Unashamed! Series

“UNASHAMED!” Romans 1:16-17

FBCF – 3/23/25

Jon Daniels

INTRO – Swayze Bozeman read Scripture & share.

God has given you a platform. Use it to tell others about Jesus! Let’s do some “PINE TREE EVANGELISM.”

Driving to church – coming up 1st Street – Wind blowing out of the west. About halfway here, there is a pine tree in a yard. B/c of location of the tree & the direction & force of the wind, I had to drive through a yellow cloud of pollen – that stuff that’s got some of you sniffling & sneezing right now (Wichita KS – worst US city for Allergy sufferers) – that stuff that is coating our cars & trucks (appreciate the “Wash Me” message on the hood of my truck Wed night after church!) – that stuff that gets all over the seat of your pants when you forget to wipe off your chair before you sit down on your patio or porch.

Thought hit me: That pollen is necessary for the life of pine trees. Think about this analogy.

- Last year, pine trees decimated by the southern pine beetle infestation. Still see evidence all over the place. Massive swaths of forests are gone. Dead trees still standing everywhere. Many have fallen or been cut down. But that cloud of pollen represents the potential of new life as the wind carries it everywhere to reproduce new pine trees – an amazing display of the power & plan of our Creator God.

- He’s got plan for the pine trees, & He’s got an even more amazing plan for us: Sin decimates the lives of people everywhere – Romans 6:23 – “The wages of sin is death…” – Right now, in this room & all over this community & world, there are people who are like those dead pine trees, their lives decimated & devastated by the infestation of sin. And God’s plan for those people to hear the Good News about Jesus is for you & me to go to them & tell them about the life that is found in Jesus Christ alone. Just like that pollen is blown by the wind to produce new life, you & I are empowered by the wind of the Holy Spirit to go to those who are dead in their sins. That pollen is necessary for life – The Gospel of Jesus Christ is necessary for eternal life!

- What a vision for us as a church to see & take hold of! How awesome to think about a great cloud of witnesses leaving this building today & going all over the place to take the Good News of Jesus to those who need it so badly!

And the only way we will do that is if we are unashamed of the Gospel!

EXPLANATION – Romans 1:16-17 (Read again)

Title sermon series – “Sold Out!” – When we are sold out to Jesus, it means that we understand & believe & have staked our life on Jesus & Jesus alone – that nothing else matters to us – that our love for the things of the world is completely depleted – that we are totally surrendered to Him – His plans, His will, His purpose over our personal desires & ambitions.

No doubt that described the Apostle Paul.

- V. 1 – “a servant of Christ Jesus” – slave, bond-servant – “called” by God – “set apart for the Gospel of God” – Sold out for the Gospel!

- V. 14 – “It doesn't matter if people are civilized and educated, or if they are uncivilized and uneducated. I must tell the good news to everyone” (CEV).

- V. 15 – “eager” – Can’t wait! Let’s GO!!!! We have people all over this church like this!

- V. 16 – “not ashamed of the Gospel” – He had full confidence in the Gospel & had no reason not to proclaim it.

- “Sold-out & unashamed” described Paul’s life.

QUESTION: Does it describe YOUR life?

APPLICATION – Are you a sold-out, unashamed Christ-follower?

“How do I know?”

DO YOU TRULY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF GOD? – “…the power of God…”

Gk word – dunamis – dynamite – affects & impacts & transforms everything around it. A dynamo is a generator that creates electrical energy.

Sold-out, unashamed Christ-followers believe in the power of God. They believe that it affects, impacts, & transforms people’s lives. They’re blown away by it. They’ve seen it & experienced it in their own lives. They are in awe over it. They rely on it in their lives. They want to see it at work more & more.

- It’s the power of God that can take a smalltown Delta boy, save him & transform his life & allow him to be the pastor of a great church like this where the power of God is working everywhere!