"Paul, a servant* of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God..."
So Paul is introducing himself to the church in Rome, to whom the letter is addressed. He starts by identifying himself as all Christians can, "a servant of Jesus Christ". I don't know how I feel about self-identifying as a 'servant', even of Jesus Christ. I mean, I understand it in my head, being a servant and all that, but some gut reaction, something about being an American and what that means in regards to equality and justice and freedom, is reacting against that phrase.
But that is the challenge of Scripture, to set for us a baseline of truth against which to measure our lives. We talk about service in our faith, even one who serves, but 'servant' implies a humbling, a surrendering of control, an acknowledgement that we have 'a better'. I know, it's class thinking, nobles and peasants, aristocrats and domestics, "Downton Abbey", "Gone With The Wind" manor house life, know what I mean?
But it is to be a servant to perfection...should be good enough to overcome personal biases about class warfare.
Beyond the call to be a servant, we have laid before us Paul's job description. He is "called" to be an "apostle". "Called" is a notion still very important in the church today. As I pursued ordination, the Committee on Preparation for Ministry laid a lot of importance on the "call". Is Jesus calling me to ministry? Is it something that can be seen in my by other people? Is it something that the commitee can see? If not being called, it is easy enough to pull a "reverend" title off the internet.
An "apostle" is a technical title in the work of Jesus Christ. The twelve disciples transitioned from "disciple", literally 'follower' to "apostle", literally 'servant', on Pentecost. That was the day that the Holy Spirit came upon them and turned them after three years of internship with the Almighty into leaders of the church.
Paul was called later, by special arrangement of Jesus, outside the walls of Damascus, when he was intent with a religious fervor to stamp out this new Jewish sect. (It wasn't its own religion yet). He turned that fervor to the service of Jesus Christ and changed the world. Thankfully, he also changed his methodology from 'arrest and charge' to 'preach and convert'.
So, his title is "Apostle", to which he has been called. He is called to be a Servant, called by God, "set apart for the gospel of God". Set apart, this is what he is supposed to be doing, set apart for the "gospel" of God. I leave you with the idea of the "gospel".
"Gospel" is Greek for "good news", quite literally. Paul is set apart for the Good News of God. He is an Apostle for it. He is a Servant for it. What is the Good News?
The Good News is that Jesus lived, died, and lives again for us. It is Good Friday, Easter, and eternity. It is the Great Commission at the end of Matthew, "Go and make disciples of ALL the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit".
This Good News is that people's lives can be changed FOREVER. It is the Good News of love that changes lives for the better. It is the Good News that claims 2 BILLION believers around the world. It is why I was called to be a pastor, to spread that news.
So much in the first three phrases of Paul's most encompassing letter.
But it is to be a servant to perfection...should be good enough to overcome personal biases about class warfare.
Beyond the call to be a servant, we have laid before us Paul's job description. He is "called" to be an "apostle". "Called" is a notion still very important in the church today. As I pursued ordination, the Committee on Preparation for Ministry laid a lot of importance on the "call". Is Jesus calling me to ministry? Is it something that can be seen in my by other people? Is it something that the commitee can see? If not being called, it is easy enough to pull a "reverend" title off the internet.
An "apostle" is a technical title in the work of Jesus Christ. The twelve disciples transitioned from "disciple", literally 'follower' to "apostle", literally 'servant', on Pentecost. That was the day that the Holy Spirit came upon them and turned them after three years of internship with the Almighty into leaders of the church.
Paul was called later, by special arrangement of Jesus, outside the walls of Damascus, when he was intent with a religious fervor to stamp out this new Jewish sect. (It wasn't its own religion yet). He turned that fervor to the service of Jesus Christ and changed the world. Thankfully, he also changed his methodology from 'arrest and charge' to 'preach and convert'.
So, his title is "Apostle", to which he has been called. He is called to be a Servant, called by God, "set apart for the gospel of God". Set apart, this is what he is supposed to be doing, set apart for the "gospel" of God. I leave you with the idea of the "gospel".
"Gospel" is Greek for "good news", quite literally. Paul is set apart for the Good News of God. He is an Apostle for it. He is a Servant for it. What is the Good News?
The Good News is that Jesus lived, died, and lives again for us. It is Good Friday, Easter, and eternity. It is the Great Commission at the end of Matthew, "Go and make disciples of ALL the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit".
This Good News is that people's lives can be changed FOREVER. It is the Good News of love that changes lives for the better. It is the Good News that claims 2 BILLION believers around the world. It is why I was called to be a pastor, to spread that news.
So much in the first three phrases of Paul's most encompassing letter.
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