When you think of “sinners” who might be excluded from God’s kingdom, does anyone come to mind? If so, you may be entering dangerous territory. The Pharisees were certain of their own seat at God’s table, convinced that the tax collectors and prostitutes had no such place. But Jesus came precisely for the people the religious crowd wrote off. He welcomes the broken, the fallen, the forgotten with open arms the moment they repent and turn to Him. God’s grace reaches farther than our judgments, and we may be surprised by those who are on heaven’s guest list!

Are We Ashamed?
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As we trace the spread of the gospel through the book of acts, we learn that as it was preached it would cause two results; salvation for some who heard the message and persecution to those who brought the message. How is it that the Gospel can be considered “good news” if the people who share it are always getting beat up? So when Paul says that he’s not ashamed of the gospel, does he have in mind just the extrinsic fact of it, or the intrinsic effects of it on his own life?


