April 26, 2026
Romans 1:16–17 (ESV) 16 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. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
The Gospel in Greek is “euaggélion”.
Gospel means Good News.
The Good News is Salvation is a free gift from God, received by Faith in Jesus Christ, because of His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension.
1. The Gospel is the Power of God.
There is no greater power in the world that could stand before God.
Philippians 2:10 (ESV) so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
There is no other Power that can change and transform a life:
Paul experienced a transformed life:
1 Timothy 1:12–14 (NLT) 12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13 even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14 Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus.
From: Blaspheming the Name of Christ and Persecuting Christians,
To: Becoming a man of Faith and Love.
Acts 26:9–11 (NLT) 9 “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10 Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. 11 Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities.
Jesus does not choose perfect people.
He calls people who are in need.
1 Corinthians 1:26–29 (NLT) 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
Jesus chose His disciples who needed to be transformed:
They were Proud, Selfish, Competitive, Traitors, Cowards.
2. Don’t be ashamed of the Gospel
To be Ashamed is to be embarrassed of your actions, appearance, or who you associate with.
In the time Paul wrote to the Romans:
The people were conscious of their status.
They wanted to be accepted and look intellectual.
The message of the Cross seemed foolish, it was a sign of weakness.
Christians could have been ashamed of the Gospel because of:
-Persecution
-Jewish leaders hate it.
-Greeks thought it was foolish.
-The Roman government rejected it.
-The Pagans (those who worshipped false gods) accused Christians of being atheists.
The consequences could be prison, forced labor, or death.
Paul Preached the Gospel anyway.
1 Corinthians 15:1–2 (ESV) 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,
2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.
The Gospel was Preached Because the Gospel has the Power to Transform lives.
We should not be ashamed of it.
Luke 9:26 (NLT) If anyone is ashamed of me and my message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when he returns in his glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels.
2 Timothy 1:8–12 (NLT) 8 So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News. 9 For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus. 10 And now he has made all of this plain to us by the appearing of Christ Jesus, our Savior. He broke the power of death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the Good News. 11 And God chose me to be a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of this Good News. 12 That is why I am suffering here in prison. But I am not ashamed of it, for I know the one in whom I trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until the day of his return.
We can be ashamed of the Gospel because:
-We don’t want to lose our friends.
-We want people to like us.
-We are living a bad example: Still drinking, smoking, cursing, etc.
-We don’t want to offend family.
Luke 12:51–53 (NLT) 51 Do you think I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I have come to divide people against each other! 52 From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. 53 ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’”
Everyone and Everything in this world is unimportant compared to a Life with Jesus.
Luke 9:23–25 (ESV) 23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
We need to Wake Up to the desperate need there is in the world:
Ephesians 5:14 (ESV) for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”
3. The Gospel reveals the righteousness of God.
Romans 1:16–17 (ESV) 16 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. 17 For in it (The Gospel) the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Righteousness means:
To be the right kind of person.
To be doing the right thing.
On our own, no one can be righteous:
Be the right kind of person.
Do the right thing.
We are selfish, rude, unloving, unholy people.
But the Gospel makes us Righteous.
2 Corinthians 5:21 (ESV) For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
The Gospel makes you Righteous if you believe and receive it.
Preaching the Gospel is the only way people come to know Jesus Christ and receive salvation.
Romans 10:11–15 (ESV) 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
We are called to Preach the Gospel to the World.
Acts 1:8 (ESV) — 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Matthew 28:19–20 (ESV) — 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
People feel guilt and shame:
-Because of the things they have done.
-Because of the mistakes they have made.
This makes people feel hopeless, discouraged, and depressed.
It Leads them to numb themselves with
drugs, alcohol, bad relationships, addictions, etc.
Preaching the Gospel gives Hope to Hurting People.