Incoming GOOD NEWS Report – 20 May, 2022 A.D.

Weekend Gospel message to follow for All Hands (20-22MAY22)

Heads-Up — Please find enclosed encouragement in SO GREAT SALVATION by the perfect and finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ in saving poor, needy and wretched sinners by His sovereign free grace –Almighty God’s unmerited favor– from our sins and from Hell:

THE WORD OF THE CROSS

“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God” –I Corinthians 1:18 [KJV]

The natural man considers the preaching of salvation in, through and by Christ crucified, buried and risen again to be foolishness. The Holy Spirit tells us, however, in verse 24, that to those who are believing Christ, “it is the power of God and the wisdom of God.” We have not come together today to have a testimony meeting, a gospel singing, or a time of sharing. Instead, we have been gathered to hear a man proclaim the true character of God, our own sinfulness and the person and work of Christ who honored the divine requirements for our salvation and fully met our spiritual needs. Paul boldly declared, “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect” (verse 17).

Let it be understood that “preach” (verse 17) and “preaching” (verse 18) do not mean the same. “Preach” means to proclaim, to herald forth the truth. In that verse, Paul is saying, as one writer paraphrased, “the Savior did not commission me to be a baptizer but a gospelizer,” and the Apostle was faithful to carry out that commission. “But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (verse 23). “For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5).

While Paul was not ashamed to publicly set forth the good news of salvation in and by Christ Jesus (see Romans 1:16), “preaching,” as used in verse 18, is not heralding forth the message, but quite literally the message itself, that is, the word of the cross. Actually, the word translated as “preaching” is nearly identical to the glorious name given our Savior in John 1:1. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” 1 Cor. 1:18 is therefore saying, “For the word or the message of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” Notice the definite article before “preaching.” It is “the preaching (the word) of the cross.” There is only one word of the cross, which is another way of saying there is only one message, only one gospel! There is only one message of salvation, redemption and reconciliation; there cannot be two gospels any more than there can be two Saviors. This one message is “the preaching of the cross.” By “cross” Paul is not setting forth that piece of wood upon which the Savior died; it certainly held no superstitious value to him. Rather, by cross he intended the doctrine or the message of the crucifixion. “The preaching of the cross” then, is the word, the message or the “report” (see Isaiah 53:1) of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ, whose life measured up to all the precepts of God’s holy law and qualified Him to die as the Satisfier of all the demands of a holy God as well as the Savior and Substitute of His sinful people whose guilt merited death. “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

The gospel is the word of peace and reconciliation by the redeeming blood of Christ. This is the message of righteousness, pardon and satisfaction by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus upon the cross, once for all as the Savior of His people.

-preacher Jim Byrd

“Storm Warning: Prove All Things” is a fifteen-minute Gospel broadcast each Saturday via WWCR on World Band/Short-Wave radio at 9.350 MHz (9350 KHz) at 18:00 Hours (6 PM) U.S. Central Time. The goal is to exalt Christ JESUS; to encourage His people and to warn all hands to flee to Him immediately.

This can also be heard on-line by going to WWCR(dot)com a few minutes prior to the broadcast. Click on “Listen Online.” Then scroll down to transmitter “WWCR-2,” underneath that choose either Windows Media Player or MP3 player. Click “Play.” If the broadcast goes silent “Refresh” the page and click again the Play button.

The LORD JESUS be magnified!