Unashamedly Share The Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Pray
I preached the gospel in a church once and was never spoken to again by the minister.
He was ashamed of the Gospel.
Leanna, my wife - a teacher, was asked to remove the word ‘saviour’ from a song at her schools Christmas performance this year.
The school is ashamed of the gospel.
Richard Dawkins, to pick one of many quotes writes:
Be thankful that
you have a life, and
forsake your vain and
presumptuous desire
for a second one"
Richard Dawkins is ashamed of the gospel.
You don’t have to listen to more than 1 or 2 sermons at many churches to realise that they too
Are ashamed of the gospel.
pause
It’s easy to point the finger...
Peter - the friend and disciple of Jesus, denied Jesus 3 times before the cock crowed,
Peter was ashamed of the gospel.
How many times have you, have I, avoided speaking of the gospel when given the opportunity!
Are we ashamed of the gospel?
The passage that most Co-Mission churches are considering today on Co-Mission Sunday,
shares with us an example of some one who was not ashamed of the gospel.
Paul the apostle writes:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
It’s easy to be tempted to be ashamed of the gospel - Paul doesn’t shy away from the trials he faces as a result of sharing the gospel.
Perhpas We don’t like the trials that come with the gospel we believe.
and perhaps We forget what the gospel really is!
Even at Paul’s time - he had an understanding that it might be embarrassing, or costly to friendships, or costly to career opportunities if we speak of it.
The Gospel is not an easy message to share!
Some will look at us as if we’re a few french fires short of a happy meal.
1 cor 1 18 “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.
It can sound like foolishness!
It can enrage some, cause others to simply avoid us, shout at us, in some contexts abuse us.
but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
They killed Jesus - for his message -
in fact history records most the disciples eventually being killed, martyred, for holding to the gospel.
The Gospel, the true gospel at least - is not an easy to accept message
The gospel divides,
It challenges,
It demands we either reject it with vermance, offence, a ridiculous fantasy - or accept it in utter humility, weakness, repentance.
Forget the wishy washy cultural world or liberal church message that God loves everybody - you’re special and worth it - just be nice to each other nonsense - that of course wont upset anyone - why would it!
But The true gospel demands we consider ourselevs nothing,
worthy of judgement and God’s wrath.
Paul says it in our passage
The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,
Speaking of God’s people in the OT - they even knew the truth - and yet still denied God!
Wrath is deserved.
There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
Judgement is coming.
None of us have lived to the right and just standards of our perfect God.
We live in a way that is rebelious to his ways - when compared to God - humanity is evil.
Are we so keen to fit in with culture and society that we are afraid and ashamed of the truth we say we believe?
The straight talking Mission Founder and preacher Paul Washer puts it like this:
You may say, 'God doesn't hate anybody. God is love.' No, my friend. You need to understand something. Jesus Christ taught, the prophets taught, the apostles taught this: that apart from the grace of God revealed in Jesus Christ our Lord the only thing left for you is the wrath, the fierce anger of God because of your rebellion and your sin.
Paul Washer - HeartCry Mission Society
I don’t know how many people you have told that they (and we all) are facing God’s wrath unless we cry for mercy and the grace of Jesus,
but often it doesn’t go down to well.
But unless we preach Christ crucified
- in other words that he had to die and take on the wrath of God on the cross so that we don’t have too.
In other words that we deserve the wrath of God and eternal judgement,
Unless we tell people that - Jesus has nothing to offer.
The Gospel is not good news - it is emptied of any power.
For it declares a God who cares nothing about justice, or love or truth.
It says humanity is absolutely fine on it’s own and does not need God,
The gospel, and the life we ought to live in response if we are not ashamed of the gospel
- brings trials,
rejections,
social embarrassment,
awkward conversations,
opposition,
- it will likely mean we are disliked,
overlooked for promotions,
disciplined for our views.
There appears to be good reason to be ashamed of the Gospel.
We don’t like the trials that come with the gospel we believe.
pause
it’s very easy to feel very ashamed about being ashamed of the Gospel!
I don’t think that’s a bad thing - I certainly need to feel the wait of my sin and shame in this area.
I need to repent of missed opportunities or deliberate avoidance.
I didn’t correct my barber last month we he as a Muslim said that all Gods are the same - what’s important is that we live in harmony and peace.
- I didn’t really know how to get the convesation onto the gospel -
That he will have no harmony and peace unless he repents before the one True God of the Bible.
Perhpas I was thinking I’ve left the door open for another conversation without rejecting his view the first time?
I’m not sure - either way - I’m sure Jesus would have done a better job!
So I need to repent -
and thankfully I need to enjoy the gospel that calls for repentance but then gives forgiveness and love again in this area!
But on top of repentance - we also need God’s help to overcome temptations of shame in the future.
And that is what Paul does in this passage:
He helps us to:
Unashamedly Share The Gospel
Unashamedly Share The Gospel
1 - We are Indebted to the Lost
1 - We are Indebted to the Lost
have a look at v14-15 again -
Romans 1:14–15 (NIV)
I am indepted both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.
The word obligated is actually normally translated elsewhere as ‘in debt to’.
Most translations use the word obligated to give a clearer understanding of what Paul means without further explanation.
So the reading is clear.
Paul has a duty, and obligation to Greeks and non-greeks (in other-words everyone).
v15 - to tell them the gospel.
They question is why? Why is he obligated?
Well this is why the word ‘debt’ is more helpful - he is obligated becasue he is in debt to them.
Not in the sense that he has taken or borrowed something from them and now needs to replay it -
but in the other sense that he has been given something that belongs to them
- and until he gives it to them he is indeed in debt!
If my brother Ben decides to give me £20 (an unlikely illustration I realise),
And he sees Tim Guest at a conference and gives Tim the £20 to give to me,
Tim is in debt to me.
It’s not Tim’s £20, it’s not even be borrowed from me in the first place..
But He has something that belongs to me and until it’s passed on - he’s in debt. - He is obligated to give me £20.
And so it is with the gospel.
Paul has been given the gospel himself - and part of receiving the gospel of salvation is a indebtedness to all of humnaity to take to them what is there’s.
The gospel is for all people to hear - we are indebt to the lost. We are obligated to pass on the message.
That is why Paul wants to visit Rome to tell them the gospel.
Of course there are varying degrees of this indebtedness.
Paul is specifcally asked by Jesus to take the Gospel to the Gentiles - the non-Jews. His calling is specific.
Although notice here he is being more general
- the wise and the foolish, the greek and the non-greek
- there is a general call on him (aside from the specific apostolic call) to preach the gospel -
simply becasue you cannot recieve the the gospel and keep it to yourself!
It was the final instruction Jesus gave to the church as he ascended to Heaven after his resurection.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
It’s the persistant message throughout the NT.
Go after the lost sheep,
be ready in season and out of season,
Warn them of the coming wrath.
The gospel is not like money - the more you give it out the less you have.
It’s the opposite!
The more you give it out the more you have!
You see and enjoy the grace of Jesus more as you give it to those to whom it is owed.
Keep it tucked up in a box for yourself and you might find it’s gone completely.
We haven’t understood the gospel if we fail to realise we are now in debt to those who do not yet know about it!
Ray Comfort the evangelist says:
If you are not
concerned about
your neighbor's
salvation, then I am
concerned for yours.
RAY COMFORT
It’s not our gospel to keep!
It belongs to the lost - we are in debt to them - however much we may think they don’t want to hear it
- or however much we’re tempted to not face the trials it may bring
- it’s not our decision to make.
The gospel you carry is for them - give it to them!
It’s for your manager at work, even if he demotes you for giving to him.
its for your neighbour even if they think you’re a nut case
its for your barber even if next time he shaves your hair off completely.
we’re in debt let’s pay it off.
Paul though not only shares becasue he is in debt,
he also reminds us that the gospel is in fact nothing to be ashamed of at all!
Unashamedly share the gospel:
2 - It is the Power of God for Salvation
2 - It is the Power of God for Salvation
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
His point is so simple - people may not like the message
- but without it they face a worse fate - they face judgement anyway!
Their one hope is to hear the gospel.
The gospel may start with having to accept our sin and rebellion against God in humble repentance - that’s the bit often disliked,
but the gospel is more than just bringing people to repentance for the sake of it,,
it is the power of God for salvation!
It is the good news that in repentance we find forgiveness - grace and mercy.
We are freed from wrath and enter peace and joy
eternally with our God who loves us.
Gospel means good news - and good news it is!
It is the good news that despite our utter rebelion and hatred towards God,
he still chooses to love us and gives us salvation through the death and resurection of Jesus!
And as such there is no - and can be no
salvation or power without the Gospel!
It is only the gospel of Christ crucified that is the power of God fro salvation.
Sure some will react badly to the message -
How can you say that -
don’t be so arrogant,
what about Islam,
What about athiests,
what about good people,
But if the bible is true - there is no other way!
No other hope,
No other salavtion,
no escape from wrath - other than the gospel of Jesus!
Paul is not ashamed of the gospel - because like it or not - it is the only loving message to tell anyone in this world - for it is the POWER that can save -
when nothing else can!
No-one will entre eternity and face the judgement of God and be angry at the Christians who warned them and told them to repent!
Those that believed will be eternally grateful,
and those who rejected will regret the day they considered the gospel foolish.
The Gospel is nothing to be ashamed of - it is the only hope in life,
the truth is in our hands!
It is the very power of God to save.
And finally
Unashamedly share the gospel:
It Reveals God’s Righteousness
It Reveals God’s Righteousness
For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
The gospel works becasue it holds together the perfect righteousness of God,
his love for humanity,
and it also deals with our sin without compromising his justice.
It’s a masterstroke of love.
Of the great God Almighty to reveal his character to the world.
We don’t and wouldn’t tolerate evil in our own world as people
- it’s ironic then that many believe God should ignore our sin against him.
But the gospel is where it all comes together.
The message that we have sinned and deserve judgement is bad news for us - but right and true.
And if God ignored it then he would not be righteous - he’d be a fraud,
he’d be compromised by his own glorious standards.
So he makes a way to restore us to his love without compromising his righteousness.
And in doing so, also demonstrates further his great righteousness which includes his love and justice.
We’ve said it already -
Jesus the perfect son of God, lived as a man in perfect obedience to God the Father.
The only righteous man to ever live
- and yet he chooses to take the punishment, the wrath we deserve - as he dies on the cross.
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
It’s a common but helpful apology,
You are stood before a judge knowing you had committed the crime and are therefore found guilty and ordered to pay £1million in damages - that’s just and right.
There is no way you can pay that amount - so you face a lengthy jail sentence.
But as you’re about to taken away -the judge himself pulls out his phone, brings up his banking app and pays the fine for you - £1m!
Justice is satisfied - the just price is paid - the righteousness of the judge is demonstrated and it includes great love!
Our penalty before God is blood - but Jesus shed his blood for us!
His righteousness is revealed in the gospel message!
Both justice and love.
And He’s has just give you new life!
The gospel is the righteousness of God - for all to see!
There is nothing to be ashamed of.
Simply have faith, believe and tell the gospel to others!
We’re in debt to those who have not heard,
It’s the power of God to save
It reveals the righteousness of God.
As a church, as a network -
we;re not going to easy off, put our feet up now we have a healthy sized congregation.
We want the righteousness of God to be known by all!
We want to pass on the gospel of power - so that other may be saved.
Let’s push on.
Invite our friends and neighbours to church,
warn them of the wrath to come,
- some may laugh,
some may reject us,
some will hinder our careers
- others will be saved by the power of the gospel.
As a church We will plant more churches,
start more services,
Preach the uncompromised truth of the gospel
Some may laugh,
some may persecute,
some may slander us,
others will be saved by the power of the gospel.
Pray