First-Time Faith

ALL – Psalm 25:12-22
ALL – Proverbs 20:16-18
OT – 2 Chronicles 32:1-33:13
NT – Romans 15:23-16:7

Interesting passage for the day: Greet my good friend Epaenetus. He was the very first person to become a Christian in Asia. – Romans 15:5b, The Living Bible

Thought: Isn’t it amazing that we know who the very first Christian was in Asia (Roman Asia, mind you, not the continent of Asia, necessarily)? What exciting times those must have been for the early believers, going to new places with good news that no one had ever heard!

As each generation passes away, opportunities like this keep being renewed. Missionaries around the world continue to encounter remote people who have never heard the gospel—the good news that Jesus died to save them from their sins, and that He rose again to offer them an eternal, untarnished life. Even here in Swanton, OH, there are people who do not know Jesus Christ, people who would be the first Christians in their families if they would put their hope in Him (at VBS last night, we had some children who did not know what the Bible is, and some who were very confused because they didn’t know what was expected of them during our prayer time).

Christianity is always one generation from extinction. Fortunately, we have Jesus’ promise, “I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” Many people are still waiting to hear the good news for the first time—and when they receive it, it will be just as transforming as it was for Epaenetus, the first believer in Asia. Sharing the gospel is still a history-making enterprise—it makes history for each new person to receive Jesus Christ as Lord.

Question: Who was the first person you led to the Lord? How many people do you know for whom turning to Jesus would be a first-time experience in their lives?

To review the Bible reading plan options, please visit http://tinyurl.com/yj2o7jz.