The sermon, titled 'Debtor to the Greeks and the Barbarians,' focuses on Paul's mission as described in Romans 1:14-16. Paul views himself as a debtor to all people, both civilized (Greeks) and less civilized (barbarians), meaning he feels a spiritual obligation to preach the gospel to everyone regardless of their social or educational status. The speaker elaborates that this mission is not about personal fame but about spreading the message of Christ. Citing 2 Corinthians 4:5 and Mark 16:15, the speaker emphasizes that the gospel must be preached to every person, illustrating that no one is too young or too old to hear it. The sermon stresses that believers today share this obligation. The speaker uses gardening as a metaphor to describe the patient and diligent work required in spreading the gospel, stating that growth often occurs slowly and unseen. The ultimate message is that believers are servants of God, tasked with sharing the gospel with all people, both within and outside the church, regardless of their circumstances.

Romans chapter 1. And we'll read for a text just two verses, verses 14 and 15. He says in verse 14, I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise. So as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. In verse 16 he says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

My subject today, the title of my sermon, is Deader to the Greeks and the barbarians. Debtor to the Greeks and to the barbarians. In this passage, Paul is writing to the church at Rome and he tells them as missionary that he is debtor, not that he owed them money, but that God had given him a special ministry. Paul was their debtor, and in effect he was their servant. If you want to hold your place there you can put a ribbon there in Romans and look at 2nd Corinthians chapter 4.

2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5 he worded it this way to the church at Corinth. He says, for we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord and ourselves your servants for Jesus sake." He wasn't out to make a name for himself. He wasn't going out into the Roman Empire to make a name for himself. He wasn't there to make himself famous. This was not about Paul.

This was about Christ. When he said he was debtor to the Greeks and the barbarians, what he meant, and the original readers in the context, they would have understood by Greeks, he meant all civilized nations. By barbarians, he would have meant those who were less civilized. In other words, he was deader to all people, the educated as well as those who were not educated. He was debtor to the wise philosopher as well as to the ignorant backwards people.

I'm trying not to look at any one person unless you think I'm hitting somebody down, right? So I just try to look at my kids and then, alright, then going home my kids will be like, why did you look at me when you said ignorance? Better for me to face their wrath than for me to get a phone call later and say, why were you looking at me, pastor? He was thinking about the Athenians when he was thinking about the Greeks, the philosophers. He was thinking about the barbarians, those when he shipwrecked on Malta, you know, when we read there in Acts.

And he was there with those with those tribal people, you and I, We run into different sorts of people the same way, don't we? Indeed, we're debtors to the world in the same way. The reality is that the Roman world is much like our world. There were variations of people all around Paul. He ran into different sorts of people wherever he went.

You and I, we may go down the street and we may come across people who are more educated than us and at the same time we may come in contact with people who are less educated than we are. We may come into contact with people who have more money than us and at the same time we may run into people who have less money than us. In the religious, spiritual context, in the gospel context, none of that matters. We may come into contact with people who are darker than us. We may come into contact with people who are lighter than us.

Again, spiritually speaking, in the gospel context, that doesn't matter. None of those things matter. He says, I am debtor to the Greek and to the barbarian. Jesus to the barbarian. Jesus said it this way in Mark chapter 16, in Mark chapter 16 and verse Mark chapter 16 and verse 15, and he said unto them, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Now what did he mean by that? Did he mean that we're to take the gospel to the squirrels, to the raccoons, to the dogs, to the cats? No, that's not what he meant. Although Wednesday night we met in the park and we had a visitor and she brought her dogs And I preached and those dogs were there But that's not what that's not what he meant when he said take the gospel to every creature What he meant is we take the gospel to every person Every person every man woman and child Do you know There's not anybody who's too young to be in the hearing of the gospel. There's nobody who's too old to be in the hearing of the gospel.

You and I, we can't sit in judgment and say, well that child is too young to hear the gospel message. You don't know what that child may be able to hear, might be able to understand. We don't know. Furthermore, same thing goes with the elderly. But I've been in places, I've been in churches, where some people have come in and said, well, the kids shouldn't be in here.

They're just coloring. They're not paying attention. Send them out. You would be surprised at what kids will hear. I've been in nursing homes.

I've preached nursing homes. Some of them elderly people, it's kind of hard to really know for sure what they can hear and what they can't, what they can understand, what they can't, but they're there. Take the gospel to every creature. In the park. Sometimes it's hard to know as people pass by what they're hearing what they're not hearing.

All those things, you know, but we're debtors to the Greeks and to the barbarians, to the educated and to the non-educated. Take the gospel to every creature. Preach the gospel. Go ye into all the world. You and I, we may not travel the Roman Empire, we may not be able to go to far off lands like what Paul did.

But what about the people of your community, the folks of Brantley County, the folks of Glynn County, does not this include them? Does it include the college graduate with his nice job and also the drug addict who's on the street. Indeed it does. Does it not include the man who's got a mortgage and a big old family and everything in order so to speak, but also the homeless person, the elite as well as the outcasts in life. They all need to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ.

To the members of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church, I am thankful that we have a nice building here. It is a nice building and I'm thankful for the hands that built it and all of that. But take a look at it and feel the nice cushions and all of that. And I'm thankful that you're faithful to be here. But realize this, God did not build this building here for us just to only meet for worship until we die.

That's not what this building is for. We have work to do. We are debtors, not to ourselves. We're not debtors to this building. We're debtors, as Paul put it, to the Greeks and the barbarians, to the world.

Mark chapter 16 verse 15 is a summary of Matthew chapter 28. Summary of Matthew chapter 28. Matthew chapter 28 verses 18 through 20 He says, and Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power, all authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I have commanded you, loin with you all the way, even unto the end of the world." The mission of the Lord's church is not to be successful by the world standards. Christ commissioned us to preach the gospel, not to enlist the unconverted into church roles so that we can break attendance records.

Yeah, it'd be nice to fill up the building, but you know, We've got to remember that when he gave this commission, he gathered his 11 disciples. The Bible says that some of them doubted. When you really think about that, the world would look at this and say, oh this is gonna fail, this is really gonna fail. It'd be a nail-biter from the world's perspective, but you see it didn't hinge on the world's greatness. He was in it.

And when the Lord's in it, a small number with the Lord, even the minority, is a majority when Jesus is in it. And so, don't be discouraged if there's just a small number, it seems like. Remember, that's how this whole thing started. And when you go through the history of Christianity, church history, well, it wasn't always explosive growth. What happened on the day of Pentecost where 3, 000 were saved and baptized and all of that, that was a fantastic thing.

But that's not the way it always is. In fact, in 1st Corinthians chapter three, verses six through eight, I have planted, Apollo's watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labor. Now look at this verse 9, for we are laborers together with God, you're God's husbandry, you're God's building.

What's he equating the work of the Lord to? Well he's equating this picture he's drawing is of a gardener. If anybody has done any gardening at all, you know You don't put the seed in the soil and then come back the next day and expect to pull some fruit. You don't expect to get a vegetable out of a seed that you planted yesterday. It doesn't happen overnight.

In fact, a lot of times, the first growth that happens is happening under the soil. You don't even see it. And indeed it happens slowly. Even when you start to see the growth, it's slow growth before you ever see any fruit. He says, I planted a polished water and God gave the increase.

It's patience. We must be content to keep on sowing, watering, and depending on the Lord to give the increase. It takes time, but it takes work. Sometimes, sometimes if you're like me, you go out and you do some work in the garden, Then you get distracted and you go back out and you think, oh no, it's dead. Then you go put some more water on it.

Don't give up. Put some more water on it and you see that there's some life. Let me tell you something, I had a pepper plant that I thought was dead. I just about pulled the thing out and gave up, but I put some water on it and that thing revived. It and that thing revived.

You know, so it is with the Lord's work. We just have to keep at it. Keep at it. Back there in Romans chapter 1, God gives the increase but he expects us to do some work. And that's what Paul is after here when he says, I am debtor both to the Greeks and to the barbarians, both to the wise and to the unwise.

When we think about this, we can take this and we read it and we say, all right, this is the context. Paul is writing a church in Rome. There were some Greeks and barbarians. There were wise and there were unwise. He's right.

He's writing specifically about these people, but we can also apply it to our own lives. And certainly the Bible is like a mirror when we consider these things and we think about how this applies to us. So Paul was deader to the Greeks and to the barbarians. In the same way, David Green is deader to the Greeks and the barbarians. Isaiah Green is deader to the Greeks and the barbarians.

Barry Smith, deader to the Greeks and to the barbarians. Well you get the picture, but it's not just the pastor, it's not just the men. You know, it's the whole church. In Acts chapter 8, when there was persecution hammering the Church of Jerusalem, the whole church was spread. The whole congregation was spread out and and except for the was spread out and except for the apostles, you know what it says there in verse 1, it says, and Saul was consenting unto his death, and at that time there was a great persecution against the church, which was at Jerusalem, and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles.

Verse four says, Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word. Who went everywhere preaching the word? The pastors? No. It was those who were scattered.

I don't think that was limited to the men. You say, well, only men should be preaching the Word. Well, that's true in the church capacity, but understand in heralding the Word, heralding the Gospel, there is no limitation to who does it outside of church capacity. You ladies are just as free to to preach the word, spread the word, herald the word, use whatever term makes you feel comfortable there, but outside of the church capacity if you're in your work environment, if you're with your neighbors your work environment, with your neighbors, whoever, tell the gospel, preach the gospel, herald the gospel. You're as much of a debtor to the Greeks and the barbarians as we are.

In fact, in Romans chapter 1, where we have our text there, We'll get to verse 15 in a minute, but look at 16. He says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, also to the Greek. The Gospel of Christ, in a nutshell, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. He said, I'm not ashamed of it, for it is the power of God. It is the power of God unto salvation.

Everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also the green. You and I, we may have been saved under different circumstances. What I mean by that is maybe you were saved by listening to a radio preacher. Maybe you were saved at the preaching of the gospel at home. Maybe you were saved at the preaching of the gospel at home, maybe you were saved at the preaching of the gospel at church, whatever your experience was, what's the common factor?

The gospel. He says, for I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God. He doesn't say, for the preacher is the power of God. You understand what I'm trying to say here, as Vodi Bakum sometimes says, are you smelling what I'm stepping in? It's not the preacher that has the power.

You don't have to say to somebody, you know, friend, I wish you'd come and hear the gospel from my pastor. Now don't get me wrong, I wish your friend would come and hear the gospel, but there's no reason why you can't tell your friend the gospel. That word power is the Greek word dunamis. It's the same word that we get our word dynamite. Now if I have a stick of dynamite in my hand, does that dynamite have more power in my hand?

Because I'm holding it? Then it would if Josiah was holding it. Josiah is the youngest person in this room. No, it's got the same amount of power. Whether I hold it or he holds it, somebody strikes a match to that stick of dynamite, we're all in trouble.

It's going to go boom and it's going to make a big dent in this place. So it is with the gospel. Whether the preacher's got it or A woman has it, a child has it, whoever's got it. Listen, when Paul wrote to Timothy, You remember what he said to him in 2 Timothy chapter 1? Let's see, 2 Timothy chapter 1, 2 Timothy chapter 1 verse 5, he said, Verse 5, he said, When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith, that pure, without hypocrisy type of faith, When I call to remembrance that faith that you've got, Timothy, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois and thy mother Eunice, and I am persuaded that in thee also." He looked at Timothy and he was reminded of the faith that his mother and his grandmother had.

Why was that? Well, in chapter 3, chapter 3 verses 14 and 15, 2nd Timothy chapter 3 verses 14 and 15, he says, but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them, that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Who was teaching Timothy? Where did Timothy come to know the faith? Where did Timothy's faith come from? It came from those women who were teaching him the scriptures.

What I find here is that It's not just in the pastor, it's not just in the father, but you see, it's every child of God has a part in this. We all are debtors to the Greeks and to the barbarians and it begins at home. It begins at home to the wise and the unwise as we think about that. And it spreads, it spreads throughout our community. He says there in Romans chapter one, he says in verse 16, he says, or verse 15, I'm sorry, so as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also." He said, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

It's not just about the place. Although here he said, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome. It's about the content. It's about Jesus. He said, I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are Rome also.

Again, in in in in First Corinthians chapter 9, First Corinthians chapter 9, 1 Corinthians chapter 9. Begin at verse 16. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. For necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.

But if against my will a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me, what is my reward then? Verily, that when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews. To them that are under the law as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law.

To them that are without law as without law being not without the law to Christ, to God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them there without law. To the weak, came I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. This I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you." He was willing to preach the gospel and not only that, but to do what he could to relate to people and to be what he could with people and around people. As much as is in me, I'm ready.

He says, I've got this, He's... Kind of indicates a modesty, perhaps with a thought of a possible hindrance. He was willing. He was a zealous preacher. Something that we all should be.

Whatever we are in life, you know, maybe you're not called to pulpit ministry, but you know, whatever your job is or whatever, do it all to the glory of God. He was ready to go and preach the gospel to you there at Rome also. Not placing those folks in either camp of the Greek sword of the barbarians, the wise or the unwise, is ready to preach the gospel to them all. He didn't have a gospel for one group and a gospel for another group, he had the gospel. Right?

He was willing to make himself to fit in where he needed to, but the gospel was his message, you see. And that's the point, and this is where we need to understand the message didn't change wherever he was that whether whether he was with the Jews in the synagogues, with the Athenians in Athens on Mars Hill, whether he was shipwrecked on Malta or in Rome. His delivery may have changed a little bit. After all, when you think about it, when he dealt with the Jews, they knew some things of the Old Testament. He didn't have to go back there.

But when he was at Mars Hill, he had to go back there and tell them some things about the Creator. I think the Athenians didn't know. But he always got to the cross, didn't he? He always got to the cross. He got to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

Why? Because this was his message. This was what he desired. And Paul had a desire to preach the message at Rome. Indeed, he got to Rome.

We looked at it not too long ago, but let's go there as we bring this to a close. In Acts chapter 28, The last two verses of the book. It says, And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding you." Why is it worded like that? Well, because he got to Rome as a prisoner. He was placed under house arrest, and it wasn't exactly the way that he had planned to be in Rome, but this is the way it was.

Regardless of how our circumstances are, regardless of how things go in our life, regardless of our lot in life. Let's make the best use of our time. Why? Because we serve a great God who makes no mistakes. Because we're debtor.

We're debtor to the Greeks, to the barbarians, to the wise, to the unwise. We are servants of our God, And we've got a message, the great and glorious gospel, to tell the people. Dead or to all, ready to preach. The gospel means to reach the people no matter what. The world's elite as well as its outcasts.

People who go to church and those who are unchurched. Those who have Bibles and those who have never even opened a Bible. Right? In the church building as well as out of the church building. Maybe you're able to talk to people real clearly, Maybe all you can do is just hand them a tract, whatever you can do.

However well you can communicate. We are debtors. And may God get the glory in all that we do. Thank you for your attention today. I pray that it's been a blessing.

Let's stand to be dismissed and