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Last week many of us felt the aftershocks of an 4.8 earthquake that originated in NJ. Earthquakes on the east coast are rare and moderate compared to our west coast, or other parts of the world.

For example, in 2011, a 9.0 earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean, triggering a 500mph with 12’ high tsunami waves in Japan. Death totals exceeded 19K. Further, between homes, infrastructure, and several cities, the landscape was impacted significantly. Of significant concern were several nuclear power stations, which overheated and exploded significant levels of radiation in the air, along with the food and water supply.

~80K people had to evacuate their homes with disturbing reports of radioactive rice, vegetables, seafood, beef, and even tea. Radiation poisoned the soil and generations would be impacted from the shadow of this natural tragedy and nuclear disaster.

So, how do you care for the soil of a nuclear disaster? [1] Some monks knew what to do.[2] They planted thousands of sunflowers and other plants to absorb the radiation. The flowers not only improved morale in the community, but they extract the radiation from the soil, then can be cut without digging up the roots. The seeds of the flowers remove the toxicity in the soil.

And this is a living parable for the power of the God’s kingdom. Our world is shaken from the brokenness of humanity and devastated by the effects of sin. Today’s cultural soil is radioactive and unhealthy, and there seems to be little we can do to turn the toxicity and stop the secular decline. But maybe the answer is little.

God does not want us to evacuate earth. We need not be afraid of the fallout or stench of death.  Instead, God’s people are simply called to plant tiny gospel seeds with simple acts of faith, hope, and love. And as these seeds grow, they will absorb the pollution and extract the poison. Like Jesus, God’s kingdom has the power to break down the walls of division to create a new humanity and establish a forever dwelling place that offers a fragrant aroma redeemed by the LORD.
This is the power and purpose of the gospel amid natural disasters and human tragedy.

God does not want us to evacuate earth. We need not be afraid of the fallout or stench of death.  Instead, God’s people are simply called to plant tiny gospel seeds with simple acts of faith, hope, and love. This is the power and purpose of the gospel amid natural disasters and human tragedy.

And this is what the book of Romans describes for us. Romans puts the depravity of humanity on frontal display, so that we cannot look away but face the hideous nature of our heart without hope or rescue apart from Jesus Christ.

We are starting a new series. It is loosely based off a book: Essential Christianity: The Heart Of The Gospel…, which traces Paul’s logic from the book of Romans. I recommend it for personal reading or group study.

EXAMINE       Romans 1   Good News Announcement
¹ Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,

• Paul was a highly educated religious leader, a Pharisee (Php 3:4-6).
• A religious zealot who condemned and murdered Christians (Acts 8:1-3).
• Paul was dramatically converted to Christ (Acts 9:1-22 “Is not this the man who made havoc in Jerusalem of those who called upon [Jesus] (9:21); Php 3:7-10).
• Paul was devotedly committed to spreading the gospel to unreached (Acts 9:15; Rom 15:20).
• From the start of this letter Paul is making his credibility clear. Paul is not writing as just an apostle in terms of action, as a sent one (cf. Jn 13:16; Php 2:25; 2Cor 8:23). Paul is writing as an apostle in terms of an official office – one who was sent by Jesus to lead the church
  (cf. Mk 3:14; Lk 6:13; Ac 2:42; 1Cor 9:1; 15:9; Ep 2:20).
• Further, Paul’s calling had the credibility of the church (“all the brothers who are with me” Gal 1:2).
• Are you ready to give up on believing God can change someone? Paul’s life reminds us God can take a heart of stone and soften to a heart of flesh (Ez 36:26); that God can extend mercy even to a chief of sinners (1Tim 1:15).

²which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,

The gospel of God is a promise. Paul wanted his audience to understand that his message was not a new teaching or philosophy. Instead, the gospel has been a promise for centuries – even since the creation in the garden of Eden. God looked upon humanity under the curse of sin and the sad consequences of their choices, and He felt compassion. God promised to send an offspring of woman that the serpent of death would bruise its heel, but the offspring would crush the head on the serpent (Gen 3:15). So, the entire OT is the people of God waiting for the Promised One, and the Gospels describe God’s faithfulness to His promise.

In fact, another of God’s promises in Genesis is about the rainbow. When humanity populated the earth, they also polluted the world with their violence and evil. So, God judged the world with a flood to cleanse it from corruption. Yet, God also spared a family who practiced righteousness – this man’s family was from Noah. And God made a promise to Noah that extends to present day that He would never judge the entire earth in this way (Gen 8:21; 9:8-17). The symbol of this promise was the rainbow, which we still see today. But did you realize that earth is the only planet rainbows are visible?[3] Other planets have insufficient quantities of water or sunlight to see a rainbow. This is a reminder that God’s promises are special.

Likewise, God’s word and the gospel offers precious promises for us to glean and grow in the depths of our heart to sustain against the failed promises of our world. God’s promises are not blank checks but believable commitments for God’s provision. Therefore, we don’t claim God’s promises as much as God’s promises claims us, for He knows exactly what we need!

The book of Romans is filled with gospel promises that it has 51 direct OT quotes, 10 paraphrased quotes, and another 15 allusions to OT verses, for a total of 76 references to the OT.^[4] Paul wants the reader to know God is trustworthy!

• Memorize the Roman Road: 3:23; 5:8; 6:23; 10:9

God’s word and the gospel offers precious promises for us to glean and grow in the depths of our heart to sustain against the failed promises of our world. God’s promises are not blank checks but believable commitments for God’s provision. Therefore, we don’t claim God’s promises as much as God’s promises claims us, for He knows exactly what we need!

³concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh

The gospel is good news about Jesus. Literally,  
“a seed of David,” meaning Jesus was a real person who existed in history. God intervened our world to become human.

⁴and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ⁵through whom we have received grace

The gospel is a declaration, an announcement. Originally, “gospel” was a royal declaration.[5]  Typically, a gospel/euangelion was made about a new emperor/king in charge. The good news was the kingdom was stable and strong. When Jesus the Son of God appeared, the good news was not announced in a royal setting but a rural scene with shepherds and commoners. And the disciples traveled far and wide announcing the good news that king Jesus died but still lives through resurrection.

NT Wright says if we don’t start Romans with the opening verses, and rush too quickly to verses about the gospel, then we are seeking to depoliticize Paul and the Christian faith.[6] Paul intentionally opened his letter to Rome to counter government politics that Caesar was Lord (kyrios) and the true good news (euangellion) was not the birth of a Caesar, but that Christ has come to fulfill prophecy, as a descendant of David, and has all power conquering even death through His resurrection. Further, Christ’s power isn’t subject to a single nation but extends to all the nations. Every reference of Paul was meant to be subversive/rogue toward the Roman powers of the day.

Therefore, as Christians we must remember that when we come to faith by submitting to Christ’s Lordship and seeking Jesus as our Savior, then we are making the most political statement one can ever make. We proclaim our allegiance to king Jesus above all other powers. We promote our citizenship in God’s kingdom above all earthly communities. And we prioritize our resources for the sake of God’s name to be spread to all nations. And yet, our weapons are love, unselfishness, and faith because our battle is not against flesh and blood. In all, we must read the letter of Romans as through its author were intending for us to go rogue toward every earthly power to establish the truly greatest empire – the kingdom of God.    

and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, ⁶including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,⁷To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.⁸ First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. ⁹For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you ¹⁰always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. ¹¹For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—¹²that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. ¹³I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. ¹⁴I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. ¹⁵So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Paul viewed the gospel as an obligation or debt (ὀφειλέτης). He uses this debtor language later in 8:12-13 “We are debtors, not to the flesh [but according to] the Spirit.”
Illus: This concept can be illustrated in a few ways: 1) If you’re from Baltimore, you are almost obligated to root for Ravens/Orioles. There would require unique circumstances to not do so. 2) If your family owned a restaurant, you would be obligated not just to eat there but promote others to do so. 3) Members of SPBC are obligated to serve joyfully and give generously because you want the best for your church family.

Likewise, Paul’s obligation to share the gospel was not viewed as drudgery but delight; not an unwanted burden but unnumbered blessings to share about the forgiving grace of Jesus.
Paul did not want anyone to not have similar opportunity to hear the good news.

And notice the audience: Greeks and Barbarians (βάρβαρος). In Rome, the Greeks made sense, although this was a step outside the comfort zone of the Jewish believers. But Greeks viewed themselves as philosophically sophisticated and historically cultured. Yet, this latter term carried derogatory significance, referring to a speaker of strange and unintelligible language.^[7]

*Illus: Zeke’s spelling word “blab” – means talking, but rude to suggest! 

Paul’s obligation to Barbarians and fools – those without minds (ἀνοήτοις) shows the extending reach of the gospel to the outcast, the lowly, the downtrodden, beat up, and bottomed out by the world’s pressures and problems.

• 4 items most searched for on internet: affection (porn), belonging (social media), celebration (sports/entertainment), and destiny (purpose, “how to”).  The gospel of Jesus speaks to every person just as relevant today as 2K years ago, and like Paul, we should be eager to portray and present the gospel.  #WhosYour1

¹⁶For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

We understand power.

• Processing power in computers, phones.
• Power athletes & teams becoming dynasties
• Horsepower in cars. 150-200 is avg / 275 wow / 350 is like roller coaster / 375 is major sport car / 650-750 for nascar.
• Military power to face ground, sea, air – or even space attacks…
  • Pray for peace – in Israel & Palestine
    wisdom & courage for our leaders to stand for righteousness
    church’s urgency for Great Commission.    
• The Romans understood power. They conquered everywhere they stepped.

Paul is not ashamed of gospel power, for shame represents misplaced confidence or misguided hope. But Paul understood even the greatest powers known to humanity cannot tame the human heart. We legislate laws, promote programs, train teachers, educate students, even moralize the masses with religion – but people are sinners and power only makes us more depraved. The only source able to renew a mind, heal heartbreak, change a stubborn and selfish soul, or resurrect the dead is the life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus saves!

• We are saved from/to…
  from lonely emptiness to belonging;
  from eternal lostness to everlasting life;
  from slavery bondage & addiction to freedom;
  from hostility & alienation to reconciliation;
  from corruption & depravity to wholeness;
  from judgment & wrath to forgiveness & acceptance;
   
• What are you saved from? What are you saved to? Shouldn’t this be observable?

BAPTISM…

¹⁷For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

The gospel is an announcement of God’s righteousness, which is [continuously] revealed from faith for faith. The missing jigsaw of life is not accomplishing an image for others to adulate; earning righteousness to counter-balance wrongs; or personal grit and determination. Instead, the only puzzle piece that will fit your hollow heart is a cross-shaped faith.

APPLY/THINK

What we want to discover in this message series and reading Romans is that the gospel is like getting water from a well. You will not get water by stretching across the width of the well but by reaching deeper; and the deeper you go the more water you will be able to draw.

So, let me ask

• Do you have the bucket of faith?
  Faith is measured by you waving the surrender flag. It’s saying, I’m not worthy but I’m confident Jesus is and what He’s done for me on the cross is sufficient and through the resurrection is my saving grace.
  
  
• What does “going deep” look like for you?

I encourage you to discuss this in your small groups, family dinner, friend convos, and requesting pastoral prayers.

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[1] Illustration adapted from Jon Tyson weekly email April 10, 2024.

[2] https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE77I0PG/

[3] https://www.sciencefocus.com/space/are-there-rainbows-on-other-planets

^[4] Charles R. Swindoll, Romans, vol. 6, Swindoll’s Living Insights New Testament Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2016), 20.

[5] https://bibleproject.com/explore/video/euangelion-gospel/

[6] http://ntwrightpage.com/2016/07/12/paul-and-caesar-a-new-reading-of-romans/

^[7] James D. G. Dunn, Romans 1–8, vol. 38A, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Incorporated, 1988), 32.