The Significance of Christ’s Death

We read in 1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit . . .”  In this powerful text, Peter emphasizes a clear and concise explanation of the gospel.  Christ died for our sins; Christ died once for all; Christ died in place of sinners (the righteous for the unrighteous); and Christ died to bring us to God.

As we make our way through Holy Week, making our way to the cross – and ultimately to the joy of the empty tomb, this message needs to be heard by all of us.  In fact, as Milton Vincent makes clear in his neat little book, The Gospel Primer, Learning to See the Glories of God’s Love, we need to daily be preaching this gospel to ourselves.  The gospel is what sets Christianity in clear distinction from any other world religion.  We have something significant to say to everyone.  The gospel is the overwhelming content of our faith.

Many ethnic groups decorate eggs for special events, especially Easter.  In some cases, decoration is so much work that to preserve it the egg is first emptied of its contents through small holes in both ends.  When you see the eggshell, it looks perfectly normal.  But, although it may look beautiful, it is not a “real” egg.  For what would happen if you tried to make a cake, or cookies, or even scrambled eggs with one of those beautiful “eggs?”  Of course, it wouldn’t turn out right because the egg was empty of content.  Like an egg, the real value of the gospel is its content.

In Peter’s description of the gospel in our text, we have the need (our sins); we have the payment (Christ died for our sins); we have the all-sufficiency of that payment (once for all); and we have the wonderful outcome (our access to God).  Therefore, may we be filled with profound gratitude, as we reflect on the lengths Christ went to offer us access to God and eternal life!

Easter Worship

• May 17th (Tuesday afternoon) Comfort Care will need to move all of the furniture and prep the walls for painting (patch holes, etc). They are still working out details as to where the furniture is going (maybe just to the garage). They are NOT moving the exam table, so there shouldn’t be anything too heavy.

• May 18 and May 19 (Wednesday & Thursday) Comfort Care will need folks to paint the majority of their first floor clinic in Staunton. There are 4 rooms and an entryway. They can’t have too many painters or they’ll be in each other’s way but, yet, they need to get the job done.