I'm Not Ashamed are You? 2023-01-29
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William Booth’s Passion
William Booth’s Passion
The story is told of General William Booth,
the founder of the Salvation Army, and the day Queen Victoria of England asked to meet with him.
Because she had heard so many favorable things about his work in the slums,
she asked him for the secret of his success.
“Your Majesty,” he replied,
“Some men have a passion for money.
Some people have a passion for things.
I have a passion for people.” (Source Unknown) (Sermon Central 1/28/2023)
William Booth had a passion for people, and look at what he did?
The Salvation Army, founded in 1865 is still around today, trying to make a difference in peoples lives for Christ sake.
We will let that story by an introduction to today's scripture lesson from Rom 1:8-17
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Ministry of Thankfulness
Ministry of Thankfulness
Paul begins all but one of his letters with Thanksgiving for what God is doing in the church he is writing to.
Galatians is the only letter that does not list his thankfulness.
It opens with Paul’s astonishment that they would so quickly desert the Gospel. Gal 1:6
6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you to live in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
In the Book of Romans, Paul gives thanks for God’s work in their churches.
*Specifically, what does he give thanks for?
Their Faith. –
Their Faith. –
their faith is being reported all over the world
*How does he express his thanks?
*How does he express his thanks?
In prayer
He prayed for them once!
No, continually.
As he proclaims in verse 9-10
the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times; (NIV)
He expreses his longing to minister to them inverse 11.
11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—
Why?
The New International Version Chapter 1
that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith
Established:
Established:
He wants to see them established in their faith. Not tossed around by the lasted idea to hit town.
12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.
To be strong in the Lord
To be mutually encourage are important things.
Jesus prayed for guys like Simon to be strong and not fail
32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
And Peter encouraged others with the Good News that God could make them strong.
10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
Paul longed to see them, and minister to them.
Why?
It looks like God put the longing in his heart, but also
Paul’s calling was to share the Good News with everyone so as he says in 14-15 he felt obligated to share this good news everywhere
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
and specifically it had been on his heart to share it with the Churches in Rome for a long time.
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.
In this prayer he expressed his longing to visit them and he felt restricted
Not Now
up to this point but he is hoping now to visit them on the way to Spain.
How did God answer Paul’s prayers to visit them in Rome?
He safely got to Rome by way of
Prison
Prisoner Transport ship
Shipwreck
Poisonous viper bite
And chains.
But he Safely got to Rome.
Did Paul get his prayer answered?
Yes
Did it happen anything like what he might have expected?
No.
Many times, God may answer our prays YES
But the timing and the method,
may not be at all what we expect or imagine.
Often it might be something better than we asked for,
In a way that sounds much worse.
Through Christ.
Through Christ.
Thru Christ we receive the Fathers love and forgiveness
Thru Christ we send our thanks to God Romans 1:8
Romans 1:8 (NIV)
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
5 For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,
Paul’s Obligation:
Paul’s Obligation:
Who is he Obligated to?
14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
His calling was Apostle to the Gentiles
He feels an obligation
because of his calling
to share Christ with everyone
EVERYONE!
We too are saved by Grace
I wounder what our obligation is to our fellow men and women?
No Ashamed of the Gospel
No Ashamed of the Gospel
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
Some people are ashamed of the gospel message,
because we have to confess our sin
because we have to admit that we are not perfect
A self made man or women,
is not good enough to satisfy the righteous demands of the law.
The idea that we can’t be good enough to please God, galls some people.
Their pride prevents them for confessing their faults, their sins
Some people will only accept Christ when they are old and feeble,
and loose some of their pride.
How tragic to miss out on the good life in Christ, until your life is nearly over.
Coming down the aisle
Coming down the aisle
to talk to God at the altar rail used to be so hard for me.
But I’m no longer afraid to confess,
I’m a sinner saved by Grace
How about you?
Are you a sinner saved by Grace?
Yes
Some are ashamed of the Gospel because their science teacher or even science textbook has a different explanation of origins and
they don’t want to appear ignorant and superstitious.
To anyone in that camp, I recommend read about intelligent design.
Read about Creation theories
Read about definite flaws to macro evolution.
Evolution from one species to another.
And keep reading the bible,
getting to know God and His story better.
We all have things we are ashamed of.
I’m ashamed of my sins.
Ashamed of the men’s magazines I
bought,
saved and
lingered over as a teenager.
I’m ashamed of my lack of authority and backbone as a babysitter, when I was a teenager.
The last night I babysat for this one family,
was the night the kids discovered how wimpy I was as a leader and
they totally ran wild until the parents came home.
I didn’t share that story in detail for years.
I used to be embarrassed by our little denomination
ECNA Evangelical Church of North America
that nobody I knew had ever heard of.
Now I have read our history many times and am proud of it.
One thing I am not ashamed of is the Gospel because it is the power of God to bring salvation to everyone willing to repent and believe.
How about you, are you ashamed of the Gospel message?
Could you share it with others?
If not, why not?
[wrap up]
We heard about William Booth passion,
what is your passion?
S L O W D O W N
Does sharing Christ work on the cross with others make your top ten?
A Light Named Al
A Light Named SERMON CENETRAL
Contributed by Kenneth Sauer on Sep 2, 2002
On the morning of September 11, Jeannie Braca switched on the television to check the weather report, only to hear that a plane had just hit the World Trade Center.
Jeannie’s husband, Al, worked as a corporate bond trader for Cantor Fitzgerald.
His office was on the 105th floor of Tower One.
Al had survived the World Trade Center bombing in 1993 and had even helped a woman with asthma escape from the building.
Jeannie knew that Al would do the same thing this time,
“I knew he would stop to help and minister to people,”
she said,
“but I never thought for a minute that he wouldn’t be coming home!”
A week later, like so many others who were in that building,
Al’s body was found in the rubble.
Al’s wife, Jeannie, and his son Christopher were devastated!
Then
the reports began to trickle in from friends and acquaintances.
Some people on the 105th floor had made a last call or sent a final e-mail to loved ones saying that a man was leading people in prayer.
A few referred to Al by name.
Al’s family learned that Al had indeed been ministering to people during the attack!
When Al realized that they were all trapped in the building and would not be able to escape,
Al shared the gospel with a group of 50 co-workers and led them in prayer.
This news came as no surprise to Al’s wife, Jeannie.
For years, she and Al had been praying for the salvation of these men and women.
According to Jeannie, Al hated his job and couldn’t stand the environment.
It was a world so out of touch with his Christian values,
but he wouldn’t quit.
Al was convinced that God wanted him to stay there,
to be a light in the darkness,
and although Al would not have put it this way, to be a hero!
Al was not ashamed of Christ and Christ’s words…and he paid the price of taking up his cross daily.
Al shared his faith with his co-workers….many of whom sarcastically nicknamed him “The Rev.”
And on that fateful day…on September 11,
in the midst of the chaos,
Al’s co-workers looked to him—-and Al delivered!
At the same time,
Al too tried to get a phone call through to his family.
He asked an MCI operator to contact his family.
“Tell them that I love them,” he said.
It took the operator more than a month to reach the Bracas,
but the message brought them much-needed comfort.
“The last thing my dad did involved the two things most important to him
—God and his family,”
his son Christopher told a writer for Focus on The Family.
That story is heartbreaking,
but it is also a wonderful testimony of a
life dedicated to Christ.
Future weeks will address these questions:
Are the ignorant of the Gospel Lost
Are the self-righteous lost
Are Gods Chosen People Lost
Are all men lost
Romans 1:18-32.
Romans 2:1-16.
Romans 2:17-3:8.
Romans 3:9-20.
Prayer:
Prayer:
Far too often we only pray for needs, those in a bad situation
But Paul’s example was to pray blessings on those doing good.
Like the Christians in Rome and many other places.
Pray for those thriving in Christ
So, they can do more,
and do better for Christ.
Won’t you consider praying a blessing on those succeeding and not just for diar needs.
Let’s Pray