Scripture Text: "The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) Acts: 10:36 (KJV)

What a Word! you may think today that the Gospel of Christ is about healing. You may think that the Gospel of Christ is about evangelism and baptism. You may be a televangelist who thinks that the Gospel of Christ is about the size of the crowd and whether or not people were so moved by the anointing on your life that they will purchase your books or tapes: I know I've been there. That's the way that many evangelists "make it" from one service to the next. Many people think they get some huge financial remuneration - plus expenses for coming to a city and preaching that Gospel, but that's not always the case. Many of them go into debt just to make it to the next booking. Why? Because God told them to.

But l want to talk about that word "preaching" here this morning.

That word "preaching", does not stand alone in the scriptures, It was the ministry and the commission of Our Lord to go forth and preach peace by Jesus Christ.

Now, I want to stop here and address this film producer who has come forward once again with his story that he has discovered what he believes "could be" the bones of Christ. Funny that He would discover such a thing - immediately following the BLOCKBUSTER HIT "The Divinci Codes" - especially since he discovered these same boxes back in the 90's. Of course the News media has picked it up and ruin with it, not because they want to denounce the Lord (man y of the do), but they do it because it makes for good copy. It keeps the ratings going. But what they're not all telling you, is that when asked how probable this film producer thought it was that these boxes were really the bones of Christ - he responded, "TWO MILLION TO ONE" adds against it. NOW THAT'S NOT VERY CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE IS IT?

But that's what we're facing in this day in which we live. Anyway that there can be division; any way that there can be scandal or denouncing of a man of God - or EVEN GOD HIMSELF . . . it's a big story. Why? Because it stirs things up. It sells Newspapers and brings higher ratings so that the Networks can charge more for their advertising. In a word - it's business!

But the business that Our Lord has for you and me is spelled out in the text for today.

"The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)"

Who in the world today wants to hear that? Well the Christian does! The sinner does! The person who is lost and just can't figure out up from down or right from left - he wants to hear that Jesus is Lord.

Our world is founded on heroes. Men and women who gave of themselves without reservation so that they might "make a difference". They weren't concerned with the frailties and shortcomings of others who would not stand the test, they were going to be the one to kick that door down and make a difference for the world. In many instances that meant war for a time, But that war brought about peace and freedom and a Nation under God here in this country.

But the problem today is - no body's preaching the Gospel anymore. Not the Gospel of Christ. In every circle we have Christian coming against Christian and child of God ridiculing another child of God. We have supposed Christian Sisters and brothers trash-talking the preachers and the teachers of the church and pushing aside the Word of God for the sound of a new voice; a more enlightened voice; a voice that doesn't meddle quite so much but "performs" flowery sermons complete with butterflies and blue skies. When Paul says that God sent the preaching of peace by the Gospel of Christ - he wasn't talking about any flowery, butterfly studded, blue-skies messages of utopia. He was speaking of the war against sin. He was speaking of the enmity between man and God and the end of that enmity through the blood of Christ, and he wasn't worried about no bones being found because he had meant with the resurrected Lord on the road to Damascus and he took the Murdering, Christian hating, Saul and made him into the "love slave"; a soldier of the cross; something a person of Jewish decent would never admit to had they not meant the Savior Himself. Paul had found the Peace of Christ and that road to Damascus and it literally changed his life.

Friend, we're not finished with this yet, and I will continue this on Monday, but do you Have peace in your Life? I received half a dozen emails yesterday alone from people who didn't know the peace that Jesus gives. The message of the Gospel of Christ is Peace, and we will continue this Monday - but for now let's pray.

Father: I'm tired of all of these heady, high-minded, false teachers bashing the truth of the Word. I'm tired of the Christians who have been long on the way - beginning to doubt because the evidence shown seems so compelling. Father - Satan made the apple a mighty compelling piece of fruit too. It had nothing to do with the flavor, and it had nothing to do with being hungry; it was all about doubting Your Word, and planting the seeds of doubt so that our first parents would sin against you. O Lord, let us see the devil for the menace that he is. Let us listen to our heart as we see that the devil is out for one purpose and that's to kill and destroy and people chosen by God to serve Him with all of their heart, with all of their soul and with all of their mind. Lead us not into temptation O Lord, but deliver us from Evil. For THINE is THE KINGDOM, THINE IS THE POWER AND THINE IS THE GLORY! Help us to learn that today, and to share the knowledge of that peace today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.