Parkway Studentz EmailDevo 1.1

Parkway Studentz EmailDevo 1.1
February 13, 2008
Passage: READ Romans 1:1-17
Key Verse: Romans 1:16 - “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Rome. Neither he nor the other church leaders, James and Peter, had yet been to Rome. Most likely, the Roman church had been established by believers who had been at Jerusalem for Pentecost (Acts 2:10) and travelers who had heard the Good News in other places and had brought it back to Rome. Paul wrote this letter to encourage the believers and to express his desire to visit them someday. The Roman church had no New Testament because the Gospels were not yet being circulated in their final written form. Thus, this letter may well have been the first piece of Christian literature the Roman believers had seen. Written to both Jewish and Gentile Christians, the letter to the Romans is a systematic presentation of the Christian faith.*

Throughout these first 17 verses Paul expresses how much these believers mean to him. He tells them that he is continually praying for them , in verse 10, that one day he could encourage them with his gift of faith and be encouraged by theirs. As God’s missionary, he could help them understand the meaning of the Good News about Jesus. As God’s devoted people, they could offer him fellowship and comfort. When Christians gather, everyone should give and receive. Our mutual faith gives us a common language and a common purpose for encouraging one another.*

Paul gives us a HUGE example in not being ashamed of the Gospel. His words in verse 16 are powerful and true. Paul was not ashamed because his message was the gospel of Christ, the Good News. It was a message of salvation, it had life-changing power, and it was for everyone. When you are tempted to be ashamed, remember what the Good News is all about. If you focus on God and on what God is doing in the world rather than on your own inadequacy, you won’t be ashamed or embarrassed.* We should be proud of the gospel and should have excitement at every chance we have to share it with others.

May you be encouraged by God’s Word through the writings of Paul to be encouraged as a Christian and be excited about sharing TRUTH with others!!

* = excerpt from the Life Application Bible, NASB translation

4 HIS Glory,
Mike Camire
Minister of Students
Parkway Baptist Church