Ashamed or Unashamed, That is the Question

Grandgirl
2010ish



"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes..." (Romans 1:16)

My dear, college-level-creative-writing-instructor friend strongly advised me to eliminate chapter 10 from the soon-to-be-released Professor Sparrow and the Clear Creek History Mystery. He wrote:

"Chapter 10 is very powerful, yet it doesn't advance the central plot of the novel. As it exits—as beautifully as it is, and as strongly as it furthers the development of Mark's character—what would happen to the central thrust of the mystery/of the novel if chapter 10 were not here?"

Well, truthfully, nothing would happen to the central thrust of the mystery if chapter 10 were not there, however, the central purpose of this youth-fiction novel would be totally eliminated because chapter 10 presents the gospel of Jesus Christ. And what is the gospel of Christ? 

"Now I make known to you, beloved, the gospel...that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appears to Cephas [Peter], then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time...then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all, as one untimely born, He appeared to me [Paul] also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God." (1 Corinthians 15:3-9)

Yesterday marked the anniversary of Palm Sunday when Jesus triumphantly  rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. Thursday marks the anniversary of His arrest. Friday His crucifixion and death. This Sunday is the anniversary of Christ's victorious resurrection from the grave!!! Beloved, are you ashamed or unashamed of the gospel? Invite someone to church this week to hear the Good News of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ!