Sometimes I just want to jump and scream, “Where is the gospel?” Gospel means good news and as a Christian the deeper meaning is the good news of Christ. However, sometimes when you listen to us preach, teach, and speak the gospel is lost. I lean to the realist side of things most of the time. I understand that even in the life of a follower of Jesus not everything can be going well and sometimes nothing is going well. However, when we speak to an audience on behalf of God we need to speak a gospel message. Our messages as Christians have become ones of politics, moral values, dangers of sin, and the determination of the human spirit. While all of these and more that I didn’t mention have their place in Christianity they are not the gospel message. As I listen to preachers I am constantly being aware of their gospel message. Sadly enough sometimes there is more glory given to Satan than to God. This is dangerous! This is sin! Jesus came to seek and save everyone. We are all lost and poor without Him. We have our fullest living when we walk the journey with Jesus and fellow believers. God is redeeming his people and his land. God is extending grace! God is using the righteous for His kingdom’s sake. God is using our weaknesses to become his strength! Jesus is living inside us as we press for social justices. Jesus is living inside us when we study the Bible not to prove all others wrong, but to enrich our lives and draw from his power. Jesus is living inside us as we worship him in corporate groups and through our every day activities. Jesus is living inside us as we acknowledge God, our need for him, and our need to live out beatitudinal, Spirit fruit lives. Holy Spirit is linking all believers together. Holy Spirit is driving us to non-Christians. Holy Spirit is unmasking our own sinfulness so we come clean before God. Holy Spirit is gifting us so we can live under God’s reign. Holy Spirit is drawing us into real community. The church is offering hospitality. The church is offering worship and Holy environments. The church is building unity together through all different parts doing their work. The church is breaking down walls of hostility. The church is forgiving. The church is imperfectly journeying together to share God’s rule and reign against evil and sin inviting all a place to belong.
These are just a few of our gospel messages! These aren’t things we wish would happen, but the things that truly exist. We need to raise up a generation that knows that the gospel overcomes the gates of Hades and becomes an offense to break out the kingdom. We not only speak the gospel, but in essence we are the gospel!
Q: Where is the gospel?
A: All around us, All through us, All within us!
When we live, breathe, embrace the gospel, we then will not be able to stop its permeating power as it exudes and flows from our very being. Jesus incarnate will flow to all we know and meet!
-Mercer
candy Said:
on October 26, 2008 at 8:46 am
YES!! Michael, I could not agree more! I’ve heard it said that we carry Christ within us and Holy Spirit’s power that raised Christ from the dead and because of that whenever we walk into a room the atmosphere changes. There is a shift. If we really belived that and lived like we did, the world would be a different place. We would radiate the GOOD NEWS and people would be coming up to us to find out what it is that makes us different. That is exactly who I want to be.