Have you ever felt intimidated when you thought about presenting the Gospel and were not sure how well it would be received or if you might be rejected as a result? Most people have found that to be an experience for sure. Therefore, it would be good to go back to the words and instructions of one who was always ready and see what made him so.
Romans 1:15–17 (ESV) — 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Paul was eager, or as another translation says “ready to preach the Gospel.” Of course, he was not ashamed of it. He lived by the fact that the Gospel has explosive power, as the Spirit of God takes the word of God to an individual, thereby breaking up the hard and stoney heart, making a new heart that is ready and willing to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. And it matters not the background of the individual. In fact, said Paul, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, “the just or righteous shall live by faith.”
What is this message that motivated Paul and a vast host of other people to be willing to put it all on the line to share the Gospel? The message of the Gospel is as the name implies, “good news.” The famous preacher from the past, Martyn Lloyd Jones, was known to say that men need to hear the bad news before they will take to the good news, which is absolutely correct. If you ask the common person if they are interested in hearing the message of the Gospel so they can be saved, they will come back with, “saved from what?”’ The wrath of God, that’s what!
Romans 3:23 (ESV) — 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Psalm 7:11 (ESV) — 11 God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.
Acts 17:31 (ESV) — 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
Everyone will stand before the Judge of all the earth one day and be presented with all they have done as an afront to God which is sin. This would be sin committed in thought, word, or deed. All the world would be guilty before God and would justly be condemned to eternal punishment.
Here’s the bad news about our condition by nature:
Ephesians 2:1–5 (ESV) — 1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—
Here is the good news that God provided the one and only solution:
Romans 5:6–8 (ESV) — 6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
This is called the Gospel, the good news of what God has accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ:
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (ESV) — 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
Those who have turned to the Gospel have faith in the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ and find their confidence in Him:
Romans 10:17 (ESV) — 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
John 10:27–30 (ESV) — 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”
1 Thessalonians 1:9–10 (ESV) — 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Therefore, I trust you can see why Paul was so confident in the message of the victory of the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for our sins according to the Scriptures, was buried, and rose again the third day, according to the Scriptures. The evidence of God being satisfied by the work of Christ on the cross was the resurrection. The evidence that God has done a work of resurrection in our hearts, giving us ears of faith to hear, hearts made new to respond to Christ, and a renewed mind to understand spiritual truths, we follow in the way of Christ through obedience and love. Now that is power! In fact, it’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead.
Ephesians 1:19–20 (ESV) — 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Are you as moved by the Gospel as Paul was? It would be good to pray that God will prepare you to be so moved by the Gospel that you too will be ready and eager to share the Gospel with someone today.
Godspeed,
Bob Brubaker, Pastor
Christ Community Presbyterian Church
Clearwater, FL
