“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” – Romans 1:16
There are probably aspects of the Christian life that we each gravitate toward. Some of us love to study the Bible and learn theology. For others, it is exciting to be able to stand up and defend their faith through reason and sound arguments. Some of us gravitate toward the Church, spending our time and energy on improving ministries and programs. Still others deeply desire to do ministry of relief among the poor and hurting people around us. All of these things are good, but they are only good as long as we maintain the centrality of the Gospel.
There are many people who can defend their point of view, there are great organizations, and there are countless programs to help the poor and needy. The true power that we have as Christians, and what sets us apart from all other beliefs and causes, is the power of the Gospel. All the things we do as followers of Jesus Christ are meaningless without the centrality of the Gospel. It is because of God’s great love for us, shown through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and victorious resurrection, that we can now be reconciled to God and live as His children. Without this, everything we do is empty and powerless.
Heavenly Father, let the Good News of Your incredible love through Jesus Christ be the theme of each and every day of our lives and the power behind everything we do.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon