Have we devalued the Gospel? I'm sure it wasn't intentional, but have we packaged the Gospel into something so small that we can present it in 30 seconds? Have we reduced the Good News of the Lord Almighty to something that either ends with a prayer (completing the transaction) or emptiness and aggravation? We would never do something so profane on purpose, but is that what it has become?
Has the Gospel become a product that we are selling, like eternal life insurance? I truly hope not, but I can't help but wonder. The Gospel is so much bigger than a 30 second presentation that ends with an invitation to pray a prayer. Certainly there is a place for that, but is that all there is to it?!?
Think with me for just a moment. This world was created as a wonderful place for humans to live, love, and rule over. What an amazing creation that included us! Unfortunately it included our ability to reject God's best, God's plan for this world and for us. We certainly did that, not only in the past, but continually day by day we reject God and His plan. Praise God, He never gave up on His plan to plant His Kingdom on earth and to have us as His governors of His creation. He sent His only Son to this world to reconnect us to His plan, to His Kingdom. His sacrifice gives us the ability to reconcile with God and reclaim our place in His Kingdom. Daily we are invited to become Kingdom citizens and to begin the process of restoring this world to the greatness it was destined to have. The Kingdom of God is amazing already, but just imagine what it will be like in the fullness of time, when all things are created new and everything (including us) will be perfect!
As I try to wrap my mind around that Good News I realize that my job has never been to plant churches. How can I plant the "body of Christ" anyway? I realize that my job is to plant the Kingdom everywhere I go. Sometimes that comes in the form of words spoken to people, but other times that comes in the actions that I take while walking the aisles of Wal-Mart or driving to and from school each day. Sometimes planting the Kingdom comes simply from bringing the presence of the King into the darkness of the lives of those who don't know Him yet.
Let's reflect on the greatness of the Gospel and may we never reduce it to a formula or worse yet, a product that we are trying to sell someone, or to convince them to pray a prayer that will end all their worries and struggles. We owe that to them and to our King.
Blessings,
Shiloh
1 comment:
Hey Shiloh,
Don't you sometimes wish that we could be on the countryside hearing the sermon that Christ was giving in Matthew 5? So much of it is relational. I can't help but come away with a renewed impetus of living intentionally--like a walking sermon. To be a living sermon, a living sacrifice, a meek person, a servant.
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