Unashamed- one shot

What is the Gospel?

Literally the word means “good news.” It is the story of how we are brought into a right relationship with God. And it is God’s story. One each person can play a part in as God calls them.

Yet, for so much good news, in the day and time we live in, many of us struggle to share it. We sometimes seem to almost have a block when it comes to the moment where we could bring up the story of Jesus with someone else.

And folks, that is a problem.

This morning I want to look at 2 verses in Romans- part of Paul’s intro to the letter to the church there- to give all of us a picture of what is happening when we talk about Jesus.

(Read Romans 1:16-17)

The first thing Paul says is he is not ashamed of the Gospel. I think for some in our day and time that may be a problem. there are definitely segments of our world- especially here in the States- where it seems almost silly to believe in Jesus. I mean we have computers and smart phones. We fly space ships and drill for oil. Human achievement has gone beyond any need for any god or religion. And yet, the Gospel persists. And it not only persists, it advances. We see people who go from denying God exists to becoming His followers. That may even be your story.

The Epistle to the Romans II. Thesis, 1:16–17

Why should he feel it necessary to utter this disclaimer? He gloried in the gospel (5:2, 11; 2 Cor. 10:17; Gal. 6:14; Phil. 3:7). But it may be that there were people in Rome who despised the simplicity of the message (there were certainly some elsewhere, Acts 17:32; 1 Cor. 1:18, 23). Such people would look down on the Christians and their unusual gospel.

But I think beyond “ashamed” what fits many of us better is hesitant. We don’t want to offend or break a relationship. We know that everyone has different beliefs and they are entitled to them, so that pushes us into silence. And more, if we were to bring it up, what if they asked a question we could not answer?

That’s where the next part of verse 16 is so crucial.

“it is the power of God for salvation, to everyone who believes.”

Romans 3. Theme: Righteousness from God (1:16–17)

In the proclamation of the gospel God is actively at work in reaching out to the hearts of people. The gospel is God telling of his love to wayward people. It is not a lifeless message but a vibrant encounter for everyone who responds in faith

So 2 things here.

First, it is God’s power not yours that brings someone to salvation. You are not capable of talking someone into or out of the Kingdom. God calls them. God makes Himself known. and God saves them.

The Epistle to the Romans II. Thesis, 1:16–17

The gospel is not advice to people, suggesting that they lift themselves. It is power. It lifts them up. Paul does not say that the gospel brings power but that it is power, and God’s power at that. When the gospel is preached, this is not simply so many words being uttered. The power of God is at work

You are just the mouthpiece. The vessel. The conduit. God’s power working thru you.

Romans 3. Theme: Righteousness from God (1:16–17)

To really hear the gospel is to experience the presence of God

That means that when you are talking about the Gospel, God is guiding what you say. He is bringing the words, the ideas, the scriptures, everything. You are just being obedient.

Takes the pressure off a little doesn’t it? Thinking someone’s soul is riding on your ability to recall perfectly under pressure. No. God’s got this. You be obedient to speak and He can handle the rest.

The Epistle to the Romans II. Thesis, 1:16–17

Paul is not saying that people achieve power by their own believing effort. He is saying that the power of God is at work in the gospel.

And secondly, the outcome is not on you either. It says “to everyone who believes.” The person you are talking to has to act in faith. You cannot manufacture that or argue that or coerce that. You either have faith or you don’t.

And let me make a comment here in regards to that last statement. Not only is the pressure not on you, there is no need for this to be a staged, forced conversation. There are definitely times where I have shared the Gospel spontaneously with strangers, because God told me to, but much more often Gospel conversations happen in the context of my relationships with people.

Which means a couple of things, 1- you should have lost friends, and 2- you should be paying attention when spiritually seeking people are talking.

And the result is nothing short of miraculous. The Gospel, literally changes everything, when a person believes it!

Romans 3. Theme: Righteousness from God (1:16–17)

The gospel is not simply a display of power but the effective operation of God’s power leading to salvation. It has purpose and direction. The salvation Paul spoke of is more than forgiveness of sin. It includes the full scope of deliverance from the results of Adam’s sin. It involves justification (being set right with God), sanctification (growth in holiness), and glorification (the ultimate transformation into the likeness of Christ; cf. 1 John 3:2). The gospel serves the eternal purposes of God, who before the creation of the world chose to create for himself a people who would respond to his love. Becoming a child of God requires deliverance from what we are as children of Adam. It is not something we can do for ourselves. It requires the power of God himself working through the gospel

Now look at verse 17. This is the other issue we need to discuss. Some of us would use the excuse of our own imperfections. We would say we are quiet about the Gospel because we feel as if we are not a good representative of a Christian. And we tell ourselves, when we are _______ we will share our faith.

Romans 3. Theme: Righteousness from God (1:16–17)

Virtue has, since the beginning of time, been thought of as an achievement by human endeavor. But God’s righteousness is a right standing he freely gives to those who trust in him. The lack of an article before “righteousness” (in the Greek text) emphasizes the qualitative aspect of the noun. That is, the kind of righteousness God provides and is revealed in the gospel is available by faith alone and leads on to greater faith

That’s a lie.

The good news of the Gospel is that our righteousness comes from God, not our own actions. Jesus makes us righteous. He is the source of righteousness. No one is good or righteous apart from Him- and it is His righteousness that enables Him to save us. His perfection covers over our imperfections!

The Epistle to the Romans II. Thesis, 1:16–17

Here Paul is saying that in the gospel God has acted decisively for our salvation and in a way that is right. The “rightness” of the way of salvation will be further brought out in this epistle as Paul develops the concept of justification. We should further notice that the righteousness of God is here said to be “revealed” in the gospel.

And we enter into His righteousness, not by cleaning up or changing our actions, but by faith! We put our faith in Him and stop having faith in ourselves to somehow or another finally get it right.

The Epistle to the Romans II. Thesis, 1:16–17

Dodd finely remarks that for Paul “faith is that attitude in which, acknowledging our complete insufficiency for any of the high ends of life, we rely utterly on the sufficiency of God. It is to cease from all assertion of the self, even by way of effort after righteousness, and to make room for the divine initiative.”

And Paul concludes this passage by quoting Habakkuk 2:4. The prophet emphasized the importance of faith and Paul grabs that passage and uses it to hammer home his point to his listeners. Faith is essential to the life of a follower of Jesus, starting with the Gospel and carrying over to all aspects of life.

The Epistle to the Romans II. Thesis, 1:16–17

It is quite clear that Paul is stressing the primacy of faith. He is telling us that God’s righteousness is shown in the gospel, that gospel which tells us that people must come to God in faith. It is this that he cites Habakkuk to support. It seems, then, that we should take the words in the sense “he that is just by faith will live.”182 Paul is speaking of the way a person is made righteous, namely by faith, and assuring us that it is the one who is made righteous in this way who will live

What is your faith in this morning? (Gospel presentation here)

So this morning, I want to appeal to you as one fellow struggler to another. Let’s share the Gospel. Let’s make it a point to be talking about Jesus every chance we get. Let’s trust God for the words and the results.