Today I want to present the gospel to you—the good news. Not just any good news, but the good news that Paul received by revelation from Messiah Yeshua. This good news is powerful! Amen? It’s dunamis power—like dynamite, able to destroy the kingdom of darkness and the chains that keep people enslaved to sin. It is the power of salvation, to the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 sums up and outlines the whole message Paul wanted to present: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”
Before I explain how this verse outlines Romans, let’s look back at a letter that Paul wrote before he wrote to the Romans—the letter to the Galatians. I believe part of Paul’s purpose in Romans may have been to correct a misunderstanding of what he intended in that earlier letter. In Gal 1:7-8, Paul distinguishes the “the genuine Good News of the Messiah” from a “so-called ‘Good News’ contrary to the Good News we did announce to you.” Paul calls this other so-called good news an anathema or curse. That distorted version claimed that to be truly saved and part of the community of G-d’s people, Gentiles needed to be circumcised and follow Jewish laws and customs. Instead, the genuine good news is as Paul describes it Galatians 3:8: “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: ‘All nations will be blessed through you.’”
The good news that Paul proclaimed is that everyone is justified by faith in Messiah Yeshua, not by legalistic observance or any mere human effort. You can’t get to heaven by your own bootstraps. You absolutely need G-d to send down a ladder. As in Jacob’s dream, G-d has come down to our level, in the person of Yeshua the Messiah. Amen?
Still, Paul got pretty hyperbolic with the Galatians, to say the least, as in Gal 5:12 when he says “As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and castrate themselves!” Whoo-ee! And in Galatians 5:6, Paul writes: “For in Messiah Yeshua neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” Faith expressing itself through love is the genuine good news, not legalistic, external observance. But was Paul rejecting the covenant of circumcision, even for Jewish boys? If you think that, consider that Acts 16:3 records that Paul had his disciple Timothy circumcised—because Tim had a Jewish mother (Timothy’s father apparently was not Jewish). That letter to the Galatians must have caused some concern, though, because in Acts 21:20-21, we hear that this was a charge raised against Paul: When they [the disciples in Jerusalem] heard this, they praised God. Then they said to Paul: ‘You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have believed, and all of them are zealous for the law. They have been informed that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn away from Moses, telling them not to circumcise their children or live according to our customs.’” Note what the Messianic Jewish elders were saying: there were thousands of Jews who believed, and all of them zealous for the law—the Torah. Can you imagine thousands of Yeshiva-bokers for the Messiah? Come on…use your imagination! These Jews had heard that Paul might be telling Jews to turn away from Moses and circumcision. Have you heard anything like that?
To prove that was not his intent, Paul agreed to participate in a Nazirite vow in the Temple. Galatians has been misunderstood to be anti-Jewish, but that was not Paul’s intent. People often ask me about Galatians 3:28, which says, “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor freeman, neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua.” Does this mean that Paul thinks there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile? Well, is he saying there is no distinction between male and female? I still notice some difference between men and women, and I’m pretty sure Paul did, too. Gal 3:26 explains what Paul intended: “You are all sons of God through faith in Messiah Yeshua.” In other words, through faith in Messiah Yeshua, we all have the same relationship with G-d. We are all his children, and so we are all brother and sisters, one in Messiah. Amen?
But that doesn’t mean that all the wonderful distinctiveness that G-d created are eradicated. So in Romans 3:1, he asks the question that readers of Galatians might asked: “What advantage, then, there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision?" And he resoundingly answers: “Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.”
Now let's return to our main theme, Romans 1:16. In Romans 2:9-10, Paul reiterates this phrase—first for the Jew, then for the Gentile—twice more: 2:9 “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile...” As Tevye said to G-d on behalf of all Jews, “Would you mind choosing somebody else?” “but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” Same principle, three times! Maybe this is a hint? Are we onto something important? Does “first for the Jew” mean that God loves Jews more than everybody else? Not at all! 11 For God does not show favoritism. Does the order of God's choosing or election show favoritism? Not at all! It is simply “God's powerful means of bringing salvation to everyone who keeps on trusting.” It is a plan of salvation for all who are humble enough to trust in His mercy. Amen?
“First to the Jew, then for the Gentiles”— was Paul’s actual practice, wherever he went. Whenever Sha'ul went to a new city to preach the gospel, where did he go first? To a synagogue. There a few Jews would receive the good news with joy, and also many God-fearing Gentiles would be made righteous by faith in Messiah. For that matter, when Sha'ul finally arrived in Rome, what did he do first? Acts 28:17 tells us, “Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews." And here’s what he told them: “My brothers, although I have done nothing against our people or against the customs of our ancestors, I was arrested in Jerusalem and handed over to the Romans.”
To the end, Paul insists he has done nothing against our people or our customs. So, was this true? Yes, he was simply removing the barrier of circumcision and Jewish customs for Gentiles. I believe Romans 1:16 gives us the theme and outline of the entire epistle. Here's my outline of Romans: Romans 1:1-17 is the introduction, culminating in the statement of the theme and outline. Romans 1:18-3:20 explains "For I am not ashamed of the good news..." Romans 3:21 through 8 explains "the power of salvation for everyone who believes." Romans 9-11 focuses on "to the Jew first," revealing God’s plan of salvation for Israel. Finally, Romans 12-15 elaborates on "then to the Gentile," revealing his plan of salvation for the whole world.
Let's start with "For I am not ashamed of the good news." Paul boldly tells it like it is. There is a spirit of the world that would like to inhibit the proclaiming of the good news. I wonder whether it tried to shame Paul in prison, through beatings, through rejection. How did he respond? By boasting all the more in his weaknesses and his sufferings, by boldly singing and proclaiming his joy in prison: “as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors…”
The enemy of your souls and a demon of shame would like you to be ashamed of the good news. Throw him off! Reject rejection and scorn shame! “Blessed are you [Yeshua said] when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Besides, what should people really be ashamed of? Sin! And Paul really lays into those who walk in the broad way that leads to destruction. Romans 1:29: “They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters...” And it doesn't get any better from there! 1:33: "God's righteous decree is that those who do such things deserve death." So much for the pagan goyim—that’s Hebrew for Gentiles.
What about God's chosen people? The relationship between Jews and Gentiles, for better or worse, is a major theme of this epistle. In the Spirit of the prophets, Paul challenges and castigates his own people: Romans 2:13: “For it is not those who hear the Torah who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the Torah who will be declared righteous.” 2:22-23: “You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: "God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."” And in Romans 3:9-10, he concludes: “What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one."”
That's the bad news. Are you ready now for the good news? Rom 3:21 through 8 turns to the good news, "the power of salvation for everyone who believes." The righteousness of God is fulfilled when you put your trust in Messiah Yeshua, whose sacrifice makes atonement for your sins. Paul lays out three stages in the way of salvation: justification, sanctification and glorification.
Salvation begins with justification. Rom 3:24-25 explains: “By God’s grace, without earning it, all are justified, declared righteous before him, and so redeeming us from our enslavement to sin accomplished by Messiah Yeshua.” Have you trusted in the Messiah’s sacrifice of atonement? If so, today you can put your trust in him, to take away your sin, so that you may be declared righteous in God’s sight—not because of anything you can do, but because of what Yeshua has already done for you, once and for all.
Then salvation continues, through sanctification, Paul’s theme in Romans 6 through 8:16. Rom 6:10-11: “The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Messiah Yeshua.” Amen? Does anyone else here find this hard to do? Welcome to the club! Paul admits his own struggle with this process in Romans 7, and finally cries out in 7:24, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” Who will rescue me, or you? The same Messiah Yeshua who rescued you the first time will keep on saving you. Amen?
"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Messiah Yeshua." (8:1) Paul then explains how "the righteous requirements of the law [Torah] might be fully met in us..." In Romans 8:2, he distinguishes between the law of the Spirit of life and the law of sin and death. Paul has much to say here about the law or Torah, a very important Jewish subject! So what does he mean when he says, in Romans 6:14, according to the NIV translation: “For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.” What does he mean “not under law”? Here’s what the commentators in the NIV Study Bible have to say about this verse: “The Christian has...been freed from the law in the manner in which God’s people were under law in the OT era.” In other words, Messiah terminated the Old Testament dispensation of law in order to begin a NT dispensation of grace.
Not! If Paul really thought the Torah had been terminated, why would he go to all the trouble to go to Jerusalem just to keep a Jewish festival? And when he got there, why would he agree to observe a Nazirite vow, to assuage the concern of Jewish believers who were zealous for Torah? And why would he write, in Romans 7:22, “in my inner being I delight in God's law”? As more and more scholars now recognize, Paul was not anti-Jewish or anti-Torah! Such an understanding of him has it roots in anti-Jewish, anti-Torah interpretations that have unfortunately dominated the church since the second century. Here’s how the Complete Jewish Bible translates Romans 6:14 instead: “For sin will not have authority over you; for you are not under legalism but under grace.” Do you hear the difference? Instead of “under law,” David Stern translates upo nomos as “under legalism.” Is this translation legit? Well, as even the NIV Study Bible notes, commenting on Romans 8:2, “Paul uses the word ‘law’ in several different ways in Romans.” I guess it took a Messianic Jew like David Stern to make this distinction clear in translation! Nomos can mean different things—Torah or legalism—depending on context.
Paul goes back and forth between these two meanings throughout Romans, including 8:2: “The Torah of the Spirit, which produces life, in union with Messiah Yeshua, has set me free from the ‘torah’ of sin and death.” In other words, Paul distinguishes between two different ways of understanding the Torah. It all depends on the attitude of your heart, whether you have you mind set on what the Spirit desires, or what you selfish old nature desires. So in 2 Corinthians 3:6, Sha'ul explains: “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”
Finally, Romans 8 closes with the final stage of salvation, which is glorification 8:18-19: “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed.” He began a good work in you shall be faithful to complete in the day of Messiah Yeshua. Amen?
Romans 9-11 elaborates "to the Jew first" in the good news of salvation. I’ve heard some folks describe these chapters as a “parenthesis,” as if it were an interruption in the main thrust of Paul’s message about the good news of salvation. But as a Jew, I think this section is really crucial to understanding the awesome, universal power of salvation. Since Sha’ul was also a Jew, I think I am in good company! BTW, Sha’ul was his Jewish name—he never changed it to Paul. In the diaspora, Jewish people often have two names—my Jewish name is Moshe. Esther’s Jewish name was Hadassah.
When he became the Apostle to the Gentiles, he went by Paul, but when he whenever he went to the synagogue and was called up to the bimah to read the Torah, it would have been Sha’ul. In Romans 11:1, he affirms his ongoing Jewish identity: “I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.” Did God reject his people! God forbid! God is not a man that he should lie, nor should he ever change his mind. When God makes a promise, he is faithful to fulfill it. Though one generation may fail to trust and obey, God perseveres with Israel until he can and will fulfill all his promises. God has a plan, for the salvation of all Israel and all the nations together. The good news is so powerful it will bring about the salvation of the whole world. In that day, He shall reign over all the earth! I believe that day is drawing near! Amen?
In Rom 11:11-12, Paul outlines how Israel and the nations will help each other fulfill God’s plan: “Did they [the majority of the Jewish people] stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their fullness bring!” Part of the reason I believe that day is drawing near is because Gentiles are beginning to fulfill the plan God has for them, in making Israel envious. The leaders of the nation of Israel appreciate more and more that Bible-believing Christians are their most valuable allies. May that realization penetrate the hearts of Jewish people in this country, and on this campus! Amen?
Romans 12-15 focuses on "and also the Gentile." Actually, the relationship between Jew and Gentile is woven throughout the letter to the Romans. Romans 4 shows that Abraham became the father of many nations, by faith. Romans 11 gives the beautiful illustration of the olive tree, into which both wild and natural branches (Gentiles and Jews) may be grafted in, by trusting humbly in Messiah Yeshua. Romans 15:8 weaves the salvation of Jews and Gentiles together: “For I tell you that Messiah has become a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs, so that the Gentiles may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Therefore I will praise you among the Gentiles; I will sing hymns to your name.” So begins a litany of Scriptures about the good news of Gentiles joining Jews in salvation: 10 “Again, it says, ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people.’ 11 And again, ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and sing praises to him, all you peoples.’”
I invite the worship team to come forward again…. How many of you are Gentiles? Rejoice, O Gentiles! With his people! Through your joy and love of God, provoke your Jewish friends and neighbors to jealousy! How many of you are Jewish? I will praise you, O God, among the Gentiles! Sing praises to him, Jew and Gentile, one in Messiah, one in the olive tree! The power of salvation is for each person who puts his or her trust in Yeshua. The power of salvation is also is also for all Israel, and for the whole world! We have been called together, to a ministry of love and reconciliation, imitating Messiah: Jew and Gentile, one in Messiah, one in the olive tree, sharing Yeshua’s love. Help us Lord to love one another, with humble hearts forgiving each other that the world might believe. Amen? Come, Lord Yeshua!
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