The Power of the Gospel

Romans 1:16-18
by Pastor Ed Taylor
Parkway Baptist Church
Introduction:
A. We have thousands of power plants around the world today and they all have one purpose: to produce the necessary energy that we need to survive and make it in this world.
    1. Nuculear power plants provide much of our nations energy. We have nuculear bombs that has energy to destroy.
    2. The word "Power" means energy, force, strength
B.Paul said in verse 15..."I am ready..." - GOSPEL
    1. Not many today want to hear the Gospel.
    2. Not many want to proclaim it today
    3. Many are ashamed of the Gospel
        a. Intellectual Shame
        b. Social Shame
    4. Paul said he was not .... ashamed of it

I. The Gospel Saves: v.16
A. Gospel is Good News - From God
    1. He gave his only begotten Son
    2. Believe and not perish
    3. Have everlasting life ... that is all Good News

B. Gospel is Powerful News - "power of God"
    1. Has the energy to change
    2. Is a force to correct .. Our standing before God
    3. Is strength to keep... "Kept by the power of God"

THOUGHT: I am glad that God chose to use his Power in a loving way. He could have destroyed what he created, but he rather chose to use it to save fallen man.
 

C. Gospel is Life Changing News - "unto salvation"
What is Salvation?
    1. Salvation means Deliverance
        a. Deliverance from being lost
        b. Deliverance from sin
        c. Deliverance from future evil and corruption
        d. Deliverance from enemies and dangers

D. Gospel Saves Who Believes: "everyone who believeth"
    1. Condition of Salvation: - 'believes'
        a. One who believes, commits to what he believes
        b. No commitment, no salvation
        c. True belief, there will be commitment
THOUGHT: God saves the one who truly believes; really has committed himself to the Gospel of Christ.
    2. Gospel saves all "Nationalities"
 

II. Gospel Reveals: v.17a
A. Reveals God Righteousness
    1. Man has a serious problem
        a. He thinks he is righteous
        b. He thinks he is good enough
        c. He thinks he walks and lives all right
THOUGHT: Remember the gospel reveals God as a holy and righteous God. God is perfect. Because of this man does not measure up to God's standards. So.....)
    2. Man needs to be made righteous:
        a. Reveals mans plight - lost
        b. Reveals how to be made righteous: (Rom 3:21-22; 4:1-3; 4:22; Matt 5:20)
 

III. Gospel Makes Possible a Life of Faith: v.17b
A. Answer to Man's Problem: - "faith to faith"

THOUGHT: When a person really believes that Christ saves him God takes that persons faith and counts it "for righteousness."
    1. Man is still imperfect, still comes up short of God's glory
    2. But he still believes that Jesus saves him - such faith honors Christ
    3. God accepts and counts that person's faith as "righteousness".
    4. He becomes acceptable to God - this is "justification", declared righteous before God.
 

B. A Critical Point:
    1. A person must continue to live "by faith" from the very first moment of belief to the last moment of life on earth.
        a. My whole life must be a life of faith

IV. Gospel Delivers from God's Wrath: v.18

A. Subjects of God's Wrath:
    1. "Ungodly" -
        a. Those who fail to love and obey God.
        b. Those who are not like God
        c. Those who do not live as God lives
        d. Those who do not work at developing a godly nature
        e. Those who do what they want, live as they want
        f. Those who give lip service, but ignore him in everyday lives.
    2. "Unrighteous" -
        a. Those who fail to love others
        b. Those who act against man: cheat, lie, steal, destroy

POINT: God is angry with such men who push the truth aside, live like they want to live and not as God wants.

B. Sanctity from God's Wrath:
    1. Comes from believing, committing, and living for God and not being ashamed

CONCLUSION:  The Gospel of Christ has power. It has power to make a difference in one's life. It gives energy to live for the Lord, it gives strength to go on for the Lord, and It gives purpose to life.