Latest / Stornoway Free Church of Scotland - Sermons / Not Ashamed
Transcript
- 0:00Folks, turn back with me in your Bibles to Romans and chapter 1 for a short time this morning,
- 0:07! And with the Lord's help, let's see what we might glean from it.
- 0:13If you'll permit me, let me begin by asking a question, particularly perhaps to those of you who would profess Jesus as Lord.
- 0:22How many people have you spoken to about Jesus this week?
- 0:25Not how many church services have you attended, not how many podcasts have you listened to,
- 0:35not how many Bible verses or passages have you read, but how many people have you shared the gospel with this week?
- 0:45How many people have you articulated your faith or the truth about Jesus to in the past number of days?
- 0:53I'm sure, like me, for many of us, that question makes us uncomfortable.
- 1:00Because we know the gospel and we love the gospel.
- 1:05We know that the gospel has changed our lives and transformed our experiences.
- 1:12And yet so often, when the opportunity arises, we struggle to take up these opportunities.
- 1:20Why? Well, for a variety of reasons.
- 1:25We might think that the scenario in which we find ourselves isn't conducive to sharing or articulating our faith.
- 1:34Maybe we're afraid of saying the wrong thing or tripping over our words or being questioned for the things that we say.
- 1:43Perhaps we're worried about what people may think.
- 1:46They might think that we're narrow-minded or bigoted or old-fashioned or maybe just simply strange.
- 1:55We live in a culture where faith is often expected to remain a private faith, a personal and a private faith.
- 2:07And we're speaking openly of Christ Jesus and the great hope that is ours in and through his gospel comes at great cost to ourselves.
- 2:18And therefore, it's easy or becomes easy for us to remain silent.
- 2:26Now, the remarkable thing about that is that it's not a new struggle.
- 2:29It's not a struggle that is confined to modern-day Scotland.
- 2:34Paul, as we've just been reading, is preparing, longing to come to preach the gospel in Rome,
- 2:43in the heart of the greatest and strongest, most powerful empire on the earth.
- 2:50Now, what do we know of Rome?
- 2:51We know that Rome celebrated power and wealth and status and philosophy and military might.
- 2:59So, the message of a crucified Jewish savior might sound a little weak, perhaps a little foolish,
- 3:10maybe even offensive to the power of Rome.
- 3:14If anybody had good reason to remain silent, it's surely Paul as he enters into that arena.
- 3:23And yet, as we read in verse 16 of Romans chapter 1, after he's alluded to the fact that he longs to come to the people in Rome,
- 3:32he says,
- 3:32For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,
- 3:41to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- 3:45An amazing statement, a bold statement for Paul to make,
- 3:53made all the more amazing when we consider the experience that Paul himself has had up until this point.
- 4:01When Paul was first saved and taken to Damascus,
- 4:05he had to sneak over the wall to escape persecution because of the gospel.
- 4:11He was stoned and left for dead in the town of Lystra because he preached the gospel.
- 4:21Later, he was jailed in the city of Philippi because he preached the gospel.
- 4:28He was chased out of Thessalonica for preaching the gospel.
- 4:33He was laughed at in Athens for preaching the gospel.
- 4:39He was assaulted and arrested in Jerusalem for preaching the gospel.
- 4:47And so when we consider all of these encounters, all of these realities for the apostle Paul,
- 4:54it would be very easy for Paul to say,
- 4:55Well, I'm going to Rome and after all that I've experienced and all of these hardships that I've survived,
- 5:03is it wise of me to preach the gospel?
- 5:07But it's unambiguous for Paul.
- 5:10He says, Listen, I'm not ashamed of the gospel regardless of what has come to pass,
- 5:15regardless of the experiences that I've had, good, bad, and ugly.
- 5:19I am not ashamed of the gospel because of a number of things.
- 5:25It's quite a statement.
- 5:27So Paul's coming to this great superpower of the world,
- 5:33unashamedly longing to proclaim the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ.
- 5:39Nothing intimidated him.
- 5:41Whether it was Herod Agrippa,
- 5:44Governor Festus,
- 5:45Governor Felix in Caesarea,
- 5:48Nero in Rome,
- 5:49These were, let's make no mistake,
- 5:52strong, powerful, brutal, power-hungry leaders,
- 5:58but they didn't intimidate Paul.
- 6:00Why?
- 6:02Because Paul feared the Lord.
- 6:05Paul feared the Lord.
- 6:07And we know that Scripture reminds us that the fear of the Lord
- 6:11is not only the beginning of wisdom,
- 6:14but also a great source of confidence.
- 6:19The basis of Paul's confidence was his fear of the Lord.
- 6:24Elsewhere, he reminds us that his boast,
- 6:27his only boast,
- 6:29is in Christ.
- 6:30That was the source of his confidence.
- 6:32That's what gave him such confidence
- 6:35as he entered into this intimidating arena.
- 6:40And he reminds us today
- 6:42that the gospel is good news
- 6:44and it's worth standing for unashamedly,
- 6:49even when we're faced with great power,
- 6:53authority, and influence
- 6:54from worldly leaders or those before us.
- 6:59And so I'd like to just look this morning
- 7:01for a few moments with the Lord's help
- 7:03at some reasons why we, like Paul,
- 7:08can say,
- 7:09I am not ashamed of the gospel
- 7:12because it's good news.
- 7:16It's God's power
- 7:17and it's given freely.
- 7:20It's good news.
- 7:21It's God's power.
- 7:22It's given freely.
- 7:24Firstly, then, it's good news.
- 7:28Summed up by the word itself, gospel.
- 7:30That's literally what it means.
- 7:32It is good news.
- 7:36And, you know, from a rational point of view,
- 7:37we say, well, how could anybody be ashamed
- 7:40of good news?
- 7:43Good news is to be shared.
- 7:45Good news is to be disseminated.
- 7:46It's to be celebrated.
- 7:48It's to be rejoiced in.
- 7:51Well, let me give you a couple of reasons
- 7:53why somebody might be ashamed of the gospel,
- 7:55especially in somewhere like Rome.
- 7:58Rome would have been a terribly intimidating place
- 8:012,000 years ago.
- 8:03If you were to travel to Rome back then
- 8:05and look around,
- 8:06you would have thought,
- 8:06wow, Rome has it all together.
- 8:10These people want for nothing.
- 8:13They have everything that they need.
- 8:15Out of all of the places on the earth,
- 8:17Rome, well, it has it all.
- 8:20And in ancient times,
- 8:21Rome wasn't just another European capital.
- 8:25It was the center of everything.
- 8:29The nickname for Rome back then was Caput Mundi,
- 8:31which literally means the capital of the world.
- 8:35It was the center of civilization.
- 8:37It was the seat of influence and power.
- 8:41The Roman Senate there in Rome
- 8:42would make laws that affected the entire world.
- 8:47And therefore, it would have been an inspiring
- 8:49and yet intimidating place.
- 8:53Certainly somewhere that you might think twice
- 8:55of bringing a message of challenge.
- 8:59You might be ashamed of the gospel
- 9:00because not everybody in Rome
- 9:02saw that the gospel was good news
- 9:04or that they had any need for the gospel.
- 9:08In fact, they might think,
- 9:09well, that actually sounds like bad news,
- 9:11not good news.
- 9:12Because the gospel comes along and says,
- 9:14listen, you're not all together
- 9:17and you haven't arrived
- 9:19and you're not eternally secure,
- 9:21but you can be.
- 9:23You can be not through your wealth,
- 9:26not through your power,
- 9:27not through your prestige or your status,
- 9:30but through Jesus Christ,
- 9:32the one who has died in your place,
- 9:34the one who has shed his blood,
- 9:36that you may be free.
- 9:38They say, really?
- 9:39Look at us here.
- 9:41Sophisticated, advanced, affluent, wealthy, comfortable.
- 9:50We could translate that into the modern day, couldn't we?
- 9:54The same arguments, the same reasoning
- 9:57can be put forward by those who live today.
- 10:00I have no need of Jesus.
- 10:02I have everything that I need.
- 10:05It's the great lie of the secular world, isn't it?
- 10:08Just a little bit more.
- 10:10If I have these things,
- 10:11then, well, I'll be secure and I'll be fine.
- 10:14But of course, that's not the case, is it?
- 10:17Because without Christ,
- 10:19we are without hope and without God in the world.
- 10:24To many in Rome
- 10:26and to many in the modern day,
- 10:27if you go out into the street
- 10:28in Stornoway or Ullipool or anywhere else,
- 10:31and you tell them about the wonder of the gospel,
- 10:34they will find it offensive.
- 10:35What do you mean I'm not good enough?
- 10:39What do you mean my good deeds don't warrant reward?
- 10:43What do you mean by that?
- 10:45We say the gospel exposes the pride of the human heart.
- 10:50The gospel unmasks the condition of the unbeliever.
- 10:54The gospel strikes a blow
- 10:57to the heart of people's ego.
- 11:01And as a result,
- 11:03people react.
- 11:04React often negatively towards the gospel.
- 11:08And as a result,
- 11:10Christians often become embarrassed
- 11:13or shrink back as a result of that.
- 11:17Often we become timid and silent.
- 11:20But you know,
- 11:22the truth is,
- 11:24the gospel still changes lives.
- 11:26The gospel still changes hearts.
- 11:29Jesus still saves people.
- 11:33His story is a story of hope and meaning
- 11:36and inspiration and transformation.
- 11:40It's good news.
- 11:43So why would we be ashamed of good news?
- 11:46There are many things in life
- 11:47that we share with people.
- 11:49The arrival of a child or a grandchild.
- 11:52The news of an engagement.
- 11:55There's one in your intimations today
- 11:57for Aaron and Eve.
- 12:00We rejoice in these things
- 12:02and we share these good news stories.
- 12:04Surely the greatest message,
- 12:06the greatest news of all,
- 12:08is though we are sinful,
- 12:10for all sin and fall short of the glory of God,
- 12:14there is no one who is righteous,
- 12:15not even one.
- 12:16No one who seeks God, Paul says elsewhere.
- 12:19Surely the good news then
- 12:20is that there is provision
- 12:22and that there is a hope
- 12:24and that there is an answer
- 12:25to the greatest need of the human heart.
- 12:28Because for as much as we amass
- 12:30and as much as we succeed in
- 12:32and as much as we achieve
- 12:34and as much as we own,
- 12:36we know that,
- 12:37that there's still a yearning,
- 12:40a gnawing.
- 12:41There's something not quite.
- 12:43There's something missing.
- 12:44We may have made it in business.
- 12:46We might have secured our retirement.
- 12:49We may have our funds in place.
- 12:51We may have all of these things.
- 12:52But without Christ,
- 12:54we have no hope of eternity.
- 12:57The gospel is good news.
- 13:00Part of that good news is exposing
- 13:01the waywardness of the human heart,
- 13:04which is often something
- 13:05that is intimidating for us to do.
- 13:07But the gospel doesn't just expose.
- 13:11The gospel also clothes.
- 13:13It points to the righteousness
- 13:15and that's here later in this verse as well.
- 13:19We have the best news,
- 13:21the greatest news,
- 13:23the greatest hope
- 13:24that this world can ever know
- 13:27in Christ Jesus.
- 13:29That's why we share it.
- 13:31That's why we're unashamed.
- 13:32Because it is the best news
- 13:34that meets the greatest need
- 13:37of the human heart.
- 13:40Paul says,
- 13:41listen,
- 13:42Rome
- 13:42or Judea,
- 13:44doesn't matter.
- 13:45I am unashamed of the gospel
- 13:47because it's good news.
- 13:50Secondly,
- 13:51he's unashamed of the gospel
- 13:53because it's God's power.
- 13:55I am not ashamed of the gospel
- 13:58for it is the power of God
- 14:01for salvation.
- 14:04It's the power of God
- 14:05for salvation.
- 14:07Now,
- 14:08Paul's coming to Rome
- 14:09and Rome loved power.
- 14:12They boasted about their power.
- 14:15They were a nation of conquerors.
- 14:18They had the power of the Roman legions
- 14:21that were legendary.
- 14:23They had the best trained armies
- 14:25in the world.
- 14:27They had access
- 14:28to the best weapons
- 14:30in the world.
- 14:31They stationed their military might
- 14:33all over the conquered world
- 14:35to keep the peace.
- 14:39Rome was so powerful
- 14:40that Caesar Augustus
- 14:42could order a census,
- 14:43remember,
- 14:44to be taken
- 14:44that forced people
- 14:45to go to their homes towns
- 14:47to register
- 14:48across the entire empire.
- 14:50Such was the influence.
- 14:51Such was the power
- 14:53that the Roman emperor held.
- 14:57And the truth is,
- 14:57when a Roman emperor
- 14:58became agitated,
- 15:00everybody got nervous.
- 15:02Because if the king was mad,
- 15:05everybody else was on edge.
- 15:07You know,
- 15:07if mum's not happy at home,
- 15:09then tread carefully.
- 15:12Kind of amplify that
- 15:13for a dictator
- 15:15that's seated on his throne.
- 15:18If Caesar's not happy,
- 15:20nobody's at ease,
- 15:22nobody's at rest.
- 15:24And yet,
- 15:25for all of this power,
- 15:26for all of this influence,
- 15:29Rome were powerless,
- 15:31Rome was powerless,
- 15:32to change a single life
- 15:34from the inside.
- 15:36All of that Roman power
- 15:38could not morally
- 15:40fix a person.
- 15:42It couldn't change a life.
- 15:46Because though Rome
- 15:47and the Romans
- 15:48were outwardly powerful,
- 15:50militarily strong,
- 15:53they were morally bankrupt.
- 15:56And that was well known.
- 15:58A couple of Roman writers
- 15:59mentioned that,
- 16:00well,
- 16:01Seneca the Younger wrote,
- 16:02Rome is a cesspool
- 16:03of iniquity.
- 16:07Juvenal wrote,
- 16:08it's a filthy sewer
- 16:09into which the dregs
- 16:10of the empire flood.
- 16:14And here's the apostle Paul
- 16:15saying,
- 16:16I long to go there.
- 16:17I long to go to Rome.
- 16:19And I want to preach the gospel
- 16:21because I'm not ashamed of it.
- 16:23Because it's good news
- 16:24and it's God's power.
- 16:27I've seen the gospel
- 16:28working powerfully,
- 16:29Paul could say.
- 16:30I've seen it work in Corinth.
- 16:32I've watched it flourish
- 16:33in Ephesus.
- 16:34I've been to Thessalonica.
- 16:35It's happened in Philippi.
- 16:37Philippi.
- 16:37Imagine what would happen
- 16:39if God's spirit
- 16:41came in power in Rome.
- 16:43Imagine the influence.
- 16:44Imagine the fallout
- 16:47in the positive sense
- 16:48of that,
- 16:48the positive impact
- 16:50that it would have
- 16:51in the world.
- 16:52It's God's power
- 16:53into salvation.
- 16:57Now,
- 16:57notice how he speaks
- 16:59about that.
- 17:00He speaks about
- 17:01the gospel
- 17:03being the power.
- 17:04Not that it had power.
- 17:07But it was itself
- 17:08the power.
- 17:10The word of God.
- 17:12The good news.
- 17:12Who is the word?
- 17:13Jesus.
- 17:14In the beginning
- 17:14was the word
- 17:15and the word was with God
- 17:16and the word was God
- 17:17in the beginning
- 17:18was the word.
- 17:19Verse 14,
- 17:20John 1,
- 17:21the word became flesh
- 17:22and made his dwelling
- 17:23among us.
- 17:25The word of God,
- 17:26Jesus,
- 17:26the living word.
- 17:28He is the one
- 17:28who has the power
- 17:29to transform a life
- 17:31because he is the one
- 17:32who has brought
- 17:33everything that we know
- 17:34into being.
- 17:35He is the one
- 17:36who holds all things
- 17:37together.
- 17:39There is no
- 17:40worldly power
- 17:41that comes close
- 17:43to his power.
- 17:45He is the one
- 17:46who has all dominion,
- 17:48all power,
- 17:50all authority.
- 17:53He is the one
- 17:54who can change people.
- 17:55Rome couldn't change people.
- 17:58But Jesus
- 17:59can.
- 18:00Jesus saved Paul.
- 18:04Paul was an antagonist
- 18:05of the gospel.
- 18:06He was a persecutor
- 18:07of Christians,
- 18:09sworn enemy
- 18:09of the church
- 18:11on his way
- 18:12to persecute
- 18:13people further
- 18:15when Jesus
- 18:15arrests him
- 18:16and convicts him
- 18:17and converts him
- 18:18and saves him
- 18:19on the road
- 18:20to Damascus.
- 18:23Transformed
- 18:23through an encounter
- 18:25with the living
- 18:27Jesus Christ,
- 18:28the one who has risen
- 18:29and is ascended
- 18:30and is seated
- 18:31at the right hand
- 18:32of God
- 18:34in the throne room
- 18:34of heaven.
- 18:36The gospel
- 18:37preached,
- 18:38God's word
- 18:38expounded by Peter
- 18:40was powerful enough
- 18:41to save
- 18:423,000 people
- 18:44in the day
- 18:44of Pentecost
- 18:45and thousands
- 18:45since every day
- 18:47more were added
- 18:48to their number.
- 18:50That's the power
- 18:51of the gospel.
- 18:53Not to win a war
- 18:54or conquer a nation
- 18:55here or there
- 18:56but to change
- 18:58the human heart
- 18:59to give us
- 18:59a new heart
- 19:00and a new hope
- 19:02and a new direction
- 19:03of travel
- 19:04and an internal
- 19:05inheritance
- 19:06that cannot
- 19:07be matched.
- 19:09It's the gospel
- 19:10that changes people.
- 19:11Ask Billy Graham,
- 19:12the great evangelist,
- 19:14the numbers,
- 19:15they say
- 19:152.2 million people
- 19:17under his preaching
- 19:17came to know the Lord.
- 19:19Was it his opinion?
- 19:21Was it his gravitas?
- 19:23Was it his engagement?
- 19:26No, it was the gospel.
- 19:27It was the truth
- 19:28of the Lord Jesus Christ
- 19:30that he preached
- 19:31that changed people
- 19:32as the Spirit of God
- 19:33moved within them.
- 19:36The gospel is powerful.
- 19:38We know not
- 19:38what it will do.
- 19:39D.L. Moody said
- 19:41that the world
- 19:42has yet to see
- 19:43what the Lord
- 19:43can do through
- 19:44somebody who is
- 19:45totally devoted
- 19:46to him
- 19:47and the preaching
- 19:47of his word.
- 19:49The gospel
- 19:50is powerful enough
- 19:51to save Paul,
- 19:53Augustine,
- 19:54Martin Luther,
- 19:55C.S. Lewis,
- 19:56atheists,
- 19:58investigative journalists,
- 20:00whoever they may be,
- 20:01you and I.
- 20:03The gospel
- 20:03is God's power.
- 20:05It is a power
- 20:06that is unmatched.
- 20:07It is unrivaled
- 20:09and it is the only one
- 20:11that can save a soul
- 20:12from death.
- 20:14The gospel
- 20:15is good news.
- 20:17The gospel
- 20:18is God's power
- 20:20and the gospel
- 20:21is freely given.
- 20:23The third reason
- 20:24that Paul
- 20:25is not ashamed
- 20:25of the gospel
- 20:26is because
- 20:27it's freely given.
- 20:29For I am not ashamed
- 20:30of the gospel
- 20:31but it is the power
- 20:32of God for salvation
- 20:33to everyone
- 20:34who believes.
- 20:36To the Jew first
- 20:37and also
- 20:38to the Greek.
- 20:41Now he's talking
- 20:42chronologically there.
- 20:44First it came
- 20:45to the Jews.
- 20:45Of course it did.
- 20:46Jesus.
- 20:47It came through Jesus.
- 20:48Jesus and his line.
- 20:50It came to the Jews
- 20:51but now it is
- 20:52to the Gentiles.
- 20:54Indeed if you go back
- 20:56a couple of verses
- 20:57to verse 14
- 20:58you'll read Paul
- 21:00writing there
- 21:01I am under obligation
- 21:02both to Greeks
- 21:03and to barbarians
- 21:05both to the wise
- 21:06and to the foolish.
- 21:09Now the Jews
- 21:10divided the world
- 21:11into two groups.
- 21:13The Jews
- 21:13and everybody else.
- 21:15You were either a Jew
- 21:16or you were a Gentile.
- 21:17You were one of the
- 21:18everybody else.
- 21:20Indeed
- 21:20strict Jews
- 21:22back then
- 21:22used to hate everyone
- 21:23who wasn't
- 21:24a Jew.
- 21:25Rabbis even said
- 21:26that God used
- 21:27the Gentiles
- 21:28to stoke the fires
- 21:29of hell
- 21:29which was
- 21:30pretty grim.
- 21:32But Paul said
- 21:33yes the message
- 21:33did come to Jews
- 21:34first
- 21:35but it has also
- 21:36come to Gentiles
- 21:37to Greeks
- 21:38and to the whole world.
- 21:40There's a chronology
- 21:41here
- 21:42that he is
- 21:43speaking.
- 21:43The Greeks
- 21:45also divided
- 21:45the world
- 21:46into two groups
- 21:47the Greeks
- 21:47and everybody else
- 21:49and that's been
- 21:49something
- 21:50that has been
- 21:51characteristic
- 21:51of people groups
- 21:52down through
- 21:53the generations.
- 21:55But Paul says
- 21:56here I am under
- 21:57obligation
- 21:58to both Greeks
- 21:59and barbarians.
- 22:00The AV captures
- 22:01it slightly better
- 22:02I am debtor
- 22:04it says
- 22:05to both the Greeks
- 22:06and their barbarians
- 22:07both to the wise
- 22:08and the unwise.
- 22:11That is why
- 22:12so therefore
- 22:14I am eager
- 22:15to preach
- 22:16the gospel
- 22:17to you also
- 22:18who are in Rome.
- 22:20Now a barbarian
- 22:21was somebody
- 22:22who simply
- 22:22hadn't been swayed
- 22:24by Greek influence
- 22:25they hadn't been
- 22:25Hellenized
- 22:27or they weren't
- 22:27under the Greek
- 22:28culture.
- 22:30So what Paul
- 22:30is saying
- 22:31by using the terminology
- 22:32that he's implying
- 22:33here as he writes
- 22:34to Rome
- 22:35is that the gospel
- 22:36is non-discriminatory.
- 22:39It's non-discriminatory
- 22:40it is universal
- 22:42in its scope.
- 22:44It's freely given.
- 22:46It's an offer
- 22:47that is extended
- 22:48an invitation
- 22:48that is given
- 22:49to the Greeks
- 22:50and to the barbarians
- 22:52to the wise
- 22:53to the unwise
- 22:54to the Jew
- 22:54to the Gentile
- 22:55to the high class
- 22:56to the low class
- 22:57and so on.
- 23:01It's good
- 23:02if you studied
- 23:03Socrates
- 23:03it's good
- 23:04if you can't
- 23:05even pronounce
- 23:05Socrates.
- 23:07It's good
- 23:07if you're down
- 23:08and out
- 23:08it's good
- 23:09if you're
- 23:09on the up.
- 23:11But notice
- 23:12he says
- 23:12I am under
- 23:13obligation
- 23:13I am a debtor
- 23:14he says.
- 23:15What does he mean?
- 23:17Well there are
- 23:17two ways
- 23:18in which we can
- 23:19be in debt.
- 23:20Number one
- 23:21we can borrow
- 23:21from somebody
- 23:22and be in their debt
- 23:23until we pay
- 23:24that back.
- 23:26But number two
- 23:27we can be in debt
- 23:28if we are given
- 23:29something
- 23:29entrusted with something
- 23:30to pass on
- 23:31to a third party.
- 23:33Some people might say
- 23:34that's money laundering
- 23:34but we're not going
- 23:35down that route.
- 23:37But say we're
- 23:37entrusted with something
- 23:39to pass on
- 23:40to somebody
- 23:40it's not ours
- 23:41to keep
- 23:41but it is to pass on
- 23:43we are in debt
- 23:44to that person
- 23:45and indeed
- 23:46to the giver
- 23:46until we have
- 23:47fulfilled
- 23:48the obligation
- 23:49that we have been given
- 23:50and we are freed
- 23:52from that debt.
- 23:54That's what Paul
- 23:55means when he speaks
- 23:56of being a debtor.
- 23:58He's not in debt
- 23:59because he borrowed
- 23:59anything from the Romans
- 24:01or the Greeks
- 24:02or the barbarians.
- 24:04He's a debtor
- 24:05because he has been
- 24:06entrusted
- 24:07with the gospel
- 24:08of Jesus Christ
- 24:09and until he has
- 24:11shared that
- 24:12with everyone
- 24:12he has the opportunity
- 24:13to
- 24:14he is a debtor
- 24:16to the gospel.
- 24:18That which is
- 24:19freely given
- 24:20becomes
- 24:22a liability
- 24:24if it stops
- 24:25with us.
- 24:27And that's a challenge
- 24:28isn't it?
- 24:30Are we debtors
- 24:31to those around
- 24:33about us?
- 24:34Are we debtors
- 24:35to our family?
- 24:37Are we debtors
- 24:37to our colleagues?
- 24:39Are we debtors
- 24:40to our communities?
- 24:40Because we have
- 24:41taken the good news
- 24:43and we're hoarding
- 24:44it to ourselves.
- 24:46Holding it
- 24:47to ourselves.
- 24:48Ashamed.
- 24:50Frightened.
- 24:51to share it
- 24:52with those
- 24:54around
- 24:54about us.
- 24:57The gospel
- 24:58is good news.
- 24:59Indeed as the angel
- 25:00said right at the beginning
- 25:01good news
- 25:02of great joy
- 25:03for
- 25:05all
- 25:05people.
- 25:08The Lord
- 25:08will use us
- 25:09if we
- 25:10are willing.
- 25:11What was it that Augustine
- 25:12said?
- 25:13God demand
- 25:14whatever you will
- 25:15for you
- 25:17will supply
- 25:18whatever
- 25:18you demand.
- 25:21How much confidence
- 25:22do we have
- 25:23in the Lord
- 25:24the one
- 25:25who can
- 25:25provide?
- 25:27So why is Paul
- 25:28unashamed of the gospel?
- 25:30Because
- 25:31he recognizes
- 25:32that it's
- 25:33good news.
- 25:35He understands
- 25:36that it's
- 25:36God's power
- 25:37and he affirms
- 25:39that it is
- 25:39freely offered
- 25:40to
- 25:41everyone.
- 25:44I wonder
- 25:45if we would agree
- 25:46this morning.
- 25:48Do we see it
- 25:48as good news?
- 25:50God's power
- 25:51and a gracious
- 25:53and free
- 25:54universal
- 25:55invitation.
- 25:57We don't know
- 25:58who will take it up.
- 25:59We don't know
- 26:00who will reject it.
- 26:01But by the same token
- 26:02we don't know
- 26:02who will accept it.
- 26:04We don't know
- 26:05what ground
- 26:05has been
- 26:06cultivated
- 26:07in preparation
- 26:08for us to come
- 26:08and speak
- 26:10that there might be
- 26:11a rich
- 26:12harvest.
- 26:15You see
- 26:15the Lord
- 26:16doesn't ask
- 26:16people to behave.
- 26:17to be saved.
- 26:20He asks us
- 26:21to believe
- 26:22to be saved.
- 26:24And who do we
- 26:25believe?
- 26:25In Jesus.
- 26:26And how can they
- 26:27believe if they
- 26:28have not heard?
- 26:29And how can they
- 26:30hear if nobody
- 26:30speaks?
- 26:31And how can they
- 26:32hear if nobody
- 26:32goes to them?
- 26:34the gospel
- 26:36of grace
- 26:37is good news
- 26:38but it requires
- 26:40articulating.
- 26:42You know
- 26:42there's that saying
- 26:43you know
- 26:43preach the gospel
- 26:44use words if necessary.
- 26:46It's nonsense.
- 26:47Of course
- 26:48words are necessary.
- 26:49We must hear
- 26:50that doesn't mean
- 26:51to say that we
- 26:51shouldn't demonstrate
- 26:52or cultivate
- 26:53a lifestyle
- 26:54that demonstrates
- 26:55or that bolsters
- 26:56or that is in
- 26:57harmony with
- 26:58the faith that we
- 26:59profess with our lips.
- 27:00Of course we should.
- 27:01But we should be
- 27:03a people
- 27:03who delight
- 27:04with the apostle
- 27:05Paul in the gospel
- 27:07because we're
- 27:07unashamed of it.
- 27:09Not ashamed
- 27:09because we recognize
- 27:10it as the power
- 27:11of God
- 27:12and to salvation
- 27:14for all
- 27:15who will
- 27:16believe.
- 27:19Religion
- 27:20will never
- 27:21set us free.
- 27:23Ceremony
- 27:23will never
- 27:24set us free.
- 27:26Morality
- 27:26will never
- 27:27set us free.
- 27:29But Jesus
- 27:30will.
- 27:32Jesus
- 27:33will.
- 27:34And that's
- 27:34good news
- 27:35because it's
- 27:36God's power
- 27:37in his
- 27:38living word
- 27:39and is offered
- 27:40and given
- 27:40to us
- 27:41freely.
- 27:45Let me
- 27:45conclude with a
- 27:46short story
- 27:47about Fritz
- 27:47Kreisler.
- 27:49I'm sure some
- 27:49of you may have
- 27:50heard of him.
- 27:50He was a
- 27:51well-known
- 27:51violin player.
- 27:54And the story
- 27:55goes that he
- 27:56came across
- 27:56a violin,
- 27:57a Stradivarius
- 27:58violin,
- 27:59that he thought
- 27:59I must have it.
- 28:00But he didn't
- 28:01have the funds
- 28:02to purchase it
- 28:02at the time.
- 28:04So he went
- 28:04away and he
- 28:05played at
- 28:06different concerts
- 28:06and he saved
- 28:07money and he
- 28:07came back to
- 28:08buy that violin
- 28:09but it had
- 28:09been bought.
- 28:10It had been
- 28:11bought by a
- 28:11great and
- 28:12wealthy
- 28:13collector.
- 28:14Well, he
- 28:15found out who
- 28:15the collector
- 28:16was and he
- 28:17went to visit
- 28:17the man.
- 28:18He said to
- 28:19him, I saw
- 28:20the violin,
- 28:21I wanted to
- 28:21buy it.
- 28:22The man said,
- 28:23no, I have
- 28:23bought it.
- 28:24It's part of
- 28:24my collection.
- 28:25It's prize of
- 28:26place now.
- 28:27I have it in
- 28:27this beautiful
- 28:28cabinet.
- 28:28Would you
- 28:29like to come
- 28:29in and see
- 28:30it?
- 28:31Fritz goes in,
- 28:31he has a
- 28:32look and he
- 28:32turns to leave,
- 28:34sad that this
- 28:34man will not
- 28:35sell it to
- 28:35him.
- 28:36And he
- 28:36says, before
- 28:37I go, may
- 28:39I play it?
- 28:40May I play
- 28:40the instrument
- 28:41just once?
- 28:44So he takes
- 28:44out the case
- 28:45and Fritz
- 28:46tunes it up
- 28:46and he
- 28:47plays.
- 28:48And this
- 28:49beautiful
- 28:49melodious music
- 28:51sings from
- 28:51this instrument
- 28:52under the
- 28:53talent of this
- 28:54man who is
- 28:55playing.
- 28:55And the
- 28:56collector has
- 28:56moved to
- 28:57tears.
- 28:58And he
- 28:59says to
- 28:59him, I
- 29:00have no
- 29:00right to
- 29:02consign this
- 29:03instrument to
- 29:03silence.
- 29:05The world
- 29:06needs to
- 29:06hear the
- 29:07beauty of
- 29:08its music.
- 29:09Take it,
- 29:11play it,
- 29:12let people
- 29:13hear it.
- 29:16Jesus says
- 29:16the same to
- 29:17us.
- 29:18When he
- 29:19says, go
- 29:20into all the
- 29:21nation and
- 29:22make disciples,
- 29:24tell people,
- 29:25about the
- 29:27goodness of
- 29:28God in
- 29:29the gospel
- 29:30of grace.
- 29:31Be not
- 29:32ashamed, for
- 29:33the gospel is
- 29:34the power of
- 29:35God and to
- 29:37salvation for
- 29:38everyone who
- 29:40believes.
- 29:41May the
- 29:41Lord empower
- 29:43us.
- 29:43Let's pray.
- 29:45God, our
- 29:46Father, we
- 29:46thank you for
- 29:47your word and
- 29:48for its
- 29:49instruction and
- 29:51for its
- 29:51challenge and
- 29:52inspiration.
- 29:53And we pray
- 29:53that we would
- 29:53indeed be
- 29:54challenged and
- 29:55inspired and
- 29:57that we would
- 29:57recognize the
- 29:58great wonder of
- 29:59the gospel of
- 30:00Jesus, that it
- 30:01is the one
- 30:02thing that can
- 30:03change a
- 30:03heart from
- 30:04the inside
- 30:05out.
- 30:06Lord, may we
- 30:07be bold as
- 30:09we proclaim
- 30:10unashamedly the
- 30:12gospel of
- 30:13grace, which is
- 30:14the power of
- 30:15God, and to
- 30:16salvation for
- 30:17all who will
- 30:19believe.
- 30:20We ask in
- 30:20Jesus' name.
- 30:21Amen.
- 30:22Amen.
- 30:24Folks, we're
- 30:25going to conclude
- 30:26by singing to
- 30:27God's praise from
- 30:29Psalm 107 in
- 30:32the Scottish
- 30:32Psalter.
- 30:34Psalm 107 on
- 30:36page 382 of
- 30:39your psalm
- 30:40books.
- 30:40Psalm 107 on
- 30:46page 382, and
- 30:47we're going to
- 30:47sing the verses
- 30:48marked 1 to 7
- 30:49to God's
- 30:50praise.
- 30:51Praise God, for
- 30:52he is good, for
- 30:53still his
- 30:54mercy's lasting
- 30:55be.
- 30:56Let God's
- 30:56redeemed say,
- 30:57so whom he
- 30:58from the
- 30:58enemy's hand
- 30:59did free.
- 31:01Verses 1 to
- 31:017 to God's
- 31:02praise.
- 31:02If we're able,
- 31:03let's stand and
- 31:04sing together.
- 31:04praise God, for
- 31:11he is good, for
- 31:16still his
- 31:19mercy's lasting
- 31:22be.
- 31:24Let God's
- 31:28redeemed say
- 31:32over me
- 31:35from
- 31:36enemies
- 31:39counted
- 31:40free
- 31:43and
- 31:45gather
- 31:46them
- 31:49of
- 31:50the lands
- 31:53from north
- 31:55south
- 31:57east and
- 31:59west
- 32:01they
- 32:03streamed in
- 32:05desert
- 32:07pathless
- 32:10with
- 32:11no city
- 32:14unto
- 32:17rest
- 32:20for
- 32:21first
- 32:22God
- 32:24hung
- 32:25in them
- 32:28face
- 32:29their
- 32:30soul
- 32:31rest
- 32:33is
- 32:34tempest
- 32:38they
- 32:39cry
- 32:40unto
- 32:41the
- 32:43Lord
- 32:44and
- 32:46he
- 32:47then
- 32:48preached
- 32:49from
- 32:50their
- 32:52dishes
- 32:54they
- 32:56fall
- 32:58in
- 33:00a way
- 33:02to
- 33:04war
- 33:05that
- 33:06might
- 33:08deep
- 33:10defy
- 33:12that
- 33:14they
- 33:16might
- 33:17do
- 33:18a
- 33:19city
- 33:20go
- 33:22where
- 33:24in
- 33:25they
- 33:26might
- 33:27die
- 33:28time
- 33:30and
- 33:32now to
- 33:33him who is able to do more abundantly than all we ask or think according to the power that is at work within us to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever and all God's people say amen
- 33:48amen
- 34:18to