Paul's first recorded sermon is in Chapter 13. He gives his Gentile-Jewish audience good news. The good news is news of salvation, the proof of which is the resurrection of Jesus. This good news of salvation, sealed by the resurrection, has moral consequences. “Through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.” Right from the beginning, Christianity is a way out of sin into a new life with not peace of mind, but peace of God. And, exactly what is salvation? Do we really need to be saved? In my opinion, I do not need to be saved from original sin. Yet, what in my life holds me back, what holds us back as a community? Materialism? War? Injustice? A sense of meaningless? Fear of the future? Selfishness? Fear of not enough? Sometimes, I need rescue from my own thinking.
Paul's first recorded sermon is in Chapter 13. He gives his Gentile-Jewish audience good news. The good news is news of salvation, the proof of which is the resurrection of Jesus. This good news of salvation, sealed by the resurrection, has moral consequences. “Through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.” Right from the beginning, Christianity is a way out of sin into a new life with not peace of mind, but peace of God. And, exactly what is salvation? Do we really need to be saved? In my opinion, I do not need to be saved from original sin. Yet, what in my life holds me back, what holds us back as a community? Materialism? War? Injustice? A sense of meaningless? Fear of the future? Selfishness? Fear of not enough? Sometimes, I need rescue from my own thinking.
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