"I Am Not Ashamed"
“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for the salvation to everyone who believes…” Romans 1:16
Over 20 years ago I attended a music conference that was being held in Spartanburg South Carolina. I felt that it would help me as a pastor to learn how to intertwine music with the message and it did. During the conference we had great worship. One night Jim Cymbala from Brooklyn Tabernacle Church preached. He brought with him the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers and his wife Carol who led them. It was a wonderful night of worship through music and message. One of the songs the singers sang that night was introduced by one of the members of the group. He told his story of what this song meant to him. His life was such that drugs and street life had ruled him, but through the ministry of Brooklyn Tabernacle he had come to faith in Jesus Christ. He said the difficult thing after that was to walk the same streets again a changed man among those unchanged, old friends, dealers, etc. But he said, a verse in Romans changed that. He read Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” He claimed the verse and began to live into the power God gave him. The title of the song they sang was: “I Am Not Ashamed.” If you would like to listen to the song, copy this link of the YouTube version (https://youtu.be/Lmm6EQWHS0o) and paste it in your browser. Below are the lyrics to this song.
I Am Not Ashamed
Verse 1
We're an anchor for those who are hurting
We're a harbor for those who are lost
Sometimes it's not always easy
Bearing Calvary's cross
We've been ridiculed by those who don't know Him
And mocked by those who don't believe
Still I love standing up for my Jesus
'Cause of all that He's done for me
Chorus
That's why I am not ashamed of the Gospel
The gospel of Jesus Christ
I am not afraid to be counted
But I'm willing to give my life
Now I'm ready to be all He wants me to be
Give up the wrong for the right oh no
I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ
Verse 2
For every moment His hand has held mercy
For all the love He's shown all my life
A simple thanks doesn't say how I'm feelin'
I get tears in my eyes
So as for me I'm gonna keep on believin'
In the One who's been so faithful to me
I'm not out to please this whole world around me
I've got my mind on eternity
Bridge
I've got too much behind me
To let this world blind me
To some He's a name
But to me He's my everything CCLI Song # 490640
I think of this song every time I read either of these verses from Mark 8 and Romans 1. I decided years ago that I will never be ashamed of the gospel because of what He has done for me. I will never be ashamed of the gospel because of His faithfulness to me. I will never be ashamed of the gospel because He is my everything. I will stand up for my Jesus!
For we who believe, the return of Christ is our blessed hope, a comforting promise that we eagerly wait to see fulfilled (Titus 2:11– 14; Rev. 22:20). In the meantime, we cannot be ashamed of Christ or His Word (Rom. 1:16; Phil. 1:20; 2 Tim. 1:12; 1 Peter 4:16). Having abandoned sin and denying self, taking up our cross and wholly following the Lord Jesus in faith, we are confident in the knowledge that we are forgiven and redeemed. The fantastic reality is that our Savior is not ashamed of us either. As a true believer we will hear one day, “Well done my good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). As the Lord Himself promised, “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son” (Rev. 21:7). Never be ashamed of the Gospel!!!
Blessings,
Pastor Marty Duffell, Pastor - HOPE Church Raleigh
Worship Grow Serve
