Verses for Vessels

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”- Romans 1:16 NIV

Normalised?

One aspect of the Christian faith that many believers find quite daunting is the call to evangelism- to tell others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Over time, some who were once fervent and zealous about their encounter with Jesus Christ, somehow mellow down as they acquiesce or become more accepted in mainstream society. Having more or less normalised their Christianity in such traditions that much of the world are familiar with- going to church on Sundays and for funerals or festivals; giving to charity; doing their best not to fall foul of established laws of society; it becomes quite a challenge to speak openly and boldly about what exactly drives the core of their faith and their belief system. Sadly, for many of such believers, the real meaning of their faith gets lost and replaced with good works and charitable efforts to maintain the applaud and acceptance of society-friends, colleagues, family. But our faith- real faith in Jesus Christ, is anything but normal; neither can it be safely normalised to the world. Real faith in Jesus Christ will speak up; and that can be disruptive.

Power SHOCKS

Today’s scriptural text reminds us all that such feelings or tendencies to normalise and become more acceptable are nothing new or contemporary. Paul the apostle was a man touched and saved by the gospel like many of us who have come to faith in Christ. But after years of preaching with outstanding testimonies of miracles, signs and wonders, he kept going. He kept going, despite having had a reputation as a fervent Pharisee, a well educated lawyer, and a sometime murderer of Christ’s followers. He kept going despite betrayals from fellow brethren, persecution from Jews, and much personal suffering. In the text he shook away the temptation to normalise to one group or the other and boldly declared, “I am not ashamed!”. What could have kept him going? I believe it was the power of Christ! Paul’s witness, persistence, and consistency of purpose shocked the elite and the common alike. His approach disrupted the order of the day, including Peter’s near compromise at one time. He dared to preach to the gentiles. He dared to challenge the Jews. He even appealed to Caesar, laying claim on his rights as a citizen of Rome. Paul was in touch with God’s presence and power. The power at work in him was simply disruptive and shocking to the world…. and to he himself. If you have ever tried to hold a live electric wire , you may have found out that it shocks, and could kill. That’s because it carries through it,… POWER.

Power CHANGES

Much of modern world relies on steady supply of power- electricity. It has literally transformed the way society is run and organised. From microwaves, to electric irons, to the internet, our world relies heavily on electricity powering different systems and devices including electronics, by which we have modelled our lives. Doctors depend on it to save lives and for research. Homes depend on it. Law and order, transportation, business and industry- all depend on one form of power or the other. It has changed our world! Power changes. With the Christian faith, it is the power of God that changes any soul. We now have several different programmes and platforms and creative ideas on how to communicate our story to the world. Some of these efforts are filled with more human wisdom than divine assistance. Nevertheless, if we fail to preach the truth of the gospel with power, to men and women everywhere, we are denying them the opportunity to encounter the Power of God. And it is the truth and power of the gospel that changes the heart and renews the spirit, bringing light and life to every darkened aspect of the human life. From Matthew the tax collector, to Zachaeus the publican- the message of God’s saving grace changed their lives. It changed Paul the Apostle’s life. And as simple as it is, it also changed my life, and those of millions of others across the globe. The gospel is THE POWER OF GOD! Hallelujah! No other story nor philosophy can suffice.

Power LIBERATES

There are those for whom a ‘gentle Jesus meek and mild’ may be satisfactory for their soul’s escape. But in reality, those are few and far between. The fact of scripture is that there exists a wicked and evil strong man, Satan-the devil, who is bent on subjecting human beings to the bondage of fear and death, as the scriptures declare. He cannot be negotiated with. He has neither compassion nor affection for anything good towards any person. He wants to take as many as he can with him to hell. And he can be unrelenting in this mission. His actions can manifest not just in a wayward lifestyle, but first and foremost in deep ignorance of the truth of Christ; in strange afflictions, sicknesses, diseases, evil oppressions of various kinds. From his early days in ministry Jesus addressed these manifestations head on, but not without … Power.

“..how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.” -Acts 10:38

The enemy may exert a terrible spiritual force on captive souls. But we need a greater and corresponding spiritual force to bind him and free his captives. By the power of the gospel, chains of darkness and oppression are broken; thick veils of ignorance are cast off and the Truth of God’s love beams through like the rising Sun.

Word normal…

So, when we hear Paul say, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, let’s also recall what gives him such audacity despite his past, his failures or what we could call his achievements. It was his confidence and reliance on the gospel as THE POWER OF GOD to change lives; to save lives. If we find that we have not been as vocal about our faith as we used to be or perhaps should be, then we need to seek the Presence and the Power that should accompany the preaching of our faith, whether in private or in public. Let us seek the help and the manifestation of the Spirit’s power as part and parcel of our work of evangelism. Let us plug in, and get connected again to the source of this gospel. Then we would cease to desire normalisation with the world, and embrace normalisation with the Word and the Spirit. It will save you. It will save me. It will save many lives. And this, to the world around us, will always be contrary.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel; Are you? His Power is ever present. But are we plugged in?