AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
Romans 1:16
When the apostle Paul wrote this epistle to the Romans, he had
never visited Rome. He earnestly desired to do so and expected
that his desire would be fulfilled. This desire was created by
the fact of his Roman citizenship, and also because he desired
that the Church in that city should be an instrument for the evangelization
of the world.
Writing to the saints in the Imperial City, he declares that he
was not ashamed of the gospel. Why would Paul even be tempted
to be ashamed of the Gospel as he contemplated his trip to Rome?
May I suggest that for one thing, the Gospel was identified with
a poor Jewish carpenter who was crucified. The Romans had no special
fondness for the Jews and crucifixion was the lowest form of execution
given a criminal. Why put your faith in a poor Jew who as crucified?
Rome was also a proud city, and the Gospel came from Jerusalem,
the capital city of one of the little nations Rome had conquered.
The Christians in those days were not among the elite of society,
they were for the most part the common people and the slaves;
why pay any attention to a fable about a Jew who arose from the
dead? To imagine a Jewish tentmaker, going the metropolis of the
world, to preach such a message, is almost humorous.
However, Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel. The Gospel may cause
him persecution, but he is not ashamed of the gospel. The Jews
had cast him off, and regarded him as an apostate; and by the
wise among the Gentiles he had been persecuted, and despised,
and driven from place to place, and regarded as the filth of the
world, and the off scouring of all things but still he was not
ashamed of the gospel. He had so firm a conviction of its value
and its truth; he had experienced so much of its consolations,
and had seen so much of its efficacy, that he was so far from
being ashamed of it that he gloried in the Gospel.
I. Not ashamed of the CONTENT of the Gospel
What is the gospel? The gospel is the good news.
A. The Gospel came of divine presentation
Man did not invent it. See Galatians 1:11,12. The Gospel of Jesus
Christ is not human either in nature or in authority. Paul did
not invent it or alter it. Its message is completely divine in
origin, without any mixture of human wisdom whatever. There is
not a spark of human invention in it, nor the slightest touch
of human cunningness ? it is not from man, not by man, not suited
to the taste of man. The gospel originated in the eternal counsel
of God. The gospel originates with God. Paul did not design it;
he declared it. He did not produce it; he just preached it.
B. The Gospel concerns a divine person
Jesus Christ is the essence of the Gospel. You cannot preach the
gospel without preaching Jesus Christ. The gospel is the good
news about Jesus? death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus Christ
is the very center - the hub of the gospel.
Warren Wiersbe said that in high school, he was chosen to be an office monitor. He was entrusted with important messages that he had to deliver to different teachers and staff members. He stated that it was fun to walk into a classroom and interrupt the lesson. No teacher ever scolded him, because all of them knew he carried important messages from the principal. He was never ashamed or afraid to interrupt a class because he knew where his message came from.
How could Paul be ashamed of the gospel, when it came from God and centered in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God?
II. Not ashamed of the INTENT of the Gospel
?power of God unto salvation? - The gospel is the power - something
which produces results - something which is more than a theory,
something that is mightier than a law. The gospel is an actual,
spiritual force, producing spiritual results.
Paul was not ashamed of the purpose of the gospel. Paul was not ashamed of the design of the gospel. The Gospel delivers. ?Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us...?
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel; it contained a message
that had the power to change the lives of men. The gospel of Jesus
Christ is glorious, for it is full of splendor; declares the glorious
God; discloses a gracious plan of salvation; and delivers ignorant,
weak, and degraded man. The Gospel delivers sinners from the penalty,
power, and ultimately the presence of sin. It includes justification,
sanctification, and glorification.
A. Justification is the DECLARATION (verdict) of salvation
Justification is the unchanging act of God whereby God declares
righteous the sinner who believes on Jesus Christ. Justification
is the act of God whereby the sinner is no longer exposed to the
penalty of sin. Man only justifies the innocent, but God only
justifies the guilty. Man justifies on the basis of self-merit,
but God justifies on the basis of the Saviour?s merit.
Justification has no degrees, but is complete, perfect, and final
(Acts 13:38,39).
There was a man in England who put his Rolls-Royce on a boat
and went across to Europe. While he was driving around Europe,
something happened to the motor of his car. He cabled the Roll-Royce
people back in England and asked, ?I am having trouble with my
car, what do you suggest I do??
Immediately a Roll-Royce company send a mechanic and he repaired
the car and flew back to England and left the man to continue
on in his trip. As you can imagine the man wondered, ?How much
is this gong to cost me??
Upon his arrival back in England, he wrote the dealership a letter
and asked how much he owed them. He received a letter from the
dealer that read: Dear Sir: There is no record anywhere in our
files that show anything ever went wrong with a Rolls -Royce.?
Now that is justification. The devil may accuse you; you may accuse
yourself, but God?s records show that you never did any thing
wrong.
B. Sanctification is the PROGRESSION of salvation.
Justification is that which God does FOR us, while sanctification
is that which God does IN us. Justification removes the guilt
and penalty of sin, while sanctification checks the growth and
power of sin.
C. Glorification is the COMPLETION of salvation.
The gospel brings salvation, complete deliverance from the PRESENCE
of sin and death, and all the foes and dangers that beset man.
?Change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his
glorious body.?
The gospel is good enough for my past, present, and my future.
Paul was not ashamed of the content of the Gospel,
the intent of the Gospel,
III. Paul was not ashamed of the EXTENT of the Gospel
The world does not need a better system of education, more social
reform, new ideal in religion. It needs the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The gospel of Jesus Christ contains a message sufficient to transform
the life any who believe. The gospel is ?the power of God unto
salvation to everyone that believeth.?
It has shown its power as applicable to every degree of sin, to
every combination of wickedness. It has gone against the sins
of the world, and evinced its power to save sinners of all grades,
and to overcome and subdue every mighty form of iniquity.
As there is a world wide problem, there is a world wide privilege
in the world wide provision. The gospel presents a salvation that
is for everyone, from every sin, at every time, in every place,
under every circumstance. Paul was not ashamed of the reach, sweep,
scope of the gospel.
John 3:16
I John 2:2 ?And he is .....
I Timothy 2:4-6 ?Who will have....
II Peter 3:9
The gospel presents a salvation that is sufficient for all, but
only efficient for those that believe.
A. How inclusive the gospel is in its reach
The gospel message is the only good news that God has commanded
us to preach to the whole world.
1. Its offer includes those whom sin has disqualified (Nicodemus)
2. Its offer includes those whom sin has degraded (woman at the
well)
3. Its offer includes those whom sin has diseased
4. Its offer includes those whom sin has disabled
5. Its offer includes those whom sin has defiled
6. Its offer includes those whom sin has darkened
7. Its offer includes those whom sin has deadened
B. How divisive the gospel is in man?s response
Reject or receive the gospel - the choice is yours. The gospel
divides humanity into one of two classes - the whosoever wills
and the whosoever will nots. John 3:18 ?He that believeth on him
is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already,
because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten
Son of God.? John 3:36 ?He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting
life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but
the wrath of God abideth on him.?
Conclusion:
Paul was not ashamed or embarrassed by the gospel. The truth is
Paul gloried in the gospel. When we recognize the person of the
gospel is majestic, the power of the gospel is mighty, and the
purpose of the gospel is marvelous, we also will not be ashamed
of the gospel.
Pastor Jimmy Chapman