Evangelism - Jeremiah's Vow

Lent 2023 | Day 36: The Gospel’s Perspective

One of the greatest enemies to Gospel proclamation is thinking that God will get back around to the person who crossed my path if I missed my chance.

Within various theological camps, the question of who can be saved and who will be saved can be quite contentious. Regardless of the system, arguments are made in order to do several things.

To safeguard the truth of Scripture
To teach what the Bible teaches
To honor the character and glory of God
To not teach false doctrine.
To not give false hope to those who hear the conversation.

These, and a few more I haven’t thought of, are given as justifications for the discussion around who God intended to be the beneficiaries of the Gospel. My goal in this reflection is not to argue for, against, or even with any of these systems. I just want to speak to a simpler realization.

The Gospel’s perspective on this issue is one we should reconsider. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he did not leave the disciples with a theological discourse. He did not provide them with a complicated set of rules they would have to obey. Jesus gave a simple directive. Go into the world, as you live your lives, and teach those who are willing to live as I have taught you to live. This is the essence of what we know as the Great Commission.

Jesus did not give the original disciples any indication of who they should go to. He did not give them any particular insights into who would make great candidates for the Gospel message. Jesus did not even give them any warnings of who they should avoid.

What Jesus did was give directions to make Gospel sharing and Gospel instruction a normal part of their faith journey. So, what does this mean as it relates to the Gospel’s perspective?

The simplest implication is that from the Gospel’s perspective, and therefore from our perspective, it does not matter what God is doing behind the scenes. The task in view of the world is to share the Gospel with anyone and everyone we encounter.

One of the greatest enemies of Gospel proclamation is thinking that God will get back around to the person who crossed my path if I missed my chance. This way of thinking fails to appreciate the call to service we have all received as disciples of Jesus. To look at the world and those who walk in it in this way is to justify our disobedience as trust in God’s love and mercy.

When our hearts become callous to the needs of a fallen world and those who are still lost within that same world, we reveal how little we truly understand the Gospel.

The call of Jesus to every disciple is to carry the good news as far and as wide as we can. To share it with anyone and everyone. Not because all will be convicted and converted. But to share it because we don’t know when or where God will use his servants and his Gospel to draw another soul unto Himself.

This is the perspective the Gospel takes. That it is not up to us to determine what God is doing, has done, or may do. The principal reality for which I will give an account to God is whether or not I was obedient to what he tasked me with doing. And as far as I can tell, the commands Jesus give to the original disciples are still in effect. Until they change, we should serve and assume as if they are the standing orders we must comply with.

Lent 2023 Series

Lent 2023 | Day 30: The Gospel’s Example

The Gospel is not merely a message of salvation. The Gospel is also a mandate for mission.

There comes a moment in our faith journey when a change takes place. It happens at different times for everyone, but it will happen. And when it does, we will feel a different level of responsibility for our own lives and witness.

The change I am referring to is the Gospel’s example.

When we first encounter the Gospel it is a call to repentance. A call to surrender our wills to that of the Father. The Gospel is extending a rope for rescue from the black hole of sin. This is the Gospel at the start.

But, if we accept the Gospel and its demands, we begin to experience a different pull. It is no longer simply a call to repent. Even though that is still present. But now there is a different impetus for action. While we were running to Jesus from sin, we are now running from fear and toward others.

This is the essence of the Great Commission. We are drawn to Jesus by the power of the Spirit, but then we are sent from Jesus with the Power of the Spirit. This shift is the natural and, dare I say, the expected trajectory of growth.

As we mature in our understanding of Jesus, we turn from his sacrifice to his life. As we begin to embody the gift of grace we have received, we turn to Jesus to help us better understand how we should now live. This is what we should be looking for.

This is why the Gospel is not merely a message of salvation. The Gospel is also a mandate for mission.

We have been saved so that we might become witnesses to others. Not just so they can look at us, but so that they might also become beneficiaries of God’s love and mercy.

The Gospel’s example is that it calls us to salvation and then sends us to be heralds.

This is not an accidental byproduct of the Gospel. This movement from sinner to saint, from lost to found, from stranger to sons and daughters is intentional. It was built into the plan of God for our redemption from the beginning!

Lent 2023 Series

Lent 2023 | Day 23: The Gospel’s Nobility

Every facet of the Gospel diamond adds both texture and value to the Good news. The longer I consider the Gospel, the more beautiful it becomes.

Jesus tells his disciple and his detractors that he did not come for the well, but for those who are sick.

This seems like an odd thing to say. But when we consider that only those who perceive their own need are likely to accept help, it makes more sense.

Every facet of the Gospel diamond adds both texture and value to the Good News. The longer I consider the Gospel, the more beautiful it becomes. Each face of it added another level of distinctiveness separating it from all other philosophies and doctrines of men.

In particular, the people who accepted the Gospel Jesus proclaimed and embodied were those whose need exceeded their access. They were most often the downtrodden, the outcast, and the forgotten. And it was to those in dire circumstances that Jesus declared the arrival of the kingdom of God. I have given this aspect of the Gospel the description of nobility.

The Gospel’s nobility is that it is never denied to anyone. Even those who occupy the lowliest stations in life are given access to the treasures of the kingdom. It does not matter how far you feel you have fallen, all may come. All have been invited to the banquet.

Let’s not take for granted this reality of the Gospel. Those who needed it most are the ones who reject what Jesus offered. And they did so believing they did not need the Gospel at all.

But those who knew they deserved it least, were the ones who found themselves being given entry. We know this is how they felt because many times we are shown how surprised they were at getting an audience with Jesus.

Even when he was tired, Jesus served the people. When it would take him away from what he was doing, Jesus would go. When he knew that the religious leaders would try and create confusion, Jesus still went and taught the people with authority.

The Gospel is a noble message because it bestows dignity on everyone. And this happens because in sharing it with everyone, God declares that all are eligible to have an eternal fellowship with Him.

Lent 2023 Series

Lent 2023 | Day 13: The Gospel’s Challenge, Pt 2

In the Gospel, there is built into it the expectation of growth. Like all seeds, the plant is hidden within it. And until it is planted, nothing will come of it.

The challenge we looked at yesterday was related to the internal confrontation the Gospel creates. Until and unless we accept the Gospel’s definition of reality regarding our sins, we will struggle to enjoy God’s promises.

The other challenge the Gospel offers is one related to action. To put it another way, this challenge is offered on the other side of salvation. Once we have accepted the work of Jesus for our sins, we are exposed to the mission the Gospel points to.

When Jesus ascended into heaven, he left instructions with his disciples. He told them to go into the whole world teaching whomever they found to obey Jesus’s commandments. These are simple instructions. However, they would require unwavering devotion to the message of redemption.

In the Gospel, there is built into it the expectation of growth. Like all seeds, the plant is hidden within it. And until it is planted, nothing will come of it.

The continued expansion of the kingdom of God requires our consistent proclamation of the Gospel. This does not mean everyone will become a preacher, evangelist, or teacher. At least not in a vocational sense. But everyone who has believed the Gospel has a duty to find ways of communicating what they have received with others.

We are all called to serve in the kingdom. And because we all are beneficiaries of the grace of God, we should cultivate the skills to share what we have received.

Now, I know that this sounds like too much to ask. But, it really isn’t. There are as many ways to communicate the Gospel as there are people in the world. Each of us has a unique life from which we can find a connection with others. We don’t all have to say the same words to be faithful heralds of the same message.

For too long, the responsibility of every believer to build up the courage to share their story of faith has been missed. At almost every turn, Jesus told the people he healed or ministered to not to say to others. But, the impact of what Jesus did was so great, most people ignored Jesus and shared about him anyway.

Consider what God has done for you. Think deeply about what it means to have been saved from a life of sin and restored to fellowship with God. If that is not enough motivation to at least share it with one other person, what are we really saying about the Gospel? About God and our salvation? About Jesus?

My purpose today is not to shame anyone. It is however a reminder that what God has done cannot be repaid. God has never and will never ask for that. So, framing this challenge in that way is neither fair nor appropriate.

We should be convicted about our role to participate in sharing the Gospel. Not in some legalistic way. But rather as an expression of our love and appreciation for what God has done for us. And what he is doing within us.

This is the Gospel’s other challenge. That we would do what Jesus said would be the task of all who claim his name.

Lent 2023 Series

Lent 2023 | Day 8: The Gospel’s Simplicity

The better we understand the fullness of the Gospel’s message, the greater our appreciation of its reality.

The Gospel’s Clarity and the Gospel’s Simplicity are related realities of the message of salvation. However, there is a distinction we should draw between these two ideas. The better we understand the fullness of the Gospel’s message, the greater our appreciation of its reality. Our thankfulness for God’s grace will deepen as our awareness of its fullness is increased.

I will provide here what I mean in trying to distinguish between clarity and simplicity. The difference between clarity and simplicity is that the former speaks to the ability of the hearer to understand what is being asked of them, while the latter points to how the obstacles to understanding are minimized. Therefore, as it relates to the Gospel’s Simplicity we are looking at what makes a hearer’s understanding more difficult.

This threshold of understanding is what makes the issue worthy of consideration. And because, in God’s mercy, he makes the Gospel simple, far more who hear it may believe. Whether they truly do trust in Jesus is a different matter. One beyond the purpose of this reflection. This is one of the reasons that no one will have an excuse when asked why they rejected the Son of God.

As I have thought about what this means, I came to the conclusion that it means access. Because the message of the Gospel does not require the ability to decipher complex logical, theological, and philosophical questions, it opens wide opportunities for those who can believe its promises.

We are not Hindrances to Evangelism

We should not take this lightly. There is a mission-critical implication of this. And it is two-sided as well.

The first side is that we should not keep the Gospel to ourselves. The fact that God has made the Gospel simple to understand and receive should increase our confidence to share it. Knowing that because of the nature of this glorious news we, as messengers, do not have to be experts to perform this task should inspire us.

Now, this does not mean that we cannot ever be a hindrance to others. If we are careless in our sharing, we can cause our hearers to struggle to grasp what we are saying. I am just pointing out that we do not have to be, or feel that we will be, a stumbling block to the hearer. If I take the message that saved me and share that, in just the same way it made sense to me, then there is greater hope for evangelism. Not less.

Anyone is a Candidate for Salvation

The second side is that we should not prejudge who will accept the message. Because the message is simple, far more people can have the opportunity to hear it and believe it. We don’t have to vet the lost. We don’t have to do some kind of spiritual background check. We don’t have to check credentials. All we have to do, all we are asked to do, is preach the Gospel. To go and give to others what we have received.

To put it another way, not only is the message clear enough for a child (as we saw in our previous discussion), it is simple enough for that same child to know that they have believed the right thing!

We may not always fully appreciate this, but it is a vital component of the Gospel. If we cannot know that we have truly believed the Gospel, our hope will invariably devolve into works for assurance. However, if I know that I have understood and accepted the message and its intended meaning and purpose, my confidence in God grows. My commitment to God is bolstered.

If we underestimate the effect of knowing that we know what we know, what we end up doing is undervaluing the power of the Gospel’s simplicity.

Lent 2023 Series

Lent 2023 | Day 4: The Gospel’s Focus

The Gospel is Simple

As the years have passed by, I have reflected more and more on what the Gospel is and what it is the answer to. The Gospel is a response to a specific issue in the God-human relationship. There are other things that could be discussed about the Christian faith, but those should be brought up after the Gospel has been shared and accepted. To do it earlier would confuse what the Gospel is and why it is needed. (A problem quite common in our day.)

Too often we think that all the content and ideas that we now know as part of the body of knowledge of the Christian faith must be also received and accepted in order to share the Gospel. This is not correct. All of the theology and concepts that make up orthodox belief are learned after faith in Christ. A faith in Christ that is initiated through an acceptance of the Gospel’s call to repentance.

The Question the Gospel Answers

So, what is the focus of the Gospel? It is to pinpoint the issue that is keeping any person from having a relationship with God.

And what is that issue? It is our sin.

The Gospel is God’s answer to the question of what is keeping me separated from God.

That’s it. The Gospel is not answering any questions about theological quandaries, social problems, or any other questions we might have about life in this world.

The Gospel tells us what needs to be addressed and how God has chosen to address that issue.

We Must Know the Gospel

Several weeks ago I spoke on the theme that would be the focus of this year. Our theme, like this series of reflections, is on knowing the Gospel. In order to be effective disciples we must become experts in the message that saves. If we are not, then we will be unable to effectively engage with the world around us.

Any deficiency in our understanding of the Gospel will find its way into how we think about God, ourselves, and others. When we do not have a firm grasp of what the Gospel is about, we can make it about almost anything. This is a danger to all involved.

It may not appear to be so, but the temptation to “help” the Gospel will increase over time. The singular problem with this drift is it reveals a presumption we have. It is the belief that we know how to best communicate to others what God has perfectly designed.

There are two specific effects of sin that the Gospel addresses as it answers the question of sin. We will look at them now.

Our Identity was contaminated

The first effect is that our identity was completely scrambled by sin. When Adam and Eve accepted the serpent’s version of what God had said, they lost their identity. They were made in the image of God. That means they were reflections of God, not copies of God.

Humanity is not, and was never supposed to be, gods. But, by accepting the serpent’s false promise they have up what they were. They were guardians and stewards of God’s creation. Entrusted with its care and authorized to enjoy its fruits. But when they accepted the possibility of being like God they could no longer enjoy the task they had been assigned.

And ever since then, we have been trying to refashion ourselves as if we were God. This is not only an impossible feat, it is a prospect only a fool would entertain.

Fellowship with others became adversarial

The second effect of sin is that our relationships with others became adversarial. We were not in competition with those around us.

We see this when Adam and Eve both blame someone else for their sin. But we also see it in what happened to the first sons born outside of the Garden. The older, out of jealousy, killed his brother. And then pretended not to know that he was in fact responsible to look out for his brother.

Both of these effects are the consequence of sin. And both of these are answered by the entrance of Jesus into the world. Through his life and example, Jesus begins to show us what a world without sin looks like. But he does it amongst sinners. Giving us hope that we too can someday, somehow do it as well.

Conclusion

The Gospel is God’s answer to the issue of sin. This is the focus of the message we have believed.

Everything else is what we learn as we continue to be thankful for God’s grace in Jesus.

Lent 2023 Series

Easter Sunday 2022 | “Go!”

Never forget the price that Jesus paid and the cost God incurred in order to bring about our salvation.

Happy Easter!

For the last 40 days we have been preparing to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The day has finally come.

I encourage you to do a couple things today. First, I encourage you to celebrate the goodness of God in making a way for our reconciliation with him. Never forget the price that Jesus paid and the cost God incurred in order to bring about our salvation. We can rejoice in all of this because God is good.

Second, I would encourage you to make an intentional effort in the coming week to share with someone why Easter matters. Not only that it matters to you as a follower of Jesus Christ, as important as that is. But how it matters to the one with whom you share the good news of the gospel.

One of the primary obligations we have as Christians is to tell the story of Jesus. I think what we often get wrong is we tell the story in a way that keeps us out of it. I believe that is a mistake.

If you have been saved by the precious blood of the Lamb of God then the story you tell IS your story as well. It is not your story because you did anything worthy of salvation. It is not your story because you have somehow impressed God with your newfound righteousness. It is your story because the one that Jesus saved was you!

So today enjoy the celebrations and the time of reflection. But tomorrow I invite you to go.

Go tell someone how grateful you are God has restored you to fellowship with him and with those whom you share fellowship with in your church.

Maybe that’s not something you’re comfortable doing. The truth is I’m not sure how many are. But if you are even a little bit thankful for God’s grace it is a discomfort worth enduring so someone else might also come to know what you know.

I am not saying be pushy or rude. Don’t try to “save” anyone. Just talk about this moment, this even, this reality that has impacted your life.

So go. Do not allow fear or doubt or uncertainty to keep you from going.

The Gospel & Race: A Conversation

Pastor Victor Scott, Executive Pastor of Ambassadors of Christ Ministries, and Pastor Drew Anderson, Lead Pastor of Sumter Chapel, will have an important conversation. They will focus on issues surrounding the Gospel and Race.

What is the Church’s role in addressing issues of race and injustice?
How do we declare the Gospel and stand with the disenfranchised?

Pastor Victor and Pastor Drew do not have all the answers, but they hope to continue to talk about these important issues and find meaningful ways to bring the Gospel to bear on them.

Lent 2020 | Day 38: “Message”

As a Christian, the message of salvation in Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Church’s identity. Without the Gospel, the reason for which the Church exists would fade away.

Whenever we fail to hold to the Gospel, we will inevitably find ourselves losing what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. One of the key elements of the Gospel is that it serves a steady and unchanging truth that grounds us in life. But especially in difficult times.

In this Holy Week, I would encourage you to look to the Cross, rehearse the message of the Gospel and rejoice in what God has done for you and me. We have been saved. We have been restored. We have been given eternal life. These precious gifts are not for our indulgence. They are reminders of God’s grace and Jesus’s sacrifice.

The Gospel is the most important message we can every carry with us and convey to others. We must do all we cant to get it out and to live it consistently in our lives.

Death 150 Yards Away

Late last year, a young man I’ve never met and of whom I know nothing about died in a car accident. The reason I’m even writing about it; the reason for bringing it up at all is that it happened yards from where I live.

From my vantage point, I knew that it was not a good situation. As the reports finally hit the news wire, it became clear that another life had ended far too soon. Sooner than he and his family and friends expected.

There were so many thoughts and emotions I had that night and even today as I write about it. Many of which you can imagine. But the one that lingers and hovers over them all is this: was he ready?

Not in the sense that he could have anticipated that that day would be his last day on earth. But more in the sense of what was his spiritual life like? Did he have someone who had shared the truth of the Gospel of life with him? The beautiful news that assures us that regardless of the seeming randomness of life, we can live in and with hope.

Was he ready? I don’t know. And in some ways, I am afraid to know. His death saddened me then and it saddens me now. But, it challenges me to do more to speak with those I encounter in my daily journey to consider Jesus and to trust in him.

I guess wondering if he was ready, really makes me wonder if I am ready. Ready to say and do what the Gospel demands and requires of me.

Reflection Prayer:

Almighty God, conform my heart and mind to your will, to be sensitive to the promptings of your Holy Spirit, that I may have eyes to see and ears to hear when you may need me to speak to a wandering soul the Gospel of salvation, in the name of your son Jesus Christ, Amen.