Today is the second message on this verse and in two weeks, Lord willing, we will have the third message on this verse.

It is a very, very important verse in the book of Romans. We could go back into history and let some

great Christians tell us how significant the verse is in their lives. Martin Luther, of course, everyone thinks about because he said through this in verse 17 he walked into paradise.

And it may be that some of you this morning would read this verse and hear me open it and walk through it into paradise with Jesus Christ.

That's the way it happens. The word of God comes, the Holy Spirit ignites it like a fire and a light in the heart,

and you see Christ Jesus in a light and in a beauty that is self-evidently compelling and you close with him as the Puritans used to say and he becomes yours by grace.

So may the Lord make this verse a door into paradise for some and make it a sustaining power for

for everyone.

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.

Lord, I ask for your help now to so speak that it would not be I but Christ who lives in me speaking in his name I pray, amen.

Last week I focused on the words for I am not ashamed of the gospel.

It was a fitting phrase before we went to the streets.

It's always a fitting praise.

Fitting phrase.

One of the reasons is this, and this was my point last week.

There's a difference between being shamed for the gospel and being ashamed of the gospel.

That was my main point last week that if you're a faithful Christian, you will be

shamed for the gospel. That is, people will come against you with

shaming behaviors. Some light and simple like the rolling of an eye, the clucking of a tongue, oh you're one of those.

Or something more serious, a jeopardized job or maybe maybe violence

depending on your situation

...