The gospel is news. News has to be announced, communicated, written, and delivered with words. Think of any major news story or event: the reporter doesn’t seek to act it out, but he just delivers the news.
This is why I find it so confusing when I hear people say: “We’re just trying to live the gospel” or “We’re trying to be the gospel.” There is of course the well-known quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, “Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words.” I’d argue that it’s always necessary to use words, because the gospel is news.
The gospel is the good news that God sent his perfect Son Jesus Christ to live, die, and resurrect on behalf of sinners, to save their souls and reconcile them to God.
As important as it is to do good works, care for the poor, nobody becomes a Christian and enters into eternal life because we gave somebody a sandwich; They get saved because they hear the preaching of the news of Jesus. Good works that adorn good news do not only earthly good but also eternal good.
Paul told Titus that good works have their proper place when they adorn the gospel: “… but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior” (Titus 2:10). But to be clear, neither Paul, Jesus, nor any of the apostles never tells us that good works are the gospel. The gospel is a message that must be preached, proclaimed, and told using words.
I talk to so many people who go to the church where I pastor, and they tell me, “I’m just being really friendly and helpful. They know I am a Christian and when the want to know they will ask me.”
I ask two questions “Did you get saved because someone was nice?” and “Did you conclude from their kindness that Jesus is God, you are a sinner, Jesus died for your sin and rose from the dead as King?” The answer of course is no. They will just think you are nice. And then continue to walk in darkness.
You are not the gospel; Jesus Christ is the gospel. You are not Jesus; Jesus is God. Therefore you cannot live or show the gospel: you must proclaim it.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Don't Be Weird
Weʼve all been there, the conversation is going fine – and somehow, someway the conversation turns to Jesus. While the conversation was on the last topic, you were fine, you were laughing, you were yourself, you were having fun… but suddenly when it turns to Jesus, you get weird. You get tongue-tied, cottonmouth, you start breathing heavy, you get very serious – almost cold. Any hint of joy is gone from your demeanor, and you begin to talk to them about the Greatest News Ever.
Do you see the contradiction? When talking about anything else youʼre fine. But when you talk about the Gospel, your demeanor betrays your message. The Apostle Peter instructs the early Christians in their conversations with those outside the faith, by saying, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15). Do you see what he said there? In your hearts, regard the Christ the Lord as holy; always be prepared to make a defense… always. We always need to be ready to talk about the hope that is in the gospel. You never know when the Holy Spirit is going to give you that moment. You need to be prepared. Usually that is the issue why you get weird; youʼre not prepared. Start by preaching the Gospel to yourself. Read passages about the Gospel. Listen to how your Pastor talks about the Gospel, and be ready. Even if you donʼt have all the answers to their questions, you can say something like “Iʼm not sure, Iʼll have to look into that.”
Donʼt get weird, donʼt get defensive, and donʼt get frustrated. If the Gospel is true, and of course we believe it is, then we should have no insecurities talking about it, just like we would talk about anything else that is true. This passage tells us Christ is Lord. The one with the power to draw people is the Lord of your conversations and interactions with those who donʼt believe the gospel. Relax.
Some of this purely comes down to reps. The more you talk about Jesus, the more comfortable you are going to be with these types of conversations. The Apostle Peter begins this instruction by saying, “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as Holy”. In your hearts, always lift up Christ, always submit the conversation to Him, and trust Him! Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you up. When you do it, “do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience (1 Peter 3:15-16). After the conversation is over, trust Jesus for the effects of the conversation. Ultimately you are the messenger of the Gospel, not the Message. God is the one who ultimately evangelizes them.
Do you see the contradiction? When talking about anything else youʼre fine. But when you talk about the Gospel, your demeanor betrays your message. The Apostle Peter instructs the early Christians in their conversations with those outside the faith, by saying, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you (1 Peter 3:15). Do you see what he said there? In your hearts, regard the Christ the Lord as holy; always be prepared to make a defense… always. We always need to be ready to talk about the hope that is in the gospel. You never know when the Holy Spirit is going to give you that moment. You need to be prepared. Usually that is the issue why you get weird; youʼre not prepared. Start by preaching the Gospel to yourself. Read passages about the Gospel. Listen to how your Pastor talks about the Gospel, and be ready. Even if you donʼt have all the answers to their questions, you can say something like “Iʼm not sure, Iʼll have to look into that.”
Donʼt get weird, donʼt get defensive, and donʼt get frustrated. If the Gospel is true, and of course we believe it is, then we should have no insecurities talking about it, just like we would talk about anything else that is true. This passage tells us Christ is Lord. The one with the power to draw people is the Lord of your conversations and interactions with those who donʼt believe the gospel. Relax.
Some of this purely comes down to reps. The more you talk about Jesus, the more comfortable you are going to be with these types of conversations. The Apostle Peter begins this instruction by saying, “In your hearts regard Christ the Lord as Holy”. In your hearts, always lift up Christ, always submit the conversation to Him, and trust Him! Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you up. When you do it, “do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience (1 Peter 3:15-16). After the conversation is over, trust Jesus for the effects of the conversation. Ultimately you are the messenger of the Gospel, not the Message. God is the one who ultimately evangelizes them.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
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