I am not Ashamed of the gospel

To stand for the Word of God.

I decided to to take a break from our study in John this week

The reason for this is because over the last month or so, I have been challenged.

I’ve been challenged as a husband.

as a father

as a friend

as an artist

as a pastor

as a man

- This challenge has been heavy on my heart.

- these challenges has been heavy on my heart

- It has kept me in constant state of wonder, uncertainty, fear, frustration, and regret

The idea of ministry

The mission o ministry is not an easy task.

any person that is in this position of leadership in the church

is in a constant states of wonder, uncertainty, fear and regret.

How can I, the least of all of you be given such a heavy task?

Easy Does it

we live in a culture today, were we are all looking for the easy pill

we are OK with working hard until its hard

we are ok with being challenged by an opponent that we know we can beat

But ministry is not easy.

preaching and teaching the Bible is not easy, it is the hardest thing in life to do.

But the gospel is necessary.

Preaching and teaching that Gospel is necessary.

Read Romans 1:13-17

Romans 1:13–17 NASB95

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 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 to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”

v. 13

Romans 1:13 NASB95

13 I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that often I have planned to come to you (and have been prevented so far) so that I may obtain some fruit among you also, even as among the rest of the Gentiles.

Paul expresses here that he wants to and has planned to visit with these other believers, but he had been prevented.

So that he can have some fruit, some benefit, so that he can profit from them and them from him.

Paul wanted to visit with them to have something comfortable, something that would be easy, but he was prevented / forbidden/restrained

V.14-15

Romans 1:14–15 NASB95

14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

Paul explains that he is obligated (in debt to, liable to) to preach to the Greeks as well as the barbarians (the outsiders, the foreign)

also to the wise, the skillful, the wise, the educated

as well as the foolish, the unintelligent, the dull-witted

Paul is obligated t preach to all people, whether they are local, foreign, smart or not so smart.

So because of this Paul is eager/ ready/ willing to preach the gospel to people.

SO.....

Paul although he wants to be in a place that he knows, in a place that gives him comfort but is indebted to, liable to preaching to all people.

SO sometimes Paul is not his his comfort zone,

He takes to be in comfort, but his job to preach the gospel is more important.

Why?

Romans 1:16 NASB95

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.

not Ashamed / painful feeling/ sense of loss / to be in shame

Of the gospel (God’s new news to humans)

The story of the gospel

The gospel is the power (might, strength, force) of God for salvation.

to everyone who believes (trust in, depend on) to the Jews first and also to the Greek

What does that mean?

Paul had a pattern

He would preach in the synagogues, then he would preach to the Gentiles.

This not saying that the gentiles or Greeks are not important but salvation was first for the Jew in centuries pass, but also for the non-Jews

V.17

Romans 1:17 NASB95

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

The righteousness of God is reviled/ to be made fully know from faith to faith

The faith to faith

This again shows that we live by faith not by works.

Habakkuk 2:4 NASB95

4 “Behold, as for the proud one, His soul is not right within him; But the righteous will live by his faith.

The Gospel we have. The hope that we have.

The HELL STORY

ALL WE NEED IS CHRIST