Daily Devotion With Pastor Dan – September 25th, 2020
We are living in a day when men are attempting to change the message of the gospel to suit their ideals and purposes. Churches and denominations are moving away from the message of salvation through the blood of Jesus toward a message of social activism, political correctness, tolerance, etc. The message of Christ blood shed at His cross is quickly being replaced by a bloodless message that lacks power and that lacks hope. Instead of hearing the devastating news that men are sinners, who desperately need the saving power of Jesus Christ, people hear a message that tells them I’m o.k., you’re o.k.
When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth he reminded them that he had been called for one purpose, to preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are called to do the same (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Why should we be so concerned? (2 Timothy 4:3-4). We of course should be ready at any moment (2 Timothy 2:15).
The preaching of the gospel involves the preaching of the cross, there is no getting around that truth, no matter how much it is despised. Jesus died a brutal, awful death for us on the cross. He was scourged (punished – tormented) before He was crucified (Matthew 27:26), He was mocked and spit on (Matthew 27:27-31), He was beaten (Luke 22:63-64), His beard was ripped from His face (Isaiah 50:6), and He was nailed to the cross. You and I cannot even begin to imagine all the pain that Jesus was forced to endure for our sakes (Isaiah 52:13-14).
What has happened for us because of the cross of Christ? When a person places his/her faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that person is changed forever. The chains of sin are broken (Romans 6:6) (Romans 6:14). We are made into a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17). No blood washed, blood bought child of God will ever experience the torment of hell (John 5:24) (Romans 8:1). The message of the cross is strange to those who have never experienced its life changing power. (1:18) tells us….For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Foolishness comes from the same word which we get the word moron. To those dead in their trespasses and sin, the idea of trusting a suffering, bleeding man for salvation is moronic. But to those being who are being saved, the gospel is powerful because it has revealed God’s power in changing us (Romans 1:16-17). So there is only one way for you to get to God and that is by the way of the cross (Hebrews 9:16-28) (1 Peter 1:13-21).