Not Ashamed Of The Gospel Of Christ

Romans 1:16-17.......

In our Wed. night Bible study, we read from Colossians 4..........Paul encourages this church, as well as others, to continue in prayer and watch, with thanksgiving.........The call for prayer was for a door of utterance be opened for him and his fellowlabourers. A door in which to speak the mystery of Christ (The Gospel of Christ).......Paul was in prison, chained to a Roman guard. This was his prayer and the prayer he asked for others to pray...........In bonds because of Jesus, yet wanted to continue to preach Jesus to any door, to any ear that would be open to listen

That brings me to our text........Romans 1:16-17......There is a lot that we can detail about these 2 verses.....For starters I would like to start from the first part......I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.......The history of Paul’s life, as well as the other disciples, could loudly state that these men were not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ!.......They all gave their lives for IT! Their lives were a constant struggle.

Matter of fact, some in the church at Corinth, began to doubt Paul’s credibility because of how much he did struggle in life.

These men gave everything for the Gospel and they were not ashamed of that.......

A couple things about not being ashamed.....

To not be ashamed of something, you must have complete confidence in it

So much so, whatever is said or done, does not affect your confidence.

Ridicule, pain, mockery, accusations, these are a lot of experiences of these apostles, yet they carried on with boldness.

I told them about the 1st prayer meeting in Acts 4.......what was that prayer about.....Acts 4:29 “And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,”

They asked the Lord, that they speak His Word, with all boldness.

That prayer was answered......Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.”

Paul goes on to tell us, why he wasn’t ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, because it was the power of God unto salvation.

The Greek word for power is “Dynamis”, which is where we get the English word for dynamite!

Only God’s power is able to overcome man’s sinful nature and give him new life.

The power of the Good News of Jesus Christ is that God is delivering us from an eternal despair, that we are not capable of getting out of on our own.

God intervenes through Christ, therefore the power of sin, death, and hell are broken by the Person and Work of Jesus Christ!

This is salvation, deliverance from eternal death and given life in, through, and with Jesus Christ!

He becomes our righteousness.....2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” .......by faith!

Faith to faith.....it seems to be a difficult expression for commentators.......but one point we must take away from this.......It is by faith, not our work, but faith in the work of Jesus Christ......we trust His work more than anything we do......

It is a faith from beginning to end......not being ashamed of our bonds for Christ!

I thought about our graduate from kindergarten, to high school, to college.........If the Lord tarries they will have many different stages in life, experience all sort of things...some good, some bad.........I pray all of those experiences are with your faith in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ!

Turn with me, indulge me a bit.......Matthew 7:13-14.......Just wanted you to put your eyes on this passage, most everyone knows this teaching from Jesus!

There are two ways.......a right way and a wrong way.......one entryway is narrow and one is wide.......one leads to destruction and one leads unto life.......

The wide way is going to lead to everything about you and this world

Many go this way

The narrow way will only lead to God and Christ!

Few there enter in.......what a dreadful thought!

Many go to destruction, hold on just a minute, along the way those that enter the narrow, will more than likely face mockery and ridicule for their choice!

True followers of Jesus, do not be ashamed of the road that the Lord has you own........do not be ashamed!

The pressure has always been put on folks for their choice.

Back in the OT days, they would kill the prophets that was revealing the truth of God

In NT days, Jesus’ own people were after Him, even one of His so-called followers

Paul persecuted Christians for their faith and so many more

The persecution continued from folks that called themselves Christians but would kill folks who translate the Bible into commoners languages.

There were some killed for questioning the validity of some churches false teaching.

I believe in our time we battle an infiltration by the devil of our churches, where Scripture is twisted to the degree as to sooth the itching ears of the flesh, instead of revealing the truth to the flesh.

DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE TRUE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.........Hold to what is rightly divided in God’s Word!

Stand of IT........The just shall live by faith.....we trust in what God said, how He said it and what He was saying!

And we are not ashamed of IT no matter how foolish it is to the world, it is the power of God unto salvation

Paul said in Romans 5:3–5 “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Hope in Christ removes the shame of our circumstances.

The Narrow way from a worldly view seems weak and foolish, do not be ashamed of the Narrow way because the power of God is there.

1 Corinthians 1:23–25 “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” ......

What seems foolishness to man is the greatest knowledge Colossians 2 calls it riches and treasures

What seems weak to man is the greatest power that the world has ever known......Salvation power!

Do not be ashamed of the Narrow way!

Colossians 4:5-6......

Walk or live by faith in Jesus Christ......walk out this life in wisdom/knowledge of Jesus Christ to them that are without/outside/unbelievers/folks that are fixated on the world........

Paul adds to our walk to redeem the time........Time here is in the Greek “kairos” not “chronos”.

Kairos means to “make the most of our opportunity”

If we are ashamed or believe the shame that the world attempts to put on our faith in Jesus Christ, then opportunities go by......

Time moves fast.......we are in this season on minute and before we realize we are in another season........make the most of those seasons

Do not allow whatever road God has you down prevent you from your hope that is in Jesus Christ! Make the most of that opportunity!

I can say the same for the road of struggle as I can the road of good things/times.......Those are equally the same in presenting shame in believing in Jesus Christ!

Sometimes we want out of the struggle.......a lot of times we are just there.......walk in the wisdom of the One that is our power/strength and make the most of that opportunity!

Sometimes we are not willing to leave the good times for the struggle, because we are shamed because of the struggle, but the Lord is never leading those that walk by faith down a road where there is not opportunity, so make the most of the good and the bad!

Paul was chained to a guard under house arrest and he only prayed that a door of utterance would be open to him that he might reveal the glorious mystery of Christ to whomever!

I will leave you with what Peter said about it.....1 Peter 4:12–16 “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”

If you get arrested for an actual crime, you need to be ashamed, however if you are arrested as a believer of Jesus Christ, do not be ashamed, but glorify God because you are in bonds because of Christ!!

Be happy, Peter says, why??? Because the Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you.....the outside world thinks God is evil, but through your faith in Him regardless of circumstances, God is glorified!!!!