The Book of Romans: Eager and Unashamed

Book of Romans: Eager and Unashamed | January 21, 2024
Bob Schwahn | Lead Pastor

“In our generation, the primary problem with evangelism isn’t that we’re doing it with bullhorns and low-grade bigotry; it’s that we’re not doing it at all.”
— John Mark Comer, Practicing the Way (pg. 151)

Romans 1:14-17 (NIV)

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

OBLIGATED:

Romans 1:14 (NIV)

2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (NIV)
All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.

EAGER:

Romans 1:15 (NIV)

UNASHAMED:

Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Romans 1:1-4 (NIV)
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.

Reflection Questions:
Was there something that stuck out to you from the sermon?

Share a time when you were able to share the good news about Jesus with someone. Was it a positive or negative experience, or somewhere in between? What was their response? What did you learn from that experience?

Read Romans 1:14 and 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. Paul felt an obligation and a responsibility to share the gospel with the world. Do you feel that same obligation and responsibility? Why or why not?

Read Romans 1:15. Why can a follower of Jesus NOT feel eager to share the gospel? What can be our fears? Our apprehensions?

Read Romans 1:16. What can cause us to be ashamed of the gospel? What makes the gospel offensive to our culture?

Why is it important to focus on Jesus and not peripheral issues?
Peripheral issues are “good advice”, not the “good news”.
Who Jesus is?
Why Jesus came?
What Jesus accomplished with his life, death, and resurrection?
What Jesus invites us to do in following Him?
What Jesus wants for us?
Why Jesus wants that for us?

What peripheral issues can misrepresent the gospel message and muddy the waters of the message of Jesus?

Why is it important to learn to be curious and listen to people in order to be effective at sharing the gospel? What are some good questions you could ask to learn where people are at on their spiritual journey?
Who could you begin to pray for and ask questions of this week in order to understand where they are on their spiritual journey? What are a couple questions you could ask to start that conversation?
What was God saying to you from this sermon? What are you going to do about it? Next step?

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Notes Page: https://journeybozeman.com/sermons/notes/2024.01.21.pdf