The Power Of The Gospel

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Romans 8:11
 
What does the Gospel do for us? I know The Gospel Story tells me how I can be forgiven of my sins and go to heaven, but is that it? What does the Gospel do for me today? Does it have anything to say about my present reality and struggles that I face every day? 

The Gospel Story is the most powerful and profound story ever told. This story removes every excuse we have ever given for all the bad decision we have made and continue to make. When we seriously consider the full Gospel story we have no excuse for living defeated or defined by sin and destructive life styles. When we trust in Jesus that is simply not an option, it is not part of the Gospel Story.

Paul tell us in Romans 6 that when we are baptized into Jesus (when we accept Him as Lord of our life and truly believe He died for us and rose again) we are like Him in death and in life. What Paul means is that Jesus died the death we couldn’t and lived the life we couldn’t so we might finally be able to be set free and live how God created us to. When Jesus died on the cross for us He broke the power of sin in our life and when He rose from the grave He made it possible for us to live a new and different life. 

Paul uses some pretty strong words. He says, “When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life.” There are not more excuses – only Jesus.

We might want to argue back and say but I am not Jesus! I can’t do that! You are totally right. You are not Jesus and you can’t do that. Which is exactly why Jesus has done it for us and given us the Holy Spirit. As followers of Jesus we are not living in our own power but in His power. We are living in the power that created everything, that defeated Satan, and that rose Jesus from the dead! Sin has no say and we have no excuse. Live in the power of The Gospel Story! Live in Jesus!
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Pastor Matt