Better News Podcast

You may be out there listening today and think that it is an impossibility for you to be saved. You may think if you walk into a church lightning will strike you down. The good news is that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. No one deserves what Jesus did on the cross for them. Jesus died for everyone. He didn't just save the people from sin who weren't too bad seeming on the outside. He isn't picking and choosing, so now that you know make the choice to follow Jesus today.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

Today Pastor Ricky teaches that Jesus, as He taught, did two things over and over again. One, He abolished the additions to His law, like the cultural divide. And two, He raised the bar for what it meant to be holy. Jesus let them know that those laws weren't even in the Bible, to begin with. He taught that The Law was meant to reveal our hearts, to show us how holy the Lord is and our need for Him. Not to be a list of ceremonial laws. Even today we can create a divide like this among people.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

There are people who live as if God was part of creation but isn't around now. Like as if He started things off and now we're on our own, things will just work themselves out. Pastor Ricky teaches us through the miracles in the book of Acts that Jesus is here with us now. He is active in our lives and we're filled with His power right now. We don't have to do things alone in this life. Jesus overcame even death to have the victory so that we can live confidently in that victory all the days of our lives.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

Luke tells us in his gospel about Jesus taking on different forces and winning. In Acts these stories are similar. Jesus healing people shows that He has power over every realm. He takes on nature, spiritual forces, sickness, disease, and even death and wins. The story of Peter healing in Jesus’ name in the book of Acts shows that Jesus is still with us, that He still has the power. Pastor Ricky encourages us that even today Jesus is with us, and in power, we can have daily victories in this power.  

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

All people need to be restored to God. We're going to come up against people who seem impossible to save. Pastor Ricky points out that the passage about The Suffering Servant was put in the Bible for times like that, to show us all to have a heart that cares that everyone should come to Christ. Some people make us so angry, they mock us or mock Jesus but Jesus died for them too. He wants us to continue to love them regardless. If you win that soul for eternity your blessings will far outweigh the suffering.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

When we’re living in the world we can take on bad habits from the world. Separating ourselves into groups and subcultures, there are stigmas that go with any group. There's a class system that gets developed. The Samaritans coming to the Lord and becoming part of the fellowship of God shows us to break down those barriers. The Samaritans were thought of as lower than the Jews. The believers accepting them as just as good as they were, spoke volumes. Jesus died for us all, not just some.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

Have you ever been looked at disparagingly because of your race? Maybe walked into a place that you thought you didn't belong? Or maybe you have tattoos, or are watched when your shopping because you’re thought to be a thief? Pastor Ricky preaches the gospel to you and to me. He wants us to do the same. The gospel breaks down worldly dividers. The gospel changes things for everyone. We're no longer a certain race or group. We become sons and daughters of God. We’re family.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

During the early church, they had the same issues arise as we do. They had people with needs. They had widows, orphans, and handicapped people who couldn’t work and relied on the goodness of others for their sustenance. Just like today, there are millions of people that without humanitarian efforts would be dead. The lesson here in Acts, that Pastor Ricky is teaching on, is that the main thing needs to stay the main thing. The Gospel is to be preached first. 

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

Pastor Ricky likens our sharing Jesus to a balance scale. The scale has the other person, issue, or obstacle on one side, it's totally way down. But when we get on the counterbalance side alone, nothing happens, it barely budges. But we aren't alone. We have the power of Jesus on our side. He is on the scale with us and it's weighed down enough. This is what happens when you share Jesus. You may not know the words going in but the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom and power.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.

We get our power from Jesus. His name is where our power to share the gospel comes from. Pastor Ricky speaks about Peter being uneducated but having the power of Jesus. He stood before educated men and preached the Gospel in a way that blew them away. They spoke to each other saying that he was uneducated but the way he spoke about the Gospel made them see and believe there was a real change in him. That's what will bring people to Jesus around us, the change they see in us.

"Mighty Fortress" by Sovereign Grace Music, used with permission.