew/Gentile relationship in the church.
  3. His usual way….”There is neither Jew nor Greek….” (Gal 3:28); But in Romans he goes as far as, “To the Jew first,….” (Rom 1:16; 2:9-10; 3:9; 10:12)
  4. WHY FRAME HIS TEACHING IN THIS WAY? Gentile Christians having trouble accepting them; seeing returning Jewish Christians as relevant to their faith; Jews trying to reassert themselves in the spirit of Rom 2:17f
  5. This is the reason for Paul’s protracted discussion of Jew and Gentile enslavement to the power of sin and the fact that God-unlike them-shows no partiality in his judgment of sin (Rom 2:9-10).
  6. Paul in effect, “cuts the legs out from under” anyone who claimed to be righteous apart from God’s gift.
  7. Racism and ethnic pride is often a person’s way to manufacture “righteousness,” moral superiority, i. e. honor, standing, status, a system of superiority, which elevates self above others. Especially true in Rome.
  8. The number of warnings and imperatives on boasting, arrogance, pride, and high-mindedness is striking (To Gentiles, Rom 1:30; 11:18, 20b, 25; To Jews, Rom 2:17b, 3:9, 27, 4:2; and to both groups, Rom 12:3, 16)
  9. “A proud man,” states C. S. Lewis, “is always looking down on people; and of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.” (Mere Christianity, p.111)
  10. With the righteousness GIFTED from God, boasting is nullified (Rom. 3: 27; 4:2)
  11. The Lord Jesus also leveled the playing field by humbling himself as a servant (Rom. 15:13).

TRANSITION:  Once Paul has established all races under the power of sin and desperately in need of God’s righteousness, he lays out the doctrinal basis for their new common, social identity in the body of Christ.

  1. Elements of their New Life/Social Identity
  2. Basis for their identity (Rom 3: 21-31); tying back to our theme verses (Rom. 15:3,7)
  3. Abraham, David as their mutual example and ancestor, comprising a common history (Rom 4:1f; tied to “promises…” in Rom 15:8); 51 of 89 O. T. scriptural quotations in Paul’s letters are in Romans. Did Gentiles Christians disdain the Old Testament and its importance? Did Jewish Christians need to be schooled from their own scriptures as to the importance of the Gentiles?
  4. Paul lists all the privileges the Jews had (Rom 3:1f; 9:4-5) and applies them to both Jew and Gentile in Christ:

Glory (Rom 5:2; 8:30b); Covenants (Rom 4; 8); Law (Rom 7-8); Worship (Rom 5:1-5; 12:2), ETC.
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  1. The Messiah was the crown blessing (Rom 9:5) introduced in emphatic Jewish categories (Rom 1:3-4)

(I owe the connection made to the two lists (Rom. 3:1f; 9:4-5) with Rom 4-8 to, N. T. Wright, “Romans and the Theology of Paul,” in Theology of Paul, Vol III, pp 42-44)

  1. And especially sonship ( Exodus 4:12, Rom 9:2, Rom 8:15-17). Paul punctuates the fact that ALL are sons in one family through faith with his use of God the Father in terms of the Jewish, “ABBA” and the Greek, PATER
  2. Virtually all doctrines and principles in Rom. 1-11 can be linked to theme passage , Rom 15:7-13

THREE PRINCIPLES TO COMBAT PRESENT-DAY PREJUDICE

  1. GREET ONE ANOTHER (Rom. 16: 3,6,16)
  2. Repeated 3x. This is fundamental in fellowship, missions. Also foundational to loving one’s neighbor, because it’s the basic courtesy in society (Rom 12:9; 13:9-10); Paul practices what he preaches, greets 30 by name.
  3. So, be the first to speak; to smile; friendly nod; first to wave the hand; introduce yourself; GREET
  4. The simple greeting disarms suspicions, breaks down barriers
  5. The example which brought this home to me: I had recently moved to a neighborhood; two joggers; ran ON the road; annoying, irritating especially when I was in a hurry; the man and woman started making eye contact as I passed and threw up their hand in greeting. It disarmed me. Quieted my annoyance. I saw them in a different light
  6. So in the black neighborhood I drove through, I started raising my hand in greeting….in athletic club, at public events; be the first to greet; learn names
  7. Pride, arrogance, high-mindedness says, “Let THEM be the first to speak. Then I’ll decide if and when I…..”
  8. Jesus said….Matt 5:47. Context here is love of one’s enemy. What simple social gesture starts that process? What distinguishes a true son/daughter?
  9. PRACTICE HOSPITALITY
  10. From greeting, we move a step deeper socially
  11. “ACCEPT”, major theme (Rom 15:7-8; commanded in 14:1). Also translated, “welcome,” “receive”
  12. Often associated with taking someone into your home or social circle (Acts 27:33; 28: 2)
  13. Jesus used this principle when training his disciples to receive the hospitality of others (Matt. 10: 8, 10, 14)
  14. God removed the barriers from welcoming us into his home/family as sons(Rom 14:3b; 15:7; Rom 5:6-8; 8:3)
  15. ACCEPTANCE does the unexpected. Not, “the WEAK must conform to the ‘reasonable’ arguments of the STRONG.” Nor, “the STRONG must give into the WEAK.” Rather, Paul states, “Its ok for Gentiles to be Gentiles” AND, “Its ok for Jews to stay as practicing Jews with regard to….(Rom 14: 2, 5, 14).
  16. “Accept one another” i. e. the “strong” stop despising the “weak”; the “weak” stop judging the “strong.”(Rom 2:1-2; 8:31f)
  17. The opposite of acceptance: refusal to greet, receive, welcome; giving the cold shoulder; as example,

Gal 2:14-15, ‘separate but equal,’ i. e. “It’s ok to eat same food; just eat with your own kind.” (quite a problem in house churches in Rome. Rom 16:3, 6, 14-15)

  1. It’s obvious from our segregated assemblies that despite our profession, our practice is ‘separate but equal’ when it comes to sitting at the same table: whether it’s the Lord’s Table or the dinner table.
  2. A very wise African American mother of 9 told me in an inner city Bible study: “We aint brothers and sisters till you put your feet under my dinner table and I put mine under yours.”
  3. When’s the last time you sat at the table with a person of a different race/nation? What will the leadership of our local churches do to intentionally, deliberately, and consistently facilitate this?
  4. My prejudices didn’t start eroding until the process of eating with, traveling with, and ‘hanging out’ with my black teammates (Rom 12:13). No substitute for this. Food/drink is the language of love.

CONTRIBUTING TO THE NEEDS OF OTHERS

  1. Paul shared with the Roman church the fact he was taking money to Jerusalem
  2. Paul “owes” it to them (Rom 1:14; 15:27); and every honest man pays his debts (Rom 13:8a)
  3. He’s already said Rome’s Gentile Christians essentially owed the same debt (Compare Rom 15:27b with 11:12-13,18b)
  4. Why would he close his letter this way? Why the details on the contribution (who gave) and the remarks on “obligation?” He doesn’t ask them directly to contribute, but it appears to be a blinding flash of the obvious!
  5. Nothing speaks more clearly of our desire to reconcile the races through fellowship in one body than to “put our money where our mouth is.”
  6. When’s the last time a black church received money from a Latino fellowship? Or a white church giving…..?

CONCLUSION

Paul envisioned from the scriptures that Jew and Gentile would join the Messiah as ONE community in songs of praise to God for his mercy and covenant faithfulness (Rom 15: 10-13)

ADDENDUM:  ILLUSTRATION

  1. This vision is seen in a deeply significant and poignant scene in the movie, “Places in the Heart.”
  2. Edna Spalding, played by Sally Fields, finds herself alone and broke on a small farm in the midst of the Great Depression when her husband the Sheriff is killed in a shooting accident involving a black kid.
  3. A wandering black man, Moze (Danny Glover), helps her to plant cotton to try and keep her farm and her kids together. She must endure storms and harsh labor to try and make her mortgage payment on time.
  4. Without giving the plot away, at the movie’s end, there is a communion service scene in a southern church.
  5. The movie’s black laborer, Moze, is seen sharing communion with the white townspeople. No black man could have been in a white church at that time, so Moze gets the audience prepared for the next scene.
  6. The camera moves to the sheriff who hands the communion tray to the young black teen who killed him.
  7. There is a deep longing in most all human beings to see the scene in that movie become a reality; one great community without racial animosity and division sitting together at table.

PRINCIPAL SOURCES:

Esler, Philip, Conflict and Identity in Romans:  The Social Setting of Paul’s Letter. Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 2003

Hay, David M. and E. Elizabeth Johnson, editors, Pauline Theology. Volume III:  Romans. Minneapolis:  Fortress Press, 1995

Sherwin-White, A. N., Racial Prejudice in Imperial Rome. Cambridge:  Cambridge University Press, 1967.

Stanley, Christopher, “Neither Jew nor Greek:  Ethnic Conflict in Graeco-Roman Society,” Journal for the Study of the New Testament, 64, 1996, 101-124

Stern, Menahem, Greek and Latin Authors on Jews and Judaism. Volume II. From Tacitus to Simplicius. Jerusalem:  Academy of Sciences and Humanities, 1980.

Wagner, Ross J., “The Christ, the Servant of Jew and Gentile:  A Fresh Approach To Romans 15: 8-9,” Journal of Biblical Literature, 116, 1997, 473-485

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