Sermon Tone Analysis

Not Ashamed

Why did Paul say “I am not ashamed of the gospel”?

If the gospel were not shameful then there would be no reason to say that he in not ashamed of it.

The gospel brings shame on those who believe it.

Jesus warned us that it would.

At the time that Paul write this letter he had endured imprisonment, beatings, stoning, for the sake of the gospel of Christ.

These things brought shame on him and yet he was not ashamed.

The gospel is an offence to those who do not believe.

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence.”

So then if the gospel is an offence and foolishness to the world and they hate us and shame us for the sake of Christ then how can we say, as Paul does, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ”?

We do it the same way that Paul does it said

God’s Power to Save

So the reason that Paul could say I am not ashamed of the Gospel is because it is the power of God unto salvation.

He was not ashamed because for the few that will believe it is the power of God unto the salvation of their eternal souls but not only for those who he preaches to but for himself as well.

So because of the joy that is set before us, because we know that because of the gospel we have eternity with Christ ahead of us then we can gladly endure the temporary shame of the gospel, we can hold our heads high and say I am proud of the gospel even though the world may hate me and persecute me I am not ashamed because my future is secure I have been forgiven of my sins, I have been made a child of God, I am a joint heir with Christ and the glory that awaits me is not worthy to be compared to the shame that I may endure now.

Jesus gave us this example.

Jesus endure the greatest shame for the gospel.

They spat on Him, pulled out His beard, mocked Him beat Him and hung Him on the cross to die and how did He endure such contradiction of sinners? for the joy that was set before Him, that He would sit down at the right hand of God.

For this He endured, and it says He despised the shame.

That is He rejected it, He would not allow the shame He endure to cause Him to faint, He refused to be ashamed.

Then finally Paul says that this gospel for which he is not ashamed because it is the power of God unto salvation is for...

Everyone that Believes

This is the difference between the gospel being a stumbling block and foolishness or the power of God .

For those who believe it is the power of God, it is salvation from the wrath to come, it is the grace of God, it is the forgiveness of sins, it is victory over death.

But not for those who don’t believe.

For them the Gospel is foolishness, it is condemnation, the savour of death, it is eternal damnation.

Paul adds “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”

Which at first glance may appear the he is giving preference to the Jews.

However, I believe that the main idea hear is that under the gospel there is no difference.

Whether Jew or Gentile the power of God unto salvation is experienced the same way, through faith in the gospel of Christ.

The order of Jew first is because the Jews as God’s chosen people were the first to receive the message of the gospel.

They were entrusted with the oracles of God and Jesus was born after the flesh as a Jew.

So historically the Jews received the gospel first.

It doesn’t mater what your nationality is, God is not a respecter of persons.

On the day of judgement when you will stand before the almighty God the only thing that will mater at that moment is what you did with the gospel?

Did you believe unto salvation or did you reject it as a foolish notion.