The Power Gospel

This morning my sermon on the gospel as God’s power is taken from Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” The gospel of Jesus Christ is first and foremost a gospel of POWER.
 
What kind of power do we have in the gospel?
 
Paul says it is God’s power.  Imagine that. When we have the gospel, we have the power of God.
 
I spent some time this week attempting to learn more about the power of God. I will preach to you today the details of what I learned about the character and quality of God’s power, but I want you to have these scripture passages for you own study and reference. I have listed them below so you can put them in your Bible:

• Gospel Power Created the Universe and All that is – “God made the earth by His power, and He preserves it by His wisdom…”  (Jeremiah 10:12-13)
• Gospel Power Reveals Who God is – “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power, and divine nature. So, they are without excuse for not knowing God.” (Romans 1:20)
• Gospel Power Raised Jesus from the Dead – “…For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with Him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.” (Colossians 2:12).
• Gospel Power Gives Us Hope – “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13)
• Gospel Power Works Within the Believer – “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20)
• Gospel Power Reigns Forever – “And they said, ‘WE give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who was for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign.’” (Revelation 11:17)

 
When Paul says that the gospel is the power of God, we believe that God’s amazing power has come to work in all those who believe in Jesus. It works within Christ’s church. It is the power that causes unbelievers to be saved. It involves them in partnership with all that God is doing in the world today. God’s power is not like the world’s power, “He that is in you is greater than He that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). God’s power is the only power that can transform people into God’s children. The truth is, we possess the only real and lasting power there is because we belong to God. All other power lacks sufficient energy to meet the spiritual desires and most basic needs of life, liberty and right standing before God. Our nation and our world today are in desperate need of gospel power that comes directly from God.
 
When you know Jesus and claim Him as your personal Lord and Savior, you have a right to exercise God’s power through your practice and sharing of the gospel of Jesus. Let others see Jesus in you. That’s real power!