Spit It Out!

SPIT IT OUT!

Text: Rom 1:16-17

(16) 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. (17) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Humor: Spit it Out!

One Sunday morning after church as I was shaking hands with a young dad, suddenly he said, “Pastor, excuse me, please.” He had noticed his little 4-year-old with something in her mouth. Fearing what she may have in her mouth, he demanded her to spit it out. She shook her head “No!” And jaws bulging out, she kept chewing. Then, again with more authority, her dad demanded, “Spit it out.” She refused. He put his hand under her mouth and loudly demanded, “Spit It Out, and Spit it out now!” Knowing that her dad meant business, directing her mouth down to his outstretched hand, into his palm she spit out a mouthful of spit and a gooey mess which was obviously once an Oreo cookie. It looked detestable. We all had a good laugh.

His little daughter did not want to share what she had but was compelled to do so.

We could also say that we are also compelled to share the Gospel. But not because we have our heavenly father threatening us. No, because it is the most powerful and needful message in the world, and because “The Love of Christ compels us to!”

©Loyd C Taylor, Sr.

INTRODUCTION:

After introducing the Messenger, the Message, and his Motives in the first 15 verses of this book, the Apostle Paul turns the spotlight on the Gospel that he is going to be writing about.

In these 2 verses, we are given one of the greatest summaries of the Gospel ever written by a man.

In these verses, we can see a clear declaration of God's power and purpose in the Gospel message.

Paul's statements about the Gospel begin strangely. He says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ..." He seems to answer a challenge by bringing us the fact that he is not "ashamed of the Gospel."

This may have been strange to those who knew Paul, just as it may seem strange to us today; for who, or why would anyone ever be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

Why would anyone be ashamed of the Gospel. The reasons in Paul's day are the same today!

SOME REASONS WHY SOME WOULD HAVE BEEN ASHAMED.

1. THE MORAL CONDITION OF THAT DAY: Sinful!

Nero was the Emperor of Rome. He was a wicked, degenerate man.

The city of Rome was a cesspool of sin and wicked living.

The Gospel Paul preached was opposed to everything Rome was.

2. THE BLOOD-LINE OF PAUL: Jewish!

Most know that Paul was a Jew.

Jews were considered by many to be a sub-human race.

They were fit for nothing but to be despised, mistreated, and enslaved.

Ordinary Jews would have been tempted to shy away from non-Jews.

3. THE MESSAGE PAUL PREACHED: Faith in Jesus, a Jew, God’s Son!

Understanding, that the Gospel Paul was preaching was almost unbelievable.

Think of it, the Savior Paul was preaching was a male member of the despised Jewish race, He was said to be the Savior of man, He claimed to be the Son of God, even God Himself, yet He claimed to be a man.

His death was different than other men in that He died on a Roman cross, a symbol of shame, but in dying this death, He was said to have died for all men.

And, if that wasn't enough, this man was said to have risen from the dead the third day after His death. To many people, the claims of the Gospel were just too bizarre to believe.

ILL. THINGS HAVEN'T CHANGED MUCH - 1Co 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

4. THE TREATMENT PAUL ENDURED: Persecuted, rejected, hated!

You see, everywhere Paul went preaching the cross, he was ridiculed, cast out, imprisoned, or treated cruelly.

Many would not have been able to endure the shame of the cross.

With all these things in mind, it is easy to see why Paul would want to be clear about his commitment to the Gospel message.

He would want these people to know that they were hearing from a man who believed his message and was willing to pay the price to share it.

SUMMARY: Now that we know why some would have been ashamed, why wasn't Paul?

After all, many in our day are ashamed of the Gospel message!