Good Spell Romans 1:16-17 February 4, 2007

The Gospel: The Good Spell Romans 1:16-17 February 4, 2007

(Big Idea: Through faith in the faithfulness of God we are forgiven and freed to share our faith.)

As a youth this young man was addicted to his sexual passions.

But he had a devout mother who faithfully prayed for him.

He became a teacher of literature and communications. He wanted to learn how to become an effective public speaker so he would to listen to an eloquent preacher and was thus exposed to the Gospel.

One summer when he was 32 years old, he walked out into his garden, seeking some solitude…

He was in despair over his sexual addiction.

He sat under a fig tree and wept.

He then heard a child’s voice say “take and read”, “take and read”, “take and read.”

He stood, returned to his house and grabbed a copy of the Scriptures and opened it randomly and read the words of Paul, “Put off sexual immorality and put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for the lust of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). Like a light, these words entered Augustine’s heart.

Augustine, originally from Africa, went on to become one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Christian church.

A young monk with a sensitive conscience struggled deeply over his sense of guilt before God finds freedom in the book of Romans. He says that Romans led him into paradise. His name, Martin Luther—the great reformer of the church.

My friend Alison was going a very time painful time in her life. Her family was in a time of great turmoil… She didn’t know God, but went on a Christian young people’s retreat. One day everyone was supposed to have some “quiet time” in nature with God. Alison, took time to walk in the woods, she had a Bible in her hand and she and looked down upon these words... suffering leads to perseverance and perseverance to character, character to hope… hope doe not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured our in our hearts by the Spirit… she read the words of Paul from Romans 5 and she felt at moment God entered her life…

Fear years Chuck Smith was pastoring a tiny, fledgling church in Southern California… going through the Romans was a turning point for the life of his church… and out of his church came what is known as the Calvary Chapel church movement…
The book of Romans is without question of the one of the most influential works that has ever been written…

Over the course of next few months, we’re going to be exploring what this book has to say, and if you’re part of this community, I’d encourage you to prayerfully read and re read the book of Romans. It’s a challenging read, but very rewarding…

John Calvin says that if you understand Romans, you will understand of all of Scripture. The Bible tells us about what has gone wrong with the world because of sin and it talks about how God choose a person named Abraham and promised through him, through his family he will bring blessing to the world by dealing with it’s sin… and the book of Romans shows us show this promise is fulfilled through the Messiah Jesus Christ…

Pray…

Before we go the text, let me give you a little background.

The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul likely in Corinth in about the year 57 AD.

Paul, who had formerly been a great persecutor of the church, is intending to go Spain as part of a missionary itinerary… (Romans 15:24, 28).

(show map and use pointer)

Paul needs a mission base and Rome which is of course situated between Jerusalem and Spain will serve as an ideal location.

In order to build credibility for the community that will serve as his mission support base, Paul needs to clarify exactly what he believes so he writes Romans.

New Testament scholar NT Wright makes the observation that Paul’s ambition to go to Spain caused him to write Romans… But as far as we know Paul never makes it to Spain…

C.S. Lewis had an ambition to become a poet, which he never really did, but that ambition helped him to write other works by God’s providence…

Sometimes we have an ambition to do so something that is not fulfilled in our life, but the desire to do can cause to do something else which enables to fulfill God’s plan for us.

God’s uses Paul ambition to go Spain to write this extraordinary that reveals God’s plan for us.

So, if you have your Bibles please turn to Romans 1:1

Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant (literally a slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power (Paul here establishing Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah) by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship (means sent out) to call all the Gentiles to faith and obedience for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
In verses 8-13 Paul speaks of his longing to visit Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
In Romans 1:16-17, Paul talks about how he is not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Today and in the weeks to come we are going to unpack what this Gospel, “euangalion” or literally “good news” is…

The Gospel is good news about a righteous or right act that God has done for us.

Notice vs. 17
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Paul says in vs. 17 “In the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a right act God has done for us…

The righteousness of God (which is the best translation is not from God) here refers to what God has done to put right what has gone wrong in the world through “sin,” a spiritual toxin that alienates us from our maker, ourselves, each other… and creation…

God has taken action through Christ for us to clear the spiritual toxins… that separate from God so that we can be restored to God… and out of our being restored to God we can be restored to ourselves, each other, and creation.

When we put our faith in the faithfulness of God in restoring us to himself through the death of Christ on the cross, we are put right relationship with God…

When Paul talks about putting our faith in the faithfulness work of God, the word in the Greek is in the present continuous tense, which means we are to continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God,

We to live as vs. 17 reads in the original Greek from faith to faith, then Paul quoting Habakkuk in the Old Testament live by faith…

In vs. 17 the word in the Greek the word faith appears 3 times.

Sometime people say I believed in the Gospel when 7 years ago or I prayed to receive Christ as university student, Paul would say we are continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God, we are to live from faith to faith, we are to live by faith.

Paul and writers of Scripture, tell us again and again to persevere in our faith in God…

This means that whether we’ve been a Christian for 2 days or 20 years, that every day we embrace the Gospel… and remind that our faith and hope is in God’s faithfulness not in our money, not in our education, not in our appearance, not in a human being, but in God…

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that bring salvation, that rescues from sin, that restores to God everyone who believes, everyone who by faith….

Paul is not ashamed of this message because it is the greatest news ever--we can be restored to God, ourselves, others!

Gospel literally means good news.

In the old English, the word has meant the God spell and Good spell…

Gospel is the, God spell, the good spell that makes us right with God and each other….

C.S. Lewis called the Gospel, the “good virus…”

In this passage Paul talks about the fact that he is not ashamed of the Gospel…

It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile…

The Gospel not only restores us to God… and ourselves, but to others as well…

Paul says the Gospel is the power of salvation for all who continue to believe first for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Part of what may be driving Paul to say “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” may be the fact that the Gospel came first came to Jews and second to Gentiles, historically speaking.

It may also be written out of the motivation for the Gentiles to re-accept the Jews who had been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius in last 40s AD and who are now returning to Rome now that Emperor Claudius is dead.

Paul may be concerned now that Gentiles are in the drivers’ seat in so far as church leadership is concerned. They may not accept the Jewish followers of Christ who are coming back… that they may retreat the Jewish followers as second class citizens.

Paul is also aware that once the Jews return they may engage in debates with Gentiles over what part of Moses still apply…

Paul desires that the Jews and the Gentiles be united as community because their oneness will demonstrate the power of Gospel to restore to each other..

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of salvation for all who believe…. First for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Paul was not ashamed for the Gospel because it the “power” of the dunamis of God, the same word from which we get the word dynamite. … Dynamite, of course, was not invented until 1867, and when people who invented what we now call dynamite wanted to they used this Greek work dunamis…

The Gospel has the power to change our lives…

Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospel… why does he state this negatively? Why doesn’t he say, I am proud of the Gospel?

He states it negatively because he knows Jewish people, as he points out 1 Cor 1, will tend to scorn the idea of the Messiah, the anointed savior as crucified on a cross because the Jewish viewed those who were crucified were criminals, cursed by God…

He knows that Greeks will try to shame Paul in his proclamation of the Gospel, as he points also in 1 Corinthians 1, because he knows the Greeks loved sophisticated philosophy. The Greeks were proud of the writings of their Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle.

He knows that both Jews and Greeks will try to shame him, but he is not ashamed because it the power of God to rescue all who trust and continue to trust in Jesus Christ… first the Jew and then Greek (which is literally reading of Romans 1:16).

At times Paul was shamed for his communication of the Gospel… he was jeered, beaten, imprisoned, faced death, but he was not ashamed of the Gospel… because it had power to rescue those who trust in Jesus Christ…

None here are facing, the same kind of shaming for being a follower of Jesus Christ that Paul faced, but we can be ashamed of the Gospel even if the only repercussion is someone rolling their eyes….

Some times we are ashamed of the Gospel, we’re afraid that if we speak of Christ, people may label as being part of Christian “right” or supports George Bush foreign policy. In context of personal conversation, some one recently asked me if Bush’s Iraq policy is representative of Christians in general… In this conversation, I said in my personal view (I wasn’t speaking on behalf of 10th Ave church, i.e. this is a context of personal conversation), here is Bush’s policy foreign policy seems to differ with the teaching of Jesus.

In the fall, the C.B.C. carried a story about how difficult it is for most to share their faith at work place…

Naomi Wolf, the influential feminist writer, who’s been on a spiritual journey, says today we can talk about just about anything—even subjects were considered “taboo” topics in other previous generations like sex and politics are now ok to talk, but discussing faith is still so difficult for us, because deep inside us there is still a part of us that is 13 years old...

So how do we become people like Paul who are not ashamed of the Gospel?

I really believe that it comes from a core conviction that Paul has that the greatest gift a person can receive is not a great education, a great job, a great partner, a great family is… the gift of restored to God and out ourselves and to each other…. It’s the Gospel…

When the Jewish Rabbi’s were translating the Hebrew Bible in Greek (called the Septuagint) and were trying to figure out what words us to use to translate the wonderful Hebrew word “shalom” which means, peace, total wellness, wholeness into Greek, they thought we can use the word eriene which means in Greek means peace, teleous which means fulfillment of purpose, and we can use the word sotere which means salvation. The Gospel is greatest gift because it brings us Shalom, wholeness with God… and out of that personal wholeness with our selves, others, and the earth.

I remember as an undergraduate student, I was traveling in Europe with a fellow student named John. John was tanned, student who came from Florida and was a professional tennis player, who was just making enough on tour in Europe to travel Europe….

I have two memories I have that stand out teaching on the train how to fit a forehand on hand… I also remember he would get conversations with these European people about God. John was a Christian and I remembering him saying do you believe that a life with God is the best life possible? People would immediately say “yes…” and John would say… would you like to give your life over to God? People would say no…

Arguably this young American friend… was too outspoken about his faith… but one thing I really admire about John was his deep conviction…that very best life a person could have was life with God… if we really believe this then we too will become ambassadors of the Gospel…

One of the people I know who’s really living this out is Jennifer Seo… Jennifer is a member of this community, I’ve seen her reach out to people. She’s brought people who seeking to our home Bible study, services here, and last week she introduced me to someone whom she has been reaching out to and I’ve asked her to come and share:

I have known my friend and co-worker Laura about a year and we have spent a lot of time together doing variety of activities.

When I first found out she didn't have God in her life, my heart went out to her in prayer.
I wanted her to come to know God because I myself have experienced God's goodness and I wanted her to experience it as well.

Sharing the Gospel was something that was always on my mind, but it was something I had to rely on God for.

I knew that there is no “one rule”in bringing someone to Christ. I knew I had no power to change anyone's heart. Only God can do that.

That led me to me pray.

I have prayed for her faithfully since I met her and beginning of January this year, four of my friends joined me in praying for Laura everyday.

I also wanted to be a good listener. Before sharing the Gospel with her, I wanted to really listen and understand where she was at.
I wanted to be a blessing to her.

However, as our friendship grew, what I realized was that she was a blessing to me more than I was a blessing to her.

So many times I was deeply moved by her kindness, generosity and patience.

That humbled me and gave me the heart to continue to pray for her.

I didn't know when or if she was going to accept Christ in her heart. I wanted to see it happen, but ultimately, it wasn't up to me. But what I told myself constantly was that I was never going to give up praying for her.

As we spent more time together, we were able to talk about deeper things in life as well.

She was open to talk about God. I shared with her what Christ has done for me and how He changed my life.
I told her God is a living God who wants to have a relationship with her.
I gave her the book 'Purpose Driven Life' and the Bible.
God opened her heart and gave her the desire to read His Word and also to pray.

Laura began to experience God in a very personal and powerful way. And she invited Christ in her heart two weeks ago.

I am thankful for all the things God has been doing in Laura's life.


At our home Bible study this past week that my wife leads, she asked all if we’re ever ashamed to share the Gospel (we’re also going through Romans in our small group)…

When it was my turn to share…

I said, When I was younger and new Christian, I seemed free to share with almost everyone…

In high school I volunteered to drive my younger brother’s friends who had been hanging out at our house back to their home after, my brother (years later) told, when we were riding I was silently praying you would not start talking about Jesus to my friends…

In early days as a Christian, I felt free to very free to share my faith and I think I sometimes overwhelmed people with the Gospel…

And now as adult, maybe driven by vain desire to appear sophisticated sometimes, I wonder if underwhelming with the Gospel… As an adult… I am more inclined to hesitate…
I said, I remember being at this dinner party at a hotel here in the city… there about 10-12 of us, mostly “accomplished, secular types.” And the host asked us to share for a few minutes something we were passionate about… I thought I could share about sailing, I’m passionate about that… it’s safe… I could a golden retriever than I run with and passionate about… people would like the story… then the though through my mind, why not share about you’re most passionate about? Jesus Christ… so after hesitating inside, I out of my experience, drawing a little on what other had said, about the difference Jesus Christ has in my life…

I want to become a person who when the Holy Spirit leads will not hesitate and share my faith in Jesus…

If you’re like me as I was when I was a new Christian and you’re overwhelming people as an ambassador of Jesus Christ… perhaps ask God to help tone down, so you can be an effective witness for Christ…and if your tendency underwhelm people with the Gospel as an ambassador… perhaps you would pray that Holy Spirit…would enable free and joyful ambassador for Christ…
…
I recently reading part of the classic book the Cloud of Unknowing.

In that book… the monk of 14 century tells the reader that when you pray, tell yourself you’ll die at the end of your prayer…

It’s sound morose, but it has a way of focusing our life…

As I prayed and said, I will be dead by the end of the prayer... I found heart saying, I want to be faithful in my quest to know God, faithful in my relationship with wif, (in most wholistic sense), I want to be faithful my call in the Gospel…

Paul was single.

Paul passionately wanted to be faithful to God and to Gospel.

He said, “ I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation or all who believe first for the Jew… then Gentile…”

Paul in first 1 Cor 11 tells say… the Lord Jesus… on the night he was betrayed… took bread… (communion).

The Gospel: The Good Spell Romans 1:16-17 February 4, 2007

(Big Idea: Through faith in the faithfulness of God we are forgiven and freed to share our faith.)

As a youth this young man was addicted to his sexual passions.

But he had a devout mother who faithfully prayed for him.

He became a teacher of literature and communications. He wanted to learn how to become an effective public speaker so he would to listen to an eloquent preacher and was thus exposed to the Gospel.

One summer when he was 32 years old, he walked out into his garden, seeking some solitude…

He was in despair over his sexual addiction.

He sat under a fig tree and wept.

He then heard a child’s voice say “take and read”, “take and read”, “take and read.”

He stood, returned to his house and grabbed a copy of the Scriptures and opened it randomly and read the words of Paul, “Put off sexual immorality and put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for the lust of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). Like a light, these words entered Augustine’s heart.

Augustine, originally from Africa, went on to become one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Christian church.

A young monk with a sensitive conscience struggled deeply over his sense of guilt before God finds freedom in the book of Romans. He says that Romans led him into paradise. His name, Martin Luther—the great reformer of the church.

My friend Alison was going a very time painful time in her life. Her family was in a time of great turmoil… She didn’t know God, but went on a Christian young people’s retreat. One day everyone was supposed to have some “quiet time” in nature with God. Alison, took time to walk in the woods, she had a Bible in her hand and she and looked down upon these words... suffering leads to perseverance and perseverance to character, character to hope… hope doe not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured our in our hearts by the Spirit… she read the words of Paul from Romans 5 and she felt at moment God entered her life…

Fear years Chuck Smith was pastoring a tiny, fledgling church in Southern California… going through the Romans was a turning point for the life of his church… and out of his church came what is known as the Calvary Chapel church movement…
The book of Romans is without question of the one of the most influential works that has ever been written…

Over the course of next few months, we’re going to be exploring what this book has to say, and if you’re part of this community, I’d encourage you to prayerfully read and re read the book of Romans. It’s a challenging read, but very rewarding…

John Calvin says that if you understand Romans, you will understand of all of Scripture. The Bible tells us about what has gone wrong with the world because of sin and it talks about how God choose a person named Abraham and promised through him, through his family he will bring blessing to the world by dealing with it’s sin… and the book of Romans shows us show this promise is fulfilled through the Messiah Jesus Christ…

Pray…

Before we go the text, let me give you a little background.

The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul likely in Corinth in about the year 57 AD.

Paul, who had formerly been a great persecutor of the church, is intending to go Spain as part of a missionary itinerary… (Romans 15:24, 28).

(show map and use pointer)

Paul needs a mission base and Rome which is of course situated between Jerusalem and Spain will serve as an ideal location.

In order to build credibility for the community that will serve as his mission support base, Paul needs to clarify exactly what he believes so he writes Romans.

New Testament scholar NT Wright makes the observation that Paul’s ambition to go to Spain caused him to write Romans… But as far as we know Paul never makes it to Spain…

C.S. Lewis had an ambition to become a poet, which he never really did, but that ambition helped him to write other works by God’s providence…

Sometimes we have an ambition to do so something that is not fulfilled in our life, but the desire to do can cause to do something else which enables to fulfill God’s plan for us.

God’s uses Paul ambition to go Spain to write this extraordinary that reveals God’s plan for us.

So, if you have your Bibles please turn to Romans 1:1

Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant (literally a slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power (Paul here establishing Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah) by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship (means sent out) to call all the Gentiles to faith and obedience for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
In verses 8-13 Paul speaks of his longing to visit Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
In Romans 1:16-17, Paul talks about how he is not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Today and in the weeks to come we are going to unpack what this Gospel, “euangalion” or literally “good news” is…

The Gospel is good news about a righteous or right act that God has done for us.

Notice vs. 17
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Paul says in vs. 17 “In the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a right act God has done for us…

The righteousness of God (which is the best translation is not from God) here refers to what God has done to put right what has gone wrong in the world through “sin,” a spiritual toxin that alienates us from our maker, ourselves, each other… and creation…

God has taken action through Christ for us to clear the spiritual toxins… that separate from God so that we can be restored to God… and out of our being restored to God we can be restored to ourselves, each other, and creation.

When we put our faith in the faithfulness of God in restoring us to himself through the death of Christ on the cross, we are put right relationship with God…

When Paul talks about putting our faith in the faithfulness work of God, the word in the Greek is in the present continuous tense, which means we are to continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God,

We to live as vs. 17 reads in the original Greek from faith to faith, then Paul quoting Habakkuk in the Old Testament live by faith…

In vs. 17 the word in the Greek the word faith appears 3 times.

Sometime people say I believed in the Gospel when 7 years ago or I prayed to receive Christ as university student, Paul would say we are continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God, we are to live from faith to faith, we are to live by faith.

Paul and writers of Scripture, tell us again and again to persevere in our faith in God…

This means that whether we’ve been a Christian for 2 days or 20 years, that every day we embrace the Gospel… and remind that our faith and hope is in God’s faithfulness not in our money, not in our education, not in our appearance, not in a human being, but in God…

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that bring salvation, that rescues from sin, that restores to God everyone who believes, everyone who by faith….

Paul is not ashamed of this message because it is the greatest news ever--we can be restored to God, ourselves, others!

Gospel literally means good news.

In the old English, the word has meant the God spell and Good spell…

Gospel is the, God spell, the good spell that makes us right with God and each other….

C.S. Lewis called the Gospel, the “good virus…”

In this passage Paul talks about the fact that he is not ashamed of the Gospel…

It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile…

The Gospel not only restores us to God… and ourselves, but to others as well…

Paul says the Gospel is the power of salvation for all who continue to believe first for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Part of what may be driving Paul to say “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” may be the fact that the Gospel came first came to Jews and second to Gentiles, historically speaking.

It may also be written out of the motivation for the Gentiles to re-accept the Jews who had been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius in last 40s AD and who are now returning to Rome now that Emperor Claudius is dead.

Paul may be concerned now that Gentiles are in the drivers’ seat in so far as church leadership is concerned. They may not accept the Jewish followers of Christ who are coming back… that they may retreat the Jewish followers as second class citizens.

Paul is also aware that once the Jews return they may engage in debates with Gentiles over what part of Moses still apply…

Paul desires that the Jews and the Gentiles be united as community because their oneness will demonstrate the power of Gospel to restore to each other..

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of salvation for all who believe…. First for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Paul was not ashamed for the Gospel because it the “power” of the dunamis of God, the same word from which we get the word dynamite. … Dynamite, of course, was not invented until 1867, and when people who invented what we now call dynamite wanted to they used this Greek work dunamis…

The Gospel has the power to change our lives…

Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospel… why does he state this negatively? Why doesn’t he say, I am proud of the Gospel?

He states it negatively because he knows Jewish people, as he points out 1 Cor 1, will tend to scorn the idea of the Messiah, the anointed savior as crucified on a cross because the Jewish viewed those who were crucified were criminals, cursed by God…

He knows that Greeks will try to shame Paul in his proclamation of the Gospel, as he points also in 1 Corinthians 1, because he knows the Greeks loved sophisticated philosophy. The Greeks were proud of the writings of their Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle.

He knows that both Jews and Greeks will try to shame him, but he is not ashamed because it the power of God to rescue all who trust and continue to trust in Jesus Christ… first the Jew and then Greek (which is literally reading of Romans 1:16).

At times Paul was shamed for his communication of the Gospel… he was jeered, beaten, imprisoned, faced death, but he was not ashamed of the Gospel… because it had power to rescue those who trust in Jesus Christ…

None here are facing, the same kind of shaming for being a follower of Jesus Christ that Paul faced, but we can be ashamed of the Gospel even if the only repercussion is someone rolling their eyes….

Some times we are ashamed of the Gospel, we’re afraid that if we speak of Christ, people may label as being part of Christian “right” or supports George Bush foreign policy. In context of personal conversation, some one recently asked me if Bush’s Iraq policy is representative of Christians in general… In this conversation, I said in my personal view (I wasn’t speaking on behalf of 10th Ave church, i.e. this is a context of personal conversation), here is Bush’s policy foreign policy seems to differ with the teaching of Jesus.

In the fall, the C.B.C. carried a story about how difficult it is for most to share their faith at work place…

Naomi Wolf, the influential feminist writer, who’s been on a spiritual journey, says today we can talk about just about anything—even subjects were considered “taboo” topics in other previous generations like sex and politics are now ok to talk, but discussing faith is still so difficult for us, because deep inside us there is still a part of us that is 13 years old...

So how do we become people like Paul who are not ashamed of the Gospel?

I really believe that it comes from a core conviction that Paul has that the greatest gift a person can receive is not a great education, a great job, a great partner, a great family is… the gift of restored to God and out ourselves and to each other…. It’s the Gospel…

When the Jewish Rabbi’s were translating the Hebrew Bible in Greek (called the Septuagint) and were trying to figure out what words us to use to translate the wonderful Hebrew word “shalom” which means, peace, total wellness, wholeness into Greek, they thought we can use the word eriene which means in Greek means peace, teleous which means fulfillment of purpose, and we can use the word sotere which means salvation. The Gospel is greatest gift because it brings us Shalom, wholeness with God… and out of that personal wholeness with our selves, others, and the earth.

I remember as an undergraduate student, I was traveling in Europe with a fellow student named John. John was tanned, student who came from Florida and was a professional tennis player, who was just making enough on tour in Europe to travel Europe….

I have two memories I have that stand out teaching on the train how to fit a forehand on hand… I also remember he would get conversations with these European people about God. John was a Christian and I remembering him saying do you believe that a life with God is the best life possible? People would immediately say “yes…” and John would say… would you like to give your life over to God? People would say no…

Arguably this young American friend… was too outspoken about his faith… but one thing I really admire about John was his deep conviction…that very best life a person could have was life with God… if we really believe this then we too will become ambassadors of the Gospel…

One of the people I know who’s really living this out is Jennifer Seo… Jennifer is a member of this community, I’ve seen her reach out to people. She’s brought people who seeking to our home Bible study, services here, and last week she introduced me to someone whom she has been reaching out to and I’ve asked her to come and share:

I have known my friend and co-worker Laura about a year and we have spent a lot of time together doing variety of activities.

When I first found out she didn't have God in her life, my heart went out to her in prayer.
I wanted her to come to know God because I myself have experienced God's goodness and I wanted her to experience it as well.

Sharing the Gospel was something that was always on my mind, but it was something I had to rely on God for.

I knew that there is no “one rule”in bringing someone to Christ. I knew I had no power to change anyone's heart. Only God can do that.

That led me to me pray.

I have prayed for her faithfully since I met her and beginning of January this year, four of my friends joined me in praying for Laura everyday.

I also wanted to be a good listener. Before sharing the Gospel with her, I wanted to really listen and understand where she was at.
I wanted to be a blessing to her.

However, as our friendship grew, what I realized was that she was a blessing to me more than I was a blessing to her.

So many times I was deeply moved by her kindness, generosity and patience.

That humbled me and gave me the heart to continue to pray for her.

I didn't know when or if she was going to accept Christ in her heart. I wanted to see it happen, but ultimately, it wasn't up to me. But what I told myself constantly was that I was never going to give up praying for her.

As we spent more time together, we were able to talk about deeper things in life as well.

She was open to talk about God. I shared with her what Christ has done for me and how He changed my life.
I told her God is a living God who wants to have a relationship with her.
I gave her the book 'Purpose Driven Life' and the Bible.
God opened her heart and gave her the desire to read His Word and also to pray.

Laura began to experience God in a very personal and powerful way. And she invited Christ in her heart two weeks ago.

I am thankful for all the things God has been doing in Laura's life.


At our home Bible study this past week that my wife leads, she asked all if we’re ever ashamed to share the Gospel (we’re also going through Romans in our small group)…

When it was my turn to share…

I said, When I was younger and new Christian, I seemed free to share with almost everyone…

In high school I volunteered to drive my younger brother’s friends who had been hanging out at our house back to their home after, my brother (years later) told, when we were riding I was silently praying you would not start talking about Jesus to my friends…

In early days as a Christian, I felt free to very free to share my faith and I think I sometimes overwhelmed people with the Gospel…

And now as adult, maybe driven by vain desire to appear sophisticated sometimes, I wonder if underwhelming with the Gospel… As an adult… I am more inclined to hesitate…
I said, I remember being at this dinner party at a hotel here in the city… there about 10-12 of us, mostly “accomplished, secular types.” And the host asked us to share for a few minutes something we were passionate about… I thought I could share about sailing, I’m passionate about that… it’s safe… I could a golden retriever than I run with and passionate about… people would like the story… then the though through my mind, why not share about you’re most passionate about? Jesus Christ… so after hesitating inside, I out of my experience, drawing a little on what other had said, about the difference Jesus Christ has in my life…

I want to become a person who when the Holy Spirit leads will not hesitate and share my faith in Jesus…

If you’re like me as I was when I was a new Christian and you’re overwhelming people as an ambassador of Jesus Christ… perhaps ask God to help tone down, so you can be an effective witness for Christ…and if your tendency underwhelm people with the Gospel as an ambassador… perhaps you would pray that Holy Spirit…would enable free and joyful ambassador for Christ…
…
I recently reading part of the classic book the Cloud of Unknowing.

In that book… the monk of 14 century tells the reader that when you pray, tell yourself you’ll die at the end of your prayer…

It’s sound morose, but it has a way of focusing our life…

As I prayed and said, I will be dead by the end of the prayer... I found heart saying, I want to be faithful in my quest to know God, faithful in my relationship with wif, (in most wholistic sense), I want to be faithful my call in the Gospel…

Paul was single.

Paul passionately wanted to be faithful to God and to Gospel.

He said, “ I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation or all who believe first for the Jew… then Gentile…”

Paul in first 1 Cor 11 tells say… the Lord Jesus… on the night he was betrayed… took bread… (communion).




The Gospel: The Good Spell Romans 1:16-17 February 4, 2007

(Big Idea: Through faith in the faithfulness of God we are forgiven and freed to share our faith.)

As a youth this young man was addicted to his sexual passions.

But he had a devout mother who faithfully prayed for him.

He became a teacher of literature and communications. He wanted to learn how to become an effective public speaker so he would to listen to an eloquent preacher and was thus exposed to the Gospel.

One summer when he was 32 years old, he walked out into his garden, seeking some solitude…

He was in despair over his sexual addiction.

He sat under a fig tree and wept.

He then heard a child’s voice say “take and read”, “take and read”, “take and read.”

He stood, returned to his house and grabbed a copy of the Scriptures and opened it randomly and read the words of Paul, “Put off sexual immorality and put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for the lust of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). Like a light, these words entered Augustine’s heart.

Augustine, originally from Africa, went on to become one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Christian church.

A young monk with a sensitive conscience struggled deeply over his sense of guilt before God finds freedom in the book of Romans. He says that Romans led him into paradise. His name, Martin Luther—the great reformer of the church.

My friend Alison was going a very time painful time in her life. Her family was in a time of great turmoil… She didn’t know God, but went on a Christian young people’s retreat. One day everyone was supposed to have some “quiet time” in nature with God. Alison, took time to walk in the woods, she had a Bible in her hand and she and looked down upon these words... suffering leads to perseverance and perseverance to character, character to hope… hope doe not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured our in our hearts by the Spirit… she read the words of Paul from Romans 5 and she felt at moment God entered her life…

Fear years Chuck Smith was pastoring a tiny, fledgling church in Southern California… going through the Romans was a turning point for the life of his church… and out of his church came what is known as the Calvary Chapel church movement…
The book of Romans is without question of the one of the most influential works that has ever been written…

Over the course of next few months, we’re going to be exploring what this book has to say, and if you’re part of this community, I’d encourage you to prayerfully read and re read the book of Romans. It’s a challenging read, but very rewarding…

John Calvin says that if you understand Romans, you will understand of all of Scripture. The Bible tells us about what has gone wrong with the world because of sin and it talks about how God choose a person named Abraham and promised through him, through his family he will bring blessing to the world by dealing with it’s sin… and the book of Romans shows us show this promise is fulfilled through the Messiah Jesus Christ…

Pray…

Before we go the text, let me give you a little background.

The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul likely in Corinth in about the year 57 AD.

Paul, who had formerly been a great persecutor of the church, is intending to go Spain as part of a missionary itinerary… (Romans 15:24, 28).

(show map and use pointer)

Paul needs a mission base and Rome which is of course situated between Jerusalem and Spain will serve as an ideal location.

In order to build credibility for the community that will serve as his mission support base, Paul needs to clarify exactly what he believes so he writes Romans.

New Testament scholar NT Wright makes the observation that Paul’s ambition to go to Spain caused him to write Romans… But as far as we know Paul never makes it to Spain…

C.S. Lewis had an ambition to become a poet, which he never really did, but that ambition helped him to write other works by God’s providence…

Sometimes we have an ambition to do so something that is not fulfilled in our life, but the desire to do can cause to do something else which enables to fulfill God’s plan for us.

God’s uses Paul ambition to go Spain to write this extraordinary that reveals God’s plan for us.

So, if you have your Bibles please turn to Romans 1:1

Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant (literally a slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power (Paul here establishing Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah) by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship (means sent out) to call all the Gentiles to faith and obedience for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
In verses 8-13 Paul speaks of his longing to visit Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
In Romans 1:16-17, Paul talks about how he is not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Today and in the weeks to come we are going to unpack what this Gospel, “euangalion” or literally “good news” is…

The Gospel is good news about a righteous or right act that God has done for us.

Notice vs. 17
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Paul says in vs. 17 “In the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a right act God has done for us…

The righteousness of God (which is the best translation is not from God) here refers to what God has done to put right what has gone wrong in the world through “sin,” a spiritual toxin that alienates us from our maker, ourselves, each other… and creation…

God has taken action through Christ for us to clear the spiritual toxins… that separate from God so that we can be restored to God… and out of our being restored to God we can be restored to ourselves, each other, and creation.

When we put our faith in the faithfulness of God in restoring us to himself through the death of Christ on the cross, we are put right relationship with God…

When Paul talks about putting our faith in the faithfulness work of God, the word in the Greek is in the present continuous tense, which means we are to continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God,

We to live as vs. 17 reads in the original Greek from faith to faith, then Paul quoting Habakkuk in the Old Testament live by faith…

In vs. 17 the word in the Greek the word faith appears 3 times.

Sometime people say I believed in the Gospel when 7 years ago or I prayed to receive Christ as university student, Paul would say we are continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God, we are to live from faith to faith, we are to live by faith.

Paul and writers of Scripture, tell us again and again to persevere in our faith in God…

This means that whether we’ve been a Christian for 2 days or 20 years, that every day we embrace the Gospel… and remind that our faith and hope is in God’s faithfulness not in our money, not in our education, not in our appearance, not in a human being, but in God…

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that bring salvation, that rescues from sin, that restores to God everyone who believes, everyone who by faith….

Paul is not ashamed of this message because it is the greatest news ever--we can be restored to God, ourselves, others!

Gospel literally means good news.

In the old English, the word has meant the God spell and Good spell…

Gospel is the, God spell, the good spell that makes us right with God and each other….

C.S. Lewis called the Gospel, the “good virus…”

In this passage Paul talks about the fact that he is not ashamed of the Gospel…

It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile…

The Gospel not only restores us to God… and ourselves, but to others as well…

Paul says the Gospel is the power of salvation for all who continue to believe first for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Part of what may be driving Paul to say “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” may be the fact that the Gospel came first came to Jews and second to Gentiles, historically speaking.

It may also be written out of the motivation for the Gentiles to re-accept the Jews who had been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius in last 40s AD and who are now returning to Rome now that Emperor Claudius is dead.

Paul may be concerned now that Gentiles are in the drivers’ seat in so far as church leadership is concerned. They may not accept the Jewish followers of Christ who are coming back… that they may retreat the Jewish followers as second class citizens.

Paul is also aware that once the Jews return they may engage in debates with Gentiles over what part of Moses still apply…

Paul desires that the Jews and the Gentiles be united as community because their oneness will demonstrate the power of Gospel to restore to each other..

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of salvation for all who believe…. First for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Paul was not ashamed for the Gospel because it the “power” of the dunamis of God, the same word from which we get the word dynamite. … Dynamite, of course, was not invented until 1867, and when people who invented what we now call dynamite wanted to they used this Greek work dunamis…

The Gospel has the power to change our lives…

Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospel… why does he state this negatively? Why doesn’t he say, I am proud of the Gospel?

He states it negatively because he knows Jewish people, as he points out 1 Cor 1, will tend to scorn the idea of the Messiah, the anointed savior as crucified on a cross because the Jewish viewed those who were crucified were criminals, cursed by God…

He knows that Greeks will try to shame Paul in his proclamation of the Gospel, as he points also in 1 Corinthians 1, because he knows the Greeks loved sophisticated philosophy. The Greeks were proud of the writings of their Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle.

He knows that both Jews and Greeks will try to shame him, but he is not ashamed because it the power of God to rescue all who trust and continue to trust in Jesus Christ… first the Jew and then Greek (which is literally reading of Romans 1:16).

At times Paul was shamed for his communication of the Gospel… he was jeered, beaten, imprisoned, faced death, but he was not ashamed of the Gospel… because it had power to rescue those who trust in Jesus Christ…

None here are facing, the same kind of shaming for being a follower of Jesus Christ that Paul faced, but we can be ashamed of the Gospel even if the only repercussion is someone rolling their eyes….

Some times we are ashamed of the Gospel, we’re afraid that if we speak of Christ, people may label as being part of Christian “right” or supports George Bush foreign policy. In context of personal conversation, some one recently asked me if Bush’s Iraq policy is representative of Christians in general… In this conversation, I said in my personal view (I wasn’t speaking on behalf of 10th Ave church, i.e. this is a context of personal conversation), here is Bush’s policy foreign policy seems to differ with the teaching of Jesus.

In the fall, the C.B.C. carried a story about how difficult it is for most to share their faith at work place…

Naomi Wolf, the influential feminist writer, who’s been on a spiritual journey, says today we can talk about just about anything—even subjects were considered “taboo” topics in other previous generations like sex and politics are now ok to talk, but discussing faith is still so difficult for us, because deep inside us there is still a part of us that is 13 years old...

So how do we become people like Paul who are not ashamed of the Gospel?

I really believe that it comes from a core conviction that Paul has that the greatest gift a person can receive is not a great education, a great job, a great partner, a great family is… the gift of restored to God and out ourselves and to each other…. It’s the Gospel…

When the Jewish Rabbi’s were translating the Hebrew Bible in Greek (called the Septuagint) and were trying to figure out what words us to use to translate the wonderful Hebrew word “shalom” which means, peace, total wellness, wholeness into Greek, they thought we can use the word eriene which means in Greek means peace, teleous which means fulfillment of purpose, and we can use the word sotere which means salvation. The Gospel is greatest gift because it brings us Shalom, wholeness with God… and out of that personal wholeness with our selves, others, and the earth.

I remember as an undergraduate student, I was traveling in Europe with a fellow student named John. John was tanned, student who came from Florida and was a professional tennis player, who was just making enough on tour in Europe to travel Europe….

I have two memories I have that stand out teaching on the train how to fit a forehand on hand… I also remember he would get conversations with these European people about God. John was a Christian and I remembering him saying do you believe that a life with God is the best life possible? People would immediately say “yes…” and John would say… would you like to give your life over to God? People would say no…

Arguably this young American friend… was too outspoken about his faith… but one thing I really admire about John was his deep conviction…that very best life a person could have was life with God… if we really believe this then we too will become ambassadors of the Gospel…

One of the people I know who’s really living this out is Jennifer Seo… Jennifer is a member of this community, I’ve seen her reach out to people. She’s brought people who seeking to our home Bible study, services here, and last week she introduced me to someone whom she has been reaching out to and I’ve asked her to come and share:

I have known my friend and co-worker Laura about a year and we have spent a lot of time together doing variety of activities.

When I first found out she didn't have God in her life, my heart went out to her in prayer.
I wanted her to come to know God because I myself have experienced God's goodness and I wanted her to experience it as well.

Sharing the Gospel was something that was always on my mind, but it was something I had to rely on God for.

I knew that there is no “one rule”in bringing someone to Christ. I knew I had no power to change anyone's heart. Only God can do that.

That led me to me pray.

I have prayed for her faithfully since I met her and beginning of January this year, four of my friends joined me in praying for Laura everyday.

I also wanted to be a good listener. Before sharing the Gospel with her, I wanted to really listen and understand where she was at.
I wanted to be a blessing to her.

However, as our friendship grew, what I realized was that she was a blessing to me more than I was a blessing to her.

So many times I was deeply moved by her kindness, generosity and patience.

That humbled me and gave me the heart to continue to pray for her.

I didn't know when or if she was going to accept Christ in her heart. I wanted to see it happen, but ultimately, it wasn't up to me. But what I told myself constantly was that I was never going to give up praying for her.

As we spent more time together, we were able to talk about deeper things in life as well.

She was open to talk about God. I shared with her what Christ has done for me and how He changed my life.
I told her God is a living God who wants to have a relationship with her.
I gave her the book 'Purpose Driven Life' and the Bible.
God opened her heart and gave her the desire to read His Word and also to pray.

Laura began to experience God in a very personal and powerful way. And she invited Christ in her heart two weeks ago.

I am thankful for all the things God has been doing in Laura's life.


At our home Bible study this past week that my wife leads, she asked all if we’re ever ashamed to share the Gospel (we’re also going through Romans in our small group)…

When it was my turn to share…

I said, When I was younger and new Christian, I seemed free to share with almost everyone…

In high school I volunteered to drive my younger brother’s friends who had been hanging out at our house back to their home after, my brother (years later) told, when we were riding I was silently praying you would not start talking about Jesus to my friends…

In early days as a Christian, I felt free to very free to share my faith and I think I sometimes overwhelmed people with the Gospel…

And now as adult, maybe driven by vain desire to appear sophisticated sometimes, I wonder if underwhelming with the Gospel… As an adult… I am more inclined to hesitate…
I said, I remember being at this dinner party at a hotel here in the city… there about 10-12 of us, mostly “accomplished, secular types.” And the host asked us to share for a few minutes something we were passionate about… I thought I could share about sailing, I’m passionate about that… it’s safe… I could a golden retriever than I run with and passionate about… people would like the story… then the though through my mind, why not share about you’re most passionate about? Jesus Christ… so after hesitating inside, I out of my experience, drawing a little on what other had said, about the difference Jesus Christ has in my life…

I want to become a person who when the Holy Spirit leads will not hesitate and share my faith in Jesus…

If you’re like me as I was when I was a new Christian and you’re overwhelming people as an ambassador of Jesus Christ… perhaps ask God to help tone down, so you can be an effective witness for Christ…and if your tendency underwhelm people with the Gospel as an ambassador… perhaps you would pray that Holy Spirit…would enable free and joyful ambassador for Christ…
…
I recently reading part of the classic book the Cloud of Unknowing.

In that book… the monk of 14 century tells the reader that when you pray, tell yourself you’ll die at the end of your prayer…

It’s sound morose, but it has a way of focusing our life…

As I prayed and said, I will be dead by the end of the prayer... I found heart saying, I want to be faithful in my quest to know God, faithful in my relationship with wif, (in most wholistic sense), I want to be faithful my call in the Gospel…

Paul was single.

Paul passionately wanted to be faithful to God and to Gospel.

He said, “ I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation or all who believe first for the Jew… then Gentile…”

Paul in first 1 Cor 11 tells say… the Lord Jesus… on the night he was betrayed… took bread… (communion)

The Gospel: The Good Spell Romans 1:16-17 February 4, 2007

(Big Idea: Through faith in the faithfulness of God we are forgiven and freed to share our faith.)

As a youth this young man was addicted to his sexual passions.

But he had a devout mother who faithfully prayed for him.

He became a teacher of literature and communications. He wanted to learn how to become an effective public speaker so he would to listen to an eloquent preacher and was thus exposed to the Gospel.

One summer when he was 32 years old, he walked out into his garden, seeking some solitude…

He was in despair over his sexual addiction.

He sat under a fig tree and wept.

He then heard a child’s voice say “take and read”, “take and read”, “take and read.”

He stood, returned to his house and grabbed a copy of the Scriptures and opened it randomly and read the words of Paul, “Put off sexual immorality and put on Jesus Christ and make no provision for the lust of the flesh” (Romans 13:14). Like a light, these words entered Augustine’s heart.

Augustine, originally from Africa, went on to become one of the greatest theologians in the history of the Christian church.

A young monk with a sensitive conscience struggled deeply over his sense of guilt before God finds freedom in the book of Romans. He says that Romans led him into paradise. His name, Martin Luther—the great reformer of the church.

My friend Alison was going a very time painful time in her life. Her family was in a time of great turmoil… She didn’t know God, but went on a Christian young people’s retreat. One day everyone was supposed to have some “quiet time” in nature with God. Alison, took time to walk in the woods, she had a Bible in her hand and she and looked down upon these words... suffering leads to perseverance and perseverance to character, character to hope… hope doe not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured our in our hearts by the Spirit… she read the words of Paul from Romans 5 and she felt at moment God entered her life…

Fear years Chuck Smith was pastoring a tiny, fledgling church in Southern California… going through the Romans was a turning point for the life of his church… and out of his church came what is known as the Calvary Chapel church movement…
The book of Romans is without question of the one of the most influential works that has ever been written…

Over the course of next few months, we’re going to be exploring what this book has to say, and if you’re part of this community, I’d encourage you to prayerfully read and re read the book of Romans. It’s a challenging read, but very rewarding…

John Calvin says that if you understand Romans, you will understand of all of Scripture. The Bible tells us about what has gone wrong with the world because of sin and it talks about how God choose a person named Abraham and promised through him, through his family he will bring blessing to the world by dealing with it’s sin… and the book of Romans shows us show this promise is fulfilled through the Messiah Jesus Christ…

Pray…

Before we go the text, let me give you a little background.

The book of Romans was written by the apostle Paul likely in Corinth in about the year 57 AD.

Paul, who had formerly been a great persecutor of the church, is intending to go Spain as part of a missionary itinerary… (Romans 15:24, 28).

(show map and use pointer)

Paul needs a mission base and Rome which is of course situated between Jerusalem and Spain will serve as an ideal location.

In order to build credibility for the community that will serve as his mission support base, Paul needs to clarify exactly what he believes so he writes Romans.

New Testament scholar NT Wright makes the observation that Paul’s ambition to go to Spain caused him to write Romans… But as far as we know Paul never makes it to Spain…

C.S. Lewis had an ambition to become a poet, which he never really did, but that ambition helped him to write other works by God’s providence…

Sometimes we have an ambition to do so something that is not fulfilled in our life, but the desire to do can cause to do something else which enables to fulfill God’s plan for us.

God’s uses Paul ambition to go Spain to write this extraordinary that reveals God’s plan for us.

So, if you have your Bibles please turn to Romans 1:1

Romans 1
1 Paul, a servant (literally a slave) of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power (Paul here establishing Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah) by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship (means sent out) to call all the Gentiles to faith and obedience for his name's sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul's Longing to Visit Rome
In verses 8-13 Paul speaks of his longing to visit Rome.
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
In Romans 1:16-17, Paul talks about how he is not ashamed of the Gospel. It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Today and in the weeks to come we are going to unpack what this Gospel, “euangalion” or literally “good news” is…

The Gospel is good news about a righteous or right act that God has done for us.

Notice vs. 17
17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last (literally from faith to faith), just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."
Paul says in vs. 17 “In the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a right act God has done for us…

The righteousness of God (which is the best translation is not from God) here refers to what God has done to put right what has gone wrong in the world through “sin,” a spiritual toxin that alienates us from our maker, ourselves, each other… and creation…

God has taken action through Christ for us to clear the spiritual toxins… that separate from God so that we can be restored to God… and out of our being restored to God we can be restored to ourselves, each other, and creation.

When we put our faith in the faithfulness of God in restoring us to himself through the death of Christ on the cross, we are put right relationship with God…

When Paul talks about putting our faith in the faithfulness work of God, the word in the Greek is in the present continuous tense, which means we are to continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God,

We to live as vs. 17 reads in the original Greek from faith to faith, then Paul quoting Habakkuk in the Old Testament live by faith…

In vs. 17 the word in the Greek the word faith appears 3 times.

Sometime people say I believed in the Gospel when 7 years ago or I prayed to receive Christ as university student, Paul would say we are continue to put our faith in the faithfulness of God, we are to live from faith to faith, we are to live by faith.

Paul and writers of Scripture, tell us again and again to persevere in our faith in God…

This means that whether we’ve been a Christian for 2 days or 20 years, that every day we embrace the Gospel… and remind that our faith and hope is in God’s faithfulness not in our money, not in our education, not in our appearance, not in a human being, but in God…

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God that bring salvation, that rescues from sin, that restores to God everyone who believes, everyone who by faith….

Paul is not ashamed of this message because it is the greatest news ever--we can be restored to God, ourselves, others!

Gospel literally means good news.

In the old English, the word has meant the God spell and Good spell…

Gospel is the, God spell, the good spell that makes us right with God and each other….

C.S. Lewis called the Gospel, the “good virus…”

In this passage Paul talks about the fact that he is not ashamed of the Gospel…

It is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile…

The Gospel not only restores us to God… and ourselves, but to others as well…

Paul says the Gospel is the power of salvation for all who continue to believe first for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Part of what may be driving Paul to say “first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” may be the fact that the Gospel came first came to Jews and second to Gentiles, historically speaking.

It may also be written out of the motivation for the Gentiles to re-accept the Jews who had been expelled from Rome by Emperor Claudius in last 40s AD and who are now returning to Rome now that Emperor Claudius is dead.

Paul may be concerned now that Gentiles are in the drivers’ seat in so far as church leadership is concerned. They may not accept the Jewish followers of Christ who are coming back… that they may retreat the Jewish followers as second class citizens.

Paul is also aware that once the Jews return they may engage in debates with Gentiles over what part of Moses still apply…

Paul desires that the Jews and the Gentiles be united as community because their oneness will demonstrate the power of Gospel to restore to each other..

Paul says I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of salvation for all who believe…. First for the Jew and then for the Gentile…

Paul was not ashamed for the Gospel because it the “power” of the dunamis of God, the same word from which we get the word dynamite. … Dynamite, of course, was not invented until 1867, and when people who invented what we now call dynamite wanted to they used this Greek work dunamis…

The Gospel has the power to change our lives…

Paul I am not ashamed of the Gospel… why does he state this negatively? Why doesn’t he say, I am proud of the Gospel?

He states it negatively because he knows Jewish people, as he points out 1 Cor 1, will tend to scorn the idea of the Messiah, the anointed savior as crucified on a cross because the Jewish viewed those who were crucified were criminals, cursed by God…

He knows that Greeks will try to shame Paul in his proclamation of the Gospel, as he points also in 1 Corinthians 1, because he knows the Greeks loved sophisticated philosophy. The Greeks were proud of the writings of their Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle.

He knows that both Jews and Greeks will try to shame him, but he is not ashamed because it the power of God to rescue all who trust and continue to trust in Jesus Christ… first the Jew and then Greek (which is literally reading of Romans 1:16).

At times Paul was shamed for his communication of the Gospel… he was jeered, beaten, imprisoned, faced death, but he was not ashamed of the Gospel… because it had power to rescue those who trust in Jesus Christ…

None here are facing, the same kind of shaming for being a follower of Jesus Christ that Paul faced, but we can be ashamed of the Gospel even if the only repercussion is someone rolling their eyes….

Some times we are ashamed of the Gospel, we’re afraid that if we speak of Christ, people may label as being part of Christian “right” or supports George Bush foreign policy. In context of personal conversation, some one recently asked me if Bush’s Iraq policy is representative of Christians in general… In this conversation, I said in my personal view (I wasn’t speaking on behalf of 10th Ave church, i.e. this is a context of personal conversation), here is Bush’s policy foreign policy seems to differ with the teaching of Jesus.

In the fall, the C.B.C. carried a story about how difficult it is for most to share their faith at work place…

Naomi Wolf, the influential feminist writer, who’s been on a spiritual journey, says today we can talk about just about anything—even subjects were considered “taboo” topics in other previous generations like sex and politics are now ok to talk, but discussing faith is still so difficult for us, because deep inside us there is still a part of us that is 13 years old...

So how do we become people like Paul who are not ashamed of the Gospel?

I really believe that it comes from a core conviction that Paul has that the greatest gift a person can receive is not a great education, a great job, a great partner, a great family is… the gift of restored to God and out ourselves and to each other…. It’s the Gospel…

When the Jewish Rabbi’s were translating the Hebrew Bible in Greek (called the Septuagint) and were trying to figure out what words us to use to translate the wonderful Hebrew word “shalom” which means, peace, total wellness, wholeness into Greek, they thought we can use the word eriene which means in Greek means peace, teleous which means fulfillment of purpose, and we can use the word sotere which means salvation. The Gospel is greatest gift because it brings us Shalom, wholeness with God… and out of that personal wholeness with our selves, others, and the earth.

I remember as an undergraduate student, I was traveling in Europe with a fellow student named John. John was tanned, student who came from Florida and was a professional tennis player, who was just making enough on tour in Europe to travel Europe….

I have two memories I have that stand out teaching on the train how to fit a forehand on hand… I also remember he would get conversations with these European people about God. John was a Christian and I remembering him saying do you believe that a life with God is the best life possible? People would immediately say “yes…” and John would say… would you like to give your life over to God? People would say no…

Arguably this young American friend… was too outspoken about his faith… but one thing I really admire about John was his deep conviction…that very best life a person could have was life with God… if we really believe this then we too will become ambassadors of the Gospel…

One of the people I know who’s really living this out is Jennifer Seo… Jennifer is a member of this community, I’ve seen her reach out to people. She’s brought people who seeking to our home Bible study, services here, and last week she introduced me to someone whom she has been reaching out to and I’ve asked her to come and share:

I have known my friend and co-worker Laura about a year and we have spent a lot of time together doing variety of activities.

When I first found out she didn't have God in her life, my heart went out to her in prayer.
I wanted her to come to know God because I myself have experienced God's goodness and I wanted her to experience it as well.

Sharing the Gospel was something that was always on my mind, but it was something I had to rely on God for.

I knew that there is no “one rule”in bringing someone to Christ. I knew I had no power to change anyone's heart. Only God can do that.

That led me to me pray.

I have prayed for her faithfully since I met her and beginning of January this year, four of my friends joined me in praying for Laura everyday.

I also wanted to be a good listener. Before sharing the Gospel with her, I wanted to really listen and understand where she was at.
I wanted to be a blessing to her.

However, as our friendship grew, what I realized was that she was a blessing to me more than I was a blessing to her.

So many times I was deeply moved by her kindness, generosity and patience.

That humbled me and gave me the heart to continue to pray for her.

I didn't know when or if she was going to accept Christ in her heart. I wanted to see it happen, but ultimately, it wasn't up to me. But what I told myself constantly was that I was never going to give up praying for her.

As we spent more time together, we were able to talk about deeper things in life as well.

She was open to talk about God. I shared with her what Christ has done for me and how He changed my life.
I told her God is a living God who wants to have a relationship with her.
I gave her the book 'Purpose Driven Life' and the Bible.
God opened her heart and gave her the desire to read His Word and also to pray.

Laura began to experience God in a very personal and powerful way. And she invited Christ in her heart two weeks ago.

I am thankful for all the things God has been doing in Laura's life.


At our home Bible study this past week that my wife leads, she asked all if we’re ever ashamed to share the Gospel (we’re also going through Romans in our small group)…

When it was my turn to share…

I said, When I was younger and new Christian, I seemed free to share with almost everyone…

In high school I volunteered to drive my younger brother’s friends who had been hanging out at our house back to their home after, my brother (years later) told, when we were riding I was silently praying you would not start talking about Jesus to my friends…

In early days as a Christian, I felt free to very free to share my faith and I think I sometimes overwhelmed people with the Gospel…

And now as adult, maybe driven by vain desire to appear sophisticated sometimes, I wonder if underwhelming with the Gospel… As an adult… I am more inclined to hesitate…
I said, I remember being at this dinner party at a hotel here in the city… there about 10-12 of us, mostly “accomplished, secular types.” And the host asked us to share for a few minutes something we were passionate about… I thought I could share about sailing, I’m passionate about that… it’s safe… I could a golden retriever than I run with and passionate about… people would like the story… then the though through my mind, why not share about you’re most passionate about? Jesus Christ… so after hesitating inside, I out of my experience, drawing a little on what other had said, about the difference Jesus Christ has in my life…

I want to become a person who when the Holy Spirit leads will not hesitate and share my faith in Jesus…

If you’re like me as I was when I was a new Christian and you’re overwhelming people as an ambassador of Jesus Christ… perhaps ask God to help tone down, so you can be an effective witness for Christ…and if your tendency underwhelm people with the Gospel as an ambassador… perhaps you would pray that Holy Spirit…would enable free and joyful ambassador for Christ…
…
I recently reading part of the classic book the Cloud of Unknowing.

In that book… the monk of 14 century tells the reader that when you pray, tell yourself you’ll die at the end of your prayer…

It’s sound morose, but it has a way of focusing our life…

As I prayed and said, I will be dead by the end of the prayer... I found heart saying, I want to be faithful in my quest to know God, faithful in my relationship with wif, (in most wholistic sense), I want to be faithful my call in the Gospel…

Paul was single.

Paul passionately wanted to be faithful to God and to Gospel.

He said, “ I am not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation or all who believe first for the Jew… then Gentile…”

Paul in first 1 Cor 11 tells say… the Lord Jesus… on the night he was betrayed… took bread… (communion).

(The sermon can be heard on line at: http://www.tenth.ca/audio.htm)