In the old times, news was everything. People who lived in the distanced villages were waiting for some random traveler to come and to share the breaking news from the far land. Nowadays, with all the connectivity through the World Wide Web and popularization of Social media people get closer to each other, despite thousands of kilometers and Oceans between them. It is a matter of click to share the news, and not just news. People share just everything what they do during the day: morning exercise, healthy meal, makeups, what they read, where they work, or study, or travel . . . people share their best moments of life, or moments of loneliness, they share moments of their happiness and gratitude, their moments of grief and despair.
And while I was writing this devotional I have realized, that to hear some new, it is profitable itself. But what is more beneficial for human being is to share news. And to share the good news is just as delightful like being the one who makes that news possible to happen. And if it is good, if it is true, if it is right, then there is no shame of it, but a great feeling of accomplishment by the magnitude of the impact.
Scripture
16 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. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. -- Romans 1:16-17 KJV
Observation
These two verses written by the Apostle Paul is the core of the entire message in the Book of Romans. They contain the very Gospel in itself. Paul wrote this Epistle to the Romans while ministering for three months in Corinth on the way to Jerusalem. When he was in a news city, his custom was always to go first to the local Jewish synagogue, “to the Jew first, and also to the Greek“, and after rejection from Jews, he was preaching to the gentiles.
He affirms his fellow believers: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ“. Paul was ready to preach the Gospel at Rome despite its great hostility towards the followers of Christ. Paul was not ashamed of and was not afraid of the “warm welcome” what he will face when he will come to preach at Rome. Because he knew that “it is the power of God” what he preaches about. The power of God moves him and strengthening him up. The power what brings “salvation to every one that believeth“. He is not ashamed to preach the gospel what was hanged on the tree “for therein is the righteousness of God“. Paul is not ashamed, because it is the good news, that Jesus Christ died on the cross, and rose on the third day to bring hope for the hopeless. In that same act Jesus Christ “revealed from faith to faith” – first, being “justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28) and second, to “live by faith in the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20).
“The just shall live by faith“, we are justified by faith alone, we are saved by faith alone, we live by faith alone. Faith is everything for us, like that news for people from distanced village. And what a delight to tell the world the good news about the Faith what brought us from the dead and keeps us alive.
Application
This is the time for your journaling. Reflect on these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit to test your faith and your walk with Christ.
Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? — 2 Corinthians 13:5 KJV
- Is there any news what your were so eagerly waiting to hear today? (I hope it is a good news)
- Are you exited to share it with someone?
- What about the news about your salvation?
- Are you exited to share it with the whole world?
- Write your testimony
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the Good News of Jesus Christ. We thank You, Jesus Christ, that You lived in the flesh the live what we cannot live, perfect, blameless, righteous. We thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your faithfulness and obedience to the will of God. We thank You, Jesus, that You took the punishments on Yourself for the sins what we have committed. We thank You, that You died on the cross of our behalf. We praise You name, Lord Jesus, for You rose from the dead and gave us new life in You. May the Holy Spirit strengthening our faith, so we can share that Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ until the day when you will come again.
We pray in Jesus name. Amen
