NASA had spent years and a fortune sending a spacecraft to Mars in hope of finding signs of life. After successfully landing the Pathfinder, they were unable to confirm any signs. Some people might be disappointed. Some might doubt the evidence or still have hope. However, one thing that we can be sure of is that Jesus was resurrected. We don’t have to doubt the evidence or hope for it’s true. It is most certainly true that Jesus was resurrected bodily and historically. Thankfully so because without Jesus’ resurrection, our situation would be worse than any natural disaster the human race has seen.

Background

In John 20:19 the disciples were hiding from the Roman soldiers in fear when suddenly Jesus appeared before the disciples. John 21:13 shows that His appearance wasn’t as a ghost or spirit but physical. He ate bread and fish. Jesus has a glorified body, which is also a preview of what sort of resurrection we will have. Jesus’ resurrection is our living hope. 

Within 20 years later, some people in the church, like the Corinthians, started to doubt the resurrection. We must realize that without the resurrection everything in the Christian faith collapses. It is dangerous teaching and Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15 to clarify and explain why the resurrection is true and must be trusted. 

False claims against Christ

Denying the resurrection is not new. From the beginning, those who hate Christ have tried to spread false rumors denying the resurrection. Some people deny that He actually died but they are wrong because He was speared on the cross and then he was sealed in a tomb without food, water, or air. How could he have possibly survived, opened the tomb, and fought off 50 to 60 Roman guards? 

Still, others say there are discrepancies in the four gospel accounts so they cannot be trusted. Each gospel does have a different author with a different perspective and purpose but their Jesus is the same Jesus and the differences are not factual but personal. 

People also claim that the story of Jesus is similar to other religions and Christians made it all up and copied them. However, there is no true parallel between Jesus’ resurrection and other prior religions. None of the other religions have a god who died as a man and was bodily resurrected. More so, other similar stories all originate after Jesus, which means they most likely copied the Bible rather than the other way around.

How do we know Jesus was resurrected?

His tomb is empty. Everyone else’s grave still has their bodies. Only Jesus has an empty tomb.

His disciples all died like Him. Out of the many disciples surely one of them would have caved to the torture and suffering. One of them would have either changed the message or denied it. Chuck Colson was part of the Watergate scandal where twelve of the world’s most powerful men could not keep a lie for 3 weeks. He realized the resurrection was true because the disciples were faithful to the gospel for over 40 years under the most difficult persecution. 

There were eyewitness accounts. Actually, there were hundreds of people that saw the resurrected Jesus who were still alive at the time of Paul’s writing (1 Corinthians 15:4-6). One of those was Paul who initially hated Jesus but now professed Jesus to be alive. Why would someone who wanted to kill all Christians all of the sudden write to share that he saw Jesus and explain that Jesus is alive? In Acts 1:3, Jesus stayed with his disciples, continuing His ministry, setting a righteous and loving pattern for His disciples. They are the ones who testify to Jesus’ resurrection. 

Other considerations that support the historical resurrection.

1. Women are the first witnesses. In ancient times when women were second-class citizens, this would be a terrible way to convince people and build credibility if you made up a story. 

2. Many people had experiences with the resurrected Christ

3. The disciples believed despite the resurrection being contradictory to their traditions and expectations

Ultimately, Jesus showed He overcame sin and death. Sin is almost almighty causing every loss, every tragedy, every hurt, every wrong. Death listens to no man. A man’s death cannot be delayed forever no matter how hard he may try. Once you are dead, there is no coming back. Yet Jesus conquered both sin and death.

‘If Christ has not been raised then our preaching is in vain.’

We know Christianity is true because it has the true message that truly saves. The God you believe is based on the message you heard. The God of the Bible proved through Elijah that He is the one true God and that the idols were false. There was no response from the idols to the false prophets but Jehovah heard Elijah’s prayer and sent fire down from heaven (1 Kings 18:37-38). Through Elijah God showed He is true. The message God wants to convey through Jesus is that He can raise the dead to life. 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 is the Gospel of Jesus that we believe. We believe in Jesus who died and rose again. God is good and His gospel is good. Through Jesus and the resurrection, a sinner can know how powerful and good God is. 

If Jesus did not resurrect, not just the gospel, but the whole Bible would not be true. For example, we know what happened to Jonah is true because it also happened to Jesus (Matthew 12:40). The Bible affirms Jesus and Jesus’ resurrection affirms the Bible. Since the Bible says all are sinners in need of a savior. If the Bible is not true, then we wouldn’t need a savior. But we know we are sinners and therefore can conclude that the Bible is true and our Savior is true also. So we can be free from the despair and darkness of our sin and the world because the Bible is true and Jesus saves.

If you do not believe Jesus has risen, then your faith is not saving faith. You live without Jesus. How can you walk with Him if He has not risen from the dead? Why would you experience a transformed life if He was not alive today? If Jesus is not raised to life, not only our faith but the entire church is also false. The church is an assembly of true believers who have the life of Christ. If Jesus is not alive then what the church confesses is false and we have no reason to gather and worship.

Thankfully, there is overwhelming evidence and reasons for Jesus’ resurrection. This is the truth and it is the good news of God. We believe and proclaim Christ is risen.

The Thessalonian church was a mighty church. It was the ideal church to Apostle Paul, who constantly prayed for the church and thought of their faith, love, and hope in Jesus. In our current age where many are confused about what the church is, it is essential that we look to this type of biblical example of a mighty church that is built on faith in Jesus Christ. 

What is biblical faith?

Biblical faith comes from Jesus Christ alone, who is the object of that faith. Faith involves the conviction of forgiveness, the fact Jesus Christ, as well as His lordship. In faith, we steadfastly look to Jesus Christ and live before God, knowing that everything happens in His presence and under His sovereignty. Faith is not an instinct or a feeling, but it is an act of will based on God’s unfailing word. Faith turns to Christ and trusts in Him through any circumstance. 

What would extinguish biblical faith? Formalism

Formalists have no substance. They understand Bible teaching, but their hearts are not transformed by truth. Formalists are still worldly in their affections and ways with no power of godliness in their hearts.

Not being centered on Jesus’ resurrection. 

How you regard Jesus’ resurrection will determine your sanctification. To be living in faith, the risen Christ must be living in your heart. Without Him, your faith is pretentious.

What are the results of faith?

• Faith bears fruit. Good works do not save, but when we are saved, we are transformed and bear fruit. 

• Faith takes risks. The faithful are willing to take risks because they have the heart of Christ. This includes relationships- without faith, you can not love your enemies.

• Faith brings about spiritual experiences. Without faith there is no obedience, and without obedience there are no spiritual experiences of God’s love. Faith leads you to experience God’s love.

• Faith glorifies God. Glorifying God in your faith can affect others to glorify God in theirs. One of the simplest ways to glorify God is to have faith in His promises, expressed by saying “Amen” as a confession of your trust in Jesus.

The Apostle Paul, directly and indirectly, participated in the planting of about twenty churches. One of those churches was the church in Thessalonica. The true church is called by God to gather as kingdom citizens to fulfill the Great Commission. The church in Thessalonica was aligned with these marks of a true church called by Christ. In today’s text, the Apostle Paul addresses in his letter that he and others always give thanks to God.  The Thessalonian church was characterized as a sanctifying, genuine, and better church.

God worked to sanctify the Thessalonian church even in the midst of persecution. The response of this church in their circumstance was through the work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ (v 3). This church was a constantly transforming church bearing much fruit.

The Thessalonian church was a genuine church elected and beloved by God (v 4). As God chose them before the foundation of the world, this church was passionate and focused to the will of God. It is the real church that loves God and hates sin.

The church in Thessalonica was also the model church to other believers in Macedonia and Achaia (v 7). They were better than other churches. Jesus, Himself makes mention of good and bad churches in the Book of Revelation. What makes one church better than others is its commitment and imitation of Christ and the apostles (v 6). With an honest heart, they held firmly to the apostle’s teachings by bearing fruit even in severe persecution. Moreover, they fixed their eyes on the joy of the Holy Spirit that continued steadily.

 The Apostle Paul also mentions giving thanks and praying for all of them; that is, all the members of the church. Each believer is appointed by God thereby making all of them important to pray and be thankful for. No one is to be left behind and remind each other of the importance of every member for the life of the church.

Gratitude is demonstrated in prayer. The Apostle Paul had an unceasing self-interest in the church of Christ.  In the same manner, intercessory prayer is vital to the life of the members of the church. Putting on God’s mind and his perspective allows each believer to understand his love and sacrifice for the church. Therefore, every believer is to pray for their brothers and sisters in intercessory prayer as Jesus continues to do so at the right hand of the Father.

As a Christian, you have an identity that we cannot deny. In 1 Peter 1:1-2, Peter calls the Christians ‘aliens’ who are chosen by God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. This is their identity. One of the key ways to identify a true believer is love and trust in God’s word. We love His Word because we love Him. It is by His word that we are saved and by His word anyone can be saved. The parable of the soils distinguishes between the unsaved and the saved by their response to God’s word, the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The first soil is hard and outright rejects God’s word from the beginning. They could be saved if they just listened and believed but they don’t want to hear. The gospel is available to anyone if they would only listen and believe.

The rocky soil receives the seed but falls away after facing some hardship or suffering. An example is Demas who sought the comforts of the world rather than the difficulties of faith. The true believer remains faithful through all circumstances. They persevere not because they are strong but because they are held fast by Jesus. The Lord by His grace will not lose a single one of his sheep.

Luke 8:14 Thorny Soil – Thirdly we have the thorny soil. Thorns are a bad sign. In farming, thorns are a menace that ruins a crop. This is because weeds and thorns are usually stronger than crops and grow easier and more abundantly. A farm field requires constant attention, removing the weeds continually, so they don’t overtake the crop.

To put it spiritually, a soil with thorns is a worldly heart. Jesus says, “As they go on their way”. A thorny heart does not go in the Lord’s way but in its own way. They hear the word and interpret it in their own way. The word does not truly pierce or break their heart, meaning they do not fully surrender and submit to God. They have two masters in their hearts, the old with the new. They did not deny themselves and take up their cross. Richard Baxter insightfully shares, “The self is the most treacherous enemy and the most insinuating deceiver in the world.” If it is not removed, then there is no salvation.

Those who pursue self are like the prodigal son who left his father and went his own way (Luke 15:2-3). Judas also took his own way as he betrayed Jesus for money (Luke 22:3-4). The worldly are eventually choked by three things: worries, money, and pleasure. The Christian must forsake these things if we are to know Christ. Why would we seek these terrible idols when we know God and His glory?

• Worry: We do not need to worry because we have a Heavenly Father who knows our needs and He has given us His Son Jesus who fully satisfies us (Matthew 6:31-32, Phil 4:12-13). Worries belong to non-believers while Christians possess the gift of trusting in God above.
• Money: It is dangerous to love money. In Luke 12:15,11 Jesus warns against greed and its folly of empty promises. Dear saint, we are rich and have all that we need in Christ (2 Cor 8:9). Be satisfied with Christ for He is ours and we have unending blessings which no amount of money could ever buy.
• Pleasure: Pleasure, lust, or sensuality is another dangerous idol rooted in the wicked world (Romans 14:17). Our hope is for believers to find their joy in the Lord rather than the superficial and destructive pleasures of the world.

What is the result of worldliness? They do not bear fruit. “Is not every fruitless professor of Christianity in dreadful danger of becoming a withered fig tree? There can be no doubt of it. So long as a man is content with the leaves of religion–with a name to live while he is dead, and a form of godliness without the power–so long his soul is in great peril. So long as he is satisfied with going to church or chapel, and receiving the Lord’s supper, and being called a Christian, while his heart is not changed, and his sins not forsaken–then he is daily provoking God to cut him off without remedy. Fruit, fruit–the fruit of the Spirit, is the only sure proof that we are savingly united to Christ, and on our way to heaven. May this sink down into our hearts, and never be forgotten!” – J. C. Ryle

Luke 8:15 – The Good Soil No one is born as good soil. Scripture clearly says that no one is good and no one seeks after God. Only God is good. So how does the hard, rocky, or thorny soil become good soil? When God comes and works in a man’s heart, the soil is prepared for receiving the seed and bearing fruit (Exodus 15:16-17). Apostle Paul’s heart is an example of a bad soil turned good (Acts 25:19).

The good soil hears like all the other soils but they hear with an honest and good heart and hold it fast. They understand that the message is God’s living and holy word and respond by believing (Acts 17:11). Regardless of their circumstances, even though obedience might be tough and detrimental, the believer knows it is better to obey God’s word. A good and honest heart recognizes the true divine nature of the gospel message.

What kind of fruit? The fruit is an acceptable attitude towards the Lord followed by acceptable action. Some display very obviously and some might not. However, there is always a sign of fruit. The fruit must be there if the soil is good. A concluding suggestion to bear fruit more clearly: First read the Bible every day and examine yourself. Also, ask those close to you if they see the signs of fruit. Ask yourself which soil are you? If you are a hard, rocky, or thorny soil, then thankfully God’s word is still available for you to receive through repentance. If you are good soil, then continue to immerse yourself in God’s word so that you may bear more fruit.

We continue to identify hallmarks of God’s kingdom citizens in the Parable of the Sower. 

In this parable, Jesus describes four types of soil on which the sower’s seeds fall. The seed represents the word of God; the soil represents the heart. The first three soils show the marks of unregenerate hearts that all men are born with- the Wayside Heart, the Rocky Heart, and the Thorny Heart. Though they vary in their responses to God’s Word, they all ultimately fail to bear fruit. The last soil represents the Good Heart. This soil is the heart made good not by man’s deeds, but by regeneration through God’s mercy. (Titus 3:5) This is the only soil that represents the heart of a true Christian.

As we delve into the characteristics of the first two soils in this parable, we are called to examine our own hearts through God’s Word. Do you recognize in your own heart these traits of those who are not kingdom citizens?

Wayside Heart

The soil of the well-trodden path represents a heart that is as hard as stone. Just as a packed and hardened dirt path is unable to allow a seed to penetrate its soil, this wayside heart is of a stiff-necked person who will not listen and hear the gospel with faith. When the Word of God comes to him, Satan comes and snatches it away so he wouldn’t be saved. He confuses them with lies that misrepresent the severity of sin, God’s wrath against sin, and man’s futile pursuit of truth apart from God’s Word.

How should we deal with these people who reject the gospel? As long as they are alive, we must pray for them to repent as they hear the gospel. 

Rocky Heart

The rocky soil represents the hearts of those who are shallow and superficial. They may seem like believers, but there is no depth to their confession. These individuals respond quickly to what they hear, but their joyful response is merely an emotional reaction. They view the gospel as the key to solving all their problems, but their problem is never about sin but is merely psychological and circumstantial.

It is difficult for the gospel to take root in a rocky heart because these types of people do not count the cost of Christianity. They claim salvation on their own terms, wanting God’s grace but rejecting His lordship. Their faith is not genuine, and because of this, they fall away when they are tested with persecution or suffering.

These soils exist within the church. They exist among those who may be falsely assured of their salvation. Salvation is a gift of God, who shed His blood on the cross to save us. As we examine ourselves to see that the Holy Spirit is truly working in our hearts, we can appreciate this matchless gift and give glory to our merciful God.

The kingdom of God abides and operates in all believers. There are internal and external marks of kingdom evidence in Christians. These marks are seen in producing fruit up to a hundredfold as the gospel takes root and bears fruit.

The distinct feature of kingdom people is they are able to hear the voice of God (v 8). Hearing is better than seeing (Ro. 10:14, 17). Thus, hearing the gospel and the Word of God is what is most important for anyone, whether to believe in Christ Jesus for salvation or continue to grow in spiritual understanding.

The Spirit of God is who regenerates our heart, allows someone to have spiritual understanding in the first place that leads to repentance and faith. And it is through Scripture that God speaks personally before someone believes. Sanctification, then, occurs through continual understanding until glorification.

As Jesus says, “The one who has ears to hear, let him hear”, a person can only hear God through the Bible. The Bible is the only right source. Reading coupled with the Holy Spirit enables Christians to gain an understanding of God’s intending meaning. More importantly, prayer to God for understanding is so vital as God is the author of sacred Scripture.

Trust in God results in having confidence in what we hear and understand from the Bible. Naturally, trust leads to obedience (Phil. 2:8; Mk. 4:10). In other words, hearers delight in the word of God. Kingdom citizens take pleasure in His word and find joy in it. What distinguishes believers and unbelievers is the heart attitude towards the word of God. The disciple of God loves God and His word. Mere knowledge does not make one a kingdom citizen nor can it lead to obedience, but heart transformation leads to obedience.

To reiterate, God is the only one that is able to grant divine understanding to a sinner to hear and delight in Him and His word. Without God’s grace, there is no life or understanding. Transformation can only take place through the supernatural work of God by His grace through faith (Gal. 2:20). If we are granted grace, we must genuinely and sincerely repent as we see the love of God on the cross. Repentance, faith, and humility follow upon being given grace as we understand what Jesus has done for us.

Therefore, the spiritual understanding given by the Holy Spirit to the Christian leads to delighting in Him and His word, which is evidenced in a life of obedience and bearing fruit for His glory.

Jesus is known for teaching in parables. Throughout history, many teachers have used parables to make a point or teach morality. However, the Lord’s parables were unique, they were firmly based in reality, and played an important role in His ministry, not just to teach, but to discern. The parable of the sower in Luke 8 is one of the longest and most well-known parables that Jesus taught.

We find that when the crowd gathered, Jesus switched to parables. As the Teacher, Jesus used parables to paint a vibrant and colorful picture of the Kingdom of God. Through the parables, we gain insight and clarity into the Kingdom of God through the connection made to the tangible real-life experiences that everyone would be familiar with. Also when Jesus spoke in parables, he desired response from the crowd, either acceptance or rejection.

Three kinds of parables

1. The true parable: based on daily life that everyone understands. (Luke 8:4-8 farming)
2. The story parable: explains an experience. (Luke 15:11-32 the prodigal son)
3. The illustration: tells of what should be avoided or followed by example. (Luke 10:37 Good Samaritan)

Some might argue based on Mark 4:33-34 that Jesus used parables to hide truths. However, if we consider the heart of Jesus, how His purpose in leaving heaven and coming to earth was to seek the lost and save sinners, it makes sense that parables are the best means of communicating the invisible kingdom of God to the common man. Jesus preached repentance and the kingdom of God continually (Luke 4:43). Jesus clearly wanted everyone to hear the gospel and be saved. So the way Jesus used parables was not to conceal, to entertain, or to leave open for interpretation, but to explain and clarify.

It is true, Jesus used parables to both reveal and conceal. To the believer, the parables are open and produce a hunger for more truth for they teach us about God’s kingdom. To the non-believer, they have no response, and the truth is hidden from them. In the same way, the straightforward gospel is hidden and rejected by the non-believer, the parables are also hidden because they know nothing of the Kingdom of God. The non-believer has no desire to repent so how will they know and accept the truths in the parables? It’s not that the parables themselves are hidden but because their unrepentant heart has no ability or desire to know the truth.

Going back to the scene of the parable. It says “When a large crowd was coming together”. They were coming from all over. Jesus’ popularity had risen to feverish heights (Mt 4:25, Mk 1:33, LK 5:1). He was so popular because He was healing every disease, performing miracles, feeding them, and preaching like no one else ever preached. They almost took him by force to make him King (John 6:15)

However, Jesus’ popularity took a nosedive when he started preaching in Luke 6:35 about being the Bread of Life. This is the fickle nature of the crowd. Based on the fluctuating size of Jesus’ followers, we must ask how many of them are saved. A lot or a little? The disciples asked the same thing (Luke 13:22-24). Jesus says the door is narrow and many will try to enter but won’t be able to. This should sober everyone. The Lord tells us to strive to enter through the narrow gate. This means diligently pursuing holiness and obedience. Our striving does not justify us, justification is by the blood of Jesus, but those who enter the narrow gate, through the blood of Jesus, must pursue holiness. This is in direct opposition to the comfortable way of salvation that is popular with the crowd. So Jesus spoke parables to the few who were truly saved, not to the crowds who were gathered.

The sower went out to sow (Luke 8:5). Jesus is the sower. He is not a sower but The Sower. The sower sowed on four soils. These four soils are actual soils that farmers faced in their fields. All the people, especially the farmers would know exactly how these four soils behaved. Especially the good soil, every farmer would know the joy and satisfaction of the seed-bearing a fruitful harvest.

While speaking in parables (Luke 8:8), Jesus would call out. Jesus calls out to you. Listen to Him. He doesn’t just inform you but calls out to you. His final goal is not to teach but to save. Hear His calling. If you have ears to hear, then by faith receive the truth of the gospel and believe.

In Paul’s greeting to the Thessalonian church, we can uncover three precious treasures that all believers possess.

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers have intimacy with God. Paul uses the word “in” to refer to the church’s union, communion, and relationship with God. The church- which refers to the gathering of worshippers who have pledged their lives to Jesus Christ- is in God the Father. God as Father is not a metaphor, but it is real. How do you view God? Distant? Scary? Unapproachable? If so, you do not truly know God. Jesus showed God to us as a loving, protective, sacrificial, and trustworthy Father.

The church is also in the Lord Jesus Christ. Believers are in salvation because they are in Christ. He is the Lord, in whom all things hold together. He is the Savior, who transforms us when we are converted. He is the Christ, the Messiah who fulfilled God’s promise of salvation.

Grace to you and peace.

Believers have grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor. All of us are sinners who deserve the greatest curse- God’s wrath in hell. But by God’s grace, we are given the greatest gift- salvation through Jesus Christ. Christians must be filled with grace. If we are filled with grace, we would aim to glorify God because of His amazing grace. We would be continually sanctified and would labor heartily for the Lord, whose grace strengthens us to change as we become more gentle and kind. Lastly, grace would cause us to be testimonial, as we seek God in all circumstances.

Believers have peace. We live in a terribly tumultuous world but Christians can have the peace of God in any situation since they have peace with God. Everyone desires to have inner peace, but it can not be attained by man because of his sin. We need Jesus to reconcile us to God.

Christians may experience a lack of peace when they lack conviction of their forgiveness. Guilt is the thief of peace, so Christians must seek to know their sins are forgiven. Believers may also lack peace when they do not totally surrender to Jesus. We must let the Lord rule in our hearts, rather than ourselves. Lastly, Christians lack peace when they lack trust in prayer. Do not take prayer lightly. Prayer is communion with God, which brings peace beyond all circumstances and understanding.

Let us begin this study in Thessalonians by pondering on these three priceless treasures that have been given to us- intimacy with God and His wonderful grace and peace.

As Christians, we have a duality in our lives. We live in both the physical and spiritual realm. We are in the world but also in heaven, we are earthly citizens and at the same time citizens of God’s Kingdom. Today’s Christian suffer from a diminished view of the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is more real and more powerful and more wonderful than any earthly nation. Jesus says the kingdom is in our midst (Luke 17:20-21). We get confused because we cannot see or touch God’s kingdom. Yet we know Jesus is the King and His kingdom was established when He came to earth and it continues to grow by the preaching of His word and its citizens wait for His second coming (Philippians 3:20).

Three Characteristics of the Kingdom Message
The kingdom of God has a central gospel message and that message is good. The gospel is indescribably and perfectly good and it draws the attention of those who are called. In Luke 8:1, we see how Jesus loved and treasured the message of the kingdom of God. He went from place to place, anywhere He could go, constantly spreading the gospel message. The great Preacher wanted everyone to hear the kingdom message and come to salvation. Throughout his ministry, from beginning to end, Jesus had only one topic for His sermons, the good news of the kingdom of God, the Gospel (Acts 1:3).

The gospel message is good because it saves people from death to life. Everyone is born spiritually dead because of our sinful nature yet we can be made alive by the message of Jesus Christ. Also, dead sinners, we belonged to Satan but by the saving grace of the gospel, now we belong to God (1 John 5:19). The world is broken because of sin. Just look around and everyone is outraged at all the evils and wrongs in this modern society. But they don’t call it sin and therefore their solutions don’t work. The only way to break out of the broken world system is by the gospel of Jesus of Christ. That’s why the message is good.

The gospel message is good because it makes suffering worthwhile. In Acts 14:22 it says through tribulations we enter the kingdom of God. So if we see our suffering from God’s perspective, suffering is a good fight with a good reward. “Losses and crosses are better for us, if they lead us to Christ” – JC Ryle. Therefore in your suffering, seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and you will find yourself under a powerful and good King (Matthew 6:33).

The Kingdom Message is Powerful
In Luke 8:2-3, we see those who have experienced the power of the kingdom message externally and internally. Mary Magdalene’s life had been ruined by the control of seven demons. She was helpless and abused by those wicked demons and no power on earth could rescue her. We must realize that demons are real and extremely powerful. They are fallen angels who serve Satan. These vile beings have many ways to attack people either directly or indirectly. This entire world is under their influence of hatred towards God. Yet by the gospel message, a person can be set free. This is the power of the Gospel that no other power can resist.

The kingdom message is powerful to reach both high and low. Chuza was Herod’s steward, a royal official with great power in the kingdom, and he believed in the gospel message and was changed. This is because the kingdom message is not mere words but power (1 Corinthians 4:20). Today we have brilliant teachers who speak many words but they carry little power. By contrast, in the early church, the preachers weren’t intellectuals but fishermen. Their power came from their faith and the faithfulness of the message they spoke. The gospel contains the power that comes from the Holy Spirit, not from academics (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The kingdom message is a message of repentance (change). Both John the Baptist and Jesus proclaimed, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17). True repentance is genuine sorrow over your sin which leads to trust in the Lord for forgiveness and salvation. That trust is then demonstrated by obedience. A lack of obedience means there was a lack of true repentance. This is why people claim that Christianity doesn’t work. They lack true repentance. We can be confident that the gospel message works because God is good and He is almighty God who graciously gives a powerful and effective message (Romans 8:32). It is life-changing gratitude and joy that comes when we repent and receive the salvation that is not earned by our deeds but paid for by the blood of Jesus Christ on the cross.

The Kingdom Message is Practical
In Luke 8:3, we see all those who are in the kingdom of God become servants of God. They have experienced the goodness and power of the message. Now they want to serve and help the church. These women continually, voluntarily, and sacrificially serve the Lord out of their love for Him. They desire to be like Jesus who loved and sacrificed Himself for them.

Likewise, Christian, be bold and share the kingdom message because we know who is our King! We are already in the kingdom of God and we love Jesus Christ the most. This love is an obedient love (Matthew 11:28-30). As servants and citizens, we come to our King and are satisfied with Him and His reign in our lives. Let us bring more people into this blessed kingdom as we live out and proclaim the gospel message to them.