The power of a single verse

Over the past several weeks we have been digging into the Apostle Peter's first epistle. This has been a real blessing for me and for the others at Grace Baptist. Today we studied 1st Peter 3:11-18 and for me the verse that really impacted me was the first part of verse 18 which reads, "For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God." How absolutely powerful! As I told the congregation, in that first part of verse 18 we have the gospel. Peter had encouraged his readers in verse 15 of the same chapter to be always ready to present a defense of their faith (also known as apologetics). One does not need to be a theologian, a pastor, nor a missionary to share the gospel. One only needs to know that God is holy, all men have sinned, and that Christ died in our place on the cross and that through faith in Him we can be reconciled to God the Father. Praise be to the Name of Jesus!
Would you please pray for us as a congregation, that we would humbly, reverently, and lovingly share this life-saving and life-giving message with those in our community. And that the Holy Spirit would work through the Word to draw men and women, boys and girls into a relationship with the One True God.
I am so thankful in this day for 1st Peter 3:18. I am thankful that it is true and as a result I am thankful that God the Father has reconciled me unto Himself through His Son Jesus Christ. Lord, I lift your Name on high!