01-09-2022 - GOOD NEWS

Culture is currently REALLY into BLAME and SHAME

BLAME YOU for THEIR SHAME and every Christian everywhere should realize, this will come to bear on us - particularly when we are passionate about the Gospel and Holy Living

Romans 1:8 ESV

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.

YOUR FAITH (Romans 1:8)

This is a PERSONAL Faith

You Were Convicted, Convinced

You are now a Curator of this Faith

This is a POSSESSED Faith

This could be a very PUBLIC Faith

Challenge - Your Faith IS to be an external evidence. Be sure your Personal Faith is not Obscured by Fear

Romans 1:9–12 ESV

9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.

PAUL’S RESPONSE (Romans 1:9-12)

Paul’s Perpetual Prayer

Paul’s Predisposition to Personal Impartation

Paul Presses Mutual Encouragement

it is not the level of faith that is important… a person with faith that is less exercised and also is new to them may still mutually encourage one who is strong in the faith and has walked in faith a long time...

Note vv. 13-15 Paul further declares his intention to personally come, reap a harvest and he makes clear God has obligated him to Greeks and Barbarians (the totality of Gentiles at that time) - wise, foolish, the goal? preach the gospel to those in Rome (being well aware they have heard)

Romans 1:16–17 ESV

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

The Gospel ITSELF is Powerful and Productive

Personal Shame Need Not Apply

My Shame and Guilt are Gone

The Message is not flowing from myself

Power Source is Not Rooted in US

Not rooted in your persuasiveness

Not rooted your affiliations

Proclamation is Efficacious - Thus another POWER CLAIM

Remember our first POWER CLAIM is the Self-Resurrected Jesus in v. 3 calls Paul, resulting in outworking of grace and apostleship for the purpose of OBEDIENCE born of FAITH among the Gentiles - God is Powerful and CAN and WILL save Gentiles apart from the Law

Our Second Claim is that the Gospel itself IS POWERFUL which means it must be sourced in God’s Work and Truth - Which can be easily summarized as “in Jesus”

Pervasive in Scope - “it is the power of God unto/for salvation to EVERYONE THAT BELIEVES”