The Power of the Gospel

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 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, as it is written, "The righteous shall live by faith."- Romans 1:1‭-‬17 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

We cannot love Jesus and not love His word. It would be like saying you love your wife and asking her to never speak. It betrays the spirit of love.

Paul's call

Paul takes a little bit of time to introduce himself. Paul did not plant the church in Rome. They don't know him and they have never met. He calls himself an apostle and slave of Christ. His authority comes from the resurrected Jesus. He is a representative of Christ. He is not speaking his own opinions or will. He has a responsibility to both Greek and non-Greek. There is a deep sense of duty. But this is not a begrudging obedience, but rather a sense of joy. He is eager to preach. His posture accurately reflects how Christians should be. We should have a sense of delightful duty. We are not to neglect either duty or delight.

The context of his ministry

Paul is writing to the church in Rome. It was likely planted by Jews who moved there and preached the Gospel. Rome was seen as the city of the world. Not only an intellectual & cultural epicenter, but also the most decedent and outrageous of activities. It would be like saying the Gospel was spreading through Las Vegas. He is writing of a harvest... among believers. What? The Gospel is not only for unbelievers, but also the believer!! The Gospel is also for those who already believe. We never outgrow our need for the Gospel. What does the Gospel do? It empowers and changes us. It produces obedience in faith.

So then, church, do you see an area in your life where the Gospel is both changing & challenging?

If you cannot identify an area in your life, then maybe you do not get the Gospel. Or maybe the Gospel has not really grabbed you. It has not gripped you. Your faith is too comfortable.

The content of the Gospel

Believers struggle with the foolishness of the cross. A cosmopolitan and elite city like Rome would have made the Gospel look so foolish, laughable even. The Gospel is antithetical to the values of the world. It is just applicable now as it was then.

Our sin is separated from us. But not only that, but God supplies the righteousness that He demands. It is by the life of Jesus. And we receive this by faith. We must believe, not just intellectual agreement, but to trust and stand on Jesus. To bank our very lives on Him. To rest your eternal fate, hope, and dreams on the back of Jesus. This is the only way to be saved. It is a very exclusive claim. But it is also very expansive and inclusive, anyone can be saved. Both the religious and irreligious have salvation offered to them. Paul knew this personally. Remember that He was a murderer. He hunted Christians and had them jailed and killed. God's power can save even those who hate and persecute Christians.