We all have heard the saying that “all roads lead to Rome.” The ancient Romans were not only an empire of soldiers but of builders. The men that formed their armies came from all walks of life and each brought with him a skill set. Some of those were engineers. Construction steps of the highway system developed by the Romans are still used today. Multiple layers of material beginning with sand, then big rocks, then smaller rocks with the ultimate goal of creating a flat, durable, and straight road (where possible) were used so the army could easily travel, often as far as twenty miles in a single day. Once the roads and security assured outposts for supplies were built, inns for weary travelers would be placed along the routes. A great benefit of their road building was the ability to create maps allowing them to measure the vastness of the Empire. The first road built by the Romans was the Appian Way, three-hundred years before Christ would be born.
Acts 19:21 tells us this, “After these things were ended, Paul purposed in the spirit, when he had passed through Macedonia and Achaia, to go to Jerusalem, saying, After I have been there, I must also see Rome.” Why did Paul need to see Rome? He would not start a church there because one was already established. No one knows exactly how this church in Rome began. There are speculations and declarations that can’t be substantiated as to its origin, but no one can definitively know. Romans 1:8-11 gives us a glimpse into Paul’s motivation. He’s heard of their faith, it is well-known (v.8). Praying for this church had already begun (v.9). He had been asking God, if it were His will, to allow him a prosperous (successful) journey to see them (v.10). Then in verse 11 we see the reason, “…that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established.” The Apostle wished to see this church get stronger and stronger in the faith. He wanted to give spiritual gifts unto them to help solidify their walk with Christ. The main gift in my mind is his teaching. At first contact, the teaching is in the form of a letter. Each time we open our Bibles to Romans we have that letter. Later, his teaching would be in person. Paul was a prisoner in Emperor Nero’s dungeon, yet he preached and taught the great truths even while incarcerated.
There is something else I think was on Paul’s mind concerning Rome. He knew about the road system of the Romans and the ease of transportation which those roads afforded. If all those roads lead “to” Rome then all those roads lead “away” from Rome also. This great Apostle knew that if the gospel of Christ was to be preached to the whole world there was no better way to spread it than the system of roads. Each of the colonies of Rome had an artery in which the message of Jesus could travel. Missionary teams could travel to the corners of the known world taking the gospel of Christ with them all along the way.
How do we help spread the Gospel? All of us know about giving financially to missions. The Lord has blessed our church with a heart to see people saved on mission fields around the world. But I’m referring to what you and I are doing to share the gospel in our little corner of the world. When was the last time a friend was asked about their soul? When was the last time you intentionally asked a family member about their soul? What about a neighbor? In the chapter we looked at earlier, Romans 1, Paul makes three statements about himself. I’m asking myself if I’m living up to the standard Paul set. One, “I am debtor” (v.14). He had a debt he owed to share the gospel. Two, “… I am ready to preach the gospel…” (v.15). If we try, when we are in conversation with people we can segue into the gospel. Think about always moving the conversation toward Jesus in a smooth easy way. Three, “… I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ:” (v. 16). The gospel still saves today. It is still the power of God unto salvation. Just as all the roads for the ancient Romans lead to their capital city, we Christians can take every circumstance and conversation and lead it to the gospel of Jesus Christ.