With whom are you eager to share the good news about Jesus?

That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.

Romans 1:15

Paul is writing a letter to the Christians who are in Rome.  He has never been to Rome, but he talks about their faith everywhere he goes.  He remembers them in his prayers.  He shares their stories to encourage others in their journey with God.  He longs to preach the gospel so that He can share in the harvest of those who are ready to become children of God.

This is a doctrinal letter to the Romans.  Paul addresses issues of faith, grace, sin, life in the Holy Spirit, the nation of Israel as a chosen people group, and final words to practice Christianity.  But it is a letter to specific people in Rome.  Some Paul has met, others he has heard about their faith in God.  But he is determined that he will come soon after the writing of this letter.

Paul is eager.  He feels indebted to preaching the gospel to gentile people.  Paul has a gift for preaching and teaching those who only know a little bit about God.  So sharing the gospel for Paul is something that he likes to do.  Fill in as many synonyms as you can about the word eager and you will begin to capture Paul’s sentiment over sharing the gospel.  Time and space are the only things separating him from sharing the good news in Rome.  He is just ready to go….now.

Preaching has a very different connotation today than in Paul’s day.  It was not just on Sunday in an auditorium.  It could be anywhere people gathered to hear a proclamation.  The key is the intentional delivery and not the location.  It is taking the initiative to share about the transforming life of Jesus.  Many times it is unsolicited.  Jesus came to “preach” the good news of His kingdom.  You speak to represent God’s voice to those who need to hear it.

The gospel is the good news about Jesus.  There is no other name given among man for a person to receive salvation other than through the person and name of Jesus.  We are not to just feel better about ourselves.  We do not stop about telling how much God loves us…and He does.  But we must include the preaching of repentance and the turning away from our own personal sins against the laws of God.  This message breaks the yoke and sets people free.

Father, help us to truly love the lost people in our sphere of influence.  Help us to wake up eager to share about you.  We are not ashamed of the gospel.  Give us boldness to tell others about you, even if we have very little relationship with them.  May we begin to see people saved out of those in the harvest that are ready to become children of God.  Set the people free and use us to help make it happen in Jesus’ name, Amen