Basic Gospel : Just a Minute!

When God made a promise to Abraham, he sealed that promise with an oath. Now for us we swear by something greater than ourselves. But since there is no one greater than God he swore the oath to himself. The same is true concerning the promise he made to you. The New Covenant. He guaranteed this covenant with an oath. And oath that shows you as an heir of his promise the unchangeable, unshakable character of his purpose for you. Which means that when Christ through his sacrifice made you perfect, He made you perfect forever. His oath guarantees that this is true of you eternally. Now the writer of Hebrews calls this oath the stedfast anchor or your soul. I call it good news.

Jesus Christ is your high priest. Now this is a strange truth to many of us. We're not sure what it means. But the writer of Hebrews explains it this way. Jesus was appointed by God to act on your behalf in relation to Him. So here is what he did on your behalf. He offered himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins once and for all. And as Paul wrote, he became obedient even to the point of death. Now through that death he became for you the source of eternal salvation. This could have never happened through the priests of old, or any other priest. Only Jesus. He acted on your behalf to save you eternally. Aren't you glad Jesus is your high priest.

What does it mean to be obedient to God? According to the writer of Hebrews, obedience equals belief. And disobedience equals unbelief. To illustrate this, he points to the Israelites who disobeyed God and failed to enter the promised land. He wrote, "they were unable to enter because of unbelief." Instead they died in the desert. They disobeyed because they did not believe His message. But you have. You believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again that you might have life. You received his grace through faith. Of you, Paul wrote, you are obedient from the heart. Because at new birth, God gave you a new heart, a heart that believes and trusts him. So trust him, and obedience will follow.

Did you know that God wants you to bear the fruit of his life? Things like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. But how? How can we bear this fruit? Jesus answered it this way. "I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from you can do nothing." Bearing fruit is the result of living in Christ, and Christ living in us. Here is the good news. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in Him, and he in God. So if you have believed in the name of Jesus, you abide in Christ, and he abides in you. And you will bear much fruit.

Where do you live? As I kid, I lived at 122 Maple Ave, Marietta GA. My mom and dad wanted me to know that information. It was important to them. Even more so, it is important to know where you live spiritually. Now at one time, you lived in the kingdom of darkness. You were lost, spiritually dead. But God rescued you from that dark place.and moved you into the kingdom of light. He gave you life His life and He changed you spiritual address. Now you live in Jesus Christ, in the kingdom of God's beloved Son. So where do you live spiritually? Your live in Jesus. He is your permanent home. Now that you know your spiritual address, let me encourage you to get comfortable in your spiritual home. You'll be glad you did.

One day a lawyer asked Jesus, "which is the greatest commandment in the law?" Jesus answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your soul and with all your mind. And the second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Well, how are you doing? Are you obeying the two greatest commandments in the law? Let me tell you. It is not something that we can do through human effort. And it's not something that we can do without first receiving God's love for us in Christ. As John wrote, "we love, because he first loved us". So to love God and to love others takes the supernatural power of God. Here is the good news, You have that supernatural power through the Holy Spirit. Walk by the Him, and you will bear the fruit of love both for God and for others.

Back in the day, every high priest was chosen from among men and appointed to act on behalf of man in relation to God. They offered gifts and sacrifices for sins. And since the high priest was weak himself, he could deal gently with the people. But it also meant he had to offer sacrifices for his own sins as well as for the sins of the people. Now Jesus wasn't chosen from among men. He was appointed by His Father as a priest forever. He offered up prayers and supplications. And he offered himself as the once for all sacrifice. Through this, he learned obedience and was made perfect. And as a result he became something those other high priest could never be the source of eternal salvation. Aren't you glad Jesus is your high priest.

Moses delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt. But he did not deliver them into the promised land. That task was given to Joshua. He led them in in the same way Moses led them out. They crossed over the river Jordan on dry land just as they had crossed the Red Sea. Now this new generation of Israelites took hold of the beautiful land God had promised. And they enjoyed all of God's many blessings. Even though Joshua carried out his task, he did not give them rest. His story speaks of the spiritual rest we enjoy through faith in Jesus. It is in him and him alone that we find rest for our souls. Let me ask, is your soul at rest in Christ?

The distinguishing truth of Christianity is this, God saves us by faith through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is a gift, Jesus Christ himself. It is not something we earn through works. We receive Jesus through faith. Sadly, many people hear the story of God's grace, but they do not combine the message with faith. That is what happened to the Israelites in the wilderness. The writer of Hebrews put it like this. "The good news came to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed." Here is the promise to those who do believe. They enter God's rest. So today, be grateful for the gift you have received and rest in God's love and grace.

One of the saddest stories in the Bible concerns Israel's rebellion toward God in the wilderness. It doesn't make sense. God rescued and liberated from Egyptian bondage. It was a miraculous story. One in which they experienced God's favor and love. So much so they readily said to God, "All you have commanded, we will do." But instead, they rebelled and fell away from the living God. The writer of Hebrews says that it was because of their evil, unbelieving hearts. And that generation did not enter into God's rest. God had prepared everything for them. All they had to do was enter in. Well, here's the good news, God has done everything for you in Christ. So today, say thank you and enter into God's rest by faith.

What is your greatest fear? For most people, public speaking tops the list. But there is a fear that ensnares all of us the fear of death. We don't talk about this fear much. It just sits in the background of our lives. But it is there, and it's real. Because we know that once we die we will face judgment. And that's what we really fear. But we don't have to. Jesus took away our sins once and for all. And he destroyed the one who has power over death. So in him the judgment is eternal life. Rest in this truth and you will break free from that fear of death.

Every believer wants a deeper more meaningful relationship with Jesus. Let's face it, we want to grow in our faith. But how? Where do we start? Let me make a bold statement. If you don't have the basics right, you will never grow and mature as a believer. I mean can you go deeper into the love of God if you don't understand the cross, the place where God demonstrated His love for you? We need to get the basics right. So let me encourage you today, stand firm in the grace of God. Rejoice that your sins have been forgiven. And that Christ is alive living in you. As you do you will experience the riches of Christ's life like never before.

The writer of Hebrews starts the letter with these words. "Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke." Think about that. God spoke to us. In times past, his word was given by the prophets. But now he is speaking to us, to you, by his Son. Did you hear that? God is speaking to you through Jesus about, as the writer of Hebrews describes it, "such a great salvation." It is a word urging you to rest in the finished work of the cross and to take hold of your new and abundant life in Jesus. It's a word that says draw near and receive grace and mercy in your time of need. His word to you by Jesus is good news.

An angry mob seized Stephen and brought him before the council. This man, they said, speaks blasphemous words against Moses and God. Well in his defense, Stephen delivered a stinging history of Israel beginning with Abraham. Stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart and ears, always resisting the Holy Spirit. That was Israel. And just like they did with the prophets, they betrayed and murdered the Righteous One. The ones who received the law as delivered by angels and did not keep it. At this the council dragged him outside the city and stoned him. In his last breath, he cried out, "do not hold this sin against them". Here is the good news. God does not hold your sins agains you.

What's all the fascination with angels? Well, it's nothing new. Mankind has been fascinated with angelic beings since the beginning. But there is someone greater. His name is Jesus. God's one and only son. These angels that we are so fascinated with bow at his feet and worship him. The writer of Hebrews gives us seven reasons why. This Jesus is the heir of all things. And it was through him all things were created. He is the radiance of God's glory, the exact imprint of his nature. He upholds the universe by his power He made purification for our sins And he sits at God's right hand. Maybe it's time to take a fresh look at Jesus. And become fascinated with him.

All the seniors were gathered in the auditorium to decide the theme for the senior prom. Strawberry Fields Forever, that was my idea, my vision. And I was going to pitch it that morning. When I had the opportunity to speak, I froze. What if my friends hated my idea, or laughed at me. My friend Tom kept nudging me to stand and speak. I just sat there in silence, handcuffed by fear. It wasn't a good day for me. Later on in life, I learned that perfect love casts out all fear. That it gives you the courage and freedom to get in the game instead of sitting on the sideline. Let me encourage you today to take a fresh look at the perfect love of God. It will help you punch your fears in the face and learn to truly live.

Leaders lead in one of two ways. They either rule over people and use people to further their own selfish ambitions. They power-hungry leaders often, as we have seen in the headlines lately, take advantage and abuse those in their charge. The second group leads by serving. Jesus explained this way of leadership to his disciples. "whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant " Now the difference gets down to your view of people. One sees people as objects to use for his or her personal gain. The other sees that all people possess infinite worth in the sight of God. As a believer in Christ. Take the lead on this front and show the world that caring and serving those on your team is the best way to lead.

In 2016 over 4 1/2 billions hours were spent watching porn. And that was on one porn site. As Matt Walsh wrote in his article, We're a Nation of Porn Addicts, this adds up to over 500 thousand years worth of porn consumed in the span of 12 months. Sadly, as Walsh explains, "the porn watching experience is by design empty, hollow and dehumanizing." In other words porn lies about the value of human beings. But the Gospel tells a different story. Christ declared with power and authority, that every person matters and that every person has infinite worth in God's sight. It's a the truth that will reshape your thinking and move you to treats others as God does.

Every believer wants to know the will of God. Concerning sexual immorality, the Bible is abundantly clear. 1 Thessalonians 4 puts it this way. "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality." Well you have been sanctified, or set apart. As 1 Corinthians 6:11 states, "you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." Not only that you know God. You know his love and grace and forgiveness and mercy. And it's this knowledge of God that reshapes how you view and treat others. Now the lost world is still bound by the cravings of the flesh. But not you, you've been set apart to love others as God in Christ loves you.

In the state of Texas, fleeing the scene of an accident is against the law. If you were involved in the accident in any way, you are required to stay to either render aid or provide information as a witness. Fleeing is a no, no. But according to the Bible there is one scene that we should all flee. And that is from sexual immorality. We all face it. In the workplace, at school, in the neighborhood, and yes, even in the church. And when you do, count on hearing this from the Holy Spirit - "flee". It's the most spiritual thing you can do. Your body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord. When sexual temptation comes your way, turn and run. You'll be glad you did.

The Bible is God's testimony about his Son. It's a testimony about who Jesus is and what he accomplished through his death, burial, and resurrection. Now concerning his identity, God the Father had this to say, first through the Psalmists and then through the writer of Hebrews. "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever." So what did God the Father say about Jesus the Son? That Jesus the Son is God. That Jesus and the Father are one. As the Hebrews 1:3 states, Jesus is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature. This is God's testimony concerning Jesus. Let me ask: Do you believe God's testimony. Do you believe that Jesus is God?

Thomas did not believe his friends when they told him they had seen Jesus. He needed proof. He explained, "unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe." Eight days later, Jesus just appeared in their midst. And he said to Thomas, "put your finger here, and see my hands, and put out your hand and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe!" Thomas saw Jesus. And this proof that he had been raised from the dead moved Thomas to say, "My Lord and my God." It's the same for you. Because you believe in your heart God raised Jesus from the dead, you say with your mouth, "My Lord and my God."

It was another mind-bending conversation for the Jewish leaders. I mean how do you respond when someone tells you they existed two thousand years ago? But that's exactly what Jesus did. He told the Pharisees, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." And not only 2000 years ago, Jesus told them he has existed forever by claiming to be "I AM". Well that's God's. "I am who I am." So Jesus said "I am God" in a way they could understand. But it wasn't a statement they believed. As John wrote, at this, they picked up stones to stone him. Did Jesus claim to be God? Yes he did. Those who heard him make the claim, knew exactly what he was saying. So what about you? Do you know that Jesus is God?

John 5 tells the story of Jesus healing an invalid at the pool of Bethesda near the sheep gate in Jerusalem. Now the man had been sick for 38 years and the day Jesus saw him he healed him. Well it just so happened that that day was the Sabbath. Now this angered the Jewish leaders. No one was supposed to work on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, "My father is working until now, and I am working." Now the Jews knew exactly what he was claiming about himself. And they sought all the more to kill him because "he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. If you are wondering about Jesus, if he was merely a great man, or a good moral teacher, let this story teach you the truth. Jesus is God.

Jesus is God. Now you can't find a verse where Jesus says it that clear or that plain. But he did make the claim. And those who heard him knew exactly what he was saying. For example, he told the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." I know, that doesn't sound like a claim to be God at all. But it was loud and clear. The religious leaders caught it. As Mark recorded, they thought "Why does this man speak like that. He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God alone." Well Jesus knew what to say to make his point clear. He is God, which means when he says to you your sins are forgiven You can know it's true.

The law of Moses. It was a glorious gift from God to the people of Israel. When I say the law of Moses, I mean the entirety of the Old Covenant, including the 10 Commandments. But even though it came with glory, it was, as Paul wrote, a ministry of death. That's why it pales in comparison to the New Covenant. The New Covenant is a ministry of life. Listen to the comparison of the two in 2 Corinthians 3:9. "If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!" If you want to see the full glory of God, take a look at the New Covenant. There you will see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

When Moses asked God, "Show me your glory." God answered by showing up. He put Moses in the crevice of a rock, and then passed by. God showed his glory by making his presence known. From his presence, he revealed to Moses his essence. Listen to what God said as he passed by. "The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness." Moses experienced the presence of God, and through that learned the essence of God. It is the same for us. God made his presence known to us in Christ. As Paul wrote, Christ in you, the hope of glory. And through Christ, we learn what God is really like. That God is love.

Every Sunday in the church I attended growing up, we sang the doxology after the offering was collected. The organ hit the first note, and we all stood in unison and sang, Praise God from whom all blessings flow. I never paid much attention to it's meaning until I discovered that our word doxology comes from the Greek word, doxa, which we render glory. Now, the root of this word means to think or apprehend. Our hearts praise God and give him glory as a response to the truth we know about God. So what do you know about God today? Do you know that God is love, and that nothing can separate you from his love? That's truth that makes the heart sing praises to the King.

When Christ appears. What a glorious moment that will be, the moment we long for as believers. And why not. This is our hope. And everything in the Gospel story points us to this event. Think about it. You died with Christ and were raised with Christ to walk in the newness of life. Your life is now hidden with Christ. And Christ is your life. You are connected to him and identified with him in every way. So when he appears, as Paul wrote in his letter to the Colossians, then you also will appear with him in glory. This is your glorious future. You will appear with Jesus. So thank him. It will give you a fresh outlook on what you are facing today.

Jesus brought glory to his Father on earth. Now here is how he did it. He finished the work his Father gave him to do. According to Hebrews, Jesus carried out the will of his Father by fulfilling the Old Covenant and establishing the new covenant. The covenant in which god remembers your sins no more. And then he sanctified us, or made us holy, through the offering of his body once for all. This is what God sent him to do. To take away your sins once and for all and to make you holy. This was God's desire for you from the beginning. Jesus finished the work and brought glory to his Father on earth. You give glory to God when you receive and rest in Christ's finished work. So today, thank God you are forgiven.

Jesus. It is the name that is exalted above every other name. It's the name that will cause every knee to bow and every tongue to confess that He is Lord. And this to the glory of God the Father. This will happen. But right now, the world is still in rebellion. It has placed other people and things in that exalted spot. And this has been the case throughout human history. The Roman empire declared Caesar as Lord. Today, people bow to money, sex and power. But this will change. One day, every knee and tongue will declare the truth that Jesus is Lord. Here's the good news, as a beleiver you glad you already know the truth. And aren't you glad that Jesus is Lord in your life and that you experience His love and grace here and now.

"For what we preach " These words flowed from the pen of Paul and were directed to the Corinthian church. All kinds of spiritual gurus, philosophers and super apostles were bringing all sorts of messages to this city. These guys were polished and persuasive with their presentations and they had many in Corinth questioning Paul and his apostleship. Paul certainly didn't compare as a speaker to these super apostles. As he said, he came to the Corinthians in weakness and humility. But as Paul pointed out, it is the message itself that matters. What is preached. When Paul opened his mouth, he preached Jesus as Lord. He should be the message of every preacher. Because in Him and Him alone is life, forgiveness and freedom.

Peter and John were arrested. It was not because they had committed a crime or violated the law. They were arrested because they healed a crippled man, and then explained to the people that it was through the name of Jesus the man was made well. This annoyed the religious leaders. So they put Peter and John in custody. The next day, these leaders asked Peter and John, "by what power or by what name did you do this?" Peter stood, and filled with the Holy Spirit, said "by the name of Jesus, this man is standing before you well." You see, "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Well, let me ask, aren't you glad his name was proclaimed to you.

When John saw Jesus, as he wrote in Revelation, he fell at his feet as though dead. Jesus put his hand on him and said, "Fear not." There was good reason. As Jesus explained, "I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I was dead and now look, I am alive for ever and ever. And I hold the keys of death and Hades." The thing we fear most is death and judgment. This had such a grip on our lives, that the writer of Hebrews wrote this fear held us in slavery. In Christ, fear loses its grip. He is alive forever. With his key, he has opened the door and released us from the power of sin and death. You are alive and free. And that's good news.

Do you know that Christ was chosen or foreknown before the creation of the world? This is a truth we often overlook. But it is important for us to know. Think about it. God demonstrated his love for you in this, that while you were a sinner Christ died for you. Now God's love for you didn't start at the cross. He loved you before the world began. And his eternal love worked its way through human history and at a point in time, it found its way to you in Christ. Peter put it this way: "He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." So that you could know and experience the love of God.

How would you define faith? Well here is how Martin Luther defined it. "Faith is a living and unshakeable confidence, a belief in the grace of God so assured that a man would die a thousand deaths for its sake." An unshakeable confidence in the grace of God. The grace of God that • redeemed you and forgave your sins, • that made you alive in Christ • that marked you out as a child of God and gave you the Holy Spirit • that declared you righteous and holy in his sight. This is the amazing grace of God that saved you. So today, ask God to give you a living and unshakeable confidence in his grace that was delivered to you in Christ Jesus. You'll be glad you did.

"The righteous will live by faith." This verse from the Old Testament is repeated three times in the New. Paul quotes it in the first chapter of Romans and in his letter to the Galatians. And the writer of Hebrews uses it as his springboard to define faith. The mere fact the New Testament quotes it three times means its important. that we need to pay attention to it and find out what it means. Here is why As believers, faith in Jesus is our way of life. It is how we live. Not by law, or rules or regulations or even principles. But by faith in Jesus. This is the Christian life. If you ever wonder what is your way forward in any given situation, faith in Christ is always the answer. Why? Because the righteous will live by faith.

The spark that ignited the protestant reformation was Martin Luther's discovery that salvation is not by works, but by faith alone in Christ. Now it doesn't make sense to the human mind. I mean, don't we have to do something? But Scripture is clear. As Romans 4 states, "When people work, their wages are not a gift, but something they have earned." But people are counted as righteous, not because of their work, but because of their faith in God who forgives sinners. Now Martin Luther tried to justify himself by works, but to no avail. As he wrote, "I felt that I was a sinner before God with an extremely disturbed conscience." No one is declared righteous through the works of the law. This is a gift received by faith alone in Christ.

Have you ever prayed, "Lord, increase my faith"? Well I have. We all want more faith. So did the disciples. At one point, hey asked Jesus directly, increase our faith. Here is how Jesus answered, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed " Now many take this as Jesus saying that we don't need a lot of faith to do great things. But that's not the lesson at all. Jesus was teaching his disciples that faith isn't about size. It's about substance. It's about the one you put your faith in. In other words, it's all about Jesus. Now this is why the writer of Hebrews encourages you to keep your eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith. So today, take a fresh look at Jesus and you will see your prayer answered in ways you never imagined.

O you of little faith. Sometimes we all feel this way. Like we don't have any faith at all. Now that was the case with the disciples. And a perfect example was when they were caught in a big storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was with them but he was asleep in the boat when the storm popped up. Now the disciples woke him in a panic "Save us Lord, we are perishing!" Yes, they had seen Jesus heal lepers and cast out demons. But they weren't sure he could handle this storm. So they panicked. What did Jesus do. He calmed the storm. And the disciples marveled. Well here is the good news. Jesus is big enough to handle any storm that comes your way. So take a fresh look at him and let your fear turn to faith.

The Bible contains 66 books written over 1500 years by forty different men. The miracle is that it tells one simple, yet powerful story. The story of Jesus Christ. This isn't a book about us. Or a book of rules and regulations for us to follow. Or a series of principles for us to follow to be successful. No, the Bible is God's testimony concerning his Son. And the men who penned this story "spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit." Why would God give us this book about his Son. Well the answer is simple these are written so that you may believe the Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Paul left Thessalonica with a thankful heart. And it wasn't because of the hospitality he received there. A Jewish mob, outraged by his teaching, set the city in an uproar, and ran him out of town. These mobsters wanted to stop the proclamation of the Gospel. They even followed Paul and his team to Berea to stir up trouble there. So why was Paul thankful? Because the new believers there accepted the message not as the word of men, but as what it really is, the word of God. This word of God, the message concerning Jesus Christ, was at work in them. It was so powerful, it turned these men and women from idols to serve the living and true God. And it anchored them in genuine, life-changing hope. Be thankful today that this same word of God is at work in you.

Here is a good word from the Apostle Peter. "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. For, ‘All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.' And this is the word that was preached to you." Now apart from the word of God, we would simply wither and fall, just like the grass and the flowers. But through the Word of God, we are born again from death to life. A life that is imperishable and endures forever. Now aren't you glad the word was preached to you.

What happens when the teachings or traditions of a church conflict with the teachings of the Bible? Which one has the final say, the ultimate authority? The answer from the Protestant reformation was the Bible alone. Hopefully it is your answer as well. Here is the reason. Only the word of God can make you wise unto salvation. As Paul wrote to Timothy, "from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus." It is not faith plus works as was being taught by the church in Martin Luther's day, or as some would have you believe today. No, it is through faith in Christ alone. And that comes from Scripture alone.

500 years ago Martin Luther penned his 95 theses to prompt theological debate on the essential issues of Christianity. The most important was this question, "How is a person saved?" Luther was taught salvation was by works. Of his efforts, he wrote, "I kept the rule so strictly if I had kept on any longer, I should have killed myself with vigils, prayers, reading and other work." But none of his works changed his conviction that he was a doomed sinner. In desperation, he opened the Bible. He discovered the truth that man is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. He wrote, "I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise." This was the spark that ignited the Protestant Reformation. It is the truth that will ignite eternal life in you.

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul commended these saints for their faith, love and hope. Concerning their faith, they had turned to God from idols. Concerning their labor of love, they were serving the living and true God. Concerning hope, they were waiting for Jesus from heaven whom God had raised from the dead. Now these Thessalonians waited because they knew something about Jesus. Something that many believers today overlook. They knew Jesus as the one who would deliver them from the wrath to come. That's why they looked forward to his return. That's why hope was the anchor for their souls. Well here's the good news. Jesus is the one who delivers you from the wrath to come. This is your hope in Christ as well.

You have been saved by grace through faith in Jesus. Which means, right now you are alive in Christ. All your sins have been forgiven and you are righteous in his sight. It also means that you are now seated with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Your future with Christ is guaranteed. And when he comes back, you will stand as a trophy of his grace. Paul put it this way. "So that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." Wow! You are a recipient of the immeasurable riches of God's grace. And one day, in the coming ages, God is going to show you off to world because you were saved by that grace.

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come. This greeting of grace and peace is from Jesus. And in this short statement we learn that He existed before anything else, that He lives today and is presently seated at the right hand of God the Father, and He is coming back. And that's wonderful news. Because this Jesus who is coming back is the one who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood. Not only that, he made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father. Don't miss the blessing of these words. Jesus loves you and has freed you from your sins and he has placed you into his kingdom. You belong to Jesus forever, and that's good news.

Jesus is coming back. For some reason, this truth scares many Christians. But it shouldn't. Jesus died for our sins according to the Scriptures. Hebrews 9:27-28 explains what that means. "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." You see, Jesus judged your sins and paid the price to set you free from sin and death the first time he came into the world. So when he comes again, he is coming to bring salvation to those who have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. And Christian, that is you.

Revelation speaks of a time when the seven bowls of God's wrath will be poured out on earth. Now, these bowls are for those who bear the mark of the beast and worship his image. But I've talked to many Christians who are afraid that God's wrath is going to be poured out on them. That's not what the Bible says. We have been saved from the wrath to come. Listen to these verses of encouragement and hope from the book of 1 Thessalonians. "For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him." You Christian are safe and secure in the love and grace of Jesus Christ. You have been saved from the wrath to come. And that is good news.

As a believer, you are not under law, but under grace. Many take this as a license to sin, including many Pastors and Bible teachers. And instead of shouting this glorious truth from the rooftops, they hide it under all kinds of rules and regulations, because how else will people be motivated to live holy lives. But that's not what the Bible teaches. When you were under the law, lost, you were under the power and dominion of sin. A slave to sin. But no longer. Through the saving grace of Jesus, you've had a heart change. And having been set free from sin, you have become a slave of righteousness. Being under grace is not a license to sin. And don't let anyone tell you differently. Being under grace is the path to righteousness. And that's good news.