What Life Is All About - Romans 1:16-17
What Life Is All About -- Romans 1:16-17
by Pastor Lee Hemen
September 10, 2006
Have you ever been ashamed of someone or something? I have. Personal embarrassment can cause us to do a lot of silly things. I remember in the old movie “Support Your Local Sheriff,” where James Garner walks outside of the boarding house he is staying at and the daughter of the mayor, Miss Purdy, does not want him to see her dressed as she is. She had just been involved in a street mud fight and was in her long johns washing in the kitchen sink trying to clean herself up. She is embarrassed and tries to hide, ending up in a tree where, of course, he discovers her hiding. Now that’s embarrassing!
Sadly there are those who claim Jesus as Savior and Lord, who either act embarrassed or are embarrassed of others finding out. Paul, on the other hand, was not embarrassed by the gospel message nor its author. He knew what it meant for him personally and what it meant for the entire world. It was far to important for one man’s discomfort. If Jesus could suffer humiliation for him, then Paul could gladly suffer for the gospel’s sake. In fact, for Paul, this is what life was all about. Right in these two verses is the summation of the entire letter to the Romans. No sir, Paul was not embarrassed and neither should we be by the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, that is what life is all about!
READ: Romans 1:16-17
Has anything in life become so important to you that you eat, breath, and live it daily? Some athletes say their sport can do that for them. Great writers say that their books become their lives. Some people’s work become their all in all. Yet in all of these things nothing in all of existence compares to one message. One message that is so important that it becomes your life. Who you are, what you are, and how you live. In fact, it demands it. Life, for Paul was the gospel. We find him telling us that life is all about…
I. The Power of God for Salvation (v. 16)!
1. Here is the concise Godly message that will change lives! Paul emphatically stood by the message he preached! For Paul there was no other of equal importance. After all it “was the power of God for salvation!” This message had neither brought him personal safety or comfort, but it had given him perfect peace in all circumstances. Barclay writes, “Paul had been imprisoned in Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica, smuggled out of Berea, laughed at in Athens. He had preached it in Corinth, where his message was foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews, and out of that background Paul declared that he was proud of the gospel!” This marvelous message had proved more than adequate for Paul and his listeners. Why? It was the power of God! It is issued from God and brings salvation to anyone who heeds its message. The supernatural longings of man were meant in this simple message of the gospel. God with us! It is both a positive and universal message: “For God so loved the whole world!” It is open to anyone who “believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” It does not matter who you are or what you have done. How tall or short. Whether you are smart or dumb. Your racial background is of no consequence and neither is your standing in the community. You could have been anyone or done anything and this message is for you! It is not based on man’s faith, will, or goodness. Your faith does not give it its power, because it is the power of God! The gospel message itself makes it possible for one to believe! The power of God is at work in the message of the Gospel! It is the power of God for salvation! It is what life is all about. Do you know the gospel message? Have you experienced the power of God in your life?
EXAMPLE: Power comes from a lot of sources. We have elected power from politics, energy from electricity, power from doing well in sports, or the power of persuasion that the media uses. Power can be wielded in a lot of ways to many different ends. My brother used to use his age, height and weight to get me to do what he desired. It was the sibling rivalry thing. As we got older he did not have as much influence over me as he used to and the power shifted from one of dominance to a more amiable relationship. Yet the power we find Paul writing about here is not one of mutual acceptance. In fact, it is a one way thing. It solely rests on the mercy of God to change our lives. God alone can change the human heart. Only God alone can regenerate us into new creations for Him. That is the power of the Gospel message! That is the good news. It is the power of God for salvation!
Has something ever changed your life so much that you just had to tell someone about it? I know I did when Katie was born. I know I did when I asked Denise to marry me. These are the significant moments of life. As great as these are there is one message far more important than any other we could ever receive or give to another. It brings good news of eternal significance. The message of the cross for Paul was what life was all about. It had changed him from a narrow-minded Pharisee to a ardent proclaimer. Life, for Paul, was the gospel. In fact, we find him telling us that life is all about…
II. A Righteousness Revealed (v. 17)!
1. Righteousness will change the one who listens and believes the gospel message! Paul explains what he had just written in verse 16. It is both the quality and attribute of God. In the Gospel it is revealed that God is a righteous God and that people get right standing with God, from God because of the Gospel message! By faith in the message, righteousness is revealed and given. Literally the term here is “out of faith into faith” or “from faith to faith.” We are justified, made right by our faith in Jesus Christ alone. No words meant more to Martin Luther than these, because these simple words paved the way for men to be free in their faith again. Faith freed them, not works of the flesh. Simple faith placed in what God would do through Jesus Christ. You could never be right with God by trying to be good enough, because the “righteous will live by faith.” We will trust in God who sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins. God’s righteousness is displayed in the Gospel, the good news for all mankind. The Gospel which tells us that men must come to God by faith alone. The person who is just by faith will live, all others will die in their sin. Jesus related to the religiously narrow-minded of his day, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins (John 8:24).” The Gospel message reveals God’s righteousness and how we are made right with Him. It is a righteousness revealed. It is what life is all about. Are you right with God?
EXAMPLE: There are those who in our day and age think that if someone just tries hard enough, that should be good enough both for God or for man. Here is what I mean. I remember when I was younger, my brother and I were supposed to behave while Mom and Dad went into town. We tried to behave. I mean we really did, for about 30 minutes. Then the “war” started. Ed would thump me on the back of the head as he walked past, and I would throw something at his retreating skull. It escalated until we were running full tilt around the house, yelling and screaming like a couple of “wild Comanches.” (My mother’s terminology.) Right as we were in the best part of our fray, in walked my parents. It would not have been so bad except there were hairs from my head and feathers from a pillow still floating in the air, and Ed had a hold of me and was shaking me like a rag doll. Immediately the horror of the situation penetrated our feeble warrior minds and we knew we were “in for it.” We immediately began to plead, beg, and relate that we never intended to harm one another or the house. Dad looked at both of us and declared, “Boys, your good intentions, were not good enough.” Good intentions will not save you. Trying to be good, do better, or just learning more about God will not save you. Righteousness is not earned. If it was, Jesus did not have to die on the cross for us and we could just do it ourselves. This message is a righteousness revealed. Righteousness will change the one who listens and believes the gospel message. Have you?
Conclusion:
Life is all about the gospel. It is the power of God for salvation and it is a righteousness revealed. Are you ashamed of it? You shouldn’t be.
by Pastor Lee Hemen
September 10, 2006
Have you ever been ashamed of someone or something? I have. Personal embarrassment can cause us to do a lot of silly things. I remember in the old movie “Support Your Local Sheriff,” where James Garner walks outside of the boarding house he is staying at and the daughter of the mayor, Miss Purdy, does not want him to see her dressed as she is. She had just been involved in a street mud fight and was in her long johns washing in the kitchen sink trying to clean herself up. She is embarrassed and tries to hide, ending up in a tree where, of course, he discovers her hiding. Now that’s embarrassing!
Sadly there are those who claim Jesus as Savior and Lord, who either act embarrassed or are embarrassed of others finding out. Paul, on the other hand, was not embarrassed by the gospel message nor its author. He knew what it meant for him personally and what it meant for the entire world. It was far to important for one man’s discomfort. If Jesus could suffer humiliation for him, then Paul could gladly suffer for the gospel’s sake. In fact, for Paul, this is what life was all about. Right in these two verses is the summation of the entire letter to the Romans. No sir, Paul was not embarrassed and neither should we be by the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, that is what life is all about!
READ: Romans 1:16-17
Has anything in life become so important to you that you eat, breath, and live it daily? Some athletes say their sport can do that for them. Great writers say that their books become their lives. Some people’s work become their all in all. Yet in all of these things nothing in all of existence compares to one message. One message that is so important that it becomes your life. Who you are, what you are, and how you live. In fact, it demands it. Life, for Paul was the gospel. We find him telling us that life is all about…
I. The Power of God for Salvation (v. 16)!
1. Here is the concise Godly message that will change lives! Paul emphatically stood by the message he preached! For Paul there was no other of equal importance. After all it “was the power of God for salvation!” This message had neither brought him personal safety or comfort, but it had given him perfect peace in all circumstances. Barclay writes, “Paul had been imprisoned in Philippi, chased out of Thessalonica, smuggled out of Berea, laughed at in Athens. He had preached it in Corinth, where his message was foolishness to the Greeks and a stumbling block to the Jews, and out of that background Paul declared that he was proud of the gospel!” This marvelous message had proved more than adequate for Paul and his listeners. Why? It was the power of God! It is issued from God and brings salvation to anyone who heeds its message. The supernatural longings of man were meant in this simple message of the gospel. God with us! It is both a positive and universal message: “For God so loved the whole world!” It is open to anyone who “believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” It does not matter who you are or what you have done. How tall or short. Whether you are smart or dumb. Your racial background is of no consequence and neither is your standing in the community. You could have been anyone or done anything and this message is for you! It is not based on man’s faith, will, or goodness. Your faith does not give it its power, because it is the power of God! The gospel message itself makes it possible for one to believe! The power of God is at work in the message of the Gospel! It is the power of God for salvation! It is what life is all about. Do you know the gospel message? Have you experienced the power of God in your life?
EXAMPLE: Power comes from a lot of sources. We have elected power from politics, energy from electricity, power from doing well in sports, or the power of persuasion that the media uses. Power can be wielded in a lot of ways to many different ends. My brother used to use his age, height and weight to get me to do what he desired. It was the sibling rivalry thing. As we got older he did not have as much influence over me as he used to and the power shifted from one of dominance to a more amiable relationship. Yet the power we find Paul writing about here is not one of mutual acceptance. In fact, it is a one way thing. It solely rests on the mercy of God to change our lives. God alone can change the human heart. Only God alone can regenerate us into new creations for Him. That is the power of the Gospel message! That is the good news. It is the power of God for salvation!
Has something ever changed your life so much that you just had to tell someone about it? I know I did when Katie was born. I know I did when I asked Denise to marry me. These are the significant moments of life. As great as these are there is one message far more important than any other we could ever receive or give to another. It brings good news of eternal significance. The message of the cross for Paul was what life was all about. It had changed him from a narrow-minded Pharisee to a ardent proclaimer. Life, for Paul, was the gospel. In fact, we find him telling us that life is all about…
II. A Righteousness Revealed (v. 17)!
1. Righteousness will change the one who listens and believes the gospel message! Paul explains what he had just written in verse 16. It is both the quality and attribute of God. In the Gospel it is revealed that God is a righteous God and that people get right standing with God, from God because of the Gospel message! By faith in the message, righteousness is revealed and given. Literally the term here is “out of faith into faith” or “from faith to faith.” We are justified, made right by our faith in Jesus Christ alone. No words meant more to Martin Luther than these, because these simple words paved the way for men to be free in their faith again. Faith freed them, not works of the flesh. Simple faith placed in what God would do through Jesus Christ. You could never be right with God by trying to be good enough, because the “righteous will live by faith.” We will trust in God who sent His Son to die on a cross for our sins. God’s righteousness is displayed in the Gospel, the good news for all mankind. The Gospel which tells us that men must come to God by faith alone. The person who is just by faith will live, all others will die in their sin. Jesus related to the religiously narrow-minded of his day, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins (John 8:24).” The Gospel message reveals God’s righteousness and how we are made right with Him. It is a righteousness revealed. It is what life is all about. Are you right with God?
EXAMPLE: There are those who in our day and age think that if someone just tries hard enough, that should be good enough both for God or for man. Here is what I mean. I remember when I was younger, my brother and I were supposed to behave while Mom and Dad went into town. We tried to behave. I mean we really did, for about 30 minutes. Then the “war” started. Ed would thump me on the back of the head as he walked past, and I would throw something at his retreating skull. It escalated until we were running full tilt around the house, yelling and screaming like a couple of “wild Comanches.” (My mother’s terminology.) Right as we were in the best part of our fray, in walked my parents. It would not have been so bad except there were hairs from my head and feathers from a pillow still floating in the air, and Ed had a hold of me and was shaking me like a rag doll. Immediately the horror of the situation penetrated our feeble warrior minds and we knew we were “in for it.” We immediately began to plead, beg, and relate that we never intended to harm one another or the house. Dad looked at both of us and declared, “Boys, your good intentions, were not good enough.” Good intentions will not save you. Trying to be good, do better, or just learning more about God will not save you. Righteousness is not earned. If it was, Jesus did not have to die on the cross for us and we could just do it ourselves. This message is a righteousness revealed. Righteousness will change the one who listens and believes the gospel message. Have you?
Conclusion:
Life is all about the gospel. It is the power of God for salvation and it is a righteousness revealed. Are you ashamed of it? You shouldn’t be.
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