Rom 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.

The offense is the transgression of Adam.
His sinful nature has passed to all people through all ages.
You do not need to do anything to have it.
You do not need to teach sin to your children. They will just do it on their own.
Adam died and sin permeated all mankind.
Jesus died to end sin for all mankind.
He came and reconciled what Adam had done.
But the free gift is not like the offense.
The offense is automatic – you will sin and you will die in sin.
The free gift must be taken – with it you put sin to death and live eternally.
But you must accept Jesus as your Savior.

Rom 5:7-8 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

I was there at the time three different wrecks took place.
I never hesitated to stop and render aid.
Not once did I think of the danger I might place myself in.
I didn’t think of the vehicle catching fire.
I did not think about another vehicle speeding along through the accident site.
At one time I actually climbed on top of a vehicle on its side to get the occupant out. Not once did I think of the possibility of the vehicle toppling on over with me on it.
My only concern with all the accidents was the safety of the occupants.
It did not matter if the occupant was a murderer, drug addict, child molester, Baptist, Muslim, or atheist.
I did not ask. I jumped into action.
In emergencies, most of us will jump into action without thought of personal safety.
God jumped into action in a worldwide emergency.
Jesus put Himself in harm’s way for us.
We are a wreck and He came to save us.
He already knows we are murderers, drug addicts, child molesters, religious, non-religious, and a number of other things. Basically, He knows we are sinners – but He came to our aid anyway.

Acts 7:59-60 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

I often have read this account of the death of Stephen.
I remember well the words “he fell asleep” as they stoned him.
There are other historical accounts of martyred believers dying in much the same way.
This convinces me God’s grace was on Stephen, perhaps to the point he felt no pain.
He did not writhe on the ground and wail in pain – he fell asleep.
Not only that, he prayed for forgiveness for his executioners.
There are Christians all over the world who are killed because of their faith in Christ.
I pray for their lives and the salvation of the persecutors.
But should it come to it, I pray they fall asleep as Stephen.
Pray for the persecuted church.

Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

There are many important lessons to learn in this one verse about the apostles’, the doctrine, the fellowship, the communion, and the prayers.
But the word I zone in on is “continued”.
To continue means to persist, keep going, and maintain without interruption.
I have witnessed those continuing in those things and growing in their relationship and knowledge of the Lord.
I have also watched many not continue in those things, especially in the fellowship.
When the continuing is disrupted, then it is no longer continuing but stopping.
If there is a disruption in one area, it disrupts all areas.
My advice is to push through any hindrance to continue steadfastly!

Luke 19:4 So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.

Zacchaeus was so hungry to see Jesus he climbed up a tree just to get a glimpse.
I don’t know how big the tree was, but I know Zacchaeus was a short fellow.
He risked splinters, skinned knees, and falling all to see Jesus.
Now, would you walk into church this Sunday to meet with Jesus, fellowship with His body, and hear His message?
If you said no, then I doubt you’d climb a tree either.

2 Cor 2:15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

I love the fragrance of roses or the smell of pines on a cool morning.
I once stood at the edge of a huge field of bluebonnets. I described the fragrance as intoxicating.
The smell of hickory or oak on a fire is a pleasing smell to me.
But a bed of roses, a field of bluebonnets, or a forest of pines are all obliterated by the spray of one skunk.
You are the fragrance – the delicate, sweet smell of Christ to a lost and dying world.
Just as you smell a rose and desire to do it again and again, so your life in Christ should make others come back to you (and Christ) again and again.
But if you are a skunk for the Lord you will repulse people away no matter how many others are fragrant for the Lord.
Be a rose for the Lord today!

1 Cor 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing

True!
I was once someone that saw salvation as foolishness.
I was perishing.
Hellbound.
Doomed in my sin.
But my eyes were opened to my sinful condition.
It did not matter what I thought about hypocrites.
It did not matter what I saw in the behavior of others.
It did not matter if I thought I was a pretty good person.
It did not matter if I thought other people were more evil than me.
The message of the cross was only about my relationship with God.
After years of study, I see the message of the cross is not foolishness.
The message of the cross is actually brilliant, complex, but simple.
The plan of salvation is a glimpse into the mind of God and His plan for anyone that will accept Jesus as Savior.
Wise up!
Accept the message of the cross and Jesus as Savior.

1 Cor 4:14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you.

I am sure not everyone is happy with me.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, our church has live-streamed the sermon and weekly Bible study.
Even years before that, since 2008, I have written a daily scripture-infused blog.
The word of God makes most people very uncomfortable.
No one likes being told they are mistaken, wrong, or sinful.
The Bible is very convicting on the unrepentant.
But the Bible wants to be convincing to the unrepentant about God’s love for everyone and His distaste of sin.
I have studied, taught, and preached the Bible since 1977.
Why?
To warn of God’s judgment on sin just as I was also warned.
I do not preach or teach to shame others in their actions but to warn them of the consequences of those actions.
I just want you to have the opportunity I had – to accept Jesus as Savior.
I have no regrets.
You will not regret it either.

Acts 4:12 “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

What name?
Peter mentioned the name earlier.
It is the name of Jesus, which is English for Yeshua.
He is the which is above every name. Phil 2:9
This is the name in which every knee should bow. Phil 2:10
This is the name in which every tongue should confess. Phil 2:11
On your deathbed, you can call or believe in any name you desire.
However, there is no salvation in any other name but Jesus.
Let me be plain.
Without Jesus, you will die in your sin.
You will be judged by Jesus and condemned by your sin.
You will be cast into a lake of fire and, if you have not done so already, you will bow to your knees and confess that Jesus is Lord.
It is too late to do it at that point.
But it is not too late to do it today!
Accept Jesus as your Savior.