welcome to real Christianity mission is to bring the church back to the Bible my name is Dale Partridge and I'm the president of relearn. Org and Reformation Seminary the premise of the show is simple the culture is growing darker the church is in need of sound Doctrine and many Christians are hungry for the truth join me here each week as we look to scripture and discover what it really mean to be a Christian
 welcome to the show today's episode is a unique episode instead of me recording the sermon on my podcast Mike I have recorded my preaching at our Bible study here in Cottonwood Arizona and here's why I did this. Today's message needed to be preached and not teach today's message it has power because the verse that I cover in this episode is one of the most important verses in the entire Bible today and then be preaching on Romans 1:16 I titled this episode of how to overcome fear when sharing the gospel of the sermon is about 30 minutes and I believe it'll leave you not only convicted but also excited to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ book for begin I just wanted to mention this episode sponsor as you know I don't partner with many advertisers a but this company is owned by a personal friend and I try
 we do stand behind their products are the company is called Ascend wood and their Christian own husband and wife business dedicated to reaching the nation's for the gospel through the Christian bracelets and apparel now many many many people have bought these bracelets and apparel they put a good dent in their mission their primary partner in Ministry is in Haiti where they have a portions every item sold is donated to sponsor a child pay for their food cover schooling so Ascend wood has a strong passion for global missions and really quality products do for their latest Ascend gear you can visit us end wood.com or follow them on Instagram at Ascend would I also I just want to mention quickly before we jump in that my newest book The manliness of Christ is now available for purchase at relearn. Org forward slash man again that's
 there. Org forward slash man. No. I want you guys to open up your Bibles to Romans 1:16 as we learn how to overcome fear when sharing the gospel
 today's text is from Romans chapter 1 verses 16 it says for I am not ashamed of the gospel for does the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek if you're new this week this is our fourth sermon or my fourth sermon in our series through Romans which is in my opinion the world's greatest book it's the most effective explanation of the Gospel that's ever been written in the last week we completed the final portion of the letters introduction where we learned that Christians long and love to be with other Christians it back if you don't long and love to be with other Christians it's worth examining to see if you're truly a born-again 1st John 4:9
 420 says if anyone says I love God and hates his brother he's a liar for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen
 today we make a transition out of the introduction of this letter and into the thesis of this letter and I would argue that today's verse is the most important verse in the entire letter some argue that this is the most important verse in the entire Bible if you've been listening however to my preaching for long you have noticed that I like to summarize my teaching the passage that were talking about I like to offer what I call a summary sentence or a succinct sentence of what the meaning of the passage is about
 and I do this because I want to allow you to see how the text supports that summary or my conclusion about the meaning of the attack last week summary was Christians long and love to be with other Christians
 so I hope you saw that Axiom clearly taught in that text today's summary is if you love people you will tell them the gospel if you love people you will tell them the gospel and remember this text has to remain in context to this is often a verse taken out on its own but it is part of this letter the previous verse says so I'm eager to preach to the god of the Gospel to you who are in Rome is your Polly saying that I love you and I long to be with you and because God loves you I love you and because I love you I'm eager to preach the gospel to you
 mark Dever
 and his book on evangelism right quote we are called to love others we share the gospel because we love people we don't share the gospel because we don't love people instead we're only fear them we don't want to cause awkwardness we want their respect and after all we figure if we try to share the gospel with them will look foolish and so we require we protect our pride at the cost of their souls in the name of not wanting to look weird we are content to be complicit in their being lost and quote
 sharing the gospel is another evidence of your status with God
 saved people love talking about their savior
 now I understand that even saved people are intimidated to preach the gospel and it said the Christians often feel ill equipped to evangelize I understand that it's difficult to discern when to engage or not
 but just allow allow me to remind you that we don't need
 to wait for the holy spirit's prompting and conviction in areas where God's word has already commanded instruction
 Jesus says in mark 16:15
 go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation
 we don't need to wait for the holy spirit's prompting for the specific moments to preach the gospel
 when we already have a clear instruction to do so
 the gospel is something that is always
 to be proclaimed and I think that when we when we Ponder on the gospel when we think of the Gospel when we were flagged and devote ourselves to the gospel when we praise God because we have study the gospel I often say that front of Mind equals tip of tongue
 front of Mind equals tip of tongue when we are front of mind with the gospel it will come out
 in our lives with others
 Matthew 28 through 18 through 20 as we know is the Great Commission in Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to me go therefore and Make Disciples of all Nations baptizing them in the name of the father and the Son and the Holy Spirit teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you and behold I Am With You Always even to the end of the age
 today we will not only review the message of the Gospel but will also attempt to see why it's so offensive to humanity
 but even more than that we're going to see why some Christians have been ashamed of the Gospel
 and how you can overcome your sinful embarrassment through faithful comprehension of what the gospel really is
 it's let's read the passage one more time
 as we get ready to break down this verse word by word
 1:16
 Brian ashamed of the Gospel
 because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek
 Paul doesn't begin with saying that he's proud of the Gospel or bold with the gospel he declares that he's not ashamed of the Gospel he's implying that while he is not embarrassed or uncomfortable to proclaim the gospel of Christ there are many people who are ashamed
 you're some of you basically what he saying some may be ashamed of Christ but not me
 it obviously begs the question
 why would someone be ashamed of the Gospel what's preventing people from proclaiming the message of the cross
 I don't understand some historical cultural context of this kind of Greco-Roman world let's look at Justin Martyr third-century dialogue with trifle trifle was a Jew scholar I want you guys to see how this. Of time thought of Christians trifle rights quote
 your Jesus
 having fallen under the extreme Curse Of God we cannot sufficiently admire how you can expect any good from God who place your hopes Upon A man that was crucified and quote you see crucifixion was viewed as the most cursed way to die if you were crucified you were detestable why you were shameful another discourse with a third Century Greek philosopher said to the Christian quote where is your understanding you who worship for a god him who was crucified and quote
 while preparing the sermon I was listening to a message by John MacArthur on the same text he mentioned that archaeologists have found small ancient Roman statues kind of treat type statues you can put maybe on a shelf and they were pictures are a form of a man worshipping at the foot of a cross but the cross doesn't hold Christ in hold the Donkey
 and on that cross and where it reads
 you are we who worship a jackass
 see Christianity was the laughing stock of the ancient philosophical world
 1st Corinthians 1:26 as for consider your calling Brothers not many of you were wise according to worldly standards not many were powerful not many were of noble birth
 this is a description of recognizing there's not many of us here in the early church who came from this wise and Noble background to the world's standards Christianity was a face for fools
 now you think that God
 when he sent his son to the Earth
 but every person would just run to the occasion that every man will be willing to hear and eager to embrace the way of salvation but instead it was the exact opposite Christ gospel were rejected instead of opening their hearts to the man and the message that could save their souls what they do when they crucified him
 instead of embracing the message of the Apostles in the first disciples they beheaded John the Baptist a stone Stephen They Crucified Peter upside down they they stabbed Thomas and Matthew they tortured filthy Stone James they burned Matthias and they said Ignatius to the Lions and they tied an anchor around the neck of Clement and they cast him into the ocean
 there's a reason
 the Jesus in scripture is called the rock of offense
 the message of Jesus was Defensive to the Flesh of man
 the idea that you have sinned against the holy God and deserve death and eternal punishment the idea that you are condemned as you stand the idea that you cannot be made right with God part from Jesus Christ the idea that you are not the ruler of your life the idea that Jesus is the way the truth and the life and then no man comes to God except by him the idea that you must comply with Jesus or burn that idea will get you killed
 that idea will get you killed
 if you read John foxes book of Martyrs you're going to see how brutal men can be against those who preach Christ men hiss and gnash their teeth at the gospel
 but why why do people hate the gospel why is the message of the Cross so offensive the answer is actually quite simple it it's not complex we love our sin
 wheel of Darkness wheel of autonomy we want to live how we see fit we want to determine what is right and wrong for our lives
 Jesus in
 John 3 18 through 21 you can open up your Bible to be like John 3 18 through 21 says whoever believes in me is not condemned but whoever does not believe in is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only son of God and this is a judgment the light has come into the world and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their Works were evil he does. He says for everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light why lest his Works should be exposed
 I want her to
 illustration if if you
 went to a nightclub at 11 at night and you turn off or turn on all the lights
 with the people in that nightclub be happy or angry
 if they be angry right because the light exposes them to light prevents people from hiding their shameful Behavior light shows that slip of the hand of that gentleman on to that woman's body light shows how drunk a person might be light shows that the dealings in the handling the things that are happening the dark like cockroaches we run from dark place to dark place in the flesh man, man kind of hates the light
 we hate the light
 Charles Spurgeon once said you cannot slander human nature it is worse than words can put it
 Ephesians 2:1 through 3 describes people before they come to Christ all of us in our flesh it says and you were dead in the trespasses and sins of what you once walked following the course of this world following the principality are the spirit that is now at work in the sons of Disobedience among whom we all once lived how do we live in the passions of our flesh carrying out the desires of the body in the mind and we're by Nature children of Wrath like the rest of mankind
 so when we asked the question
 why is the gospel rejected
 it's simple we hate it we hate the idea that we need a savior we love following the way of the world we love following our own passions we love following our own lusts we love living the way that we want to live the idea of turning away from our own lives and submitting to Jesus is foolish to the person who is lost
 1st Corinthians 2:14 that the natural person does not accept the things of the spirit of God for they are Folly to him and he is unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned
 1st Corinthians 1:18 says for the word of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing
 1st Corinthians 1:23 says we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and Folly to the Gentiles
 ultimately preaching the biblical gospel is dangerous
 a skinny Christian in Pakistan or China asked any Christian in Nigeria North Korea and Iran or Syria to the gospel in livens the hatred of men the most persecuted people on Earth are not Muslims or Hindus are not black or Asians they're not homosexuals are transgenders or Christians
 Christians are the most hated people on this planet
 and Paul knew this all too well
 in responding to
 the church at Corinth who had false teachers mocking Paul because they said he lacks a luxury in popularity of Paul boesen his weakness and he says this and pay attention to your second Corinthians 11:23 through 28 and are they Servants of Christ I am more so with far greater laborers Farm or imprisonment with countless beatings and often near-death five times I received at the hands of the Jews the thirty-nine lashes three times I was beaten with rods once I was stoned three times I was Shipwrecked a day and a night I was adrift in the sea on frequent Journeys in dangerous from rivers dangerous from robbers Danger from my own people Danger from Gentile danger in the city danger in the wilderness danger at Sea Danger from false Brothers in Toil and hardship through many a sleepless nights in hunger and thirst often without food in cold and exposure and apart from all other things there was a daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches and quote
 this testimony
 from Romans 1:16
 is what makes Paul's
 text here so powerful
 It also says that even though I have suffered so much for Christ even though I have been beaten for Christ I am not ashamed of the Gospel
 but why why is Paul
 after such hate after such a history of rejection after such danger and risk and hostility not ashamed of the Gospel how does Paul keep showing up how does he continue to preach a message that produce such vitriol and Malice
 how did it keep going how did you remain faithful even until death what's the driver behind his commitment to the gospel
 and the answer is found
 in the second half of this verse
 I'm not ashamed of the Gospel is the second half because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek
 the gospel is the means by which God Saves people from sin and misery and he'll the gospel is the lightning bolt that resurrects the spiritually dead man to life get the gospel is the force that changes the heart and the affections of a person ultimately the gospel is man's Only Hope act for 10 to 12 since I let it be known to all of you and all the people of Israel. By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Nazareth whom you crucified whom God raised from the dead by him this man is standing before you well this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you that the builders would you have which has become now the Cornerstone and there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved
 morals
 can't save you
 religion can't save you a tendon can't save you serving on the worship team can't save you obedience to God's law can't save you prayer can't even save you the only thing that can save you is Faith in Jesus Christ the gospel
 and what is the gospel
 what is the gospel
 is that understanding
 it's not understanding that you were made
 and that your maker has a right to tell you how you ought to live and that you've sinned against your maker breaking his moral law
 this is why our world is so broken it's why we get divorces and abort babies that's why we become drug addicts and alcoholics it's why we look at porn and have sex outside of marriage this is why we have war and hatred and slavery and murder
 I'm listening to voddie baucham live
 at the shepherd's conference this year
 he's talking about the gospel and he's talked about the frustration that we haven't sinned with ass in the world and it says that we cry out for justice
 and you know to what I'm going to do to you now
 we don't want Justice
 we don't want Justice cuz True Justice Means death and hell for every single one of us True Justice means that we get what we deserve which is eternal punishment for our sins against in Eternal God we don't want Justice what we want is mercy and forgiveness and love and this is exactly what we receive in the Gospel of Jesus Christ Romans 5:8 say but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us
 the gospel teaches in God's mercy that he sent his only son born of a virgin ride free from the curse of sin a man who kept the law perfectly and who was by God's design sent to the Cross to Die the death of we deserve to take on the wrath of Gods do to us to the gospel teaches that when we repent and believe in Christ we give the very worst of ourselves our sin to Jesus when he gives the very best of himself his righteousness to us 2nd Corinthians 5:21 says for our sake God made Jesus to Beeson who knew no sin so that in Christ we might become the righteousness of God John MacArthur once pointed out the gospel teaches that God treats Jesus as if he lived my life so that he can treat me as if I lived his
 is it amazing concept to this is the the the real the center of the Gospel penal substitutionary atonement substitution the doctrine that says that Christ died in your place Christ took the Wrath that you deserve he was your substitute you didn't have to die he died in your place this is good news
 this is good news
 but without repentance
 without a transform heart
 without space in Christ
 that's all it is news
 if it's not seen and heard and believed it's nothing
 that's why Jesus say things to you I see ears to hear Let Him hear he had eyes to see let him see this is why we must call people to Believe In Christ this is why we must beg people to repent and Trust In Christ Alone we must compel them to receive the message of the cross
 John 3:36 says whoever believes in the son has eternal life whoever does not obey the son shall not see life but the wrath of God remains on him
 you see this is why Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel
 it's the power of God to save anyone who believes
 Paul is willing to risk his own life to save the souls of others he doesn't care about the beatings in the imprisonment in the hatred he cares about souls
 Charles Spurgeon once famously said if centered be damned
 at least let them leave the hell over our dead bodies and if they perish let them perish with her arms wrapped about their knees imploring them to stay if he'll must be filled let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions and let no one go unwarned an done prayed for and quote
 Paul is not ashamed of the Gospel
 and neither should we
 about a research study in 2019 showed the perspective of Angela's in between different Generations the study found that almost half of quotes practicing Christian Millennials believe that evangelism was wrong
 47% said that it was wrong to share your personal beliefs with someone of a different faith in hopes that they would one day share the same faith and quote
 the only people
 who could believe this way
 are people who do not understand the gospel Romans 10:17 says what so faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ
 that is its face the very substance the Catalyst of Salvation it comes by hearing the word of Christ or I can even argue reading the word of Christ but hearing the word of Christ
 therefore we need to preach the gospel we need to open our mouths we need to write it recorded Proclaim it Sing It Whatever It Takes make sure that people hear it
 I once heard
 that there were only two types of speakers in this world those who have something to say and those who have to say something
 the Christians are commanded to say something we we cannot be silent we cannot sit idly by and watch people perish with time to tell people the gospel because you love them
 it's time to study up so that you feel equipped to share the gospel when you have that opportunity
 it's time to stop being so selfish and not thinking that understanding and comprehending the doctrines of the Gospel is an unworthy endeavor
 you must be prepared
 there's a pastor
 of a church in Boston that young boy
 in front of the sanctuary is in the early 1900s carrying a rusty cage
 in which several little birds fluttered nervously
 the pastor required he said Son where did you get those birds
 I dropped them in the field the boy replied
 what you going to do with them
 I'm going to play with them and I think just later I'm going to feed them to an old cat I have at home
 when the pastor heard that he offered to buy them
 sorry when the pastor heard he offered to buy these little birds
 the boy said Mr are you sure that you want to buy these little old birds they can't even sing very well
 the pastor replied I'll give you a $2 for the cage and for the birds the boy said okay it's a deal
 the exchange was made the boy went away happy right whistling got his $2 the pastor walked around to the back of the church property opened up the door of the small wire cage and he let the struggling little birds fly into the sky
 the next Sunday
 that Pastor took that at the cage into the pulpit and used it to illustrate Christ's coming to seek and to save those who like those little birds were destined for destruction
 you see the difference however was the cost
 the cost
 $2 for the pastor at Christ had to purchase our freedom with his own blood
 Christ had to purchase our freedom with his own blood
 when you think of this when you think of what Christ did for you and requires us to be able to speak up for him
 it requires us to have the passion and willingness to preach the gospel save people like talking about Jesus Christ
 let's get out and share the gospel
 let's pray God we thank you Lord for this text with thank you for your servant Paul
 the witness of the Resurrection The Apostle cent of Jesus Christ has given us such Clarity systematic understanding of the Gospel has allowed us to learn from him to learn from the holy spirit is prepared us to understand the doctors of the Gospel so that we might face fully present the gospel when given opportunity but we pray that those who are listening right now would have opportunities Lord that you would put a conviction and they're hard to study they would be prepared to be approved that they be ready in season and out of season to share that gospel message Father or that you would give them confidence that they would not be altered by the fear of man that they would not be altered by the question that would come after but father they would trust you that you would guide them in the midst of these things
 if father we ask that you would just put in a desire for their toes and we don't want to become evangelist because we want to become more or less we want a passion a heart for the lost like you have a heart for the lost or give us that part for the Lost
 in Jesus name
 we pray
 thank you for joining me on this episode of real Christianity Christianity audio Ministry of relearn. Org our mission a tree there. Or days to bring the church back to the Bible we achieve this through strengthen and Christians in biblical and Theological literacy find biblical articles podcast sermons and videos at our website at relearn. Org our team is small but our mission is large and we need your help if you'd like to support our ministry financially you can always do so at relearn. Org forward slash donate thank you again for joining me today and I hope to see you next week for another episode of real Christianity