14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. Romans 1:14-16
First of all, verse 14 really struck me funny. Paul writes that it's his job to share the gospel with both Greeks and non-Greeks, with both the wise and the foolish. He says he's so eager to preach it to the Romans, but he never says whether they're among the wise or the foolish! (And in his word ordering, he kind of implies that the Romans - the non-Greeks - are in category B rather than A.) Just a little thing, no real significant spiritual meaning that I can see, it just made me laugh :)
First of all, verse 14 really struck me funny. Paul writes that it's his job to share the gospel with both Greeks and non-Greeks, with both the wise and the foolish. He says he's so eager to preach it to the Romans, but he never says whether they're among the wise or the foolish! (And in his word ordering, he kind of implies that the Romans - the non-Greeks - are in category B rather than A.) Just a little thing, no real significant spiritual meaning that I can see, it just made me laugh :)
Ok, on to the more serious stuff. Three things here I want to mention briefly.
1) Paul, in this and all his letters, is so EAGER to share the good news! The opposite of ashamed, he's bold and fearless and brave and intentional...why? Because he's absolutely convinced that what he has to share is indeed good news. AND he's being obedient - he's voluntarily chosen to become God's servant, or slave as he says in other letters.
2) This gospel is powerful! We toss around the word "salvation" until it's kind of meaningless, but to literally be saved from death and eternal separation from God is pretty awesome! And even more than that, to be saved to relationship with God and everything that comes with it - the love and freedom and power and peace and all the rest...Good news, indeed!
3)The phrase "first to the Jew, then to the Gentile" used to tick me off a bit. But when I think of how the vast majority of the Jewish people refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah they'd been longing for, I don't envy them a bit. I'm so grateful that God extended this offer of salvation to "everyone who believes". What a gift!
God of Good News, You are awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you for grace - grace that saves us from death and saves us to life; real life, abundant life, eternal life...Thank you! May we be so full of gratitude and joy because of Who you are and what You have given that it overflows and saturates all of our relationships with your gospel grace. Amen.
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