I Am Not Ashamed Of The Gospel
Pastor Barry Kerner
Matthew wrote that Jesus came to His Disciples and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
I’ve always believed that the biggest word in the Bible is “Go.” Christ said that being a Christian, a follower of Jesus, involves action on our part.
All Christians are given the mandate to preach the Gospel to all nations, even to all creation. (Mark 16:15). It’s our divine duty and privilege to tell people who Christ Jesus is and what He has done for us. And not only is the Gospel of Christ a message of hope – it’s the only message that will bring life to those who receive it the right way.
The apostle Paul asserted, “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. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”” (Romans 1:16-17)
As recipients of God’s love and salvation through the atoning work of Christ, this should be our declaration as well.
When an aging Paul wrote the last of his inspired letters shortly before he was martyred in Rome, he used powerful words to remind his young protege Timothy of the priority of his calling and ministry, “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ … preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. … Do the work of an evangelist”(2 Timothy 4:1–2, 5).
We need to remember that if it weren’t for the love of God that gave boldness to someone who shared the Gospel to us, we wouldn’t even be Christian today. There are many instances, however, that we Christians actually become ashamed of the very message that caused us to believe in Christ and be saved by Him.
Preaching the Gospel is not an option. The Lord Jesus came to seek and save the lost and we are called to do the same. He has entrusted all born-again Christians with the ministry of reconciliation and He expects us to be faithful in sharing the Good News.
There are times though when our words and actions may call into question whether we truly believe that the Gospel is the only hope for all who are lost.
We are ashamed of the Gospel when we water down the word!
When we try to share the Gospel of Christ, do we try to make it sound politically correct so that we won’t be labeled as “extreme”? Or, when we try to preach the Gospel, do we take away the seemingly “harsh” topics of sin and human depravity, so that we won’t sound offensive? Our society has become so secularized today. Some churches feel like they have to adapt to the culture, but by doing so they can shy away from clearly presenting the Gospel, as though ashamed to talk about Jesus Christ who died to save us from our sins. They may feel that the Gospel sounds too radical for the culture–but it is radical. “The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18).
If we, as Christians, truly believe that the gospel is so powerful, wonderful, and deep that even angels look into the mysterious depths of it (1 Peter 1:12), then why is it that we tend not to preach this immeasurable message when evangelizing? In the name of being relational and “seeker friendly,” we can often leave out vital elements of true gospel preaching. When we water down the gospel to make it less offensive to our audience, it loses its power completely.
We must relentlessly and boldly preach the message of the cross of Jesus Christ, His death, burial, and resurrection.
We are ashamed of the Gospel when we present it as an “option” rather than an ultimatum!
We can fall into the trap of presenting the Gospel as “another” way to life, eternal security, and true joy and peace. Jesus is black-and-white regarding salvation. In Mark 16:16 Jesus said, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.”
Much of what we call evangelism today isn’t true evangelism. We can call it what we like, but unless a person is confronted with the fact that unless they confess and repent of their sins they are headed for destruction, we are not evangelizing. Most lost people don’t believe they are lost. Sadly many church members don’t realize that they too are lost and live the illusion that they have been saved and are still under the penalty for their sins. They’ve joined a church, pay their dues and play their parts. Unfortunately they’ve never given their life over to Christ. They were given the option of joining “the club”and liked what they saw they came onboard but they never came to Christ.
Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Such an exclusive statement may grate on the postmodern ear, and offend many but it is true nonetheless. The Bible teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Jesus Christ. He is not a way, as in one of many; He is the way, as in the one and only. No one, regardless of reputation, achievement, special knowledge, or personal holiness, can come to God the Father except through Jesus.
When we treat the Gospel of Christ as “one of the ways” to be God’s child or perhaps “a good way” to bless someone, we treat it like an option. Going to church, doing good things, even reading the Bible is a good thing, but these aren’t enough to save anybody. Those who want to be saved must believe in Christ
We are ashamed of the Gospel when we shy away from sharing it!
When we prefer to simply be “a good friend” or a “good Christian” to others without sharing the Gospel to them, we actually are hiding what we believe in from them. How can we be a good friend if we don’t tell them what Christ did for them and what He demands for us to be saved? And when we tell ourselves we’re being salt and light but we don’t tell them the source of that salt and light in us, then what good is it?
It may be that we fear the risk of being rejected but we must remember Christ said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12)
It may be that we believe that we are able to share the Gospel through our actions. Unfortunately our kind acts and thoughtful deeds have limited power in themselves. While your lifestyle may make someone open to hearing the Gospel, Romans 10:14 makes clear that the word must be shared, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
We often shy away from telling people about Jesus because we think it’s some sort of sales job where we have to convince people to become a follower of Christ. There’s certainly a critical element of persuasion in urging someone to repent and believe the gospel. But personal evangelism isn’t about making people Christians. That’s God’s job, not ours, and he does it through the power of the gospel. Our job is to faithfully explain the gospel, to help people understand what Jesus has done for us through his life, death, and resurrection, so that the gospel can accomplish its saving work in their life.
To many, sharing the Christian faith is not easy. Face-to-face discussions are not easy for many people. This is probably why the church has a difficult time influencing the culture today. We don’t have a presence other than a church building and its sign out front.
Paul insisted that he was not ashamed of the Gospel. He knew it to be the power of God for salvation to everyone who believed (Romans 1). He knew he was the messenger of the gospel and not the power behind it. The power of its efficacy comes through the Holy Spirit. We need not be ashamed or afraid to share the gospel because Christ has already endured the cross and suffered the shame for his preaching, and we are called to boldly share that same message.
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the only hope for our turbulent world. The gospel of Jesus Christ is that which transformed Paul’s life and made him love those he hated before. That gospel has transformed millions of life all over the world. It has transformed my life to make me see others as God sees them: not in terms of black and white, Gentile or Jew, but God’s beautiful creations.
When you have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus Christ, the love of God is shed in your heart to love people, whether they look like you or not, and you want to spread goodness and God’s love wherever you go, regardless of who they are. That was what happened to Paul; that is what happens to you if you accept the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is authentic and real. That was why Paul, one of the greatest people ever to live on this earth said: he was not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. God’s love changed his life forever.
I pray that all believers will be able to overcome and be unashamed of the Gospel that sets people free from sin. Think about this: If those who shared the Gospel to you were ashamed of it, you wouldn’t have heard it. If the disciples of Christ shied away from sharing the Gospel for fear of rejection or ridicule, who would have heard it?
If Christ Himself was ashamed of God’s plans and love for all of us who are destined for God’s wrath, then who could have been saved?
If Christ humbled Himself for us how then can we be ashamed of Him?