does that sound weaker or does that sound stronger? I want to
suggest to you it is stronger. Paul says there is no shame in the
gospel. The only shame is in resistance to the gospel. The only
shame comes to the one who hears the gospel and rejects it, and
the only shame comes to the one who knows the gospel and does
not preach it, and does not teach it, and does not share it. Paul
says, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God
for salvation.” It is the only gospel that saves and it is the gospel
that always saves those who believe. It is the power of God unto
salvation, but, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
To whom was Paul writing initially? Of course, to the Church in
Rome. You remember the Romans. Paul was writing to a church
right there at the epicenter of the one true superpower of its day,
Rome—the source of culture, the source of influence, the source
of art and philosophy, where Caesar sat and from whence his
legions marched. They must have wondered what Paul would
say when he finally came to Rome, so Paul decided to dispel any
awkwardness in their wondering. He says, “I want you to know
when I come to Rome (and I am eager to come to Rome), I am
going to preach the gospel.” That must be our boldness and our
message as well. This is Paul’s great theme, repeated, elaborated,
and confirmed throughout all of his writings during his entire
ministry, and written in blood with the martyrdom we know
came his way because of his faithfulness to the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no shame in the gospel, it is the power of God. There is
certainly no shame in the gospel; preaching it to the Jew first and
also to the Gentiles.
10 | To the Jew First