“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God for salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and to the Greek.”
The Bible is often referred to or seen as 66 books (or love letters) which spans about 1400 years of human history. Some say it is one story about Jesus. I agree with the latter.
Every character in Scripture comes to us with flaws, agendas, hangups, issues and brokenness. We can identify with them because we can see ourselves in them. We can identify with their struggles, hurts and their past.
Then, we have Jesus and we find it difficult to identify with him because he is so radically different from all the other characters. He is pure, patient, loving, kind, understanding and above all, God in the flesh.
Then we drift from the disciples and Paul following the outpouring of Pentecost. It’s not that we can’t identify with them but something so radical has occurred to them that we don’t see ourselves in their shoes as much.
What happened?
The power of the gospel was revealed, from heaven, in their lives. The Gospel, Christ, dying for our sins and setting us free is the difference. Adoption, as sons and daughters, and followers of Christ truly saw themselves as family and heirs in God’s kingdom.
This is who we are.
