The Message of the Gospel
The message of the gospel is a message of grace, hope, and transformation. The power of the gospel stops a person in their tracks, causes them to realize their sin, and turns them to God. The gospel is not about being born into a Christian home, going through catechism, attending church, or being a good moral person. It is about life transformation.
The Power of God’s Word
The Book of Eli is an apocalyptic story set thirty-some years after an event decimated the earth and left a small population wallowing in depravity. While the storyline of the movie does not fit into the Bible’s description of the end times, there is a powerful theme of the “living and abiding word of God.” Eli’s “book” is the last remaining copy of the Bible, and his mission from God is to take it “west.” Nothing will stop him, not even his nemesis, who understands the power of Scripture and wants it for less than noble purposes. One does not need to watch The Book of Eli to understand the power of God’s Word.
Come Out!
Come out! Those are the words Jesus spoke to a man who was dead. Here’s the account in John 11:43.
Never Die
Jesus has made a way to escape death, to never die. He first gave that promise to a woman grieving the loss of her brother. Today we begin following Jesus to the cross. As Jesus entered the Jerusalem area for the last time, he performed a significant miracle just outside of town. This miracle centered around a man named Lazarus—who was dead and buried. Let’s consider Jesus’ words to Martha, one of the dead man’s sisters.