In the Word Wednesday, BSF Lesson 2

To be honest, last night was somewhat stressful. I don't want to spend time complaining about it, but I felt kind of rushed and tense throughout the night and it sadly affected even the notes I took. When I got home, I vented a little bit to H, who listens to me even when I am cranky (& reproves me when I need it), then took a shower. Everything got better. This morning has started on the right foot.

So, back to where I was again, this lesson was on Romans 1:1-17, divided into three parts:
1. Explanation - Romans 1:1-7
2. Obligation - Romans 1:8-15
3. Power - Romans 1:16-17


We know that Romans (like many books of the New Testament) is written in a letter format. The way they wrote letters back then was so interesting:

"Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ our Lord" -
imagine writing a letter to introduce yourself.
"Amy, a housewife and helpmate to Haven, settled in the land of San Antonio, TX"

Ha ha - Anyway.

Paul called himself a "servant of Jesus Christ". The Greek word is pronounced "doulos", the meaning of which is basically, "under the direct command of another." Paul did only what he was commanded by His Master to do.
Apostle means "one who is sent out", and it is a title of authority. Paul mentions in Galatians 1:1 that he was an apostle "not of man" but of God.

Paul was set apart to the Gospel. This is a neat point to pull out. When he was living as a Pharisee, previous to his conversion, Paul set himself apart from the Gospel by the way he lived.
With his new life, Paul's joy was the Gospel of Christ. This Gospel was not just given to us in the New Testament, but began at the very beginning. Genesis 3:15 (the Protoevangelion)makes the first mention of it.

The purpose of the Gospel is to call people to the obedience of God. Paul seemed to carry this on his shoulders as his own personal burdem. He felt obligated to all people in his eagerness to share the good news. He was not ashamed of the Gospel
"for it is the power of God unto salvation".
Nancy challenged us to be bold in our testimonies. It reminded me of my small group earlier, when my group leader asked us our attitudes about sharing the Gospel. The majority of us said "a little scared, timid, nervous." The first thought is excitement and joy, but when the opportunity arrives, our tongues go numb. And yet, when we realize that the Lord is the one who brings a heart to Him, we really have nothing to fear. He will use us, even in our inadequacies. That is surely an encouraging thought -