The Bible tells us, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:00:01.33\00:00:04.27
and the Word was with
God, and the Word was God."
00:00:04.30\00:00:08.47
It says, "To
receive with meekness
00:00:08.50\00:00:10.87
the implanted Word,
00:00:10.91\00:00:12.31
which is able
to save your souls.
00:00:12.34\00:00:14.61
And to be diligent
to present yourself
00:00:14.64\00:00:16.91
approved to God
00:00:16.95\00:00:18.55
rightly dividing
the Word of truth."
00:00:18.58\00:00:21.55
Join us now for the
3ABN Sabbath School Panel.
00:00:21.58\00:00:26.09
Our study today is
00:00:26.12\00:00:27.89
"Salvation by Faith
Alone" the Book of Romans.
00:00:27.92\00:00:33.36
Hello, and welcome to 3ABN
Sabbath school lesson study.
00:00:33.40\00:00:36.83
My name is John
Lomacang, I'm the pastor here
00:00:36.90\00:00:38.93
at the Thompsonville
Seventh-day Adventist church,
00:00:38.97\00:00:40.87
but I'm joined with a
wonderful host of panelist
00:00:40.90\00:00:43.20
that are going to walk us
00:00:43.24\00:00:44.57
through one of the
most exciting studies
00:00:44.61\00:00:46.04
of the Book of Romans
00:00:46.07\00:00:47.78
which to me is the place
where the gospel of the past
00:00:47.81\00:00:50.58
and the future and the
present comes together,
00:00:50.61\00:00:53.55
as the Apostle Paul walks us
00:00:53.58\00:00:55.15
through not only
his personal journey,
00:00:55.18\00:00:57.35
but the journey of the
Christian church at Rome,
00:00:57.42\00:00:59.82
and it ties in Galatia,
00:00:59.85\00:01:01.26
and a number of other
aspects of the New Testament.
00:01:01.29\00:01:03.29
But we'd like to invite
you to join us in this study,
00:01:03.32\00:01:06.29
if you have your Bibles.
00:01:06.33\00:01:07.66
We'll tell you in just a moment
00:01:07.66\00:01:09.00
how to get a copy of the lesson,
00:01:09.03\00:01:10.53
where you can download
the Sabbath school lesson
00:01:10.57\00:01:12.13
and follow along with us,
but before we do anything else,
00:01:12.17\00:01:14.70
we always begin
with the word of prayer.
00:01:14.74\00:01:16.67
Mollie, would you
have prayer for us?
00:01:16.71\00:01:18.34
Holy Father, we come
before You in the name of Jesus,
00:01:18.37\00:01:20.94
and, Father, we are so
grateful for Your presence
00:01:20.98\00:01:23.18
that we sense here.
00:01:23.21\00:01:24.55
Father, we do just open up
our hearts and our lives to You
00:01:24.58\00:01:27.38
and ask, Lord, that
You would flow through us,
00:01:27.42\00:01:29.72
that You would use
us to bring a hope,
00:01:29.75\00:01:32.55
and health, and healing,
00:01:32.59\00:01:33.92
and deliverance
Your word, Father,
00:01:33.96\00:01:35.69
to those that need it so badly.
00:01:35.72\00:01:37.29
And, Father, we
pray for everyone
00:01:37.33\00:01:38.69
that's listening that even
now you'd open up their hearts
00:01:38.73\00:01:41.56
that this word would go forth,
00:01:41.60\00:01:43.16
it would be planted
securely in their hearts
00:01:43.20\00:01:45.50
and all of our
lives would be changed
00:01:45.53\00:01:47.70
into Your image and likeness,
00:01:47.74\00:01:49.14
that's our prayer
today, in Jesus' name, amen.
00:01:49.17\00:01:52.64
Amen. Amen.
00:01:52.67\00:01:54.24
The topic of study is
"Salvation by Faith Alone".
00:01:54.28\00:01:58.65
And now you know
in this day and age
00:01:58.68\00:02:00.25
where so many issues are
being catapulted back and forth,
00:02:00.32\00:02:04.45
so many new issues
00:02:04.49\00:02:05.82
that are
confronting the modern church.
00:02:05.85\00:02:07.76
In our study together,
00:02:07.79\00:02:09.12
we'll discover that
many of our modern issues
00:02:09.16\00:02:10.96
are not really modern
but just regurgitated,
00:02:10.99\00:02:13.80
they have been resurrected,
00:02:13.83\00:02:15.40
and many of the
controversies of the past
00:02:15.43\00:02:17.33
are now in the present,
00:02:17.37\00:02:18.70
and we see many of them
shaping up for the future.
00:02:18.73\00:02:21.14
But to get a copy of the
lesson to follow us along,
00:02:21.17\00:02:23.77
go to ABSG.Adventist.org
00:02:23.81\00:02:28.74
and download
Salvation by Faith Alone,
00:02:28.78\00:02:31.75
the Book of Romans.
00:02:31.78\00:02:33.88
And we're gonna be
covering five different days,
00:02:33.92\00:02:37.62
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday,
00:02:37.65\00:02:39.89
beginning with the
Apostle Paul's letter,
00:02:39.92\00:02:42.22
then Pastor CA, a
Paul's desire to visit Rome,
00:02:42.26\00:02:45.26
then Mollie
Steenson, a Paul in Rome,
00:02:45.29\00:02:47.96
then Shelley
Quinn, the saints in Rome,
00:02:47.96\00:02:50.63
and there should be
saints everywhere, amen?
00:02:50.70\00:02:52.23
Amen.
00:02:52.27\00:02:53.60
And then finally
Jill, believers in Roman.
00:02:53.67\00:02:55.84
Jill is surely a believer.
00:02:55.87\00:02:57.54
But let's begin
with the Apostle,
00:02:57.57\00:03:00.28
the Apostle Paul's letter.
00:03:00.31\00:03:02.54
Now, what I'd like to begin
with and I'd like each of you,
00:03:02.58\00:03:04.68
you can register your comments,
00:03:04.71\00:03:06.58
I'd like to give each person
a chance to say something.
00:03:06.61\00:03:10.02
The Book of Romans
00:03:10.09\00:03:12.19
deals with vital
issues and vital topics.
00:03:12.22\00:03:16.62
And I thank the Lord for
that because He brings together
00:03:16.66\00:03:20.50
what I would consider
some of the best definitions
00:03:20.53\00:03:23.67
when it comes to sin.
00:03:23.73\00:03:25.57
Now sin is defined in the Greek,
00:03:25.60\00:03:27.10
but Paul deals with it
in five particular areas,
00:03:27.14\00:03:31.24
and I like to begin
by talking about that
00:03:31.27\00:03:32.81
before we get into the
timing of the Book of Romans.
00:03:32.84\00:03:36.01
First, he begins
with the word hamartema,
00:03:36.04\00:03:40.38
which means falling short.
00:03:40.42\00:03:42.92
In other words, there is a
mark in every Christian's life,
00:03:42.95\00:03:45.42
God has a mark.
00:03:45.45\00:03:46.82
You know, when Paul
says, press toward the mark,
00:03:46.86\00:03:49.22
for the prize of
the upward call of God
00:03:49.26\00:03:50.79
in Christ Jesus.
00:03:50.83\00:03:52.16
He's saying, God has a
mark for us, a righteous mark,
00:03:52.19\00:03:55.56
and falling short
is the word hamartema,
00:03:55.60\00:03:59.43
meaning missing the mark.
00:03:59.47\00:04:00.87
I know there's a mark.
00:04:00.94\00:04:02.27
I have aimed toward it
but because of my weakness,
00:04:02.30\00:04:05.17
because of my sinful
nature I've missed the mark.
00:04:05.21\00:04:08.78
And that is not as
bad as the next one
00:04:08.81\00:04:11.85
which falling short
goes to unrighteousness next.
00:04:11.88\00:04:16.22
Which is the Greek word adikía,
00:04:16.25\00:04:20.36
meaning to do wrong,
00:04:20.39\00:04:22.76
to be dishonest, to be unjust,
00:04:22.79\00:04:25.43
they're not even
aiming at the mark,
00:04:25.46\00:04:27.00
they're living a
life of dishonesty,
00:04:27.03\00:04:28.76
they just want to do wrong,
00:04:28.80\00:04:30.57
they just want to
be unjust, unjust.
00:04:30.63\00:04:33.30
Which takes us to the third
one and we'll break this down
00:04:33.34\00:04:35.47
in the lesson later on trespass.
00:04:35.50\00:04:37.87
Oh, you've heard the phrase
forgive us our trespasses,
00:04:37.91\00:04:41.01
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
00:04:41.04\00:04:44.51
Trespass is a
very interesting sin
00:04:44.55\00:04:46.01
because it is one that
you should have done right
00:04:46.05\00:04:49.85
because you knew better.
00:04:49.88\00:04:51.59
Forgive us our trespasses
comes from the Greek word,
00:04:51.62\00:04:55.26
para toma, paraptoma.
00:04:55.29\00:04:58.96
In other words you
should have resisted,
00:04:58.99\00:05:01.16
you should have done right.
00:05:01.20\00:05:02.53
So when the Bible says,
"Forgive us our trespasses"
00:05:02.56\00:05:05.57
a parent might say, you
should have known better.
00:05:05.60\00:05:08.37
The Lord is saying to us,
we should have known better,
00:05:08.40\00:05:10.61
we should have done right,
00:05:10.64\00:05:12.14
and that's
different from falling short
00:05:12.17\00:05:13.68
or unrighteousness.
00:05:13.71\00:05:15.38
The other one, anomia,
which is the word iniquity.
00:05:15.41\00:05:20.32
It's another, it's
also defined lawlessness,
00:05:20.35\00:05:22.95
meaning intentional sin.
00:05:22.98\00:05:25.89
And the difference
between falling short
00:05:25.92\00:05:27.76
and intentional sin
is falling short says,
00:05:27.79\00:05:30.99
we aimed at the
mark and missed it,
00:05:31.03\00:05:33.63
but iniquity which is anomia,
00:05:33.70\00:05:35.76
mean we refused
to aim at the mark.
00:05:35.80\00:05:39.50
I don't even
care about the mark.
00:05:39.53\00:05:40.97
I'm just going to
live how I want to live.
00:05:41.00\00:05:42.74
I don't really care about it.
00:05:42.77\00:05:44.27
I know there's a mark,
I'm not going to aim for it,
00:05:44.31\00:05:46.54
I'm going to be who I am.
00:05:46.57\00:05:48.08
And therefore another phrase
for iniquity is cherished sin.
00:05:48.11\00:05:52.71
We become so comfortable
with it, we just embrace it.
00:05:52.75\00:05:56.52
And finally, ungodliness,
asebeia, ungodliness.
00:05:56.55\00:06:02.92
Now this is, to me,
00:06:02.96\00:06:04.66
this is probably
one of the worst of all
00:06:04.69\00:06:06.66
because asebeia is not
only rebellion against God,
00:06:06.73\00:06:10.17
but it means
tearing down the mark.
00:06:10.20\00:06:13.44
Meaning if I can
tear down the mark,
00:06:13.47\00:06:15.64
then nobody else
will aim at the mark.
00:06:15.67\00:06:17.94
Asebeia means the atheist
00:06:17.97\00:06:20.08
who says, I
don't believe in God,
00:06:20.11\00:06:22.54
I'm going to fight against God,
00:06:22.58\00:06:24.28
I'm gonna make sure that
you don't believe in God,
00:06:24.31\00:06:26.72
so he's tearing down the
mark, not aiming at the mark,
00:06:26.75\00:06:29.85
not even refused to aim,
00:06:29.88\00:06:31.59
but he's going to
fight against everything
00:06:31.62\00:06:33.59
that identifies us with God.
00:06:33.66\00:06:35.86
And so in our study,
00:06:35.89\00:06:38.16
we're going to discover
all of those falling short,
00:06:38.19\00:06:40.40
unrighteousness, trespass,
iniquity and ungodliness.
00:06:40.43\00:06:45.00
Any comments
before I go any further?
00:06:45.03\00:06:46.47
John, I want to add
on a couple of these,
00:06:46.50\00:06:49.74
particularly paraptoma
because when you have para,
00:06:49.77\00:06:54.61
you have this alongside idea.
00:06:54.64\00:06:55.98
Yes, right.
00:06:56.01\00:06:57.35
Paraptoma comes with the idea
of running on a parallel track,
00:06:57.41\00:07:01.95
but you're not
really on the mark,
00:07:01.98\00:07:03.72
you're running alongside.
00:07:03.75\00:07:05.85
The train off the track.
00:07:05.89\00:07:07.22
Precisely it's like,
you've got a track here,
00:07:07.29\00:07:08.62
you've got a track here.
00:07:08.66\00:07:09.99
They're running in
the same direction,
00:07:10.03\00:07:11.36
but they're not really together,
00:07:11.39\00:07:12.73
they're just running parallel.
00:07:12.76\00:07:14.10
And sometimes we as
Christians can do that,
00:07:14.10\00:07:15.43
we're running, we're
not really on the beam,
00:07:15.46\00:07:17.17
we're kind of just
parallel to the beam
00:07:17.20\00:07:18.73
and you think you're on the beam
00:07:18.77\00:07:20.14
but you're not, you're parallel,
00:07:20.17\00:07:21.50
so you can deceive
yourself into thinking
00:07:21.54\00:07:23.30
I'm really there when I am not.
00:07:23.34\00:07:25.14
And anomia also gives the
idea of total lawlessness,
00:07:25.17\00:07:30.08
of anarchy that's what I want,
that is the same root word.
00:07:30.15\00:07:35.18
And asebeia is interesting
00:07:35.22\00:07:37.99
because it
refuses to even accept
00:07:38.02\00:07:40.36
that there is a law to be kept.
00:07:40.39\00:07:42.12
You're just living a
totally lawless life.
00:07:42.16\00:07:44.03
It's not even in
your mind that, you know,
00:07:44.06\00:07:45.93
to the fullest
that is there is no God.
00:07:45.96\00:07:48.20
So you have that idea that
they don't even accept the idea
00:07:48.23\00:07:50.93
that is something I need to
do, I'm just living for myself,
00:07:50.97\00:07:53.70
I'm living unto myself,
00:07:53.74\00:07:55.07
and I think each of those gives,
00:07:55.10\00:07:56.87
John, a certain nuance to sin
00:07:56.91\00:08:00.04
and everybody falls
under one of those categories
00:08:00.11\00:08:02.44
who is not
walking with the Lord.
00:08:02.48\00:08:04.78
And we'll find in
our further studies
00:08:04.81\00:08:06.15
that Romans 1 deals with
that whole idea that we just,
00:08:06.18\00:08:09.58
we don't care about, we
don't want to acknowledge God,
00:08:09.62\00:08:11.92
we know He exists,
00:08:11.95\00:08:13.29
we just want to push
Him out of our minds.
00:08:13.32\00:08:14.76
And I would say
there is no depth
00:08:14.79\00:08:16.12
to which sin can take us
00:08:16.16\00:08:17.96
when we decide to turn
our hearts against God.
00:08:17.99\00:08:20.13
But let's go ahead and establish
00:08:20.16\00:08:22.03
the Apostle Paul's letter,
00:08:22.06\00:08:23.40
because I think
the lesson begins by
00:08:23.47\00:08:25.30
wanting us to
understand the context
00:08:25.33\00:08:27.17
of when this letter was written,
00:08:27.24\00:08:29.40
and it makes a
difference because when you,
00:08:29.44\00:08:31.14
if you pick up
the wrong newspaper
00:08:31.17\00:08:33.27
you could quote the wrong,
00:08:33.31\00:08:34.64
you could talk about something
00:08:34.68\00:08:36.01
that doesn't even have
any meaning any longer.
00:08:36.04\00:08:38.41
So since the
writings of the Apostle Paul
00:08:38.45\00:08:41.02
are like newsletters,
00:08:41.05\00:08:43.08
it's important to understand
the context the generation
00:08:43.12\00:08:45.55
in which this was
written and the time.
00:08:45.59\00:08:47.39
Let's go to Romans 16:1-2,
00:08:47.46\00:08:51.53
and my portion is not very long,
00:08:51.56\00:08:53.16
I'll lay some foundation
and allow the other panelists
00:08:53.19\00:08:55.60
to delve more into establishing
00:08:55.63\00:08:58.40
the credibility of
this particular letter
00:08:58.43\00:09:01.24
of the Book of Romans.
00:09:01.27\00:09:03.07
Romans 16:1, "I commend
to you Phoebe our sister,
00:09:03.10\00:09:08.01
who is a servant of
the church in Cenchreae,
00:09:08.04\00:09:12.98
that you may
receive her in the Lord,
00:09:13.01\00:09:15.58
in a manner
worthy of the saints,
00:09:15.62\00:09:17.85
and assist her
in whatever business
00:09:17.89\00:09:20.39
she has need of you,
00:09:20.42\00:09:21.92
for indeed she has
been a helper of many
00:09:21.96\00:09:25.09
and of myself also."
00:09:25.13\00:09:27.40
We don't often hear
that city mentioned,
00:09:27.46\00:09:30.80
but when you
look at the itinerant,
00:09:30.87\00:09:33.37
the journeys of
Paul the Apostle,
00:09:33.44\00:09:35.50
you'll discover that
according to theologians
00:09:35.54\00:09:38.37
and those who have put together
00:09:38.41\00:09:41.11
the timing of when
these letters were written,
00:09:41.14\00:09:43.65
they suggest it was about AD 58
00:09:43.68\00:09:47.62
that the Book of
Romans was written.
00:09:47.65\00:09:50.49
And so having no
reason to rebuttal that,
00:09:50.52\00:09:53.59
I think that the
context of it makes a difference
00:09:53.66\00:09:55.76
because Paul not
only visited Rome,
00:09:55.79\00:09:58.29
but he visited
churches in Galatia.
00:09:58.33\00:10:00.90
And the gospel in
the Book of Romans,
00:10:00.93\00:10:04.60
I think that Galatia to
me or the Book of Galatians
00:10:04.63\00:10:07.50
is a sister book
00:10:07.54\00:10:08.94
because it deals with
some of the very same issues,
00:10:08.97\00:10:10.91
the law, the law versus grace.
00:10:10.94\00:10:13.64
The Jews in
reference to the ceremonial law
00:10:13.68\00:10:16.11
and the moral law.
00:10:16.14\00:10:17.51
And so, since the
church was so new at that time
00:10:17.55\00:10:20.98
because the ascension of Jesus
00:10:21.02\00:10:22.35
if we follow this very
carefully was around 31AD.
00:10:22.38\00:10:25.15
So you have
about 27 years later,
00:10:25.19\00:10:27.36
the church is still
in a developmental stage.
00:10:27.42\00:10:30.93
Jerusalem has not
yet been destroyed 70 AD,
00:10:30.96\00:10:34.60
so you have these issues that
are just on the back burner,
00:10:34.63\00:10:37.50
and the Jews that rejected Jesus
00:10:37.53\00:10:39.97
are pushing hard against
the Jews that accepted Jesus,
00:10:40.00\00:10:43.27
the converts, the proselytes,
00:10:43.34\00:10:44.87
and the gentiles
that are now become
00:10:44.91\00:10:46.74
recipients of
this wonderful gospel.
00:10:46.81\00:10:49.24
And so I want to point out
very carefully in Acts 18:23,
00:10:49.28\00:10:53.55
the reality that Paul's letters
00:10:53.58\00:10:55.12
extended far beyond
the region of just Rome.
00:10:55.15\00:10:58.42
Acts 18:23, says, "And he
had spent some time there,
00:10:58.45\00:11:02.69
after he had
spent some time there,
00:11:02.72\00:11:05.03
he departed and went
over to the region of Galatia
00:11:05.06\00:11:07.86
and Phrygia,
00:11:07.93\00:11:09.23
in order strengthening
all the disciples."
00:11:09.26\00:11:13.60
Now we'll
discover the challenges
00:11:13.64\00:11:15.50
that Galatia
resembled the challenges
00:11:15.54\00:11:17.31
that we face today.
00:11:17.37\00:11:19.31
And I don't want to
spend a ton of time on this
00:11:19.34\00:11:22.21
but I want to point out that,
00:11:22.24\00:11:25.25
the issues that the New
Testament church confronted,
00:11:25.28\00:11:29.55
to our surprise many of those
issues are coming up today.
00:11:29.58\00:11:33.42
Whether or not there are
portions of the ceremonial law
00:11:33.46\00:11:36.62
that still needs to be honored,
00:11:36.69\00:11:38.99
or whether it is sufficient
00:11:39.03\00:11:40.96
to understand the
portions of the ceremonial law
00:11:41.00\00:11:43.50
that gave way to
the life of Christ.
00:11:43.53\00:11:46.77
Let's look very carefully
and I want you to see this.
00:11:46.80\00:11:52.01
Exodus 32:1.
00:11:52.04\00:11:55.94
And what's happened here is
00:11:55.98\00:11:58.35
Paul's delay to
revisit the churches at Rome,
00:11:58.38\00:12:02.82
his absence from
the churches at Rome
00:12:02.85\00:12:06.35
gave license to many
of the false teachers
00:12:06.39\00:12:10.03
that wanted to now
bring up new controversies.
00:12:10.06\00:12:13.16
And I know this and
many of us know, Pastor CA,
00:12:13.19\00:12:15.76
I know, he knows this,
00:12:15.80\00:12:17.33
the phrase that I like to use is
00:12:17.37\00:12:19.47
when the pastor is out of town,
00:12:19.50\00:12:22.14
false teachers
look for opportunities
00:12:22.17\00:12:24.17
to come in and to sow discord.
00:12:24.21\00:12:27.48
As a pastor's wife you've
known that to be true, Mollie,
00:12:27.54\00:12:28.88
am I correct?
00:12:28.91\00:12:30.25
That's true.
00:12:30.28\00:12:31.61
Usually they
wait for the shepherd
00:12:31.65\00:12:32.98
to be out of town for them
to begin to attack the sheep.
00:12:33.01\00:12:35.62
And the same issue
occurred in the days of Moses.
00:12:35.65\00:12:39.69
Exodus 32:1, the Bible says,
00:12:39.72\00:12:41.69
"Now when the people
saw that Moses delayed
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.99
coming down from the mountain,
00:12:44.03\00:12:46.49
that the people
gathered together to Aaron,
00:12:46.53\00:12:48.26
they look for another
leader, and said to him,
00:12:48.30\00:12:50.60
"Come make us gods
that shall go before us.
00:12:50.63\00:12:53.13
For as for this Moses
the man who brought us up
00:12:53.17\00:12:57.24
out of the land of Egypt,
00:12:57.27\00:12:58.61
we do not know
what has become of him."
00:12:58.64\00:13:01.71
And then Matthew 26:31.
00:13:01.74\00:13:03.85
Now we come back to the New
Testament application of that,
00:13:03.88\00:13:07.32
Matthew 26, Then
Jesus said to them,
00:13:07.35\00:13:11.39
"All of you will
be made to stumble
00:13:11.42\00:13:13.69
because of Me this
night, for it is written:
00:13:13.76\00:13:16.66
'I will strike the Shepherd,
00:13:16.73\00:13:18.46
and the sheep of the
flock will be scattered."'
00:13:18.49\00:13:21.83
So false teachers
often encourage individuals
00:13:21.86\00:13:24.87
to begin to embrace those things
00:13:24.90\00:13:26.50
that would not be embraced
00:13:26.53\00:13:28.44
if the teacher
was still in town.
00:13:28.47\00:13:31.34
And so what we're going to
look at today is the issues
00:13:31.37\00:13:34.28
that confronted
00:13:34.31\00:13:35.64
establishing the date of
the Apostle Paul's letter.
00:13:35.68\00:13:38.75
Now I'm going to
turn to Pastor CA
00:13:38.78\00:13:41.05
to talk about Paul's
desire to visit Rome.
00:13:41.08\00:13:43.55
Why did he want to go to Rome?
00:13:43.59\00:13:47.12
He wanted to go
because he's a pastor at heart.
00:13:47.16\00:13:50.19
Okay.
00:13:50.23\00:13:52.03
There's so much in this book
and it's such a wonderful book.
00:13:52.06\00:13:54.46
One of the things that sort
of jumps out at you right away
00:13:54.50\00:13:57.33
is Paul, the nuance in the way
00:13:57.40\00:14:00.74
Paul dealt with the
particular churches.
00:14:00.77\00:14:03.51
He had a very
paternal relationship
00:14:03.54\00:14:06.37
with all of his churches,
even an avuncular relationship,
00:14:06.41\00:14:09.91
he was the parent, the
daddy of those churches.
00:14:09.94\00:14:13.62
And he patted them on the back
or spanked them on the bottom,
00:14:13.65\00:14:18.42
depending on what he felt
00:14:18.45\00:14:20.16
they needed at
that particular time.
00:14:20.19\00:14:22.29
So last quarter we dealt
00:14:22.32\00:14:25.13
with what was a little
more of a spank on the bottom,
00:14:25.16\00:14:27.50
he was very firm.
00:14:27.60\00:14:29.70
With Rome, he
didn't have to be quite
00:14:29.73\00:14:31.77
that that fatherly quite that,
00:14:31.80\00:14:35.77
I don't want to say dictatorial,
00:14:35.80\00:14:37.17
but he didn't have to be
quite the disciplinarian,
00:14:37.21\00:14:39.04
he had to be more
of the theologian,
00:14:39.07\00:14:40.54
he had to show them
00:14:40.58\00:14:41.91
because some of the
same errors were coming in...
00:14:41.94\00:14:43.71
That's right
00:14:43.75\00:14:45.08
But they were dealing with them
in a slightly different way.
00:14:45.11\00:14:47.58
So we see this nuance in the way
00:14:47.62\00:14:49.45
he's dealing with
the church at Rome.
00:14:49.48\00:14:51.09
Of course, he wants to
come back to all of them,
00:14:51.12\00:14:55.02
those who pastored, Mollie,
00:14:55.06\00:14:56.69
you are the wife of a
pastor, and co-pastor.
00:14:56.73\00:14:58.36
John, you know this also
00:14:58.39\00:15:00.06
that they tell you in school
00:15:00.13\00:15:01.80
and you find that
it works out that way
00:15:01.83\00:15:04.27
that if you want to
be a successful pastor,
00:15:04.30\00:15:06.50
you need to get in
the homes of your members.
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.34
You need to visit them.
00:15:08.37\00:15:10.51
You can deal with things
00:15:10.54\00:15:11.87
much better sitting on the couch
00:15:11.91\00:15:13.24
than you can
preach them from pulpit,
00:15:13.27\00:15:14.61
that's just the truth.
00:15:14.64\00:15:15.98
Right.
00:15:16.01\00:15:17.35
Certain things
have to be addressed
00:15:17.38\00:15:18.71
to the whole church,
00:15:18.75\00:15:20.12
but the other things that
00:15:20.15\00:15:21.48
are better work in
the home face to face
00:15:21.52\00:15:22.85
and even in this age
where we are so internet savvy,
00:15:22.88\00:15:26.76
and so internet
dependent, and we tweet,
00:15:26.79\00:15:29.02
and we do other kinds of things,
00:15:29.06\00:15:31.73
one on one, home to
home, member to member,
00:15:31.76\00:15:36.36
pastor to member
is still the best,
00:15:36.40\00:15:38.00
and so he wanted to come back
00:15:38.03\00:15:40.04
because there were things
that needed his attention.
00:15:40.10\00:15:42.94
But sometimes even though
00:15:42.97\00:15:44.31
you want to
come, you cannot come.
00:15:44.34\00:15:46.94
So the best that you can do
00:15:46.98\00:15:48.31
is to begin to write
and address those things
00:15:48.34\00:15:50.95
through the printed page
00:15:50.98\00:15:53.18
and through letters,
so he wanted to come.
00:15:53.21\00:15:55.68
And then also,
Paul was an evangelist,
00:15:55.72\00:16:00.39
he was the
evangelist, evangelist,
00:16:00.42\00:16:02.42
and what do
evangelist have to do?
00:16:02.46\00:16:04.29
They got to evangelize.
00:16:04.36\00:16:05.69
You got to go through
00:16:05.73\00:16:07.03
those dark
communities and keep sharing.
00:16:07.10\00:16:08.40
And so,
00:16:08.43\00:16:09.76
this idea that I
have to go other places
00:16:09.80\00:16:12.33
and I have to share the gospel
kept him from doing all that,
00:16:12.37\00:16:15.14
and he did three
missionary journeys,
00:16:15.17\00:16:16.91
he was doing that,
00:16:16.94\00:16:18.51
but sometimes he's
able to go back and stay,
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.78
sometimes he was not
able to go back and say
00:16:20.81\00:16:22.68
and we see this.
00:16:22.71\00:16:24.05
So Paul had a very,
very strong relationship,
00:16:24.08\00:16:27.05
parental
relationship with his churches.
00:16:27.12\00:16:31.35
I recall Ellen
White going to a meeting
00:16:31.39\00:16:33.22
with her husband James shortly,
00:16:33.25\00:16:34.92
I want to say 1846 or so.
00:16:34.96\00:16:38.46
They went to a
church in New England,
00:16:38.49\00:16:40.70
not a church
but a house meeting.
00:16:40.73\00:16:42.03
And she said,
00:16:42.06\00:16:43.43
when we got
there the thing that,
00:16:43.47\00:16:45.07
that sort of confronted
00:16:45.10\00:16:46.94
everybody had their own opinion.
00:16:47.00\00:16:48.80
Everybody was
fighting to get the floor,
00:16:48.84\00:16:50.57
you know, and she
didn't do this often
00:16:50.61\00:16:52.11
but she said at this time,
00:16:52.14\00:16:53.48
she said, first of all,
00:16:53.54\00:16:54.88
we didn't come
here to listen to you.
00:16:54.91\00:16:56.54
She said, we came here
to teach, not to learn.
00:16:56.58\00:16:58.98
Because
everybody's got some error,
00:16:59.01\00:17:00.95
and if we spend time
wading through all this error,
00:17:00.98\00:17:03.92
we will never get anything done,
00:17:03.95\00:17:05.29
so here's what
we're going to do.
00:17:05.32\00:17:07.09
You guys are going to listen,
and we're going to teach,
00:17:07.12\00:17:09.96
because what we got
is coming from the Lord.
00:17:09.99\00:17:12.19
And when you have confusion,
00:17:12.23\00:17:13.56
the first thing you
have to do is get some order,
00:17:13.63\00:17:17.17
you've got to get some order,
and that's what Paul is doing.
00:17:17.20\00:17:19.20
We've got to get some order
so that we can do some things
00:17:19.23\00:17:22.24
and we can move forward.
00:17:22.27\00:17:23.84
So you've got
to establish order.
00:17:23.91\00:17:25.41
And Paul in his
letter to the Romans,
00:17:25.44\00:17:26.78
the whole letter,
00:17:26.81\00:17:28.14
I'm so glad that
this is a topical study
00:17:28.18\00:17:30.55
as opposed to
purely chronological
00:17:30.58\00:17:32.21
because that allows us to
sort of wade into this stuff
00:17:32.25\00:17:34.88
in order of topical importance,
00:17:34.92\00:17:38.72
because we see Paul
doing that same thing.
00:17:38.75\00:17:41.36
So one of the duties of Paul
00:17:41.39\00:17:44.86
which is also one
of the duties of us
00:17:44.89\00:17:46.70
as pastors is to train.
00:17:46.73\00:17:51.97
There are not
enough pastors in the world
00:17:52.00\00:17:55.17
so that everybody can have
their own individual pastor,
00:17:55.20\00:17:58.04
or everybody can have,
00:17:58.07\00:17:59.41
every church can have
its own individual pastor.
00:17:59.44\00:18:01.61
One of the duties
of pastors is to train,
00:18:01.64\00:18:04.95
and that's one of the things
00:18:04.98\00:18:06.31
that Paul spent a
good portion of his life
00:18:06.35\00:18:08.35
doing training so
that when he left,
00:18:08.38\00:18:10.05
there were those in charge
00:18:10.12\00:18:11.45
who could carry
forward the work of the gospel.
00:18:11.49\00:18:13.02
And isn't it interesting
panel that the places
00:18:13.05\00:18:16.39
where the church
is going the faster,
00:18:16.42\00:18:18.23
fastest on earth are the places
that have the fewest pastors.
00:18:18.26\00:18:24.07
Now that says something
and I know what it says,
00:18:24.10\00:18:27.77
I don't know that's
what I want to say it,
00:18:27.80\00:18:29.57
but what we're saying is that,
if a pastor's doing his job,
00:18:29.60\00:18:32.91
he's training.
00:18:32.94\00:18:34.41
He is leaving, equipping,
00:18:34.44\00:18:38.38
he is leaving a
legacy behind him,
00:18:38.41\00:18:40.32
so that when he is not there,
the church can move forward.
00:18:40.35\00:18:42.58
And that of course
is what Paul had to do.
00:18:42.62\00:18:44.62
He would start a church,
00:18:44.65\00:18:45.99
if there were problems
00:18:46.02\00:18:47.36
he would try to
redress those problems,
00:18:47.39\00:18:48.72
but his call was
to be an evangelist,
00:18:48.76\00:18:50.43
and evangelist has to
go out and evangelize.
00:18:50.46\00:18:52.53
So he wants to go back
because his heart is there,
00:18:52.56\00:18:55.40
there are people
who are there he loves,
00:18:55.43\00:18:56.97
but he's got to keep moving.
00:18:57.03\00:18:59.00
And so you've got this tension
00:18:59.03\00:19:00.87
that we see in
this part of the lesson.
00:19:00.90\00:19:02.54
I want to move
through some stuff
00:19:02.57\00:19:03.94
before we get too fast.
00:19:03.97\00:19:05.31
One quick note,
00:19:05.34\00:19:06.68
and that's what he
meant when he said,
00:19:06.71\00:19:08.04
Paul planted Apollos watered,
but God gave the increase.
00:19:08.08\00:19:09.58
God gave the increase, yes, yes.
00:19:09.61\00:19:10.98
He always started something,
00:19:11.01\00:19:12.35
but trained somebody to
take it over and carried on.
00:19:12.38\00:19:14.28
Precisely, my goal
is to go into new areas,
00:19:14.35\00:19:16.22
you saw with
mentoring other individuals
00:19:16.25\00:19:18.55
to come behind him.
00:19:18.59\00:19:20.92
I've got some quotes
00:19:20.99\00:19:22.32
from Ellen White where she says,
00:19:22.36\00:19:23.69
"A large amount of
means spent in a few places
00:19:23.76\00:19:26.93
is against
Christian principles."
00:19:26.96\00:19:29.13
She says, "That every
part of the work of God
00:19:29.16\00:19:33.03
needs to be supported
by the people of God."
00:19:33.07\00:19:34.87
And you notice that,
00:19:34.90\00:19:36.24
Paul touches on this
in this part of Romans.
00:19:36.27\00:19:38.61
He's saying,
those of you in Romans
00:19:38.64\00:19:40.98
who have money need to spend
00:19:41.01\00:19:43.95
some of that money in
support of the gospel.
00:19:43.98\00:19:46.18
Now that's good for
all churches and all ages,
00:19:46.21\00:19:49.05
and we see it here in
the Spirit of Prophecy.
00:19:49.08\00:19:50.59
First of all,
00:19:50.62\00:19:51.95
I'm going to
Testimonies, page 141,
00:19:51.99\00:19:53.99
Ellen White tells us,
00:19:54.06\00:19:55.39
"We ought to
cheerfully expend our money
00:19:55.42\00:19:58.09
to advance the gospel."
00:19:58.13\00:19:59.63
You know, I was telling a church
00:19:59.66\00:20:01.50
the other day that
calls for our sacrifice
00:20:01.53\00:20:07.04
as we go
towards the end of time.
00:20:07.10\00:20:08.80
Pastor John, they're
not going to decrease.
00:20:08.84\00:20:10.81
No. They're going to increase.
00:20:10.87\00:20:12.67
There won't be less
of a cause to support,
00:20:12.71\00:20:17.01
there will be
more causes to support.
00:20:17.05\00:20:19.05
So Paul is telling them,
I'm gonna need your help,
00:20:19.08\00:20:24.29
and the church is
going to need your help,
00:20:24.32\00:20:25.95
and the work of
God deserves your help.
00:20:25.99\00:20:28.19
Well, how sad it would be
00:20:28.22\00:20:30.09
for a person who is
a child of God to die
00:20:30.13\00:20:32.83
and leave millions of
dollars in the bank unspent.
00:20:32.86\00:20:36.80
That's, you know,
I'd like to die broke.
00:20:36.83\00:20:40.17
But I'd like to be broke
about one day before I die,
00:20:40.20\00:20:44.67
so that the work of
God is taken care of.
00:20:44.71\00:20:46.34
You know, you have a burden
00:20:46.37\00:20:47.71
to see the work
of God taken care of.
00:20:47.74\00:20:49.11
And of course,
Ellen White tells us,
00:20:49.14\00:20:50.48
God gives people means
00:20:50.51\00:20:52.75
so that they can use
00:20:52.78\00:20:54.15
those means in
support of the work of God.
00:20:54.18\00:20:55.52
That's right.
00:20:55.55\00:20:56.89
And so Paul is alluding to that,
00:20:56.92\00:20:58.45
those of you in
Rome who have means,
00:20:58.49\00:21:00.96
and the Roman Church
is a little different
00:21:00.99\00:21:02.49
that you're in established city,
00:21:02.52\00:21:03.93
you have people
who are being converted
00:21:03.96\00:21:05.29
who are not poverty
stricken, they have means,
00:21:05.33\00:21:08.00
and he's encouraging
them to use those means
00:21:08.03\00:21:10.53
in support of the work of God.
00:21:10.57\00:21:12.87
I've got one more,
00:21:12.90\00:21:14.84
Sixth Volume of the
Testimonies, page 442,
00:21:14.87\00:21:18.01
she says,
00:21:18.04\00:21:19.37
"Use your means to give
light to the darkened nations."
00:21:19.41\00:21:25.31
And this is what Paul is saying,
00:21:25.35\00:21:26.68
as I come through
and go other places,
00:21:26.72\00:21:28.15
I'm going to
need your assistance
00:21:28.18\00:21:29.82
as we move along and
try to take the gospel
00:21:29.85\00:21:32.82
to the darken age.
00:21:32.85\00:21:34.22
Remember the Christian
church was a nascent church
00:21:34.26\00:21:36.39
during the first century.
00:21:36.42\00:21:38.43
And any time you're trying
to establish something new,
00:21:38.46\00:21:41.80
there are weeds to be taken out,
00:21:41.83\00:21:43.40
there's
encouragement to be given,
00:21:43.43\00:21:44.97
and Paul is called
to do all of these,
00:21:45.00\00:21:46.77
and so we get this call
even here at the end of time.
00:21:46.80\00:21:50.04
As the work of God
goes from place to place,
00:21:50.07\00:21:52.61
it's going to need
your support if it is to go
00:21:52.64\00:21:55.94
where God wants it to go,
and when God wants it to go.
00:21:55.98\00:21:58.55
Just couple more
things and then I'm done.
00:21:58.58\00:22:02.82
Adventism began sending
out missionaries in the 1870s,
00:22:02.85\00:22:06.86
I think Jan
Andrews was the first,
00:22:06.89\00:22:08.22
if he wasn't the first,
00:22:08.26\00:22:09.59
he is close to the
first, in the 1870.
00:22:09.62\00:22:11.93
Two principles accrue from that,
00:22:11.96\00:22:14.93
and we see it outlined
here in the Book of Romans.
00:22:14.93\00:22:17.53
One, go and tell.
00:22:17.57\00:22:18.90
Once you know you have to go,
and the other is know and tell.
00:22:18.93\00:22:24.27
Once you know, you got to tell.
00:22:24.31\00:22:26.64
If you cannot go,
00:22:26.68\00:22:28.41
then you got to
support those who do go.
00:22:28.44\00:22:30.75
That's the biblical principle.
00:22:30.81\00:22:32.35
Everybody cannot go
00:22:32.38\00:22:34.02
but everybody can do something
00:22:34.08\00:22:35.48
in support of
those who are going,
00:22:35.52\00:22:38.29
and that's what we need to do.
00:22:38.32\00:22:39.79
Now I look at my time come down
to just a minute and change.
00:22:39.82\00:22:43.79
Those who know ought
to help those who go,
00:22:43.83\00:22:46.96
the work in entered
areas by nature has no support,
00:22:47.00\00:22:52.33
it has no support network.
00:22:52.37\00:22:53.70
So funds should come
from the established work.
00:22:53.77\00:22:57.34
So Paul is
saying those who in Rome
00:22:57.37\00:22:59.41
who have a
little more solidarity,
00:22:59.44\00:23:01.38
you're a little more solvent,
00:23:01.41\00:23:02.91
I'm going to need help from you
00:23:02.94\00:23:04.45
to support the
advancement of the gospel,
00:23:04.48\00:23:06.75
and that is as
God would have it.
00:23:06.82\00:23:09.95
There was a time when
almost all of the budget
00:23:09.98\00:23:12.32
for the General Conference
come from the United States.
00:23:12.35\00:23:14.72
Well now, it's
beginning to spread out
00:23:14.76\00:23:16.62
because other
areas are developing
00:23:16.66\00:23:18.29
more established
ways of raising money,
00:23:18.33\00:23:20.60
so it's not all on
the United States anymore,
00:23:20.63\00:23:22.80
but there was a
time when it was almost,
00:23:22.83\00:23:24.50
I mean the General
Commerce budget was 80,
00:23:24.53\00:23:26.00
90% money coming from America.
00:23:26.03\00:23:28.37
And as these mission fields
began to stand on their own,
00:23:28.40\00:23:31.21
then they did
indeed stand on their own.
00:23:31.24\00:23:33.01
Well, this is what
Paul is alluding to
00:23:33.04\00:23:34.64
that we need to work together
00:23:34.68\00:23:36.34
to lift up the gospel
and spread the gospel.
00:23:36.38\00:23:39.35
He wanted to go back
to Rome, his desire was,
00:23:39.38\00:23:41.72
but he had some work to do
00:23:41.75\00:23:43.08
and God called him
to finish that work.
00:23:43.12\00:23:44.62
But he needed the help
of the established churches
00:23:44.65\00:23:47.02
to help him to
go to the new areas
00:23:47.06\00:23:49.42
and shed the light
of the gospel, Mollie.
00:23:49.46\00:23:50.89
That's right. That's right.
00:23:50.93\00:23:52.26
So we've got Rome
up, Paul who is saying,
00:23:52.29\00:23:54.86
I want to go to Rome
but he's not there yet.
00:23:54.93\00:23:58.13
Let's turn to Romans
15 we're going to look at.
00:23:58.17\00:24:03.64
Paul and how he
actually got to Rome.
00:24:03.71\00:24:06.34
Now, Paul was a
missionary to whom?
00:24:06.37\00:24:09.38
To the
gentiles. To the gentiles.
00:24:09.41\00:24:11.38
So Rome, Rome was
fully gentiles, was it not?
00:24:11.41\00:24:16.08
And so, Paul says in Romans 15,
00:24:16.12\00:24:20.76
we're going to
read verses 23-25, says,
00:24:20.79\00:24:24.63
"But now no longer
having a place in these parts,
00:24:24.66\00:24:28.03
and having a great desire
00:24:28.06\00:24:31.20
these many years to come to you.
00:24:31.23\00:24:32.80
Paul had a great desire
in his heart to go to Rome.
00:24:32.83\00:24:36.37
Whenever I journey to Spain,
he says, I shall come to you.
00:24:36.40\00:24:40.94
For I hope to see
you on my journey,
00:24:40.98\00:24:43.35
and to be helped on
my way there by you,
00:24:43.41\00:24:45.78
he was looking
for help from them,
00:24:45.81\00:24:47.82
if first time they enjoy
your company for a while.
00:24:47.85\00:24:50.45
Now the
difference in Galatians him,
00:24:50.49\00:24:52.75
the letter he wrote to Galatians
00:24:52.79\00:24:54.42
and the one that
he's writing here to Rome,
00:24:54.46\00:24:56.16
now he addresses a
lot of the same issues
00:24:56.19\00:24:58.33
in the context of the letter,
00:24:58.36\00:25:00.73
but in Galatians
they were obviously
00:25:00.76\00:25:03.40
and, you know,
some coming against,
00:25:03.47\00:25:07.47
he says the gospel
that I preached to you
00:25:07.54\00:25:10.51
but now where as here in Rome,
00:25:10.54\00:25:13.14
he's not addressing
those issues specifically.
00:25:13.17\00:25:17.25
He is also wanting to
come and let's go in here,
00:25:17.28\00:25:20.02
for I hope to
see you on my journey
00:25:20.05\00:25:22.28
and to be helped on
my way there by you,
00:25:22.32\00:25:25.29
if first I may enjoy
your company for a while
00:25:25.32\00:25:28.22
but now I am going to Jerusalem
to minister to the saints.
00:25:28.26\00:25:33.03
So he's on his way to Jerusalem
00:25:33.06\00:25:35.60
and he's going there
to minister to the saints,
00:25:35.63\00:25:38.20
but in the letter he
writes, I want to come to you,
00:25:38.23\00:25:40.97
he wants to go to Rome
to be with the people there.
00:25:41.00\00:25:44.27
And so what happened to
Paul when he went to Jerusalem?
00:25:44.31\00:25:48.08
What happened to Paul?
00:25:48.11\00:25:50.01
He got arrested.
00:25:50.05\00:25:51.41
Paul got himself arrested.
00:25:51.45\00:25:54.22
You see it was a crime to
be a Christian at this time.
00:25:54.28\00:25:57.85
And what was Paul arrested for?
00:25:57.89\00:26:01.42
Jewish religious,
00:26:01.46\00:26:02.89
religious leaders
stirred up the people
00:26:02.92\00:26:05.79
and made false
accusations against Paul.
00:26:05.83\00:26:09.23
The Roman
officials learned of a plot
00:26:09.26\00:26:12.57
to have Paul assassinated
and sneaked him out of town.
00:26:12.60\00:26:17.51
So what I believe it
was a nephew of Paul's
00:26:17.54\00:26:19.91
went to the Roman
officials and said
00:26:19.94\00:26:21.91
I just overheard
this plot and these...
00:26:21.94\00:26:26.15
They're going to take Paul
and they're going to kill him.
00:26:26.18\00:26:29.08
And so the Roman
officials took Paul
00:26:29.12\00:26:32.32
and they snuck him out of town.
00:26:32.35\00:26:33.69
Guess where they took him?
00:26:33.76\00:26:35.66
They took him to Herod's palace,
00:26:35.69\00:26:38.13
and he was at Herod's
palace for about two years,
00:26:38.16\00:26:42.06
and then after
being in Herod's palace
00:26:42.10\00:26:45.10
for about two years,
00:26:45.13\00:26:46.47
he was the one that said,
00:26:46.50\00:26:47.84
you know, I don't believe
00:26:47.87\00:26:49.20
this is ever
going to be resolved
00:26:49.24\00:26:50.57
unless I go to Rome.
00:26:50.61\00:26:51.94
Now what was Paul's
goal in the first place?
00:26:51.97\00:26:55.64
Where does he
say he wants to go?
00:26:55.68\00:26:57.21
He wants to go to Rome.
00:26:57.25\00:26:58.68
So Paul takes the ship,
remember the story of the ship,
00:26:58.71\00:27:02.32
and there's a shipwreck
00:27:02.35\00:27:04.12
and really it's
almost three years later
00:27:04.15\00:27:08.46
from the time Paul
went up to Jerusalem
00:27:08.49\00:27:11.09
to minister to them there,
00:27:11.13\00:27:12.46
and then he was going to
go from Jerusalem to Rome,
00:27:12.49\00:27:16.40
and it was about
three years later
00:27:16.43\00:27:18.33
but you know where he round up?
00:27:18.37\00:27:20.47
Right where he
wanted to be all along.
00:27:20.54\00:27:22.67
Paul's intention was to
go to the believers in Rome.
00:27:22.70\00:27:26.81
Now Acts 28:16.
00:27:26.88\00:27:30.65
Let's read this,
go to Acts 28:16.
00:27:30.68\00:27:34.42
He says, now,
when we came to Rome,
00:27:34.45\00:27:37.59
so now he's coming,
00:27:37.62\00:27:38.95
the centurion
delivered the prisoners.
00:27:38.99\00:27:41.89
Now Paul is a prisoner
and he was taken to Rome
00:27:41.92\00:27:46.19
as a prisoner.
00:27:46.23\00:27:47.73
And so Rome's Acts 28:16
now, "When he came to Rome,
00:27:47.76\00:27:51.67
the centurion delivered
the prisoners to the captain
00:27:51.70\00:27:54.10
of the guard,
00:27:54.14\00:27:55.47
but Paul was
permitted to dwell by himself
00:27:55.50\00:27:58.51
with the soldier
who guarded him."
00:27:58.54\00:28:00.31
Now why was Paul
allowed to have his own place?
00:28:00.34\00:28:04.91
He had his own
dwelling to live in,
00:28:04.95\00:28:07.75
he had a guard and
actually he was enchained,
00:28:07.78\00:28:10.52
but the reason was
because Paul was a Roman citizen
00:28:10.55\00:28:14.92
always a Roman citizen.
00:28:14.96\00:28:17.26
Now, it might look like
poor Paul was a prisoner
00:28:17.29\00:28:21.23
and God wasn't in control,
00:28:21.26\00:28:24.07
but the end result was exactly
what God wanted for Paul,
00:28:24.10\00:28:28.90
and it's exactly what
Paul had determined to do.
00:28:28.94\00:28:32.24
Now I ask this question.
00:28:32.27\00:28:34.88
Have you ever
been in a situation
00:28:34.91\00:28:37.08
where it looked like
00:28:37.15\00:28:38.91
everything was going
wrong only to find out
00:28:38.95\00:28:42.75
that it hadn't
gone wrong at all.
00:28:42.78\00:28:45.12
The adverse situation
that you find yourself
00:28:45.15\00:28:48.42
in was the very thing needed
to put you in the exact place
00:28:48.46\00:28:54.00
that God wanted you to be.
00:28:54.00\00:28:55.73
Now, I think about
that some years ago,
00:28:55.76\00:28:58.10
I can't remember, it's
like 25 or 26 years ago,
00:28:58.13\00:29:01.60
I don't know long time ago.
00:29:01.64\00:29:03.74
I went through a
really difficult time
00:29:03.77\00:29:05.61
and I thought this
had to be the enemy,
00:29:05.64\00:29:08.44
there's no way
this could be God.
00:29:08.48\00:29:10.28
Look at all this...
00:29:10.31\00:29:11.65
My whole world's fallen apart.
00:29:11.68\00:29:13.01
You know what?
00:29:13.05\00:29:14.38
I threw them all of that,
00:29:14.42\00:29:15.75
God used every bit of that
00:29:15.78\00:29:17.12
to bring me right into the place
00:29:17.15\00:29:18.49
that He wanted me to be.
00:29:18.52\00:29:19.85
And I think
about Pastor Lomacang,
00:29:19.89\00:29:21.62
you know, God
wanted him in the Midwest.
00:29:21.66\00:29:24.19
Actually, he wanted
Pastor Lomacang here
00:29:24.26\00:29:26.49
with us at 3ABN.
00:29:26.53\00:29:28.16
It took...
00:29:28.20\00:29:29.53
There was a
little convoluted process
00:29:29.56\00:29:32.00
that you had to go through,
00:29:32.03\00:29:33.37
it look like adversity
but what was the end result?
00:29:33.44\00:29:36.44
It got you right
here where God wanted you.
00:29:36.47\00:29:40.41
In Acts 28.
00:29:40.48\00:29:43.14
Let's look at
verses 17 through 31.
00:29:43.18\00:29:46.72
We're going to look at these.
00:29:46.75\00:29:48.08
Acts 28:17.
00:29:48.12\00:29:50.52
"And it came to
pass, after three days."
00:29:50.59\00:29:53.39
Now Paul is in Rome.
00:29:53.46\00:29:55.09
And remember he's
in his own housing,
00:29:55.12\00:29:57.43
he's guarded
actually, he has a chain on.
00:29:57.46\00:29:59.93
But he says after three
days after Paul got to Rome,
00:30:00.00\00:30:03.67
this is what he did.
00:30:03.73\00:30:05.07
He called the
leaders of the Jews.
00:30:05.10\00:30:06.43
Now remember the reason
Paul is enchained to start with.
00:30:06.47\00:30:09.87
In Jerusalem the
Jews lied about him
00:30:09.90\00:30:13.17
and got him put in chains.
00:30:13.21\00:30:15.98
And he explained to those Jews
00:30:16.01\00:30:19.88
that were in Rome what happened.
00:30:19.91\00:30:21.72
And you know what they said?
00:30:21.75\00:30:23.12
We haven't heard about anything.
00:30:23.15\00:30:24.79
This is so amazing.
00:30:24.82\00:30:26.15
I guess, I want
to read it to you.
00:30:26.19\00:30:27.56
Then they said,
00:30:27.62\00:30:29.46
"We need to receive
letters from Judea."
00:30:29.49\00:30:32.03
Verse 22, is what
I want you to see.
00:30:32.06\00:30:35.40
But we desire...
00:30:35.43\00:30:36.90
Now this is the Jews in Rome
but we desire to hear from you
00:30:36.93\00:30:40.57
what you think
for concerning this.
00:30:40.60\00:30:42.97
What's that word?
00:30:43.00\00:30:44.34
Sect. Sect.
00:30:44.37\00:30:45.71
Now what sect
are we talking about?
00:30:45.74\00:30:47.11
Christianity. Christianity.
00:30:47.14\00:30:48.78
We know that it is
spoken against every where.
00:30:48.81\00:30:52.01
Verse 23.
00:30:52.05\00:30:53.38
So when they had
appointed him a day,
00:30:53.45\00:30:55.62
they gave Paul a day
00:30:55.65\00:30:57.15
where they wanted to
hear about this sect.
00:30:57.22\00:30:59.39
Now, do you think
00:30:59.42\00:31:00.86
Paul could have come
in there teaching that?
00:31:00.89\00:31:02.52
And they're just receiving,
no, it's because he is in bonds.
00:31:02.56\00:31:06.16
And so, many came to him
00:31:06.19\00:31:08.50
at his lodging
to whom he explained
00:31:08.53\00:31:10.73
and solemnly
testified of the Kingdom of God
00:31:10.77\00:31:13.94
persuading them
concerning Jesus,
00:31:14.00\00:31:16.34
from both the law of
Moses and the prophet
00:31:16.37\00:31:20.14
He had him an audience that...
00:31:20.18\00:31:23.14
He didn't have to
go get, you know what?
00:31:23.18\00:31:24.71
They came to his house.
00:31:24.75\00:31:26.21
And some were persuaded
00:31:26.25\00:31:27.85
by the things which were spoken,
00:31:27.88\00:31:29.35
and some disbelieved.
00:31:29.38\00:31:30.75
Now is that not
still true today?
00:31:30.79\00:31:32.19
Still true today.
Verse 28. Let's read that.
00:31:32.22\00:31:34.36
"Therefore let
it be known to you
00:31:34.39\00:31:36.19
that the salvation of God
has been sent to the gentiles
00:31:36.22\00:31:39.79
and they will hear it
00:31:39.83\00:31:41.36
and when he had
said these words,
00:31:41.40\00:31:43.50
the Jews departed
00:31:43.53\00:31:44.87
and had a great
spirit amongst themselves."
00:31:44.90\00:31:47.27
But you know what?
00:31:47.30\00:31:48.64
Many believed. Verse 30.
00:31:48.67\00:31:50.74
Then Paul dwelt two whole years,
00:31:50.77\00:31:53.14
that's what the Bible says.
00:31:53.17\00:31:54.64
Two whole years,
Paul dwelt there.
00:31:54.68\00:31:57.38
He was in his own dwelling.
00:31:57.41\00:31:59.71
He had people coming
in and he was preaching
00:31:59.75\00:32:03.39
and proclaiming the gospel,
00:32:03.42\00:32:05.05
the kingdom of
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:32:05.09\00:32:07.06
They said from
morning till night,
00:32:07.09\00:32:09.42
two whole years in
his own rented house
00:32:09.46\00:32:11.69
and received
all who came to him,
00:32:11.73\00:32:14.00
preaching the kingdom of
God and teaching the things
00:32:14.10\00:32:16.33
which concern
the Lord Jesus Christ
00:32:16.36\00:32:18.53
with all confidence.
00:32:18.57\00:32:20.60
No one forbidding him.
00:32:20.64\00:32:22.07
That's what happens
00:32:22.10\00:32:23.47
when you are in the
center of God's will,
00:32:23.51\00:32:25.37
and he takes you
from where you are
00:32:25.41\00:32:27.34
and put you right
where he wants you to be.
00:32:27.38\00:32:29.94
Although it might look like,
00:32:30.01\00:32:31.35
you're in adverse situation
or adverse circumstances,
00:32:31.38\00:32:34.92
God can be
magnified and glorified
00:32:34.95\00:32:37.89
in any situation
you found yourself in.
00:32:37.92\00:32:40.46
Sister White tells
us not by Paul sermons
00:32:40.52\00:32:45.06
but by his bonds
was the attention
00:32:45.09\00:32:48.53
of the chord
attracted to Christianity.
00:32:48.56\00:32:51.87
And then in Philippians
1:12, Paul says this.
00:32:51.90\00:32:55.24
"But I want you to know
brethren that the things
00:32:55.27\00:32:58.41
which happen to me..."
00:32:58.44\00:32:59.77
Remember all
those adverse situations
00:32:59.81\00:33:01.74
and circumstances.
00:33:01.78\00:33:03.18
"Have actually turned out
00:33:03.21\00:33:05.18
for the
furtherance of the gospel."
00:33:05.21\00:33:06.85
So my encouragement
to every one of us,
00:33:06.92\00:33:11.79
allow Him to lead
you and direct you.
00:33:11.82\00:33:13.99
Doesn't matter
what the circumstances
00:33:14.06\00:33:15.69
are you're going through,
00:33:15.72\00:33:17.06
if you trust in
the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:33:17.13\00:33:18.86
He will put you
right where He wants you.
00:33:18.89\00:33:20.80
Amen. Shelley Quinn.
00:33:20.83\00:33:22.13
Well, you know,
the thing I love most
00:33:22.16\00:33:24.40
about the Book of
Romans is that Paul...
00:33:24.43\00:33:29.04
I love Paul's
writings but as you said,
00:33:29.07\00:33:31.51
it explains salvation
by grace through faith.
00:33:31.54\00:33:35.28
And there's no
question about it.
00:33:35.31\00:33:38.38
As a matter of
fact this book is good.
00:33:38.41\00:33:41.62
You know, we can say
00:33:41.65\00:33:42.98
this spurred on the reformation.
00:33:43.02\00:33:47.12
Martin Luther found so
much in this book but our...
00:33:47.16\00:33:52.59
We didn't do our memory
verse, I'd like to read that,
00:33:52.63\00:33:55.66
it says, Romans 1:8, is
our memory verse, it says.
00:33:55.70\00:33:59.83
"First, I thank my God
00:33:59.87\00:34:01.40
through Jesus Christ for you all
00:34:01.44\00:34:04.77
and that your faith is spoken
of throughout the whole world."
00:34:04.81\00:34:09.51
So we see that
this group in Rome
00:34:09.54\00:34:14.35
had a very strong faith.
00:34:14.38\00:34:16.32
They were loving the Lord. Yes.
00:34:16.35\00:34:19.52
Now they had some issues,
00:34:19.55\00:34:21.12
Paul is going to address
00:34:21.16\00:34:22.49
some localized
issues in this book,
00:34:22.52\00:34:25.89
but what his epistle
does really is it puts forward
00:34:25.93\00:34:30.67
the universal principles
of how we can be saved.
00:34:30.73\00:34:36.14
So when we think
00:34:36.17\00:34:37.51
about the Roman
Empire at this time
00:34:37.57\00:34:39.07
it had spread
over most of Europe,
00:34:39.11\00:34:42.94
North Africa and the Near
East, but Rome was the capital.
00:34:42.98\00:34:46.68
It was a cultural center.
00:34:46.72\00:34:49.25
It was morally corrupt and
they worshipped pagan gods,
00:34:49.28\00:34:54.66
there are many pagans.
00:34:54.69\00:34:56.32
So Christians stood out
00:34:56.36\00:34:59.26
because of
their ethical behavior
00:34:59.29\00:35:01.53
and my Monday or Wednesdays,
00:35:01.56\00:35:04.30
my text to
dissect is Romans 1:7,
00:35:04.33\00:35:08.74
which is Paul's
salutation to the Rome
00:35:08.77\00:35:13.71
through the Church of Rome.
00:35:13.78\00:35:15.11
So let me read that, Romans 1:7.
00:35:15.14\00:35:17.65
He starts his book out
saying, "To all who are in Rome,
00:35:17.68\00:35:21.88
beloved of God
called to be saints.
00:35:21.92\00:35:25.89
Grace to you and
peace from God our Father
00:35:25.92\00:35:29.36
and the Lord Jesus Christ."
00:35:29.39\00:35:32.03
Now it would be so
easy to read that scripture
00:35:32.06\00:35:34.60
and just to kind
of whiz on bombastic
00:35:34.63\00:35:36.63
as he's just saying, hi.
00:35:36.67\00:35:38.67
But he packs so much
theology and truth and faith
00:35:38.70\00:35:41.90
into the principles of truth
and faith into this salutation.
00:35:41.94\00:35:46.27
So let's kind
of take that apart.
00:35:46.31\00:35:48.51
He's saying "To
all who are in Rome..."
00:35:48.54\00:35:51.15
He says, beloved of God,
00:35:51.18\00:35:52.91
that root word is
agape and you know,
00:35:52.95\00:35:56.32
it is God's infinite love
that is behind his salvation
00:35:56.35\00:36:01.92
when you think of
how he sent his son,
00:36:01.96\00:36:04.06
he tells us later in Romans
00:36:04.09\00:36:05.66
how God sent His
Son to die for us
00:36:05.69\00:36:08.13
while we were yet sinemies,
00:36:08.16\00:36:10.57
while we were yet
sinners and enemies.
00:36:10.60\00:36:13.64
Sinemies that's a good...
I just coined a new word.
00:36:13.67\00:36:15.10
That's a good word.
00:36:15.14\00:36:16.91
But it is God's
love is the motivation
00:36:16.94\00:36:22.31
behind Christ death on the cross
00:36:22.34\00:36:24.08
when you think about that.
00:36:24.15\00:36:26.05
He has a love for
his whole creation.
00:36:26.08\00:36:29.78
God loves all.
00:36:29.82\00:36:33.15
But He has a very special love
00:36:33.19\00:36:36.16
for those who respond
to His invitation of grace,
00:36:36.19\00:36:39.23
who receive His
son, acknowledge,
00:36:39.26\00:36:42.63
acknowledging Him as
their Lord and Savior.
00:36:42.66\00:36:46.43
So God loves all but
there is His special love
00:36:46.47\00:36:49.60
and I love what
00:36:49.64\00:36:50.97
this Sabbath
school quarterly said,
00:36:51.01\00:36:52.47
I want to quote from this.
00:36:52.51\00:36:54.14
It says, "Love
demands response."
00:36:54.18\00:36:58.85
When the response
is not forth coming,
00:36:58.88\00:37:02.18
love is limited in
its fullest expression.
00:37:02.22\00:37:07.82
So it is...
00:37:07.86\00:37:09.92
God's love is
looking for a response
00:37:09.96\00:37:13.09
and as we love Him,
00:37:13.13\00:37:15.36
then what it will happen
is it opens up the avenue,
00:37:15.40\00:37:21.64
the grace pipeline
00:37:21.67\00:37:23.00
if you will that
He can send us more,
00:37:23.04\00:37:26.24
more fully express His love.
00:37:26.27\00:37:28.94
How do we respond to God's love?
00:37:28.98\00:37:32.01
In John 14:2,
00:37:32.05\00:37:33.95
I'm gonna read verses 21
and 23 from the Amplified.
00:37:34.02\00:37:37.62
It says, "The person
who has My commands..."
00:37:37.65\00:37:40.06
This is Jesus speaking.
00:37:40.09\00:37:42.09
"The one who has My
commands and keeps them
00:37:42.12\00:37:45.39
is the one who really loves me.
00:37:45.43\00:37:47.50
And who ever really loves
me will be loved by My father
00:37:47.60\00:37:51.30
in a special way
00:37:51.33\00:37:52.67
and I too will love
him and will show him,
00:37:52.70\00:37:55.30
will reveal or
manifest myself to him.
00:37:55.34\00:37:58.27
I will let myself
be clearly seen by him.
00:37:58.31\00:38:02.31
I'll make myself real to him."
00:38:02.34\00:38:05.15
And then Jesus said also,
"If a person really loves me,
00:38:05.18\00:38:09.32
he will keep My word,
00:38:09.35\00:38:10.85
he will obey My
teaching" is what he is saying.
00:38:10.92\00:38:15.86
"And My Father will love him."
00:38:15.89\00:38:20.53
See so there is a special love
that God feels for the people
00:38:20.56\00:38:25.67
who respond to Jesus
and walk in obedience
00:38:25.70\00:38:28.40
and we will come to Him
and make our home with them.
00:38:28.44\00:38:33.48
So they will abide with us
00:38:33.51\00:38:35.14
and we will be their
special dwelling place.
00:38:35.18\00:38:37.55
How do we measure love?
00:38:37.58\00:38:40.72
We measure love by our
conduct and by our actions.
00:38:40.75\00:38:43.72
Absolutely.
00:38:43.79\00:38:45.12
is determined by our commitment.
00:38:48.49\00:38:52.26
And the believers in Rome
were very committed to Christ.
00:38:52.29\00:38:57.17
They were the beloved of God.
00:38:57.23\00:38:59.20
Then he goes on
in that and he says,
00:38:59.23\00:39:00.80
"To all who are in
Rome beloved of God..."
00:39:00.87\00:39:03.00
I'm back in Romans
1:7, "Called to be saints".
00:39:03.04\00:39:06.71
Now to be was not the words
00:39:06.74\00:39:08.54
to be was not in
the original Greek,
00:39:08.58\00:39:11.65
it was added by the translators.
00:39:11.68\00:39:13.35
And I think the meaning
is more evident without it.
00:39:13.38\00:39:17.02
In other words
00:39:17.05\00:39:18.39
it would read
beloved God called saints
00:39:18.42\00:39:21.92
because all
Christians are called saints.
00:39:21.96\00:39:26.39
We are all holy
ones. We are all.
00:39:26.43\00:39:30.17
To be a saint just
means to be set apart
00:39:30.20\00:39:32.73
for God's purpose.
00:39:32.77\00:39:34.24
We all are made saints by
the sovereign call of God.
00:39:34.27\00:39:39.64
This is a sacred
title for Christians really
00:39:39.67\00:39:42.48
but all of us are.
00:39:42.51\00:39:44.38
If you've accepted
Christ, you are a saint.
00:39:44.41\00:39:47.22
It is or set apart just
like Israel was set apart,
00:39:47.25\00:39:52.12
just like the objects in the...
00:39:52.15\00:39:56.46
I mean, in the temple
were set apart and sanctified.
00:39:56.49\00:39:59.86
We've been set apart,
sanctified by faith in Jesus,
00:39:59.89\00:40:04.63
Acts, 26:18 says.
00:40:04.67\00:40:06.70
Let me read that actually
00:40:06.74\00:40:08.07
because it's one of
my favorite scriptures.
00:40:08.10\00:40:09.80
I don't even have to read it.
00:40:09.84\00:40:11.17
In Acts 26: 18,
00:40:11.21\00:40:12.67
when Jesus was talking to Paul,
00:40:12.71\00:40:14.68
He said, He's calling him,
00:40:14.71\00:40:17.01
He's saying I'm
gonna go sent you
00:40:17.05\00:40:18.38
to the gentiles and he says,
00:40:18.41\00:40:19.75
to open their eyes to turn them
00:40:19.78\00:40:21.38
from darkness to light,
from the power of Satan to God,
00:40:21.42\00:40:25.05
that they may receive
an inheritance of those
00:40:25.09\00:40:29.19
who have been
sanctified by faith in Me.
00:40:29.22\00:40:33.56
So sanctification
by faith was introduced
00:40:33.60\00:40:37.67
to Paul right there
on the road to Damascus.
00:40:37.70\00:40:41.50
So the saints are the holy ones
00:40:41.54\00:40:44.31
that have been set apart by God.
00:40:44.34\00:40:46.47
There are two types of holiness
00:40:46.51\00:40:49.38
and that's what sanctification
holiness are synonyms.
00:40:49.41\00:40:53.01
And they both
mean to be set apart
00:40:53.05\00:40:54.95
but there are two
types of holiness.
00:40:54.98\00:40:58.09
First there is
positional holiness.
00:40:58.12\00:41:00.56
Then there is
practical holiness.
00:41:00.59\00:41:03.66
Positionally we're declared holy
00:41:03.73\00:41:06.13
because we are in Christ.
00:41:06.16\00:41:09.36
Ephesians 1:4 says that,
00:41:09.40\00:41:10.93
"He chose us in Him
00:41:10.97\00:41:13.23
before the
foundation of the world
00:41:13.30\00:41:14.64
that we should be holy
00:41:14.67\00:41:16.10
and without blame
before him in love."
00:41:16.14\00:41:19.71
So Paul was a
saint who is sanctified
00:41:19.74\00:41:22.01
to spread the
gospel to the nations,
00:41:22.04\00:41:24.31
but he wanted the
church members to know
00:41:24.35\00:41:26.58
that every one of them
were also saints set apart
00:41:26.61\00:41:31.09
for the same purpose.
00:41:31.12\00:41:32.59
It had nothing to do
with their spiritual gifts,
00:41:32.62\00:41:35.06
it had nothing to
do with their education
00:41:35.09\00:41:38.59
or their assertion
to moral perfection.
00:41:38.63\00:41:41.13
It was simply the call of God.
00:41:41.16\00:41:44.13
And by the way, I have to say
00:41:44.20\00:41:45.83
this because sainthood is,
00:41:45.87\00:41:49.20
has nothing to do with
the restrictive practice
00:41:49.24\00:41:52.01
that later rose in
the Church of Rome,
00:41:52.04\00:41:56.88
in the Catholic
Church where they canonized
00:41:56.91\00:41:59.81
dead Christians
with the title of saint.
00:41:59.85\00:42:03.99
That is a
perversion of the word saint.
00:42:04.02\00:42:07.09
It is, it does violence
to the meaning in scripture
00:42:07.16\00:42:10.36
but then we are practical.
00:42:10.43\00:42:14.30
We have practical holiness.
That's our second stage.
00:42:14.30\00:42:17.23
As we mature in Christ, we
put holiness into practice.
00:42:17.27\00:42:21.77
That's right.
00:42:21.80\00:42:23.14
Paul wrote to the Thessalonians.
00:42:23.17\00:42:25.11
Thessalonians 1:47.
00:42:25.14\00:42:26.47
He says,
00:42:26.51\00:42:27.84
"God did not
call us to uncleanness
00:42:27.88\00:42:29.41
but in holiness."
00:42:29.44\00:42:30.81
So since we were set
apart for God's ideals,
00:42:30.85\00:42:33.62
we should cooperate with
Him to achieve greater purity
00:42:33.68\00:42:38.09
by His gifts of grace.
00:42:38.12\00:42:39.92
And we all share
that common calling.
00:42:39.95\00:42:43.39
I have just a few seconds
left. So just let me say this.
00:42:43.43\00:42:46.16
The good news of the gospel
is that Christ died for all.
00:42:46.19\00:42:51.80
He tasted death for all of us.
00:42:51.83\00:42:54.64
And because of Him
when we are in Him,
00:42:54.67\00:42:59.37
we are made holy.
00:42:59.41\00:43:01.61
We're set apart by Jesus,
00:43:01.64\00:43:05.68
by God and we are called saints.
00:43:05.71\00:43:09.08
We are beloved of God and
received the grace of God.
00:43:09.12\00:43:12.52
One quick quote.
00:43:12.55\00:43:13.89
The Sabbath school quarter said
00:43:13.96\00:43:15.29
that some folks don't
avail themselves of that
00:43:15.32\00:43:17.43
which was offer
doesn't take away
00:43:17.46\00:43:19.03
from the wonder of the
gift any more than someone
00:43:19.06\00:43:22.13
who goes on a hunger
strike in a marketplace,
00:43:22.16\00:43:24.67
takes away
00:43:24.70\00:43:26.03
the wonderful
bounties found there."
00:43:26.07\00:43:27.97
I Thought that
was a great quote.
00:43:28.00\00:43:29.97
That is a great
quote. Praise the Lord.
00:43:30.01\00:43:31.91
I love that, Shelley.
00:43:31.94\00:43:33.44
We are called and you
can say each one of us.
00:43:33.48\00:43:36.21
Not just the Church of Rome
but each one of us as believers
00:43:36.24\00:43:38.85
in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:43:38.88\00:43:40.22
Christians beloved
of God called saints.
00:43:40.28\00:43:45.25
I like that.
00:43:45.29\00:43:46.62
I never knew that
before are called saints.
00:43:46.65\00:43:47.99
That's beautiful.
00:43:48.02\00:43:49.36
Shelley had the saints in Rome
00:43:49.39\00:43:51.06
and I have the
believers in Rome.
00:43:51.09\00:43:53.29
And we'll look at a
different scripture there.
00:43:53.36\00:43:55.90
You mentioned, Pastor John,
00:43:55.93\00:43:57.30
when we started that this
book was written probably AD 58.
00:43:57.33\00:44:02.47
Paul was in the church,
00:44:02.50\00:44:04.31
he was in Corinth
00:44:04.34\00:44:07.91
and he was at the end of
his third missionary journey
00:44:07.94\00:44:11.28
on his way to bring
the offering of money
00:44:11.31\00:44:14.78
for the saints at
Jerusalem and then in Jerusalem,
00:44:14.82\00:44:17.29
of course,
Mollie, you talked about
00:44:17.32\00:44:18.65
how he got
arrested and then eventually
00:44:18.69\00:44:20.96
made his way to Rome.
00:44:20.99\00:44:23.06
Rome at that
time had a population
00:44:23.09\00:44:24.93
of probably one million people.
00:44:24.96\00:44:27.10
That's a lot of people.
00:44:27.13\00:44:28.76
I looked up,
we're in 2017, so 2016,
00:44:28.80\00:44:32.97
the City of Dallas
had 1.3 million people.
00:44:33.00\00:44:35.94
City of San Jose
California one...
00:44:35.97\00:44:39.91
So comparing that
you think Rome was big.
00:44:39.94\00:44:43.95
And as you mentioned, Shelley,
00:44:44.01\00:44:45.35
the center of
commerce and industry
00:44:45.38\00:44:47.82
and the center of the
world then was really Rome.
00:44:47.85\00:44:52.05
Of the
population of one million,
00:44:52.09\00:44:54.62
they estimate
00:44:54.66\00:44:55.99
there was probably 40
to 50,000 Jewish residents.
00:44:56.02\00:45:00.53
So of the one million,
00:45:00.56\00:45:01.86
40 to 50 thousand of
them were Jewish residents.
00:45:01.90\00:45:04.73
And what we're looking at first
00:45:04.77\00:45:06.60
before we look at
our text Romans 15:14.
00:45:06.63\00:45:09.07
We want to look
at how the gospel,
00:45:09.10\00:45:11.21
how the message of Jesus
was brought to the Christians
00:45:11.24\00:45:16.58
there in Rome, was
brought to them in Rome?
00:45:16.61\00:45:18.41
So let's look at Acts. Acts 2.
00:45:18.45\00:45:20.82
Now, there's a
couple of theories
00:45:20.85\00:45:22.18
on how the gospel was
brought to them in Rome.
00:45:22.22\00:45:25.72
We know that Paul
was not the first one
00:45:25.75\00:45:27.56
to bring the message
there to the believers in Rome,
00:45:27.59\00:45:30.53
to the Jews there in Rome
00:45:30.56\00:45:32.49
but in Acts 2, we
have the day of Pentecost,
00:45:32.53\00:45:38.40
the outpouring
of the Holy Spirit.
00:45:38.43\00:45:40.70
Acts 1, they were in one accord
00:45:40.74\00:45:42.60
and one place
they prayed 120 days,
00:45:42.64\00:45:45.64
came into unity as
brothers and sisters.
00:45:45.67\00:45:48.44
And then Acts 2:1, when the day
was Pentecost had fully come,
00:45:48.48\00:45:53.21
they were in one
accord in one place.
00:45:53.25\00:45:55.58
And then verse 5
talks about in Jerusalem
00:45:55.62\00:46:00.09
there were Jews devout men
from every nation under heaven
00:46:00.12\00:46:03.96
and when the sound occurred,
00:46:03.99\00:46:05.33
meaning the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
00:46:05.36\00:46:07.30
the multitude came
together and were confused
00:46:07.36\00:46:09.63
because they heard
00:46:09.66\00:46:11.00
everyone speak
in his own language,
00:46:11.03\00:46:13.57
and then there follows a
list of the different languages,
00:46:13.64\00:46:18.07
list of the
different people groups
00:46:18.11\00:46:19.61
who were there.
00:46:19.64\00:46:21.31
I won't even attempt
to read this entire list
00:46:21.34\00:46:24.25
because it's a little
difficult for me to say
00:46:24.28\00:46:26.45
but in verse 10,
00:46:26.48\00:46:27.88
it says, "Phyrgia and Pamphylia,
00:46:27.92\00:46:30.29
Egypt and the parts of
Libya are joining Cyrene,
00:46:30.32\00:46:33.59
visitors from Rome
both Jews and proselytes."
00:46:33.66\00:46:37.83
That's the point
we wanted to get,
00:46:37.86\00:46:39.26
that there were
visitors from Rome,
00:46:39.29\00:46:41.30
Jews who were there
00:46:41.33\00:46:43.33
when Peter and the
other apostles preached
00:46:43.37\00:46:46.37
that powerful sermon.
00:46:46.40\00:46:47.74
They were there that I
believe they accepted Christ.
00:46:47.77\00:46:49.40
Amen.
00:46:49.44\00:46:50.77
Jesus as the Messiah
00:46:50.81\00:46:52.14
and they took that
gospel back to Rome.
00:46:52.17\00:46:56.28
There's also another
theory that may be converts
00:46:56.31\00:46:59.15
at the time of the persecution
as stoning the Stephen
00:46:59.18\00:47:01.92
and then the
persecution became very strong
00:47:01.95\00:47:04.22
for the Christians in Jerusalem
00:47:04.25\00:47:05.59
and the Bible says
that they were scattered
00:47:05.62\00:47:08.12
and possibly some of
the Jews at that time
00:47:08.16\00:47:10.96
when they were
scattered they went to Rome
00:47:10.99\00:47:12.53
and took the gospel then,
00:47:12.56\00:47:13.93
but however the gospel
went, the gospel went to Rome.
00:47:13.96\00:47:17.27
And Sister White says,
00:47:17.30\00:47:18.97
this is the
lesson had this quote,
00:47:19.00\00:47:21.10
not withstanding the opposition,
00:47:21.14\00:47:23.10
20 years after the
crucifixion of Christ.
00:47:23.14\00:47:25.77
So this would be the early 50s,
00:47:25.81\00:47:27.71
there was a live
earnest church in Rome,
00:47:27.74\00:47:30.75
the church was
strong and zealous
00:47:30.78\00:47:32.91
and the Lord worked for it.
00:47:32.95\00:47:35.28
So Paul is writing
to this church in Rome.
00:47:35.32\00:47:38.52
And let's look
at his description
00:47:38.55\00:47:41.16
of the believers in Rome.
00:47:41.19\00:47:42.52
We're going to Romans 15:14.
00:47:42.56\00:47:47.66
Romans 15:14.
00:47:47.73\00:47:49.66
And this is powerful and I wish
00:47:49.70\00:47:52.37
that this could
be said about myself,
00:47:52.40\00:47:55.04
in my own walk with
God that it could be said
00:47:55.07\00:47:57.91
about our own church.
00:47:57.94\00:47:59.37
Romans 15:14.
00:47:59.41\00:48:02.74
Paul says now, "I
myself am confident,
00:48:02.78\00:48:05.51
concerning you my brethren
00:48:05.55\00:48:07.75
that you also
are full of goodness,
00:48:07.78\00:48:10.25
filled with all
knowledge and also to enable,
00:48:10.32\00:48:14.19
also to admonish one another."
00:48:14.22\00:48:17.06
So there's
three different things
00:48:17.09\00:48:18.43
I want to look at in this verse.
00:48:18.46\00:48:19.79
Paul says, number one
they're full of goodness.
00:48:19.83\00:48:22.40
Number two filled
with all knowledge.
00:48:22.43\00:48:25.20
Number three able to
admonish one another.
00:48:25.23\00:48:29.04
If you look in the
Greek full of goodness,
00:48:29.07\00:48:31.07
that's the same Greek word
00:48:31.11\00:48:32.44
used for the fruit of the spirit
00:48:32.47\00:48:33.81
in Galatians 5.
00:48:33.88\00:48:35.51
It's used four times
00:48:35.54\00:48:36.95
I think in the New
Testament, agathosune,
00:48:36.98\00:48:40.02
and it means intrinsic goodness,
00:48:40.05\00:48:41.48
the goodness
that comes from God,
00:48:41.52\00:48:43.99
but it has emphasis on
the kindly side of goodness.
00:48:44.02\00:48:47.96
So I like that
because he's saying not only
00:48:47.99\00:48:50.63
are the brethren at
Rome the Christians,
00:48:50.66\00:48:54.10
not only are
they full of goodness
00:48:54.10\00:48:56.50
but they are kind.
00:48:56.53\00:48:58.50
They are kind maybe
in how they interact,
00:48:58.53\00:49:01.60
how they treat each other.
00:49:01.64\00:49:03.64
Number two. They
are full of goodness.
00:49:03.67\00:49:05.94
Number two, filled
with all knowledge.
00:49:05.97\00:49:10.51
That knowledge
means in the Greek
00:49:10.58\00:49:12.51
to experientially know,
00:49:12.55\00:49:15.15
a working knowledge
gleaned from firsthand
00:49:15.18\00:49:17.42
or personal experience.
00:49:17.45\00:49:20.09
So not only did they
know about Jesus the Messiah,
00:49:20.12\00:49:23.46
but they had experienced
we could say walking with Him,
00:49:23.49\00:49:27.96
they had experienced
00:49:27.96\00:49:29.30
what it's like to
know Him themselves.
00:49:29.33\00:49:34.04
So not only were
they good and kind,
00:49:34.07\00:49:36.71
they had an
experiential knowledge
00:49:36.74\00:49:39.74
of the things of God,
00:49:39.77\00:49:41.14
not just as we would
say today, a head knowledge.
00:49:41.18\00:49:43.65
Okay, I know the doctrine,
00:49:43.68\00:49:45.11
I know different things
but an experiential knowledge,
00:49:45.15\00:49:48.78
it made at the 18 inches
from the head down to the heart
00:49:48.82\00:49:51.69
and they had
actually experienced
00:49:51.72\00:49:53.05
walking with Jesus.
00:49:53.09\00:49:54.42
Number three...
00:49:54.46\00:49:55.79
That's probably what
made them good and kind.
00:49:55.82\00:49:57.16
It probably is. Absolutely.
00:49:57.23\00:49:58.86
Great observation.
00:49:58.89\00:50:00.23
Number three, able also
to admonish one another.
00:50:00.30\00:50:04.57
To admonish means
to admonish exhort
00:50:04.60\00:50:06.90
and especially
appeals to the mind,
00:50:06.94\00:50:09.27
supplying doctrinal
and spiritual substance.
00:50:09.30\00:50:12.44
So here we get to the doctrine,
the purity of the doctrine.
00:50:12.47\00:50:16.08
So I believe the church members
there were good and kind,
00:50:16.11\00:50:18.68
they had an
experiential knowledge
00:50:18.71\00:50:20.68
of the things of God.
00:50:20.72\00:50:22.38
And they could
admonish and exhort other people
00:50:22.42\00:50:24.69
especially regarding doctrine,
00:50:24.72\00:50:26.65
especially
regarding spiritual things.
00:50:26.72\00:50:29.42
And what if that
could be said of us?
00:50:29.46\00:50:30.79
Amen.
00:50:30.83\00:50:32.16
That our church, that our lives
00:50:32.19\00:50:34.13
that we exemplified
the traits of Jesus,
00:50:34.20\00:50:37.50
that we had an
experiential knowledge
00:50:37.53\00:50:39.83
in the things of
God and that not only
00:50:39.87\00:50:42.20
that we preserve
doctrinal purity.
00:50:42.24\00:50:44.64
It's not enough just
to have doctrinal purity,
00:50:44.67\00:50:46.91
we need to have a
working knowledge of God,
00:50:46.94\00:50:48.64
and it's not enough to
have a working knowledge
00:50:48.68\00:50:50.41
and throw out the doctrine,
we need a combination of both.
00:50:50.48\00:50:55.05
So how do we achieve this?
00:50:55.08\00:50:56.42
I want to look
at three scriptures,
00:50:56.45\00:50:57.79
first is John 15:1-5.
00:50:57.82\00:51:01.72
One of my favorite passages
in the Book of John, 15:1-5.
00:51:01.76\00:51:07.60
The first thing that we do
00:51:07.66\00:51:09.30
is to have an abiding connection
00:51:09.33\00:51:10.73
with the vine,
that's Jesus Christ.
00:51:10.77\00:51:13.84
"I am the true vine,
00:51:13.90\00:51:15.24
and my father is
the vine dresser,
00:51:15.27\00:51:17.07
every branch in me
that does not bear fruit,
00:51:17.11\00:51:19.71
he takes away and every branch
that bears fruit, he prunes,
00:51:19.74\00:51:23.85
that it may bear more fruit.
00:51:23.91\00:51:25.71
Now you are already
clean because of the word
00:51:25.75\00:51:27.95
which I have spoken to
you, abide in me and I in you,
00:51:27.98\00:51:31.92
as the branch cannot
bear fruit of itself,
00:51:31.95\00:51:34.42
unless it abides in the vine,
00:51:34.46\00:51:36.39
neither can you
unless you abide in me,
00:51:36.42\00:51:39.19
I am the vine,
you are the branches,
00:51:39.23\00:51:41.73
he who abides in me and
I in Him bears much fruit,
00:51:41.76\00:51:45.83
for without me
you can do nothing."
00:51:45.87\00:51:48.57
We talked about the
goodness and the kindness,
00:51:48.60\00:51:50.27
that is the fruit of the spirit.
00:51:50.34\00:51:51.67
And we know the fruit of
the spirit is not multiple,
00:51:51.71\00:51:53.54
it's one because
00:51:53.61\00:51:54.94
when the Holy
Spirit comes in and abides,
00:51:54.98\00:51:56.78
he gives us all of
the fruit of the spirit.
00:51:56.81\00:51:59.61
So in order to have
00:51:59.65\00:52:01.05
that we have to
be vitally connected
00:52:01.08\00:52:03.79
to the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:52:03.82\00:52:05.15
We have...
00:52:05.19\00:52:06.52
He is the vine and
I, the Holy Spirit,
00:52:06.55\00:52:09.02
the sap flowing through
and we have to be connected
00:52:09.06\00:52:11.49
in order to remain alive.
00:52:11.53\00:52:13.09
Number two, we need to
practice what we preach,
00:52:13.13\00:52:16.46
not just know it
but to practice it.
00:52:16.50\00:52:19.07
I want to look at Ephesians 5,
I think we have time for this.
00:52:19.10\00:52:22.60
Ephesians 5:1-2.
00:52:22.64\00:52:27.94
Ephesians 5:1-2,
00:52:27.98\00:52:31.55
"Therefore be imitators
of God as dear children
00:52:31.58\00:52:35.95
and walk in love, live love,
00:52:35.98\00:52:39.65
behave love, act out love,
00:52:39.69\00:52:42.16
as Christ also has loved
us and given Himself for us
00:52:42.19\00:52:46.33
an offering and
a sacrifice to God
00:52:46.36\00:52:47.96
for a sweet smelling aroma,
00:52:48.00\00:52:49.33
we can only do that
00:52:49.36\00:52:50.70
as we are connected
to Jesus Christ divine."
00:52:50.73\00:52:53.57
And number three,
00:52:53.60\00:52:54.94
God calls us to study
His word as never before.
00:52:54.97\00:52:57.44
I think I
believe in a special way
00:52:57.47\00:52:59.31
we are living
in the end of time,
00:52:59.34\00:53:02.31
and God calls us to
know the Word of God,
00:53:02.34\00:53:05.51
to experience the Word of God,
to live out the Word of God.
00:53:05.55\00:53:09.22
Turn with me to 2
Timothy, last scripture.
00:53:09.25\00:53:12.09
2 Timothy 2:15.
00:53:12.12\00:53:18.36
Paul is writing to Timothy,
00:53:18.39\00:53:19.73
"That from childhood
00:53:19.76\00:53:21.06
you have known
the holy scriptures
00:53:21.10\00:53:22.43
which are able to make you
wise for salvation through faith
00:53:22.46\00:53:25.57
which is in Christ Jesus."
00:53:25.60\00:53:27.60
And then it goes
all scripture is given,
00:53:27.64\00:53:30.31
all scripture as God bring
given by inspiration of God
00:53:30.37\00:53:34.14
is profitable for
doctrine, reproof, correction,
00:53:34.18\00:53:36.85
instruction and righteousness
that the man of God
00:53:36.91\00:53:39.55
may be perfect or
complete thoroughly furnished
00:53:39.58\00:53:43.12
or equipped for every good work.
00:53:43.15\00:53:44.69
God calls us to
study the Word of God
00:53:44.72\00:53:47.52
and by that we are changed.
00:53:47.56\00:53:48.89
Amen. Wow!
00:53:48.92\00:53:50.29
We flew through that with
some good bit of time left
00:53:50.33\00:53:52.99
which would give
us each an opportunity
00:53:53.03\00:53:54.40
to just to reiterate
what we talked about.
00:53:54.46\00:53:56.93
We began with the
Apostle Paul's letter
00:53:57.00\00:53:59.60
and I would summarize
00:53:59.63\00:54:01.04
that by saying
there is no wrong time
00:54:01.07\00:54:02.90
for the right message.
00:54:02.94\00:54:04.31
Can we agree on that?
00:54:04.34\00:54:05.67
Amen. Amen.
00:54:05.71\00:54:07.04
And then Pastor CA dealt
00:54:07.08\00:54:08.41
with Paul's desire to visit Rome
00:54:08.44\00:54:09.88
and I like the point
00:54:09.91\00:54:11.28
that you really
spend a lot of time,
00:54:11.31\00:54:12.81
there is no better
time to support the gospel
00:54:12.85\00:54:16.82
then when God blesses you
00:54:16.89\00:54:18.22
with means to
support the gospel.
00:54:18.25\00:54:19.72
Paul needed help, if
he didn't get the help,
00:54:19.75\00:54:21.86
the gospel
couldn't be supported.
00:54:21.89\00:54:23.29
And then, Mollie,
00:54:23.32\00:54:24.66
I like that you talk about
the adversity of Christianity
00:54:24.69\00:54:26.70
which always
ends up in you being
00:54:26.73\00:54:28.80
where God always knew
you were going to be anyway.
00:54:28.83\00:54:30.63
That's right.
00:54:30.67\00:54:32.00
No matter what you go through,
00:54:32.03\00:54:33.37
you'll end up
where God always knew
00:54:33.40\00:54:34.74
that you were going to be.
00:54:34.77\00:54:36.10
And, Shelley, you hit
a point that I learned,
00:54:36.14\00:54:38.97
and I've been
rejoicing ever since
00:54:39.01\00:54:40.88
and my devotions
with Oswald Chambers
00:54:40.94\00:54:42.64
in reading Ellen
White's writings.
00:54:42.68\00:54:44.01
He asked the question,
00:54:44.05\00:54:45.38
if you are not a
saint then why not?
00:54:45.41\00:54:47.48
We should not go around saying,
00:54:47.52\00:54:48.85
we're all just
sinners saved by grace.
00:54:48.88\00:54:51.39
No, if you are
not a saint, why not?
00:54:51.42\00:54:53.46
And so, I would like
to summarize, Shelley,
00:54:53.52\00:54:55.42
by saying believers
are saints in Christ.
00:54:55.46\00:54:57.89
Amen.
00:54:57.93\00:54:59.26
And then Jill, the question
00:54:59.29\00:55:00.73
that you really
handled so wonderfully,
00:55:00.76\00:55:02.26
what kind of saint are you?
00:55:02.30\00:55:04.10
Because the fruit of the
spirit should make us saints
00:55:04.17\00:55:06.17
that always
reflect the glory of Christ
00:55:06.20\00:55:08.27
through the fruit of the spirit.
00:55:08.30\00:55:10.11
So let me give each of
you an opportunity and, Jill,
00:55:10.14\00:55:13.17
just go ahead and reiterate
00:55:13.21\00:55:14.88
if you had a last word
to share with our panel
00:55:14.91\00:55:17.48
or those watching the
program, what would you say?
00:55:17.55\00:55:20.42
I would say number
one, get in the Word of God.
00:55:20.45\00:55:21.85
That's right.
00:55:21.88\00:55:23.22
The Word of God
is life transforming,
00:55:23.25\00:55:24.59
the Word of God changes us.
00:55:24.62\00:55:25.95
I am so excited about
00:55:25.99\00:55:27.36
the study of
Romans because it...
00:55:27.39\00:55:29.29
To me, it's Paul's treaties
on justification by faith,
00:55:29.32\00:55:32.36
Galatians as well.
00:55:32.39\00:55:34.00
And for this quarter
to follow justification
00:55:34.00\00:55:36.43
by faith in Galatians.
00:55:36.46\00:55:38.27
And not only that,
00:55:38.30\00:55:39.63
we see sanctification by faith
in the Book of Romans as well.
00:55:39.67\00:55:42.80
So I am excited
about this study.
00:55:42.84\00:55:44.81
Pastor CA?
00:55:44.84\00:55:46.17
You know, I'm thinking
00:55:46.21\00:55:47.54
I won't
reiterate, I will iterate.
00:55:47.58\00:55:49.01
I think God plants
people and churches,
00:55:49.04\00:55:52.41
this letter to
the Book of Roman,
00:55:52.45\00:55:54.62
to the Romans
written about same time
00:55:54.65\00:55:56.32
as Matthew and Mark.
00:55:56.35\00:55:57.69
So the church in Rome
got established really early.
00:55:57.72\00:56:00.29
So God chose to put this
ends in there in this pagan city
00:56:00.32\00:56:04.93
for a purpose and
that was to support
00:56:04.96\00:56:06.43
the work going
across, going around.
00:56:06.46\00:56:08.63
And God does that,
00:56:08.66\00:56:10.00
He erects beacons
and from that lighthouse,
00:56:10.07\00:56:13.00
beams of light
shine around the world,
00:56:13.03\00:56:14.77
and Rome was
strategically placed
00:56:14.80\00:56:17.31
and the gospel was
put there very early,
00:56:17.34\00:56:19.44
so that it could be this
beacon in the midst of paganism
00:56:19.47\00:56:22.54
to do a great work for Him.
00:56:22.58\00:56:23.95
That's right. Mollie?
00:56:23.98\00:56:25.31
Well, Paul stresses
the importance of knowing
00:56:25.35\00:56:27.42
who you are in Christ.
00:56:27.45\00:56:28.78
You've got transformed out
of the kingdom of darkness,
00:56:28.82\00:56:30.59
where are you now?
00:56:30.62\00:56:31.95
The kingdom of God to
your son, you are a sinner.
00:56:31.99\00:56:35.09
You got saved by
grace, now what are you?
00:56:35.12\00:56:37.66
You are the righteousness
of God in Christ Jesus.
00:56:37.69\00:56:40.10
You confessed your sins,
00:56:40.13\00:56:41.43
He was faithful and just
to forgive you of your sins
00:56:41.46\00:56:44.13
and to cleanse you
from all unrighteousness,
00:56:44.17\00:56:46.70
what does that
make you? Righteous.
00:56:46.74\00:56:48.40
Amen. Shelley?
00:56:48.44\00:56:49.77
The Book of Romans presents
Jesus Christ to me in a way
00:56:49.80\00:56:53.21
that I did not know before
00:56:53.24\00:56:54.91
because I understood
justification by faith
00:56:54.94\00:56:58.08
but not sanctification by faith.
00:56:58.11\00:57:00.25
The Book of Romans
also we will see brings
00:57:00.28\00:57:03.02
in the work of the
Holy Spirit in a way
00:57:03.05\00:57:05.49
that cannot be misunderstood.
00:57:05.52\00:57:07.79
So if we only had
the Book of Romans,
00:57:07.82\00:57:10.49
we could understand
God's full plan of salvation.
00:57:10.56\00:57:12.23
That's right.
00:57:12.26\00:57:13.63
Now I like the
way to summarize this,
00:57:13.66\00:57:14.96
Paul speaking about
the gospel to the Romans,
00:57:15.00\00:57:17.17
he says, "For I am not ashamed
of the gospel of the Christ,
00:57:17.20\00:57:20.34
for it is the power of
God to salvation for everyone
00:57:20.37\00:57:23.10
who believes,
00:57:23.14\00:57:24.47
for the Jews first
and also for the Greeks."
00:57:24.51\00:57:26.88
Join us next time
00:57:26.91\00:57:28.24
when we go now to
the controversy revealed
00:57:28.28\00:57:30.55
in the Book of Romans.
00:57:30.58\00:57:31.91
God bless you
until we see you again.
00:57:31.95\00:57:33.92