Unashamed of the Gospel: The Power of Faith

Romans 1:8–17 NLT

8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you. 11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. 13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles. 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News. 16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

INTRODUCTION:

1. Praise for Their Faith

Romans 1:8–10 NLT

8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world. 9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son. 10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.

A- Thankful for an open faith. (Romans 1:8)

Romans 1:8 NLT

8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.

(8 Πρῶτον μὲν εὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ μου διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ περὶ πάντων ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν καταγγέλλεται ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ.)

1- καταγγέλλεται = ‘to proclaim throughout, to announce, to speak out about

2- ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ= in the whole world.

3- Some questions to consider:

Do you actively thank God for the faith of other people?

Do you live out your faith in such a way that others will thank God for your faith?

B- Thorough intercession for fellow-believers. (Romans 1:9)

Romans 1:9 NLT

9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.

(9 μάρτυς γάρ μού ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ᾧ λατρεύω ἐν τῷ πνεύματί μου ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἀδιαλείπτως μνείαν ὑμῶν ποιοῦμαι )

1- The frequency of the intercession:

a- God knows how much we pray for others.

b- Prayer was made “day and night.”

2- The thoroughness of the intercession:

a- He prayed for them personally

b- He prayed for their needs specifically.

3- Some personal questions:

a- How often do you intercede for others?

b- Do you pray for them personally and specifically?

(Colossians 1:9-13)

Colossians 1:9–13 NLT

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light. 13 For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son,

C- Praying for opportunity to serve others. (Romans 1:10)

Romans 1:10 NLT

10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.

(10 πάντοτε ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν μου, δεόμενος εἴ πως ἤδη ποτὲ εὐοδωθήσομαι ἐν τῷ θελήματι τοῦ θεοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς.)

1- Paul prayed for (δεόμενος) the opportunity (εὐοδωθήσομαι) to come minister to the Romans.

δεόμενος = to ask for with urgency, with the implication of presumed need—‘to plead, to beg.

εὐοδωθήσομαι = to be successful in accomplishing some activity or event—‘to complete, to succeed in.’

2- Questions to consider:

Do you urgently ask God for opportunities to minister to others?

Do you beg God for opportunities to share the Good News?

2. Purposeful Visit Plans

Romans 1:11–13 NLT

11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord. 12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. 13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.

A- Edification (Romans 1:11)

Romans 1:11 NLT

11 For I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.

(11 ἐπιποθῶ γὰρ ἰδεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἵνα τι μεταδῶ χάρισμα ὑμῖν πνευματικὸν εἰς τὸ στηριχθῆναι ὑμᾶς, )

1- Paul had a strong urging (ἐπιποθῶ ) to come see and visit with (ἰδεῖν ) the Roman believers.

2- Paul’s desire is to help the Roman Christians to grow spiritually.

This is part of God’s design. (Ephesians 4:11–16 )

Ephesians 4:11–16 NLT

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

Questions to ponder:

Do you cultivate an active desire to positively impact the lives of other Christians?

Do you actively seek to strengthen the faith of others?

B- Encouragement (Romans 1:12)

Romans 1:12 NLT

12 When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours.

(12 τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς ἐν ἀλλήλοις πίστεως ὑμῶν τε καὶ ἐμοῦ. )

1- One of the purposes of believers getting together is mutual encouragement (συμπαρακληθῆναι ἐν ἀλλήλοις).

(Hebrews 10:25)

Hebrews 10:25 NLT

25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Questions to ponder:

Do you hold the gatherings of the Christian community as vitally important in your life? How high of a priority are they?

Do you realize that your attendance at church gatherings encourages others? That your absence discourages others?

C- Fruitfulness (Romans 1:13)

Romans 1:13 NLT

13 I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to visit you, but I was prevented until now. I want to work among you and see spiritual fruit, just as I have seen among other Gentiles.

(13 οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, ὅτι πολλάκις προεθέμην ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐκωλύθην ἄχρι τοῦ δεῦρο, ἵνα τινὰ καρπὸν σχῶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν καθὼς καὶ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἔθνεσιν.)

1- Paul wanted to work among the Roman believers and see the fruit of those labors.

Questions to ponder:

Do you have a goal in mind as you work in the fellowship of believers? What is it?

3. Preaching with Passion

Romans 1:14–15 NLT

14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.

A- A Passion for reaching all people. (Romans 1:14)

Romans 1:14 NLT

14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in both the civilized world and the rest of the world, to the educated and uneducated alike.

(14 Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις, σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις ὀφειλέτης εἰμί· )

1- Paul sensed an intense obligation (ὀφειλέτης) to all people (Ἕλλησίν τε καὶ βαρβάροις).

2- He sought to share the good news with those who were educated and uneducated (σοφοῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτοις)

3- Questions to ponder:

Do you have a sense of need to fulfill the obligation to share the good news?

Do you attempt to filter with whom you share the good news?

B- A Passion for preaching the Good News of Christ. (Romans 1:15)

Romans 1:15 NLT

15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach the Good News.

(15 οὕτως τὸ κατʼ ἐμὲ πρόθυμον καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἐν Ῥώμῃ εὐαγγελίσασθαι.)

1- Paul was eager to proclaim the Good News to the Romans.

4. Powerful Gospel Message

Romans 1:16–17 NLT

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. 17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

A- A reason for confidence. (Romans 1:16)

Romans 1:16 NLT

16 For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

(16 Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, δύναμις γὰρ θεοῦ ἐστιν εἰς σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι, Ἰουδαίῳ τε πρῶτον καὶ Ἕλληνι· )

1- Paul was not ashamed (Οὐ ἐπαισχύνομαι) of the Good News (γὰρ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον).

2- The gospel is God’s power (δύναμις γὰρ θεοῦ) saving everyone who believes (σωτηρίαν παντὶ τῷ πιστεύοντι).

3- You and I must take a different perspective on sharing the good news.

a- If we understand that the Good News is God’s power for saving all who believe, it changes everything. It removes the fear we have in witnessing.

b- Questions for pondering:

Why are you afraid of sharing the good news with unbelievers?

How might understanding the nature of the gospel as God’s power saving those who believe change your attitude about witnessing?

B- A recognition of the truth. (Romans 1:17)

Romans 1:17 NLT

17 This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”

(17 δικαιοσύνη γὰρ θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀποκαλύπτεται ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν, καθὼς γέγραπται· Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται.)

1- The good news tells us how God makes men right with himself.

a. The good news is defined by scripture. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

1 Corinthians 15:1–4 NLT

1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said.

2- The transformation brought by the good news is brought about completely by faith (ἐκ πίστεως εἰς πίστιν).

a- Not through human effort. (Galatians 2:16)

Galatians 2:16 NLT

16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”

CONCLUSION: