大能的福音
羅馬書一章8至17節
8第一，我靠著耶穌基督，為你們眾人感謝我的神，因你們的信德傳遍了天下。
9我在他兒子福音上，用心靈所事奉的神，可以見證我怎樣不住的提到你們；
10在禱告之間常常懇求，或者照神的旨意，終能得平坦的道路往你們那裡去。
11因為我切切的想見你們，要把些屬靈的恩賜分給你們，使你們可以堅固。
12這樣，我在你們中間，因你與我彼此的信心，就可以同得安慰。
13弟兄們，我不願意你們不知道，我屢次定意往你們那裡去，要在你們中間得些果子，如同在其餘的外邦人中一樣；只是到如今仍有阻隔。
14無論是希臘人、化外人、聰明人、愚拙人，我都欠他們的債，
15所以情願盡我的力量，將福音也傳給你們在羅馬的人。
16我不以福音為恥；這福音本是神的大能，要救一切相信的，先是猶太人，後是希臘人。
17因為神的義正在這福音上顯明出來；這義是本於信，以致於信。如經上所記：義人必因信得生。
信息分享
保羅渴望跟每一個人分享他的信主經歷、他的信仰和基督的真理。在這幾節經文裡面，我們便看見他如何渴望與羅馬信徒作此分享。
也許有人會說：「保羅可以去到老遠的地方傳福音，為何他從未到過羅馬這個大城市？」言下之意，似乎是質疑保羅不敢前往羅馬，惟恐自己不能在這個罪惡之都引領人歸主。
但事實上，保羅一再表明：「我屢次定意往你們那裡去」。保羅最終確實到過羅馬，不過卻是以囚犯的身分。但保羅卻相信此乃神的心意(參腓一12-14)。
保羅知道，羅馬人認為當時的羅馬乃是世上最強大的國家。但保羅卻認識比它更強大的力量──那就是福音的大能。無論是基督的復活(4節)，或是神的創造(20節)，均顯明了神的大能。但保羅最想宣揚的，乃是神在救恩行動中所顯明的大能。
羅馬人以為自己擁有解決問題的一切答案，以及征服人的一切能力。但其實，它無法觸及人內心的最大需要；只有基督和基督的福音才能真正拯救人。
保羅在第17節提及的「神的義」，在羅馬書出現超過60次；它讓我們看見神的聖潔、神如何要人聖潔，以及神如何在基督裡讓人得著聖潔。在書信的較後篇章，我們將看見信徒如何在生活中活出神的聖潔。
禱告：
主啊，求你讓我在每天的生活中，更深地體認你的能力。
PAUL'S POWERFUL GOSPEL
Romans 1:8-17
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,
10 making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the will of God to come to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift, so that you may be established—
12 that is, that I may be encouraged together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
13 Now I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that I often planned to come to you (but was hindered until now), that I might have some fruit among you also, just as among the other Gentiles.
14 I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.
15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Message
Paul longed to share his experiences, his faith and Christ's truths with anyone, anywhere, who would listen. In these verses he writes of his longing to share these things with the Christians in Rome.
There may have been those who said, 'Paul can preach out in the faraway places but he has never come to the big city of Rome'. They may have thought he was afraid to go there in case he failed to win converts in such a wicked place.
But Paul said it again and again. 'I am ready to go and face Rome at any time!' Paul eventually did go to Rome, but he went as a prisoner. He accepted that as God's will for him.
(See Philippians 1:12-14.)
Paul knew of course that Rome thought of itself as the greatest power on earth. But Paul knew of a greater power- the power of the gospel. He mentioned the power of God in resurrection (v. 4) and later God's power in creation (v. 20). But most of all Paul wanted to make known the power of God in salvation.
Did Rome think it had all the answers and all the power? It could not reach the greatest need in the hearts of men and women. Only Christ and his gospel could do that.
Paul also uses a phrase in verse 17 that will occur over and over again in this letter-'the righteousness of God'. It is mentioned over 60 times in Romans. It speaks to us of the holiness of God, of how God demands holiness and how he provides holiness in Christ. Later in the book we will see the results of God's holiness in our lives.
A PRAYER FOR TODAY: 'Lord, let me know more of your power in my life today.'