Unshakeable Gospel of Jesus

Romans 1:1-17 (Central Theme of Romans)

Romans 1:16-17 (Is what I want us to understand to night)

FCF - We do not have a clear understanding of the Gospel and the power contained in it.

Proposition: We must know the Gospel clearly so that we are not ashamed and stand in confidence of what

Understand the Significance of Romans

Understand the Substance of the Gospel

Understand the Power of the Gospel

Significance of Romans

Paul’s Letter to the Romans has affected so many people

Augustine of Hippo (A Church Father)

A very earthly and hedonistic In anguish over his sins after hearing the gospel, and in his "soul-sickness” before the Lord, heard a child “take and read”

Romans 13:13–14 CSB

Let us walk with decency, as in the daytime: not in carousing and drunkenness; not in sexual impurity and promiscuity; not in quarreling and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to gratify its desires.

He writes:

The Confessions of St. Augustine Chapter 12

No further would I read; nor needed I: for instantly at the end of this sentence, by a light as it were of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away.

Martin Luther (A Reformer)

In 1515, Luther delivered a series of lectures on Paul’s letter to the Romans

He was especially challenged by Romans 1:16–17. Contrary to a righteousness based on or aided by a person’s own merit, Luther would argue that righteousness could only be imputed to person by God on the basis of faith.

But the “righteousness” of Scripture depends upon the imputation of God more than on the essence of a thing itself. For he does not have righteousness who only has a quality, indeed, he is altogether a sinner and an unrighteous man; but he alone has righteousness whom God mercifully regards as righteous because of his confession of his own unrighteousness and because of his prayer for the righteousness of God and whom God wills to be considered righteous before Him. Therefore we are all born in iniquity, that is, in unrighteousness, and we die in it, and we are righteous only by the imputation of a merciful God through faith in His Word.

—Luther’s Works, Vol. 25: Lectures on Romans

Luther’s teachings on justification by faith alone played a major role in the Reformation and would become the principle doctrine of Lutheranism. (Martin Luther: A Guide to His Life and Writings (Justification by Faith Alone))

Other notable men, John Bunyan, John Wesley, Karl Barth, MLJ preached no less than 366 sermons.

Romans opens and closes with the gospel

Paul will explain and defend the gospel in this letter

We see thenPaul wants to come to Rome, but ministry keeps him from there, but he still wants to encourage and be encouraged by the believers at Rome!

Romans 1:11–12 CSB

For I want very much to see you, so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, that is, to be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

Gospel Summary

Q: When you hear that Gospel what do you understand, maybe what are we confused about?

The Gospel is good news of God, as promised in the Old Testament, about Jesus Christ our Lord for the purpose of bringing all people to obedience of faith. All for the sake of Christ’s name

Good news of God

Promised in OT

About Jesus and nothing else (Talk about Jesus [Name] Christ [Savior] our Lord [Sovereign Ruler])

v.3 Descendant of David (promised messiah)

v.4 Son of God (deity of Jesus) and

resurrection of the dead (authority and power)

For the purpose of obedience

Transforms all who believe

App Point- We must know the Gospel

Gospel Confidence

Romans 1:16–17 CSB

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.

I will not be ashamed

Why Not ashamed? - There must have been temptation to be ashamed (Jews it was a stumbling block, the world ridicules the Gospel or be associated with Shame) (1Cor 1:18) Jerusalem moped by Jews, Athen was rejected by the philosophizers; preparing himself for Rome and encouragement to

Today the Gospel is foolishness, what are we told if we are Christians?

Reject Science (Natural Man uses science to try to find God answers but they will never be satisfied), Not Inclusive (all ways, any way, many truths)

We are tempted

Abandon Gospel

Embrace Shame

We must not be ashamed of the Gospel

Reject temptation

Reason for such confidence

Power of God

For Salvation -That is rescue/delivered

We must be rescued, from what

God’s wrath R.C. Sproul

Ignorance/Disbelief

To those who belief

Righteousness of God Revealed

Revealed in the Death of Jesus

punishment of sins

power to resurrect the dead

The righteous will live by faith

Habakkuk 2:4 CSB

Look, his ego is inflated; he is without integrity. But the righteous one will live by his faith.

3 Times in NT Ro 1:17, Gal3:11, Heb 10:38 / This sparked turmoil in Luther, leading to the Reformation, Luthers

Faith

Not of a human work

Not Physical (results in works)

Not Mental (results in knowledge)

Has an object

Christ

Questions?

Why is the Book of Romans Important for you, your church, and your world?

Why would Paul share that he is not ashamed of the gospel?

Why would people be ashamed of the gospel?

Why is it important to have an unshakable confidence in the Gospel?