Calvary Hot Springs

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Your Works Matter to God, Romans 2

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“Romans Chapter-By-Chapter Series”

“He will render to each one according to his works.” – Roman 2:6

Your works matter to God. By this I mean that they matter to God with absolute objectivity and eternal consequence. We usually don’t evaluate behavior that way. We expect our children to behave, but we understand that they won’t all the time. Or we like our friends for their positive qualities but understand that they have some character flaws too. Or we overlook our own flaws but don’t consider them to be detrimental. “Everyone’s got some quirks,” we might say, “nobody’s perfect, not even me.”

God is not that way. He’s never overlooked anything. He has no quirks. He is, in fact, perfect.

Romans 2:5 predicts a future time when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. On that day “He will render to each one according to his works” (2:6). As judge, God will rule with perfect justice and with perfect knowledge. Even our words are recorded and will be brought as evidence (Matthew 12:36).

Let’s bring this truth closer. Note today’s date, the day you are reading this article. You have performed works, good and evil, TODAY that will appear before God on the day of his judgment. Nothing will slip by.

Paul’s purpose in Romans 2 is to expound the reality that God’s judgment will be impartial. There are no “privileged” people in God’s court. None who have bribed the judge. None with any blackmail leverage. None who run in His social circles. Verse 11 says, “God shows no partiality.”

The Jews of Paul’s day often thought that they were privileged. They stood in arrogant judgment against the Gentile people who lived around and among them. Their self-identity was wrapped up in their Jewish heritage. They relied on the law and boasted in God (2:17). They considered themselves to be “a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children” (2:19-20). Observe how these phrases set their perception of themselves up against their perception of others. Jews: guides, light, instructors, teacher – God’s chosen people. Gentiles: blind, darkness, foolish, children – stupid pagans.

The Jews had one, little problem: God shows no partiality.

True, the Jews were God’s chosen people, but Abraham’s DNA got them exactly NOWHERE before God. They had a good heritage, but their works damned them! God has never been bamboozled by ethnicity. He has no favorites. He’s never winked His eye at the sin of his friends. “You have no excuse, O man,” Paul says to those exalted Jews, “For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things” (2:1).

God doesn’t prioritize your ETHNICITY! For that matter, He isn’t impressed by your RELIGION either! While the Jews boasted in their heritage and in their religious behavior, they dishonored God and damaged His reputation because of their terrible behavior (2:23-24). The sign of their covenant was circumcision. Their bodies were literally different than the nations around them, but their hearts – and the behavior that came out of those hearts – were no different.

God, through Paul’s pen, exposes the problem before displaying the solution. True “circumcision” happens at the heart level (2:28-29). Outward religion and outward identity cannot save anyone from God’s wrath against sin. Cutting off a bit of skin is no substitute for carving the rottenness right out of the heart. Our works will condemn us is the day of God’s judgment unless something changes on the inside.

How is this to happen? Who can perform this spiritual heart surgery? Who can save us from God’s wrath against our works?

Let me assure you that you can’t do it yourself. Rambo may be able to sew his own stitches, but he can’t do heart surgery on himself. All sinners need inner transformation and verse 29 tells us “circumcision is a matter of the heart, BY THE SPIRIT.” God is the rescuer.

This is stunning! The beginning of Romans 2 taught us that our problem is God’s wrath against our works. We need to be saved from God. By the end of chapter 2, God Himself is the rescuer!

Wrath of God is Revealed, Romans 1:17-32

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“Romans Chapter-By-Chapter” Series

“The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who my their unrighteousness suppress the truth” Romans 1:18

There’s an old adage about evangelism that says, “You have to get a person lost before you can get them saved.” The point is not that the person is NOT lost but that they don’t KNOW they are lost. Therefore, the Good News of the gospel must be preceded by the Bad News that we are sinners and need to be saved. This exposure of our sin, as revealed in the Bible, is much worse than we might casually think. Most people have a general sense that they are imperfect. Many will even admit that those imperfections are sins. However, ask your average person who is not born again, and they will likely grade their own sin on a sliding scale. “Sure,” they may nod, “I’ve messed up. Made some mistakes. Everyone does! That’s just human. But I’m a generally good person overall.”  

But is a “generally good” person actually a good person? Not according to God! The problem is that this person’s standard is himself and the people around him and that is a slippery, subjective standard. Even convicted criminals in federal prisons have a “code” for those offenses that even they won’t tolerate in others. 

God’s Word is NOT a subjective standard. It demonstrates the true offensiveness of sin. The first three chapters of Romans build a case that mankind is far worse off than they think. In fact, I believe that even Christians can open their Bibles, read God’s righteous standards, be exposed to the true nature of their hearts, and end up with a better understanding of their pre-Christ hearts then they did when they were in that state personally. 

Paul intends to deal with Jews and Gentiles alike in exposing their sins. And he begins with broad principles that apply to all of humanity. Romans 1 argues that God’s wrath is already against humanity because of their unrighteousness. “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth” (1:18). There are two questions arising from this verse, and the rest of chapter 1, that I want to address. WHY is God’s wrath revealed against humanity? And, HOW is God’s wrath revealed? 

The answer to the “Why” question is that mankind has rebelled against God in every way. It is important to recognize that our sin against God is intertwined with our entire nature. Sin is not a disease that attacks us like a virus or a parasite. It is not something that we are tangled up in, like a miry bog or a spiderweb, and really wish we could avoid. Rather, it is part of our very nature. It is internal, not external. Our minds, wills, and emotions are set against God and our deeds are carried out in keeping with our sinful desires. 

In other words, as sinners, our problem is not ignorance but REBELLION! Verse 18 describes men as those who “suppress the truth.” Suppression of the truth implies knowledge of truth but then that truth is actively held at arm’s length and rejected. According to this chapter, there is no one who is innocent and wholly without information about God. Instead, God has revealed truth about Himself in the created order. Everyone in the world intuitively understands God’s “eternal power and divine nature” leaving them “without excuse” (1:20). And everyone understands that their sin deserves the judgment of God, yet they continue to practice and celebrate those sins (1:32). They know, but they suppress. 

Now to the “How” question. How is God’s wrath revealed? We will see later in chapter 2 that God will judge sin in “the day of wrath” (2:5) in the future. This is the wrath of God that most of us are familiar with. There is coming a day of judgment. Chapter 1, however, discusses a different manifestation of God’s wrath. It is marked out with the repeated phrase, “God gave them up.” This phrase appears three times in Romans chapter 1 (24, 26, 28). In verse 24, “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity.” Then in verse 26, “God gave them up to dishonorable passions.” Finally, in verse 28, “God gave them up to a debased mind.”  

The sobering truth is that God surrenders people to the natural consequences and nasty fallout of their sin. This action (or lack of action while we plunge ahead into sin ourselves) is a present manifestation of the wrath of God. God’s wrath against sinners is seen as they literally bring their own injury on themselves. Sin may look like it’s enjoyable, but to be left to your own passions is actually a horrible state. Every person and every society slides into this terrible state. There is no human advancement that can stop the horrible grip of sin, and the tendency is to give free reign to it. 

Romans chapter one is a breathtaking chapter. It indicts all of humanity in the strongest terms and leaves no wiggle room. It shows us to be worse sinners than we thought before. It shows that our sin is more than our behavior, it is our nature! The dilemma, again, is that our problem is not ignorance, but rebellion! We are desperately in need of some good news, that does more than just appeal to us as good news but changes our good-news-rejecting hearts so that we love the good news!

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so powerful (1:16), because it is JUST THAT SORT OF GOOD NEWS!

God powerfully uses the preached Gospel of Jesus Christ, not just to add a little more evidence and tip someone over the teeter-totter of belief, but to transform their sinful, rebellious heart!! 

The Power of God unto Salvation, Romans 1:16

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“Romans Chapter-By Chapter” Series

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” – Romans 1:16

Have you ever heard of the “Romans Road”? It’s a method of using a series of verses from the book of Romans to communicate the gospel to an unbeliever. The Romans Road is a useful evangelism tool. I remember as a teenager having the trail of verses linked together in my Bible and teaching others how to use the tool. It’s a valid and valuable way to explain the basics of salvation. However, Paul did not write the book of Romans primarily to address and persuade unbelievers. Rather, he wrote it to encourage and strengthen those who already believed. Which brings up a powerful point: The gospel is for believers! Yes, it’s for unbelievers, but no one ever outgrows their need to hear the gospel. The good news of the gospel provides eternal life and it also powers godly living. 

In the introduction of Romans, chapter 1:1-17, Paul writes, “to all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints” (Romans 1:7). The Bible teaches us that every person who has been born again is a “saint” and saints were Paul’s target audience. The verses continue on to commend the church in Rome for their godly testimony and express Paul’s heartfelt desire to be physically present with the saints and “be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Romans 1:12). This love for the faithful, roman saints, combined with Paul’s lifetime passion to preach to people of all nations causes him to express, “I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome” (Romans 1:15). Paul could not be clearer that even those who are already saved, and even faithfully walking with God, need to continue to hear the gospel. 

Why? Why is the gospel so important beyond salvation? Why does someone who is already saved need to hear the gospel? Why would Paul write the greatest epistle on the gospel to saved people? 

These are trick questions. Notice I used words like “salvation” and “saved” in the questions above. Nobody who is breathing is “beyond salvation.” Most of the time in Christianity when we say someone is “saved” we are looking backward to the moment when they initially trusted in Jesus and became a Christian. We see salvation as something in the past for Christians. However, in the Bible there are many uses of “saved” or “salvation.” There are three “tenses” of salvation from sin. Salvation has past, present, and future uses. Look at Ephesians 2:8, “For by grave you HAVE BEEN SAVED through faith.” This verse refers to what we commonly think of as “getting saved.” This salvation is associated with justification. It’s the salvation that takes a sinner who is an enemy of God and, in a moment, transforms him into a friend of God. Justification pardons a sinner and makes him righteous in God’s eyes. This is the past tense (for believers) of salvation. 

In addition to the past, there is a present tense of salvation. “I would remind you,” Paul says to the Christian brothers in 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, “of the gospel I preached to you, which you have received, in which you stand, and by which you ARE BEING SAVED.” I don’t know about you, but I am not perfect. God has saved me from my sin, but I still sin daily. However, God has provided salvation from that sin as well. Sanctification is the lifelong work of God making His saints more holy in their day-to-day lives. In fact, sanctification, saints, and holy are all related words in the Bible. So, we could restate the underlined sentence with a made-up word, Holy-fication is the lifelong work of God making His holy people more holy in their day-to-day lives. This sanctification happens by God’s power through His word. “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). This is the present tense of salvation. 

There is yet one more tense, and that is the future tense of salvation. Observe Romans 5:9, “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more SHALL WE BE SAVED by him from the wrath of God.” Believers in Christ will never face the wrath of God. They will be saved from it! Instead of wrath, they will enter eternal life with God (Romans 2:7). Heavenly salvation is yet to come and is often called glorification. Romans 8:30 guarantees that everyone who is justified is also glorified! When we are glorified in heaven (in the future), our behavior (our present sanctification) will match our righteous standing before God (past justification). This is the future tense of salvation. In these three ways, all saints are saved, being saved, and will be saved. 

Back to Romans 1:16. Paul explains that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” The gospel does not simply punch our ticket to heaven and leave us to our own devices. Rather, the gospel is what powers the Christian life from the point of conversion all the way to glory!  

We face eternity in our future. Eternity is often ignored, but it’s a BIG DEAL! Think about it: this life is short compared to eternity. Scripture calls it a vapor (James 4:14). We all know how long vapor lasts but eternity is forever. Eternity would be a frightening concept if it were unknown. But Scripture does not leave us blind to eternity. If you believe, you can be 100% confident that God’s power, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, will take you all the way to glory because the GOSPEL is the power of God unto salvation!

*Note: In case you’re curious about the Romans Road, the series is: Romans 3:23, 6:23, 5:8, 10:9, 10:13, 5:1, 8:38-39. You might find it useful to use this tool by simply writing the next reference in the chain before each verse (i.e. Mark Romans 3:23 as “Romans Road” and then write “6:23” to begin the trail to the next verse.

Imminent Judgment & The Gospel

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Thinking Out Loud

Understanding the book of Joshua requires the understanding that while the Lord fulfilled His promises to His people, He was concurrently fulfilling His righteous judgment upon the Canaanites. Both sides of the spectrum spectacularly exhibits God’s glory. His glory is demonstrated in His care for His people, and His glory is demonstrated in His judgment on the idolatrous people of the land. Honestly, I have never read or studied the book of Joshua and come away from it with the somberness I have in our current study on Sunday mornings. 

Of course, God is patient. Over 400 years earlier, He gave time for the iniquity of the Amorites to be complete (Gen. 15:16). But the time had come and it was clear that His wrath would not be thwarted. He commanded Israel that they were to utterly destroy them… make no covenant with them and show no favor to them. They were to devote them to complete destruction (Deut. 7:1-5). That phrase, devote to destruction is used six times in the book of Joshua, indicating an offering satisfying God’s wrath. The conquest of Jericho gives a snapshot of God’s judgment. There, they utterly destroyed everything in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox and sheep and donkey, with the edge of the sword (6:21). 

The truth is, it is much too easy to glance at such passages as though they describe the latest Netflix movie thriller. It’s so… sterile. But these are real life, flesh and blood people. People just like you and me pounding out a daily living. These are just like your friends and loved ones who are without Christ. These are people who not only faced God’s judgment in the physical realm, but who are facing His eternal wrath even until today.

The very fact that God’s holiness justifies and demands his righteous judgment on unbelieving mankind makes the entire matter quite sobering. The Lord IS patient… not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance… BUT THE DAY OF THE LORD WILL COME! (2 Pet. 3:9-10). There is a day of reckoning when God’s righteous judgment will come. Ponder on that for a bit!

If you know Christ, you know what makes the gospel such good news is that of His own volition, God extended His mercy toward you. Through Jesus’ sacrificial work for redemption, your sin has been forgiven and you have been reconciled to God. But many have not! They remain at enmity with God (Rom. 8:5-8). Any and all who are outside of Christ will justifiably face the fierce wrath of God. This includes real, flesh and blood people, many whom we know. But until He returns, there is still opportunity for men to turn to Christ.

Is it any wonder the Prophet Isaiah (and Paul) said, How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news! (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15)

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? …So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ. (Rom. 10:13–17)

I wonder if it shouldn’t be… that each time we, as true followers of Christ rejoice in the glorious gospel of Christ that we are also soberly reminded of God’s pending judgment to come… that the world’s only hope is the gospel… and that we are the Lord’s chosen means to proclaimed it.

Soli Deo Gloria!

My Ugly, Selfish Self… and the Gospel

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Thinking Out Loud

So our son and his family just moved to Hot Springs and are living with us until they find a place to live. It has been a joy beyond what Kellie or I ever imagined, and for this we thank the Lord. It’s been a few years since we’ve had young children in our home (three BOYS five years old and younger), so the “energy” they have has been a surprise. A pleasant surprise. I’m so thankful for parents who love their boys enough to lovingly and wisely deal with each drama with grace. It truly is amazing.

Observing the boys however, has been a bit revealing of my own heart and the bent of my flesh. It’s like looking in a mirror. At their age, these young men haven’t learned the “sophistication” of hiding their fleshly desires and motives like their Pops has. There is no facade. Their expectations, demands and motives are laid out in the open for all to see. And in seeing, I see my own heart, and it is both indicting and encouraging… because of Jesus. 

PLEASE KNOW that these boys are sweet boys who are well mannered and a joy to be around. The things I note below are realities, not just of little boys but rather of the human heart. Here are ten things regarding my sinful self which I am reminded…

  1. I tend to live my life as though the world revolves around me. Everyone and every thing is secondary to my needs.
  2. When I am hurt, the hurt doesn’t begin to feel better until I let others around me know how bad it hurts.
  3. I don’t like being told what to do… by anyone. Period!
  4. It seems easier to blame something or someone else than it is to take personal responsibility.
  5. Even though it’d be easier just to obey, resisting, procrastinating, complaining and excusing is my usual course of action.
  6. I operate on the premise that I know exactly how close to the line I can get before being chastened. Sometimes I’m wrong.
  7. Sometimes I behave differently when I think no one is watching.
  8. The world is a wonderland when everything is going my way.
  9. I have the uncanny ability to be selective with my hearing.
  10. I so much need Jesus!

The glorious truth is, the gospel not only saves us from eternal wrath to come, the gospel is in the process of saving us daily from the stronghold that sin has on us right now. None of us have yet attained behavioral holiness, but thanks be to God that His patience and grace sustains us and continues to sanctify us by His Spirit through His Word. 

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6

Soli Deo Gloria!

Worship Together, June 7

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Although we long for the day we can all gather together to worship and to fellowship with one another, now is not the time. Many of you are susceptible to the Corona virus or are concerned for someone with whom you are in contact. For this we are grateful. The word is that western South Dakota will likely see a spike in instances very soon and therefore, we must take extra precautions. Those who gather in person each week are making an effort to practice the CDC guidelines. If you are unable to attend in person, know that you are missed.

Take a few moments today to pray with one another (and for one another), to read the scriptures with one another, sing with one another and listen to the Word preached.

Worship in Music

He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. Colossians 1:13–18

HERE IS A LINK to a suggested music for worship.

(Note: The lyrics for “The Lord is King” are in a comment under the video)

Worship in Bible Study

Morning Study at 8:30

We will be working through Romans chapter 5 – A critical chapter for understanding how Christ justifies us through faith.

We do not publish the Zoom meeting information for our studies. However, you are more than welcome to come and join us. Call Isaac Stanley for information how to do so.

Ladies Study at 2:00

Topic: The Book of James

We do not publish the Zoom meeting information for our studies. However, you are more than welcome to come and join us. Call Isaac Stanley for information how you might join us.

Worship in Preaching

Take THIS LINK to our YouTube Channel from where you can select this morning’s message, “God’s Mercy toward His People.” The video will be available at 6:00 this morning. 

Have your Bible open to Joshua 10:40

Be sure to SUBSCRIBE to our YouTube Channel. This will keep you updated when we post new videos.

You can also access the audio and/or video files from our website: https://calvaryhs.org/resources/teachings/

Worship in Giving

Giving the firstfruits of our resources is a genuine form of worship, expressing thanksgiving for God’s blessing and dependance on His provision.
Missionaries are still  being supported and bills are still being to be paid. Here are a few options for giving of your tithes and offerings.

  • Mail a check made to: Calvary Baptist Church, PO Box 957, Hot Springs, SD 57747
  • Call Pastor Matt at (605) 890-1428 or Isaac at (805) 602-2990 to arrange to drop a check by the office.
  • FOLLOW THIS LINK to give online. It will take you to a secure site where you will be able to pay by CC or eCheck. 

I trust you continue to seek the Lord in the Scriptures each and every day and that you being creative as to how you might minister to one another… albeit from a distance. Continue to pray, which allows us to minister to one another… no matter where we are.
Brothers and sisters… love one another.
Pastor Matt

Double Visioned

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Thinking Out Loud

As people who are justified by faith, we see this present world with a double vision. On the one hand, we long and strive for a world where love and peace prevails and where injustices are few and far between. On the other hand, we know the world’s turmoil is sourced by sin and that the only eternal remedy is the gospel. So as Christians, we must be willing to apply a band-aid on the symptoms of sin while faithfully and diligently administering God’s remedy, the gospel. The gospel compels us to do so. It cannot be an either or. It must be both. But it must begin and end with the gospel.

When ministering in the world, having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel in mind lends to a proper perspective. It brings to the forefront God’s provision in Christ for the hurting. It gives greater meaning to meeting material needs than merely filling a belly or providing a warm bed. The gospel reminds us of God’s mercy toward us when we don’t deserve it. It reminds us of just how patient the Lord is with us in our numerous short comings. The gospel centers your focus on Christ and guards the motives of your heart. This is important because we are quick to take glory for what God has ultimately done. 

Above all, having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel in mind keeps before us what really matters. It keeps at the forefront man’s desperate need for a Savior, and it is from this position that true compassion flows within and through you. Having an understanding of, and beginning with the gospel makes you aware of opportunities the Lord may give to plant the seed of the gospel, to articulate its truths in grace. 

We, the recipients of God’s mercy are compelled to view the world with different eyes than that of the world. We know experientially what God has provided for us in Christ and the work He so faithfully continues to carry out in our lives.

The world’s problem is sin. It’s remedy is the gospel!

In times of national turmoil (and at all times), here are a few things that we would do well to put to practice immediately…

  • Pray… for those who are hurting, that the church would behave in wisdom and grace, that in your own heart, you will think biblically (pray before you speak or post on social media)
  • Act… take any and every opportunity the Lord provides to help make a difference where you live. You may not be able to impact the lives that are at the epicenter of turmoil, but you can make a difference right where you are. There is nothing unbiblical about working to make this world a better place to live.
  • Speak… pray for and take opportunity to speak the truth about God’s divine justice, satisfied for our sins in Christ’s death, so that in turn, He might be merciful to those come to Him in faith.

Suggested Book of the Month, May

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Reviewed by Isaac Stanley

Our recommended book of the month for May is Can We Trust the Gospels? by Peter J. Williams.

The goal of this book is to make a compelling case that the four gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – bear strong marks of authenticity even though they make claims about Jesus Christ that are remarkable. Peter Williams approaches this task by arguing that when all the evidence is considered, it is far simpler to accept that Jesus truly did and said the things contained in the Gospels then to try to rationalize and explain away the content of the Gospels.

The chapters of the book deal with topics such as…

“What Do Non-Christian Sources Say?” Did you know that there are records from ancient, non-christian historians who speak about Jesus?  

“Did the Gospel Authors Know Their Stuff?” Did you know that the Gospels refer to 26 specific towns, while the false gospels (Thomas, Judas, etc) mention 3 or 4?

“What about Contradictions?” Did you know that some things with the appearance of contradiction in the Bible were actually deliberately written that way in order to make the reader think about the underlying truths?

For believers, a book like Can We Trust the Gospels? provides a refreshing reminder that the Book that we trust so much has unmistakable evidence of authenticity and reliability. Also, this book may be a useful resource to give to an unbeliever in order to make them reflect more seriously on the claims of the Bible. Evidence supporting the Bible is not a substitute for the message of Good News, but it might provoke someone to look again at the hope that is found in Jesus Christ.