SCRIPTURE: Acts 28:23-31
“He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ — with all boldness and without hindrance!” (Acts 28:31)
The hope of Israel, the kingdom of God, the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah.
This is the message of Paul, and it is the message I want to preach too.
Notice, nothing about Christianity or the Church… these are not the good news.
I am increasingly convinced that the message of the church has gotten off track.
Our gospel is too cloaked in trappings of Church and Christianity.
Our gospel is too narrowly defined as personal forgiveness and a heavenly mansion for eternity.
We speak more about moral issues and politics than about Jesus, and the way of Jesus.
We are known more for what we are against, not what we are for.
What our world needs is more of Jesus, more of the kingdom of God.
Not just the doctrines about them, but the radical, practical life transformation they point to.
Something is wrong, the gospel is in chains, and the people that ought to accept it don’t.
The church in the west is slowly dying; the Lord is growing the gospel elsewhere (v.28)
May Jesus have mercy on the hardened hearts of His followers.
May those who know Jesus share Him “with all boldness and without hindrance!”
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, light the fire in our hearts for KNOWING You and SHOWING You. Set us free from the chains of religion and tradition and culture, and release us in the power of Your Spirit, for You and Your kingdom!