Tag: power of God
Preaching the Cross!
Scripture reading for August 5th: 1st Corinthians 1:18-2:5
The cross of Jesus Christ has long been foolishness to the world and its followers. The message of the cross has been made fun of and those who preached it have been mocked, beaten, tortured and killed by those who refused to hear that message. But for us who are being saved, it is the power of God that saved us! It is the wisdom of God that made grace available to whoever will listen and believe! (1st Corinthians 1:18,24)
The Greeks were known for their search for wisdom. They had great philosophers like Plato and Aristotle. Their wisdom and scholarship was well know, but they did not bring the world a knowledge of God and His plan of salvation. (1st Corinthians 1:21) The Jews were always seeking miraculous signs and the cross was a stumbling block. In the Gospel message, Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came to earth as a man. He lived a sinless life and offered His body and blood as a sacrifice for our sins on the cross. He was crucified, died and was buried in a tomb. The greatest miracle occurred on the third day when the tomb was opened and the Son of God rose from the dead! This message proved to be a stumbling block for the Jews in spite of the greatest miracle ever witnessed. It proved to be foolishness to the Greeks who reject the message of the cross as without merit.
Yet, in this message is the greatest power ever released on earth! Through this message, all mankind has the opportunity to be forgiven of sin and receive eternal life. The key to receiving is a humble heart that will be open to believe in the One who went to the cross for all! “But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-the things that are not–to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him. It is because of Him that you are in Christ, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1st Corinthians 1:27-30) Have you embraced God’s wisdom through the One who died on the Cross?
Proud of the Gospel!
Scripture reading for July 12th: Romans 1:1-17
Paul’s letter to the Romans is a wonderful exposition of the gospel message and salvation by grace through faith. Paul wrote this letter from jail to a Roman church that he had never visited. The term ‘gospel’ is used twelve times in the letter and is used six times in first seventeen verses!
It is interesting that just this evening I was out sharing the gospel in the park with a team from our church. There was a man with a tee shirt that quoted Romans 1:16: “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. . .” I asked this young man if he knew what the term ‘gospel’ meant and he said he would have to go look that up. That opened the door for me to share with him and his friends the gospel message!
Paul loved the gospel message. For him, the gospel was all about Jesus Christ. The gospel was promised by God through the prophets concerning the Son of God who was to be a descendant of David. This Son was none other than Jesus Christ, “who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1:4) The gospel was good news in that by faith Jew and Gentile could receive grace and forgiveness of sins.
Paul considered the gospel of Jesus Christ the power of God for salvation. He was not ashamed of that message, but instead was bold to share it whenever and where ever God would open the door. This gospel revealed the righteousness of God that is received by faith in both Jew and Gentile. Paul quotes Habakkuk 2:4 in saying, “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:17b)
Paul was so proud of the gospel because it saved him from working to try and earn righteousness through the law! He knew the futility of his own works and how this good news brought him rest and grace. He wanted everyone he was in contact with to know that grace and believe in Jesus Christ! (Acts 26:29)
If you were asked to explain what ‘gospel’ means, would you be able to? Have you experienced the power of the gospel to save you? Are you able to say with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the gospel!”
The Power of God and Scripture!
Scripture reading for February 1st: Matthew 22:23-46, Psalm 21, Proverbs 6:1-19
Today’s reading tells of a group of Sadducees who came to Jesus to test Him. The Sadducees were what we might describe as non-charismatic Jews of Jesus’ day. They did not believe in miracles and especially the resurrection of the dead. For them, this was not reasonable and was just superstitious. They contrasted with the Pharisees who did believe in miracles and the resurrection of the dead. These Sadducees had what they thought was an question that would prove Jesus was not the Messiah.
Their question concerned the teaching of Moses where if a man died without having children, his brother was to marry his widow and have children for his brother. They proposed that this happened to a widow who had been married to seven brothers who had all died without producing children. (Matthew 22:23-32) (Deuteronomy 25:5-6) Their question for Jesus was, “Now then, at the resurrection, whose wife will she be of the seven, since all of them were married to her?” (Matthew 22:27)
“Jesus replied, “You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead–have you not read what God said to you, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” ” (Matthew 22:29-32) Jesus turned their question into a time of teaching for them. He gave them truth to help their understanding but did not fall into the trap that they had designed. He took the Scripture and clearly showed that God viewed the patriarchs as alive. The greater need was not to argue about issues of heaven, but to believe in resurrection and eternal life!
God’s power is sufficient to meet our every need. If we have honest questions, God can help us with answers. He has given us His Word to know truth and to bring faith alive in our hearts. We must take Him at His word and believe! All who come to God must believe that He is alive and rewards those who seek Him! (Hebrews 11:6) Many are like the Sadducees, sad because they don’t believe the Scriptures or the power of God!
The Message of the Cross
Scripture reading for November 23rd: 1st Corinthians 1-6
To educated people, Christ and the cross seems to be a foolish idea. It doesn’t make sense to the natural mind trained to trust senses, self, and science. It is not logical or even believable to many who have college degrees and have embraced modern secular humanism. To these people, religion is fine, but the cross is offensive! They are strong enough to handle life by themselves and want to live it up while they can. But God chose the foolish things of this world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong! (1st Corinthians 1:27)
The message of the cross is a message of God’s wrath against sin. God has decreed that the soul that sins must die. (Romans 6:23) Jesus Christ took the wages of man’s sin upon Himself and was beaten, mocked, spit upon, ridiculed, and crucified as a common criminal. Isaiah says that we considered Him “stricken by God, smitten by Him, and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4) The punishment that we deserved fell upon Him and by His stripes we are healed! (Isaiah 53:5) God’s wrath was directed against His own Son, that we might be free from that wrath! (2nd Corinthians 5:21)
The message of the cross tells of God’s love for us who are made in His image. God Himself being willing to send His only Son to earth just to die in our place tells the greatest love story ever told! “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) He demonstrated His love for us in that Christ died for us while we were yet sinners! (Romans 5:8) God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever would believe on Him would not perish, but have eternal life! (John 3:16)
The message of the cross demands repentance and faith. We must turn from our self-centered ways and look to Jesus Christ for salvation and forgiveness of sin. This message is the power of God for salvation to those who will believe! (Romans 1:16-17) “It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.” (1st Corinthians 1:30)
We must be humble to receive this message of the cross. It is foolishness to those who claim worldly wisdom. It is weakness to those who think themselves strong. It is an offense to our intellect and strength, but it is God’s wisdom for the humble! Oh how I love the cross and the One who gave His life for me! May this message of God’s wrath against sin and God’s amazing love flow from us who believe each and every day!