大能的福音
罗马书一章8至17节
8第一，我靠着耶稣基督，为你们众人感谢我的神，因你们的信德传遍了天下。
9我在他儿子福音上，用心灵所事奉的神，可以见证我怎样不住的提到你们；
10在祷告之间常常恳求，或者照神的旨意，终能得平坦的道路往你们那里去。
11因为我切切的想见你们，要把些属灵的恩赐分给你们，使你们可以坚固。
12这样，我在你们中间，因你与我彼此的信心，就可以同得安慰。
13弟兄们，我不愿意你们不知道，我屡次定意往你们那里去，要在你们中间得些果子，如同在其余的外邦人中一样；只是到如今仍有阻隔。
14无论是希腊人、化外人、聪明人、愚拙人，我都欠他们的债，
15所以情愿尽我的力量，将福音也传给你们在罗马的人。
16我不以福音为耻；这福音本是神的大能，要救一切相信的，先是犹太人，后是希腊人。
17因为神的义正在这福音上显明出来；这义是本于信，以致于信。如经上所记：义人必因信得生。
信息分享
保罗渴望跟每一个人分享他的信主经历、他的信仰和基督的真理。在这几节经文里面，我们便看见他如何渴望与罗马信徒作此分享。
也许有人会说：「保罗可以去到老远的地方传福音，为何他从未到过罗马这个大城市？」言下之意，似乎是质疑保罗不敢前往罗马，惟恐自己不能在这个罪恶之都引领人归主。
但事实上，保罗一再表明：「我屡次定意往你们那里去」。保罗最终确实到过罗马，不过却是以囚犯的身分。但保罗却相信此乃神的心意(参腓一12-14)。
保罗知道，罗马人认为当时的罗马乃是世上最强大的国家。但保罗却认识比它更强大的力量──那就是福音的大能。无论是基督的复活(4节)，或是神的创造(20节)，均显明了神的大能。但保罗最想宣扬的，乃是神在救恩行动中所显明的大能。
罗马人以为自己拥有解决问题的一切答案，以及征服人的一切能力。但其实，它无法触及人内心的最大需要；只有基督和基督的福音才能真正拯救人。
保罗在第17节提及的「神的义」，在罗马书出现超过60次；它让我们看见神的圣洁、神如何要人圣洁，以及神如何在基督里让人得着圣洁。在书信的较后篇章，我们将看见信徒如何在生活中活出神的圣洁。
祷告：
主啊，求你让我在每天的生活中，更深地体认你的能力。
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.'