Grace and Peace to All

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Confident Hope Faith and Salvation Live in the light of God (Isaiah 2:5)    The Power of the Gospel Romans 1:1-7 The Message 1 I, Paul, am a devoted slave of Jesus Christ on assignment, authorized as an apostle to proclaim God’s words and acts. I write this letter to all the believers in Rome, God’s friends. 2-7 The sacred writings contain preliminary reports by the prophets on God’s Son. His descent from David roots him in history; his unique identity as Son of God was shown by the Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead, setting him apart as the Messiah, our Master. Through him, we received both the generous gift of his life and the urgent task of passing it on to others who receive it by entering into obedient trust in Jesus. You are who you are through this gift and call of Jesus Christ! And I greet you now with all the generosity of God our Father and our Master Jesus, the Messiah. For Reflection The Jesus movement, as the church sought its identity, was frot with controversy. Argument and counter-argument rose on all manner of things related to how this new form of religion would be practiced. Nevertheless, the Jewish tradition was grounded in behavior. Adherence to the law of Moses and its attending expansions marked the practice. And so Paul opens his letter with complementary accolades and a reference to Jesus, the movement's cornerstone and its unifying purpose.   The Christ event, however, turned that practice upside down. Jesus said that the greatest commandment, the inviolate one, was Love. Time and time again, Jesus violated the letter of the Jewish law because it conflicted with the healing of the soul. The untouchables became touchable, those who were considered lawless became lost sheep to be recovered, and the enemies of God and man were to be loved. The religion, which was built upon obedience to the Law, became a movement in which belief and supreme trust in God and self-sacrifice were paramount. After over 2,000 years, we are still working that out in contemporary Christian churches. Pray Pray and learn to put aside your corporeal desires and your desire to fix the world, and pay attention to your expressions of love that mirror the love of God in Christ. Forward to a friend