09/06/2026
THIS WEEK'S BIBLE LESSON
Romans 1:13-25
“True Power”
Jesus explicitly told Ananias that Paul was specifically chosen for a ministry to reach the gentile world.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel.
When Paul was on the road to Damascus Paul to persecute Christians the Lord Jesus stopped him in his tracks and changed his life forever.
Today we are starting in the letter Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome. I read that Paul had never been to Rome when he wrote the letter but he didn’t let that stop him for sharing the gospel.
Let’s get into our lesson………………
Let’s read Romans 1:13-17
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
How many times have you planned or wanted to do something but for some unknown reason you just haven’t got it done?
That’s what happened to Paul. He wanted to visit Rome but for some unknown reason to us he was hindered from doing so.
We do know the reason Paul wanted to go to Rome and that was to preach the gospel to everybody, the civilized and the uncivilized, the educated as well as the ignorant.
Paul says that he is not ashamed and in fact is eager to preach the gospel because of the power it holds to save people. Let’s put this into a context we can understand.
If you held the knowledge, the key to cure every kind of cancer known to mankind, wouldn’t you be eager to boldly go out and tell everyone, including the young, old, black, white, rich, poor, educated, or uneducated?
Paul knows that the gospel (the good news) of Jesus Christ holds the power to save everyone who believes.
What is the “good news” of Jesus Christ?
Jesus is the Son of God, Jesus lived a sinless life that humans could not live on their own, Jesus died on the cross as a substitute to take the punishment for human sin, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, showing victory over sin and death.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Death has power over humans because everyone sins, death has no power of Jesus Christ because He never sinned.
Therefore, the power of God, is revealed in Jesus Christ and given to us by the Holy Spirit, through faith.
I read this; The gospel of Jesus Christ is the powerful, it is the unashamed message of God's salvation for all people, which brings righteousness through faith.
If you have ever felt the true saving power of Jesus Christ in your life, you will be just like Paul, you will never be ashamed of it and you will be eager to tell about it.
Let’s read Romans 1:18-20
18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
We read that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness.
People know God exists because He has made Himself plain through creation. Instead of accepting this, some people actively deny the truth so they can live however they want to.
If we admit that God exist, then we must admit that we are accountable to Him. Our godlessness and wickedness will be revealed.
Sin has real and serious consequences and God has shown His wrath against sin in many ways.
Read Romans 1:28 Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
That alone tells us that we know about God, but we just don’t want to acknowledge Him. So God will simply to let you be you!
The bad part is we are told……”There is no one who does good, not even one.”
Therefore, sometimes God’s wrath is to let people live out their own wickedness, doing harmful and immoral actions against other people.
Other times God made do miraculous events showing divine judgment against sin and disobedience like these…..
God sent a global flood to destroy humanity because of widespread wickedness, sparing only Noah and his family.
In the story of S***m and Gomorrah God rained burning sulfur and fire down on these cities to punish extreme moral corruption.
When Pharaoh hardened his heart, refusing to the Israelites go in freedom, God sent ten devastating plagues and later drowned Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea after
People living as if God does not exist, ignoring His authority, and refusing to honor Him, praise Him or thank Him will experience His wrath living eternity in hell.
I believe everyone knows deep in their heart that God exist.
Verse twenty says we can plainly see the sun, moon, and stars in the sky. We can see, feel, and touch things here on earth. Look at the trees, rivers, oceans, and one another. The proof that God exist is as close as your very self.
While we may not be able to see God, we know He exist because of everything we see in His creation.
Read John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
This means that God does not have a physical body and is not in one specific place. He is everywhere and interacts with people on a personal, spiritual level
That’s why I believe that everyone knows that God exist. God has revealed Himself to all of us.
Read James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.
If satan and his demons knows God’s exist, then even the most vile person on earth knows about God. They just don’t think it’s worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God.
Because of that they will one day experience the wrath of God.
Let’s read Romans 1:21-25
21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
Did you know that there are some people who believe they are smarter than God?
Paul tells us they exchanged the truth about God for a lie, They worship created things rather than the Creator. They put their faith in images made to look like a human being or birds, animals, and reptiles.
Because of that their way of thinking became useless and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Read Genesis 6:3 Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years.”
God said there is a limit on how long He will put up with the rebellion of human beings. God's patience has a limit. One day He will show His judgement on this world either one by one or all at one time.
The “True Power” of God is not His wrath, but His love for us.
John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 10:17-18 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”
Jesus Christ chose to die for humanity on His own terms as an act of loving obedience to God the Father, possessing the divine authority to lay down His life and rise again.
