The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the word made plain with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, pastor Tony is teaching through the book of Romans. Please open your Bible to Romans chapter 1 verses 16 through 17.

Tony Clark: I just wonder about the 60 to 70% of Americans who claim to believe in God and their lives do not reflect it. If God is ashamed that many of us call him our God. It's just a thought, something for us to really consider. I know for my own life that there has been times that God was ashamed that I was calling him God through my bad behavior, through my sinful thoughts and bad actions. And so Paul said for him, he is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Oh, oh, Paul could say he could say this so emphatically because it was the gospel of Jesus Christ that saved him from his sinful lifestyle, rescued him from hell.

So he wouldn't dare be ashamed of the very message that saved his life. He said, no, there's no way he will. Oh, to give you a glimpse into the fearless heart and life of Paul. In Acts chapter 21, there's a prophet who his name was Agabus. The prophet Agabus, he took Paul's belt off of him and tied up his hands and feet and said, thus saith the Holy Spirit, so shall the Jews do to the man who owns this belt and deliver him to the Gentiles or the non-Jews. When Paul's friends heard this, that they pleaded with him and begged him not to go to Jerusalem.

Paul responded in Acts 21 and verse 13. He said, what do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? He said, for I am ready not only to be bound, but to also die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. Paul was fearless. He was determined. He was ready even to die for Jesus. And this is why he could say, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. For whatever came his way as a result of preaching the gospel, he was ready to receive it. even if it meant dying for Jesus.

For Paul, it would have been an honor to die for Jesus. Oh, I want to bring your attention to the next phrase. Notice it says, for I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God. What is the power of God? The gospel message. The Greek word for power is dunamis. It means miraculous power or ability. It is where we get our English word dynamite or dynamo. And even though Alfred Nobel didn't invent dynamite until 1867, surely he named his explosive powder after this Greek word. And Paul is saying that the gospel is so powerful that it contains the omnipotent power of God in it.

It's like spiritual dynamite. The gospel explodes and demolishes secular world views and ideologies that we once had before Christ. The power of the gospel, it pricks the conscious, grabs the mind, warms the heart and sanctifies our lives. The gospel has the power to make perverted men pure, drunken men sober, crooked men straight. It is the power of God for what? Notice, to salvation. These things must be exploded before we can be saved. They must be demolished. They must be blown up. The Greek word for salvation is soteria. And it is basic meaning it means deliverance or to be rescued from something.

And the idea here is rescuing us from the ultimate penalty of sin, which is spiritual death leading to eternal death separated from him in hell itself. And all of us need to be saved. We're drowning in the sea of sin and wickedness through the internet and movies and a myriad of other things. The gospel message is what saves us from the cesspool of this world. And the power of the gospel declares that we are saved, don't miss this, from the penalty of sin, which is death. This is called justification. The power of God declares that we are saved from the power of sin.

And this is called sanctification. And that the power of the gospel declares that we will ultimately be saved from the very presence of sin. And this is called glorification. So with this in mind, who is the gospel message for? A special group of people? No, the third part of verse 16 says for everyone who believes. For everyone who believes. The gospel doesn't discriminate against people. The gospel is so powerful that it is for everyone who believes from a child to a college professor can receive it and all in between. The man on his death bed or on death row, the person in the dorm or on some deserted island can receive it as well.

As preachers of the gospel, which all believers are supposed to be, we can share this good news with anyone we come in contact with because it is for everyone who believes. All we have to do is preach it and all they have to do is believe it. The Greek word for believe is pistis and it means to trust in, to rely upon, to adhere to. It is more than intellectually acknowledging some biblical facts. We run into people all the time and say, well, you know, I've read the Bible before. They always say stuff like that.

I read the Bible before and yes, yeah, I know what the Bible says and I believe this, this, that and the other, but their lives doesn't reflect it. So it's more than just intellectually acknowledging or believing some biblical facts or dates or whatever. It's more than that. This is why 60 to 70% of Americans can say that they believe in God because if you ask you believe in God, yes, I believe in God. Their lives doesn't reflect it. So it's more than just some intellectual acknowledgment of some biblical fact. You believe in Jesus? Yeah, I believe that was a Jesus.

You believe the Bible be the word of God? Yeah. Yeah. It's more than just intellectually acknowledging biblical facts. It means to trust in, to adhere to, to rely upon. It means to place all of one's weight upon is another definition of the Greek word pistis. No one is beyond being reached with the gospel because it is the gospel, the power of God to blow up everyone's barriers, walls or excuses that were keeping them from Christ. From the atheistic, humanistic college professors with their many degrees to the person who thinks that they are a good person who doesn't need Jesus Christ.

The power, the dunamis of the gospel destroys or blows up or shatters these ideas and leaves a person saying, what must I do to be saved? Like the Philippian jailer in Acts 16 and verse 31. Notice the next phrase. For the Jew first and also for the Greek. Now the reason why Paul said that the gospel was for the Jew first is because they had been the special people of God for thousands of years throughout Old Testament times. Since God chose Abraham in Genesis 12 and verses 1 to 3. Oh, please understand that God didn't choose them because they deserved to be chosen or because they were good little boys and good little girls.

No, no, no, but because he wanted a people to shower his love and mercy upon, to teach a people his ways and prepare them to be a people the Messiah, his son could come into this world. So being the first to receive the gospel is only fitting. Not to show favorites or favoritism, but to show his plan of salvation. We see this in Matthew 15 and verse 24. It said the Messiah, Jesus Christ came first to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And the gospel is also for the Greeks or the non-Jews as well.

And this just confirms that the gospel is for everyone who believes. Even the most quoted verse in the Bible, John 3:16. It agrees with what Paul is saying here. Jesus speaking to a religious man, a religious leader named Nicodemus said, for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever, or if you have old King James, whosoever believes in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. In other words, God made salvation for everyone who believes because everyone needs to be saved. And because of his great love for us, he just didn't love us, the world, but he so loved the world.

Oh, the adverb so means to such a great extent that he gave his only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to take our place on the cross and die in our place. Why? Because Romans 6:23 says, for the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. In other words, we weren't supposed to die because we're born sinners. But Jesus came, took our place and died in our place. Why did he do such a thing? Simply because he so loved us. This is why 2 Peter 3:9 is not on the screen for you note takers.

It says, God isn't willing that any should perish, but all come to repentance. You know, yes, God is holy and his holiness demands punishment for sin. Don't think that God is in heaven looking down upon people dying of the virus, dying of suicide, dying of gunshot wounds and dying of all kind of all kind of heinous ways. And he's getting he he's deriving great delight out of that. The Bible says God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. This is why he desires all men to be saved. This is why he sent Jesus to die for the world.

This is why the gospel is for everyone who believes. This is why he takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. He doesn't. Not at all. So he sent Jesus to die in our place. You've heard me say for years that should have been us on the cross. But he took our place. Why? Simply because he loved us. Oh, verse 17 explains this a little further. Notice the first part of verse 17 says, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed. In other words, in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed. How?

The gospel tells us that we sinners can be right with a holy God. See, God requires perfection. And as you know, none of us can be perfect. So God sent Jesus to this earth to live a perfect life and to die for sinners. Remember, Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. So because we are sinners, we should die and spend eternity in hell for our sin. But God sent Jesus to die in our place. And then God gave us his righteousness. Oh, 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, for he made him, referring to Jesus, who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Jesus, who was sinless, died for sinful people. And then God gave us his righteousness. God got a bad deal. He gave us his righteousness. So when we stand before God, we will not stand in our own righteousness because we know from Isaiah 64 verse 6 that our righteousness says filthy rags. Oh, I hate to be graphic. The filthy rags being referred to were the menstrual cloth of the women. That's how God sees our righteousness or sees us trying to do righteous things to be pleasing to him. As if we're trying to somehow earn our way to heaven or earn ourselves into favor with God.

God sees them as the cloth used for the woman's menstrual cycle. That's how he sees our righteousness. This is why this is why he had to give us his righteousness because ours is as filthy filthy rags in the eyes of God. So the Lord gives us his righteousness and I just say thank you Jesus. For how long? Notice the next phrase from faith to faith. It is believed that this phrase is connected to everyone who believes in verse 16. It is as if Paul was referring to every individual believer from faith to faith to faith to faith.

Will your faith in Jesus Christ be added to this verse? It can today. Now to justify or to prove what he is saying is from God, don't miss this point. This is critical. He gives scripture to back up what he is saying. This is so important because there are many people who are doing all kinds of things in the name of God. And and and this is what they say to to kind of put you in your place. Oh, the Lord told me to say that. The Lord told me to do that. The Lord told me.

And that that's as if to say, don't you come try to check me boo because that ain't going what's going to happen. The Lord. Did you hear me? The Lord. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, wait, wait a minute. Wait one minute. In the Bible, even on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, remember Peter stood up and said, this is that. And he pointed to the scripture to justify the action. Always be able to point to the scripture to justify whatever it is you think you're going to do. I was on a radio program last Tuesday.

And people, watch this, to justify what I believe is the unbiblical to me, the unbiblical slain in the spirit. You know what verse they use? You remember when Jesus was in the garden? And and Jesus said, who are you looking for? They said, we're looking for Jesus of Nazareth. He said, I am he. And the soldiers fell back. That's the verse that they use to justify I'm the When I say we have to have a biblical reason for why we do what we do, that's not what I'm talking about. Cuz I can make the Bible say anything I want to say if I use that kind of logic.

Judas went and hung himself and then there's another verse that says, go ye and do likewise. I can make the Bible say anything I want to say. It must be in this context and it must be a a right biblical example, something that Jesus talked about, the apostles taught about and it's throughout church history. That's another sermon. But here it is to justify what he is saying. He uses scripture. Look at the third part of verse 17. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. Paul is saying salvation by grace through faith has always been God's plan.

And he points to Habakkuk 2:4 to make his point. This verse is quoted four times in the Bible. Now if something is quoted once, that that does it for me. I'm good. I I believe it. It's it's one time. It's in the Bible. I'm good. But if it's quoted two times, then I'm like, okay, God is trying to say something. If it's quoted four times in the Bible, there must be something about this verse. Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. Once again for my wonderful note takers, Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38.

In each of these books, watch this, this is so cool. In each of these books, this phrase is emphasized. Watch this. The just is defined for us in the book of Romans. Shall live is emphasized in the book of Galatians. By faith is emphasized in the book of Hebrews. And in these three volumes defines this statement in a profound way. The just shall live by faith, not by works, folks. Remember our righteousness says filthy rags. We live by faith, not by works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8-9. By faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on Calvary's cross.

There is nothing we can do to make ourselves righteous and acceptable in the sight of God. Nothing. This is why we have to This is why Christ came to die. If there was something we can do, then Christ could have just stayed up in heaven. You know, because we could do it. The point that he came shows that we can't there's nothing you can do to make yourself righteous in the sight of God. Let me conclude with this. In this message, are you ashamed? We saw how preaching, living and talking about the gospel of Jesus Christ can have some serious consequences such as today, especially today, you get fired from jobs, ridiculed and mocked by the world.

You know, you notice whenever they talk about or show Christians in movies, they some weird weirdo wiry eye kind of yelling, fire and brimstone just kind of just a nut case. That's how they depict us in the in the movies. So we're mocked by the world. We're made fun of by family members and and friends. And because other and because of this, many Christians are ashamed of the gospel. And if this is you, let me just say I understand. I understand. We live in a crazy world. And so if you're ashamed, a little bit ashamed and you won't tell anybody, but you know on the inside you're a little bit ashamed, I I I understand.

I I understand. But let me also strongly urge you to repent and ask God for forgiveness and ask him to give you the power, dunamis, of the Spirit to empower you to speak boldly for him. I've said it a thousand times. They didn't hire you to be the job chaplain. They didn't. They hired you to do a job. However, God will open up wonderful doors for you to talk to people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. And for others, you need to repent of a sinful lifestyle to the point where God may be ashamed that you call him God.

May be. Because there's no evidence of him in your life. It's more than just intellectually accepting some biblical facts. It means to trust in, to rely upon, to adhere to. Finally, if you're here or if you're online, let me tell you that the gospel is powerful and explosive enough to blow up pride, stubbornness and any sin you find yourself in bondage to. That's the power of the gospel. If you come to him in humility and brokenness, his gospel is for everyone who believes which includes you. It's for everyone. I'm so so thankful for the the gospel message and how powerful it is and all of us who are walking with God.

All of our ideas and walls and thoughts and excuses have been blown up. And we came to a point where we cried out, what must I do to be saved? And I'm so thankful that the gospel reached me. Little punk kid from Gary, Indiana. And I'm just so thankful it reached me. And if you're here, if you're online and it hasn't reached you, it can. Whatever walls or excuse you may give, the power of the gospel is able to blow all of that up and leave you totally totally helpless at the foot of the cross to where you will say, what must I do to be saved?

I pray that there will be some today that will come to that place in your life as well. Let's pray. Father, thank you so much for your word. Oh God, I just thank you so much for the gospel message that in that gospel is the power, the omnipotent power of God is in the gospel message. And dear God, I just pray that your spirit will move now. You'll move around this world. And if there's anyone who has not repented of their sin and accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior, you can do it now by just repeating this short prayer.

Just say, Lord Jesus, forgive me. I believe you died on the cross and was buried and rose again just for me. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and Savior. Help me to live for you by the power of your Holy Spirit from this moment forward in Jesus' name. Amen.

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