“I AM NOT ASHAMED…” ROMANS 1:16

GETTING STARTED:

Can you think of a time when someone came to you and said “Do you want the good news or the bad news first?”

Which one do you usually pick first?

Have you noticed that many times the good news comes with some bad news, and the bad news comes with some good news?

“GOSPEL” = GOOD NEWS

What would you say is the “gospel” message? How would you define it?

The good news is that the separation that sin causes between us and God can be repaired by the grace of God through turning from wrong, choosing to do right, and showing surrender to Christ as the leader of your life by dying to your old life, being buried in water, and being raised to a new life of obedience to God and His word.

THE INTENT: This series is intended to help us see how

Paul shared the good news and consider how and why we do the same.

I would like us to consider our personal connection to the gospel message as well as our desire and methods of sharing it with others by looking at God’s message to the church at Rome through Paul.

THE CONTENT:

Rome is the capital city with several house churches comprised of both Jew and Gentiles. Paul did not plant this church and he has no connection to them since he has never been there.

God uses Paul to address issues of unity within the church so Paul speaks about the good news of the grace of God shown to all by the life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

THE CHALLENGE:

To read and do some study of Romans on your own before the sermon time as I will only be looking at sections of the text during each sermon.

ROMANS 1 ON PAGE 1746

RO 1:1 Paul, a servant 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 human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

OUR CALLING:

We are also set apart to share the good news.

How are you doing this? and

How are you doing with this?

ROMANS 1:16-17

RO 1:16 I am not ashamed of the gospel,

1. because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

2. 17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

THE BAD NEWS PART:

The bad news has two parts:

1. God hates sin so much that we need to be perfect to be in a relationship with him. Hurting God, ourselves, or others has eternal consequence.

2. Many people would rather choose sin over salvation.

ROMANS 1:18-20

RO 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

ROMANS 1:28-32 RO 1:28 Furthermore, since they did not think it

worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. 29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

GOOD AND BAD

Life has both good news and bad news and people often have a preference as to what news they want to hear first. A part of sharing the good news is handling the bad news and showing how the good news is so much better.

THE TAKE HOME?

1) Once we accept the good news for ourselves we become committed to sharing it with others. We are to be set apart for the gospel.

2) When we are sharing the good news we also need to address the bad news of sin and separation from God now and forever and realize that it is a difficult message to hear.

3. Many people do not feel “lost” and so they do not want to be “saved”.

Have you ever felt lost?

Which is worse – knowing you are lost or thinking that you are not lost and having someone tell you that you are?

TAKING IT HOME:

4. The good news is best shared in relationship over time or with people that are struggling with sin and its consequences.

5. When we take our own sin seriously others may notice and find our lifestyle attractive.

6. Pray for eyes and ears to see and hear opportunities to share the good news and address the bad news that people are dealing with.

TAKING IT HOME: Write out your understanding of the

good news in a few sentences so you are able to share how you accepted God’s grace in your life.

READING ROMANS

Romans 1 has shown why the Gentiles need the good news and next week Romans 2 shows why the Jews need the good news.

I have titled the sermon

“God our Fair Judge”.