Bad News Good News

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile." Romans 1:16

Unless otherwise noted, quoted material that follows is taken from Background Notes [BN] written by Pastor Bob Brown for the purposes of deepening the study of scriptures used in worship services at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene.  Pastor Bob Brown is the Pastor of Adult Education and Sunday Evening Worship at Chicago First Church of the Nazarene.

It's with these words that Paul steps into the capital of all that is “worldly” - pagan Rome, to boldly proclaim the “Good News” of Jesus Christ. 

I’m sure he wrestled with his own fears & doubts, as he was stepping right into the heart of enemy territory! 

“For a Jew to enter the city of Rome, bringing with him this powerful new message which promised so much too so many, ought to have given him a reason to tremble. Was Paul confident enough of this “gospel” to announce it to the very center of Roman power? Did Paul really believe that the Lord Jesus could do for Romans what Lord Caesar could not?” [BN, 9]

Yet, Paul fearlessly states that he is “not ashamed of the gospel” and the reason for his confidence is his solid belief that it (the gospel) is the “power of God!” A power that brings salvation to everyone who believes. A salvation that Bob Brown points out is, the "“rescue” of human beings from the tragedies and deadly enemies of their well-being — deliverance from the bad news.” [BN, 10]

It’s important to remember that there is Good News! This week’s readings in Romans gets dark quickly as God’s wrath is revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men. But, no matter how dark it gets there is always “deliverance from the bad news” for all who believe and that’s the gospel Paul preaches.

This gospel is: 1) concerning God's Son, 2) promised by God in the prophets, 3) the story about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, 4) a world-wide message which proclaims that God has become king of the world. The gospel is not a method for people to get saved; it is the announcement of what God has done so that people can experience this salvation. For Paul, to announce the gospel and to announce Jesus is one and the same thing (1 Cor. 1:23; 15:12; 2 Cor. 1:19; 4:5; 11:4; Gal. 2:2; 1 Thess. 2:9). [BN, 12].

Rest in the knowledge that God has provided us with Good News, Great News, through His Son Jesus Christ that allows us to escape the Bad News of Sin & Death!

Dig Deeper by reading through the Background Notes prepared by Rev. Bob Brown – Bad News Good News