WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:02.080 Hey, Jeff, I have some really good news today. 2 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:02.759 Oh great. 3 00:00:03.080 --> 00:00:04.879 Yeah. The good news is it's another day of us 4 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:05.679 on podcasts. 5 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:08.160 Hey, and we're talking about the good news. 6 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:09.560 Yeah, Paul shares the good news. 7 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:12.359 We're kicking off talk about the Book of Romans. So 8 00:00:12.640 --> 00:00:14.759 he's Chris and I'm Jeff, and we're the Bible guys. 9 00:00:26.199 --> 00:00:28.559 So, Jeff, today we are handed a segment that we 10 00:00:28.679 --> 00:00:30.960 have not done actually in quite a while. Yeah, called 11 00:00:31.000 --> 00:00:33.759 this or that. These are fun, Yeah, they are fun 12 00:00:33.840 --> 00:00:36.600 because it's all it is is just your opinions and 13 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:37.640 your choices. 14 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:39.679 And we have plenty of those, yes, of course. 15 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:43.000 So it says this or that, which one would you 16 00:00:43.079 --> 00:00:44.640 rather either do, have or be? 17 00:00:44.920 --> 00:00:46.039 Okay, so here's the first one. 18 00:00:46.039 --> 00:00:50.079 Okay, would you rather have unlimited tacos or unlimited ice cream? 19 00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:52.119 No, no brainer, unlimited tacos. 20 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:56.479 Yeah, so for me, it's actually, well it's the wrong choice, 21 00:00:56.759 --> 00:01:00.479 but it's unlimited ice cream. Really yeah. I love love tacos, 22 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:05.040 like the universe. The universe loves tacos. However, ice cream 23 00:01:05.200 --> 00:01:08.760 is the one thing that is my downfall. Wow, Like 24 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:11.439 I could eat ice cream all the time, wow, all 25 00:01:11.480 --> 00:01:14.400 the time. Yeah, And there's so many choices, just like tacos. 26 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:18.079 I love ice cream, but I have like limited Like 27 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.680 I can go once a month with ice cream and 28 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.359 I'm perfectly fine. Oh like a taste of ice cream. 29 00:01:23.439 --> 00:01:25.920 Oh I could do ice cream if it wasn't like 30 00:01:26.000 --> 00:01:28.879 the thing that is super sugary and fat. I could 31 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.560 probably drink a shake a day. 32 00:01:30.760 --> 00:01:33.359 Oh wow, yeah, wow, yeah, I see you have a 33 00:01:33.400 --> 00:01:36.840 shake problem. You have an ice cream problem. So yeah, 34 00:01:37.079 --> 00:01:40.280 I like good gelato, like a nice, creamy chocolate gelato. 35 00:01:40.680 --> 00:01:41.719 I love that, all right. 36 00:01:41.799 --> 00:01:45.280 Question number two, would you rather wear a tux to 37 00:01:45.359 --> 00:01:49.200 work every day or have to wear pajamas to work 38 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:49.840 every day? 39 00:01:50.120 --> 00:01:54.200 Oh? Tucks, I'd rather wear a tux to work every 40 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:55.280 day rather than pajamas. 41 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:59.680 You are insane? Really, Why why would you be formal? 42 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:00.719 So fancy? 43 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:02.760 Well, who cares about how you look? 44 00:02:02.840 --> 00:02:04.000 Well, you dressed for success. 45 00:02:05.079 --> 00:02:09.520 How about dress for comfort? You know what. The older 46 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:11.879 you get, but with the rest of the world too. Yeah, 47 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:13.919 the older we get, the more we realize the comfort 48 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:16.759 becomes the priority, right right, right, So you know, I 49 00:02:16.759 --> 00:02:18.800 think that's the reason why people the order you get. 50 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:20.560 It's just it's just all about cushing. 51 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:23.520 All the other shoes to new balance right, right, right, 52 00:02:24.039 --> 00:02:26.520 all the men start finding like stretchy pants, right yeah yeah, 53 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:28.639 yeah yeah, comfort? Well I can see that. Yeah. 54 00:02:28.639 --> 00:02:30.039 So let me ask you a question. When you get 55 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:32.080 home from work, and let's just say you're in jeans 56 00:02:32.120 --> 00:02:35.520 and a button down shirt, do you not immediately change 57 00:02:35.560 --> 00:02:36.639 into something more comfortable? 58 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:36.800 No? 59 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:38.680 Nothing, no? 60 00:02:38.840 --> 00:02:39.080 Never. 61 00:02:39.240 --> 00:02:40.599 Do you have a set of pajamas? 62 00:02:41.319 --> 00:02:42.879 No, not a whole set. 63 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:45.800 Do you realize how many sets of pajamas I have? 64 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:47.159 Oh, I'd imagine a bunch. 65 00:02:47.479 --> 00:02:49.960 I would say, thirty? 66 00:02:50.360 --> 00:02:52.719 What Yeah, you collect pajamas? 67 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:53.840 No, it's just what I have. 68 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:55.919 Well, you have to thirty of anything? Seems like a 69 00:02:55.960 --> 00:02:56.599 collection to me. 70 00:02:56.759 --> 00:02:58.120 I wear pajamas every day. 71 00:02:58.199 --> 00:03:02.680 Wow. Yeah, so no, I'm sorry that's hilarious. Well, okay, 72 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:06.080 I think you sounds sophisticated. I think talking pajamas, a 73 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:08.439 button up and a collar in the whole nine yards, like, 74 00:03:08.680 --> 00:03:09.280 mister cleaver. 75 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:12.800 Well, it's probably not what you're thinking. It's not like 76 00:03:13.000 --> 00:03:15.960 silk proper pajama set. 77 00:03:16.159 --> 00:03:18.680 Because I'm envisioning you now, like in a smoking jacket 78 00:03:18.719 --> 00:03:21.879 at night, sitting in dim light, and you're you know, 79 00:03:22.159 --> 00:03:23.960 you paneled. 80 00:03:25.319 --> 00:03:28.080 Guys, Pajamas are just the bottoms and then you sho 81 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:31.000 wear a T shirt with it. Okay, that's the popular thing. Okay, 82 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.039 I have a pair of pajama bottoms, I guess. Okay, 83 00:03:34.080 --> 00:03:36.319 all right, but I do have several sets. 84 00:03:36.039 --> 00:03:40.400 Though, Okay I do apparently thirty Yeah. 85 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:41.039 There's a lot. 86 00:03:41.120 --> 00:03:43.439 Okay, okay about this? Well, that's amazing. Sorry, we spent 87 00:03:43.520 --> 00:03:44.879 so much time on that. I'm just blown away. 88 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:48.280 That's all right. Would you rather watch all your movies 89 00:03:48.599 --> 00:03:51.479 and TV shows and half speed or double speed? Oh? 90 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:52.080 Double speed? 91 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:53.560 Yeah? No, no brainer? 92 00:03:53.599 --> 00:03:54.000 Yeah? Yeah? 93 00:03:54.039 --> 00:03:55.319 Yeah? Who want to go half speed? 94 00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:58.560 I don't know. You're a movie bove. Maybe you'd enjoy 95 00:03:58.599 --> 00:03:59.280 it twice as much. 96 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:03.400 It reminds me of it reminds me of what's that 97 00:04:03.439 --> 00:04:06.319 one show with the fox in the in the sloth 98 00:04:07.000 --> 00:04:12.759 and the sloth is there? Okay? How about this number four? 99 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:17.160 Would you rather have a burnt tongue or for a 100 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:20.519 week or have a brain freeze for a week? Oh? 101 00:04:20.680 --> 00:04:23.000 Neither neither? Can I can? I vote neither on that one, 102 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:25.600 No doubt. Yea man, if you if you have to 103 00:04:25.639 --> 00:04:26.680 choose one, what would you choose? 104 00:04:26.680 --> 00:04:28.360 I'd have to. I have to go with the burn 105 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:31.439 tongue because I could deal with it. But brain freeze 106 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:34.959 is like, it's like the debilitating. 107 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:38.000 What am I starting to just have a brain freeze? 108 00:04:38.079 --> 00:04:38.240 Yeah? 109 00:04:38.439 --> 00:04:39.160 Just debilitating? 110 00:04:39.319 --> 00:04:42.399 Right, yeah, so it really is right. You can't do 111 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:45.240 anything with the burn tongue. It's just really so bad 112 00:04:45.240 --> 00:04:46.639 brain freeze. I mean you got to turn the lights 113 00:04:46.680 --> 00:04:50.319 off in the room kind of thing. Yeah, just yeah, yeah, yeah, debilitating. 114 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:53.800 And then number five, would you rather, Oh, my goodness, 115 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:57.160 would you rather win every game you play? Or lose 116 00:04:57.199 --> 00:04:57.920 every game you play? 117 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.439 Oh? Win when every so winning is fun and everything 118 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:05.199 else is not winning? Right, But I don't know. 119 00:05:05.199 --> 00:05:08.040 Why anybody would choose losing. Oh I love to lose. 120 00:05:08.199 --> 00:05:11.519 Losing is the best right to which somebody that was 121 00:05:11.519 --> 00:05:13.800 taught to be a good loser, Well I was a good. 122 00:05:13.639 --> 00:05:15.000 Loser or just a loser? 123 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:17.800 Yeah, I remember on one of my coaches when I 124 00:05:17.839 --> 00:05:19.839 was a kid told us to be good losers, right, 125 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:22.160 because we were all mad after losing game wet as 126 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.720 in a baseball team, and we went mostly undefeated deep 127 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:27.800 into the season. We were still undefeated and we lost 128 00:05:27.800 --> 00:05:30.240 the game we shouldn't lose, so we were kind of mad. 129 00:05:30.279 --> 00:05:32.519 One of the kids through a bat. You know, we 130 00:05:32.519 --> 00:05:36.240 were all angry, hitting the fence, whatever, and just bad 131 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:39.000 attitudes is our first loss. The coach comes in gives 132 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:41.319 us whole speech about being a good loser. On the 133 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:43.199 way home, my dad said, Jeff, you know that I 134 00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:45.639 look up to your coach. I think your coach is 135 00:05:45.639 --> 00:05:47.680 good coach. My dad always would encourage me to look 136 00:05:47.720 --> 00:05:49.399 up to my coaches. I say, yes, he said, so, 137 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:51.879 I just want to clarify something. We never want to 138 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:55.399 be good losers. We want to be gracious losers. We 139 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:58.240 never want to get good at losing. Just be gracious 140 00:05:58.240 --> 00:06:00.680 when you do. And he said, is difference. He said, 141 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:04.000 sometimes I know it sounds like semantics, but words matter, right, right, 142 00:06:05.519 --> 00:06:07.480 What are you good at? I'm good at losing? 143 00:06:07.639 --> 00:06:08.000 You know what? 144 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:12.399 That right? So well, today, a lot of people don't 145 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:14.759 like winning or losing. A lot of people don't. It 146 00:06:14.759 --> 00:06:17.560 feels like a measurement thing. It feels like a really 147 00:06:17.800 --> 00:06:19.759 Oh yeah yeah. I think they just feel like everybody 148 00:06:19.759 --> 00:06:21.160 should just enjoy participating. 149 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:26.639 Oh like trophies, I guess wow. Yeah. 150 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:28.399 Yeah, we're a couple of old guys. We like winning, so. 151 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:32.920 Well, today we actually are, you know, just remind everybody 152 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:36.160 we're going through the Book of Acts and chronologically since 153 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:38.959 Paul wrote almost new half half the New Testament. Uh, 154 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:41.439 what we're doing is we're sort of breaking chronologically from 155 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:43.639 the Book of Acts and we're sort of going to 156 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:48.439 the letters that that he has written. Well today, actually, 157 00:06:48.560 --> 00:06:52.319 last podcast, we just finished up Second Corinthians, right, he 158 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:55.319 was on his third is on his third missionary journey, 159 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.079 and and today is going to take a surprising jump 160 00:06:58.480 --> 00:07:01.519 directly from Second Corinthians to Romans. 161 00:07:01.560 --> 00:07:03.360 Well, I don't think we're gonna put on the screen, 162 00:07:03.399 --> 00:07:09.319 but there is two halves of verse that says, then 163 00:07:09.319 --> 00:07:11.680 he traveled down to Greece where he straight stayed for 164 00:07:11.759 --> 00:07:14.079 three months. That's in the Book of Acts. And then 165 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:16.199 we're moving on during that time, the three months that 166 00:07:16.240 --> 00:07:19.680 he was in Greece, he wrote the Book of Romans, 167 00:07:19.720 --> 00:07:20.360 as far as we know. 168 00:07:20.519 --> 00:07:23.879 And this is interesting too because number one Romans doesn't 169 00:07:24.519 --> 00:07:27.360 read like a typical letter. And then number two this 170 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:29.040 is actually a church that he has never been to. 171 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:31.160 Right, That's why that's why I think the other ones 172 00:07:31.160 --> 00:07:33.639 are so personal. Yeah, and this one's pretty academic. 173 00:07:33.800 --> 00:07:37.759 Yeah, And because this church most likely was started by 174 00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:41.920 the Jews that came up from Acts chapter two, the Pentecost, 175 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:46.800 and actually it was mostly Jewish, although there were some 176 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:50.800 you know, Greeks in the church, and Paul was writing 177 00:07:50.920 --> 00:07:54.240 to introduce himself. He was writing in hopes to visit them, 178 00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:58.199 which he did eventually. This was written around fifty seven 179 00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:02.199 AD according to my little notes over here on my 180 00:08:02.279 --> 00:08:06.120 Life Application Study Bible, and about three years later after 181 00:08:06.160 --> 00:08:08.639 this letter of introduction he actually gets to visit them. 182 00:08:08.839 --> 00:08:11.720 Okay, good, So we're just going to pick up and 183 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:16.240 Paul wastes no time. Yep. Within just a few verses 184 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:18.639 he gets into some really big stuff and from there 185 00:08:18.680 --> 00:08:21.319 on this is a heavy hitting book, one of the 186 00:08:21.360 --> 00:08:24.839 most theological books in the Bible, really defining for us 187 00:08:24.839 --> 00:08:27.600 what the meaning of what we talk about as the Gospel, 188 00:08:27.839 --> 00:08:29.920 what that is. He kind of provides the framework of it, 189 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:32.080 but he also deals with a lot of other social 190 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:36.480 issues and behavioral issues. So this is a hard hitting book. 191 00:08:36.600 --> 00:08:41.840 The other ones were correction, stop doing this, stop doing this. 192 00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:45.519 This book is more just emphatic statements of this is 193 00:08:45.519 --> 00:08:49.000 what real Christianity is, right, So no corrections in here, 194 00:08:49.039 --> 00:08:51.600 just making statements, all right. So let's jump in. We're 195 00:08:51.639 --> 00:08:54.200 reading from the New Living Translation. If you're following along 196 00:08:54.360 --> 00:08:58.080 Romans Chapter one, and we'll read through what verse eighteen 197 00:08:58.399 --> 00:09:02.279 seventeen seventeen. This letter is from Paul, a slave of Christ. 198 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:05.519 Jesus chose chosen by God to be an apostle and 199 00:09:05.559 --> 00:09:08.120 sent out to preach his good news. God promised this 200 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:10.919 good news long ago through his prophets and the Holy scriptures. 201 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:13.440 The good news is about his son and in his 202 00:09:13.559 --> 00:09:16.799 earthly life, he was born into King David's family line, 203 00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:18.440 and he was shown to be the son of God 204 00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:20.039 when he was raised from the dead by the power 205 00:09:20.080 --> 00:09:22.799 of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ, our Lord. 206 00:09:23.159 --> 00:09:26.240 Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority 207 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:29.320 as apostles to tell gentiles everywhere what God has done 208 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.759 for them, so that they will believe and obey Him, 209 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:34.960 bringing glory to His name. And you are included among 210 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:38.200 those gentiles who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ. 211 00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:40.360 I am writing to all of you in Rome who 212 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.399 are loved by God and are called to be his 213 00:09:42.440 --> 00:09:45.240 own holy people. May God, our Father and the Lord 214 00:09:45.320 --> 00:09:48.240 Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. Let me say 215 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:50.320 first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ, for 216 00:09:50.360 --> 00:09:52.440 all of you, because your faith in Him is being 217 00:09:52.480 --> 00:09:55.600 talked about all over the world. God knows how often 218 00:09:55.639 --> 00:09:57.440 I pray for you day and night. I bring you 219 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:59.840 and your needs and prayer to God, whom I s 220 00:10:00.159 --> 00:10:02.000 with all my heart by spreading the good news about 221 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.480 his son. One of the things I always pray for 222 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:06.600 is the opportunity God willing to come at last to 223 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:08.960 see you. For I long to visit you so I 224 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.480 can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you 225 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:13.840 grow strong in the Lord. When we get together, I 226 00:10:13.840 --> 00:10:15.679 want to encourage you in your faith, but I also 227 00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:18.159 want to be encouraged by yours. I want you to know, 228 00:10:18.200 --> 00:10:20.840 dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to 229 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.320 visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want 230 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:26.399 to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as 231 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:28.519 I have seen among other gentiles. For I have a 232 00:10:28.559 --> 00:10:31.320 great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized 233 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:34.000 world and the rest of the world, to the educated 234 00:10:34.000 --> 00:10:36.559 and uneducated alike. So I am eager to come to 235 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:38.759 you in Rome too to preach the good news. For 236 00:10:38.840 --> 00:10:41.120 I am not ashamed of this good news about Christ. 237 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:44.159 It is the power of God at work saving everyone 238 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:47.200 who believes the Jew first, and also the gentile. This 239 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:49.879 good news tells us how God makes us right in 240 00:10:49.919 --> 00:10:52.879 his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith, 241 00:10:53.080 --> 00:10:55.360 As the scriptures say, it is through faith that a 242 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.039 righteous person has life. You know. 243 00:10:58.080 --> 00:11:01.399 Always cracks me up. Is that verse that says the 244 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:04.080 jew first, then the gentile? 245 00:11:04.240 --> 00:11:04.559 Yeah? 246 00:11:04.639 --> 00:11:07.039 Yeah, But we have to understand that he's not saying 247 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:11.519 that the Jewish person has priority of salvation over another person. 248 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:14.559 What he's saying is is that in the Old Testament 249 00:11:14.720 --> 00:11:18.519 that the Jewish people were God's chosen people, and actually 250 00:11:18.559 --> 00:11:22.679 God was actually associated with the Jewish people, and that 251 00:11:22.759 --> 00:11:25.519 actually when people talked about God, it was the God 252 00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:27.759 of the Jewish people, right, or God of Israel. Right. 253 00:11:27.799 --> 00:11:31.320 Well, Jesus was the Jewish Messiah, right, So Jesus came 254 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:34.320 to the Jews, and it emanated from the idea of Christianity, 255 00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:37.080 emanated from the Jewish religion. I think that that's what 256 00:11:37.080 --> 00:11:39.039 it's talking about. It came to them first, but now 257 00:11:39.039 --> 00:11:41.840 it's spreading everywhere. Right, that's what he's talking about. As 258 00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:44.840 a matter of fact, some translations would say in verse fourteen, 259 00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:47.000 where it talks about, you know, in the civilized world, 260 00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:49.120 and the rest of the world. He's saying also to 261 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.799 the Greeks and the Barbarians, is what it was saying. 262 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:53.919 So you know, you got to remember in this time 263 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:57.279 in the Western world, so this is everything maybe on 264 00:11:57.799 --> 00:12:00.279 the west end of the Silk Road, all the way 265 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:03.639 to Spain, that whole region up into Gaul, which would 266 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:06.320 be you know, modern day France and Germany. Now maybe 267 00:12:06.320 --> 00:12:10.360 even pushing towards by this point, not quite pushed towards 268 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:13.519 I don't think towards Germany or towards England yet, but 269 00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:16.480 it's most of the Mediterranean, that whole thing. To them, 270 00:12:16.559 --> 00:12:19.159 that was the whole world. They thought when you went 271 00:12:19.279 --> 00:12:23.320 past the Rock of Gibraltar out into the Atlantic Ocean 272 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:25.039 somewhere out there, you just fell off the planet, right, 273 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:26.840 that's what they thought. So they thought that they had 274 00:12:26.840 --> 00:12:29.960 dominated almost the whole world, and on the edges of 275 00:12:30.039 --> 00:12:33.000 the rest of the world were those barbarians. So it's 276 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:37.039 pretty much Romans, Greeks, some Africans along the bottom of 277 00:12:37.080 --> 00:12:40.320 the Mediterranean, and then those Barbarians to the north. And 278 00:12:40.360 --> 00:12:42.519 so what he's saying is basically in his mind, it's 279 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:45.159 available to everybody. That's what he's talking about. But it's 280 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:46.679 kind of a funny way for him to say it 281 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.600 that way, right, So it's just trying to include all 282 00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:49.080 the peoples. 283 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:51.600 Well, you know, you said something last night at dinner. 284 00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:53.840 We were at dinner, had a meeting, and you were 285 00:12:53.840 --> 00:12:57.360 explaining that when the Great Commission was given at the time, 286 00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:59.879 there was a half of a billion people on the planet. 287 00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:03.080 That's right, So think about that just in terms of population. 288 00:13:03.279 --> 00:13:05.600 Yeah, that's according to the I think it's a UN 289 00:13:06.120 --> 00:13:09.159 census thing, and then also the US Census Bureau. They 290 00:13:09.200 --> 00:13:12.240 both kind of combined all of their projected research and 291 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:14.879 go back. We didn't cross a billion people on the 292 00:13:14.919 --> 00:13:17.960 planet until about the same time that the printing press 293 00:13:18.039 --> 00:13:21.159 was invented in the fifteen hundreds. Wow, isn't it amazing? Yeah, 294 00:13:21.399 --> 00:13:24.480 until then, that first fifteen hundred years of Christianity, it 295 00:13:24.519 --> 00:13:27.840 was roughly a billion half a billion people. Wow, isn't 296 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.240 it amazing? 297 00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:31.240 And now we have twenty seven billion people in the. 298 00:13:31.919 --> 00:13:35.720 We have eight eight billion here in January of twenty 299 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:38.200 twenty three. They're saying this eight billion. We just crossed 300 00:13:38.240 --> 00:13:40.840 that line. By the way, just recently, so some people 301 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:43.279 are saying we crossed eight billion in November others are 302 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:45.840 saying it's going to happen here in January, but right 303 00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:48.360 here it's eight billion, and by twenty fifty. 304 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:50.559 It will be ten billions twenty yees, yeah, okay. 305 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:52.759 But by twenty fifty it'll be ten billion people on 306 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:55.799 the planet. So our responsibility with the good News of 307 00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:58.639 the Gospel is going to be in our lifetime if 308 00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:01.559 we live to twenty fifty, is going to be twenty 309 00:14:01.759 --> 00:14:06.720 times the scale of Paul's responsibility with the Gospel. And 310 00:14:06.840 --> 00:14:09.600 Paul was willing to risk everything to go tell everybody, 311 00:14:09.960 --> 00:14:11.879 and there's only half a billion people on the total 312 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:16.559 whole planet, and he only knew about maybe half of them, right, 313 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:19.240 And here you and I are sitting here and now 314 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:22.600 all of our listeners that are Christians with responsibility reaching 315 00:14:22.639 --> 00:14:26.200 ten billion people in our lifetime. God's mandate hasn't changed. 316 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:29.200 The responsibility is much greater. But he's also given us 317 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:32.919 unbelievable resources Paul couldn't have imagined back then. He couldn't 318 00:14:32.919 --> 00:14:36.320 imagine I'm going to on Saturday and this podcast. Yeah, yeah, 319 00:14:36.360 --> 00:14:39.360 the ability just to speak literally around the world. We're 320 00:14:39.360 --> 00:14:42.080 what in eighty something countries on the podcast or whatever, 321 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:45.879 and almost every state in the Union just by talking, 322 00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.399 and people can choose to tune in the ability to 323 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:52.679 communicate like that through the Internet. I'm going to get 324 00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:55.559 out an airplane on Saturday. I'm flying to Egypt, and 325 00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:58.480 then after Egypt, I'm flying onto India. And the idea 326 00:14:58.480 --> 00:15:01.639 that I'll be in Egypt in less a day, less 327 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:03.559 than twenty four hours, I can be in Egypt, Right, 328 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:06.679 that's unbelievable. Yeah, Paul, couldn't. It would take you months, 329 00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:09.000 and we can do it in twenty four hours. And 330 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:14.120 so with this great responsibility, God's also given us great 331 00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:18.799 opportunity and ability. And so this idea of him saying, hey, 332 00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:21.919 I'm planning. He basically this letter is an introduction to 333 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:24.679 himself saying I want to come and visit you. And 334 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.159 here's why I think we're going to have a meaningful 335 00:15:27.279 --> 00:15:28.000 ministry together. 336 00:15:28.200 --> 00:15:32.519 Yeah, and he definitely talks about Jesus here, introducing Jesus 337 00:15:32.559 --> 00:15:36.279 as the foundation. And as he speaks about Jesus, he 338 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:39.559 talks about the verse that stuck out to me was 339 00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:43.720 he said he was born into King David's family line, right, 340 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:45.840 and he was shown to be the son of God 341 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:47.679 when he was raised from the dead by the power 342 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.919 of the Holy Spirit. He's Jesus Christ, our Lord. And 343 00:15:52.039 --> 00:15:54.600 so that immediately thought made me think of the two 344 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:58.120 genealogies in the Gospels. Yeah, so you know, when you're 345 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:00.399 reading the Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke and John, which 346 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:03.559 i'll talk about the story of Jesus. In Matthew, there's 347 00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:08.519 a genealogy and it was written to uh it is 348 00:16:08.559 --> 00:16:12.840 written from Abraham right with Abraham to Joseph, and really 349 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:16.440 he was writing to a Jewish audience and establishing the 350 00:16:17.240 --> 00:16:20.159 claim that Joseph had through David, King David. And then 351 00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:23.120 the other genealogy is in a couple chapters into the 352 00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:27.200 book of Luke, and it actually goes backwards from Joseph 353 00:16:27.279 --> 00:16:31.039 all the way to Adam for Adam and of course 354 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.279 through David of course, right, and so just you know, 355 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:35.960 just sort of showing the uh, you know, the humanity 356 00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:38.960 of it, and and just the you know, again proving 357 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.080 that he's from King David. 358 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:43.200 Yeah, both of them, showing that both Mary and Joseph 359 00:16:43.320 --> 00:16:46.360 were in the royal lineage of King David, right right, right, 360 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:50.639 It's pretty incredible. So this idea, then, you know, Paul 361 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:54.679 is starting off and introducing himself to strangers. But they're 362 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:58.080 not strangers. They're godly people who have a famous reputation 363 00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:01.039 for godly people. He just hasn't met them yet, and 364 00:17:01.159 --> 00:17:04.400 so he's reminding them. The commonality for all Christians is 365 00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:08.519 not a political affinity. The commonality of all Christians is 366 00:17:08.559 --> 00:17:11.279 not that we have the exact same social views or anything. 367 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:14.599 The commonality for all Christians is that Jesus Christ is 368 00:17:14.640 --> 00:17:16.279 the son of God and he rose from the dead 369 00:17:16.319 --> 00:17:19.720 for salvation right of all humanity. That's the common thing. 370 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:22.640 So we can have common fellowship with others that are 371 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:24.640 different from us in Christ. And that's what he's trying 372 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.200 to point out. 373 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.279 You know. I remember the first time I took a 374 00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:31.079 massive missions trip over to Africa and I realized that 375 00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:34.240 as different as that culture is and those people are 376 00:17:34.759 --> 00:17:36.799 to me, I thought, man, this is going to be 377 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:39.640 so different. And then I realized how alike we are. 378 00:17:40.440 --> 00:17:42.720 You know, there's a lot of you know things that 379 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:45.559 we share, you know, family trades and loving our kids, 380 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:48.240 you know, so it's like, wow, these guys are really 381 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:50.960 not that much different. But honestly, it was the commonality 382 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:53.359 of Jesus. It was like it was like we they 383 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:56.279 accepted me, and I accepted them, and just we felt 384 00:17:56.359 --> 00:18:01.200 immediately like we are brothers in Christ, in Christ. So 385 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:03.039 it was just it was really interesting to me how 386 00:18:03.079 --> 00:18:06.039 I felt what you just said. I felt it, yeah, 387 00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:08.799 and I actually thought like, WHOA, that is amazing. That's 388 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:09.720 an amazing feeling. 389 00:18:09.960 --> 00:18:12.319 Yeah. So you know, there's times when I've gone into 390 00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:19.119 places where normally it might be dangerous or for outsiders, 391 00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:23.440 or it would be extremely uncomfortable, but immediately those walls 392 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:26.319 are torn down because of our commonality in Christ. Right. 393 00:18:26.680 --> 00:18:29.960 And this is the universal I believe universal appeal of 394 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:33.680 Jesus is that in Galatians, Paul says that there's no 395 00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:37.240 more Jew or gentile, there's no more slave or free, 396 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:39.759 there's no more male or female. We're all want in Christ. 397 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:41.960 And this is kind of what he's appealing to to 398 00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:45.200 the Romans here. Now we know that the Gospel came 399 00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:48.519 to Rome through those earliest Christians out of the Acts, 400 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:52.680 chapter two. That's the tradition. But he's clearly referring here 401 00:18:52.680 --> 00:18:55.119