Today’s readings: Romans 1-3, Psalm 144
Romans 1:13-17
I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
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.”
I can recall very few times when I’ve been ashamed to be known as a Christian. Very few. Perhaps during my college years I got carried away by some of the bad influences that were all too readily available. But I also sometimes rushed in where angels fear to tread—at the other extreme.
Our philosophy professor once invited us to bring something to class that gave us comfort. I decided to bring my Bible and read from Matthew 6, where Jesus speaks of God’s care for the lilies of the field and the birds of the air.
I was quite surprised—perhaps stunned is a better word—when several of my classmates took issue with me … and with Jesus! I was caught completely off guard. I didn’t know what to say. I simply hadn’t expected anyone in that class to challenge the teachings of Jesus.
But I was even more deflated when I shared the incident with a girl I was interested in dating. She was standing outside the Music Building waiting for class—and talking with a guy she was apparently more interested in than me. I showed her my Bible and told her how I had been treated.
Her response? “Don’t be such a fanatic, Dave.”
That took the wind right out of my sails.
Paul says he is not ashamed of the gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. I suspect his lack of shame had less to do with how he might have been treated by the philosophers on Mars Hill (Acts 17), and even less with how any fellow believer might judge him.
Paul had been saved. His life had been turned around. He had been rescued from the brink of eternal doom when Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus. He had come to understand the significance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. He had learned that Jesus died for the sins of the world—including his own. He had learned that Jesus ruled and reigned at the right hand of God. He had discovered the power of God’s grace, mercy, and love.
Now he would write about it to the Christians in Rome. His letter is considered one of the most profound books of the Bible. And he is delighted in the gospel—isn’t that the opposite of shame?
The Good News of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and promised return—for our sake and for our salvation—is so beautifully and clearly laid out in this letter.
I’m looking forward to reading it again, savoring its rich truths and profound implications. This is a message worth sharing—even when our sharing isn’t met with respect or appreciation.
After all, the power of the gospel doesn’t depend on how well we defend it, how confidently we speak, or how warmly others receive it. Its power rests in Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us and whose grace is sufficient even when our courage fails.
Follow the Word is a daily Bible reading and devotional ministry of St. John Lutheran Church, Cypress, Texas.
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