mgpcpastor's blog

Mount Gambier Presbyterian Church is going to hear a series of sermons on Romans in the coming weeks. But tomorrow as an introduction I’m going to preach a one single sermon on the whole book. A great example of these type of sermons is available from Mark Dever in his two books:The Message of the Old Testament: Promises Made; and The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept. Why try to reduce a book like Romans to one sermon?
On my shelves are Lloyd Jones’ 14 volumes of sermons from Romans (a series of sermons that Lloyd Jones did not complete). I’ve also got four volume sets of sermons by Donald Barnhouse and James Boice. Well one reason that I’m convinced it is worth the effort is that it does justice to the thought that the Apostle Paul wrote Romans primarily as a letter to be read and considered as a whole. There is great value in examining every tree in the forest that is Romans. (In Lloyd-Jone’s case, every branch and leaf.) There is also great value to taking a view of the sum of all the trees, that is, the forest itself.
By looking at the whole book in one sermon the doctrinal truth that is taught is taken together with the practical exhortations. There is no divorce in Paul’s mind. He wants the church in Rome to remain orthodox in belief because there is no other way that they would either desire to, and be able to, live orthodox lives.
The two are inextricably linked. Paul himself demonstrates this in the passage at which I will use to frame the sermon, Romans 11:25-12:2. God has glorified Himself by redeeming a people from fallen humanity. Those who are redeemed live in a particular way.
There is a position that doctrine divides, but Christ unites. Others say that doctrine divides, but service unites. The Biblical position is that Christ has united and that Christians should learn deeply about the work that Christ has done for them. This learning is called doctrine and it is exactly what Paul teaches, particularly in the first eleven chapters of Romans. True sacrificial service is impossible without union to Christ as well. That is why the exhortations come after the teaching of doctrine.
Churches or Christians that neglect biblical doctrine do not stay united in love and service for very long.
We won’t uncover every facet of Paul’s argument tomorrow. But we will be able to recognise that in writing the letter the Apostle was advancing a unified line of thought.
Tomorrow we’ll look at the forest of Romans.
Then we’ll look at the trees.