Grace For Your Day September 21
Grace For Your Day
In December of 2016, the Center for the Study of Global Christianity at Gordon-Cornwell Theological Seminary published a statement that "between 2005 and 2015 there were 900,000 Christian martyrs worldwide." This means that there were 90,000 per year and one Christian persecuted every 8 minutes which makes you wonder "Why?" Why is the world so hostile towards Christians?
The Apostle Paul answers that question in Ephesians 5:8-13:
Paul says that you were formerly darkness but now you are light. You were once just like the world in its sin and blindness but now you have changed. God has made you different and, as a result, you expose "the unfruitful deeds of darkness." You show the world for what it truly is.
This is the reason why the world persecutes the church. This is why it is so hostile towards Christians. We expose them. We make them look bad. When unbelievers see our lives, they are convicted at their own. When they see our marriages and our homes and our conduct, they are ashamed at their sin so they attack. They go on the warpath. So Paul says that we need to continue "walk as children of Light." We need to continue to let our light shine so that people can see it and be saved (Matthew 5:15-16).
If the world needs anything today, it is Light. If it needs anything right now with its conflict and chaos, it needs hope and it is the one thing that we can offer it as Christians. It is the one thing that we can offer in Christ. We need to let our Light shine and that is what we are going to talk about this Sunday morning at Grace Fellowship Church. We are going to talk about how we can give the world hope during this difficult time. The service begins at 9:30. Bring your Bible and a heart that wants to learn more from this wonderful passage. We will see you there!
- Jeremy Cagle
The Apostle Paul answers that question in Ephesians 5:8-13:
For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light . . . Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret. But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.
Paul says that you were formerly darkness but now you are light. You were once just like the world in its sin and blindness but now you have changed. God has made you different and, as a result, you expose "the unfruitful deeds of darkness." You show the world for what it truly is.
This is the reason why the world persecutes the church. This is why it is so hostile towards Christians. We expose them. We make them look bad. When unbelievers see our lives, they are convicted at their own. When they see our marriages and our homes and our conduct, they are ashamed at their sin so they attack. They go on the warpath. So Paul says that we need to continue "walk as children of Light." We need to continue to let our light shine so that people can see it and be saved (Matthew 5:15-16).
If the world needs anything today, it is Light. If it needs anything right now with its conflict and chaos, it needs hope and it is the one thing that we can offer it as Christians. It is the one thing that we can offer in Christ. We need to let our Light shine and that is what we are going to talk about this Sunday morning at Grace Fellowship Church. We are going to talk about how we can give the world hope during this difficult time. The service begins at 9:30. Bring your Bible and a heart that wants to learn more from this wonderful passage. We will see you there!
- Jeremy Cagle
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