October 10, 2023 | Martin Luther – Day 36

 

“The real office of the apostles consists in exalting the glory and benefaction of Christ and thereby raising up and comforting troubled consciences.”

Martin Luther

 

 

An apostle is one who carries the Gospel of grace to the world. In doing so they not only share the Good News of salvation for all who believe, but they also glorify the means by which our salvation was made possible, Christ Jesus our Lord.

 

Martin Luther was especially moved by this act of unselfish sacrifice from Christ and would often recite Galatians 3:13 to emphasize the peace found within. It reads, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us – for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.”

 

He was struck by the lengths our Lord would go so that we might be free from sin and death. He appreciated the peace that our hearts could find knowing that, to make us free, our Lord took the curse of sin upon Himself, and he relished the comfort found in being the benefactor of God’s amazing grace.

 

As Christ’s new apostles in this world, we have the same good news to share. The message that God’s grace is still sufficient for salvation and His mercy extends to all who trust in Him as their Lord and Savior. We can share that we are free from the weight of the law because Christ came to fulfill the law. Now our hope can rest on the promises of God realized through His Son.

 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him” (John 3:16-17).

 

This message is too good to keep to ourselves. In a world that seems lost, it is the comforting message that there is a way towards salvation. People are looking for that emptiness within them that the world will never be able to fill. What they need to know is that this void can only be filled by knowing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

 

Today, share this incredible message of peace with someone who is searching for the answers the world could never provide for them. Be an Apostle sharing the Gospel of grace.

 

Our Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Son and help us to grasp the immensity of His meaning. Amen.