What is the most difficult decision that you will ever make in your life? The answer to this question varies from each person that you ask. The apostle Paul was commissioned by the ascended Lord Jesus Christ to go and proclaim the good news to everyone everywhere. What was the good news? It is that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten, unique, one of a kind of Son, that whoever believes in him would not perish (that is die an eternal death forever) but have everlasting life in a place called heaven with God himself. (John 3:16) For a person to be able to understand what the good news is they must first hear that they are born dead in sins and that no matter what they do to get into heaven on their own merit will not work. God’s way of saving people from their sin so that they could have Christ righteousness was that Jesus Christ would leave heaven and enter into Mary’s womb, take on humanity, remaining God the Son and at the same time being fully human. Jesus is the only one who fulfilled the Law’s requirements. While fulfilling the law’s requirements Israel’s government and the Romans government had him killed. He died on the cross. It was during this time that Jesus Christ was able to pay God the Father, with his blood the debt that our sin had made to God. We couldn’t pay for it then and we still cannot pay for it today. On the third day Jesus rose up from the grave. Jesus being made perfect became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him. (Hebrews 5:9) This is the message that the apostle Paul preached. Please read 1 Corinthian 2:1-5. Through his missionary journeys, Paul learned to listen to the leading of the Holy Spirit for his messages. Each message was tailored for each venue. Some had different starting points than others. The local synagogues were familiar with the Scriptures other places like Mars Hill in Athens were not. Some places he received physical beating, other places welcomed his message. His message would center around this one point: Jesus Christ and him crucified. If we understand the message right that means we have to surrender full control of our lives over to him. Not just once but every day. That calls for a life of dying to self so that I can live for Christ. That Jesus can live his life through me. That is why Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) The only way any of us can die to ourselves daily and follow Jesus Christ is by faith. We express faith in the Lord Jesus when we present ourselves to him to be a living sacrifice. Are you presenting yourself to the Lord Jesus daily to be a living sacrifice? Next week we will look into how faith works and why Hebrews 11 is an important chapter so that our faith rest in the power of God and not man.
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