Latest / HBCWestminster / 10.23.22 Romans 1:16-17 Pastor Danny Gardner

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10.23.22 Romans 1:16-17 Pastor Danny Gardner · HBCWestminster

• 0:00
  Well, Romans 1 and verse 16, if you guys have your Bibles, Romans 1 and verse 16, when you find it, if you would stand in honor of God's Word as I read, two verses this morning, 16 and 17. Romans 1 and verse 16, the Word of God says, 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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith.
• 0:33
  As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith. Let's pray. Lord Jesus, our great high priest, you have opened to us a new and living way by which we fallen creatures can approach your throne with acceptance. Grant us by your perfect sacrifice the holiness which your law demands and the grace which we desire grant us by our faith. May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts
• 1:06
  Be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Churchill. Kind of a funny sermon this morning, unashamed. And I don't mean like ha-ha kind of funny, but rather that based on the sermon title, I would bet that you already know what I'm going to say.
• 1:25
  You probably have at hand at some point a t-shirt that says that word on it in your home. You could probably preach this sermon to yourself in your head right now, dismiss yourself and go to lunch. But for the sake of continuity and because I took all those hours to prepare, give me 35 minutes if you would. Allow me to preach the sermon anyway. We concluded last Lord's Day by saying that godly leaders and pastors specifically must be those who are grateful, loving,
• 1:56
  prayerful giving, and we concluded with preaching. We said that if any one of those qualities lacks, that that pastor will not experience the full effect of God's gospel work, and in fact, the growth of the church which he oversees will be stunted. We pick up this morning by elaborating on that final point. A godly pastor preaches the gospel. In fact, so important is gospel preaching that we said last week, if he is good at all of the others,
• 2:27
  But he neglects that final one, the preaching of the gospel. Let's say that he is grateful and loving and prayerful and giving, but he never preaches the gospel. If he fails in that one area, that his ministry and calling should be determined a failure. The Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9, verse 16, Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. He said, Acts 20 and 24, But I do not account my life of any value, nor as precious to myself.
• 2:53
  If only I may finish my course in the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, and here it is, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. The gospel matters. I wish that there had been a way, there was just no way to do this, but I wish that there had been a way to take a survey this morning, as you all came in the door, to ask every person in attendance this morning these questions. What is the business of the church?
• 3:25
  What does the church do? What do we do as members of the church, Christ's body? In 2003, James White, in his book entitled Rethinking the Church, describes the rise and fall of the locomotive industry of the late 1800s. He said at that time, he said, no business, this is a quote from his book, no business matched the financial and political dominance of the railroad.
• 3:55
  The wealthiest, most influential, most powerful men in the world at the time, in the late 1800s, were the owners of the railroads. They were, in today's modern world, they were like the social media Silicon Valley. They were Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Wealthy, powerful, influential figures. He continues, trains dominated the transportation industry of the United States, moving both people and goods throughout the country.
• 4:25
  But then a new discovery came along, the automobile. And incredibly, the leaders of the railroad industry did not take advantage of their unique position to literally buy up this new development. They had so much wealth that they could have purchased the automotive industry outright. They could have purchased every patent. They could have owned cars, car manufacturing. It could have belonged to them.
• 4:54
  but they didn't do it. He continues, the automotive revolution was happening all around them and they missed it. Why? Because they thought that they were in the train business, but they were in fact in the transportation business. They forgot what their main objective was supposed to be. They lost sight of their goal. And because of that, the automotive industry, by many factors over, eclipsed the locomotive industry. They lost power.
• 5:25
  that monopoly that they had had on transportation, they lost to the car manufacturers. This morning's text describes the nature of the church's gospel work. If you asked your neighbors or coworkers, what does the church do? You would most certainly get a wide variety of responses from the world, right? If you asked your secular neighbors and friends, what does the church do? They'd say anything from, well, the church does humanitarian work.
• 5:53
  Maybe some of them would even say something like, the church just gets in the way of social progress. There are some of our neighbors who believe that way. You may say, well, yeah, but that's the secular world. They have no idea what we do. But what's interesting is that studies have shown that if you asked church members and attendees, what does the church do, you would also get some pretty muddy responses. Dr. Stephen Davey turned me on to a survey.
• 6:21
  which had been done some years ago, asking members of a thousand evangelical churches across the country the same question. A thousand churches across the country, evangelical churches, they asked all the members of these churches that same question. What is the business of the church? Somewhere around 90% of their responses could be filed under the same heading. Nine out of ten said the church exists to take care of me and my family.
• 6:50
  That's why the church is there nine out of ten typical church members believe the church exists For them only one out of ten ten percent Responded with something to do with winning the world to Christ The church exists to make disciples one out of ten and so I would ask again church. What is the business of the church? What is it?
• 7:14
  that we do if you were to distill our ministry down to a simple statement what would that statement be again james white in that same book wrote this he said if the goal of the church was to make cars let's say that it was our goal to manufacture cars then he says the average church member would be satisfied with nothing more than a maintenance program
• 7:38
  Rather than manufacturing cars, he says most people just are satisfied if the church just maintains existing cars. Checking windshield wipers, fluids checked, tire pressure monitored. Simply put, he said the goal of making cars has been replaced with maintaining cars and polishing them for the showroom floor. What is the business of the church?
• 8:07
  Friends, we may do a lot of other things. That's true. But first and foremost, the church's business, our business, is to make disciples by baptizing and teaching. That would be a good place for an amen. Let me give you another shot at it. All right? We'll do it again. Those weren't my words. Those were the words of Jesus. That's a great commission. I'll say it again. You guys get your amen ready. We may do a lot of other things, church. But first and foremost, our business is to make disciples by baptizing and teaching.
• 8:36
  If we do everything else right, if we make sure that the windshields are washed and the fluids are checked and the tire pressure is good, if we do all of those things right, but we don't fulfill the Great Commission, are we not failures? We didn't do it. We weren't doing it right. We preach Christ and Him crucified. We preach the gospel. We do not exist primarily to polish up existing believers. We exist.
• 9:05
  to get the word out. Now, I don't want to overstate this next point because I do think this statement has been overused. I honestly don't think there's anything wrong with inviting your unbelieving friends and neighbors to church. I think it's a good idea. I don't think there's anything. We preach the gospel. If they come, they're going to hear the gospel.
• 9:26
  invite your friends to the women's conference right we're going to have a harvest fun fair next week invite your unbelieving neighbors family members yes we want them to come bring all those kids to the church let them have a good experience hopefully they come back for vbs they hear the good news and are saved that is our hope yes and amen but as it relates to evangelism the impetus that is the responsibility is on believers
• 9:56
  to go to the world it is not the responsibility is not on unbelievers to come to us it is our job to go to them not their job to come to us again stephen davy there is not one verse think about the weight of the statement there is not one verse in the new testament that tells an unbeliever to go to church none the unbeliever has never been commanded to do so the church has been commanded to go to the un
• 10:26
  believer in fact later in the letter to romans in romans chapter 10 the apostle paul communicates that plainly he says for everyone who calls on the name of the lord will be saved amen but how then will they call on him whom they've not believed and how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard
• 10:46
  And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? Do you see what he does? He goes all the way to the end of the road and he says, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord is saved. We know that to be true. But then he just follows that logical pattern backward. If that is the goal, then what do we have to do as step one? How are they going to call on the name of the Lord if they haven't believed? He backs it up. Well, how are they going to believe if they haven't heard?
• 11:16
  He backs it up. How are they going to hear unless someone preaches, right? He's pulling it back again. And how are they going to preach unless they're sent? There's got to be this sending, this understanding that we as a church don't exist primarily for this. Now, I'm not saying that we don't exist for worship because that's exactly what we exist for.
• 11:38
  okay we gather we worship we don't forsake the assembling of ourselves we encourage one another all the more as we see the day approaching amen that is what we do on sundays and wednesdays in our homes and whatever else but at some point we've got to take that mentality of it's actually my job to go and rescue people who are drowning at some point i gotta go i need to be a part of that sending we are not primarily car mechanics but rather
• 12:09
  car manufacturers we turn our attention this morning to two verses which if properly understood and believed upon change the eternal destinies of those who hear them is that not true if you understand these two verses then you understand the gospel in fact one pastor has said the most life transforming truths god has ever placed in the hands of men can be found
• 12:36
  In Romans 1, 16 and 17. These are the biggest two verses in the Bible. That's a pretty big statement. You'll notice the very first phrase in verse 16. He says, for I am not ashamed. As was stated last Sunday, this adds to that final characteristic of spiritual service from a true leader or pastor. Paul said in verse 14 that he was obligated to preach. Do you remember that? Back up a couple of verses.
• 13:09
  I am under, verse 14 says, obligation to preach. But then in verse 15, he added another word. You guys remember? Look at verse 15. What word did he add? I'm eager to preach. Do you guys remember that? And now in verse 16, he adds another word. He says that he is proud to preach. As we read the life of Paul as recorded in the book of Acts.
• 13:34
  Paul was unintimidated by the learned and powerful, by the influential religious and political leaders of his time. He would not back down. He was chased. He was flogged. He was imprisoned. He was even stoned at one point and left for dead in the middle of a field. And yet at every opportunity, he went back for more. That's crazy. I mean, honestly, I don't know if that would have been my response. You read Acts chapter 14?
• 14:06
  Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, these three cities which are mentioned over and over in the book of Acts, right? And Paul goes into these three kind of sister cities, Iconium, Lystra, Derbe. He preaches the gospel. At one point, they become so angry at him that they drag him outside of the city limits into a field. They throw rocks at him until he stops moving. They assume he's dead. In fact, some commentators think he died. Think he died. I don't know one way or the other on that. I think he died and maybe was resuscitated.
• 14:35
  Right? Brought back to life. I don't know. They certainly left him for dead in the middle of a field under a pile of rocks. He regains consciousness. He stands back up and he kicks the dirt off of his feet and says, to hell with all of you pagans. Well, that's not what he says. Right? You're like, wait, I don't remember that being in the book of Acts. That's because it's not in the book of Acts. What does he say? No. He walks right back into town.
• 15:06
  And he says, the gospel is for you. He begins to preach again. And in fact, he says in Acts chapter 14, it is through those types of persecutions and sufferings that we can enter the kingdom of God. That's what we should all expect. Like, what is wrong with this guy? And then he goes into those churches in those towns and he says, listen, this is exactly what they're going to do to you. Who wants to volunteer to be an elder here? They're like, not me. I don't want it. I mean, can you imagine?
• 15:36
  What in the world? Okay, so that's this guy. He's declared to be a blasphemer. He's declared to be a lawbreaker. He had the full weight of the Jewish and Roman authority pressing down upon him. And with all of that, he says in verse 16, I'm proud. I'm proud to preach it. I'm proud to bear the name. I'm proud to bear the scorn, the rejection, the rocks, all of it. He did not want hell.
• 16:07
  For any of them. Any of them. Have you considered, friends, what you are prepared to endure for the sake of the gospel, for the sake of Christ's name. We all know that we are supposed to be unashamed. But man, when even the slightest pressure comes, fear begins to stir up in my heart. I know that the gospel is unattractive, even offensive to the world.
• 16:35
  So there are some times when I have opportunity to proclaim Christ, but I back down. We come here with great courage and boldness, and we worship with our spiritual family. We breathe deeply the aroma of Christ and life and health. But then we stay quiet around our unbelieving friends and family because the aroma of Christ to them is the aroma of what? You guys read 2 Corinthians 2, right? The very end.
• 17:07
  He says, when we're gathered together as believers, we breathe deeply the aroma of Christ. The aroma of Christ to the believers, to those who are saved, is the aroma of life. But to those who are perishing, the aroma of Christ is the aroma of death. It's repulsive to them. It smells like death. And so when we go to work or we go to school or we go to the grocery store, we don't want to smell like death. And so it's like we just put on our spiritual deodorant.
• 17:39
  right hoping not to stink too bad we spray our spiritual febreze in order to mask the smell of jesus america has enjoyed for generations the claim that we are a christian nation founded on god but statements like these have fallen out of favor of late as you know the scriptures which were at one time i think assumed by the vast majority of americans have become increasingly unpopular the words of eternal life
• 18:08
  are now viewed by many as oppressive. That's the word that gets thrown around a lot. Oppressive, domineering, intolerant. They are, in the opinions of some, the scriptures, one of the many traditions in our country which must be torn down and cast out. But at church, it's impossible to get around the truths of God's word in the history of our people. In fact, the preamble of the Colorado Constitution says it this way.
• 18:38
  We, the people of Colorado, with profound reverence for the supreme ruler of the universe. That's how far you get into it. When it's like, yeah, there is a God overall. There is a sovereign one in heaven in order to form a more independent and perfect government and so on to establish justice and tranquility and defense. Now, I'm not sure how many Coloradans still feel that way. That there is a supreme ruler governing.
• 19:08
  The universe, by and large, I think the citizens of our fair state, no longer feel that profound reverence. And yet this is the very being, that supreme ruler of the universe, is the very being that we Coloradan Christians represent. It is the message that Paul says we must be proud to represent. The very message which could someday find us, like the Apostle Paul, imprisoned.
• 19:40
  Having our property and assets seized, the same message, which could cost us our very lives. Paul, we see, was obligated, but more than that, he was eager. But more than that, verse 16 says he was proud to preach the gospel even in Rome, where, as James Denny describes, the whole effective force of humanity was gathered up. The most military, political...
• 20:09
  financial strength in the world centralized in rome and he says that's the very place i am eager to preach the good news and beloved friends are we as proud to represent christ here where the whole effective force of humanity is gathered up he says i am not ashamed of the gospel but notice he gives an explanation on why why is it that he and why we can be unashamed
• 20:39
  Why is he unashamed? He continues. For it, the gospel, is the power of God for salvation. It is the power of God. The word for power is the Greek word dunamis. It's where we get the word dynamic. We also get the word dynamite. Dynamite. The gospel has the power of dynamite. It is explosive kind of power.
• 21:09
  And the most effective form, we know this, the most effective form of evangelism is the public display, not of the logic of the gospel, although the gospel is logical. It is not necessarily the most effective form of evangelism to get into arguments with people online and prove through logic that the gospel makes sense. Very rarely does somebody look at that logical flow and say, okay, then I guess I'm forced to bow the knee. That's not typically the way that people get saved.
• 21:38
  The normal and most effective form of evangelism is the power of personal testimony. You let them see how the gospel is dynamite in your life. I once was lost, but now I'm found. I was blind, and now I see that is gospel power. I had a filthy mouth, but God redeemed it.
• 22:08
  My head was full of the worst possible thoughts, but I have taken those captive. My marriage was in shambles, but through the power of the gospel, the Lord has redeemed my home. They get to see the testimony of the power of the gospel on display. And church, let your friends and neighbors and family and coworkers, let your fellow students see your transformed life. That has power behind it.
• 22:36
  You pick up again in verse 16, you notice with me the universal nature of the gospel. He says, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power, the dynamite of God for salvation to everyone who believes, it says, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. The gospel is for everyone. The gospel is for all. In fact, the same gospel is for all. The same terms are offered without prejudice, without exemption.
• 23:09
  This says it does not matter who you are. It also does not matter what you've done. The same gospel has the same dynamic force to say. I'm 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. Now verse 17 is interesting because it explains exactly how the gospel worked. We saw what it was and why it was, but now...
• 23:36
  How does it work? How does the gospel work? It says, verse 17, for in it, you guys all see the it? What is the it making reference to? It's the gospel, right? For in the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith. As it is written, the righteous shall live by faith. There is something which man does not possess, but which is required in order for him to be saved.
• 24:11
  What is that? I'm going to ask it again and give you guys a second to figure it out. It's in there. There is something which man does not possess, but which is in fact required in order for him to be saved. What is it? Righteousness. Righteousness is what is required in order for you to be saved. Righteousness, the unfortunate reality, is what? None of us is righteous, Romans 3 says.
• 24:46
  Like not even one of us is righteous. In fact, not only are we not righteous, we don't even want to be righteous. According to Romans 3, we have no desire to become righteous. We have no seeking after in our hearts for God. You say, well, I really, really, really, really, really wanted to know God and I eventually found him. Nope, that's not how it works. God sought you and so you found him.
• 25:13
  Right? I mean, that's the reality. None of us is righteous. None of us has done what is right. In fact, Romans chapter 3 and verse 23, all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The unfortunate reality is that all of us, every single one, is unrighteous. And so how is it that a sinful man may be declared righteous before God? And this says, by obtaining the righteousness of God.
• 25:41
  How is it that we are declared righteous before God? You've got to obtain the righteousness of God. There is a righteousness which he possesses, which he offers. And what does Paul mean when he says from faith for faith? You notice there in your text, there's probably a little number five, tiny little number five after the second faith. Translator's note, you go down to the bottom there. You see that there's a footnote.
• 26:05
  which says the statement could also have been translated, and honestly, church, I'm not sure why it wasn't translated this way. It makes more sense. It could also be translated a righteousness which begins and ends in faith. A righteousness which begins and ends in faith. In other words, faith is the catalyst by which this righteousness is taken possession of by man. If the question is ever asked, how can a sinful person be declared righteous before God? The answer is by...
• 26:38
  This truth is driven home when Paul concludes with the righteous shall live by faith. That faith is the day-to-day operating life breath of the Christian. It is how we live. It is how we walk. We walk by faith. Now what theologians call imputed righteousness, that is the righteousness that is given to mankind and by which we can be saved.
• 27:10
  That imputed righteousness has as its source God himself. It comes from God. It belongs to God. It is, as an act of God, a gift and cannot be earned. And it is the means by which God accomplishes the salvation of mankind. If you were to share the message, the good news of the gospel with an unbelieving family member today, you could word it this way. Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 27:41
  Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and if you do, God will do all the work. He will pay all the bills. He will absorb all the punishment of all the sin you've ever committed, and you will be saved. That is the gospel. Amen, church? Return with me, if you would, to that very first phrase in verse 16, the phrase, for I am not ashamed. About a month ago, I was...
• 28:10
  Fly fishing with one of my sons, Zach, my middle son, who was a senior in high school. You guys know that I enjoy fly fishing. All of my sons know how, but Zach loves fly fishing with me. My oldest son, Pearson, loved playing catch every day with me. That was his thing. But for Zach, it is fly fishing and piano. Those are the things that he loves the most. And so Zach and I find ourselves on rivers frequently, knee deep in water.
• 28:35
  fishing together we drive for hours at a time sometimes sometimes talking the whole way sometimes not talking at all but those hours together in the car or on those rivers provide for some opportunities to talk about really soul searching searching issues i mean some of the deepest issues in life he made about a month ago this statement we were fishing not only the two of us but we had another couple of guys from church with us guys that we fish with all the time good friends and
• 29:07
  who love the Lord and who are investing in my sons. But he and I were just together, Zach and I, and he said, Dad, there is this guy. And one of those guys that was with me is a big dude. He's a member here at the church. Many of you know who he is. He's about 6'5", probably 230 pounds. He's got a big black beard. He worships with his whole heart. If you've ever seen him sing, I mean, it is hands raised. He is singing his heart out.
• 29:34
  He, for many years, was a linebacker in football. In fact, he played in the NFL as a linebacker. And so you can imagine, he is a big man. He is an unbelievable athlete. He's good at everything he does. He is good at everything he does.
• 29:50
  And church, I can't find the thing that I'm better than him at. I can't. I've done all kinds of things with him. There are no sports that I can beat him at. There's not even fly fishing. I thought I was a decent fly fisherman until I fished with him. He catches fish something like seven to my one. I mean, it's unbelievable. I've just never seen anything like it. My son, Zach, and I were fishing with this guy. And he, at one point, when he and I were just together, Zach, private, he said, Dad, he is the coolest man I've ever met.
• 30:21
  And after the sting of that wore off, okay, because I was like, hey, hey. He was like, dad, yeah, that insecurity is why you're not at the top of my list. He didn't say that. But he just said, dad, he is the coolest man I ever met. And I said, why? Why is he the coolest man you've ever met? And honestly, church, I expected him to say all of the reasons that I think he's the coolest man I've ever met. He's huge. He's got an awesome beard, right? I mean, it is a quality beard.
• 30:51
  He played in the NFL. He reminds me of one of David's mighty men. Dude with a sword in his hand or like a donkey's jawbone. You're like, man, I'll bet you could whack some people with that thing. I wouldn't stand a chance. You know, he's just a huge individual. And I thought, why, Zach? Why is he the coolest man you've ever met? I expected him to give that laundry list of reasons. And instead he said this, because he loves the Lord Jesus Christ.
• 31:20
  And he does not care. Who knows? One of the things that is true of this guy, you've been around him. He comes to men's Bible study. You've been around him. You know at some point he is going to walk straight up to you. He'll do it in the parking lot. He'll do it in the middle of the room. He'll do it in the middle of the street. He does not care. He will walk up to you. He will close his eyes and he will hold his hands out like this. And the expectation is you will hold his hands. Right? First time he did it, I was like, are we just holding hands? Like, I don't think we were that close as friends yet, you know, but all right.
• 31:50
  He will hold your hands, and he will pray over you, and he will pray with power. He's going to pray for you, for your home, for your wife. He's going to pray against the schemes of the devil over you. I mean, he is going to pray, and he's going to pray loud, and then he'll stop at some point, and you are going to join. You're going to pray too. Like, I didn't know. I wasn't prepared. And man, you were going to pray, and Zach said, it wasn't any of those other things. You want to know why I think he's the coolest man I've ever met? He does not care who knows.
• 32:20
  When you think about unashamed, not ashamed, that's the guy I think of. That's the guy. Not ashamed. Now you go back to verse 16. That word for ashamed, the Greek iskuno, is always used in the passive voice. It signifies, catch this, having a fear or shame which prevents a person from doing a certain thing. I didn't want to do that because I was afraid.
• 32:46
  Or possibly even a shame of associating with a certain person. I don't want to be seen with that person for fear or embarrassment. Like we would say that a high school girl would ask her dad to drop her off a block away because she is embarrassed to be seen with her father. Right? That fear, that's the word. Now the prefix used in verse 16, epi, making it episkuno, gives it strength.
• 33:16
  Or emphasis, like we would say, very, strongly ashamed. The same word, maybe properly understood as saying, I am strongly embarrassed to be seen with my dad. Paul adds to that the negative, oo, to the phrase. In the Greek it would read, oo, gar episkunomai. For I am not ashamed, is how it's been translated. But you know what I think? It misses church.
• 33:45
  is that emphatic extremely not ashamed very very unashamed as extreme is the embarrassment of that 14 year old girl to associate with her parents so is the equal but opposite of paul's statement he's not just unashamed he's proud and he's not just proud he's extremely
• 34:14
  The gospel was in a very real sense for the apostle, a badge of honor, which he wore with pride. Well, church, is the gospel your badge of honor? Do you wear it with pride? Don't forget, beloved friends, that there will be a day when we are judged based on this verse, Jesus speaking, whoever is ashamed of me. There's that word again. Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed of him.
• 34:46
  When He comes in His glory, in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels, we must not lose sight of the clear call of God to the church, that we would be unashamed of the gospel. Why? Because it is the dynamite, the power that God uses to transform sinners who were on their way to hell into righteous recipients of His glorious grace. Lord, make us such a people who wear the gospel.
• 35:18
  with pride as a badge of honor. And Lord, even if it someday costs us much, as it did the Apostle Paul and so many generations of believers before us, even if it costs us, even if we sacrifice for it, we know that the blessings that we will receive, the crown of righteousness that is laid up for us, makes the sufferings of the present not even worth comparing.
• 35:47
  Lord, we love you and are so thankful to bear your name as sons and daughters of God. And Lord, we thank you for the gospel, the good news that we can have righteousness, a righteous standing before you by faith and by your grace. And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.