 of our time together this morning will be the greeting of Paul to the church in Rome from chapter 1 verses 1 through 7 with particular attention given once again to Paul's personal introduction in verse 1. We're taking our time in these opening verses in this opening verse. We're taking our time working slowly through this because this is foundational material to help us understand the rest of Paul's letter and we continue with our introduction to the servant before we move on in consideration of his subject. So the opening words of the Apostle Paul introduce himself, he introduces himself to the church at Rome. These words are of course words that also introduce us to the Apostle Paul as well and these words are loaded with significance, loaded with importance and they're loaded with implications for the Christian and the Christian life. These words are foundational to our understanding of the rest of the letter, the meat of the letter, the body of the letter that follows and it's foundational to our understanding of the Christian life. Verse 1, Paul, a bondservant, a slave of Jesus Christ called to be an Apostle separated to the Gospel of God. Now as we work through verse 1 together we're considering those three self-identifying descriptions that Paul uses to introduce himself to the church at Rome. Paul is one, a slave of Jesus Christ. Two, Paul is called to be an Apostle and three, Paul is separated to the Gospel of God. Now as we heard last week, Paul gloried, he reveled in his identity as a slave of Jesus Christ. That was nothing embarrassing to Paul, nothing that Paul apologized for. That was something that Paul rejoiced in. Formerly a slave of sin, of his father the devil, a son of disobedience like the rest, running in the course of this world, an enemy of God by wicked works, like every single fallen son or daughter of Adam in this world, in this room, alienated from God, subject to bondage, enslaved to sin, leading to death. Paul gloried in the fact that Jesus Christ the righteous would go to the cross in love and shed his blood, offer up his body and death to redeem him from the slave market of sin. That one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, an insolent man. These were gloried and treasured and cherished truths to the Apostle Paul. So he rejoices to introduce himself with the first words of verse one, I am Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ. You and I, if you were formerly enslaved to sin, but turned from sin to put faith and trust in Christ Jesus, then you and I now rejoice to say we are slaves of Jesus Christ. Praise God. You see, Paul, when Paul uses that language of slavery to introduce himself in verse one, he's using the language of the New Testament that the New Testament uses to describe us. We, we are apart from Jesus Christ, slaves of sin, slaves to self, slaves of Satan, or by faith in Christ, by the grace of God, we are slaves of Jesus Christ, alive to God from the dead, once presenting our members as slaves of uncleanness leading to more lawlessness now presenting our members as slaves of righteousness leading to holiness. And thanks be to God for his indescribable gift. Amen. Thanks be to God for his mercy to us in Christ, for his grace. So now brothers and sisters, having become slaves of Jesus Christ with Paul, we no longer live for ourselves. We give ourselves up to the will of Jesus Christ, our Lord, our head. We were bought with a price and we are not our own. You have no right. You have no right any longer. You have no right to your Christian life. The love of Christ compels us. The love of Christ constrains us. His love for us constrains us, controls us, compels our thoughts, our actions, our faith. There are things that you now will never do again because you are a slave. There are things that you will do even if it costs your own life and you prepare yourself for that eventuality. You prepare yourself for the fact that there are things that you're called to do that you must do even if it costs you your own life. And that's because you're a slave, not motivated by fear, but compelled by love. And we judge thus Paul would say that if one died for all, then all died, and he died for all so that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for him who died for them and rose again. That's what it means to be a Christian. And that's what it means to live the Christian life. Paul's joy, Paul's hope, Paul's comfort, Paul's consolation, Paul's motivation, the fire that was burning with zeal for the cause of Christ was fueled by that glorious thought that Jesus Christ had redeemed him from the slave market of sin, that Jesus Christ had forgiven him of all his sin, that Jesus Christ had purchased Paul with his own blood, that Jesus Christ had reconciled him to God, adopted him as a son, drafted him into a holy and sanctified service. And now Paul has a slave of Jesus Christ ready to live and to die for the one who redeemed him. The first words that burst out of his mouth in verse one, in introduction, Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ. But notice now, this one who gloried to introduce himself as a lowly slave had a very high calling. Verse one, Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle. Now, literally in the Greek, Paul is a called apostle. It's what the words literally say. He's a called apostle. Notice the words to be in verse one. If you're reading a New King James or an ESV or an NIV or an NASB, you see those words in italics, means they're not there in the original. They're not there in the Greek. They were added in the English to help with the translation. The word called there in verse one is not a verb. The word called is used there as an adjective. The word called is describing the word apostle. Paul is a called apostle. Right. In other words, Paul is not a self appointed apostle. Paul is not a man made apostle. Paul is a called apostle. Distinguishes Paul from all the false apostles in our day, doesn't it? Those who are a man made apostle, those who are self appointed apostles. This distinguishes Paul from all false apostles. Paul is a called apostle. Paul is not an apostle by his own will. Paul is not an apostle by the will of another. Paul is only an apostle through the will and commandment of his Lord and master. So Paul uses the word, that same word in the same way. In 1 Corinthians chapter one, verse one. Paul literally a called apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God. Do you see how called describes or modifies who or what Paul is? Paul is a called apostle. It's a description, right? Galatians chapter one, verse one. Listen, Paul, an apostle, not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the father who raised him from the dead, not a self appointed apostle, not a man made apostle. Paul is a called apostle, one who's been called through Jesus Christ and God the father, first time of the chapter one, verse one. Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope. Paul is what he is through the determined will and commandment of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul is a called apostle. Do you see? Now, what does Paul mean by his use of this word called? What, what did it mean for Paul and what would it have meant to those who receive the letter in Rome? And by implication, what does that mean for us? What does it mean that Paul, what does Paul mean by his use of this word called? There are basically three intended New Testament uses of this word translated called in verse one, three New Testament uses. One, there is the outward or external call. There's the outward or external call. The outward or external call is the call of the evangelist, right? This is the call of every Christian preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. The outward call is the call of the gospel and that outward call extended to all men without distinction, extended to all men without exception, extended to all men indiscriminately. The outward or external call is proclaimed to all people calling them to turn from their sin and to put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Right? That's the outward call. Jesus commanded all those who would be his disciples. He commanded them through the great commission, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. That's the outward call, right? That's the outward proclamation of the gospel, the external call, right? With Paul, let me ask you the question with Paul, would you say today that you are a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ? With Paul, can you revel in that? Can you glory in that too? Share that distinction with him, saved by God. We are slaves of Jesus Christ. If you're a genuine Christian, that's exactly who you are. That's your identity. Well, slave, here are your marching orders. These are your marching orders. The external call is the responsibility of every genuine Christian. It's not relegated to a specifically called clergy class. There really is no such thing. It's not relegated to those who have been gifted only as an evangelist. There are those who are gifted in evangelism. But the call, the outward call is the responsibility of every single Christian, the Lord Jesus Christ, speaking to his disciples and by implication to all disciples, go there for Paul says, make disciples of all the nations. In other words, evangelism, the preaching of the gospel. This external call is the responsibility of every Christian. Now, Jesus explained to his disciples in the upper room, John, Chapter 15, verse 20, the Lord said this, listen, a slave, a do-loss is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. If they kept my word, then they will keep yours also. In other words, when you preach the gospel, when the external or outward call goes out, right, when the preaching of the gospel goes out, some will heed those words and turn to Christ in faith, others will not. And we don't know where people will fall, what camp they will lie in. Some, the preaching of the gospel softens hard hearts. Some are the preaching of the word of God. They're hard, crusty, concrete laden, rebar reinforced hearts are broken under the preaching of God's word and they're humbled at the preaching of the gospel and they turn to Jesus Christ in faith. Others, they're not humbiled, they're hostileed. They become hostile to the preaching of the word of God. They turn with persecution, they turn with hostility. We say that in the New Testament on a regular basis, right? Some will heed our words, others will not. We don't know who will respond with genuine faith. And who will not? It's simply our responsibility to preach the gospel in obedience to our Lord. The love of Christ compels us, the love of Christ compels us. Turn with me to Acts chapter 17. And let me give you an example of this outward call of God, this outward call to the gospel. Acts chapter 17, look there at verse 30. Acts chapter 17 verse 30. Now we see this outward or external call to the gospel to all men in the preaching of Paul to the pagan men of Athens in Acts chapter 17, verse 30. Truly these times of ignorance, God has overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent because he has appointed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by the man whom he has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising him, that man from the dead. The notice from that text, Acts chapter 17, verse 30. One, the external call to the gospel is universal. It goes out to all men everywhere, all men without exception, all men without distinction. Why? Because verse 31, God is going to judge the world by Jesus Christ. That judgment, God has appointed a day in which he's going to judge the world. That judgment will be in righteousness, meaning that unless you are righteous, you will die in your sin and perish in hell. You will die in your sin and perish in hell. All men outside of Jesus Christ are unrighteous. And what do all men do outside of the grace and mercy of God in Christ? All men suppress the truth of God. Paul would say they suppress the truth of God in their unrighteousness. So what are they busy doing? While the truth is being proclaimed, while the truth is being preached. What do ungodly, unrighteous men do? They're actively at work suppressing that truth in their own unrighteousness, rejecting it in their own sin. The call of the gospel goes out to all men, but if you are unrighteous, that judgment will come in righteousness. And you will die in your sin. You need the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ if you're going to live. If you are to have everlasting life here and heed the call, the external call of the gospel. One, this external call of the gospel is universal. It goes out to all men everywhere. Secondly, notice that the external call of the gospel is not merely an invitation. It's not an invitation. It's not merely an offer. The Lord doesn't merely invite men to repent. What does the Lord do here? He commands them to repent. He doesn't invite them to pray a prayer to receive him. He doesn't invite them down in aisle, wooing them with soft music and dim lights. He doesn't do that. That whole system, by the way, that whole system is an absurd caricature of what the Bible teaches. It's an absurd, unbiblical, deceptive, manipulative methodology. If you're visiting with us here today and you've gone to or even now attend a church that preaches that, get out. Flee that manipulative, false, deceptive, lying methodology deceived by that my whole life. Till the Lord broke in with grace and mercy and saved me. Every Bible believing Christian needs to hold firmly to that fact and preach it. The call of the gospel here is a command, right? Truly these times of ignorance, God overlooked, but now commands. All men everywhere to bow their head, to close their eyes, to repeat this prayer after me if I, no, commands, all men everywhere to repent. This is the outward or external call of the gospel. Secondly, there is the internal or inward or effectual call. This refers, this internal inward or effectual call refers to a sovereign work of God in the heart of men, the heart of man calling sinful, unregenerate men and women, children out of darkness into life, calling them from death to life. Through the preaching of the gospel, the spirit of God comes and quickens. The spirit of God comes and makes one alive, who is formerly dead in trespasses and sins. It is a particular call to those whom God has determined sovereignly to save. The Lord Jesus Christ draws a distinction between the outward or external call to the gospel and this inward or effectual call in Matthew chapter 22 verse 14, for example, where the Lord says, many are called and few are chosen. Many are called, few are chosen. The Lord, Lord's been interacting with the stubborn, hard-hearted Jewish leaders and the Lord has told him a parable about a king who calls his subjects to come to the wedding of his son. Many were called, but the many who were called were not willing to come. The point of the statement there in Matthew 22, 14 is unmistakable. Many are called through the outward preaching of the gospel, but only a few are chosen and those chosen, listen, those chosen are those few who are willing to come. The few who are described as chosen in Matthew chapter 22 verse 14 are those who are willing. We know the word chosen, word chosen in scripture is a reference to the particular electing purpose of God. It's referring to God's election of sinners to salvation. To understand this internal inward or effectual call of God, it's important to see then which comes first, the choosing or the willing. Which comes first, the choosing or the willing. Well, some say that God only chooses those who are willing, but the Bible teaches that no one is willing. No one understands, no one seeks after God. There is none righteous, Paul would say. No, not one, none who seek after God. The Bible would say that none, no one are willing. We are enslaved in bondage to our sin. We are dead in trespasses and sins. What comes first, the choosing or the willing? One place that we'll see this well explained is in second Thessalonians chapter two, turn there with me. Second Thessalonians chapter two and look at verse 13. Second Thessalonians chapter two, beginning in verse 13. Paul says here that we are bound, we're obligated, we're constrained, we're bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation. I cannot think of a more clear statement of this biblical truth than this statement of Paul in second Thessalonians chapter two, verse 13. If this were the only verse in the Bible, it would be enough, but it's not, the Bible is replete with this. We're bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through the means of sanctification by the spirit and belief in the truth. Now listen with me. Follow along with me. In other words, God from the beginning, from before the foundation of the world, from the beginning, chose to save you. He determined to save you, chose you before you were willing. Why? Because it's before you existed. He chose you from the beginning. Before you existed, he chose you. Back then he chose to save you through one, the spirit's work of setting you apart. That's what it means there by sanctification. He chose to save you through the means of the spirit of God, setting you apart to God. You see? Secondly, he chose to save you through the means of faith or belief in the truth. Look at verse 14, to which he called you by our gospel. There's our word, right? To which verse 14 refers to that salvation, which is through the work of the spirit and faith. It refers back to the salvation. To which, to that salvation, verse 14, he called you by or through the means of our gospel. You see how that fits together, right? To that salvation, he called you through the means of our gospel. Paul saying, through the means of the gospel that we preach, the external call that goes out to all, through the means of that gospel, God chose to save you, determined to save you. He called you through the means of that external call. He called you internally, called you effectually, called you effectively through the means of the preaching of the gospel. This is a special call of God, a unique call of God, an effectual, effective call of God that comes through the means of the external call. It's an inward work, an inward work of God's spirit as he sets you apart to himself. This is an internal and it is an effectual call because it's a work of God's spirit and God's spirit does not fail in his work. God's spirit is not thwarted in his work. God's spirit is not undermined in his work. God's spirit accomplishes his work. And it's the work of God's spirit in the heart of men that renders him willing. You see, it renders a formerly unwilling, blind dead man, willing now to hear and to heed the words spoken in the gospel. This call is a call that opens eyes. This call is a call that miraculously cures spiritual blindness. This is a call that changes the heart. This is a call that exchanges a stony heart of flesh or a stony heart, an unbelieving heart and replaces it with a heart of flesh. Acts chapter 16, verse 14, Luke here recording this account describes this effectual call when he says that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia to heed the things spoken by Paul. That's the internal call. That's the effectual call. That's the conversion of Lydia. Do you see? This effectual call of God to salvation is for a purpose. Verse 14, it's for a purpose for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. How many of those do you think that God purposes to save? And if the Holy Spirit works in them to call them, how many of those do you think don't obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ? How many? Zero. Every one that God has chosen and every one whom he calls by a work of his spirit, every one of those obtains the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are saved. This is the internal, the internal and effectual call of God. Romans chapter eight verse 30 nails down this point. Listen to Paul in Romans chapter eight verse 30. You can turn there if you like. Those whom he, God has predestined, those whom he has chosen. These he also called and he calls them effectually. He calls them successfully. Why? How do we know that? Because those whom he called, these he also justified. How many of those that he calls, does he fail to justify? Not one, zero. Those whom he called, those he justified. And whom he justified, these he also glorified. Those called are those who have been predestined or chosen. Those called are those who are justified. They are set apart by a work of the spirit through the means of faith. And those who are called and justified are most certainly glorified. They obtain to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, do you see? So why is it then, why is it that some are willing to come to Christ while others are not willing to come? How do we account for the difference? Right here this morning, there are those of you here who are listening to these truths from the Bible. And your heart rejoices, your heart leaps for joy, right? Heart filled with love and with gratitude for the Lord Jesus Christ and all that God has done for you in grace and mercy, knowing how undeserving you are, how hard-hearted you were, how stubborn and stiff-necked in your sin you were. And yet God pours out grace. While you are an enemy, He pours out grace upon you. While you were an enemy of God, Christ dies taking the punishment for your sin upon Himself on the cross in love for you, to redeem you from the slave market of sin, to forgive you of your sins, to adopt you into His household, right? To make you a Son. God does all that for you and your heart leaps, your heart exalts in God for these glorious truths. And yet there are some of you sitting here this morning who couldn't care less. Some of you here this morning, even now, the sound of my voice grating on you or the word of God having no bearing on your heart or mind, you have no interest in these things. How do we account for the difference? How do we account for the one who is willing? In contrast with the one who is unwilling. What causes one to differ from another? God does. He's the only one who can. He's the only one who does. God is the one who accounts for the difference. God is the one who takes that one, who is obstinate, stubborn, stiff-necked, and unwilling. And he breaks his heart over his sin. He breaks that stubborn self-will. He breaks his heart and sorrow over his sin. And he gives him a willing heart, a loving heart, a rejoicing heart, a grateful heart. And that one with a new heart given to him in grace and mercy, that one turns in great willingness with great joy to the Savior. It's the only way we can account for the difference. Are you seriously going to say that that power lies within fallen men to do that for themselves? As if through man's fallen reason, we're going to come to see the glories of the Lord Jesus Christ who died for us. No. I don't know. God is the one who does that work through an inward or effectual call to salvation. You see, this is regeneration. This is the new birth. This is God causing us to be a new creation in Christ. Why are those who come to Christ for salvation willing to come when before they were unwilling and while there yet remain so many who are still unwilling? Why do some come to the light when others retreat, loving the darkness rather than the light, the inward or effectual call of God? The Lord describes it in John chapter 6 verse 44 when he says that no one can come to me unless it has been granted to him by my Father. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me what draws him. It's an effectual inward call. Many are called to salvation through the universal preaching of the gospel, but few are chosen to salvation through the particular electing purpose of God and those few who are chosen are effectually called by God to salvation through the sanctifying or separating work of the Spirit and faith. The call of God, this call of God comes with, you see, front loaded as it were, with the change of heart necessary to render formerly unwilling men willing. Due to the depravity of man's heart, man is dead and trespasses and sins unwilling, God must render him willing through a work of his Spirit in his heart. That is the effectual call. Incidentally, thinking about this inward or effectual call, those who do respond willingly to this effectual call are referred to as the called out ones. Those who respond favorably, those who respond willingly in repentance and faith, they're called then from that point on the called out ones. Who did the calling? God did. What are they being called out from? Called out from the world, called out from their sin, from the slave market of sin, they're being called out. And that is a word for the church. The Greek word translated church in the New Testament is the word ecclesia. It refers to those who have been called out, the called out ones. Can't say that the world is called out. It's not speaking of the external call of the gospel. The whole world isn't called out by the gospel. The church is called out by this inward effectual call of God upon the heart of man. Do you see? The church is not a building, right? It's impossible to go to church. We don't go to church. Church is not a building. Church is not a place. It's not a location. Church is not a word for the activity. We don't do church. We don't go to church. We don't do church. We are the church. The people of God are the called out ones, those who have been called out of this world by God. And not referring to those here, the external call, but those who have received the internal effectual call of God. Chapter one, verse six. Romans chapter one, verse six. Look at verse six. Paul is an apostle among those who are the called of Jesus Christ. Do you see that? Notice the article in front of called. Paul is an apostle among those who are the called of Jesus Christ. Well, I thought all people were called. Not like this, they're not. Not like this. Just like Paul is a called apostle, verse one, we are called saints. Verse seven, same grammar, same structure. Saints who have been called by God effectually through the work of his spirit, such that we can repent and believe the gospel. We're not self appointed saints. We're not man made saints. We are called saints. Do you see same structure? So there is the outward call, the verbal proclamation of the gospel to all people. There is the internal or effectual call, the work of God and the heart of sinful man to bring them to salvation. Thirdly, there is a vocational call, vocational call. This is how Paul is using the term in verse one, using it to speak of his vocation. A vocational call is a call to specific work, to a specific responsibility or a specific role. It's a role or responsibility in which you are to live and to labor under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ over your life in such a way as to bring glory to God through your work in that vocation to which he has called you. Do you see? Every saint of God, every saint of God has been called to a vocation, has been called to a vocation. Some of you have been called to be teachers. You were to labor in that vocation to the glory of God. You've not been called to be a teacher irrespective of your status as a slave of Jesus Christ. You've been called as a teacher in your status, in your identity as a slave of Jesus Christ and you are to serve the Lord Jesus Christ in that calling. There is no secular and sacred dichotomy. There is no split between those two. For the Christian, those things are completely and entirely intertwined and mingled. You are called to that vocation. Some of you have been called to be an engineer. Some of you have been called to be laborers or salespeople. Some of you have been called, been given the very high calling of being a mother or of being a father or of being a husband or of being a wife. Young boys, young girls, you've been called to be an obedient child to your parents. Called by God to that work of honoring him and glorifying him, the one who made you, honoring him and glorifying him as you obey mom and dad. You're living for the Lord Jesus Christ by serving your mother and your father. Do you see? That's your vocation. Others may be called to a special service or an office in the church as an elder or as a deacon. Whatever the role or responsibility, you are to labor in that vocation under the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in such a way as to bring glory to God in the sphere to which he has called you. You are to be faithful in your calling. So Paul says of this church at Rome in verse 1, he's this letter I'm writing to you. It's not a work of my own making. I'm not pursuing my own agenda. I'm not a self-appointed delegate to the church at Rome. I am a slave of Jesus Christ. I no longer live for myself. I no longer labor for myself. I live and labor only for him who has bought me with his own blood. And now I am coming to you in keeping with the distinctive calling that he has placed on my life. I am coming to you as one who is a called apostle. What is an apostle? Using the word broadly, an apostle is simply a sent one. We see that in a few places in the New Testament. The apostle refers, the word apostle refers to one who is sent. One who is sent as a messenger. One who is sent as an envoy. Someone who is sent by another to represent them. Simply someone who is sent. The word carries the sense that it would include a delegate, an ambassador, a messenger, an envoy. But here, in chapter one verse one, using the word more specifically or more narrowly, more definitively as Paul does here, the word apostle refers to one specifically sent by Jesus Christ in a specific capacity and with the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The word apostle refers to an official title. It's a designation that refers to a specific office and we're going to look at why and how that is. Used in this sense, an apostle is called to a very unique vocation. What does this special calling as an apostle look like? Turn with me back to Acts chapter one. Acts chapter one. Let's take a look at what this special calling, this vocational call to the office of an apostle. Let's take a look at what this entails. Acts chapter one. Look there beginning at verse one. Acts chapter one verse one. The former account I made, Otheophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, incidentally, this was just a record of what Jesus began both to do and to teach in the gospel of Luke, for example. His work continues now through the apostles and through the new church in the book of Acts. All that Jesus began both to do and to teach verse two until the day in which he was taken up after he through the Holy Spirit had given commandment to the apostles whom he had chosen. To whom, to those apostles, he also presented himself alive after his suffering by many infallible proofs being seen by them during 40 days, that's important, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. Over that 40 day period, the Lord Jesus Christ taught them directly, gave them direct revelation. Now Luke is speaking about the apostles whom Jesus Christ had chosen. Of all the disciples that may have followed Jesus Christ, he chose 12 to be apostles. Luke chapter six verse 13. Luke records that Jesus called his disciples to himself and from them he chose 12 and he also named them apostles. What is the Lord speaking of? He's speaking of a specific office, a specific title, a specific calling. He didn't only or simply send them as he sends all disciples, right? The Lord Jesus Christ says, as I have sent you or as the Lord sent me, so send I you. Well, those disciples through their word have now sent us. We're sent ones as well, but not apostles like this. This is an official title. This is a unique calling, a special calling. Look at verse four. And being assembled together with them, who's the them, those apostles. He commanded them, those apostles, not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said, you have heard from me, for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. Therefore when they had come together, those apostles, when they had come together, they asked the Lord saying, Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? And he said to them, it's not for you to know times or seasons, which the Father has put in his own authority, but you, who's the you, the apostles, but you, the apostles shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you, those apostles, shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth. Now there's certainly a sense where this is spoken to the apostles. There's certainly a sense where that text is applied to all believers, right? By implication, that calling comes down to us. We receive the Spirit of God. And as those who've received the Spirit of God, we speak, right? We preach the gospel. All believers have the Spirit and all believers are called to be witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ. But that's not what the Lord technically means in the text. The Lord is specifically talking to the apostles who were eyewitnesses to him. The word there for witnesses is speaking of their eyewitness testimony of the risen Christ. He says to his apostles, to the apostles, my spirit will come upon you. You will receive a spirit wrought power. With that power comes a unique calling, a unique equipping, and a unique enabling, a unique commissioning. And you are to go with my authority as sent ones, as my representatives, as eyewitnesses to me. You see that power of the Holy Spirit that's referred to in Acts chapter 1 verse 8, and what became known as the signs of an apostle. They performed miracles, signs and wonders done by their hand. Acts chapter 2 verse 42. Many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Acts chapter 5 verse 12. Through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people. Paul told the church at Corinth, listen, truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. That power given to the apostles by the Spirit of God manifested in signs and wonders and mighty deeds. Now then, as the apostles go out to preach and teach, there is an emphasis placed on their eyewitnesses. This becomes very important to you and I as we read our Bible. Look at verse 21. You see these apostles, they're seeking to replace the vacancy that's left by Judas and they're making a decision. Verse 21. Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all this time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, they were eyewitnesses to him, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when he was taken up from us, one of these must become, who's the one of these? One of these apostles. The one that we're going to fill the vacancy left behind by Judas, that one who would be one of the 12 now, must become a witness with us of his resurrection. In other words, we need another eyewitness to replace Judas. Now follow along with me. Verse 23. They proposed to Joseph called Bar Sabbaths, who was surname Justice in Matthias, and they prayed and said, You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two you have chosen to take part in this ministry and apostleship, from which we're talking about an official office, right? This apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell that he might go to his own place and they cast their lots and the lot fell on Matthias and he was numbered with the 11 apostles. Now then, what do they do? They go preaching, which is what apostles do, right? Acts chapter 2, verse 32. Jesus, this Jesus, God has raised up of which we are all witnesses. There's an emphasis on their eyewitness testimony. Acts chapter 3, verse 15. God raised Jesus from the dead, of which we are witnesses. Acts chapter 4, verse 33. With great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. Eyewitness testimony in great power. Signs, wonders, mighty deeds. Acts chapter 5, verse 32. And we are His witnesses to these things. Acts chapter 10, verse 39. We are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. Acts chapter, these are not the figments of men's imaginations. We have these godly called apostles of the church who are eyewitnesses that God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. So that our faith, our hope is not in vain. We have eyewitness testimony, do you see? Acts chapter 10, verse 40. Him, Jesus Christ, God raised up on the third day and showed Him openly, not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. And He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify to witness that it is He who is ordained by God to be the judge of the living and the dead. The apostles were there. The apostles saw the risen Christ. They saw these things. They were eyewitnesses to what is brothers and sisters an historical fact. Faith is not some empty, shallow, wispy thing. We have a settled, determined truth to which we've been delivered and it is attested to with eyewitness testimony, do you see? They saw Christ after He was raised from the dead. Listen to John. First John, chapter 1, verse 1. John emphasizing these things. John says that which was from the beginning before the worlds began. That which was from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, which our hands have handled concerning the word of life. The life was manifested and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life was with the Father and was manifested to us through Jesus Christ. And that which we have seen and heard, we declare to you so that you also may have fellowship with us. And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ and these things we write to you that your joy may be full. Praise God. Eyewitness testimony of the apostles. Paul describing his own calling as an apostle records the Lord's words to him in Acts chapter 26, verse 16. Paul has been knocked to the ground by his experience on the road to Damascus and Jesus says, verse 16, but rise, stand on your feet for I have appeared to you for this purpose to make you a minister and a witness. Paul will be an apostle to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. So Paul is a minister, a called one and a sent one, an apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul has heard, hasn't he? He's heard the outward call. Paul has responded to the outward call to the gospel through the means of a sovereign work of God's spirit within his own heart. He's responded to the effectual call, God calling him to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. And now Paul heeds the vocational call. Paul has been called to be an apostle. The Lord Jesus Christ appointed Paul as an apostle one named with the 11. Look at verse 16. He sends Paul to minister the gospel with power by his spirit, the things that he has seen with his own eyes and those things that have yet to be revealed to him. This is someone who is an eyewitness of the resurrected Christ. Paul saw the Lord Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. Someone now Paul with a unique power afforded Paul by the spirit of God to do the signs of an apostle, wonders and mighty deeds, miracles by his hands. He has a unique gifting, a unique enabling, a unique empowerment, a unique calling. Someone who received direct revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ, taught by Jesus Christ himself, not from any other man, but through Jesus Christ. Someone who now speaks for Christ as his representative and coming with his authority, with his message. And the Lord has appointed Paul and empowered him with a very specific purpose in mind. Verse 17, Paul the Lord says, I will deliver you from the Jewish people as well as from the Gentiles to whom I now send you, he's an apostle, to open their eyes in order to turn to them from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in me. You think that God chose Paul, saved Paul, set Paul apart, appointed Paul, sent Paul as an apostle, then to just sort of sit back and see what happens. Paul, let's just see what happened. No, Paul goes forward in his ministry in power, in expectation that God will accomplish through the means of his word, in the strength of his spirit, all that God intends to accomplish. There is power in the apostolic word. It's a unique calling, a unique empowerment, a unique ministry. Paul is equipped and powered, prepared and sent, and he sent with a purpose for the salvation of the Gentiles. That's you and I. I'm sure if we have many Jews in here this morning, but I are a Gentile. This message sent for my benefit, for your benefit, that we may have our eyes opened, that we may turn from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God, that we may receive the forgiveness of our sins, that we may have an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, to the spirit of God. So attending the preaching of the apostolic word, so attending the words of Paul in power, that formerly unwilling, stubborn, stiff-necked, rebellious men and women, enslaved sons of Satan, are turned to the Savior in faith. We are beneficiaries of Paul's apostolic ministry today, aren't we? In the preaching of this word. This letter to the church at Rome is a work of God. Through the ministry of the Apostle Paul. It's not a simple email. It's not a casual how you're doing letter. Just checking in. This is an apostolic word from God to the church at Rome, and by implication to all of us. No ordinary letter. This is not just any other book. Peter says this, 2 Peter 1 verse 21. No prophecy was ever produced by the will of man. See that? No word. But these men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. The word which they spoke was inspired by God. They spoke from God. When we read this letter to this church at Rome, we are reading the very words of God. Do you see? These men spoke from God unique calling. So then how would we define an apostle? An apostle is one sent by Jesus Christ on a mission. An apostle is one uniquely equipped and empowered by the Spirit to accomplish that mission. An apostle is one who carries all of the authority of the one who sent him. He is an eyewitness of the Lord Jesus Christ in contradiction to all those absurd charlatans today that would call themselves apostles. He has been empowered by the Spirit of God to be that witness, performing signs and wonders and mighty deeds, nothing like the fake nonsense we see today. He performed the signs of an apostle. He is an appointed messenger of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he immediately spoke from God. Doesn't mean quickly. Immediately means without mediation. God's word, so to speak, through his mouth, he immediately spoke. When they spoke, they're speaking from God. So then how could we define these marks of a true apostle? Why would we define these marks of a true apostle? Well, Paul would later say, it's because many today are false apostles. Second Corinthians chapter 11 verse 13, such false apostles are deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ, and no wonder for Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. There are pseudo apostles, false apostles. There was a danger. Paul warned them in that day in the first century of false apostles that danger has only grown more and more acute as time has gone by. When you read the Bible, you're reading the very words of God. Listen to 1 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 13. For this reason, Paul says, we also thank God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God, which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. This word of God comes through the apostles, and we have the very word of God written now that we have the pleasure and joy of studying together. This word, as it's preached and taught, it's not a static word. It's not a lifeless word, like you would read any other book. No, no, no, no. This is a unique book, a unique word, because it comes through the Lord's apostles in power. Hebrews chapter 4 says in verse 11, let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall short, according to the same example of their disobedience. 4 verse 12, the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. There is no creature hidden from his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. This is no static lifeless word. So when Paul writes to this church at Rome, he asserts his calling as an apostle, and in doing so asserts his authority to speak to them as a called apostle. He's a lowly slave with a very high calling, not speaking from himself, but as he is a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ, he is speaking from God in power. We, brothers and sisters, would do very well to heed this word, wouldn't we? And we praise the Lord for having given it to us through Paul. Let's pray together. Take a few moments now. I'll pray silently. Ask for the Lord's blessing as we study this word, this letter together, and ask that he would work by his spirit through this word to bless you. Let's pray. Father in heaven, we are so grateful to you for the word of your prophets and apostles whom you've sent. Grateful to you that the church has been built on the foundation of the prophets and the apostles. We thank you that we have this word made sure that we can trust in this, not as the words of men, but as it is in truth, the very words of God. And we praise you and thank you for the joy and blessing of having this word. It's not too mysterious for us. It's not too far off. It's not too difficult that we can't understand that it's not hidden, that we can't search it, but that it is near to us in our very mouth and in our hearts, in our minds. And we praise you and thank you for this blessing of your glorious condescension to reveal yourself, your Son to us through these words. I pray, Lord, your blessing on our study of this together. May we come to this letter as the very word of God to us. May we hear and heed those things spoken of by Paul. I pray, Lord, that you in grace and mercy will do that work by your spirit that only you can do or converting sinners and building up and edifying and sanctifying the saints. And we all ask all this for the glory, the exaltation of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the glory of your name, and for your everlasting praise and worship. We pray all these things in Christ's name. Amen.