16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Rom 1:16

Explain:

This is one of the classic, most well known verses in Romans.  Paul proclaims his attitude towards the Gospel.  He was not ashamed.  He rooted his attitude about the Gospel to it’s power and it’s purpose.  The Gospel message, once received, is the message that brings God’s regenerating spiritual power to those that believe. It’s power is to save.  It’s purpose is to save everyone who believes.  It came through the Jews, not because they were more loved, but through revelation of God it came to them first.  But it is not only for the Jew or even primarily for the Jew.  It is for everyone.

Application:

What does it mean to be not ashamed of the Gospel?  I believe it means that there is no hinderance to identifying oneself with Christ’s message, mission, or person.  It is a forgetting of ones self by focusing on the purpose, power and person of the Gospel.  

Purpose– Eternal life for the person we are sharing the Gospel with is possible because of Christ.  If they don’t know Christ they’ll spend eternity separated from all that is good in the lake of fire.  It doesn’t matter who they are.  Their nationality, religious history, sinful habits, nor any other human distinction can make them ineligible from salvation.

Power– God’s power can change them from the inside out no matter how good or bad they may seem.  There is no one too far from God.  

Person– The creator of the universe became a man and lived a perfect life in our actual history!  This is incredible and worth sharing.  There are evidentiary realities that make it possible for us to believe because of the evidence and not in spite of the evidence.

If we focus on the potential cost to us by identifying ourselves with Christ we will be tempted to be ashamed, or even silent.  When our focus is right then our attitude will be right.

Response:

• Are you ashamed of the Gospel?  What is your focus?  What is your attitude toward the Gospel?  
• Who is someone you need to share the Gospel with this week?