Sermon Notes, March 24, 2019 PM
Paul’s Passion
Steve W. Reeves
stevewreevessermons.blogspot.com
INTRODUCTION:
A. If
you are familiar with Stephen R. Covey’s book, The Seven Habits of High
Effective People, you will recognize this statement. “The main thing is to keep the main thing
the main thing.”
1. Although the statement is commendable the implementation of it is difficult.
2. The urgent things in life often take precedence over the important things. The
“main thing” often falls by the wayside.
B. There was no doubt about the main thing in the life of Paul the apostle. Perhaps the
most outstanding quality in his life was the ability to stay focused on the main thing.
1. In Galatians 2:20 he wrote, “I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I
but Christ lives in me. The life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of
God who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
2. In Philippians 1:21 he wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
3. The essence of Paul’s life was preaching the Gospel. In 1 Corinthians 1:3-4 he told
the Corinthians, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that
he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”
4. Paul was totally abandoned to the Gospel.
C. Would you like to have the same level of commitment to the Gospel that Paul had?
1. What was the source of his confidence and conviction?
2. To what could you attribute his faith? What was the secret of Paul’s passion?
3. What prompted Paul to “keep the main thing the main thing?”
4. The answer to these questions can be found in Romans 1:14-17.
a. When Paul wrote to the church in Rome he had not yet been to Rome.
b. Romans 1:1-17 serve as an introduction of himself. In verses 14-16 we catch an
autobiographical glimpse into the Paul’s personal passion.
c. “I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to
the foolish. 15 So, for my part, 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 to faith; as it is written, “But
the righteous man shall live by faith.”
C. I want you to notice three “I am” statements in these verses that provide the
principles for Paul’s passion.
I. I AM A DEBTOR (vs. 14).
A. Some people think the world owes them something. This was not the case with
Paul. He considered himself to be a debtor.
1. He knew that he could not pay for his sins. He recognized that salvation was a
gift from God.
a. In Romans 6:23 he wrote, “The wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God
is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
b. To the Ephesians he wrote, “For by grace you have been saved through faith;
and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so
that no one may boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ
Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk
in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10).
2. Paul understood that you cannot earn, purchase or deserve a gift. It is made
available because of the benevolence and generosity of the giver.
3. Paul also understood that someone had to pay for the gift. In this case it was
God, Himself, who gave His “only begotten Son” (John 3:16). It was the Lord
Jesus Christ who, “Bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die
to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 25 For you
were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd
and Guardian of your souls” (1 Peter 2:24-25).
4. Paul understood that Jesus had paid his sin debt. Because of that he owed
Jesus everything. I am persuaded one of his favorite songs (had it been
composed at that time) would have been, “Jesus paid it all, all to Him I owe.”
B. Paul was a debtor to others
1. His education in the Jewish religion had made him keenly aware of the prophets
who had been persecuted and killed because they foretold the coming of Christ.
2. He knew of the sacrifices others made to be followers of Jesus. Remember, it
was the young Saul who was present at the stoning of Stephen in Acts 7:58.
3. Have you ever considered how indebted we are to so many people who
sacrificed so much so that we might receive the blessings of faith? Pioneer
preachers traveled and labored without pay. Christians sat in brush arbors, cold
and hot buildings and traveled for miles to hear the Gospel. People sacrificed to
build this building and provide the comforts we enjoy. We, too, are debtors.
C. Paul was a debtor to those who did not know Christ. Whether they were civilized
or uncivilized, slave or free. He owed every human being the opportunity to hear
the Gospel.
1. Suppose there was a man in prison sentenced to death. One day the governor
called you to say, “I have pardoned this man and need you to take this certificate
of pardon and give it to the man and the warden of the prison.” You put that
document in your pocket intending to take it but you become distracted. Several
days later you read that the man was executed. He could have been saved ut
you did not take the pardon.
2. May God help us for our failure to take the pardon to others. We are debtors.
II. I AM READY (vs. 15).
A. “So, on my part, I am ready to preach the gospel to those who are in Rome.”
1. How did Paul get to Rome?
2. He was arrested (Acts 21), appeared before the Jewish council, almost killed by
an ambush, tried before Felix, Festus and Agrippa and shipwrecked during the
voyage to Rome where he was placed under house arrest.
3. Nothing was more important to Paul than preaching the Gospel.
a. In 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 he wrote, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not
come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the
testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except
Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
b. He explained to the Philippians that his first concern was the preaching of the
Gospel regardless of the personal motives of those doing the preaching
(Philippians 1:12-18).
c. He told the Corinthians that he had become “all things to all men” so that he,
by all means, might save some (1 Corinthians 9:22).
4. Paul was not only ready to preach but to live or die for Christ. Notice Philippians
1:21-25, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in
the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.
23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and
be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is
more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and
continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith.”
B. There are two fundamental questions each person must consider regarding the
invitation of Christ.
1. Am I willing to die for Christ?
a. No one can truly be a disciple without dying to Christ on a daily basis. Paul
affirmed this truth in Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ.” Indeed, for
Paul the concept of being ready to “die with Christ” was a constant
consideration.
b. Like so many who have gone before us, we must also recognize that dying
because of persecution is a real threat. Moments of religious freedom are few
and far between in world history. The reality of religious freedom for one
generation is no assurance of religious freedom for succeeding generations.
2. Perhaps the more important question is, “Am I ready to live for Christ?” Am I
ready to “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33)? Am I ready to put
Christ first in my life?
III. I AM NOT ASHAMED (vs. 16).
A. Do you appreciate the certainty and boldness with which Paul proclaimed the
gospel of Christ?
1. He was not intimidated when confronted with opposition.
2. He was not discouraged when he was rejected.
3. He did not give up when others turned back (John Mark – Acts 13).
B. Paul boldly proclaimed, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel.” How could he make
such a statement?
1. It is the “power” of God unto salvation.
a. “Power” comes from the Greek “dunamis” meaning “capacity,” “ability,” or
“power.” Our English words “dynamite,” “dynamic,” and “dynamo” come from
this Greek word.
b. Notice that Paul did not say, “human righteousness,” “education,” “wealth,” or
“strength.” None of these can break the curse of sin. It is only the gospel of
Christ that provides the “soul” cleansing blood of the lamb.”
2. It is available to all (Jew and Greek). The gospel has no boundaries. It does not
know any ethnic, racial, geographical or social barriers.
B. Paul’s preaching was fueled by the power of the Gospel.
1. He knew the world would not be converted through words of human wisdom
(1 Corinthians 1). He understood that the message of the cross seemed like
foolishness to people of the world (it still does).
2. To Paul the power of the gospel was greater than Roman philosophy, art,
government or military might. Paul knew, beyond any doubt, that one day,
“every knee shall bow and tongue confess Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the
Father” (Philippians 2:9-11).
CONCLUSION:
A. There are two questions you need to take away from this message about Paul’s
passion.
1. What is the “main thing” in your life?
2. Are you keeping the “main thing the main thing?”
B. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul wrote, “Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” Will you let
the passionate purpose of Paul be your purpose in life? We invite you to come and
put your faith and obedience in Christ today.
