The Gospel is Power

We feel powerless. In the face of a global pandemic, government corruption, terrorist threats, economic fragility, environmental devastation, and our own mortality we have rightly come to the realization that the forces at work in this world have rendered us helpless. Humanity does not have what it takes to bring about the real and lasting change that is desperately needed.

The central issue afflicting humanity—an issue that almost no one is willing to acknowledge—is that at the core, we are sinful. Left to ourselves, we do not ascend to a better version of ourselves but descend into anarchy and barbarianism. At best, we may make some marginal progress or grasp onto a temporal hope that satiates us for a time, but still leaves us in the same predicament. Does the power exist to lift us out of our dilemma?

The Letter to the Romans is the Apostle Paul’s magnum opus about the hope we have in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Wrapped in a letter, it is a treatise on the salvation offered to us by God and the resolution to humanity’s most pressing need. The letter explains in rich detail and with western-like cogent arguments, point and counterpoint, the central message of Christianity, namely the power of the gospel to save us.

While Paul wrote to a 1st century Roman audience, his words find fertile soil today. It is as if Paul is writing from a 21st century perspective; his words, inspired by the Holy Spirit, as relevant today as when they were first written. This 16-message series will survey Romans 1-8 to see the all-encompassing impact of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the lives of all who receive him. The gospel’s work is both simple and multi-faceted, affecting every aspect of the believer’s life. And it is humanity’s only hope.

Sermon Notes

The Power of the Gospel (Romans 1–8)
The Gospel is Power
Todd Dugard

October 4, 2020

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Am I experiencing the power of the gospel…

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…as I carry out the mission of Christ? (1:1-6)

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…as I live day-by-day by faith in Christ? (1:7-15)

The obedience of faith, which as [Paul] shows is part and parcel of the gospel, cannot be limited to the initial decision to join the Christian community…The gospel includes every aspect of Christian existence, for Philippians 1:27 calls on believers “to live in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.” Paul's intention in Rome was not merely to win converts but to strengthen and edify those who were already believers in Rome.
Thomas R. Schreiner

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…as I stand without shame for Christ (1:16-17)

Mark 8:34-38
Revelation 5:9-10