Title: Evangelistic Christians (Romans 1:13~16)
Contents
“Therefore, as far as possible I would like to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome” (Romans 1:15).
Just as there are different types of people, Christians also have different types of Christians.
What type of Christian am I? We have an older brother, a Christian, whom Jesus requires of us. It is an evangelistic type of Christian. Jesus wants us to become evangelistic-type Christians.
So Jesus said:
Mark 16:15 “And he said, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.”
Matthew 28:19-20 “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, teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. I will always be with you.”
Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses (evangelists) in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Jesus' disciples were evangelistic Christians.
Christians are evangelistic people who preach the gospel,
Paul was a thoroughly evangelistic Christian.
The book of Romans written by Paul shows the characteristics of Paul as an evangelistic Christian.
So, what are the characteristics of Paul, an evangelistic Christian?
I am not ashamed of the gospel.
Paul boasted about the gospel.
Evangelistic Christians are proud of the gospel, not ashamed of it. What am I proud of and what am I ashamed of?
We are obsessed with worldly pride. But God says:
Jeremiah 9:23 “Thus saith the LORD, Let the wise not boast in their wisdom.
A warrior should not boast of his valor, and a rich man should not boast of his wealth."
Paul was an evangelistic Christian who boasted of the gospel.
Romans 1:16-17 “I am not ashamed of the gospel, which it is to everyone who believes.
It is the power of God for salvation, to Jews first and also to Greeks. In the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, from faith to faith, as it is written, “The righteous will live by faith.”
Because the gospel is the power of salvation for those who believe in it. Because the gospel makes the believer the righteousness of God by the righteousness of God. Because it is the power to justify those who believe.
This cross, on which Jesus Christ, who is the gospel, took up the cross to save us, becomes the power to save us from our sins, and the risen Lord saves us and takes care of us as people of new life.
Gal 6:14 “I have nothing to boast of except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Christ, the world is dead from my point of view, and I am dead from the world’s point of view.”
1 Corinthians 1:18 “The word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
John 11:25-26 “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will live even if he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
Therefore, as Christians, the gospel is the power to live a life of salvation and righteousness, so we boast in Jesus who is the gospel.
Evangelistic Christians have a debtor's heart.
Evangelistic Christians have feelings of indebtedness to the gospel. Paul had this feeling of debt. Therefore, Paul expressed his evangelistic mission as a debt to be paid.
Romans 1:14-15 “I am indebted to both Greeks and barbarians, both the wise and the foolish. Therefore, as far as I can, I want to preach the gospel to you in Rome as well.”
Paul expressed his salvation by grace as a debt to be repaid. Feelings indebted to this gospel of grace make us an evangelistic Christian.
A normal person can't be comfortable with debt. So, I try to pay off my debt as soon as possible.
This is how Paul felt. According to his confession, among the unsaved sinners, the fact that a sinner was saved by the gospel, which is God's grace, and became a child of God felt that he was in debt to the gospel. Therefore, because of his feelings of debt, he traveled to every corner of the world to pay off that debt and preached the gospel. He was not afraid of persecution or trials, nor did he spare his life.
If you don't pay your debts, you're at a disadvantage. Paul also had this fearful debt.
1 Corinthians 9:16 “Even if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast about, because it is something I must do, for if I do not preach the gospel, woe to me.”
Just as debt is an obligation that must be paid, it is a responsibility that we Christians have to bear.
I want to spread the gospel.
Evangelistic Christians are Christians who do their best to spread the gospel. Evangelistic Christians do their best in preaching the gospel, in season or out of season. So Paul said:
Romans 1:14-15 “I am indebted to both Greeks and barbarians, both the wise and the foolish. Therefore, as far as I can, I want to preach the gospel to you who are also in Rome.
2 Timothy 4:2 “Preach the word (preach the gospel), do your best in season and out of season; rebuke, rebuke and exhort with all patience and teaching”
(Elder Yehwa Myeong-ja Ahn evangelism / Real estate purchase guidance to the caller)
(The butcher's owner can't stand without preaching the gospel for even a moment)
The butcher's owner came to believe in Jesus. After that person believed and accepted Jesus, he could not endure for a moment without preaching Jesus. He shared the gospel with the guests he met. One morning, the first customer was a little girl. When she came in, she was busy sharpening her knife for the day's business. When a young boy bought meat, he was so happy that he started preaching without thinking, holding a sharp knife. “Hey, aren’t you afraid of dying?” Then the girl became terrified, took off her shoes and started running away. But the owner of the butcher followed along, shouting, "Will you not stand there?", still holding a cypher knife. But the little girl told him to die and ran away.
Although his method of evangelism was wrong, his desire to evangelize was clear to an evangelistic Christian.
Christ has told us to become evangelistic Christians.
Paul said this about salvation:
Romans 10:10 “For with the heart a man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”
Evangelistic Christians live with the assurance of salvation because they are poets of the mouth who can evangelize. Through the confirmation gate, we live with the life of the gospel and the joy of living in the gospel.
Evangelistic Christians are people who truly love their neighbor. It is because he is a person who has the burning love of the salvation of the human soul.
Evangelistic Christians are co-workers with God and Jesus Christ. Because the work of God and Jesus is evangelism.
Evangelistic Christians are people of the Holy Spirit. This is because Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to spread the gospel with power.
Evangelistic Christians are true and happy Christians. Because he is a man that God is pleased with.
Realize a life of faith as an evangelistic Christian. Amen.
(Rev. Kim Seong-cheol)