Not Ashamed

About this sermon

Introduction: Paul is eager to preach the gospel in the city of Rome. That is a very interesting kind of excitement. He’s enthused about something that would certainly prove to be very challenging. He’s enthused about something that would certainly prove to be personally risky. So why would Paul be eager? Where does eagerness to preach the gospel anywhere, but especially in difficult times and in difficult places, come from? Paul’s eagerness is explained for us in these verses. His eagerness is not just explained by his love for the churches. His eagerness to preach the gospel is EXPLAINED BY HIS BELIEFS CONCERNING THE GOSPEL. Paul’s desire to declare his message is directly tied to his knowledge of what his message really is. The question for all of us this morning is whether our beliefs about the gospel match Paul’s? The question is whether our belief concerning the gospel fuels eagerness to declare it? To say it another way, our shying away from declaring the gospel is not really a fear issue as much as it is a FAITH ISSUE. It is our WEAK BELIEFS about the gospel that lead to our WEAK BEHAVIOR with the gospel. This morning we will see the attitude and the convictions that fuel faithfulness with the gospel. PAUL’S ATTITUDE CONCERNING THE GOSPEL (vs.16a) First, there is a logical connective here. What he says is directly connected to his eagerness to preach the gospel in Rome. And what he says has to do with his attitude toward the gospel. He says that he is not ashamed of the gospel. What is that? What is the attitude that Paul is describing? I want us to begin thinking about that on the most basic level. I want us to think about what it means to be ashamed — to be ashamed of anything. What is taking place when we are ashamed of something? IN YOUR OWN HEART If you’re ashamed of something it has to do with something happening in your heart. ἐπαισχύνομαι 1 aor. ἐπαισχύνθην 2 Ti 1:16; 1 fut. ἐπαισχυνθήσομαι (s. αἰσχύνη; Aeschyl., Hdt. et al.; LXX; TestJos 2:5) to experience a painful feeling or sense of loss of status because of some particular event or activity, be ashamed. If I’m ashamed of anything, it all begins in my own thinking. And usually, one of two things are taking place. Either I’m ashamed of what I have no desire for, or I’m ashamed of what someone else has no desire for. It might be that I don’t have a desire for something. Others around me cherish something, but I don’t find it to be treasure to my own heart. YET I’m associated with it. I’m ashamed of something that I’m associated with, but that I have no love for. Or, sometimes I find something desirable, but I don’t want others to know that I find it desirable. I know others don’t find it desirable, so because I treasure their approval or acceptance more than I treasure what I’m ashamed of, I try to hide my association with it, or I understate its importance to me. In both cases, if what I’m ashamed of is something I should treasure then it points to a problem in my heart. THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SHAMEFUL. BUT WHEN WE TREAT GLORIOUS THINGS AS IF THEY’RE SHAMEFUL, THEN WE ARE THE ONES WHO ARE SHAMEFUL. Well, Paul tells us what his attitude is toward the gospel of God, the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul IS NOT ASHAMED. That speaks to his own heart attitude toward the gospel.

Topics

• Forgiveness