The Eternal Gospel

February 21

(Acts 3:17-26 NIV) ""Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. {18} But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. {19} Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, {20} and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. {21} He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. {22} For Moses said, 'The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. {23} Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.' {24} "Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. {25} And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, 'Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.' {26} When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.""

(Hebrews 8:10-12 NIV) "This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time, declares the Lord. I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. {11} No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest. {12} For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."

Peter used the healed beggar to share the eternal gospel -- a gospel that never changes because it comes from an unchanging and eternal God. He called them to repent and turn to God from their wicked ways. They had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God -- something we have all done. Turning to God would wipe out their sins. The Lord would remember their sins no more. We all need this! Not only would their sins be forgiven, but times of refreshing would come from the Lord. In a dry and weary land, they would have living water. The risen Christ would come to live in them, and their lives would be transformed. Turning to Jesus would not only save them, it would also empower them to be obedient to God and His word. Jesus would become Lord of their lives and they would become Christ-followers. This is the eternal gospel. Have you believed it? Are you living it? -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day