THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL GIVES US CONFIDENCE

 

Text: ROMANS 1:16

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

 

Dear friends in Jesus Christ, first of all we thank God who has given us this wonderful day and opportunity to worshiping Him and meditate his word through this virtual platform. I am glad to see you all. Mayong Buntag sa tanan.

 

Well we all know that, Paul was one of the prominent migrant servants who traveled from one point to another preaching the word of God. Being a migrant servant Paul had to endure several crises, weather conditions, oppositions from those he met. He was jailed for the Gospel he was punished and beaten, he was about to be killed.

 

But in all these he comes with this strong message “I am not ashamed of the Gospel”.

 

In his early life Paul was caught up in a religious system where persons relationship to God depended upon their good works. So without the good works, NO salvation.

Now as a changed person Paul comes with this strong confession that I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

This statement shows that, Paul was always more than happy to share that good news about Jesus Christ to anyone that would listen.

 

Why would anyone think that Paul would be ashamed of the gospel? Perhaps because he is addressing Christians who live in Rome—a sophisticated city—the center of worldly power. It is not easy for him to preach in that capital city of the Roman Empire. That is why he says I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

 

But again, why is he not ashamed? Does the Gospel have something special? Paul gives the answer: The Gospel “is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes” (v. 16b). So, Paul, a migrant servant is not ashamed of the gospel, because he knows and believes that it has the Godly power.  You know the Roman emperor is the one who enjoys great power, but the power of the emperor is limited. God’s power has no limits—no end. God holds the emperor’s life in his hands.

 

Paul speaks out of experience. Remember his experience on the road to Damascus, where he was going to persecute Christians. He was suddenly confronted with a different Jesus than he expected. On the road Jesus did not want to condemn Saul, but he used his power to redeem him (Acts 9).

 

Jesus’ power was manifested on that occasion by the bright light that blinded Saul and the voice from heaven. Since that time, Paul has seen God’s power manifested in many ways in his life as an Apostle:

-          He has seen people healed from their various sicknesses and people converted.

-          He has been freed from prison by an earthquake (Acts 16:16-40).

-          He has preached successfully in unlikely places (Acts 17:16-33).

-          He has survived a host of dangers (2 Cor. 11:23-28).

-          He has seen his confidence in God justified time after time.

Thus, is why Paul says, how can I be ashamed of the gospel? No way, I am Not ashamed of the Gospel. He continues to put his statement even stronger that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes” (v. 16b). The Gospel is the power dunamis in Greek. The power which cannot be shaken, which can change lives of many.

 

This Gospel is the power for salvation for all who believe. Through the Gospel Christ has saved people from self-destructive behaviors. Christ has saved people from self-hatred and aimless living. Christ saves us from separation from God. Christ enables us through the Gospel to live eternally in the presence of the Father.

 

Paul is not ashamed because in its nature Shame is a hindering and blocking element which can prevent someone do something accordingly. A person feeling shame may have a pattern of avoiding social interactions, which can lead to a lack of confidence in social relationship. So, a person feeling ashamed cannot fit for the proclamation of the Good News. I believe that my beloved students at the Divinity School are not ashamed of preaching the Gospel. Are you? We should not. We have to continue preaching the Gospel in whatever situation we are. In this time of COVID 19 we have to preach. Thanks be to God that we have this technology to preach the Gospel to those even we don’t physically meet.

Paul confesses the power of the Gospel to save everyone including himself as a killer.

This word “for everyone” in v. 16b is hard to believe especially during the time of Paul.

• Jews believed that Gentiles could be saved, but only by becoming proselytes—i.e., they should practice all Jewish rituals. It is in this regard that Paul strongly says that the gospel has power to save “everyone who has faith” including Gentiles.

• According to Paul this gospel has power to save a murderer—even a notorious killer like him.

 

Paul continues to insist that this salvation is “for the Jews first, and also for the Greek” (v. 16c). When Paul mentions the “Greek” he means “Gentiles.”

 

Paul understands that his ministry is predominantly to Gentiles, but he acknowledges the priority of Jews in God’s plan of salvation. Jews enjoyed for a long time a very special relationship with God, and Paul often preaches in Jewish synagogues. With the coming of Christ, however, “There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). There is Filipino and African, we all belong to one Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Jesus Christ, we as God’s servants are supposed to let God’s light shine in our hearts first then we will be able to reach others. No matter in which situation we find ourselves in. No matter in which geographical position we are. Wherever we are as migrants workers are supposed to carry the Good News of the Gospel that brings salvation to all.

We must let the spiritual light of the Lord shine in our hearts.

The power of the gospel has to free us from the hold that Satan has on our lives.

Jesus can set us free from our bondages to our flesh.

a. From drugs.

b. From alcoholism.

c. From pornography.

The Good News must speak with us first as it did to Paul so that we can be able to reach others with the message.

The Good News of the Gospel encourages us even in this time of pandemic. We know that many people in the world have been touched and affected by the pandemic. It is our hope that our Loving God will continue protecting us in this situation, he will eradicate this disease (COVID 19) and that one day we will be able to come to the normal social life as we used to in previous years.

May God help us all to stand firm in our faith and in the ministry of proclaiming the Gospel to everyone.

And therefore, we will be able to join Paul and affirm that: For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. AMEN.

(This sermon was delivered during the Chapel Service to mark the Migrant Workers Week held last Wednesday, November 18 via ZOOM and was broadcasted via FB live at the SUDS Centennial Facebook page.)