And You Also

And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.~ Romans 1:6




Welcome back to a new week. I cant think of a much better way to start it, than to reflect on this verse.


The temptation is to get heavily theological, but I think we will get more out of it if we take it as experiential, even,  as personal.

And I think that is what Paul is trying to do here.

He is saying to the Roman believers, who he has never met, "all of this I have been speaking about; The Gospel of God, long promised to the Jewish people through their prophets and scriptures, the promise to bring their messiah, the God-man born into the House of David, who was then raised from the dead, The Messiah himself , Our Lord Jesus Christ, the very one who called us and gave us his grace; this gospel is for You.

YOU ALSO are among those gentiles who are called.....to belong to Jesus Christ.

The verse that comes to my mind is from 1 Peter 2:10 

 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

And Paul says in Ephesians

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
This is the incredible thing about Jesus. he takes all of this stuff, all these promises, and all of the hope contained in them, and all his power to save, and he takes in right out of the bible, and he puts in into you. He makes it real. He brings it to life!

There must be the moment, or at least those moments when the academic and the theological becomes personal.

Do you remember how it felt when in it dawned on you that all this was for real?

Sure, you had your doubts. You have them, still, at times. but do you remember when it first started to dawn on you that this wasn't just pie in the sky, but that it was real? That it made all the difference in your life?
How precious did that grace appear,
The hour I first believed.

And it fills you with joy, inexpressible.

You weren't even supposed to get a look in, (assuming you are a gentile, like me) but you were included , bought near and shown mercy.

Just how incredible is that?

I am drawn to two songs. the first is a hymn,

Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven;
To His feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
 Who like thee, His praise should sing:

 

The second song is a psalm;

 

Praise the Lord, my soul;
    all my inmost being, praise his holy name.
² Praise the Lord, my soul,
    and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins
    and heals all your diseases,
⁴ who redeems your life from the pit
    and crowns you with love and compassion,
⁵ who satisfies your desires with good things
    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

And to quote a third song, 'how good it is, to be loved by you, Jesus'

This God, hs become your God, and blessed are the people whose God is the Lord,

This day,

And all days,

Amen