All Roads Lead to Rome - An Introduction

There’s an intersection in Sienna, Italy
where the roads seemingly point in very different directions,
but all - it is said - lead to Rome. (photo: Jennifer Connell)

The Book of Romans
The apostle (messenger) Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Rome in early 57 AD to introduce himself, share his faith, and express his longing to visit fellow Christians living in the Empire’s capital. After three years, imprisonment and a shipwreck, Paul finally made it to Rome, even though he was under house arrest. He most likely was released for a time, but later was rearrested, tried, and executed in Rome. This may seem like a grim story, especially considering that Paul used to be an important and powerful figure in the Jewish community, but one of the sweetest lessons we can learn from Paul is his understanding of the great joy and contentment that comes from following Christ, no matter the circumstance. 

“…for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:11b-13

Themes Throughout Romans

• The Gospel: The Gospel is the central theme of the book of Romans. As we dig deep, notice how Paul constantly points towards Jesus Christ and His Good News: everyone has sinned, the penalty for this sin is death, Jesus Christ died for sin and if we believe and confess that Jesus is Lord, then we are forgiven and saved from death. Romans 1:1-17
• Sin: Everyone falls short of God’s perfect standard; we have all “missed the mark” and gone against God. Sin is a deep discrepancy between who we aren’t and who we’re created to be. The law God first gave to Moses to share with others reveals our sin. The wages, or penalty, for sin is death. Romans Romans 1:21-24; 28-30; 32
• Salvation: God Himself paid the penalty for sin through His only son, Jesus Christ. He was God in human form, perfect, pure and blameless, and He paid for our sins by dying a gruesome death on a Roman cross. Romans 3:21-26
• Faith: Faith is reliance, loyalty or complete trust in God. Faith is believing with your life in who Jesus was and who God is. Jesus saved us and it is up to us to react to that fact; to have faith in Him who rescued us from death. Also, faith is shown through works, not earned by them. In the book of Romans, look for examples of faithful people throughout history. Paul also reminds us of God’s constant faithfulness. Romans 4:5; 13-15
• Growth: By God’s power we who believe in Jesus are made holy – sanctified. With this power, we can identify the sin in our lives, recognize the things that tempt us, stay away from the sources of temptation, practice self-restraint and consciously invest our time in good habits. Not only will these steps put us in positions to become more like Christ, but it will also draw us into a closer relationship with God and help us understand who He is. Romans 6:1-2; 6:12
• Sovereignty: God is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. There is none above Him. There is no one like Him. He is the beginning and the end. God overseas and cares about His creation – us. He is in charge of and in control of every situation. He saves Jews, Greeks, Turks, Americans, Chinese, Congolese, Indonesians, etc. The mighty God wants to reign over our hearts and lives. Will we let Him? Romans 9:16-17; 3:23
• Service: God wants us to serve Him and serve others. God wants us to know Him and give our lives to Him. One way to get to know Him is to be a part of his community here on earth; be supporting, encouraging and learning from other believers. Romans 1:11-12; 12:3-8

This lovely intro was provided by Jennifer Connell. You can reach us, your small group leaders, at:
Connell[dot]Jennifer[at]gmail[dot]com & Marion[dot]Hixon[at]gmail[dot]com. Or leave thoughts in the Comments section and tell us what you think!