If you are reading this, I want to ask you to stop for a moment to read Romans 1: 8-17. Go ahead, I’ll wait for a moment until your done. . .

Ok are you back? Let’s seek to understand this short passage as much as we can. How often do we really do that? That is: seek to really understand a passage of scripture. Let’s try it. Ok here are a few questions to answer:

1. Who wrote this passage? – The apostle Paul
2. To whom and for what purpose was this passage written? – Paul wrote the book of Romans which was a letter to the church in Rome
3. When did he write it?- Most likely AD 56

In this book, Paul is writing to his fellow believers in Rome to encourage them. He tells them what a great job they’re doing for the Kingdom of God, how well they’re preaching the Gospel, and how far the news of their fervor for Christ is spreading. He tells them he misses them, how much he wants to come see them, and how he also will continue to spread the Gospel, because he is unashamed of it.

This letter from Paul is the kind of thing we don’t see much of today. The church in Rome was in the center of civilization for much of the world. Paul sees how effective these believers are in sharing the love of Christ that he is inspired by them.

I wonder if anyone would think that about our church. . .  I wonder if anyone would see the work we’re doing for Christ and those around us and notice it. The church in Rome was noticed far and wide, but I wonder how much we’re noticed by our own small town!

My fellow believers, I’m asking us to look at our individual walks with Christ, and our usefulness as the local church to those around us. What impact are we making? I’m not suggesting that we’re having no impact, but I’m asking you, as I will, to examine just what kind of impact we are having, and more importantly, the kind we could and should be having.

I pray that we would be a Romans 1:16 church. May we become a force for the Kingdom of God here in our community and let the news of Christ spread through what we’re doing individually and separately.

Your unashamed brother in Christ,

Andrew

Romans 1:16  “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”