I am sure that most of you have observed scenes of a boxer warming up, whether on TV or in movie or maybe even in real life. Fighters have a very unique way of getting ready just before a fight. Most fighters work themselves up into a rage. They punch the air or a bag. They work on their steps and jabs and uppercuts, all the while envisioning how they are going to punch and pummel their opponent in the ring. They mentally get themselves to hate the other guy, because that is the only way they could possibly inflict that kind of pain on them.

This morning we will see how we as Christians, God's messengers here on earth, sometimes take this approach to evangelism. We will see how our prejudices and stereotypes may lead to keep the gospel to ourselves. We will also see how the Apostle Paul went about his mission to reach the lost. He didn't do it like an enraged boxer looking to hurt and humiliate the lost, but rather he spoke the Truth in Christ, feeling great sorrow for the lost, and forever praising God for the saved.

As we heard last week, Jesus is for us. He has made us more than conquerors in this life. Paul had just ended chapter eight of Romans on this great high. Now you would think that he would have ridden that high for a little while. But Chapter nine starts out with Paul saying, "I speak the truth - I am not lying . . . I have great sorrow and increasing anguish in my heart." Great sorrow and increasing anguish does not sound like the words of a conqueror. You don't here the winner of a Presidential Election say, "I am so sad." You didn't here any of the Detroit Red Wings, after winning the Stanley Cup this year, say "Oh, how my heart aches. We have won."

But Paul explains his sorrow very clearly. Even though he has been made a conqueror through Christ, he is grieving for those who are lost and condemned, namely the Jews. And this is not just a passing, "Well that is a shame that they are going to hell" sad. It is so troubling to Paul that he wished that he could trade places with the Jews, that they might be saved and he would be condemned to die eternally.

Have you ever felt this grief or sorrow over a lost sinner? Maybe you have, but many times our sinful nature takes over and warms us up like the boxer before the big fight. We formulate our arguments in order to jab and punch holes into the unbeliever's doctrines and ideas. We get worked up into a frenzy over their sin, and may even want to destroy them for sinfulness. We lose sight of God's love and replace it with sinful arrogance and spite. We are guilty of it. It becomes easy for our sinful nature to take over when we see Muslims killing Americans in Middle East. What does your heart do? Does your heart fill with grief or sorrow because they are going to hell or does your heart fill with hatred and anger and say that they don't deserve the gospel?

Sin is sin. It all damns to hell. The Apostle Paul knew that. He knew that his sin and the sin of the Jews only deserved punishment. But Paul also knew the glorious message of Christ crucified. He knew that it was the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross of Calvary that saves us from our sins. He knew that forgiveness of sins is what makes us more than conquerors, who have eternal life and salvation. You know this also. You too know that comfort of being God's chosen child. You know the love of Christ who gave himself up for you so that you would not perish.

This is a godly love that Paul was imitating in these verses of Romans. He was saying that he wished could give up his life so that others would be saved. That is exactly what Jesus did. Paul knew that he could not make this deal with God, but he did know that he could preach the saving message of the gospel to the people in Rome. And we cannot give our souls for the souls of others, but we can speak the truth in Christ. We can do this because of the love Christ has shown us and because we feel sorrow for those who will perish since they do not know Jesus.

It must have been really sad for Paul to see the Jews reject the Savior. He lists all the advantages that they had as God's chosen people. From a worldly standpoint, if anyone should have believed in Jesus, it should have been the Jews. They were the chosen people. They had the covenants with God. They had received the law. They had the rites of temple worship. They had Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet they still turned their backs on God's Son.

But Paul did not let that sadness or grief turn him sour. He still spoke the truth in Christ forever praising God for those who were saved. We don't always feel that way do we. Sometimes we are skeptical of a person's sincerity and want to turn our backs on those who repent. Sometimes we stew over the fact that God offers forgiveness to those who commit terrible crimes. Sometimes we get frustrated because God will forgive someone for the same sin over and over. Sometimes we feel like Jonah. He did not want to preach God's saving message to the people of Nineveh because he didn't think the foreigners deserved to hear it. He thought that they were too sinful. He wanted God to destroy them instead of save him. Have you ever felt like that?

Thankfully God's saving message is for everyone. Paul knew this. He knew it was even for the Jews. They had the promise of Savior from their forefathers. And that promise was fulfilled in Christ. When he came to earth, he carried out God's covenant and saved mankind with his blood. You are saved by Jesus' blood even though you don't deserve it. So like Paul, forever praise God for those who are saved, because you are one of them.

And like Paul, we can see clearly that we don't deserve this and no one else does either. But God tells us very clearly that we are saved and do need to hear the Word to have faith. So go and tell so that people can hear the Word of God. Tell everyone you know about Jesus Christ and the love of God. Put down any sinful prejudice. Do away with any preconceived notions that you could not help a certain person because they are a lost cause. Let your sorrow over the fact that people are headed to hell and God's love move you to preach the gospel. Give God's love to them. Give it to your family members who don't know Jesus. Give the message of God's love to your friends and co-workers and neighbors who are headed to hell. Tell them that them their sins are forgiven. Show them the Savior.

Now you may feel anxiety over sharing your faith, but now is the time. We cannot wait until later on to let our lights shine. A candle does not wait until it is half burned up to give off light. It shines as soon as it is lit. Let your light shine to all people. Trust God's word. Like Paul, preach the truth in Christ. Feel sorrow for those who are lost and praise God for those who are saved. Amen.