Month: October 2025

My breath is taken away as I consider how awesomely vast Thou art. I see pictures of outer space where explosions thousands of light-years across are happening. When I consider the power released when one atom is split, yet you are intimately involved in each one of our lives, in a uniquely personal way. My mind cannot contain it or even start to understand – yet love and appreciation flow at the thought that you made me exactly as I am, chose me, called me and are preparing me for glory.

” I am busy and I have already revealed much of myself to my creation. My desire is that it would awaken the sort of response you are showing, yet while it is good to be in awe of my might it is not good to fear me in a negative way. Remember that if I am for you – who can be against you? And that is continually true. I am always for you working towards my ultimate goal of preparing you for glory, the glory you will experience in the presence of my glory.”

We read Romans 1:6-13 today. Having introduced himself, briefly Paul addresses the recipients. This passage gives us an idea of who the people are who are going to receive the letter, but in trying to get into Paul’s head as he writes he was certainly not thinking of the millions of people who would eventually read the letter. What is he doing then?

Firstly I suggest that he is not wanting to burst in with a heavy theological treatise, before actually trying, in some way, to form some sort of connection with the recipients

Look at all the positive things he says to them: They are loved and called by God to be saints. He wishes them grace and peace. He expresses his thanks to God for all of them complementing them on the faith he has heard they show.

He expresses a personal interest in them for some time in that he prays for them regularly.

He also expresses his eagerness to visit them and impart a gift to them to encourage them.

What can we learn from this? Paul’s underlying aim is quite clear; he wants them to hear and respond to the gospel. Now my aim and hopefully each one of yours is to share the gospel with others. Often it seems a daunting task. Here Paul gives us a bit of advice: Build a positive relationship with the person you are speaking to. It is within such relationships that it becomes easier to share one’s faith. Of course one should not hide your faith. Be open about it but in a self-revelatory fashion, from the beginning. Some people will be frightened off but for others it later becomes natural to talk about your faith.

From the very beginning of this letter we can see Paul’s driving desire to share the gospel, so we, the readers can be prepared for that to be the main theme of what is to follow. And notice he does not just want to share some words, his desire is to see a great harvest (vs 13). It is interesting to remember that earlier he addressed them as saints, yet now we get a glimpse of the fact that many readers will not be saints.

We also see in vs 13 that he seems to be expecting the main recipients to be Jewish, yet throughout the letter he speaks to both Jews and Gentiles and addresses the differences these two backgrounds have in how they will receive his letter. As we get into the letter we will see how markedly different his approach is towards each group. While the basics of the gospel remain the same, the way they receive it differs. It is important to remember this in our interaction with others.

May you all have a blessed week.

This is our God – immutable, inscrutable, your glory filling the universe. Beautiful in your Holiness, yet overflowing with love towards your creation, especially those whom you have adopted as children into your family. I worship you.

” I receive your worship and adoration, with joy. That is why I have created. So that the joy I can bring and the love I can show will be shared among billions of those who have chosen to follow me and receive my Spirit. I can never have enough praise and adoration – it builds up and builds up and overflows to all the corners of my created universe. So continue with your adoration and appreciation of everything I am to you and I will continually reveal more and more of myself to you.”

So, by special request we are going to embark today on reading through Paul’s letter to the Romans, remembering our aim – to learn to listen to the voice of Jesus as we read His word.

Just a few introductory remarks to help us understand the context and purpose of the letter. That is always so important when we listen for Jesus’ voice. The word He seeks to give us is most powerful when aligned with the purpose He had when He inspired the passage one is reading.

This is the only letter of Paul’s addressed to a church he had not yet visited. Although there are issues he addresses in the letter there is not one that is major. Paul appeared to be intending to visit this church and gather their support for a further outreach in Spain. This is revealed in 15:23 ff.

The letter acts as a sort of CV of Paul which he presents to the readers to introduce himself by explaining his doctrine of the kingdom of God through the work of Jesus. It is probably the best rounded description of the “Gospel” and its application in the bible, which is his main interest.

Let us read the opening 6 verses today. They are a mouthful, if you want to unpack everything that is wrapped up explicitly and implicitly in it. He immediately launches into what the main theme of the letter is going to be about. Can you see what that is?

It is clearly the gospel. Describing himself only in terms of the role for which he has been set apart. V 1, and given the ministry to call the Gentiles. See if you can pick up the main points of his gospel message in the next few verses.

Here is what I saw: The gospel was predicted from the beginning. It has always been the main aim of God’s plan.

The central “Person” about which the gospel is , is Jesus, called here “the Son” and later mentioned by His full name.

He is fully human and at the same time fully divine, which was ultimately proved by His resurrection.

He describes his ministry only in terms of “the Gentiles”, yet there is plenty in the letter later to show that he has plenty to say to the Jews as well. Presumably this means that most of the recipients came from a Jewish background.

Finally there is this interesting description of the gospel in vs 5b: “the obedience that comes from faith” . He is going to have plenty to say about faith, but true faith is always accompanied by obedience (action).

What have you heard Jesus say to you from this passage? For me it is a reminder of the urgency and centrality of my ministry, which is to share the gospel. Especially to make sure it is centred on faith in Jesus which is demonstrated by a changed life.

May I end today’s blog with a statement from John Piper which I read this week which suddenly became an aha moment. “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him”.

May He make His face shine on you this coming week.