February 13, 2019 -- Romans 1:16 -- Shameless proclaimers

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Romans 1:16 ESV

What a bold proclamation: “I am not ashamed of the gospel!” Paul would go to jail for this bold faith. He would influence jailors and guards, house churches and cities because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The gospel means: “Good News”. The Good News is that we, who are steeped in sin and unable to climb out of our sinfulness on our own, are cleansed of our sins at the cross of Jesus Christ. In Christ we have newness of life so that old sins and patterns are thrown down and we are lifted up with Him from death and the pit of sin to life. Obedience to Jesus and His Word is our new joyful adventure.

Unfortunately, I think many of us, are ashamed of the gospel. We are working with those who hate Jesus’ Name and use it like a curse-word, and we are silent. We are afraid to speak up because we know we’ll be ridiculed. We are excited by a sermon we have heard and a truth that finally become clear to us, but we dare not share it with family members, because we know they’ll roll their eyes and be impatient with all that Christian stuff. We will talk about the count-down to our vacation. We will talk endlessly about our absolutely adorable grandchildren. Sorting out our taxes. Opinions, even violently clashing and differing views, are exchanged without reservation. But our lips are silent about the most important topic of all: eternal life in Christ.

Working at a car rental company as a driver, I realize how I’ve lived most of my life in a “Christian bubble”. Surrounded by Christians at home at church and in my circle of friends, there has been very little opportunity to learn how to share the good news of Jesus. The last year has given me a great appreciation for how challenging it can be to make my voice heard and my joy in Jesus widely known—and to do so in such a way that His precious Name is not even more reviled!

Precious family in Jesus Christ—do not lose heart! The gospel is the power of God. He Who fills our hearts with joy because of Jesus and His great work of salvation is also giving us the strength, the power of His Holy Spirit so that we will have the intestinal fortitude we need to declare this good news no matter what.

What a glorious gospel it is. I remember 15 years ago or so I was at a huge church meeting where leaders of this big denomination were debating whether or not the gospel of Jesus Christ had to go to Jews. What a crazy question! Here in Romans (and throughout all the Bible) it is obvious that Jewish people are saved by no other work or Name but the Name of Jesus. In Christ, Jews and Gentiles (non-Jewish people like me!) are put on equal footing. We are sinners who need the Savior, Jesus. There is no other way of salvation. There are no works any one can perform to make him or her acceptable to God. There are no sacrifices we bring. The gospel is the good news about Jesus. He alone lived a sinless life. He alone is the sacrifice (to which all the Old Testament sacrifices pointed) that can take away the sin of the world. This good news comes wrapped as dynamite—blasting through the hard shell of our old worldview and belief system and brings to us new life.

God of power and glory, blast out the hard places of ours hearts so that sin will have no hiding places. Thank You that the Good News of Jesus Christ comes with the power and strength of Your Spirit to fully implement salvation to every part of our life. Forgive our timidity and unwillingness to talk about Jesus in our workplaces and over coffee with friends. Pour out Your Spirit on us, in us, so that we are filled to overflowing with confident hope in Christ and that this hope will spill out into our everyday conversations. God, bring glory to Your Name, rescue many from the clutches of hell by through the great salvation of Jesus Christ, in Whose Name we pray. Amen.