Join Us for Worship: Sundays at 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM https://www.flourishinggrace.org/plan-your-visit In this message, Pastor Benjer McVeigh draws an unforgettable connection between the 19th century physician Ignaz Semmelweis and the life-giving simplicity of the gospel. Semmelweis discovered that something as simple as washing hands drastically reduced mortality rates among mothers giving birth. Yet his peers rejected him, unwilling to admit the problem lay with their own practices. The truth was simple and effective, but it required humility to accept. In the same way, the good news of Jesus Christ is not complicated. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 5 that in Christ we are made new creations. Jesus took upon Himself our sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. This is not something we achieve through our own effort, wisdom, or strategies. It is not about our credentials, rituals, or personal performance. Just as the doctors of Semmelweis’s day could not save their patients by their own flawed methods, we cannot save ourselves through our own strength. The problem is within us, and the solution is found outside of us—through Jesus. Benjer reminds us that while our culture often insists that life can be fixed through self-help, techniques, or relentless striving, the gospel declares something radically different. All this is from God. It is His initiative, His grace, His gift. Jesus died so that you might live, not because of anything you have done, but because of what He has already accomplished. Paul himself knew this truth deeply. Once a fierce persecutor of Christians, Paul encountered the risen Christ and was transformed from an enemy of the gospel to its greatest messenger. His story reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, the new has come.” That promise is for all, no matter your past, no matter your brokenness. This sermon challenges us not only to recognize our need but also to embrace our new identity in Christ. Through Him, you are reconciled to God, restored to relationship with your Creator, and given a purpose as His ambassador. The moment you receive Jesus, you are not only forgiven but also entrusted with sharing the message of reconciliation with others. The invitation is simple: do not receive the grace of God in vain. To hear the truth and reject it is to miss the gift that brings true life. To accept it is to step into forgiveness, freedom, and purpose. Today can be the day when you cross from death to life, not because of your own worthiness but because of the righteousness of Jesus given to you. God’s grace is not flashy, nor is it complicated. It is a gift freely offered, but it requires humility to admit that the problem is in us and the solution is only in Christ. Just as Semmelweis’s discovery saved lives when doctors finally accepted it, the gospel saves when we receive Jesus by faith. Will you admit your need, lay down your efforts, and receive the life Jesus freely gives?