A Man Called Paul
An Introduction to the Book of Romans
Originally preached Oct. 7, 1955
Scripture
1Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
Sermon Description
Can natural abilities and good deeds save? Throughout history, humanity has searched for salvation in any way other than Jesus. No matter what talent or treasure a person may have, sin continues to contaminate all their good efforts. As Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains in this introduction to the book of Romans titled “A Man Called Paul,” the only way of salvation is through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul knew this great salvation and gave his life to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. Church history shows how God prepared his mind and logic to use his natural gifts in a powerful way to tell Gentiles about Jesus. Those who are curious how God will use their life to advance His kingdom are encouraged to listen in as Dr. Lloyd-Jones walks through this message from Paul.
Sermon Breakdown
- The sermon is an introduction to a series on the book of Romans. Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Bible study should be accompanied by worship.
- The book of Romans comes first in the New Testament canon because of its foundational nature and importance, not because it was written first chronologically.
- The book of Romans has played a crucial role in church history, influencing key figures like Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Wesley.
- Dr. Lloyd-Jones cites testimonies from Christian leaders emphasizing the importance and profundity of Romans.
- This introduction to the book of Romans begins by focusing on the author of Romans, the apostle Paul. Paul was a man of great natural ability, Jewish heritage, Roman citizenship, and Greek education.
- God prepared and equipped Paul in unique ways for the task of defending the faith against Judaism and preaching the gospel to the Gentiles.
- There is a relationship between the Holy Spirit and natural gifts. Natural gifts are from God and should not be denigrated. However, they should not be gloried in or relied upon. The Holy Spirit uses natural gifts rather than nullifying them.
- The lives and gifts of biblical figures like Moses, David, Isaiah, and Paul show how God uses natural gifts and circumstances to accomplish his purposes. The same principle applies to leaders throughout church history like Augustine, Luther, and Wesley.
- There is an application for individuals. Christians should offer their natural gifts and circumstances to God to use for his kingdom and glory. Variety in the body of Christ is a good thing.
- The sermon closes with a prayer asking for help to understand God's ways, give thanks for natural gifts, and offer them for God's use and glory.
The Book of Romans
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.