The Gospel – the message about Jesus as King – can be stated in many, many ways. At best, what we often hear are just short summaries – small snippets – of different aspects of the Gospel.
But the truth is, despite being easy to understand1If it doesn’t make sense to you, it means you have not been born again…don’t worry, it is not your fault. When a human is born, they are born in sin, they are spiritually dead, blind and under God’s wrath. However, once the Holy Spirit awakens a person, the Gospel, that they could not wrap their head around before, just makes total sense. They will often wonder how they didn’t understand before! , the Gospel is incredibly complex, unbelievably powerful and incomprehensibly large. Oh, and it is Eternal!
In a million years from now, those who are saved will still be amazed, humbled, empowered and driven by the Gospel.
Simple enough for a child to recite, amazing enough to captivate the most distracted, intellectual enough to engage the smartest mind, powerful enough to convert the most wicked heart, personal enough to soften the worst sceptic, big enough to fill the fullest life, timeless enough to last an eternity!
Simple:
God Created humans in a system governed by laws.
People broke the laws, the consequence is death.
Jesus came to earth as a man and paid our fine by dying on the cross.
He is coming back for those who love Him.
Although the concepts of sin, redemption and propitiation are deep and complex, the Gospel makes sense to the child like of faith. 2 “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” – (Jesus) Matthew 18:3-4 (NLT)
Personal:
All through scripture, we see God personally involved with people and their problems. So many times, He invades their world and helps them.
For some, it is a huge revelation or epiphany – for others it is a subtle and non visible realisation – but the same is true for all: they *know* that God has revealed Himself to them.
Despite the intellectual hang ups or issues, they have an inner knowing that the Creator cares for them individually.
Amazing:
No matter how distracted a soul is with the ‘good’ things of life: drugs, alcohol, success, sex, money, charity etc, The Gospel is far more captivating to those God awakens.
Even though the sin-filled life can be very entertaining and seem rewarding, once the truth of the Gospel has hit home, we can see how empty everything else is!
Intellectual:
The smartest minds, the wisest teachers, the astute scholars – they are all enthralled by the complexity and the intricacies of the Gospel.
Whether it is the original languages, the archeology, the history, textual criticism, the theology, the concepts – it is all incredibly clever.
Sometimes it is mind-blowing!
Powerful:
Even though each and every sin is even in its’ effect on the person before God 3i.e. breaking any of them leaves the perpetrator condemned to hell, some people have a large amount of sins that need to be cleansed.
No problems – the power of the blood of Jesus is immeasurable! Jesus Himself said:
“Those who are forgiven much, love much”
Being in this category, I can say firsthand: being forgiven of much sin is incredibly powerful.
Big:
We could meditate and dwell on the Gospel 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for our whole lives and not get bored. In fact, God commands us to deliberately fill our lives with the Gospel:
Timeless:
The Gospel was in action right from Adam and Eve, to Cain and Abel, to Noah, to Elijah, to Gideon, to Jesus and Paul and the rest of the Biblical time frame.
Before Jesus arrived on earth, the Gospel was in effect. While Jesus was on earth, the Gospel was in action. While Jesus is in Heaven, the Gospel is at work. When Jesus returns, the Gospel will be in control.
We will *know* the Gospel when we die & go to the Fathers house (Heaven), yet we will still still find it just as exciting, just as captivating: just like the angels. After a million years of expanding on it, we will still know nothing of what there is to know of the Gospel.
Lord, have Your way through Your Gospel…may we submit to it, line up with it, live by it and share it. All the time. Captivate us and Empower us as we share the only message that saves.
Footnotes:
- 1If it doesn’t make sense to you, it means you have not been born again…don’t worry, it is not your fault. When a human is born, they are born in sin, they are spiritually dead, blind and under God’s wrath. However, once the Holy Spirit awakens a person, the Gospel, that they could not wrap their head around before, just makes total sense. They will often wonder how they didn’t understand before!
- 2“I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” – (Jesus) Matthew 18:3-4 (NLT)
- 3i.e. breaking any of them leaves the perpetrator condemned to hell