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Today's Little Lift

    by Jim Bullington

I am not Ashamed (Part 2; encore)
Date Posted: August 1, 2023

Jesus was “…declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1.4). Paul further wrote, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” (Romans 1.16).

These truths were foundational to the whole of Christianity. Since Jesus was resurrected from the dead, the truth of the gospel could stand the scrutiny that a skeptical world might be expected to offer. Because of the truthfulness of the message, there was no reason to be ashamed. Paul, like any good salesman, could sell his product (the gospel), because he believed in it without reservation. There were many factors that added to the pride that Paul took in his message. We will consider a few of these factors in today's message.

First, the cost of the message to the believer must be considered. Note that we are not talking about the cost to God or to His Son; that cost called for an installment that no man could make! Rather, we address the cost to the believer. One cannot deny that discipleship has an earthly price to be paid. Paul’s choice to follow Jesus demanded that he abandon almost everything that had been near and dear to him (see Philippians 3.4-8), yet he did so without reservation. The gospel may cost a person his/her friends and in some cases, even family must be forsaken. However, the emphasis here is on the net cost! I sometimes shop for bargains and occasionally I find an item on sale with a rebate that equals or exceeds the price I must pay at the register. When that is the case, I rationalize, “This item is free, or better yet, I get paid for buying it!” That is also the case with the gospel. Although there may be a substantial “upfront cost” just as Paul had to pay, the net cost should be the deciding factor! In fact, the net cost of faithfully following the Lord always results in a positive credit to the believer. Cost was definitely a factor in Paul’s pride of the gospel; it was a product that no one could afford not to buy!

Secondly, Paul could be proud of his message because of the breadth of the marketplace. Some items are niche items; they demand a targeted audience, else much time is wasted due to the fact that relatively few folks could or should have an interest in the items. Paul knew that the gospel had a universal appeal. It was for the Jew and the Greek; it was appropriate for the rich and the poor; the wise and the unwise could benefit from the message. None, and I do mean none, were excluded from that marketplace! When Paul stepped out his front door everyday, he was assured of meeting someone who would stand in need of his message. When he purchased his personal items from the merchants of the day, he traded with someone who needed his product. When he paid passage from one city to another, the man in charge of the animals had a need for the gospel. No one – absolutely no one – was excluded from the potential marketplace of the gospel.

With the gospel, there is no need to be ashamed; quite the contrary, there is every reason to be proud of the message under any and all circumstances. Paul knew this pride and evidenced it in his teaching and preaching each and every day. That is an excellent model for us to follow.

Questions

1. What “force of proof” did the resurrection of Jesus have with regards to the gospel message?

2. What is meant by “net cost?” What is the net cost of the gospel to the believer?

3. Where could Paul find people who were in need of the message he delivered? Where could he not find hem?

4. How is Paul a model for us today? How might that model be evidenced in our lives? What could we expect to see in ourselves if we are not sold on the product we are charged to deliver to the world? How might we prepare ourselves to be better spokespersons for that saving message?

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

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Biography Information:
Jim Bullington - A Christian writer whose insight into the scriptures is reflected in practical application lessons in every article. The reader will find that the Bible speaks directly to him/her through these articles. God is always exalted and His word is treated with the utmost respect in this column.
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