Romans 1:16a

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.

(v16, NIV)

In what way can you be ashamed? I recall how one of my friends who was so confident in his upcoming basketball game victory. He was talking about how the other team has never won a game before and how it would be an easy victory for his team. However, the next day when I asked him about it, he told me that his team actually lost. If you were in his position, would you be ashamed? An example that John Piper gave was about a kid who boasts and makes fun of another kid whose father is in jail. The boaster boasts in his father's reputation and how he would never be sent to jail like this other kid's father. However, one day he finds out that the police have taken his father away because of some alleged illegal practices performed by the kid. This person would be ashamed. How would you avoid shame? Maybe you could avoid being ashamed by not boasting so much. Or maybe you could avoid shame by performing better and ensuring your victory. However, this is not how Paul avoids being ashamed.

When the gospel is preached, it brings shame. Who are these people Paul is obligated to? In verse 16 he talks about his obligation to Greeks, barbarians, wise and foolish. These people had different ways of shaming him. When we bring the gospel to the lost, there are often many different ways in which they shame us. Apparently, back in the 60s, people would be shamed because they thought the gospel was true. However, in this day and age, people shame you for thinking there is such a thing as truth. Have you noticed this? People will try to back you down by telling you not to be so oppressive of their own beliefs. They leave you with only two options: arrogant or accepting. They resist and refuse the gospel and in their defense they'll try to shame you. The gospel creates the shaming.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

(Hebrews 2:2, NIV)

Preaching the gospel will bring shame, but that doesn't mean you have to be ashamed of it. How did Jesus deal with shame? He despised the shame. When faced with shame, he didn't cower away or give into the shame. Instead, he despised it and simply looked towards the joy set before him. This is his power, looking forward to this joy that will be the result.

We need not be ashamed of the gospel. Shame will be brought, but we do not need to be ashamed. Be like Jesus and despise the shame. Do not give into it and look towards the joy. Know that God is true and this gospel is powerful. In the example with the kid and his father, we need to trust that the allegations are not true. People will heap upon us shame like these allegations, but because we know the father, we know he is holy and righteous. Whose gospel is it? It's not our gospel, but it is God's gospel. He has entrusted us with it. Do not be ashamed of the gospel.