I’m not Ashamed of the Scandal

Written by: Andrew Friesen on July 7, 2009

Hundreds of millions of people around the world were listening to Pastor Lucious Smith as he prayed at Michael Jackson’s memorial service in Los Angeles “bless us and keep us with the love that which you kept Michael and we offer this prayer up to you in the glorious NAME OF JESUS our Lord amen.”  I felt goose bumps to hear him use the name of Jesus in his prayer.  Pastor Lucious believes in the scandal.  No, not the scandal in the tabloids.  I’m talking about the scandal of the message of Jesus.  

“but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block (or scandal) to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”  (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

The message of Jesus is a scandal.  Why?  Because when Jesus died on the cross 2000 years ago, God put all of your sins, and the sins of the whole world on Jesus.  God punished your sin once and for all in the body of Jesus Christ (1 John 2:2)  “And He Himself is the propitiation (means that God’s anger was satisfied) for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”  Hallelujah! The scandal is that God’s not angry!  Your sins have been paid for by Jesus.  Oh how the world needs to here this message!  This is what changes people.  I want to congratulate Pastor Lucious for not being ashamed of the name of Jesus!  You thoughts? -Andrew