“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.3 We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, 4 but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, 5 beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; 6 by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; 7 by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; 8 through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.” 2 Cor. 6:2-10

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a word of grace that should constantly ring in our ears. The gospel day is a day of salvation, the means of grace and the means of salvation. And, as Paul writes, now is the proper time to accept these offers. None of us knows what tomorrow will bring – we have no idea what might happen to us, to our family, to our jobs, to our homes, or to our friends. We live in a time where everything could be gone in an instant. As such, today, right now, we can know grace – so how dare we neglect it.

As people of the Word of Jesus Christ we need to look upon ourselves as ministers of the gospel — as G-d’s servants, and act in every thing suitably to that character. Paul, the greatest of the apostles strove to do just that – and he suffered a lot of afflictions, which taught him patience and good principles, and formed his temper and behavior. We all need the grace of G-d, to arm ourselves against temptations, so as to bear the good news upon our shoulders with patience. We are nothing without Christ – we are worthless without Grace – so we remember everyday that we possess all things in Christ.

The gospel, when faithfully preached, when fully received, and when rightfully lived gives even of the poorest of the poor hope – because Grace makes them rich in the Lord. Faith, given by the power of the Holy Spirit, makes all people rich no matter what the world thinks – rich now, and in the kingdom to come.

Pastor Dave