If you would, turn in your Bibles to Romans 1. Romans 1, if you would, please. Romans chapter 1, verses 2 through 6 is our text this morning. Romans 1 verses 2 through 6. of the Lord, which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Through him, we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, we do thank you for this, your word. We thank you for this opportunity to gather in your name. We pray for your richest blessings upon our time together this morning. We fully acknowledge that without your enabling grace, without your leading and guiding, that nothing worthwhile would be accomplished here this morning. And so Father, as we offer up to you worship, as we strive to offer to you true worship, worship that is in spirit and in truth, we pray that you would be pleased with that which is offered up to you. Lead and guide as only you can. May Christ be honored this morning. May the church be strengthened in her faith. May you be glorified. In your holy name we pray. Amen. Verses two through, well I'll read verses one through six. With our text being verses two through six. The word of the Lord. Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel, which he promised before through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness. by the resurrection from the dead, through him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ. Let us pray. Heavenly Father, once again we ask for your richest blessings upon the reading and hearing of your word. Lord, I pray that you would be pleased with thy servant's work, that you would bless it for the advancement of thy kingdom, for the strengthening of the church, for the honoring of your holy name, in which we pray, amen. Last week after considering, excuse me, last week after considering verses 18 through 32 of Romans 1, We went back to the beginning of the chapter and considered verse one. What do we learn from verse one? Three things. The first thing we learned from verse one is that Paul is just not any man, but rather a doulos of Jesus Christ. That is, he is a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is a man who is owned by none other than Christ. Paul is a man whose devotion or whose allegiance is entirely to his master, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We learned that Paul is a slave of Jesus Christ. His master is the Lord. The second thing we learned... is that in addition to being a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ, Paul is a man who has been called to be Christ's apostle. An apostle, as we learned, is one who has seen and has been sent by none other than the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is what an apostle is. And so Paul, the slave of Christ, is a man who has been sent and seen by his master. Paul did not appoint himself to be an apostle of Christ. He was not appointed by any other man, no. Paul was appointed by none other than Christ himself. We see this in Acts chapter 9. I'll read this for you. Acts chapter 9, in verses 10 through 15, we read these words. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias, and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias, he said, here am I, Lord. So the Lord said to him, arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas. For one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying, And in a vision, he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him so that he might receive his sight. Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has the authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel. He is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name before the Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel. Verse 16, For I will show him many things. He must suffer for my name's sake. And so the apostle Paul the slave of Christ, owned of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had seen and heard from his master and has been sent by his master because he was chosen by none other than his master. The third thing we learned from verse 1 about Paul is that he was separated or set apart to the gospel of God. He was given this specific task. related to the gospel of God, to declare the gospel of God. So Paul, as Christ's slave, was called or appointed by his master to be his sent one or his apostle for the specific purpose of proclaiming a specific message and therefore was separated and or set apart to the gospel of God. Again, as we previously noted, Just as Abraham, Moses, Jeremiah, Amos, and Isaiah were all divinely called by none other than God, Paul was likewise called by Christ to be his messenger, to be his sent one, to declare the gospel of God through both his life and message. And so Paul, a man of God, set apart to the gospel of God to both live and to proclaim none other than the glorious gospel, the good news. This brings us to the term gospel. We get our English word gospel from the Greek word evangelon, which means good news. Excuse me, which means good news. It has been noted that William Tyndale defined evangelon as glad tidings. And so, Pastor MacArthur writes, it is the gospel of God that will deliver us from our selfish sin, free us from our burden of our guilt, and give meaning to life and make it abundant. Now that is good news. Again, it is the gospel of God that will deliver us from our selfish sin, from our burden of guilt, and give us meaning to life and make it abundant. Brothers and sisters, that is good news. Paul, a slave and messenger of Christ, was set apart to both live and to live out the implications and to declare to all men, specifically the Gentiles, the message that he was set apart to and or entrusted with, which is none other than the good news of God. The good news of God. Let us look at our text this morning. read it and then we'll pray looking to the Lord once again. Paul writes, which he promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord who is born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Through him, we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name, among whom you also are called of Jesus Christ. Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father, once again, we ask you for your grace, your mercy, your leading, your guiding, Help us, Lord, to properly handle your word this morning. Help us to understand it aright and apply it aright. May you be glorified. May the church be strengthened. In your holy name we pray, amen. Verse two, which he promised before through his prophets in the holy scriptures. The good news Paul was entrusted with or set apart is good news that was promised long, long ago before time began. The gospel is not a message that was first made known by Jesus Christ when he began his earthly ministry. The gospel is not even a message that originated or first declared by the Old Testament prophets. The message of the gospel is a promise that has its origin in God, and therefore it is called the good news of God or the gospel of God. The good news of God predates space, time, and history. Titus makes this very clear in Titus chapter 1, verses 2 through 3. Listen very carefully as I read Titus 1, verses 2 through 3. Paul a bondservant of God, or we could say a slave of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of the elect, and the acknowledgement of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. but has in due time manifested his word," or his promise, the gospel, "...in due time manifested his word through preaching, which was committed to me according to the commandment of God our Savior." And so before the beginning of time, the fall, the prophets, and Christ's first advent, God promised eternal life for sinners and or for all who believe for the elect or for those whom he has given to his only begotten son, the Lord Jesus Christ. At the appointed time, God made clear his promise to men through the preaching of that very promise, through the preaching of the gospel, through the prophets, Old Testament prophets, through Christ, and finally through the apostles. With each new wave of messengers, brothers and sisters, the prophets, Jesus Christ, the apostles, and then now finally today, the holy scriptures, the good news of God, the gospel, the promise of eternal life has become clearer and clearer and is now crystal clear with each new wave of messengers. The good news of God, Jesus was sent to fulfill all righteousness. Jesus is our righteousness, scripture tells us. The righteous demands of the law require perfect obedience and the punishment of sin. And Jesus fulfilled the righteous demands of the law when he lived a perfect life in obedience to God's holy commands, a life that we can never live. And Jesus also fulfilled all righteousness, the righteous demands of the law, by taking upon himself the sin of his people, and then suffering the penalty of their sin on their behalf, that which the law requires. Again, we're confronted with the passive and active obedience of Jesus Christ. By suffering the cross on our behalf, by taking upon himself our sin and paying our penalty, Jesus has rendered, has secured for all who believe their innocence before God. He has removed our guilt and shame. That is good news. And by Jesus actively living in perfect obedience to the law, Jesus secured the necessary righteousness we need to stand before God Almighty. And so the redemptive work of Jesus Christ not only secured, not only removed our guilt and shame of our sin, he's not only rendered us innocent, but he's rendered us righteous. Because when Jesus obeyed the law, when he lived the life that we couldn't live in him, we lived the life we couldn't live. And when he died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sins, and thus securing our innocence, We died on the cross and thus are rendered innocent. And again, when he lived the life we couldn't live and secured righteousness that we need, we lived the life that we couldn't live. And so brothers and sisters, the Lord Jesus Christ is both our innocence and our righteousness before God Almighty. The redemptive work he accomplished by fulfilling the demands of the law on our behalf, has removed our guilt and shame, has closed us in the righteousness of Christ, a righteousness that if we are without, leaves us innocent but not righteous, and therefore leaves us hanging outside of the kingdom of God, leaves us without realizing God's promise of eternal life. In Jesus Christ, brothers and sisters, This is what God promised before time began. In Jesus Christ, we are free of sin's guilt and shame, and we are declared righteous, all because of our beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ's active and passive obedience, living the life we couldn't live, and paying the penalty we could never pay. That is good news. That is the good news of God. That is the gospel of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus came so that we may have life and that more abundantly, he said himself in the gospels. And so the gospel of God points us to none other than Jesus Christ and the eternal life that he grants to all who believe in him. Romans 8.1. summary statement of the gospel there is there now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus that is good news I I can I can vividly imagine The moment when we see our beloved Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, face-to-face, eye-to-eye, when we finally have the privilege of seeing our beloved Lord and Savior, I can vividly imagine hearing the declaration coming down ringing down from the halls of eternity. There is now therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. What a wonderful thing that would be to hear, wouldn't it? That would be such a wonderful declaration to hear. And so the good news of God is a promise made long ago, before the world began, and it is centered and fulfilled by none other than our beloved Lord and Savior, our prized possession, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. What does Paul go on to say in verses 3 through 6? He writes, Concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Through him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for his name among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ. Again, verses 3 and 4. Concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. You know what we have in these two verses? We have a very, very important truth declared to us in these two verses. Without the truth in these two verses, there is no gospel. Here in these two verses, we have set before us a vitally important truth. A truth that without it, there will be no good news to rejoice over. In these two verses, we have set before us the truth that Jesus Christ is truly God and truly man. He is truly God and truly man. He is the God-man. The Lord promised King David a son who would forever occupy his throne. He would come and establish his kingdom, and from his father's throne, he would reign and rule forever and ever. And Jesus fulfills his promise by being born of the seed of David. Well, how is Jesus born of the seed of David? How was he born in the seat of David when Joseph isn't his biological father? How is that? Did you know that both Mary and Joseph are descendants of King David? Both Mary and Joseph are descendants of King David. Jesus was born of Mary and through his, and he was born of Mary and through his legal father, Joseph, he is given access to his father's throne, David. Through his legal father, Joseph, he is given access to David's throne. And so Jesus Christ, the son of Mary and of David, came to bring eternal life to all his people by delivering them, now get this, delivering them from the kingdom of darkness from the kingdom of darkness to his kingdom that he came to establish, where eternal life is had forever and ever, where eternal life is possessed forever and ever. King Jesus came to rescue his people from the enemy's kingdom and deliver them into his own kingdom. What does Paul say in Colossians chapter one? verses 13 through 14. There he writes, he, referring to God, has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the son of his love, in whom we have redemption through his blood, which is a reference to his death, the forgiveness of sins. New American Standard 95 reads this way. for he rescued us from the dominion of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved son in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. And so Jesus, the son of Mary, came to rescue his people and to bring them into his kingdom where the promise of eternal life is realized. And he accomplished this work of redemption by fulfilling all righteousness, something that only God can do. And therefore, Jesus is not only born of Mary, but he's also the son of God, God incarnate, Emmanuel, which is God with us, Matthew 1.23. Jesus came, born of a woman, fulfilled all righteousness, something that only God can do, thus securing God's promise of eternal life for His people. And then, what does Paul say? And then, He was declared to be the Son of God, with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection of the dead. And so Christ being raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit demonstrated or proved to all that Jesus is indeed the Son of God who was to come to fulfill the promise of eternal life for his people. What a wonderful thing that is. What tremendous good news that is for us to be beneficiaries of. And what a wonderful good news message we have to declare to those who still yet have to believe. The good news of God, the promise of eternal life, The gospel of God, brothers and sisters, has been fulfilled in the person and work of Jesus Christ, God's only begotten Son, and it is realized, it is realized only when sinners believe in Him for the promise of eternal life. And so long ago, before time began, God promised eternal life to his people, those whom would belong to his son. He made good on his promise when he sent his beloved son to be born of a woman in order that he could fulfill all righteousness, thus securing both the innocence and righteousness that eternal life requires. That is good news. That is the good news of Jesus Christ. That is the gospel of God that was promised long ago before time began. Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle separated to the gospel of God, which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning His Son, our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith. among all nations for His name, among whom you also are the call of Jesus Christ. Let us pray. Our Heavenly Father, we do thank You for this wonderful message that You have so graciously entrusted to us. and that you have so graciously enabled us to be beneficiaries of. You are faithful, you make good your word, your promise, and we thank you, Lord Jesus Christ, for coming and fulfilling all righteousness, thus securing the promise of eternal life for all who believe. Lord, I pray that each one of us here this morning, each member, of this family of faith here at Faith Bible Presbyterian Church. Father, I pray that we would be faithful messengers of Christ, declaring the wonderful news, the good news, that Jesus Christ has paid it all, that he has fulfilled all the requirements for eternal life. that He has secured your promise of eternal life for all who believe in Him. May we always be found faithfully declaring that message, not only to ourselves when we need encouragement, but also to those who still yet have to believe. Because without understanding and embracing the good news of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ, there is no hope. for salvation. We thank you for your goodness, we thank you for your faithfulness, and we thank you for making your promise clear in and through the holy scriptures. In Christ's name we pray, amen.