v18

• wrath (n.) - the divine Judge's righteous punishment and personal disgust of moral evil
• What is sin and why does God want to punish sinners?
  • "ungodliness" - sin is basically anything that is against God and His glory
  • He cannot tolerate sin
  • God is just
    • If a judge were to let a murderer go because he/she is "loving and forgiving", how would you feel about that judge?
      
  • God cannot coexist with something that is against Him
    
    • light overcomes darkness
    • harmony and crime cannot coexist
      

v19-23

• mankind "suppresses the truth" even though the truth about God is "plain to them" (v18-19)
• Why do we as humans "suppress the truth" about God?
  
• In Shutter Island, Leonardo DiCaprio's character had killed his wife, but he couldn't believe that he had done it, so he invented a false identity where he didn't kill his wife and he eventually believed his own lie.
  
• "They knew God but did not honor Him" (v21)

v24-32

• "God gave them up" - "Judgement involves the removal of divine restraints, not on sinful actions and on their consequences"
  
  • "in the lusts of their hearts to impurity" - v24
  • "to dishonorable passions" - v26
    • Side note: this passage is often used to support the belief that homosexuality is a sin
  • "to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done" - v28
• Humans "exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man" - v23
  
• Humans "exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and server the creature rather than the Creator" - v25
• Why do humans exchange what is glorious for something that is not glorious?
  
• "Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them"

Bibliography

• The Reformation Study Bible

After Paul finishes his greeting, he talks about how he longs to see and preach the gospel to them in Rome (8-15). Then, he talks a little bit about the gospel (16-17).

v 8-15

• Paul thanks God for their proclaimed faith (v8)
• Paul prays for them without ceasing, asking that he would be able to come to them (v10)
• Paul wants for them to encourage each other by each other's faith (v11-13)
• Paul is under obligation to preach the gospel to "Greeks and barbarians" (wise and the foolish) to those who are in Rome (v14-15)
• preach v. - publicly proclaim or teach
• Who does Paul want to preach the gospel to?
•     -The church in Rome

v 16-17

• Paul is eager to preach the gospel to them. Why? 
•     -For he is not ashamed of it (v16)
•     -For it is the power of God for salvation to everyone (v16)
•     -For in it the righteousness of God is revealed (v17)
•         -in Christ's righteousness that is imputed onto us
•         -in God as a just and righteous judge

Summary: Paul cares a lot for the church in Rome. He prays for them. He wants to see them. He wants to preach the gospel to them. Preaching the gospel to someone is an indication that you love them.

Bibliography:

• The Reformation Study Bible

What are some examples of ways you “ascribe worth” to the world around you? At school? In your family? Online?

Worship...

1. Is an expression of the worth and value of God (Ps. 96:1-9).
   
   1. What we focus our time, energy, and thought on is an indicator of what we worship.
      
   2. Why worship God?
      
      1. In response to the gospel - v2
         
      2. He is great and greatly to be praised - v4
         
      3. He deserves it - v8
         
   3. How do we honor and celebrate someone who’s done something notable or honorable in our city? Or in our nation?
      
   4. What can this teach us about worshiping and honoring God?
      
2. Includes our exalting of God in all of life (Phil. 1:20).
   
   1. A common problem I’ve seen is that people would divide life into “sacred” and “secular” moments. Close to around when I was in middle school, I would go to school and joke around with friends. I played around a lot and really just enjoyed wanted to enjoy hanging out with friends. But when I went to church, I would pay attention and answer the teacher’s questions because I knew all the answers. I knew all the answers, but the truths that we learned in church wouldn’t translate into the way I lived outside of church. One of the lessons was about how we as Christians put on different masks. We act one way around one group and one way around another group. Sometimes this is necessary, but the point is, we should be honoring God in all aspects of our lives. The way we handle money, the way we deal with friends, etc.
      
   2. What are some practical ways to experience God’s presence and worship Him in ordinary circumstances like home, school, or extracurricular activities?
      
3. Should be done with other believers in anticipation of seeing God (Ps. 27:4,13-14).
   
   1. We can all worship God on our own, but we should seek to worship God together with other believers.
      
   2. Why go to church?
      

Author: Paul, formerly known as Saul, a devout Jew who persecuted Christians until his encounter with Jesus
Time written: A.D. 54 earliest, most likely between A.D. 55-57
Notes about Rome:

• Roman church perhaps "had not experienced direct apostolic ministry."
  
• Church in Rome a mix of Jews and Gentiles

Notes about Paul:

• "deeply concerned that the Christian church should be a fellowship of Jews and Gentiles together in the one body of Christ"

Commentary claims about Romans:

• "Romans is Paul's fullest, grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel...From the vantage point given by Romans, the whole landscape of the Bible is open to view, and the relation of parts to the whole becomes plain. The study of Romans is vitally necessary for the spiritual health and insight of the Christian"

What are you most known for by your friends and family? What would you like to be known as?

Chapter 1 - Paul's greeting
v1

• apostle - "an eyewitness of the Resurrection who had been personally appointed by Christ to govern the early church...The term is used as a title of the twelve disciples and Paul. It is also used in a broader sense" to mean "messenger" or "representative"
• In those times, letters were often started by letting the reader know who the writer is. How did Paul identify himself at the beginning of this letter?
• Paul had formerly persecuted Christians, but after his encounter with Jesus he not only was identified as an apostle by others, but he himself would identify himself as such. What does this say about Jesus?
• Have you experienced Jesus in such a way that you are identified by others and identify yourself as a servant of Christ? a child of God?
• If you're not a servant of Christ, you're a servant of something/someone else. On one hand you have someone who died for you, loves you unconditionally, and offers eternal life. On the other you have someone/something who may or may not love you and offers a happiness that only lasts long enough to make you come back for more. Eventually the latter will run out and lead to death.

v2-7

• Paul talks about Jesus and His impact in our lives. It mirrors the way Jesus impacted his life.
• Through Christ we have received grace and apostleship to obey Him for His glory.
• We are called to belong to Him. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV)

Bibliography:

• The Reformation Study Bible

• http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-author-of-the-greatest-letter-ever-written