What will Change our world?

Intro: When Cambridge University student Thomas Bilney bought a Greek New Testament, his interest was purely academic. But when Bilney opened God’s Word, he encountered the gospel and was transformed.

The Protestant Reformation was underway, so Bilney joined the Cambridge Protestants. He began preaching, but was arrested in 1527 and threatened into silence. But Bilney could not keep quiet. He was arrested, released, and in 1531 arrested one last time. Condemned as a heretic, Bilney died at the stake for the gospel of Christ.

Through reformers like Bilney, Calvin, Tyndale, Hus, and Knox... God changed our world through the gospel.

Gospel is used 2x in our text: The 1st use is in vs. 15, it is the verb euangelizō, It means to publically proclaim good news. The 2nd use is the noun euangelion, in vs. 16, it is the good news itself. That God’s saving activity is based on faith in the life, death, and resection of Jesus!

Our text defines the Gospel in the most simple way..... “The righteous shall live by faith. (1:17)”

Righteous (dikaios) is one who is put right with God. This person Lives (zaō) or has resurrection life (eternal life) through faith.

This simple verse fueled the reformation when Martin Luther realized that man is saved by Grace through faith alone.

When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter it was his desire to preach the Gospel in Rome because all roads led to and from Rome. If the Gospel penetrated Rome the world would be changed, and in 312 AD, the emperor Constantine believed in the Gospel and Christianity became readily accepted in the “civilized world”

Today the world still needs the gospel, and it should be our desire to make the Gospel known in D.C. the capital of this nation and influencer of the word because we have departed the God who made this nation great, we have exchanged the truth for a lie and immorality runs rampant as we seek as sin is glorified, antisemitism is encouraged… and Homosexuality is normalized and encouraged.... One theologian pointed out that the sin of homosexuality is usually the final stage in those civilizations that turn from God. It was for this sin that God wiped Sodom off the face of the world and later ordered the destruction of Jericho along with other Old Testament cities (2 Kings 14:24).

CPS: The Only thing that will bring the needed change into this world is the Christian that has a sense of obligation, an eagerness, and godly pride to preach the Gospel!

I. A sense of obligation to preach the Gospel (14)

Debtor (opheiletēs) One who must. The idea of being under bound to do a thing. It means to owe someone something.

ILL: A man was once boasting to an acquaintance, “We have a whole roomful of furniture from France that goes back to Louis the 14th.” “That’s nothing,” replied the other. “We’ve got a whole house full of furniture from Sears that goes back to Harry on the first.

Our world is up to its neck in financial debt, but very few have placed themselves in spiritual debt! But Paul had a love debt (Rom. 13:8) to Jesus and his fellow man. (We must be too!)

A. The calling of God

Paul’s

a. bondservant (1:1, Deut. 15:16, Ex. 21:5) slave by choice, slave of love! 1 Cor. 9:16, 17-19!

b. missionary (Greek and Barbarians, wise and foolish)

By grace He was free from all so that he can become slave to all.

Our’s

a. bondservant

b. missionary

B. The fate of man.

*An obligation to Him who died produces an obligation to those whom He died for!* The Heathen (pagan), Hypocrite (moral), Hebrew (religous).

II. A sense of Eagerness to preach the Gospel (15)

His obligation wasn’t a burden, it brought Joy to his heart. He was ready and willing! It was excitement. He had Eagerness (prothymos) (adj) - To be eager, willing, ready, even zealous. In English it means strongly wanting to do something. But his eagerness was not of the flesh but the Spirit. Matt. 26:41

A. The Joy of Obedience

B. The Joy of Fruitfulness *Even the thought of it*

(1st night in Malawi)

C. The Joy found in the mercy and Grace of Christ.

*Romans 3:21–31 Jesus kept from us what we deserved and gave us what we did not deserve by stepping away from the judges bench and ding for the convicted criminals that we are!

III. A sense of Pride in the Gospel (16-17)

Ashamed means to be embarrassed. Paul is not in embarrassed He is proud of the Gospel! The Antithesis of shrinking in shame is exaltation because he understood the Gospel would not let him down. Rom. 5:5! Rom. 10:11! Rom.10:13!

Jesus suffered shame for the Gospel Phil 2:5-11 and Paul suffered shame for the Gospel (2 Cor. 11:22-27) but was never ashamed of the Gospel! We must not be either… Luke 9:26!

A. The Gospel is the Power of God.

Power dynamis, in the most general sense it means the Ability to perform. We get our word dynamite from this Greek word, though dynamite wasn't invented until 1867. The word has a negative and a positive effect. It is the ability to demolish and to construct.

The only power that saves

The most powerful tool in our arsenal

ILL: D.L. MOODY, the Gospel is like a Lion, all the preacher has to do is open the door of the cage and get out of the way!

B. The Gospel Reveals a Righteousness from God.

Not by works or morality but faith alone!