I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
ROMANS 1:16
I. ASHAMED
II. POWER
III. SALVATION
IV. EVERYONE
A YOUNG GIRL GOT SAVED IN A POWERFUL REVIVAL THAT WAS BEING HELD AT HER CHURCH.
AND THAT AFTERNOON SHE WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE HOUSE SINGING AND DANCING AND JUST FULL OF JOY.
WHEN HER GRANDFATHER STOPPED HER. AND SAID...
“YOU OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELF.
YOU JUST JOINED THE CHURCH
AND NOW YOU’RE SINGING AND DANCING ON THE LORD’S DAY!”
SHE WAS CRUSHED BY HER GRANDFATHER’S ATTITUDE,
AND SO THE SHE WENT OUT BY THE BARN,
CLIMBED UP ON THE CORRAL FENCE,
AND LOOKED AT THE OLD MULE THAT WAS STANDING THERE
IN THE CORRAL.
HE HAD A SAD, DROOPY FACE AND HIS EYES WERE ALL BLEARY.
AS SHE REACHED OVER AND PATTED THE OLD MULE SYMPATHETICALLY, SHE SAID, “DON’T CRY, OLE MULE.
I GUESS YOU’VE GOT THE SAME KIND OF RELIGION THAT MY GRANDPA HAS!”
ROMANS 1:16 (NIV)
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.
ASHAMED EPAISCHUNOMAI – MEANS TO BE ASHAMED.
EPP A HEE SKOO NOM A HEE ep•ahee•skhoo•nom•ahee
WHAT A TESTIMONY PAUL HAD: “I AM NOT ASHAMED!”
WHY WOULD PAUL EVEN BE TEMPTED
TO BE ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
PAUL WAS WRITING THIS LETTER TO ROMANS.
WELL, FOR ONE THING,
THE GOSPEL, THE GOOD NEWS
WAS ALL ABOUT SOME POOR JEWISH CARPENTER
WHO'D BEEN CRUCIFIED ON A CROSS.
THE ROMANS DIDN'T ESPECIALLY APPRICIATE THE JEWS,
AND CRUCIFIXION WAS CONSIDERED TO BE
THE LOWEST FORM OF EXECUTION IN THAT DAY
IT WAS ONLY USED FOR CRIMINALS.
SO WHY WOULD ROMANS WANT TO PUT THEIR FAITH IN SOME JEW WHO'D BEEN CRUCIFIED?
SECONDLY, ROME WAS A PROUD CITY, AND
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL CAME FROM JERUSALEM,
TO THE ROMANS,
JERUSALEM WAS JUST SOME LITTLE CITY
IN ONE OF THE LITTLE NATIONS
THAT ROME HAD CONQUERED.
AND THIRDLY,
THE CHRISTIANS OF THAT DAY
WERE JUST THE PLAIN, COMMON FOLK.
SOME OF THEM WERE EVEN SLAVES.
ROME HAD HAD BEEN HOME TO A LOT OF GREAT PHILOSOPHERS
AND A LOT OF GREAT PHILOSOPHIES AS WELL;
SO WHY SHOULD THEY PAY ANY ATTENTION TO SOME “FABLE”
ABOUT A JEW WHO SUPPOSEDLY AROSE FROM THE DEAD?
(1 COR. 1:18–25)
PAUL GOT IT RIGHT IN…
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18a (NIV)
THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING,
AND HE ASKED IN…
1 CORINTHIANS 1:20 (NIV)
WHERE IS THE WISE MAN? WHERE IS THE SCHOLAR? WHERE IS THE PHILOSOPHER OF THIS AGE? HAS NOT GOD MADE FOOLISH THE WISDOM OF THE WORLD?
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
PAUL WAS JUST SOME LITTLE JEWISH TENTMAKER,
GOING TO THE BIG CITY OF ROME
TO PREACH A MESSAGE LIKE THAT,
IT WAS ALMOST FUNNY.
BUT PAUL WAS NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL.
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PAUL HAD BEEN REJECTED BY HIS FELLOW JEWS,
HE'D BEEN DESPISED, PERSECUTED, AND DRIVEN FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER.
JEWS AND GENTILES ALIKE HAD TRIED TO KILL HIM.
PAUL HIMSELF SAID IN 1 CORINTHIANS. 4:13b
CORINTHIANS 4:13 (NIV)
...WE (APOSTLES) HAVE BECOME THE SCUM OF THE EARTH, THE REFUSE OF THE WORLD.
HE’D BEEN TREATED LIKE GARBAGE.
BUT EVEN AFTER FACING ALL THAT,
HE WAS STILL ABLE TO SAY,
ROMANS 1:16 (NIV)
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL,
BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION
OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES:
FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.
PAUL HAD CONFIDENCE IN HIS MESSAGE,
AND THE REASON HE HAD CONFIDENCE WAS BECAUSE
OF WHERE HIS MESSAGE HAD COME FROM.
IT HAD COME FROM GOD HIMSELF.
WHENEVER A MESSAGE WAS HANDED DOWN FROM CAESAR
IT WOULD GET THE IMMEDIATE ATTENTION OF THE ROMANS.
BUT THIS MESSAGE
THIS GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL MESSAGE
WAS A MESSAGE THAT CAME FROM THE VERY SON OF GOD!
IN VERSE 1 OF THIS CHAPTER, PAUL CALLED IT...
“THE GOSPEL OF GOD” (ROM. 1:1).
HOW COULD PAUL BE ASHAMED OF SUCH A MESSAGE, AS THAT
WHEN IT HAD COME FROM GOD HIMSELF.
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THERE IS A LOT OF SHAMFUL THINGS IN THIS WORLD
WE’VE BECOME WAY TO USED
TO THE POLUTION OF THE WORLD.
PEOPLE TODAY, DON'T BLUSH MUCH ANY MORE.
A MAN WHO IS A RAPIST OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
A DRUNKARD OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
A THIEF OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
THE LYING POLITICIANS IN OUR GOVERNMENT
OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
GOSSIPERS AND BACKBITERS OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
A DOCTOR WHO WOULD MURDER AND UNBORN BABY STILL IN THE WOMB OF ITS MOTHER– OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
A PROSTITUTE OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED
A CHILD MOLESTER OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED.
PEOPLE OUGHT TO BE ASHAMED OF THEIR SINFUL ACTIONS.
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BUT WE SHOULD NEVER BE ASHAMED OF WHAT'S RIGHT,
WE SHOULD NEVER BE ASHAMED OF WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN US TO HELP US LIVE THE RIGHTEOUS LIFE.
PAUL SAID THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE ON CHRIST JESUS, SHALL NOT BE ASHAMED
IF YOU'RE SAVED – YOU SHOULDN'T BE ASHAMED OF IT
ROMANS 10:11b (NIV)
"ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME."
AND PAUL SAID IN…
2 TIMOTHY 1:8 (NIV)
SO DO NOT BE ASHAMED TO TESTIFY ABOUT OUR LORD, OR ASHAMED OF ME HIS PRISONER. BUT JOIN WITH ME IN SUFFERING FOR THE GOSPEL, BY THE POWER OF GOD,
SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE SITTING IN CHURCH TODAY,
USED TO DO SOME PRETTY TERRIBLE THINGS AND
THEY WEREN’T ASHAMED
WHEN THEY WERE DOING THEM THEN.
THEY DID THEM BRAZENLY OPENLY & DELIBERATELY.
THEY WERE BLATANT SINNERS
THEY WERE BOLD SINNERS
THAT'S THE KIND OF CHRISTIANS WE OUGHT TO BE.
WE SHOULD BE BLATANT CHRISTIANS.
WE SHOULD BE BOLD CHRISTIANS.
WE SHOULD BE OPEN AND DELIBERATE CHRISTIANS.
BUT WAY TOO OFTEN
WHEN WE GET SAVED
WE JUST SIT & DO NOTHING
WE LOSE OUR BOLDNESS
AND WE LOSE OUR BLATANTNESS
YOU KNOW...
I’D HATE TO THINK
THAT I WAS A BETTER SOLDIER FOR THE DEVIL
THAN I AM FOR JESUS!!!
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IF THERE EVER WAS A BOLD SINNER – IT WAS PAUL
HE MURDERED THE CHRISTIANS
HE PERSECUTED THE CHURCH
HE LED AN ALL OUT WAR AGAINST THE CHURCH
BUT WHEN PAUL GOT SAVED – HE DIDN'T SLOW DOWN.
NO HE DIDN’T!
HE JUST CHANGED SIDES
AND HE SAID “I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL!!!”
PAUL PREACHED IN TARSUS – WHERE HE WAS BORN
PAUL PREACHED IN JERUSALEM – THE HOLY CITY
HE PREACHED IN DAMASCUS AND IN ANTIOCH
HE PREACHED IN EPHESUS AND IN ATHENS
AND WHEN HE WROTE THIS LETTER TO THE ROMANS HE WAS PREACHING IN THE CITY OF CORINTH.
PAUL HADN'T GOTTEN TO ROME YET.
HE'D BEEN WANTING TO GO TO ROME FOR A LONG TIME.
MAKING IT TO ROME WAS ONE OF HIS LIFE GOALS.
IN ACTS 19:21 HE SAID
"I MUST VISIT ROME ALSO."
HE SAID, “I'VE JUST GOTTA GO PREACH TO ROME”
BUT EVERY TIME PAUL PLANNED TO GO TO ROME – SOMETHING WOULD COME UP AND KEEP HIM FROM GOING THERE.
ROMANS 1:16 (NIV)
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.
POWER DUNAMIS; DUNE A MUSS
DUNAMIS MEANS…
MIRACULOUS POWER, MIGHT, or STRENGTH:
THE DUNAMIS OF GOD
WAS SOMETHING THAT PAUL KNEW ABOUT
HE'D MET JESUS ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD,
HE'D EXPERIENCED GOD FACE TO FACE.
AND HE WAS NOT ASHAMED.
INSTEAD OF BEING ASHAMED, HE GLORIED IN IT.
HE'D SEEN GOD DO MIRACLE AFTER MIRACLE
AND HE KNEW THAT GOD WAS GOING TO GET HIM TO ROME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
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ROME WAS A POWERFUL EMPIRE.
ROME HAD BUILT GREAT HIGHWAYS
AND THEY HAD ERECTED HUGE BRIDGES.
ROME'S ARMIES WERE UNMATCHED IN THE WORLD OF THAT DAY.
THE ROMAN EMPEROR HAD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POWER.
BUT I’M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT…
THERE'S A GREATER POWER THAN THE POWER OF ROME
AND THAT POWER IS
THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION
OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES:
FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.
GOD HAS THE POWER TO SAVE
MOST OF US HERE HAVE SOME IDEA OF THE POWER
THAT THIS OLD WORLD CAN HAVE OVER US.
BUT ONCE WE’VE ACCEPTED THE FORGIVENESS THAT JESUS OFFERS.
THEN THE WORLD DOESN'T OWN US ANYMORE.
WE BELONG TO A HIGHER POWER.
WE BELONG TO GOD
AND WHEN WE BELONG TO GOD
WE CAN STEP UP AND DECLARE TO THE WORLD
THAT WE'VE BEEN CHANGED.
THERE’S A GREATER POWER AVAILABLE TO US…
THAN THE POWER OF ALCOHOL.
THERE’S A GREATER POWER AVAILABLE TO US…
THAN THE POWER OF COCAINE.
THERE’S A GREATER POWER AVAILABLE TO US…
THAN THE POWER OF PORNOGRAPHY.
THERE’S A GREATER POWER AVAILABLE TO US…
THAN ALL THE DEMONS OF HELL CAN MUSTER.
AND THAT POWER IS THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!!!
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THE SONG WRITER WROTE...
THERE'S POWER – POWER – WONDER WORKING POWER
IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB!!!
AND I'M HERE TO TELL YOU THAT...
THERE'S POWER – POWER – WONDER WORKING POWER
IN THE BLOOD OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!!!
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ROMANS 1:16 (NIV)
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.
SALVATION SŌTĒRIA;
SOTERIA MEANS DELIVERANCE, OR SALVATION:
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT WE CAN BE DELIVERED.
IN PAUL'S DAY,THE WORD “SALVATION” HAD TREMENDOUS MEANING.
BASICALLY IT MEANT “DELIVERANCE,”
A PHYSICIAN DELIVERED YOU FROM YOUR ILLNESS.
THE GOSPEL DELIVERS YOU FROM THE PENALTY AND THE POWER OF SIN.
“SALVATION” IS A MAJOR THEME IN PAUL'S LETTER TO THE ROMANS;
THAT’S BECAUSE SALVATION IS THE GREATEST NEED
OF THE HUMAN RACE.
EVERYONE OF US WERE LOST AND CONDEMNED TO GO TO HELL
IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SAVED,
THEN OUR ONLY HOPE IS HAVING FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS IN...
ROMANS 10:9-10 (NIV)
9 (NIV) THAT IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH, "JESUS IS LORD," AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED.
10 FOR IT IS WITH YOUR HEART THAT YOU BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED, AND IT IS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU CONFESS AND ARE SAVED.
__________________________________________________________
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL, BECAUSE IT IS THE POWER OF GOD FOR THE SALVATION OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE.
EVERYONE 3956. ΠᾶΣ PAS;
PAS MEANS…
ALL THE THINGS(7), ALL … THINGS(1), ALL KINDS(1),
ALL MEN(14), ALL PEOPLE(4), ALL RESPECTS(3), ALWAYS*(3),
ANY(16), ANY AT ALL(1),
ANYONE(3), ANYTHING(3),
ENTIRE(4), EVERY(128), EVERY FORM(1), EVERY KIND(9), EVERY RESPECT(1), EVERY WAY(2), EVERYONE(71),
EVERYTHING(45), FOREVER*(1),
WHAT THIS LITTLE GREEK WORD IS SAYING IS
THE GOSPEL IS NOT AN EXCLUSIVE MESSAGE.
IT'S AVAILABLE TO ANYONE WHO WILL...
ANYONE WHO WILL CONFESS WITH THEIR MOUTH, THAT
"JESUS IS LORD,"
AND BELIEVE IN THEIR HEART
THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD,
THEN THEY WILL BE SAVED.
ARE YOU AN ANYONE?
ANYONE MEANS ANY- ONE.
ANY- ONE CAN BE SAVED
BUT THEY HAVE TO HUMBLE THEMSELVES,
REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN SINFUL
AND ASK JESUS TO FORGIVE THEIR SINS.
JESUS TOLD US IN MARK 16:15 TO...
“GO YE INTO ALL THE WORLD AND PREACH THE GOSPEL,”
AREN'T YOU GLAD THAT THE GOSPEL CAN BE TAKEN
TO ALL PEOPLE!
GOD DOESN’T SAY WE HAVE TO BEHAVE TO BE SAVED,
HE SAYS WE HAVE TO BELIEVE.
IT IS THE FAITH IN CHRIST THAT SAVES US.
WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO HELL
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT
WE CAN ESCAPE HELL AND GO STRAIGHT TO HEAVEN.
AND THAT WE CAN BEGIN THAT WONDERFUL ADVENTURE WITH GOD RIGHT NOW.
