by Rev Steve Nickodemus

Whatever it takes…

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

“I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes…”
Romans 1:16a

Rich, one of my elders, and a real man’s man, swore he would never do “woman’s work” (such as housecleaning and cooking), but when Byron’s mom died and our church sponsored the service, and a lunch, he willingly grabbed a vacuum for cleanup.

“What happened to the ‘never do woman’s work guy’?”  I jokingly asked him.  Rich replied, “Don’t tell my old buddies, but whatever it takes to get the job done, I’m willing to do it!”

You see, many people who did not know Jesus heard the Good News of His grace for the first time at that funeral, and that was a lot more important to Rich than him being too proud to do “woman’s work.”

Saint Paul was not ashamed to do whatever it took to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to a sinful world (even if that meant being ridiculed, insulted, or even killed).  In another place, Paul states that the message of the cross may be foolishness to the world, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Are you ashamed of the Good News of Jesus?  Does it bother you to admit that you are a sinner?  Does it embarrass you that the Lord Jesus chose to die on a cross to save you?  Are you too proud to accept God’s gift of mercy and salvation?

Time to take a page out of Rich’s philosophy… “whatever it takes to get the job done, I am willing to do it.”  If that means repenting of your sin and accepting the fact that you need the blood of Jesus to pardon you, and heal your iniquity, then let the job be done.  There is nothing to be ashamed about in that!

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado