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TODAY’S SPECIAL: Romans 1:1-17

TO CHEW ON: "Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle.... To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints.” (Romans 1:1, 7)

Paul spent a lot of time traveling from place to place telling people about Jesus. After people decided to follow Jesus, they wanted to spend time with other Jesus-followers. So they started churches.

Sometimes the baby Christians in these churches needed more teaching. Sometimes they had questions or there were problems. Because Paul couldn’t be everywhere at once, he helped these new churches by writing them letters (also called epistles). The book of Romans is such a letter.

"Romans" by Johann C. Weigel, 1695

These letters are a little different than the letters we write. They usually have the writer’s name at the beginning.

• This letter was written by 1.______________. (Romans 1:1).
  
• The people to whom the letter is addressed is further down. This letter was addressed to 2. ________________ (Romans 1:7)

In his letters, Paul does more than chat about the weather and what’s new in his life. In Romans he explains that everyone needs to be saved (chapters 1 & 2) and worship God, even those people who worship other gods or idols.

"Instead of worshiping God..."Illustration by Annie Vallotton from the Good News Bible
© American Bible Society 1976, 1992, used with permission.

He shows that living for Jesus is more than keeping rules; it means a change of heart (chapters 6-8). He describes what our life can be like if we let the Holy Spirit control us (chapter 12).

Romans and the rest of Paul’s letters are a very important part of the Bible. They teach us why and how to live for Jesus. In the next few weeks we'll be reading parts from those letters and the letters that others wrote. They help us learn what pleases God and how to live for Him.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for people like Paul, who understood and explained the good news about Jesus. Amen.


MORE: ScrollsLetters written in New Testament times were not written on paper and mailed in a stamped envelope.

• They were written on specially prepared strips of animal skin called parchment. These strips were attached to pieces of wood and rolled up in a scroll.

• They were often written by a scribe (someone who wrote for others as a job). The name of the scribe who wrote Romans was 3. _____________ (Romans 16:22).
  

• Many of Paul’s letters were delivered by Paul’s friends who were traveling to those places. Paul was in Corinth when he wrote this letter. The woman who probably carried this letter to Rome for Paul was 4. ______________ (Romans 16:1).
  

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.