Scripture: Romans 1:16
I’m not ashamed of the gospel: it is God’s own power for salvation to all who have faith in God, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Thought for the Day: I don’t know if I have ever been ashamed of the Gospel, but I can say with certainty that I have been ashamed a number of times in regard to how the Gospel has been presented. Let me be clear, it is one thing to disagree with a person or another tradition in regard to some theological point, but we all know times when the evening news shows some church or Christian who offers a vision of Christianity that is hateful and destructive. My friend, Rev. Kyle Harris, serves in Shelbyville, Tennessee. If you have watched the news recently, you may have heard how white supremacists will be descending on this town over the weekend. They cloak themselves in the Gospel and all sorts of Jesus-talk, but their message is hate and hate and more hate. Kyle and many other religious leaders are preparing the community to offer an alternative message. In our current culture where nearly 35% of people have not had a positive or healthy experiences around Christianity, it is essential for those who follow the loving way of Jesus to present with clarity a vision of Christianity so beautiful that hate trembles and falls. We have no desire to be ashamed of how the Gospel, but when it is offered in a ugly and destructive way, we must show them the Jesus who welcomed the outsider, healed the sick and loved the most vulnerable.
Prayer: God of all humanity, continue to encourage our close walk with Jesus – a close walk that demonstrates his healing and transformative love. Amen.
