church

INI
Reformation Sunday
October 28, 2012
Ascension Lutheran Church, Tacoma WA
Paul Naumann, Pastor

A Reformation Confession:
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL
Romans 1:13-20

To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has
made us kings and priests to God and His Father, to Him be glory and
dominion forever and ever, Amen. Today's text comes from Paul's letter to the
Romans, the first chapter, beginning with verse 13, as follows:

Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come
to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you
also, just as among the other Gentiles. 14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to
barbarians, both to wise and to unwise. 15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready
to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.16 For I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who
believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness
of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by
faith.”18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness
and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it
to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. So far the Holy Word.

In the Name of Jesus Christ, through whom we find mercy, Dear Fellow
Redeemed,

Some time ago I read an interesting article in The Atlantic Monthly magazine;
the article was about shame. Shame, said author Robert Karen, is when a
person feels that he or she is somehow not good enough. Often this feeling
comes because of something the person has done, something he or she views as
shameful. Unfounded feelings of shame, said the author, may lie behind all sorts
of mental illness, including addiction, obsession and depression. In other words,
some people actually become sick because they're ashamed of things they
shouldn't be ashamed of!

Well, I don't know if I bought his entire argument; certainly there are a lot of
things people do in this day and age that they ought to be ashamed of! But he
did have a point: sometimes we are ashamed of things we shouldn't be ashamed
of. Today’s text gives us an example of one thing we should never be ashamed
of: Christians should never be ashamed of the Gospel! Nearly 500 years ago, a
man named Martin Luther stood up against Pope and bishops, kings and princes
and proclaimed a good confession. He stated publicly that he would never be
ashamed of the Gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. “He I
stand,” he said. “I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” It wasn’t easy to
do what he did. That confession is still difficult to make in our day. Have you
ever been ashamed of the Gospel? Have you ever felt a little embarrassed when
someone asked you about what you believe? Have you ever joined in with the
sinful activities of the world rather than stick out and be ridiculed? Have you
ever had a golden opportunity to tell someone about Jesus but were too
embarrassed to do it? Then listen to the advice the Apostle Paul. His simple
words form our

Reformation Confession:
I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL!

I. It's the only thing that can deliver me from God's wrath.
II. It's the only thing that can bestow on me God's righteousness.

"I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ." -If you think about it, that
statement sounds ridiculous - almost blasphemous. Who could ever be
"ashamed" of the Good News that Jesus is our Savior from sin? Why would the
Apostle Paul even say such a thing in a letter to the Christians in Rome? To
answer that, you have to understand a little bit about Roman culture.

At that time, the city of Rome was the center of an empire that stretched
across the whole of the civilized world. The Romans were very proud of their
culture. They looked down on anything that didn't come from Rome. They
especially despised the Christian religion. They dismissed Christians and
Christianity as barbaric and superstitious. The Romans went out of their way to
heap ridicule and shame on anyone who was known to be a believer. -Does any
of this sound familiar, by the way? Christians in our society are coming under
increasing scorn and ridicule by the critics of our faith. It's a new kind of shame,
and it's getting worse rather than better!

Anyway, shame of that sort didn't bother the Apostle Paul. He was eager to
travel to Rome and preach the Good News about Jesus there as well. Paul
wrote, So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are
in Rome also.16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the
power of God to salvation for everyone who believes.

Paul wasn't shy about the Gospel. He had two good reasons not to be! For one
thing, says Paul, I could never be ashamed of the Gospel, because the Gospel is
the only thing that can deliver me from God's wrath.

The vast majority of people in this world are living under the wrath of God.
They are the ungodly, the unbelievers. They do not trust in Jesus Christ as their
Savior. They freely indulge in the pleasures of this world. They live as though
there is no higher power to whom they are responsible. For them, the Gospel is
foolishness; they haven't got time for it. "Yes," you say, "but maybe they don't
know any better!" Nonsense, says the Apostle Paul. It's not that they are
ignorant of the truth. "They SUPPRESS the truth in unrighteousness." They
know that there's a God. If there's no God, then where did that little voice
come from that tells them the difference between right and wrong - where did
they get their conscience? If there's no God, then who created this incredibly
complex universe in which we live? Someone once suggested that the best way
to deal with an atheist is invite him to a lavish dinner...and then afterwards ask
him if he believes in the cook! No, says Paul, no one can escape the wrath of
God over sin by saying they just didn't know there was a God, "... because what
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and
Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Well, that describes the unbelievers. They consider the Gospel foolishness, and
they would certainly be ashamed to be associated with it. But what about us
Christians? Are we ashamed of the Gospel? None of us here this morning would
ever say so, of course. But what does our behavior say about us? Does the way
we live tell the people around us that the Good News about Jesus is our most
treasured possession? Or do we keep our faith well hidden? Let me ask you this:
if you became friends with someone new who moved to your neighborhood,
how long would it take them to tell from your behavior alone that you were a
Christian? Would they ever find out? Remember what Jesus said in Mark
chapter eight: "Whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and
sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes
in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." Mark 8:38.

We are guilty sinners. We have often broken God's Law in this and many other
ways. We, too, would be under the wrath of God and would be condemned to
hell, except for one thing...the Gospel! That's why it's so ridiculous to be
ashamed of the Gospel. Why, the Gospel is the very thing that allows us to
escape from this burning wrath of God! Is a sailor ashamed of the floatation
vest that saves his life in a shipwreck? Is a jet pilot ashamed of the ejection seat
that saves his life as his plane is plummeting toward the earth? Then how can
we be ashamed of the Gospel? How can we be ashamed of the Good News that
all the world's sins have been paid for by Christ? For that, my friends, is our life
preserver. It is the very message that plucks our souls from the burning pit of
hell!

One pastor told of how a little girl came up to him before church and said, "I
need my sins forgiven. Would you say a prayer for me? But please don't mention
my name." When it came time for the prayers, the pastor said solemnly, "Lord
Jesus, there is a little girl here who does not want here name known, but You
know who she is. Have mercy and forgive her sins." All was quiet for a
moment, and then a little girl stood up in the back pew and said in a pleading
voice, "Please, it's me, Jesus, it's me." You see, she didn't want there to be any
doubt about it. She needed her sins forgiven, and she wasn't ashamed to say,
"Jesus, it's me."

You're not ashamed to have Jesus know your name, are you? Of course not!
You desperately need the forgiveness that only He can give you. Then don't be
ashamed to know Jesus - don't be ashamed of the Gospel. After all, the Gospel
is the only thing that can save you from the wrath of God over sin!

It's important to understand, though, that the Gospel doesn't just rescue us
from something terrible...it also gives us something wonderful. Why am I not
ashamed of the Gospel? Paul replies: because the Gospel is the only thing that
can bestow on me God's righteousness.

Dynamite is another name for the solid form of nitroglycerin. It is a high
explosive. As you know, it's mostly used to destroy things. But sometimes it's
used to create something, to build something. Gutzon Borghlum was a sculptor
who used dynamite to rough out the shapes of the presidents on Mt. Rushmore.
Well, you may be interested to learn where the word "dynamite" comes from –
it comes from the Greek word dunamis, which means "power." And that's the
very same Greek word Paul uses in our text when he says, "The Gospel of
Christ...is the POWER of God to salvation for everyone who believes." What’s
the first word in “power?” POW! The Gospel is God's dynamite! He uses its
tremendous power not to destroy, but to create - to create saving faith in
people's hearts and turn them into believers.

Why is this Gospel such a powerful thing in people's lives? What can the
Gospel give you that you can't get from any other source? Paul says: "In it [that
is, in the Gospel] the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD is revealed."

A few minutes ago I mentioned Martin Luther as a courageous confessor of the
Gospel. But he didn’t start out that way. Earlier in his life he was ashamed of
the Gospel. Or at least he was afraid of it -- mostly because he misunderstood
this passage, Romans 1:17. When Luther read the term "righteousness of God,"
he thought it meant the righteousness God has – the quality of majestic holiness
which God has in Himself, and by which he damns the unholy sinner. "Then as
often as I read this passage," said Luther, "it made me wish God had never
revealed the Gospel. For who could love such a God who is angry, who judges
and damns?" You see, he didn't want to hear how righteous God was -- Luther
wanted to find out how to become righteous himself! He tried good works, he
tried depriving himself of comforts, he tried devoting himself to prayer. None of
it could give him the righteousness he sought. Then one day the wonderful truth
finally dawned on him. He realized that what this passage really refers to is not
the righteousness God has, but the righteousness God gives. "Namely, that a
man becomes righteous in God's sight through faith. Then," said Luther, "the
entire sacred Scriptures, and heaven itself, were opened unto me. Just as I had
hitherto hated the phrase 'God's righteousness,' I now began to think of it as
precious and esteem it as my dearest and most comforting word, and this
passage in Romans became for me the very door of paradise."

You need righteousness to stand accepted in God's sight. You need
righteousness to get in the door of heaven. And not just any old righteousness,
either. The half-hearted, moth-eaten righteousness of your own good works
certainly won't do. You need perfect righteousness - righteousness as holy and
pure as God Himself. Jesus said, "Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your
Father in heaven is perfect." Mat 5:48. My friends, the Gospel is the only thing
that can bestow on you God's righteousness.

This is why Paul said he could never be ashamed of the Gospel. The Gospel is
Good News! The Gospel is God coming to a sinful world and saying, "Take
courage. Be not afraid. Yes, you have sinned, but I have put away your sin. I
made My Son Jesus to stand in your place. I punished Him instead of you. I laid
your sin on Him, and upon you, My dear children, I now bestow His
righteousness." Yes, any sinner can have that perfect righteousness. Just trust
Jesus as your Savior. If that sounds hard to you, don't worry - God not only
gives you a Savior, He even gives you the faith to trust your Savior! And when
you do, His righteousness - the very righteousness of God! - becomes yours.
God drapes the snow-white robe of Jesus' righteousness over your shoulders.
Instantly, you are perfect in God's eyes, you stand accepted, you have unlimited
access to God's throne of mercy, and you are on your way to heaven! As Isaiah
says, "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For
He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the
robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a
bride adorns herself with her jewels." Isa 61:10.

There's a true story about a union soldier who was wounded at the Battle of
Shiloh, during the Civil War. A major artery in his arm had been shattered by a
shell fragment, and he lay on the battlefield bleeding to death. At that moment
a doctor happened to be passing by, and he stopped and bound up the wound,
saving the man's life. As the physician was leaving the man cried out, "Doctor,
what is your name?" "What does that matter?" asked the doctor. "I must know
your name," the man said. "I want to tell my wife and children who it was that
saved me." --So it is with us. Jesus is the Great Physician who has saved our
lives eternally. We must know His name. We must proclaim His name to others.
We've got no choice! Like Peter and John, "We cannot but speak the things
which we have seen and heard." Act 4:20. Then let us say boldly with Paul, "I
am ready to preach the Gospel also in Rome." I am ready to tell the Good News
to my friends, my neighbors, the people I work with, the people I go to school
with. For this Gospel is what has delivered me from God's wrath. This is what
has bestowed on me God's righteousness. On this Festival of Reformation, let
us hold the Bible in our hands and say with Luther, “Here on God’s Word I
stand, I cannot do otherwise.” Let us say with the Apostle Paul, I am not
ashamed of the Gospel! AMEN.