2. Church of Christ at Medina January 9 th, 2011

3. “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 to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”  Ashamed - a feeling of disgrace or embarassment  During the 1 st century, it was a temptation for Christians to feel ashamed because... 1. Christians were being punished for preaching the gospel. 2. Many people had rejected the existence and power of God (atheism). 3. Many had embraced human wisdom and self-worship (evolution). 4. Some had followed after sexual perversion (eroticism). 5. Some had abandoned all self- restraint (humanism).

4. “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 to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”  Are we ashamed today?  Are we ashamed of the fact that we believe in the creation?  Are we ashamed of the fact that we believe in the miracles of the Bible – the virgin birth, the raising of the dead or the feeding of the 5,000?  Are we ashamed of the simplicity of the gospel?  Many are ashamed of the simplicity of the gospel because they try to replace it with the social gospel, philosophy, or self-help.

5. “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 to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’”  The words of God were powerful enough to create the universe and all that is in it – including man.  The words of God are powerful enough to save man as well.  People today want to look for so many other things to include in salvation like the direct operation of the Holy Spirit.  The salvation is available to everyone...