Not Ashamed Of The Gospel

Not Ashamed Of The Gospel

Romans 1:14-17

Are we ever ashamed of the gospel of Christ...? Embarrassed to tell others about Jesus? Could this be a reason why many are not active in personal evangelism? [Perhaps by examining how and why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, we might be more diligent in our efforts to share the good news of Jesus Christ...]

Have you guys heard the sin of silence: William Fay the author of Share Jesus Without

¡§Fear says¡¦ many times your witness is sabotaged not by what you do but what you don¡¦t do.¡¨

¡§If your voice trembles, your hands shake, or you stumble over words, God can use your witness, God cannot, however, use your silence.¡¨

Think of times when you could have witnessed but didn¡¦t. Maybe you didn¡¦t want to risk being rejected, embarrassed, or persecuted, So you choose to be silent, that is a sin.

I. HOW HE WAS NOT ASHAMED...

A. He felt obligated to preach the gospel to everyone

Romans 1:14 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.

„à To Greeks and barbarians (non-Greeks), to wise and unwise. Paul here say¡¦s I am under divine obligation before God on behalf of the Gentiles, because God has directly appointed him as a unique apostle to the Gentiles. Secondly, he had an obligation to the Roman believers. This is the kind of obligation a person has to someone whose house is on fire or who is drowning. Paul sees himself as a man who cannot rest until every gospel cent is paid.

1 Cor. 9:16-17 For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel. [17] For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have a stewardship entrusted to me.

Illustration: Hudson Taylor

It was suggested by someone that he had given his life to the Orient because He loved the Chinese. To this he shook his head and answered thoughtfully,¡§No¡¨ because I loved the Chinese, but because I loved God.¡¨

„à In verse 15 we just don¡¦t see his willingness to preach the gospel, but we also see his eagerness as well.

Acts 20:22-23 "And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, [23] except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24 "But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.

2.WHY HE WAS NOT ASHAMED...

Romans 1:16 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.

„à Paul said ¡§For I am Not Ashamed¡¨ every true believer knows it is a serious sin to be ashamed of our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. How do we know it is a serious sin to be silent or ashamed for Christ.

Luke 9:26-27 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels

Mark 8:38 "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

„Ã Was Paul tempted to be ashamed, as we are? Probably. We know that Timothy was, since Paul wrote him to tell him not to be (2 Timothy 1:8).

2 Tim. 1:8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or of me His prisoner, but join

with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God,

Four Reasons Why We Should not be Ashamed of the Gospel

1. The first reason why we should not be ashamed of the gospel is the meaning of the word gospel itself. It means good news. It is good news about what God has done for us in Jesus Christ.

2.The second reason why we should not be ashamed of the gospel is that it is about salvation meaning that God has intervened to rescue us through the work of his divine Son, Jesus Christ. He reconciled us to himself, bearing our sins in his own body on the cross.