I.
Paul begins this letter to the Christians in Rome with,

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his Son…” (Romans 1:1-3)

And after a few more words he moves to what we can read in part as a prayer.

Let’s take our time and read this week’s focus passage and see what we learn about Paul. You may want to read it, pause then reread it paying attention to what Paul tells us about himself and his rationale for writing to these folk.

II.
Romans 1:8-17

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish —hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

III.
If you asked Paul what most characterizes his life and work, what answers does he give in these couple of paragraphs?

What passions stand out to you the most here?

What does Paul show you about what most fills his heart and soul?

charles
{ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est}