Young Adults' Group

Responding Well This Christmas

by Pastor Mark
December 21, 2017

Ramifications of our salvation

As we prepare for Christmas, we want to appreciate who the Lord Jesus is and what He has done for us. He died and rose again that we may have salvation and life. He was able to destroy the works of sin, death and the evil one. But going beyond appreciation, what are some ramifications of our salvation that we should see in our life and ministry? In his epistle to the brethren in Rome, Paul used the phrase “I am” three times to indicate these ramifications. They became his state of being in his life and ministry. With the use of the present tense, he was conscious of them consistently.

1. Indebtedness

“I am a debtor both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to unwise.” (Rom 1:14)

The word “opheiletes” means a person who owes…who is indebted. Paul saw himself as deeply indebted to the Lord for his salvation. When we were in sin, it was seen as a debt to God. (Matt 6:12) But Christ paid the debt for us when He paid the penalty for our sins. Our indebtedness is to the Lord for what He had done for us. We owe Him our life. Paul felt this great sense of indebtedness to the Lord and sought to pay the debt by reaching out to all…both to the Greek and the barbarians, the wise and the unwise. Do we have a sense of indebtedness to the Lord for what He had done for us? Let us be challenged to have a deep sense of indebtedness to the Lord.

2. Readiness

“So, as much as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.” (Rom 1:15)

Paul also ensured that he was always ready to preach the gospel. The word “prothumos” means to have “passion”. It is to be on fire for the Lord. Paul had the passion and was on fire for the Lord…consistently ready to preach the word. Paul did everything he could to ready himself. He was trained, equipped and prepared as a man of God. (2 Tim 3:16,17) He was not afraid to preach the word no matter the danger. As long as the Lord would open a door for him to preach, he would determine to do so. Through the Christmas concerts and services, we will have opportunities to reach out. Let us be challenged to ready ourselves to preach the gospel whenever the opportunity arises.

3. Not ashamed

“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.” (Rom 1:16)

Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. He had the courage and the boldness to preach the gospel no matter who may oppose Him. There is great power in the gospel to bring about salvation for everyone. Paul personally had tasted the power of God when he was given salvation too. He was not ashamed to defend the gospel and was even put into prison for the sake of the gospel. Let us be challenged by the example of Paul and not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ.

Responding this Christmas

The apostle Paul has set for us a wonderful example as to how we should live our life and to serve the Lord. Let us be challenged to have the same conviction that he had. Let us be challenged to have the same commitment that he had. Let us respond well to the Lord and His salvation…ensuring that we have these ramifications in our life and ministry this Christmas.

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