When in Rome ... Preach Like Paul

Rome, a complex arena of power structures, religious beliefs, and anti-Semitism. Rome, the first-century site of growing tension between Gentile Christians and Jews. Rome, the seedbed for the newly emergent faith called Christianity. What a wonderful environment for ministry! Perhaps there are some insights that we can learn to aid our quest for meaningful ministry in the pluralistic twenty-first century environment that we face.

Romans contains rich content worth rehearsing to mature Christians and unpacking for new Christians and spiritual inquirers.

Romans' Theme — God's Righteousness

The main theme of the Letter to the Romans is God's righteousness. By preaching a sermon series on Romans, you have the opportunity to unpack the various layers of the biblical understandings of righteousness:

Righteousness embodies the notion of covenant — God's covenant to fulfill promises made to Israel.

Righteousness carries a legal understanding — A person on trial is vindicated. God serves appropriately as an impartial judge.

Righteousness is inextricably linked to justice — God's mission is to set right what sin has corrupted in creation and particularly in humanity.

Righteousness is restorative justice in action — The oppressed will be vindicated.

Paul painstakingly works through righteousness with an audience composed of Jews, who understood the importance of covenant, and Gentiles, who understood the significance of vindication from oppression.

Paul addressed the needs of his Roman context. What does your "Rome" look like? What does your congregation need to know about God's righteousness? Mull over the questions and respond to your congregation.