Rom 1-Obligated to the Gospel
| Obligated to the Gospel! Romans 1:14-17
January 8, 2006 (NIV) 14I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are at Rome.16I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (NCV) 14 I have a duty to all people—Greeks and those who are not Greeks, the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I want so much to preach the Good News to you in Rome.16 I am proud of the Good News, because it is the power God uses to save everyone who believes—to save the Jews first, and also to save those who are not Jews. 17 The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself—that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, “But those who are right with God will live by trusting in him.” (NLT) 14 For I have a great sense of obligation to people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike. 15 So I am eager to come to you in Rome, too, to preach God’s 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—Jews first and also Gentiles. 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.” (NKJV) 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also. 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.”Pray Memory Verse: Romans 1:1717For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” Intro:How many of us have ever felt embarrassed or humiliated? It is a painful feeling and one which we try hard to avoid. Many times this pain from past experiences causes us to be fearful rather than bold in our sharing the good news of the Gospel. 1. A Sense of Obligation2. To all people3. The Glory of the Gospel 1. A Sense of Obligation (v. 14)(NIV) I am obligated – I am eager to preach the gospel (v. 15)(NCV) I have a duty – I want so much to preach the good news(NLT) I have a great sense of obligation – I am eager…(KJV) I am a debtor – I am ready…Opheiletēs – One who owes anything to another (Vines)One held by some obligation, bound by some duty. (Strong’s Lexicon) A Sinner, one who incurs moral debt (Mt 6:12; Lk 13:4+) (Dictionary of Biblical Languages)Paul felt:F An obligation – not optional – something we must doF A Debt – Something we oweF A Duty – Something that binds us to a certain course of actionAll of these are reflected in this word Paul uses to describe his drive to preach the gospel. Why does he feel this way? He feels obligated, or duty-bound because:F Because God has commanded him to do this.F Because he understands the debt he has to God’s grace and that motivates him to:· To want to share that with others out of love and concern for them· To want to glorify God by telling others of the wondrous thing God has doneHe could no sooner stop preaching the gospel then he could stop loving His God. They were bound together, inseparable. He uses another word which is translated eager or ready to describe his feelings about preaching the gospel:F Eagerness (NIV) – speaks of desire. It speaks of looking forward to doing so. This was not an obligation which he dreaded, one which he would do because he was obliged to, but not willingly. Just the opposite. He was VERY willing. His obligation merely fueled his eagerness.F Readiness (KJV) – speaks of the fact that all the hindrances to his sharing the gospel have been removed. APPLICATION:Do we feel any sense of obligation to share the gospel with those around us? Are we aware of the command of our Lord to go and make disciples of all people? Are we conscious of the mercy which has been shown to us? Are we callous to those around us who do not know the peace of God which the gospel brings? Are we moved at all by the price God paid that we might know how MUCH He loves us? Are we conscious of the immeasurable DEBT we owe to God for His mercy and grace to us? (the debt of gratitude)And then, being conscious of the immeasurable DEBT we owe, are we then eager to move in that direction? | | Why are we ashamed of the gospel (in practice if not in specific thought)?“One reason that the exuberance of those first days of knowing Christ tends to fade is because of the reception from other believers as well as from the unbelieving world. Becoming ashamed of the gospel is an attitude young Christians often learn from those who have been believers the longest.” (The Life Application Commentary)Shame grows when we fear:F That people will ridicule our faith or identify us with the “religious right”F That friends might avoid us, or not include us if they know we are ChristiansShame grows when we think:F That our faith is something private rather than public, something which, although good for me, is not necessary for anyone elseF That our success or achievement is worth more to us than being identified as a follower of Jesus Christ. 2. To all people (vv. 14-15)Both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. To people in our culture and to people in other cultures, to the educated and uneducated alike (NLT)(NKJV) I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. To Greeks – the educated, the cultured, the people in our culture, the mainstream folks around us,To the non-Greeks, lit. the barbarians, the uncultured, the uneducated, the people on the fringes of society, other cultures and other countriesTo the wise – the educated, the religiousAnd to the unwise or foolish – the uneducated, the non-religious, those who would appear to be sympathetic to faith and those who would appear to be totally opposed.The gospel is for the educated…The gospel is for the ordinary…The gospel is for the religious…To our friends and family, to our co-workers and neighbors, to the down-and-outers…To other cultures, countries and places 3. The Glory of the Gospel (v. 16-17)16I am not ashamed of the gospel (I am proud…– NCV)Because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (NIV)The Good News shows how God makes people right with himself —that it begins and ends with faith. As the Scripture says, “But those who are right with God will live by trusting in him.” (NCV)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.” (NLT)How do we deal differently with things we take pride in, as opposed to things which embarrass us?We may say that are “not ashamed of the gospel,” in fact, we would probably ALL SAY that. However, what would our lives say? Would they say that we are proud of the gospel? Would others, who observe us, say that we are proud of it? How precious would those around you say the gospel is to you?Paul was unabashedly proud of the gospel. He was not intimidated by the power of Rome, nor the intellect of Greece. Why?F Because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes.The dynamis – Like dynamite – “Placed inside a stone-hard heart that is resistant to God, it can shatter the barriers.” (The Life Application Commentary)Sometimes we miss the wonder of this…F Because it reveals a righteousness that is from God, as opposed any righteousness that might merely be seen in a man or woman.· The righteousness from God is the righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.· He both shows us what it looks like, and gives it to us. · He sets the standard for us and then offers it to us free of charge.· It is righteousness which is not lessened by our sin· It is righteousness which is completely pure· It is righteousness which enables us to stand in God’s Presence clean and unashamed. Summary / Review:Do we have a clear sense of our obligation to proclaim the good news about Jesus Christ to our neighbors, friends and co-workers, as well as a desire to see this message taken around the world, or our debt to God because of what He has done and is doing for us?More than that are we EAGER to do so? Do we grasp the wonder of the gospel message? Are we aware of what God has done and is doing in our hearts and lives through it?Do we struggle with embarrassment when we consider engaging others with the message of the gospel?Can we see the need for the gospel for the educated? For the ordinary? For the religious?Do we believe what the Bible teaches us about the power of the gospel to change people’s lives?A truth to remember: The gospel is supernatural. It changes people from the inside out and is powerful, especially in the hearts and lives of those who are aware of their need for it.A challenge to consider: Are we, if we are really honest with ourselves, embarrassed by the gospel? Do we need a fresh work of God’s Spirit in our hearts and lives? |