Pray for people you don't know. Start at the top and work down. Start in your family and work out. Start in your office with those that you don't work with. Go to a school.
Choose a group of coaches. Pray for people you don't know and pray unceasingly. Every person on earth has embraced a theological point of view. But it's God that defines his character, not man. Today on Insight for Living, Chuck Swindahl takes you inside the most influential letter ever written.
One that transformed a violent persecutor into Christianity's greatest missionary. The Book of Romans isn't an academic textbook on theology. It's a passionate message written by the Apostle Paul that will set your heart on fire. and it's the final authority for Christians. God is the author of uncompromised truth.
Chuck titled today's message. Getting a grasp of the gospel. The gospel is the good news. that God loves you. He loved the people of Rome, and he loves the people today.
to whom I speak. And those to whom you will speak in the week to come. This is the good news that originates with God. Romans 15:4 states, Whatever was written in earlier times, referring to the Old Testament, was written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort in the scriptures should have hope.
So Paul is saying, as I deliver the gospel as an apostle, and as I carry it. being called to this work of mission. As I do all of this, I remember that it's not mine, it's really that which I have received from centuries past.
So it comes through us through the Holy Scriptures, and please note the content. The substance of the gospel, verses 3 and 4. It's concerning his son. And immediately, Paul thinks chronologically, starts with his humanity, works his way to deity, messiahship, and authority. Watch how it unfolds.
He was born of a descendant of David, that's the birth in Bethlehem according to the flesh. He was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection. That's the deity of Christ. According to the Spirit of Holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord. See the word Christ?
It's the term that means anointed one, frequently can. can be rendered Messiah. Here he says, as you see it written, We have Jesus Christ Our Lord. Think of it. Jesus the man Christ the Messiah.
Lord our authority. And he is set forth as the content. of the gospel. Paul now pauses and says, through whom. This is Jesus our Lord, through whom, verse 5, we have received grace.
an apostleship. I think that always made Paul pause. and sort of shake his head.
Okay. He remembered that he was one unworthy soul. He writes of himself in both the letter to the Galatians and the letter to Timothy. where he says that I was a violent aggressor. I spent my days making life miserable for Christians.
And there I was on that road to Damascus, and I was stopped in my tracks, and I was blinded. and I fell to the ground. as he's converted me and saved my soul. Um There is a marvelous sense of grace. That continues to be woven through the fabric of Paul's writings.
And it emerges quickly now in the letter as we read: through whom we have received grace. No life here is worse than the Apostle Paul's was. He was the chief of sinners. He was the worst you could be. Anybody here killed Christians?
Anybody here In a place of authority where you Deliberately misjudge those who claim Christ as Savior. And you throw him in prison? Nobody. But the grace of God came to his rescue, and of all things. Became an apostle.
Can you imagine how surprised he lived his life?
Well, no wonder the disciples were afraid to be with him. Word traveled that Paul was saved. Yeah, right. If it hadn't been for Barnabas, they never would have given him a hearing. But grace came to his rescue and And now he.
presents what it is that changed him. Verse 5. To bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name's sake. What's the purpose of the gospel? The obedience.
of the faith. That's the purpose. The origin is God. The revelation is the Holy Scriptures. And how grateful we are that they are still alive and powerful.
The content, the substance, is Christ himself. And the purpose, never doubt it. It's obedience. It's obedience. God did not save us in order for us to have a theological set of principles in our heads.
We are saved in order to surrender our lives to Christ. When you think of obedience, attach to it the synonym. Submission. When you speak of obedience to Christ, think of submission. to Christ.
And Paul from Damascus to the end of his life was submitted to Christ. Whatever was the Father's will, whatever was the Savior's will. Out of obedience to the gospel, he yielded. May I pause here and urge you to be a person of balance? Please do not see the letter to the Romans as simply a place to pack up great doctrinal truths in a notebook.
The world of fundamentalism is full of people like that. with very little attention given to the graciousness of an obedient life. Submission to Christ. It takes both.
Now, on the other hand, to just emphasize submission and graciousness and love, liberalism is full of that. Without the truth, the gospel, the doctrines, we need both. Paul emphasizes this, and now he reaches to the people in Rome, to all who are beloved of God in Rome. Can you imagine? Can you imagine what it felt like to be distant?
You know thousands of miles away from Anything that these dear people would call Christian and to get a letter. A letter Signed by Paul. Written to them to help them in their life there in the. In the capital of the world.
Now, nowadays, except for the Vatican, There's not a lot of attention on Rome. It's a great place to visit, full of art and beauty. But back in those days It was the heartbeat of civilization. In every place in this world where there are tough cities, God has his people. Rome, half strike and you're out.
Part of the reason is Nero. Rule it. At this time, Nero is in the quasi-peaceful time of his reign. What some of you may not remember from your study of ancient history. One month shy of his 17th birthday, thanks to his mother murdering his predecessor.
Nero took the throne. He later murdered her, but that's another story. Nero at age 17. surrounds himself with the few who will guide him, Tacitus being one of the better of the councillors. until he removes him later when he goes nuts.
And by and by Nero becomes a savage madman. At age 31, he finally takes his life. Between 17 and 31. His world is marked by a drag of blood. He took great delight in blaming the fire of Rome on Christians.
covered many of them with target car and pitch and set them on fire. and their bodies lit the cottal sin. as the games were played. And he played in the games, saw himself as a charioteer. People held back the laughter because he was the emperor.
He was given the. Uh The award for winning, though he never won. Because he was the emperor. And ultimately, after multiple, multiple murders and a series of homosexual relationships with boys, he had castrated. Nero finally met his match.
Came to be known by the Senate as public enemy number one, and took his life before they could kill him. Rome's a tough city. Living in this city is a body of people. who claim the name of Jesus. Just like you do in the city where you live and work.
And at Rome, he reminds them. They are beloved of God. Isn't that great? Here we are again at the gospel. You are loved by God.
You who are on that campus, you are loved by God on that campus. You who live in San Francisco, you are loved by God there in the city by the bay. You who are making your living in Chicago, you are there. Or Boston, you are there. Loved by God.
In Dallas, you are loved by God. Beloved of God, in whatever city you are. You were called Saint. Is that good? Saint Chuck.
Isn't it funny when you put your name after the word Saint? When I was a kid, we grew up, and down the street from where we lived was a St. Andrew's church. It was called St. Andrew's Church.
I remember as a kid thinking, is he around? You're going to run into St. Andrews? And then I finally saw him. He's a statue standing in the corner, dust on him.
As a kid, I'd walk in and say, what do you say, Andy? I remember doing that since I was in my mind. Mother never liked me to do that, but I... That's why I needed to be saved. But anyway, I remember St.
Andrew's, and then I realized every one of God's children is a saint. Put your name after the word saint. Try not to smile. But it doesn't mean what we think it means, or what we thought it meant as kids. It's the word for set apart.
We are not only loved of God, we are set apart for God's purpose. That's what it means to be. saint. And so he says to the people in Rome, you're set apart for God. You're loved by God.
Unless you talk yourself out of it. You have the grace of God. There it is again, verse 7. You have the grace of God that has come to your rescue. You are objects of His grace, and you are recipients of His peace.
That'll make all the difference in the world when you exist in a tough city. Are you working a tough office? Grace and peace are yours, and they are from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And he hasn't even talked to them, they just told them who they are. No wonder the letter meant so much to them.
I remember my days in the Marine Corps when I was 8,000 miles from home. There'd be mail call and there would be a letter from a woman. Who met more than life to me. I remember getting the letter. And I would open it.
I'd see her handwriting, then I'd go. Smells just like her. And I'd read it. And I'd read it. And I'd read it.
And I'd read it. Why? Because she told me what I meant to her. She told me my value. She reminded me of how she was waiting for me.
longing to be with me. It's Paul. To the Romans. Don't let it be a sterile letter of ink on a page, it's a love letter. From God.
to the Romans and through them. to us. Paul tells them two things. First of all, he tells them of his gratitude and prayers for them. He says, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all.
It's from the southern part of Jerusalem for y'all. Because your faith is being proclaimed throughout the whole world. Isn't that great? They had a faith that was now spreading throughout the whole world. They were existing in the tough city, they were doing more than existing.
The word was traveling about them and their faith. Here's why. Because the God whom I serve in my spirit in the preaching of the gospel is my witness. How unceasingly I make mention of you always in my prayers. This tells us that we're to pray for people we don't know.
Paul didn't know most of those people, if any of them. He's never been to Rome. Pray for people you don't know. Start at the top and work down. Start in your family and work out.
Start in your office with those that you don't work with. Go to a school. Choose a group of coaches. Name the President and his wife and the Cabinet and their mates. Pray for people you don't know and pray.
Incessantly, I love this word he uses. Unceasingly, I make mention of you in my prayers. What's he praying for? End of verse 9. Or verse 10, if perhaps now at last, by the will of God, I may succeed in coming to you.
I long to see you, verse 11. Please notice sandwiched between this unceasing prayer and the longing to be with them. The will of God. There it appears in verse 10. If perhaps now at last by the will of God, I may.
I may succeed in coming to you. You know why that's important? Because of the obedience to the gospel. The obedience and the faith. When you are submitted to Christ, you are waiting upon Him for His will.
Now we plan our way, but the Lord directs our steps. We put things in motion in hopes that we are in His will, and then we wait to make certain. We seek God's people to fill our staff, and then we wait upon Him to do that because we want His person. to take that role. We're building a building, but we want his will in the building of the building.
We're raising funds, and we want him to be the one in charge of prompting his people to give. We want his will to be done. It's all a matter of submission. Submission to the will of God. The apostle says, I pray unceasingly for you because my desire is to be with you.
If I had my way, I wouldn't even go to Jerusalem, I'd come straight to Rome, but I don't have my way. One of the great things about Christian life is that you get first things first, and the first thing is Christ. Remember in Colossians 1, he is to be preeminent, have first place in everything.
So he said, I'm waiting for the will of God on that. I long to see you.
Now, why do you want to see them? He says, verse 11, that I may impart some spiritual gift to you. I thought the Holy Spirit gave gifts.
Well, he does. It's easy to make every word walk on all fours. I would guard us against that and say: here, the spiritual gift is probably his teaching. His bringing them the truth, which would be like a gift, because he says that you may be established. In fact, he clarifies it.
This is what We might call an explanatory correction when he says, that is. Verse 12. Not only that I may come and impart truth, but that I may be encouraged together with you, while among you, each of us by the other's faith, yours and mine. Every missionary knows when you step onto the field and you're there to take the good news of the Savior, you're also there to learn from the people on the field. And those who don't go in that way are not successful as missionaries.
Paul says: when I get to Rome, not only will I benefit you by sharing, but I'm going to. I'm going to benefit from you. In fact, he says, verse 13, I don't want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I plan to come to you and have been prevented so far, so that I may obtain some fruit among you, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.
So his desire to be with them is for the purpose of leading some of the Romans to Christ, as well as getting some of the money he needs to make his journey on to Spain, which is what is on his heart.
Now, how does all of this tie in? As Lon Solomon said to me this week, he said, every time I end a message, I always go, so what?
So I'm going to do that.
So what? Why do you need to know about the gospel and the letter to the Romans and the truth of all of this?
Well, I'll give you three reasons. Glad you asked. Number one. The gospel put a question mark after it. What do you do with the gospel?
You accept it. You don't rewrite it, you don't reshape it. It doesn't need any correcting. The gospel is given for you to accept it. In case you don't know what this is called, it's an invitation.
I have people say, you never give an invitation. I am now giving an invitation, okay? Just because I don't give it like you were raised for people to give it, I'm giving it to you now. The good news is, Christ died for your sins according to the scriptures, He was buried. He has been raised from the dead, and He still lives.
That's the good news. If you've accepted it, you're in the family of God. If you have not, you are not. And you don't know that you'll live to see tomorrow.
So I suggest you accept. The gospel. Just take it right where you are. You won't walk out of the building here and see sky riding. Says, good for you, you're saved.
You won't hear thunderclaps and lightning tonight. It won't be accompanying the salvation, but you'll believe it, you will accept it. Take it. Take the gift. Accept the gospel.
The letter? Apply it. My words regarding the letter all the way through will be: let's apply this as it relates to prayer. As it relates to understanding that we're set apart for the gospel, as it has to do with sharing the gospel with those we're around, apply this letter. And now, third, the truth.
Share it. With the gospel, we accept it. With the letter, we apply it, and with the truth, We share it. May I remind you that you know more truth in one morning than most people will ever learn in a lifetime. regarding Jesus.
You would be shocked. to know how few people could answer on a 3x5 card. Who is Jesus Christ? you would be shocked. Because today he's whatever you want him to be.
Whatever God you need, he's available. Just be open-minded. My fellow pastor and friend Erwin Lutzer writes: A few years ago, my wife and I were sitting together on a flight when I noticed the woman across the aisle was wearing a cross necklace. Hoping to stimulate a discussion, I said. Thank you for wearing that cross.
We do have a wonderful Savior, don't we? She rolled her eyes and responded, Well, I don't think of the cross like you do. Just look at this. She showed me that beneath the cross was the Jewish star of David. And beneath that was a trinket that symbolized the Hindu god Um I'm a social worker, she said.
I've discovered people find God in all different ways. Christianity is just one path to the divine. Do do it. Whatever. Mucher.
Lutzer writes that she later said, I prefer spirituality to like religion. The search of experience is more important to me than specific beliefs. Obviously, the woman wearing that cross was what today's culture calls open-minded. Just be open. God of the Hindus Fine.
If that turns your crank. Turn it on the God of the healer. The God of the Muslims, that'll work whatever you're sincere about. Your own self. Shirley McLean.
You're your own God. You see the crystals shining. You connect. Wait. Wait, wait.
Open-minded. We had a lady in our following one of our church services. She was so funny. She said, when I went through college, everything I heard was be open-minded. Be open-minded.
Every prophet said, stay open-minded. You need to be open about this. And she said, I got to where I'm thinking, good night, am I the only one around that is troubled? I mean, how open can you be? And she said, one day I was going to class and pasted on the back of a kid's backpack walking in front of me.
for these words. How open-minded do I have to be before my brains fall out? What a great line. Listen to me. Your brains will never fall out in Romans.
Romans will build a boundary around your brains that you need. And it'll help you know what to say no to. It'll help you discern when you're hearing error. It'll help you discover. Why the cross?
And the death of Jesus Christ. is the only Way to God. The only Way. to God. Let's bow our heads together.
The invitation has been given. The only thing that remains is your responding to it. We can help you do that. That's why we exist. Connect with us any way you wish.
We've got time. To talk. Thank you, Father, for Jesus. The way, the truth. The life.
Thank you that no one comes to you but through him. Teach us not to be ashamed of the gospel. For it is the power flowing from you for salvation to everyone who believe. Jew and Greek. Gentile alike.
Thank you, Father, for finding us when we weren't looking for you. Thank you for delivering us from a destiny that would have been disastrous. And remind us today that that invitation remains open. Guard us again from being complacent. and presumptuous.
You still care about those in tough places. May we count for you there. genuinely. with authenticity. in the beauty of holiness.
As we obey the gospel. In Jesus' name, I pray. Everyone said. Amen. You're listening to Insight for Living.
Chuck Swindahl titled this study in Romans chapter one, Getting a Grasp of the Gospel. Paul's letter to the Romans is one of the most profound theological books in the entire Bible. and we're taking a deep dive into the riches of this book together. To increase your understanding of Romans, let me recommend you purchase the Searching the Scriptures Bible Study. Because of the scope and depth of Paul's letter, we're offering the Bible study for Romans in two volumes.
This popular resource gives you access to the same methodology that Chuck uses to prepare his sermons while jotting down your own personal observations. To purchase the first volume of our Searching the Scriptures Bible Study for Romans, call us at 800-772-8888 or go to insight.org slash offer. Last October, Chuck Swindahl preached his last sermon as the senior pastor of Stonebriar Community Church. It was the weekend of his 90th birthday. In his final messages, Chuck reflected on the last words of the Apostle Paul, who in his letter to Timothy looked back on his lifetime of service to Christ.
We'd love to send you a book that includes five of Chuck's emotion-filled sermons. The book is called Looking in All the Right Directions. To purchase a copy, call 800-772-8888 or go to insight.org/slash offer. Before we wrap up today, I'd like to extend a word of thanks to those who consistently support Chuck's teaching ministry. Because of your generosity, Insight for Living is available to millions of listeners on radio, YouTube, our website, our mobile app, and all the digital platforms that are so popular these days.
We couldn't provide these resources without your support. To send a contribution in the mail, address your envelope to InsightForLiving. Post Office Box 5000. Frisco, Texas 75034. To give a donation online, go to insight.org/slash donate.
Or call us at 800-772-8888. I'm Bill Meyer, urging you to join us again on Monday when Chuck Swindahl continues his study in the book of Romans right here on Insight for Living. The preceding message, Getting a Grasp of the Gospel, was copyrighted in 2006, 2010, and 2025, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2025 by Charles R. Swindahl, Incorporated. All rights are reserved worldwide.
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