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Romans 1:14-17, I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Today, we are beginning our journey through one of the most impactful books of the Bible, Paul's letter to the Romans.  One of my favorites, much of our Christian doctrine is rooted in this book.  My own experience in Romans is that sometimes I need to read a chapter more than once to understand its meaning.  Don't be discouraged if that is the case for you too.  Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your reading and reveal what God wants you to know in each chapter.  Remember, I will just focus on a few verses each day but every single chapter is filled with a great deal of substance.  Be sure to read the whole chapter so you don't miss anything and you have a fuller context of what Paul is saying to the Romans and what God is saying to you and me.

Romans is actually written in the form a letter.  Paul starts by identifying himself: he is a servant of Christ, an apostle, and one who is set apart for the Gospel. He is writing to a church in Rome that he did not establish and has not yet visited.  He wants to be clear from the beginning who he is and what he believes.  He is clear that the purpose of his writing is Jesus.  Really, it’s all about Jesus Christ, and we will see that theme woven throughout the entirety of Romans.  It’s certainly a good reminder for us – it is simply all about Jesus.  We get quite distracted but Jesus is what matters.

In our focus verses today, we are highlighting verses 14-17.  What I love about these Scripture verses is how clear Paul is about his purpose, sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Take a look at some of the statements that Paul makes:

            -I am obligated to both Greeks and non-Greeks, to those who are wise and foolish

            -I am eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome

            -I am not ashamed of the Gospel

I can’t help but stop here for a moment.  Paul is crystal clear about his purpose.  He knows who and whose he is and that defines every other aspect of his life.  He is a person sent to share the Good News to all people, he is looking forward to preaching Jesus to the people of Rome, and he is totally unashamed, unembarrassed, and ready to be a minister of the Gospel.  What are your thoughts about this?  We live in a time and culture in which people are hesitant to share their faith, worried about people’s reactions, and content to just leave things be.  Paul was anything but content.  He felt obligated, eager, and totally unashamed! 

Spend some time in prayer asking God to speak to you, specifically what God wants you to learn from Paul and our new study of Romans.  Ask God to open your heart and mind to new concepts and challenges. 

Let’s pray…God, we ask that you stretch us.  We want to learn, grow, and become more fully devoted followers of you.  Help us learn more about our faith and how to share it.  While we may get distracted, we know that really it’s all about Jesus.  Amen.