ROMANS 1 PT 3 // DO'S & DONT'S

LAST WEEK

We got a glimpse of the heart of Paul in the first 15 verses of Chapter 1.

We were encouraged to grow in Holiness, and to see the venues that we frequent as places where God wants to work.

Paul saw himself indebted to all people

He held himself responsible to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all men and women.

THIS WEEK

We are going to look at what it takes for us to fulfill our calling in Christ Jesus

Everyone in this room has been created with purpose and with beauty

Though we can believe this about ourselves

Sometimes, what we believe about ourselves trumps the truths found in our purpose.

When we believe that we are sinful more than we are forgiven

Our beliefs fail us

When we believe we are unqualified more than we believe we are called

Our beliefs fail us

When we believe we can’t when God wants to equip our inabilities

Our beliefs fail us

PAUL, OF ALL PEOPLE HAD TO PUT AWAY HIS PAST IN ORDER TO LAY HOLD OF THE FUTURE THAT GOD HAD IN STORE FOR HIM

For Paul, coming from an Orthodox view of Judaism, a view that saw Christians as weak and reprobate

Everything needed to change

How he followed Jesus had certain qualities,

He had to put away his Old view of Christianity in order to embrace all that God wanted to do

But it was also emptied of his preconceived notions of what following Jesus meant.

There were things he needed to let go of, and things he needed to cling to.

YES, FOLLOWING CHRIST MEANS YOU CAN’T DO CERTAIN THINGS

BUT IT ALSO MEANS, WE GET TO ENJOY CERTAIN THINGS

SLIDE: LET’S BEGIN BY DRAWING A “CROSS”. ON ONE SIDE THERE IS DO’S & DONT’S

TURN TO :16-17

Romans 1:16–17 NKJV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

ROMANS 1:16

CHURCH, THERE IS A REAL TENDENCY TO SHY AWAY FROM PREACHING THE GOSPEL TO ALL PEOPLE

THERE IS A REAL TENDENCY TO:

BE ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

BE ASHAMED OF WHAT PEOPLE MAY THINK ABOUT US

BE ASHAMED OF OUR PAST

TO BE ASHAMED OF OUR PAST

BE ASHAMED OF TALKING ABOUT IT

This is where growth is hindered

This is why it seems that we are stuck

This is why it seems our faith is dead

How do you know you can’t share the gospel, if you’ve never tried?

Paul knew that if he was going to follow Christ

He could not be ashamed of Christ

SLIDE: IN THE LAST MONTH, HOW MANY OF US HAVE SHARED THE GOSPEL WITH EVERYONE WE HAVE COME IN CONTACT WITH?

How about 3 people?

One person?

SLIDE: WRITE DOWN THE NAMES OF 3 PEOPLE THAT NEED TO HEAR THAT GOD LOVES THEM?

For Paul, it wasn’t until he felt indebted to people that he realized one thing

If He was going to drop into all that God had for Him

He could not be ashamed of the transformation that had taken place.

He could not be ashamed of his past

He could not be ashamed of how God was using him

He knew he was a chosen vessel

One that would see miracles

But also one that would suffer for His name’s sake

With much glory comes much heartache.

With much gain comes much responsibility

At the end of the day, we choose to Grow in the Lord, or be ashamed of being a Christian.

Once the Gospel was embraced, Shame was rendered powerless.

SLIDE: FRIENDS, HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF, SHYING AWAY FROM WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST?

This is the truth that Paul was trying to communicate to the Romans

SLIDE: FRIENDS, HAVE YOU EVER FOUND YOURSELF, SHYING AWAY FROM WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST?

Look i get it

There are some of us who are shy

Whom lack boldness on all fronts

Whom are afraid of what the title “Christian” may bring.

You throw up your set, and all of a sudden, your identity in the eyes of the public is skewed

All of a sudden

You are a Republican

You are a Pro Lifer

You are a Prude

You are Conservative

You go to Church on Sundays

You are a Hypocrite

Immediately, you are judged for judging others without ever saying a word.

One thing I dislike about my heritage is this:

Christians are seen as weak, handicapped people

You are called a Cristianito

Looked down upon as weak

One who could do no wrong

But whom is a hypocrite through and through.

It is a joke to be known as a Christian

They make fun of you for not taking shots at your nephews baptism

You become Mr. Goody two shoes, and you are labeled Holier than thou

Just for correctly representing Jesus

When I first declared to my mom that I had come to faith

She thought I was on drugs and couldn’t believe it

It wasn’t until I showed her what following Jesus is like that she began to understand me

Now, my mom and dad see me differently,

They don’t see me as a weak hypocrite

They see me as someone who has been radically changed by the Gospel

Someone who wont steal from them

Someone who wont talk back to them

Someone who will hear them out

Someone who will support them

Someone who wont take advantage of them

Because I have shown them what walking with Jesus is like

They have a correct definition of what a Christian is

When Christians are ridiculed by other family members,

They can confidently say that “Not all Christians are like that”

HOWEVER, TO MY COUSINS, AUNTS, AND UNCLES

I’M A SO-CALLED PASTOR

He loves telling people about this Church

I’M AN OUTCAST

But

I’M A REPUBLICAN

I’M A RACIST

I’M WHITE WASHED

Until they see me live out my faith

Until they see me trust Jesus in all things

Until they see that there is no shame in my faith

The World will always label you for what you identify with

Your Job is to live in a way that defy’s those negative labels

Your calling is to live in a way, where people can say that you have been with Jesus.

PAUL LIVED IN A WAY THAT EVERYTHING IN HIS LIFE POINTED TO PROTOCOL 1.

THE GOSPEL COMES FIRST.

BEFORE PAUL COULD BE ASHAMED OF HIS PAST

HE TAPPED INTO THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

HE REMINDED HIMSELF THAT THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST SAVES

HE RE-ITERATED THE TRUTHS OF THE CROSS AND THE MIRACLE OF THE EMPTY GRAVE

PAUL TAUGHT HIMSELF TO BALANCE THE SHAME OF HIS PAST WITH THE TRUTHS OF THE PRESENT

BEFORE HE WROTE TO THE PHILLIPPIANS, HE LIVED OUT 1:6

Philippians 1:6 NLT

6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

CHURCH, WHEN WE REALIZE THAT WE ARE FORGIVEN OF OUR SINS

THAT OUR SINS ARE TO BE REMEMBERED NO MORE

SEPARATED FROM US AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST

Shame is rendered powerless.

Shame has no place in the life of a Christian.

Shame is extracted from the DNA of a Christian.

SLIDE: TRUTHS VS LIES

The only reason why we feel ashamed is because maybe we are listening more to the accuser than we are the advocate

We are paying attention to the accusations

Instead of the Good News that you are forgiven.

PAUL HAD EVERY REASON TO BE ASHAMED

HE WAS A PERSECUTOR OF THE CHURCH

STEPHEN WAS MURDERED IN HIS PRESENCE

HE MISTREATED THESE WEAK LITTLE CHRISTIANS

So much could have crippled the life and ministry of Paul

SLIDE: Instead of living in defeat

He tapped into the Power of God to save

He remembered the conversation that was had on the road to Damascus

He remembered his blindness

He remembered his inability to know what the future held

He remembered how a Christian named Ananias spoke to him

Confirming who he was in Christ

Reiterating why he had been blind

Clarifying the doubt and confusion that flooded his life for those days

IMAGINE THE PTSD

IMAGINE THE TORMENT

IMAGINE THE WEIGHT OF THE ACCUSATIONS.

Imagine the lies that were whispered to Paul

Maybe you have been believing that you have gone too far

Maybe you have accepted that you could never be like Jesus

One of the most encouraging things I heard this weak was this:

“Oh, just so you know, I am failing miserably at being holy”

Though some may respond to this in a condemning way

It doesn’t mean you have to stop trying

It means you have some work to do

I believe our failure of being Holy, points to how much we need Jesus

Our lack of holiness, points to the growth that God desires.

It means, pride is no longer in the way

It means, God is going to work

It means, this is going to get exciting..

THOUGH PAUL COULD HAVE BEEN ASHAMED OF THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS CHRIST.

HE HAD EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND WHAT IT MEANT TO BE SAVED FROM THAT SHAMED

HE HAD EXPERIENCED FIRST HAND, THE POWER OF GOD TO SAVE

FOR THE JEW AND FOR THE GREEK

This Gospel

This Power

That extracts the shame of our sin

Saves us

Calls us

Equips us

To walk with Jesus free from the shame

For we are a loved people

A forgiven people

A people called to proclaim His excellencies

LAST WEEKS CALL TO ACTION WAS A PERFECT SET UP FOR THIS WEEKS WORD

CHECK IT OUT

Romans 1:17 NKJV

17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

THIS GOSPEL POINTS US TO WHO GOD IS AND WHO WE ARE

WITHIN THIS GOSPEL

AT THE CORE

THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IS REVEALED

GOD THE FATHER IS RIGHTEOUS IN HIS NATURE

GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT IS RIGHTEOUS WHEN HE CONVICTS YOU

GOD THE SON IS RIGHTEOUS, AND IS THE JUDGE OF THE LIVING AND THE DEAD

THE GOSPEL SHOWS US FROM BEGINNING TO END

THAT GOD IS RIGHTEOUS, HOLY, SACRED, LOVING, FORGIVING, GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, AND JUST

THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES CHRISTIANS

THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN ADOPTED INTO THE FOLD OF GOD

THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN JUSTIFIED BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST

SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.

To live by faith means there is a mystery

It means we may not know it all

Jesus lived by Faith

His Humanity pointed to His trust of the process.

In the Garden of Gethsemane

When He is asking the Father if there is another way

He trusted the process

As the Roman Soldiers nailed Him to the Cross

He trusted the process

As they labeled Him a Nazarene

He trusted the Process

As they labeled Him a Galilean

He trusted the process

As they put Him in the Grave

He trusted the process

As they rolled the stone across the door

He trusted the process

Jesus was Faithful

Jesus was Full of Faith

Jesus is our greatest example

CHURCH, THE MORE WE ARE FASHIONED INTO THE IMAGE OF CHRIST

THE MORE WE WILL UNDERSTAND THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE

THE MORE WE WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO LIVE SACRIFICIALLY

THE MORE WE WILL UNDERSTAND THE WEIGHT OF EVERY WORD

THE MORE WE WILL LIVE INTO THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

THE MORE UNASHAMED WE WILL BE OF WHAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR LIVES.