The Gospel Is The Power Of God Unto Salvation
Text: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek – Romans 1: 16”
Introduction: –
It is a fact, and one we try in vain to avoid, that throughout the world whether it is East or West, North or South, and regardless of the culture that we find ourselves in, that there is a “common need and desire” to be bonded together with others.
Whether we are “Young or Old – Rich or Poor” there is an inner requirement for a fulfilled sense of belonging and unity with others. All are constantly seeking for a “Song to Sing, a Creed to Believe in and a Flag to Wave”, and perhaps in the turmoil’s of the world in which we live, and the ever changing circumstances we find ourselves with such political and financial fluidity this is manifesting itself to a greater degree.
People join political organisations, they give their allegiance to club’s and lodges, perhaps they even join religious organisations and participate in religious activities, all in the hope that from these things, their inner longing and need will be satisfied.
In general, however, it would be true to state that even the most zealous and enthusiastic soon discover that there is “just something missing”, which leaves them with an awareness of a void and feeling of emptiness. The reason why these very legitimate and natural things do this is that they are not getting to the real core of the problem, nor meeting the real area of need. They are dealing only with the symptoms not the disease.
The Bible gives to us the real answer to the problem and it declares that in our standing and position before a holy creator God we are “Cut off by our sins, and without God we are without hope in this world – Ephesians 2:12“. It really does not matter how much enthusiasm or effort we put in to the everyday activities of life if we do not meet with the central need, of getting right with God, we will continue from day to day, until we reach the grave to live in abject failure and continue with a sense of emptiness, again the Bible tells us “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life – Proverbs 13: 12”.
An old Hymn writer once put it this way “I tried the broken cisterns Lord, but ah the waters failed, and even as I stooped to drink they mocked me as I wailed”. There are countless millions of people who have discovered and are continuing to discover the reality and truth of this in their lives.
You may find yourself for the first time as a visitor to the this site, or perhaps a regular visitor, and are feeling that your life is far from satisfactory. You may have a comfortable position in respect of your finances, feel secure in your employment, your family, children and marriage may all look great on the outside, but inside again I use the phrase “there is just something missing”. Likewise, you may find yourself here today, and all or some of the areas I mentioned are totally turned around and you are filled with a sense of hopelessness – Well! let me tell you that today you are in the right place because either way we have the answer to your need.
Jesus put this sense of futility and emptiness this way when one day He was speaking to a Samaritan woman at a well of whom He had asked for a drink He said, “All who drink of this water will be thirsty again – John 4: 13” and He was absolutely right.
I mentioned earlier that there were those who involve themselves in religious activities in an attempt to meet the inner need they have, but even that is destined to failure. The Bible tells us that there are many who “Have a form of godliness, but do not know the real power of it” – 2 Timothy 3: 5” believing that they are building up “reward points” which will get them into Heaven. By going to Church and doing good works, appearing to be pillars of the community, but all that really accomplishes is a “covering up of the real need” it is like “papering over the cracks”, or “whitewashing the walls”, and if Jesus were here today He would lovingly declare that people like this are merely “like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness” – Matthew: 23:27 – New American Standard Bible” in other words their lives are a sham and contain none of the real life of God.
Therefore, what is the answer, you might say, well it is a simple one and draws us back to the incident of Jesus at the well with the Samaritan women. Jesus went on to say to her “But whoever takes the water I give him will never be in need of drink again; for the water I give him will become in him a fountain of eternal life” – John: 4:14 Basic English Version. I want to ask you today, in the midst of your search, in the midst of your sense of hopelessness, in the midst of your longing for inner peace, do you want to be satisfied? If your answer is yes! Then read on.
I want to concentrate your thoughts and attention for a short while on the way that Jesus provides for all the life giving and satisfying water, and the way in which it is started is through the Gospel of Christ. To meet with such phenomenal needs, there needs to be a supernatural interaction, and that is exactly what the Gospel is, it is “The Power of God to supply salvation to your need” as our opening text from “Romans: 1: 16” declared.
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In The Gospel of Christ is Revealed the Power of an Omnipotent God
As I have already declared in my opening text, the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation. There are many today who would try to tell us that the Gospel is a collection of cunningly devised fables and old wives tales. That these are put together to subjugate and control the masses of the world.
Disciples of Jesus, such as the Apostle Peter strongly refute and contest this opinion. Peter said in “2 Peter 1:16″ – We have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of the Lord Jesus Christ” he also said that they “from the first, which has come to our ears, and which we have seen with our eyes, looking on it and touching it with our hands, about the Word of life” he was here referring to Jesus Christ who is the living embodiment of the Gospel. They had walked, talked eaten and slept with Jesus over a 3 year period, they saw the miracles and thus testified of what they had both seen and heard.
Are you sick in body today, is your life going off the rails and heading for a train wreck, do you find yourself confused, broken, tired? If so your need is about to be met.
I have come across many people who are enslaved by simple things such as tobacco, and more profound items such as addictions to drink, drugs, gambling and sex, they don’t know which way to turn or who to turn to, if that is or resembles your experience today then Jesus says to you “I am the way, the truth, and the life – John 14:6″ International Standard Version” and again He says “I will never turn away anyone who comes to me – John 6:37″ Gods Word Translation”.
The Bible says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be absolutely free – John 8:36″ Gods Word Translation Freedom can be yours today, because Jesus died and rose again and He did so with you in mind and for your benefit, why because He loves you and intensely desires that your longings be met and your frustrations cease.
Luke 5:17-26 – And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them. And, behold, men brought in a bed a man which was taken with a palsy: and they sought means to bring him in, and to lay him before him. And when they could not find by what way they might bring him in because of the multitude, they went upon the housetop, and let him down through the tiling with his couch into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said unto him, Man, thy sins are forgiven thee. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, who is this which speaketh blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone? But when Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answering said unto them, what reason ye in your hearts? Whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Rise up and walk? But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power upon earth to forgive sins, (he said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying God. And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, we have seen strange things to day”
The Bible in “Luke 5:17-26” gives to us the story of a lame man. In the account that is given we are told that Jesus did two things, and to the surprise of those watching He dealt not with the physical infirmity of the man first, i.e. his lameness but his spiritual condition.
Jesus said to the man “Man, thy sins are forgiven thee” and then He healed him of his infirmity. Jesus is still doing the same today. Christ has the desire and the power to heal and the authority to forgive, and all we are required to do is to take a “small step of faith” and respond to His call. Jesus declares, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and loaded down with burdens, and I will give you rest – Matthew 11:28″ International Standard Version. He also declared in “The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised – Luke 4:18″ Webster’s Bible Translation.
Jesus has since His death at Calvary until this day through the simple gospel story been “undoing the work of the Devil – 1 John: 3:8″ Weymouth Translation in fact it was especially for this reason that He came into the world.
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In The Gospel of Christ we see the Living Force of Jesus at work in Moral & Spiritual Conduct
To many people today the Gospel is simply an appendage or a softening hue, to bring acceptance of the religious letter of the law. So many RELIGIOUS people see everything in their lives measured against a set of Rules and Ordinances, and in doing so they totally miss the reality of the grace of God in their lives. The intent of God is not a set of religious rules, but a grace walk.
These folks are described to utilise a Bible phrase in this way “blind guides, straining out the gnat while you gulp down the camel! – Matthew 23:24″ meaning that everything is such an enormous task and some of them go as far as “Penances and scourging” in order to give themselves a sense of acceptance, none of that has anything to do with the Gospel of Christ. His GOOD NEWS is freedom from religious ritual, and life in all its fullness “I Am come that they might have life and have life, and that they might have it more abundantly – John: 10:10“ is what He said.
If we try to live outside of the life that Christ gives then we will live lives that are “empty husks”, mere “shells” and the grace of God will be prevented from creating anything of loveliness in us. There is however, something we must recognise, and that is that the Gospel of Christ is a living force, and it acts upon both the “Moral & Spiritual” sides of our lives.
In the area of the moral, it brings with it recognition that sin cannot continue in our lives, and that God’s morality is to be outworked in every single area of our lives, and these areas include – Thoughts, Sex, Physical Abuse, Careers e.t.c. it touches everything about us.
The real LAW of GOD is written in the heart, and not on stone “2 Corinthians 3:3 written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart –” and when Jesus enters our lives and He becomes our Saviour He gives to us a new heart.
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In The Gospel of Christ is Revealed a Dividing Factor
I used the example of a Club, Lodge or Organisation earlier to which people give their allegiance, but one thing is very clear and that is that you are either a member or not a member. It is a bit like being pregnant, you are either pregnant or you are not, there is not a half way line, a middle road a “nearly pregnant”. If you are a club member you are entitled to enjoy all the benefits and privileges that membership brings, and your membership fees supply to you. In a similar manner, only Mothers can really experience completely the reality of motherhood, there is a clear line of division seen in both, and in the Christian life, it is no different.
It is recorded of Jesus that He was “meek and lowly in heart – Matthew 11:29“ However in “Matthew 10:34 to 39“ It says, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth. I come not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man a variance against his Father and the Daughter against her Mother, and the Daughter in Law against her Mother in Law. And a mans foes shall be they of his own household” now these may seem to be very strange words indeed of a “meek & lowly” Jesus, but nevertheless they are true.
They show how graphically the division that occurs immediately after a person comes to know Jesus as their Saviour. If you have not today shared in the salvation of Jesus Christ, and taken Him as your Saviour, then whether young person you will be separated from your parents. If as a husband or wife, and your partner in life is not a Christian and you are then one day a separation will occur. There will be a dividing and a separating.
The Gospel is both the greatest Unifying and Dividing force in the universe, and today the challenge comes to all of “What will you do with Christ”.
Conclusion:-
What is the Gospel in your life today? Is it a force that has revealed the reality of Christ and His salvation, is it a force that has united you with your creator God, is it a force that has set you free and liberated you. If not it can be, and all it entails is that you surrender to the tug of the Holy Spirit that you are feeling at this time and allow Jesus Christ to enter your life, to take up His cross and follow Him.
In following Jesus the empty void, the dissatisfaction, the hunger, the thirst will be quenched and you will have placed yourself in the position to enjoy all the privileges and blessings of God almighty in your life.
Take a moment to listen and watch the following people. They are just ordinarly, like all of us but discovered an extra-ordinary God.
- Debbie’s Story of Hope
- Hatham’s Story of Significance
Jesus Christ into your life then congratulations, it's great to know you have joined the family of God.If you feel that God has spoken to your heart through what you have read then take a moment to pray. If your answer is yes! Then pray this prayer after me:
Lord Jesus I recognize my need as a sinner to take you to be my Saviour. Jesus forgive me now, come into my life as my Saviour and enable me to live for you – Amen
What now?
- If this were a religion, you could expect someone to give you all sorts of Rules. Rituals. Requirements. And maybe a lot of stuff to buy!
- But when you asked Jesus into your life, you did not join a religion. Instead, you began a relationship with God. And that’s pretty amazing.
- You might be wondering, how do you get to know God better? How do you get to know God personally? If that is true then don't hesitate to contact us.
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