Anchorpoint Radio

The mere knowledge of the Gospel message is not salvation. The Lord Jesus Christ made it clear that we need to do more with the Gospel than listen and superficially agree. He said that we need to repent – to change our minds about ourselves and about God. This week's broadcast examines the scriptural meaning of repentance and faith. We trust it will help you to truly repent of your sins and place your faith in the God who longs to save you. 

Did you know that the oldest book in the Bible - Job - contains the same questions that have plagued mankind for centuries ever since? The big questions about life, death, and eternity? And did you know that Lord Jesus Christ himself answers these questions? This week's message explains the adequacy of God's own Son to not only answer our biggest questions but also to meet our greatest spiritual needs.

Today’s message focuses our attention on the baby in Bethlehem’s manger and the staggering mystery of the incarnation. Why did He come – the babe in the manger? Well, for revelation – to show us the character of God in all His beauty and glory; for redemption – to put away our sins by the sacrifice of Himself; and for relationship – to invite you to trust Him and come into His family. We hope that what you hear will open your heart to the marvellous truth of God walking with men and His wonderful love for sinners.

Christians love to sing about Jesus. Why is this? Because we love Him, of course! And that Name contains all of what God IS and what a poor sinner needs. In Isaiah 9:6 we read, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.” Our message this week looks at this beautiful verse in depth, uncovering just a little of the wealth of meaning in that Name!

Our message today could well be called the Gospel of Ruth, as this Old Testament book not only tells a captivating story of love and loss but also gives us a wonderful illustration of the tender dealings of God with sinners and His plan for their redemption – the good news of the gospel, if you will. For in this story, we have a needy soul - an outcast really – and how God moved in a miraculous way to meet her need. Like Ruth, we also have no resources to commend ourselves to God, but we also can be redeemed – saved - by the ‘mighty man of wealth’, the great Redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ!

Apart from almost being an archaic word these days, the word 'sin' is tremendously misunderstood. First of all, most people dislike the use of the word, but redefining 'sin' will never get rid of its existence and its effects in our lives. The Bible says that all sin is disobedience and rebellion against God. It is missing the mark as to God's standard and intention for mankind. But sin is something more. It is slavery. Christ has bought us back out of slavery and misery. He willingly paid the price to buy us from the slave market of sin, so to speak. So, how about it? Has there ever been a time in your life when you were redeemed by the blood of the Lamb? You need to be.

You know, the gospel message is not complicated. We have a righteous God who created us and who loves us. Why is it then that we don’t know this God – can’t connect with Him? Why are we miserable and hopeless and messed up? Well, the reason is simple. This righteous God is very much offended at the kind of behaviour we display as we live the lives He has given us. Our willful rebellion, our ingratitude, our pride, our wicked ways, our selfishness … and so much more. These attitudes and behaviours are what God calls SIN. And it is SIN that has separated us from Him. But the offended has found a way to pardon the offender. And it’s all because of grace! Let’s hear what the Bible says about God’s plan of salvation.

Who is the focus of the gospel? Christ of course! Often, we look at ourselves - or others. We look at our own understanding of what God requires or we get taken up with peripheral topics and theological issues. But God wants to direct our gaze to what is central to HIM – His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners. First, as the offspring of the woman. That is, He had no earthly father, not inheriting Adam’s sin as we all do. He was the sinless Son of God. Second, He was the offspring of Abraham and, as such, was the one through whom ALL the world would be blessed. He is the universal Saviour! Also, He was the offspring of David; that is, the everlasting King who will reign over every person who ever lived. All will bow the knee to Him and confess that He is Lord. We hope that you have your focus turned to Christ today.

Jesus Christ made it very clear that a person needed to be born again to have a relationship with God. We all had a physical birth, but we need a spiritual birth to enter into the realm of heaven where God is. The most famous conversation in the Bible about the new birth is the talk that Jesus had with a teacher of the Jews, Nicodemus. Jesus said, “You must be born again.” This week’s message takes up three basic and vital elements in any true conversion story – that is, for a person who has been born again 

Many still believe that God is against them and it’s easy for them to grumble and complain about their circumstances even when God had been good to them over and over again. This is exactly what the children of Israel did on their journey to the promised land so many years ago. For this ingratitude, God had venomous snakes invade the camp and many people were bitten; many died. 

But when they cried out for mercy, the Lord presented Moses with an unlikely remedy for their problem – he made a bronze serpent, placed it on a pole and showed it to all the people. Whoever looked at it was healed! This is a beautiful illustration of God’s way of salvation for us today.