“My Part”
Romans 1:14-19
There is really two ways that we can look at missions.
One is we can look at the big picture, and the grand scheme.
We look at all the unreached people groups, we look at all the countries, we look at all the missionaries, and we pool together to reach a monstrous task.
This is what Baptists are doing with the Lottie Moon offering. We all pool our resources together to try to reach the big picture goal.
Certainly that is valuable and useful.
But there is also another way in which we must look at missions, and that is to look at it personally.
We all know that salvation of our world is bigger than one man can accomplish. We know we can’t do everything, but that does not mean we are allowed to do nothing.
So our question then becomes, “What is my part?”
What is God calling me to do.
I can’t go to every country in the world, but I can go to some of them.
I can’t speak to every lost person in the world, but I can speak to some of them.
I can’t fully fund every missionary out there, but I can fund some things.
What is my part?
When we read the Bible, we are often times amazed at what some of the men accomplished.
We become amazed at the things that Paul did.
We are amazed at the things Peter accomplished.
But what we find in their lives, is not that they were any better than us. We find that they were just committed to doing their part, and God took their obedience and worked wonders through them.
When we approach missions month, that is the question we must all answer.
What is my part?
We can pray as a church, what does God want us to do, but really even that is beyond your or my control.
All we can really ask is what God wants me to do.
In our text this morning, Paul is going to answer that question.
Paul shows us four facts that help us understand what our part is in God’s great scheme of redeeming a lost world to Himself.
#1 OUR CALLING IS CLEAR
Romans 1:14
“I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.”
Now notice what Paul said.
At this point, Paul is not talking about a passion in life.
At this point, Paul is not talking about a desire in life.
At this point, Paul is talking about an obligation.
Paul is talking about repayment of a debt.
Paul was “under obligation”
WHY?
1 Corinthians 6:20
“For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.”
Romans 6:22
“But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life.”
See, Paul knew that he was indebted to God.
Paul was a sinner, but Jesus had come and paid His ransom.
Paul knew that as a result, he was now indebted to Him.
Which is indeed salvation.
People all over the world want to come to Christ, but still maintain control of their life.
Of course this is impossible.
Jesus required that if you are to save your life, you must first lose it.
You have to give all rights to yourself to Jesus.
He must become Lord of your life.
In simpler terms, He paid off your debt, and now you belong to Him.
No more do you just do what you want.
You do what He wants.
No more do you follow your passions.
You follow His passions.
Paul understood this.
He was “under obligation”
And this obligation spread to all men.
“both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.”
He was obliged to take the gospel to them all.
Now it doesn’t take too much understanding to realize that this obligation is ours as well.
We aren’t encouraged to spread the gospel, we are commanded to spread the gospel.
Matthew 28:18-20
“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Acts 1:8
“but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
ARE WE NOT UNDER THE SAME OBLIGATION THAT PAUL WAS UNDER?
Remember what we read last week.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19
“Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”
We are the ones who now carry the torch.
Not just because we want to, but because we obliged to.
Is there really anyone here who has truly given their life to Jesus, that really wonders what their purpose is?
If we are confused as to why we are here, then we are ignoring what the Bible has repeatedly told us.
We are here to lead the lost to Jesus.
And not only are we encouraged to do it, we are under obligation.
Jesus came and paid a high price for us, and now we belong to Him.
Our calling is clear.
You see this in Paul’s life, you can also see it in Peter’s.
Matthew 4:18-20
“Now as Jesus was walking by the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers, Simon who was called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.”
We often times get so sidetracked in programs, and ministries, and meetings, and church related activity, but have we forgotten what we were called to do?
Programs are not required…
Meetings are not required…
Activities are not required…
WE ARE REQUIRED to go to the lost with the life giving message of salvation.
We are under obligation.
That is what made men like Peter and Paul effective.
They just got real honest about what they were called to do.
The calling was clear to them. They were under obligation to the lost.
So are we.
That leads us to the truth.
#2 OUR RESPONSE IS REVEALING
Romans 1:15-16a
“So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel,”
DID YOU CATCH THAT?
“for my part”
Paul knew he couldn’t save the world.
Paul knew he was but a part in a greater work.
But Paul knew he had a part to play.
That part was to preach the gospel to those whom God had called him to preach.
That is what God asks you to do.
And Paul was eager to do it.
ARE WE EAGER TO DO OUR PART?
In churches today, people no longer want to preach the gospel, they want to draw men to church.
But that’s not our part, that is the role of the Father.
John 6:44
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.”
In churches today, people no longer want to preach the gospel, they want to seemingly save people. (i.e. add them to the church role)
But that is not our part, that is the role of the Lord Jesus
Hebrews 7:25
“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
In churches today, people no longer want to preach the gospel, they want to give people assurance of their faith.
But that is not our part, that is the role of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 8:16
“The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God,”
OUR PART IS CLEAR
We are to preach the gospel.
Romans 10:14
“How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?”
1 Corinthians 2:1-2
“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
God does the drawing, Jesus does the saving, the Spirit does the confirming, but we are called to do the preaching.
Someone has to tell them the truth.
That is our part!
And Paul said he was “eager to preach the gospel”
Reminiscent of Isaiah
Isaiah 6:8
But we often treat Paul, or Peter, or Isaiah like they are exceptions to the rule.
Normal Christians don’t have that same passion.
Acts 2:43-47
“Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.”
Acts 9:17-20
“So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he regained his sight, and he got up and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened. Now for several days he was with the disciples who were at Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.”
Acts 3:1-10
Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!” And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene — walk!” And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
All throughout the Bible, you see people get saved and immediately go to sharing it.
This is not the exception to the rule, this is what God expects of us.
1 Peter 3:15
“but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;”
A true Christian ought to want to preach the gospel.
A true Christian ought to be eager to present the truth.
But here is the kicker.
Although we all ought to be eager, the truth remains that we all aren’t eager.
WHY?
Well Paul answers that question.
And we may not like the answer.
He tells us why he is a Christian who is eager in the midst of Christians we are not.
WHAT IS IT THAT MAKES PAUL EAGER WHEN OTHERS AREN’T?
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel”
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE ASHAMED?
– too embarrassed or afraid to present it.
Paul’s point is easily seen. He said he was eager to preach the gospel because he wasn’t ashamed. There is no doubt Paul is implying here that those who aren’t eager to present the gospel are ashamed of it.
Now that kind of flies in our face.
We don’t like to think that we might be ashamed of the gospel.
And we certainly don’t want to admit it.
In fact, it may surprise us to find that that is exactly what we are.
DO YOU THINK PETER WAS SURPRISED WHEN HE FOUND OUT HE WAS ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL?
Matthew 26:69-75
“Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away.” Then he began to curse and swear, “I do not know the man!” And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word which Jesus had said, ” Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.”
I promise you Peter was surprised to find out that he was ashamed. Why just hours before this, he had sworn to go even to death for Jesus.
Yet when it came right down to it, Peter was ashamed.
I think this is where we often fall.
Oh, we aren’t ashamed of Jesus in church. We gladly talk about Him, and lift Him up. But we find a new timidity when we get out into the world.
We find that we lose our eagerness to proclaim the gospel.
We aren’t eager because we are ashamed.
But we must get past being ashamed of the gospel, and this is why.
The third truth we see.
#3 OUR PREACHING IS POWERFUL
Romans 1:16-17
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”
Not only does Paul tell us that he is not ashamed of the gospel, he goes on to tell us why we must not be ashamed of the gospel.
“for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,”
In churches today, when we focus on winning the lost, much emphasis is wrongly placed.
We place emphasis on attracting the lost…
We place emphasis on understanding the lost…
We place emphasis on not offending the lost…
We place emphasis on the environment of our church…
NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE THE POWER
There is one thing that manifests God’s power unto salvation.
HIS WORD
John 12:50
“I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”
Acts 17:11-12
“Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men.”
DID YOU CATCH WHY THEY WERE BELIEVING?
God’s word was leading them there.
The gospel is powerful!
Psalms 19:7-11
“The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; In keeping them there is great reward.”
In churches today, we place too much emphasis on making sinners feel comfortable. We don’t want to offend. We want their church experience to be a pleasant experience. We want them to leave feeling loved, we want them to feel a part of our group.
THAT IS NOT BIBLICAL!
A sinner should not feel comfortable in the presence of God.
A sinner should be offended right down to his core being before God.
An unrepentant sinner should describe church as anything but pleasant.
An unrepentant sinner should feel true love, which leads to repentance.
And there is no way a person living in sin should ever feel a part of the group.
“For what fellowship have light with darkness?”
CAN WE NOT SEE THIS APPROACH IS STRAIGHT FROM THE ENEMY?
He is the one who wants to make sure we leave sinners right were they are. Let them come to church, but don’t ever suggest that their lives need to change.
And we have figured out how to do that.
We try to portray the attributes of Jesus, but we leave out the message of Jesus.
We try to show emotional love…
We try to show emotional compassion…
We try to show emotional peace…
We try to show what we feel are the attributes of Jesus, but leave out the message of Jesus.
I’ll tell you what we do in churches today.
We preach Christ.
We do not preach Christ crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:1-2
And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
1 Corinthians 1:17
“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.”
In short, we purposely eliminate the only thing that has the power to save.
THE GOSPEL
The gospel message is clear.
You are a sinner, as am I.
You’re sin warrants that you die and go to hell.
But the love of God was manifested in that He sent Jesus to die instead of you.
And if you want eternal life, you must confess your sin, turn from your sin, take up the cross and follow Jesus.
That is the good news of the gospel.
But somewhere we decided that if it didn’t sound good, it wasn’t the gospel, and if it did sound good, it must be the gospel. NOT SO!
Look at the preaching of John the Baptist.
After calling the Pharisees brood of vipers
And telling the crowds to share all their possessions
And telling the soldiers to not take money by force
And telling the tax collectors to be honest
John says this.
Luke 3:15-18
“Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people.”
We wouldn’t consider John’s message good news, but that is precisely what Luke called it.
How did we expect John to reach the lost?
…by acting like their sin was ok?
…by just making everyone feel comfortable?
…by making sure they all felt loved?
NO!
John preached the gospel to them, and it was leading to repentance.
You can be friend people all day long, and we should be compassionate.
But listen to me clearly.
There is only one thing that has the power to lead men to salvation, and it is not your smile.
It is the gospel!
There is power in it.
Look at what happened when Peter determined to quit being ashamed and to preach the gospel.
Acts 2:14, 37-42
“But Peter, taking his stand with the eleven, raised his voice and declared to them: “Men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give heed to my words…Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!” So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
There is power in the word of God.
You aren’t called to save anyone. You aren’t called to persuade anyone.
You are only called to preach the gospel to them, and let it do what it does best.
WHY IS THE GOSPEL THE POWER OF GOD FOR SALVATION?
Vs. 17, “for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.”
The reason the gospel is the power of God for salvation is because it is the only thing that perfectly reveals the righteousness of God.
Namely the righteousness of God that is attained through faith in God.
Nothing else does that.
Give them a Christian book
Give them a copy of the Koran
Give them the Lubbock Avalanche Journal
Only the gospel reveals God’s righteousness.
If we think for one second that we will lead anyone to Jesus without the gospel, we are gravely mistaken.
We may get them to join our church, but we will never lead them to confess their sins, turn from their wicked ways, deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Jesus.
Only the gospel has the power to do that.
We must not be ashamed – our preaching is powerful!
We are called to proclaim the only thing that can truly set men free, and that leads to our fourth truth.
#4 OUR COMPLIANCE IS CRITICAL
Romans 1:18-19
“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.”
The simple fact of the matter is that if we are unwilling to play our part, it is extremely costly to an unbelieving world.
Did you notice what Paul said?
He didn’t say, God’s wrath was coming some day on sinners.
He said “the wrath of God IS revealed”
They are living under God’s wrath right now.
Look at the remainder of chapter 1 to see how.
Verse 24 says, “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.”
Verse 26 says, “For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural”
Verse 28 says, “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,”
We think that people who worship idols will get God’s wrath…
We think that homosexuals will get God’s wrath…
We think that disobedient will get God’s wrath…
They are already under God’s wrath. It is God’s wrath that is allowing them to be where they are. He has given them over to it. They are destroying themselves.
There is a world out there that as we speak is literally suffering under the wrath of God.
And we have the power to change that.
It is critical that we play our part.
Look at what Jesus said to Peter in order to encourage Peter to no longer be ashamed.
John 21:15-17
“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, ” Shepherd My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”
Jesus wanted Peter to reach the lost.
Tsunami hit last year and swept thousands into eternity without Jesus Christ.
Every 10 seconds someone in Africa dies of AIDS
America is on the decline like no nation ever before
People are going to hell in scores
How long until we are willing to play our part?
How long will you neglect your obligation?
How long will you be ashamed of the gospel?
How long will you allow the lost to go to hell unwarned?
Charles Spurgeon had a quote:
“If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our bodies. If they will perish, let them perish with our arms about their knees. Le no on go there unwarned and unsprayed for.”
John 4:35
“Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest.”
