Not Ashamed.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] All right, go ahead and have a seat. [0:02] Welcome to Village Church. [0:03] If this is your first time here, [0:05] I am thankful and grateful to see you. [0:07] My name’s Steve, and I’m one of the pastors here. [0:10] If you have your Bibles, go ahead and open them

[0:11] to Romans chapter one. [0:12] We’ll be back in Romans one this week. [0:14] But before we get into the book of Romans, [0:17] just by way of announcement, [0:19] towards the end of October, [0:21] we’re gonna be having an all-serve team rally.

[0:23] And this is gonna serve a couple of purposes. [0:26] What we hope to do that night, [0:28] it’s on a Sunday evening, October 26, [0:30] is that we’re going to cast a vision [0:33] for really where we’re going as a church, [0:35] for our next chapter as Village Church.

[0:37] And if you’ve noticed, [0:38] we’ve experienced a season of growth [0:40] over the past few months. [0:42] And so we’re gonna be implementing a few new structures, [0:45] having some new strategies [0:46] where our serve teams are concerned.

[0:48] And so if you’re on a serve team here at Village Church, [0:50] we’re gonna ask that you come on that night [0:54] for about an hour as we just give a night of vision. [0:57] If you’re here and you’re a member first, [0:59] you should be on a serve team. [1:01] And second, we’re gonna use that evening

[1:03] to be a membership meeting as well, [1:06] for those of you that are members here at Village Church. [1:08] And if you’re looking for a place to serve [1:12] here at Village Church, [1:13] you wanna join a serve team here at Village Church. [1:15] We’re gonna have an orientation for you that evening

[1:18] where we’re going to connect you [1:21] to a place to serve as a volunteer here at Village Church. [1:24] But if you have a team that you’re committed to, [1:27] we’re gonna make this a requirement for you. [1:30] We’re really excited about what God’s doing, [1:31] but we’re also really certain that you need to hear

[1:34] everything that we’re gonna be talking about that night. [1:36] And you won’t regret it. [1:37] There’s gonna be some surprises for you that night as well. [1:40] We’re gonna have a great time. [1:41] We’re gonna cast a lot of vision. [1:43] And we’re giving you enough advance notice

[1:46] for you to really prepare to be here Sunday evening, [1:50] October 26th. [1:52] It’s gonna be a great night. [1:53] And if you don’t come, [1:54] we’re just gonna take that as a way of you resigning [1:57] from the serve team that you’re on.

[1:59] And your serve team will call you about that. [2:01] But seriously, come that evening. [2:04] You won’t regret it. [2:04] It’s gonna be a great night of vision as a church. [2:07] And it’s not gonna hurt you to come on a Sunday night. [2:10] We don’t have Sunday evening services

[2:12] here at Village Church. [2:13] So you may be saying, [2:14] I don’t know if I can do two times in one day. [2:18] I don’t know what that’s gonna do to my family. [2:20] You guys will survive. [2:23] Your children are gonna make it to school the next day.

[2:26] Nobody’s gonna be too tired. [2:27] You may miss the end of the game. [2:30] And I did that on purpose. [2:32] I’m trying to help you repent [2:33] of your blatant idolatry of sports.

[2:39] And most of you have DVRs anyway, [2:42] so you can tape it. [2:44] And if you come to me and you’re like, [2:46] but Steve, don’t you care about sports? [2:48] No. [2:50] I don’t.

[2:52] Let’s get that over. [2:54] All right, we’re good. [2:55] All right, but now let’s get to the Bible. [2:58] Romans chapter one, we’re in verse 16 this week. [3:01] That’s as far as we’re gonna make it. [3:04] If you haven’t been with us over the past few weeks,

[3:08] or if you’ve been here and you have selective memory, [3:10] just to catch you up to where we are, [3:12] we’re gonna be going through the book of Romans [3:14] for about the next year as a church. [3:16] We’re gonna be studying the word. [3:18] And thus far, what we’ve seen is

[3:20] we’ve kind of unpacked who the apostle Paul is [3:23] and why he’s written this book. [3:26] And it’s so interesting that he writes a book [3:27] that really is the story of Christianity, [3:30] because this is a man that we took a look at [3:32] who was seeking to extinguish the flame of Christianity

[3:36] that was spreading all over the world at that time. [3:38] And now he’s seeking to spread Christianity [3:41] all over the world. [3:42] He’s been a person that denied that Jesus is God [3:45] to a person that is excited about the fact [3:48] that Jesus is God.

[3:49] If there’s a polar change to be made in life, [3:52] Paul made that change. [3:54] And so he’s unpacked who he believes Jesus is [3:57] and what it’s to do in his life, [4:00] as we saw that he said that he wants to go to Rome [4:03] for the specific purpose of bringing a harvest

[4:07] of people to faith in Jesus Christ. [4:09] And he wrote that he is eager [4:11] to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. [4:13] And Paul is so committed to faith in Jesus Christ [4:17] and so committed to getting faith in Jesus Christ [4:20] to people who have never heard of the gospel

[4:23] and don’t believe the gospel, [4:24] that in Romans 1, 14, he actually writes [4:27] that he is obligated to people who don’t know who Jesus is. [4:33] And he’s made his life in a commitment [4:35] to get the gospel to those people. [4:39] And when we begin to think about the amazing changes

[4:42] that we see in the apostle Paul’s life [4:44] and the things that he makes a necessity for himself [4:47] and the things that he commits himself to, [4:50] to the point where he says, I am obligated to people. [4:53] I’ve received this amazing gift from God. [4:56] I’ve received a forgiveness that I do not deserve.

[4:59] If there’s anything that Paul would tell you [5:01] that he deserved, Paul would tell you that he deserves hell. [5:04] And he’s saying God is not going to make him [5:07] pay that price instead. [5:09] God has given him the gift of faith, [5:11] given him the gift of grace, risen him up

[5:13] and sent him on a mission. [5:15] He says, that is my obligation in life. [5:19] We begin to consider all of the things [5:21] that we feel obligated to do in this life, [5:24] all of the things that we commit ourselves to in this life. [5:29] And Paul would look at us and he says,

[5:30] there’s only one thing that you should [5:33] obligate yourself to. [5:34] He says, obligate yourself to the gospel. [5:38] It’s the only non-negotiable in this life. [5:42] And when we think about who we are [5:44] and what we’re doing with our every day,

[5:46] we’re so committed to being, selling, and doing things [5:50] that are ultimately meaningless in light of the gospel.

[5:57] Paul writes these words to make us really take inventory [6:03] of where we are in our lives. [6:05] What are we doing with our lives? [6:07] And then he unpacks in verses 16 and 17, [6:11] and we’ll cover 16 this week and 17 next week, [6:15] what really is his thesis statement

[6:17] for the entire book of Romans. [6:20] These two verses are so packed with Paul’s heart [6:24] for the gospel and what he says the gospel is for us [6:26] and what he says the gospel wants to do through us, [6:29] that he’s going to spend the next 16 chapters [6:33] breaking down what he says in these two verses.

[6:38] He knows that the question will come, [6:41] why are you so obligated to get the gospel to people [6:45] that don’t understand it? [6:47] And he answers that question in verse 16. [6:50] Here’s what he writes. [6:52] He says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel,

[6:57] for it is the power of God for salvation [7:00] to everyone who believes, [7:04] to the Jew first and also to the Greek. [7:09] He’s already said that he wants to go to Rome [7:11] to reap a harvest of people who will believe the gospel [7:16] through what he preaches,

[7:18] and now he means to explain why. [7:22] And what we see in this verse has so much meaning [7:26] that it’s really two different stories [7:29] that are being told in that very first phrase. [7:33] The first phrase in that verse [7:34] is probably one of the most important phrases

[7:37] in the entire scripture that you could ever really apply [7:41] to your life as a believer of Jesus Christ. [7:44] Because in that phrase, we have the story of where Paul was [7:47] and where God was taking him and where you are [7:50] and where God desires to take you. [7:52] And Paul stands and he makes a statement

[7:54] that should not be true for him or for us. [8:00] It’s an amazing statement. [8:01] I am not ashamed of the gospel.

[8:06] If anyone had any reason to be ashamed of the gospel, [8:12] it is the apostle Paul. [8:15] If anyone had any reason to not seek [8:19] to spread faith in Jesus, it was the apostle Paul. [8:24] Because of the things that he had made his mission in life. [8:29] Because of the things that he had done.

[8:32] But the first story that we see in that phrase [8:34] is a story that tells us that the gospel removes all shame.

[8:42] The gospel removes all shame. [8:44] Every corner of life, every corner of who you are [8:49] and what you do, the gospel makes it its aim to cleanse, [8:55] to remove, to clean, to make whole every piece [8:59] of your life immediately. [9:03] And Paul knew this.

[9:05] Think about it. [9:07] Paul made it his mission to stop faith in Jesus spreading. [9:13] Paul made it his mission to kill people [9:16] who are proclaiming faith in Jesus Christ. [9:20] If there’s anybody that would say, this is a bad guy, [9:23] specifically, if you think Jesus is God, this is the worst.

[9:27] Stay away from him, have nothing to do with him. [9:30] And Paul stands in front of people who know who he is. [9:34] They know what he’s done. [9:36] His actions have been broadcast everywhere [9:38] because people are actually hiding from Paul. [9:41] And now he’s standing in front of synagogues,

[9:44] he’s standing in front of other Christians, [9:46] he’s writing letters to them, [9:48] and he’s saying something that’s so audacious [9:50] that it amazes me that he says, [9:52] I’m not ashamed of the gospel. [9:55] Well, he should have been.

[9:58] He should have been.

[10:01] Because of all the things that he did.

[10:05] Think about it this way. [10:07] How much do you enjoy telling people that you’re wrong? [10:11] How much do you enjoy saying you’re sorry?

[10:16] Even over the smallest things. [10:19] Like if I’m wrong about an argument that I’m in with my wife, [10:23] and it could just be the dumbest little factoid [10:24] you’ve ever seen in your life. [10:26] And I go and I look on the internet [10:27] and I actually do some research and I’m like,

[10:29] oh no, I was wrong. [10:30] I don’t immediately run into the living room [10:32] and be like, honey, it looks like you were right. [10:35] I was wrong. [10:37] No, I make it my mission to erase it from the internet.

[10:41] I got to call the developer. [10:44] I got to get rid of this site. [10:45] We’ve got to end Wikipedia immediately. [10:48] This is a terrible thing out there in the world [10:50] that people can get knowledge that I’m wrong.

[10:54] But if I’m like that over a little factoid, [10:56] imagine being wrong about who God is.

[11:01] Imagine if you’re Paul and you’ve made your mission in life [11:04] to proclaim to the world Jesus is not God. [11:07] He’s really not. [11:08] And you believe it so much so that you’re killing anybody [11:10] that says that he is. [11:12] And then in a moment of face-to-face contact with Jesus

[11:15] in a miraculous moment, Jesus is like, by the way, [11:17] yeah, I’m God. [11:20] Oh, looks like I was wrong about that.

[11:24] Paul should have stayed completely away [11:28] from anybody that he was wrong towards. [11:32] But instead, Paul has the opposite reaction. [11:37] Instead, he seeks to come into contact with people. [11:40] He seeks believers for discipleship. [11:43] He seeks money to help churches and to help believers

[11:46] in Jerusalem who are being persecuted. [11:48] He surrounds himself with other believers. [11:51] History tells us that when Paul first came to faith [11:53] in Jesus Christ, it was so controversial [11:55] that Christians actually thought he was trying to trap them. [11:59] We know who this guy is.

[12:02] He’s the one that persecutes Christians, [12:04] have nothing to do with him. [12:06] This new thing where he’s saying he’s a Christian, [12:08] it’s a trap. [12:09] Clearly, he’s going to try to put us in prison [12:11] or at worst, try to kill us.

[12:13] So I have nothing to do with him. [12:15] So if Paul is using the type of logic that I would use [12:19] the minute that he finds out he’s wrong, [12:21] he’s going to run away because of what he’s going to face [12:25] and the shame that he’s going to encounter [12:27] by those that he used to harm.

[12:29] Imagine the moment that he comes into contact [12:31] with a Christian whose brother or sister he killed.

[12:36] The shame that must have come over him in that moment. [12:40] The fear of retribution that must have come over him [12:43] in that moment.

[12:47] Then imagine the shame of coming face to face [12:49] with Jesus Christ, the one whom you’ve blasphemed [12:52] over and over and over and over and over.

[13:00] And yet Paul stands before them and he says, [13:02] I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus. [13:08] Because Paul has made the journey in life [13:10] that each and every one of us must make [13:12] if we’re to have any hope. [13:14] And that is that he has made the journey from shame,

[13:19] shame of condemning sin to the glory of redemption.

[13:26] We could all look at this world and say, [13:29] there are many things to be ashamed of in this world. [13:32] I mean, there are people who are starving daily. [13:35] There are wars going on for all sorts of ridiculous reasons [13:39] all over the world. [13:40] There are people hurting other people.

[13:42] There are diseases where people need help [13:44] and they can’t get any help. [13:46] And there’s just so much going on in this world. [13:49] And sometimes you just have to look at it and you say, [13:51] I am ashamed of this world. [13:53] But I want you to go further than that this morning.

[13:55] And I want you to go into your life. [13:57] And I want you to be like the apostle Paul was. [13:59] And I want you to take inventory of all of the things [14:01] that you’ve ever done in your life. [14:03] And you have to be very honest that there are things [14:05] that each and every one of us should be ashamed of.

[14:12] There are conversations that I’ve had with people [14:14] that I have unfairly hurt them by my words. [14:19] It’s that moment where you say thing with a specific [14:21] purpose of hurting someone and you see the look [14:24] in their eyes and you immediately regret it.

[14:28] There are things that I’ve done to people [14:30] that I’m ashamed of. [14:33] There are actions that I’ve done that I’m ashamed of. [14:36] People that I’ve hurt that I’m ashamed of.

[14:40] Maybe in your life there’s tons of reasons [14:43] even coming into mind right now where you just say, [14:46] I’m ashamed. [14:48] I spend my life hiding that very thing. [14:52] If anyone were to find out, I would be so ashamed. [14:57] Something in your marriage, something in the way

[14:59] that you’ve raised your children or the way [15:00] that you should have raised your children [15:02] or the things that your children have done to you [15:04] or the lies that you’ve told or the person that you’ve been. [15:08] Or maybe it’s not even something you did [15:10] but it’s something that someone did to you.

[15:12] And even though you didn’t do it, it causes you shame [15:15] that you don’t think that you can ever get rid of. [15:18] And when Paul says, I am not ashamed of the gospel, [15:23] he is saying that he does not any longer carry [15:27] the shame of the man that he used to be.

[15:32] The message that he gives each and every one of us [15:34] this morning is that everything that you’ve done [15:36] in your life, every wrong, every ounce of pain [15:40] that you’ve caused someone or has been caused by you, [15:43] every mistake that you’ve ever made, [15:46] every piece of immorality that you think in your heart

[15:49] should make you dirty. [15:50] Paul looks to you and he says, if you have faith in Jesus, [15:54] then you have no more shame. [15:59] It is gone.

[16:05] The change that the gospel brings into the life [16:07] of someone that believes in Jesus is a change [16:10] that can remove all shame in a past filled [16:13] with any kind of wrong, hurt, or shame.

[16:19] It goes further than that. [16:21] The gift of God’s love restores you [16:27] to a position where all shame is gone. [16:31] It doesn’t just say you’re forgiven. [16:34] You have a second chance. [16:37] You can pick yourself back up.

[16:40] Now it goes past that. [16:43] It goes to a brand new life where no shame [16:46] will ever condemn you again if you have faith in Jesus. [16:50] How is that possible? [16:53] How could Paul say that?

[16:56] I think we begin to understand in Hebrews 12, verse two, [16:59] when the scripture says this, it says, look to Jesus, [17:03] the founder and perfecter of our faith, [17:06] who for the joy that was set before him [17:09] endured the cross, despising the shame,

[17:15] and is seated at the right hand of God.

[17:21] Note that it says that when Jesus was on the cross, [17:25] he had shame and he despised it.

[17:31] You see, we all understand if you’ve spent time in church [17:34] that when Jesus went to the cross, [17:36] that was probably the most humiliated type of execution [17:39] that’s ever been invented. [17:40] He’s on a roadside where people could cross by, [17:43] hurl insults at him, it’s common criminal,

[17:46] clothes ripped from him, bearing everything [17:48] for everybody that’s passing by to see, [17:50] people are spitting on him. [17:51] I mean, it’s a humiliating death, but it goes past that [17:55] to where every wrong that I’ve ever done, [17:58] every sin that I’ve ever committed,

[18:01] every ounce of regret, every ounce of shame [18:04] is poured onto Jesus in that moment. [18:08] And he doesn’t look at it and say, well, okay, this is fine. [18:11] I feel good about it. [18:12] No, Hebrews 12, two says he despised it. [18:17] That second Corinthians five tells us why he despised it.

[18:20] It says in verse 21, for our sake, [18:23] he made him to be sin who knew no sin [18:26] so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

[18:34] That means that the depths of my depravity, [18:38] the depths of my evil, the depths of every mistake, [18:42] every wrong decision in that moment, [18:45] the one who had no sin, the one who Hebrews 12 says [18:48] he’s the author and perfecter of our faith. [18:51] Every ounce of every sin that I’ve ever done,

[18:54] that you’ve ever done in that moment, [18:56] he became my shame and it hurt and it was painful [19:02] and it was embarrassing and it was humiliating. [19:06] The one who created everything, [19:08] the one who speaks world into existence, [19:11] the one who is righteousness defined.

[19:14] In that moment, he knew nothing but shame [19:18] multiplied by everyone that’s ever lived.

[19:27] So our shame is not some trifling small thing.

[19:34] I think for most of us, we understand that. [19:38] For those of us that know what we’re capable of, [19:40] for those of us that know what others are capable of, [19:42] for those of us that have felt real shame.

[19:52] But Hebrews 12 tells us this. [19:56] It says that the reason that Jesus endured [19:57] such a hard thing, the reason that Jesus endured [20:00] the worst of things, the reason that Jesus did something [20:03] that would cause the son of God himself to despise himself.

[20:11] It says for the joy set before him. [20:18] Joy.

[20:22] What kind of joy?

[20:25] It was the joy of knowing that on the other side [20:28] of that cross, on the other side of all of that shame, [20:31] he was going to get back up. [20:33] He was going to rise from the dead. [20:36] That the resurrection was three days away. [20:40] In that moment, he wins victory over death.

[20:43] In that moment, he wins victory over sin. [20:46] In that moment, he wins victory over all shame. [20:49] In that moment, every pain, every regret, [20:52] every mistake is eradicated and new life takes its place. [20:57] And not only the joy of his resurrection, [20:59] but because he knew that after his resurrection,

[21:02] there would be another resurrection [21:03] and another resurrection and another resurrection. [21:06] And in the moment where you come to faith in Jesus [21:08] or have come to faith in Jesus, Jesus went to the cross, [21:12] despised your shame that you caused him [21:14] because he knew that by his resurrection,

[21:17] you could have a resurrection. [21:20] Because the gospel removes all shame.

[21:28] Jesus says, you don’t need to bear it anymore. [21:30] I’ll give you a new life. [21:32] I’ll take all of your shame. [21:33] I’ll remove it from you and I’ll restore you [21:35] to the life that he wants to give you.

[21:42] Paul says, I am not ashamed of the gospel.

[21:50] There will be those who will seek to silence you [21:54] about your eradication of shame.

[21:57] And say that the gospel is untrue and they will heap a shame on you [22:01] for that type of belief that you’ve had all shame removed. [22:05] And to that, we find the second story that Paul tells [22:08] in point number two this morning. [22:10] I can’t say it any better than he did. [22:12] Don’t be ashamed of the gospel.

[22:17] Don’t be ashamed of the very thing that removes all shame, [22:23] the very thing that heals your hurt, that heals your pain, [22:29] that heals your regrets. [22:32] And he had to say this because he knew that there would be shame.

[22:39] The reality this morning is, is don’t be ashamed of shame. [22:44] And you say, well, that sounds antithetical. [22:46] I know. But there is shame for the gospel. [22:52] And an unbelieving world will seek to have you feel that shame. [22:57] But don’t be ashamed of it.

[23:01] Many of us are completely silent about the gospel. [23:05] We don’t have the feeling that Paul had where he says, [23:08] I am eager to preach the gospel so that I can reap a harvest of those who don’t believe. [23:13] Rather, we’re worried about our reputations. [23:16] We’re worried that we will be labeled as a religious zealot. [23:20] We’re worried that we will be labeled as a Bible thumper.

[23:23] We’re worried that we will be labeled as judgmental. [23:26] And to that, Paul says, don’t be ashamed of the shame [23:30] that those who don’t believe will lay on you.

[23:35] Paul knew something of that type of shame.

[23:39] Paul knew a lot of that type of shame.

[23:43] See, Paul went from a place of prominence where he is the power that be to a place [23:48] where the powers that be are seeking to end his life.

[23:53] Paul knew what shame for the gospel would cause shame in his life for the gospel was [23:58] that he goes and he begins to talk about the gospel and they begin to hurl stones at him.

[24:05] And he’s hit and he’s beaten so many times that he’s left for dead [24:10] and because it would be a sin to leave that dead man that you just killed. [24:13] You ever thought about the irony of that? [24:14] You killed him. Yet it’s evil to leave the guy you killed in the middle of the street. [24:18] So you drag him to the outskirts of the town. [24:20] Well, that makes the murder OK.

[24:22] And Paul knew that type of shame and his reaction to it when he comes to [24:27] is he gets up and he walks back into the city.

[24:34] And Paul says, I’m not ashamed of what just happened to me. [24:37] You want me to feel shame, but I don’t feel any shame. [24:40] I would have felt all types of shame in that moment. [24:43] First, I would have felt a lot of machismo shame because I lost that fight. [24:48] Second, I would feel all types of shame because I don’t want to get stoned again. [24:52] I don’t like it when people throw rocks at me and neither do you.

[24:55] And so I may say, I think I’ll go to the next town. [24:59] We’re good here. [25:01] But no, Paul says, no, I want them to know what no shame looks like. [25:05] And so I’m going to walk back in beaten, bloodied, and I’m heading back to work.

[25:12] Paul knew the shame of going hungry. [25:15] Paul knew the shame of being shipwrecked. [25:18] Paul knew the shame of being beaten with rods. [25:21] Paul knew the shame of the whipping that Jesus felt by the cat of nine tails. [25:25] He endured that whipping a few times. [25:29] And when Paul writes in the New Testament, when he says, I bear on my body

[25:33] the marks of Christ, he’s not talking about that. [25:36] He went into a tattoo parlor and got a tattoo of a cross. [25:40] No, what Paul is saying is when people see me coming, they see scars. [25:46] Because that’s what I’m enduring for the cross. [25:49] That’s what I’m enduring for the gospel is I’m being beaten. [25:55] He writes to the Corinthian Church, he says, I died daily.

[25:58] And what he’s meaning there is not a spiritual reality. [26:01] He says that is a physical reality, that his life is at risk [26:04] and everyone’s trying to kill him. [26:06] And he doesn’t understand how they haven’t been successful yet.

[26:12] Paul knew that type of shame.

[26:16] And he writes to the church at Rome, he says, I’m not ashamed of it, though.

[26:24] I will gladly do it. Why?

[26:28] Because he had an obligation to those who did not yet believe in Jesus.

[26:35] Paul tells us in this text that we must embrace that type of shame, [26:40] but we are not physically fearful. [26:42] We are mentally, emotionally fearful for our reputations.

[26:51] Paul puts it this way in first Corinthians one, 18, he says, [26:53] for the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, [26:57] but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. [27:02] If your greatest fear of not for not spreading the gospel [27:05] is that people won’t believe in that they will call you a fool. [27:09] Paul tells us right there, they’re going to call you a fool.

[27:14] Those who don’t believe will look at you and say, what are you talking about? [27:19] Dead men don’t rise from the dead. [27:21] The gospel can’t be true. [27:23] And you will say, no, but he did rise from the dead. [27:25] And they will say, that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard.

[27:30] You say, but I don’t want my reputation to be ruined. [27:32] I don’t want to get into an awkward conversation. [27:35] And to that, Paul says, I am not ashamed of the gospel. [27:40] Why is he not ashamed? [27:41] If someone calls you a fool, if the majority of people call you a fool, [27:46] won’t you feel shame? Paul says, no, why not?

[27:50] He explains that down in verse twenty seven of first Corinthians chapter one, [27:54] when he says, but God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. [28:00] God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. [28:05] Paul says, I’m not feeling any shame because what I’m saying is not a lie. [28:10] It is true. And even those who don’t believe it someday will be proven wrong, [28:16] whether it is in this life or the next life, because Jesus did rise from the dead.

[28:21] And everybody’s going to see him someday, whether they believe him or not. [28:27] You should only be ashamed of something if it isn’t true. [28:30] And Paul says, with the gospel, you don’t have that to worry about because it is.

[28:38] If you lie about something and are then found out, [28:43] that’s something to be ashamed of. [28:45] But Paul says that all those people that surround you and all those people that [28:49] make you feel dumb and all those people that look to you for your faith and say, [28:53] here’s seventeen reasons why you’re wrong. [28:56] Paul says, there’s one reason why you’re right.

[29:00] And that’s because Jesus is alive.

[29:04] And you’re going to see him. [29:09] And your faith will be found to be legitimate because of that one reason [29:15] and that one reason alone.

[29:21] Says in the end, those people who you are hiding your faith from so that they will [29:28] not call you a fool or think of you a fool, they will not believe you. [29:31] Or ruin your reputation with them. [29:34] He says, in the end, they will be shown to be the greatest of fools.

[29:41] And in that moment,

[29:48] the greatest pain in life would be for them to say, why didn’t anyone tell me? [29:54] And our fear of losing our reputation, our fear of losing the things that we hold [29:59] dearest in life.

[30:05] It’s not going to make you feel good in that moment.

[30:09] So you just think about most of the reasons that we’re silent about our faith, [30:12] most of the reasons that we are practically ashamed of our faith because we don’t share it. [30:18] Most of those reasons are material.

[30:24] I can’t share my faith in my job.

[30:29] Paul couldn’t share his faith in any city. [30:32] They tried to kill him for it.

[30:37] You say, what about my house, my car? [30:39] You’re going to want a new one in five years anyway. [30:42] Were you? Why are you not willing to risk those things?

[30:49] You said, you don’t understand. [30:51] I need to be successful in the eyes of the world. [30:55] Why?

[30:59] Paul says, that’s not going to happen if you’re spreading the gospel. [31:02] They’re going to call you a fool.

[31:06] Well, I don’t want anybody calling me a fool. [31:07] Well, if it’s true, you do. [31:09] You won’t be ashamed of the gospel.

[31:16] For all of the reasons that we are silent, [31:19] for all of the reasons that we are not growing, [31:22] for all of the reasons that we are not committing to growing, [31:25] for all of the reasons that we are not growing in our faith in Jesus, [31:27] Paul looks back and he says, in light of the gospel, [31:31] all of those things are ultimately worthless.

[31:38] There’s a few more reasons, though, that some of us live lives [31:41] where we are practically ashamed of the gospel. [31:43] One of those reasons is because we are ashamed due to doubt.

[31:49] I say, well, how can I share the gospel if I have doubts about the gospel? [31:56] And the reality of that is that you should not be timid about your doubts. [32:02] You should not hide your doubts. [32:04] Don’t bottle them up. [32:06] Work through those doubts. [32:08] Ask questions, but always seek answers,

[32:12] because there are answers to every question that you seek. [32:16] But when you find them, you should celebrate and embrace them [32:20] so that you will not have a life of endless wonder [32:24] that does nothing but reinforce all of the shame that you already feel.

[32:31] This is what happens when God says we should work out our faith. [32:35] The answers will always have us further the gospel.

[32:42] Some of us are ashamed because of the life [32:46] that the gospel calls us towards. [32:49] One example of shame is the life of sacrifice and commitment [32:52] that Jesus calls us toward. [32:54] Jesus calls us to sacrifice the lives that we are building our lives on [32:59] and sacrificing for in order to embrace the life of following Him.

[33:07] See, oftentimes we commit and obligate ourselves to lifestyles [33:11] that pull us away from following Jesus. [33:15] We commit and obligate ourselves to lifestyles that make it [33:20] so that we cannot have a gospel-furthering mission in our life. [33:27] What we don’t understand is that that is the same thing [33:30] as being ashamed of the gospel.

[33:34] All of the reasons that you can’t commit to gathering with other believers, [33:38] all of the reason that you can’t commit to gathering in community [33:42] with other believers, [33:43] all of the reasons that you can’t commit to serving the Lord, [33:48] all of the reasons that you can’t commit to sharing the gospel, [33:51] all of the reasons that you can’t commit to growing in knowledge of the gospel,

[33:56] all of the reasons that you can’t commit to spreading the flame of Christianity [34:01] that God desires to see go all over this world. [34:04] All of those reasons are shame for the gospel [34:07] and joy in something other than the gospel.

[34:14] I was once asked by a parent, [34:18] he said, I don’t understand how I can possibly have time on my schedule [34:23] to disciple my children. [34:25] My answer to him was, you’re right, [34:27] you can’t have time on your schedule to disciple your children. [34:31] Your schedule must change.

[34:36] Your commitments must change.

[34:40] You must seek to follow the Lord with your time, with your talent, [34:44] with your energy, with your focus, with your drive, [34:47] with your treasure, with your finances, with every area of life, [34:52] because it is a pity when someone gains the entire world, [34:57] Jesus says, and loses his own soul. [35:00] Or what a pity it is when you gain the entire world and lose your child’s soul.

[35:10] See, in those moments, we must reflect and say, [35:14] where is my life showing shame for the gospel and joy [35:18] in things that are meaningless because of the gospel?

[35:27] When our lives do not show [35:32] that we believe that Jesus is God and that Jesus is the Saviour [35:36] and that Jesus is the King, [35:39] an unbelieving world looks at us and says, [35:42] you should feel shame because you live no differently than I do.

[35:48] Your words say that Jesus is God, [35:49] but your actions show that you’ve got the same God that everyone else has.

[35:57] That is being ashamed of the gospel. [36:02] In 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, Paul puts it this way. [36:05] He says, for if I preach the gospel, [36:08] that gives me no ground for boasting, [36:12] for necessity is laid upon me. [36:16] Woe to me if I don’t preach the gospel.

[36:20] You see, that phrase, I think, woe is me, is specifically used [36:24] because when Jesus was on this world, [36:27] he said that phrase over and over again to religious people [36:30] that did not truly believe that he was God.

[36:38] He uses that phrase to look at us and say, [36:40] what are your reasons for not preaching the gospel?

[36:44] Ultimately, if you continue in that type of lifestyle, [36:47] then it shows woe is you, for you do not believe.

[36:55] Some of us feel more shame still [36:57] because we’re afraid that we’re going to get tripped up, [36:59] we’re afraid that we’re not going to know what to say, [37:01] we’re afraid that we’re not going to have answers [37:03] to the questions that everyone will ask. [37:06] Friends, grow in your discipleship

[37:08] so that you will not be ashamed.

[37:12] You see, the gospel frees us [37:14] to live the mission of Jesus from right where we are. [37:19] God promises us, he says, I’ll send you the Spirit, [37:22] I will strengthen you, I will give you the words that you need, [37:25] and in those moments, you have the freedom to be where you are [37:29] and continue to grow from there,

[37:32] because when you’re following Jesus, you will grow. [37:35] But so often, we don’t grow, [37:37] and it’s not because of a lack of what God can do for us, [37:40] but it’s because of a lack of what we’re willing to do for God. [37:44] God’s not looking for experts, [37:46] he’s simply looking for people that believe.

[37:51] The question is, do you believe?

[37:55] Paul makes this amazing statement of, [37:56] I am not ashamed of the gospel, and he doesn’t end it there. [38:00] But then he builds a foundation for it to sit on. [38:04] And he says this, the very next line, verse 16, he says, [38:09] For the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation [38:15] to everyone who believes.

[38:20] That’s our third point this morning, [38:22] is that the gospel is God’s power that saves. [38:26] See, Paul looks to everyone who knows who he is, [38:30] knows where he’s been, know what he’s doing right here, [38:33] and he says, I want you to understand [38:34] that it is not that I have picked myself up,

[38:38] it is not that I have really fixed every problem in my life. [38:42] The reason that I’m not ashamed is because this power is God’s power. [38:49] The gospel is not my power that saves. [38:54] The gospel story is God’s power that saves. [39:01] It’s not yours. [39:03] It’s not something that’s in you.

[39:04] It’s a gift that God gives towards you. [39:07] And when you have that type of power working in your life, [39:12] it is difficult to find any reason to have shame [39:15] because you have the greatest power that has ever existed in this world. [39:21] The power that literally took a dead man and brought him back to life. [39:27] The power that literally, over the history of the world,

[39:32] does nature-breaking miracles.

[39:37] It still has scientists baffled to this day. [39:43] They’ll look at the miracles of Scripture and they’ll say, [39:45] we just simply can’t figure this out [39:48] because nature is not supposed to work that way. [39:51] And to which God would say, right, that’s why it’s a miracle.

[39:57] Remember, this is the God that can pick up a little mound of dirt [40:02] and throw it and say, there’s Adam.

[40:07] This is the God that speaks and things exist. [40:10] This is the God that parts the seas. [40:11] This is the God that stops time for Israel [40:14] to win a battle with Joshua at its forefront. [40:17] This is the God that delivers His people over and over and over again, [40:23] Psalm 77 says.

[40:25] And this is the same God that came down, [40:28] made Himself as lowly as one of us human beings [40:32] and in love walked this world perfectly, [40:35] and then in love died on the cross, [40:37] and then in love got back up a few days later. [40:41] The greatest miracle of all time,

[40:43] because dead people don’t tend to get up and walk around. [40:48] But Jesus gets up out of a tomb, they threw Him in after He died, [40:52] walks out of there, goes a couple of miles, sees some disciples, [40:55] goes a couple of more miles, [40:57] takes a walk with two guys that don’t recognize Him, [40:59] shares some pancakes with Him,

[41:01] because that’s what I would do if I had risen from the dead, [41:02] because I love pancakes, they’re really good. [41:05] And so Jesus does that, [41:06] continues to walk with His disciples for a few more days, [41:09] then supermans up into heaven, [41:12] and while He’s flying through the air, He looks back down,

[41:14] and He says, by the way, I’m coming back, go tell everyone.

[41:19] This is the power of God.

[41:24] In Colossians chapter 1, this is what Paul says, [41:27] he says, You who once were alienated and hostile in mind, [41:32] doing evil deeds, [41:33] He has now reconciled in His body of flesh by His death, [41:38] in order to present you holy and blameless, [41:43] above reproach before Him.

[41:45] He says, the power that God has saw you in a life in which you hated Him. [41:52] You’re like, I want nothing to do with you, God. [41:54] I love disobeying you. [41:56] And God says, well, I love you anyway, and I’m going to save you, [41:59] and I’m going to reconcile you to me. [42:01] And you know who’s going to pay the price for that?

[42:03] God does.

[42:07] Through His death. [42:09] And then in Ephesians chapter 1, Paul writes this. [42:14] He says, what is the immeasurable greatness of His power? [42:18] He says this amazing phrase. [42:20] He says that God’s power is so amazing that it’s immeasurable. [42:25] You can’t measure.

[42:26] In other words, you can’t say to God, God, I have sinned too much. [42:30] God, I have too much shame. [42:32] God, I have more baggage on my shoulders than you know how to deal with. [42:38] God, you don’t know how far I’ve gone. [42:41] God, you don’t know the things that I’ve done. [42:43] To which God says, oh, you don’t know how immeasurable my great power is.

[42:50] It’s a power that can go to any depths that anyone could sink themselves to [42:55] and redeem them directly out of it. [42:57] It is a power that is immeasurable [42:59] because it is a power that can go further than you will ever think it can go [43:03] and can redeem you and restore you to a point that you never thought was possible. [43:10] And how does God use that power?

[43:12] The next two words, the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us.

[43:20] There is a God who has an immeasurable power, [43:24] and the way that He chooses to use it is to point it directly at us. [43:28] And if we are in our sin, that should terrify us.

[43:35] But God says, oh, the immeasurable greatness of my power towards you who believe.

[43:46] According to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ [43:49] when He raised Him from the dead, [43:51] seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, [43:54] far above all rule, authority, power, dominion, [43:59] above every name that is named, not only in this age, [44:03] but also in the one that is to come.

[44:06] Do you see what He says? [44:07] He says, I’m not leaving anything out. [44:09] Through the resurrection, Jesus shows that He’s greater than every power. [44:13] Jesus shows that He’s greater than every authority. [44:15] Jesus shows that He’s greater than every dominion. [44:17] Above everything, below everything, to the side, to the other side,

[44:21] Jesus is the best in this life, He’s the best in the next life. [44:23] Paul leaves absolutely nothing out. [44:27] And he says, if you will believe Him, [44:29] then the one who has more authority than this world knows what to do with, [44:34] He will be for you and not against you. [44:39] And that this God, it’s not just that He can save us,

[44:42] it’s that He wants to save us.

[44:47] That is a love.

[44:51] It’s incomprehensible to a human being.

[44:57] But it’s the kind of love that we need [44:59] and in the eyes of faith, we can have.

[45:06] God desires to lift you out of the sin that so easily besets you [45:13] and put you directly in the palm of His hand [45:16] where He will never let you go.

[45:21] The Gospel is the power of God to anyone who believes, [45:25] but you must believe.

[45:28] There is no power of salvation without belief. [45:32] You must trust the power of God through Jesus [45:35] or there is no hope of salvation. [45:38] Because there’s no power equal to His. [45:41] There’s no strength equal to His. [45:44] And this type of power demands a belief,

[45:47] but belief is not power. [45:48] Belief is larger than just you shaking your head [45:50] and saying, that sounds nice, it would be great if that happened. [45:55] It’s greater than agreement. [45:57] Belief has a power behind it that directs our steps. [46:01] Belief has a power behind it that saves.

[46:04] Belief has a power behind it that transforms your life. [46:08] Belief has all of the power in it [46:12] that you will ever need in your life.

[46:19] This phrase that we find in Romans 1-16 [46:22] that says, the power of God’s salvation to everyone who believes, [46:26] that phrase, everyone who believes, [46:28] you’ll find it four times throughout the book of Romans. [46:33] Every time the emphasis is on God’s power to save everyone. [46:38] The emphasis every time is on God’s power

[46:40] to spread faith everywhere that He wants us to take it. [46:44] Every time the focus is the reality [46:47] that there are no limits to how far God’s power to save can reach. [46:53] There is no border that it cannot pass. [46:56] There is no location that it cannot go to. [46:59] There is no power that will ever overpower it.

[47:02] And there is no sin that is greater than God’s power to save. [47:06] And in this moment, Paul is giving us a vision [47:10] and he caps it on the end where he says, [47:12] it’s God’s power to save everyone who believes, [47:15] to the Jew first, then also to the Greek, [47:17] because in that moment and in that phrase,

[47:19] the reality that he’s trying to get across to those people and then to us today [47:23] is that God’s power to save must cover the entire world. [47:28] It begins with you, but it cannot end with you if it is real. [47:34] If your faith in Jesus is true, [47:36] then the power of salvation will not end with you, [47:39] but you will seek to make it your aim

[47:41] to spread it all over the world.

[47:48] The Gospel has no barrier that cannot be overcome, [47:53] but understand that when you are ashamed of it, [47:56] you attempt to put a barrier to the Gospel up.

[48:02] The life in the Gospel that Jesus gives us tears down barriers. [48:07] It doesn’t put them up. [48:09] It tears down anything that stands in the way of salvation.

[48:15] Because I believe that Jesus saves.

[48:22] And there is nothing better than that. [48:26] Friends, this morning, understand. [48:29] I don’t know where you are in life, I don’t know what you’re dealing with, [48:32] I don’t know what you’re struggling through.

[48:37] But if you have Jesus, believe this. [48:43] You have everything.

[48:50] If you have Jesus, you have no shame.

[49:00] You could lose so much in this life.

[49:05] You could lose your very life.

[49:10] But if you have Jesus,

[49:14] you know that even in the face of dire circumstances,

[49:19] there’s hope. [49:21] Because no matter how bad it’s going to get,

[49:25] you know that even if you die, you’re going to get back up.

[49:30] Because Jesus saves. [49:33] And it is time that we began to live like it.

[49:42] As the band comes up this morning,

[49:46] as we reflect on the cross, as we do every week through communion, [49:50] I want us to kind of hone in on one reality this morning.

[49:59] When Jesus is on the cross, [50:02] and he’s suffering and he’s dying and he’s despising the shame, [50:05] the last phrase that Jesus utters, this is an amazing phrase, [50:09] he says, it is finished.

[50:14] Understand this morning that Jesus did not mean his life was finished. [50:19] Because Jesus knew he was getting back up.

[50:23] In that moment when Jesus utters that phrase, [50:26] what he means is that the payment for your sin, [50:29] the payment for my sin, is finished.

[50:34] In that moment when Jesus said it is finished, [50:36] what Jesus meant is that all of the reasons [50:39] that you shouldn’t be able to stand in God’s presence are finished. [50:43] All of the reasons that you shouldn’t be able to pray to God are finished. [50:46] All of the reasons that could ever keep you from being the person [50:50] and living the life that God has designed you to be and live are finished.

[50:56] Jesus paid it all.

[51:01] It’s finished.

[51:04] I can believe that this morning, because Jesus wasn’t finished. [51:09] Because he rose from the dead.

[51:13] The cup represents the shed blood of Jesus, [51:17] the bread represents his broken body.

[51:21] And when we drink and when we eat, what that represents [51:25] is the life of Jesus in my life. [51:30] That I believe that he has the power to save. [51:35] That’s what the Gospel is.

[51:38] This morning, if you believe that,

[51:43] there are six stations around this room [51:44] and I’m going to invite you to come and proclaim it. [51:49] If you don’t believe this morning, [51:51] if you say this morning, I want to be rid of my shame, [51:56] I want to follow Jesus this morning, I’ll be over here, [51:59] there will be some in the foyer.

[52:03] But trust Jesus, because he’ll save you.

[52:09] And walk into a world that so desperately needs to believe, [52:13] everywhere, and proclaim, [52:17] I am not ashamed of the Gospel. [52:22] When you’re ready, come.