Title: The Power of the Gospel
Text: Rom 1:14-17
Date: 8-12-07
Introduction:
Men have been seeking and searching trying to find the key to eternal life for a long time. The Spanish conquistador Ponce de Leon sailed to Florida, trying to find a fountain of youth. I’ve visited St. Augustine a number of years ago, almost too many to remember, I don’t recall seeing Ponce De Leon there and I haven’t seen him on any late night infomercials so I can only assume the fountain of youth didn’t work for him and I drank some of the water and I know for a fact it didn’t work for me.
The bad news is our bodies are perishable, and we don’t have the power to change that. We can do things to slow the process and help our bodies last longer and work better as they get older, but like it or not (and I for one don’t like it) our physical bodies won’t last for ever they will eventually wear out and we all face the certainty of death.
The good news is eternal life is possible. Eternal life takes place on the spiritual rather than the physical level. And when I talk about spiritual that doesn’t mean I’m talking about something any less real than the physical. Physical existence is simply one stage of existence. Paul said in 1 Co 15:19
If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. NASB
Eternal life is a key aspect of salvation. It’s not the only aspect of salvation other aspects include forgiveness, justification, and sanctification. But you might think of the other aspects of salvation being wrapped up within eternal life. In this passage Paul shares with us where the power is found that makes it is possible to have eternal life.
We might call this passage the “I am” sayings of Paul. They’re not the same as the “I Am” sayings of Jesus found in John’s gospel. Paul doesn’t use the same words Jesus used. I’m not a Greek scholar by any stretch Greek is a complicated language here the personal pronoun is understood or implied by the wording so we understand that Paul says I am under obligation, the term obligation literally means debtor, I am a debtor; I am eager, excited and ready to go and I am not ashamed, or I am confident.
I Am a Debtor v. 14
Generally when we think of debt, we usually get a bad taste in our mouth. We think another bill we owe or something else to worry about. You’ve probably seen the bumper sticker that says “I owe I owe it’s off to work I go.”
Paul uses the term in a different way. Paul is not saying I am in debt to the world, he hasn’t received something from the world he has to pay back. He owes a debt to the world. He has something he is obligated to share with the world.
Greeks it is a reference to the “classical world.” The Greco-Roman world or those who spoke the Greek language. Generally we think barbarians as people who are uncivilized and cruel. I think of Conan the Barbarian, Governor Schwarzenegger’s movie, the pagan warrior. The word barbarian however, is a term which simply refers to all people, tribes and nations who don’t speak the Greek language. Paul also makes reference to the wise or the educated literate people and those who are not formally educated. This later group of uneducated people made up the majority of people in the world, and they were looked down on by those who considered themselves civilized.
The example that comes to my mind is the caste system of India where those on the bottom rung of the social ladder are called the untouchables who until recent times had no right to study or get an education, no right to go to the temple to worship, or get water from a public well or spigot. They are considered almost less than human.
Paul says he has a debt or obligation to all humanity regardless of any external divisions or classifications.
Why is Paul a debtor to the world? I mentioned earlier when we think of debt we usually think in terms of someone on and institution of some kind like a bank that has loaned us money. We are then obligated or in debt to pay that money back. A different way of thinking of debt would be if someone gave us money that was for someone else. Then we are indebted to that third party until we give to them what we have received for them.
Paul has been entrusted by God with a message for all people Jews, Greeks and non-Greeks and he is under obligation or debt to all humanity until he fulfills that obligation.
When Paul says "I am under obligation," he means he has a concern for others. We need to understand that while we have not been called specifically as apostles, we are under this same obligation to the world, and we need to have that same concern. That means sharing the gospel is not an option for the Christian, it is a solemn obligation.
I am Eager v. 15
Paul wants us to understand this obligation is not a burden. It is a joy and privilege. It is an obligation Paul is more than ready to carry out. Paul’s use of the word translated ready means he is eagerly and earnestly waiting for and desiring the opportunity to fulfill his obligation by preaching the gospel in Rome. Paul is excited. His life was changed on the road to Damascus and he is eager to share that life changing experience with everyone else. That’s the way we should be, if something has happened in our life that is so transforming and life changing we should be excited and eager to share it.
There was an old television series called the millionaire? In the show different people were chosen by a wealthy philanthropist to receive a million dollars. The show revolved around this wealth man’s personal assistant who was dispatched with the check. The personal assistant had a debt to the people to whom he was sent. He had an obligation to them to present them with this million dollar check. He was eager to find them and hand their check to them because it brought happiness to everyone the millionaire, his employee and the people who received the money.
Paul’s obligation to the gospel brings much more than just the happiness that million dollar check brought because happiness is based on external circumstances. In fulfilling his obligation to the gospel Paul brought joy to the Lord and that’s certainly a reason to be eager to share, but it also brought joy to Paul and it brought joy to all those who received the gospel message by faith.
I am not ashamed v.16-17
Paul is a debtor to the world because he is indebted to the gospel. He is eager and ready to fulfill that obligation and proclaim the gospel. And he wants us to know he is not ashamed of the gospel.
Why would he be ashamed? In 1 Co 1:23 Paul explained that the message of Christ crucified was a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Gentiles
The NLT says: So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. NLT
In other words the gospel isn’t all that well received in the world and that might give a person cause to be anxious or a little embarrassed or feeling a little shame.
But, Paul is not ashamed. He says, "I am ready to preach at Rome, even though I might seem to be deterred by the contempt in which the Gospel is held, and by the prospect of my own humiliation as a preacher of the gospel, I am not ashamed of it." "I am confident, and I am resting on unshakable experience in Christ. Paul had already experienced rejection at the hands of men, he had suffered mockery humiliation and mistreatment, even to the point of death because of the gospel. In spite of all that and what may be yet to come he says there is no need for me to feel shame or guilt no need to be embarrassed or afraid. Instead I’m excited and eager.
Why? Two reasons
1. The acceptance of God is greater than the rejection of men. What happened on the road to Damascus far outweighs what happened at the hands of men.
The truth of God’s transforming power in your life far outweighs any reason you might have to feel embarrassed or ashamed of the gospel.
2. Paul goes on to explain further why he feels there is no need to be ashamed. Because only the gospel has the power to save humanity. There are many things in the world which have power to bring about change, but these things are not the source of salvation for humanity, they can’t save the world from it’s real problem.
Christianity has been accused of being anti-education, anti-science, sometimes anti-government. I don’t believe anything could be further from the truth. I am an advocate of higher education, I’m educated I spent 10 years after high school long after high school getting an education. Paul was educated, Luke was a doctor. But education is not the answer. I’m an advocate of Capitalism, but capitalism will not save the world. I support the democratic system of government, but that will not save the world. I believe science is important, but science can’t save the world. I’m not anti anything except sin and neither is Christianity. However, the real problem with the world is sin and Salvation can only come through the transforming power of Jesus Christ in the lives of men and women. That is the powerful dynamic message of the gospel.
When Paul talks about the power of the gospel he means the message of Christ not a lifeless, philosophical abstract message. It is the life giving, life altering, declaration of God’s redemptive love available to all who would respond in faith. The gospel is the righteousness of God revealed from heaven in the person of Jesus Christ. Who by the way if you read yesterday’s Values Section is not God’s little friend! It is not about how men and women can work to improve themselves or to make themselves worthy or earn God’s favor. It is about how God in love came to humanity in the person of Jesus Christ, God incarnate and went to the cross to atone for the sin of the world and restore a relationship that humanity could never restore for itself. It is the power of God for salvation to all who believe.
The Living Bible says: It is God's powerful method of bringing all who believe it to heaven. This message was preached first to the Jews alone, but now everyone is invited to come to God in this same way. Ro 1:16-17 TLB
In his book A Turtle on a Fencepost Allan Emery who was the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1979 relates a personal story about Joseph S. Olzewski and the power of the gospel to transform lives. Like many people Allan Emery enlisted the clay after Pearl Harbor, He chose to enter the Coast Guard and was assigned to his hometown of Boston as a quartermaster. He was given the Friday night duty of guarding one of the wharfs and had decided to get some sleep before going on duty that night.
He was in the watch-keepers bunkroom when one of his new friends, Joseph Olzweski came by. Joe was impeccably dressed in his dress-blues, His hat was squared, his shoes were spit shined and he had the biggest smile on his face that Allan had ever seen. Joe explained that the night before at the USO he had meet a wealthy girl who had invited him to spend the weekend at her apartment on Beacon Hill. She was going to take him to the opera that night she had plenty of records and alcohol and he didn’t have to be back until 0700 Monday morning. He closed by saying this was going to be the best weekend of his life.
Allan responded by saying I’ll be praying for you. Joe walked out and immediately turned around and walked back in and demanded to know what Allan has said. When Allan again told him that he would be praying for him. He angrily wanted to know why. Alan explained that when he got back Monday he would be a different person. Sin leaves its mark, he said, it may be fun for a season but it results in spiritual death.
Joe said a few choice words and left. That night while on watch Allan noticed a figure in the shadows outside the fence near a couple of rail cars and paid special attention to see what or who was there. Shortly he noticed the figure of a man in the light and yelled the traditional “Halt who goes there.” To his surprise it was a sailor in dress blues, it was Joe. Joe explained that it was impossible for him to have a good time with someone praying for him, as a matter of fact he explained that he had stood the girl up. He had been waiting for Allan to come on duty so that he could ask him how to find God.
Allan says he took him into the sentry box where he could watch the gate opened his New Testament and presented the gospel including Jn 3:16 to Joseph Dlzewski who accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Joe became an active member of a local church as every week he spent inviting service men to church and sharing the gospel of Christ.
Shortly after that Joe volunteered for sea duty and was assigned to a mine sweeper in the North Atlantic where a German torpedo sank his ship on Feb 3, 1943 Joe Olzewski’s physical life ended that day, but he had already gained eternal life by the power of the gospel.
How does the gospel do this? Through the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel message. The righteousness of God is a radical, dynamic, heavenly righteousness. It is a righteousness that is an not be attained by human effort, but is imputed or given to the believer through faith in Jesus Christ. It is His righteousness applied to your life. It originated with God, it is prepared by God, demonstrated in Jesus Christ revealed in the gospel and offered to us and it is entirely of faith.
It means that it is possible have and to know you have eternal life, it is possible to be free from trying to earn righteousness and heaven. The sole requirement for this power to be activated is faith. It is the greatest power and the greatest news ever proclaimed.
A person is justified by faith in Christ and a person justified by faith in Christ shall truly live and have eternal life.
Like Paul we are indebted to that same gospel if it has touched and transformed our lives. The power of the gospel took a persecutor of the church and made him it’s greatest spokesman and missionary. It took a long-haired, rebellious among other things, country boy from Georgia and transformed him into a preacher of the gospel. And if you have placed your faith in Jesus it has done something in your life too.
While the message of Jesus and the cross may be a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others it is still the only means of salvation for the world. We must be eager for other to know and experience that same life altering powerful love and never be ashamed of it’s message. The gospel is the message God’s love manifest to all who would believe in Jesus Christ. It is God’s message, It is our message, it is the message of the cross. Has the power of that message transformed you?