May 23, 2010
The apostle Paul said the Gospel is foolishness to the dying but the power of God to saved believers. Alistair Begg applies this verse to unbelievers who need to see beyond any sentimentalism about their sin. Religious rules and even sacrifices cannot remove God’s divine judgment for human evil. Jesus’ death was the final sacrifice, and it divides people into two groups: rebels against Christ and devoted followers who believe in Him.
18For the word of the cross is bfolly to cthose who are perishing, but to us dwho are being saved it is ethe power of God.
11So, setting sail from Troas, we nmade a direct voyage to Samothrace, and the following day to Neapolis, 12and from there to oPhilippi, which is a leading city of the4 district of Macedonia and pa Roman colony. We remained in this city some days. 13And qon the Sabbath day we went outside the gate rto the riverside, where we supposed there was a place of prayer, and we ssat down and spoke to the women who had come together. 14One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, twho was a worshiper of God. The Lord uopened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. 15And after she was baptized, vand her household as well, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.” And she wprevailed upon us.
Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.