Message from Scripture: 5/10/2021

 

Our message from Scripture today is Acts 13:47-48. “For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, ‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord.”

 

When the gospel began to be preached in the 1^st century, it was readily received by many Jews initially, but also by many Gentiles.  Paul’s missionary journeys recorded in Acts show that the Gentiles rejoiced to have an opportunity to hear and obey it. The Gentiles were running from a lifestyle that had been tried and found wanting. They were empty and wanted something more, something that offered hope. For the pagan world, finding the gospel was like finding the greatest treasure imaginable, offering them a quality of life unknown by them, and a peace that truly did pass understanding (Phil. 4:7).

 

It seems our society, instead of running to the gospel, is running away from the gospel into a modern form of paganism. We must live as New Testament Christians, so a world running to sin can see a sincere faith at work in us, walking in the light rather than the darkness of sin, showing others Christ in our words and deeds. Just as Paul told Timothy to preach the word in season and out of season, we must live the word before others in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2).

 

We must be true to our convictions in Christ, and show the difference Christ can make over sin. The world doesn’t need to see sinful lifestyles in Christians; it already knows all about sin. What a world dying in sin needs is to see the cure Christ alone can offer. Let your light shine today as you go about serving our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. God bless.

 

Robert