Focus

Slow your breathing and become aware of the taking in and letting out of your breath. Focus on putting things aside so you will be open to what God is saying to you today.

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Read

Romans 1:8-17 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world. For God, whom I serve with my spirit by announcing the gospel of his Son, is my witness that without ceasing I remember you always in my prayers, asking that by God’s will I may somehow at last succeed in coming to you. For I am longing to see you so that I may share with you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— or rather so that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine. I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as I have among the rest of the Gentiles. I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish—hence my eagerness to proclaim the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”

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Reflect

“The Gospel: The Power of God”

Focusing Idea: The gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith”.

Sometimes those of us who grew up in the Church seem to talk in code words that insiders understand but others are unsure of. With that in mind, what is the gospel? The word itself means “good news”, but good news about what? The gospel is the good news that, in Christ, God has responded with grace and mercy to humanity’s lost and sinful condition. Jesus, who was/is God, shared in our humanity, died to atone for our sins, and conquered death to give us hope, but the gospel is more than that. The gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith”. You see, the gospel is more than the story of Jesus, as wonderful as that story is. The gospel has transformative power: Salvation comes through the gospel. The gospel is not a magical incantation that we recite to obtain God’s favor, but it is powerful and life-changing. It is powerful because everyone who believes its message, entrusting their life to the risen and ascended Christ, will be saved. Salvation is by God’s grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. That was the message of the reformers and it is the power of the gospel.

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Pray

Gracious God, we thank You for the gospel that brings salvation, hope, and power to our lives. Help us to both embrace this power and openly share it with others.

Go with God!