“This Is Intense!”
Text: Romans 1:16-17, “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.’”
Focus: The Gospel of Jesus Christ is worthy of pride and intense following. We Christians often take the Gospel too lightly, and we miss the true blessing of living an intense faith in the midst of a dark day.
Function: To encourage believers to know the Lord in a more intense and vigorous way. It is inevitable that all of Christendom would wake itself and live a strong faith relationship in the middle of a dying world.
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PRAYER…
INTRODUCTION:
Since it is that time of the year that people seem to want to strike the fear in themselves with movies…haunted houses…and a myriad of spooky things…
-Things that are more “INTENSE” than what I care to be a part of…
I wanted to focus on something else that I believe is ALL THE MORE INTENSE!...
The WORD OF THE LIVING GOD!
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You know…
Back in my teen years we would use the phase…“It is intense” or “That’s intense”
Quite often, it was used to describe something that was very cool….exciting…awesome…and thrilling!
-You could use the term for a variety of reasons…on a variety of occasions…
-We would describe a movie that way…or a roller coaster…and sometimes even a person.
Many of us see suspensful movies, and we can’t even endure the intensity as we scream…“the bad guy is just around the corner!”…or “don’t go in there!”…or “I know that he isn’t dead, he going to jump up!”
We go to Amusement Parks and ride some of the best roller coasters…and the INTENSITY of the ride keeps bringing us back to loose our stomachs…and lunch…time after time.
EX:
Tell of the ride at Kenneywood in Pitts., PA. The Steel Phantom whose drop was the longest of all rides. Over 250 feet! Straight Down!!!
INTENSE!
We used this term to determine what was an extreme in feeling; it showed, or brought forth, a strong feeling from others.
-Something intense is “full of vigorous activity”…as the dictionary defines…
BUT, hear me this morning…how I see it, is that our faith in Jesus Christ should be intense also!
-Living for God should be extreme, and full of vigorous activity!
-Read the Book of Acts!
-So, we adherents of the FAITH should be showing a strong feeling towards the faith.
-This is what intense is.
I see Romans 1:16-17 as revealing such an INTENSITY…
READ THE TEXT: “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.’”
PROUDLY…Paul proclaims here that he is not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
-He has no embarrassment or feelings of disgrace because of the gospel.
-He doesn’t get humiliated, or mortified, because someone finds out that he knows God, and claims to follow after Him.
Now, you may ask, “Just, why would he be ashamed, why is he claiming not to be ashamed?”
There are a couple reasons…
A few reasons that will help us to know just why he is specifically being BOLD here…and for good reason!
#1 - He is writing to Rome.
Rome was the most powerful of all the cities in the world. And the Gospel came from Jerusalem, the capital city of a small nation that Rome had already conquered.
#2 - For a Gentile city to believe in a poor Jewish carpenter who has died on a cross, the lowest form of death, is unbelievable. No one would do it (in their reasoning), therefore, it is detestable.
#3 - Rome was a city that was full of great philosophers and philosophies, so why believe in a “fable” about a Jew who rose from the dead?
#4 - The Christians saw each other as brothers and sisters, and this was below the prideful and dignified Roman who would never think of being close to pauper.
All of these are reasons that Paul had to go out of his way to declare his PRIDE in the Lord…
Because…these points are all reasons as to why choosing to be a follower of the Gospel of Christ was merely a joke to the Roman mind…
Though the ones around us are not Romans…basically, the mentality is the same…
These are the same type of people we face today in this world…a proud, arrogant, and snooty people.
-While the world thinks they have it all figured out, but they really have discovered nothing.
-Because ONLY Christ can make their lives what they want them to be, abundant!
So…Paul is encouraging us through these two verses to be Christians who are not ashamed of the Gospel, nor a shame to the Gospel!
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Now, Paul had a firm confidence in the intensity of the Gospel; and he gives us several reasons why he wasn’t ashamed, and why we shouldn’t be ashamed either!
POINT ONE: THE ORIGIN OF THE GOSPEL!
Romans 1:16 (in the KJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
You know…back in these days, it is common knowledge that any message that came from the mouth of Caesar would receive immediate attention from the Romans.
-And if Caesar demanded such respect and attention…
-What about the Word of the Living God???!!!
After all, the Gospel is the very message of God about His Son!
John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.’”
Some simple Bible Quiz questions…
What is the Bible?
The Bible is the Inspired Word of God, and is His revelation of Himself to man, and is His plan of salvation…
Now…THAT is INTENSE!
It is the INSPIRED Word of God!
How many people wrote the Bible?
Approximately 40 people…
How long did it take to write the Bible?
Around 1500 years…
And yet…it is INFALLABLE…it all relates, and is profitable for reproof, rebuke, and instruction!
It could only happen if the ORIGIN of the Gospel was in the Lord Himself!
So, how could Paul, or any of us, be ashamed of such a message that comes from God Himself?
We cannot be ashamed of this message!!!
This message saves, heals, delivers, guides, redirects, cleanses, salvages, reconstructs, revives and renews!
Shame of this Life-giving Gospel can only come from one who hasn’t believed and experienced it.
This is the Gospel of Christ!
THIS Is Intense!!!!!
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Another reason that we cannot be ashamed of this Gospel is because…
POINT TWO: THE OPERATION OF THE GOSPEL!
Romans 1:16 (in the KJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
It is the power of God!!! It OPERATES with the POWER of God!
-These are just words on a page, but when the Holy Spirit gets involved…watch out!
-Then it becomes what Hebrews 4:12 describes to us, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart."
That is real power!
But, as we know, people and nations have ambitions for power themselves…
It was no different for Rome…
Now…if there was anything that Rome was able to boast of, it was power.
Rome possessed the most power and they were very proud of that.
-In fact, the whole empire shook in fear of Rome’s power…
-However, with all their military power they possessed, they were still weak.
For example:
Rome was considered to be “A cesspool of iniquity” and a “filthy sewer into which the dregs of the empire flood”.
-As you can imagine, if any place needed POWER it was Rome.
-And, not military power or powerful leaders…
-No, no…what they needed was the power of the Gospel!
I Corinthians 1:18, “For the Word of the Cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses for me…”
Ephesians 6:10, “…Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”
The Greek word for power is DYNAMIS which is where we get the word for dynamite.
-A very descriptive word for us to reveal just how POWERFUL the Gospel is, and even more so, than dynamite.
-But don’t misunderstand…its power is not to destroy what stands in opposition to it…to blast a path of success…or to deliver people from those heavy bands they have; even though it can, has and does.
But, its focus is on the power of its obvious effectiveness!
Its power to bring a righteousness from God to sinful man!
This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that Paul is delivering, and he knows of its power because he has seen it’s work in other wicked cities such as Corinth and Ephesus…
But more importantly, he has known the transformation power of the Gospel in his own life.
And…
Haven’t we all experienced this same power in our own lives?
And if we have, should we also, not be ashamed?
ILLUSTRATION:
Read the illustration of power and the volcano eruption.
That is nature’s display of power…
But that was created by God.
Just imagine the power that the Creator holds.
I believe that the power of God wants to also erupt and burst forth on its people.
And, when it does, it will lay waste all that is not to be and be replaced with the presence and power of Almighty God!
THIS Is Intense!!!!!
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And, the OPERATION leads to something else…
POINT THREE: THE OUTCOME OF THE GOSPEL!
Romans 1:16 (in the KJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Salvation…what an awesome OUTCOME!
Salvation was a very important term in the days of Paul.
-Its basic meaning was deliverance, soundness or wholeness; applying personally and nationally, both.
The Gospel of Christ has the power to deliver the sinner from the penalty and power of sin.
And this salvation only comes through the faith in Jesus Christ as established in the Gospel.
Romans 10:9-11, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised him from the dead, thou shall be saved, For with the heart man believeth unto righteuoness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture says, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”
The Gospel shows the way of Salvation; through the power of God…
After all, without the power of God the Gospel is just a dead letter.
And, Salvation has been described as the one way with two sides and three stages:
One Way of Salvation
1) Jesus is the only way for salvation - John 3:16 & John 14:6
Two Sides of Salvation:
Received by Grace - John 1:16, “And of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
Through Faith - Acts 16:31, “And they said, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, and thy house.”
It comes as a result of God’s Grace and the human response of faith.
To sum it up: Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God…”
Three Stages of Salvation - Sanctification
This is where we pass from spiritual death to spiritual life. This is when you receive your forgiveness of sins. Acts 10:43 A saving from the penalties of sin, Luke 7:50
This is our present salvation from the dominion of sin and its practices, Romans 5:10-11
relationship w/God
dead to sin and alive in Christ
to be filled with the Spirit of God
to be ye separate from sin and sinfulness
the call to fight the enemy and evil
This is the salvation from the actual presence of sin, I Corinthians 5:5
our deliverance from God’s wrath
our sharing in divine glory and receiving a transformed body
our receiving rewards as the faithful
Heaven!
Thank the Lord for a sure salvation from our sins.
We are unable to pay the price ourselves, but only Jesus could provide and escape for us.
ILLUSTRATION:
Read the illustration for the assurance of salvation.
Thank the Lord for salvation. Salvation is a powerful thing.
THIS Is Intense!!!!!
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Lastly, we need not be ashamed of the Gospel because…
POINT FOUR: THE OUTREACH OF THE GOSPEL!
Romans 1:16 (in the KJV) “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
The outreach of the Gospel is to EVERYONE!
This is a Gospel message that is not exclusive to any particular race, color or creed.
-Can you thank the Lord…
-Because we would have been the first out…we ain’t Jewish!
- “…to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Mark 16:15, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
Now…the implication that it is offered to the Jew first doesn’t mean that they are the priority, but it has been offered to them long ago, in Jesus’ ministry and the apostles, and now they have passed it by, and the Lord have now opened it to the Gentiles too, through the ministry of Paul.
-It is a case of Historical priority and not essential priority.
The Gospel is prepared for all who would want to believe in Him.
Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit…”
Now…what can be more intense than a Gospel that is from One who is all, has all power, can save all, and is able to reach all!!!
THIS Is Intense!!!!!
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AS WE CLOSE:
Verse 17 sums up the book by saying that God’s Righteousness in revealed in the Gospel.
He reveals His righteousness by making salvation available to the sinner.
-God does this through His Son.
-He is both Just and the Justifier.
This righteousness is by faith, a sinner can only become just before God through faith.
Therefore, the righteousness given by God in His mercy and grace; is received by man through faith.
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Read the text again!
Romans 1:16-17, “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.’”
I feel like Jeremiah who has fire shot up in His bones.
-Oh, the intensity, and zeal that He must have felt.
-How it must have consumed his soul and the fervency that he had to have known at that moment.
-The living Word had consumed his heart and his complete being; body, mind and soul.
There is an intensity that we must feel in our own lives…look and see what the Lord will do.
We must pray for a new intensity in our lives today as well!
ILLUSTRATION:
Water in three states of matter:
gas - liquid - solid
32 degrees = Frozen
Vapor - Water - Ice
212 degrees = Boiling or Gas
What gives this same substance the ability to present itself in these different states of matter?
ONE DEGREE!
It is the difference of one degree.
Today, we all could turn the intensity up a degree at the least, some could go up two, five, ten degrees, but we all need to and must grow! And when we do we will become something totally different to this world because the Lord has changed us.
The Gospel of the Lord is worthy of Intense following because of:
1) Its origin in Christ!
2) Its operation in Power!
3) Its outcome of Salvation!
and...
4) Its outreach to Everyone!
