Easter: A Good Time to Re-think the Gospel
Many Christians do not realize how central the resurrection is to the Christian faith and message. The Christian message is often summarized by the word “gospel”, literally, good news. Paul claims that the basics of the gospel are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). This gospel message saves us, must be constantly remembered, and must be shared. There are at least 91 New Testament occurrences of the word gospel. There are many more references to the events of the Passion Week–the suffering, crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. A casual reading of the early chapters of Acts suggests that the fundamental message preached by the early church was the gospel. This message of fulfillment, promise, and power was communicated and confirmed by Old Testament prophecy and the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit.
This gospel message saves us, must be constantly remembered, and must be shared.
Paul describes initiation into the Christian faith as participation in the gospel of Jesus (Romans 6:1-6), baptism into the death of Jesus so that participation in his resurrection is assured. I am thrilled during the Easter season that so many people are reminded of the centrality of the resurrection of Jesus, and celebrate the importance of the resurrection of Jesus as the crowning truth of the gospel. Indeed, Paul affirms that without the resurrection, little remains but misery and a pitiful existence (1 Corinthians 15). But mere celebration of the resurrection of Jesus is not God’s ultimate goal for his human creation. Personal participation in the resurrection is God’s intent. What does it mean to participate in the resurrection as Paul describes it in Romans 6? At least two answers are possible. First, you and I experience new life in Christ as we are baptized and the “old man” of sin is destroyed so that a new person comes forth. This may also be what Paul has in mind in using the phrase, washing of regeneration (Titus 3:5). Second, our hope of participation in the ultimate resurrection at the end of time is tied to our participation in the death and burial of Jesus in the initiation of immersion.
Let us continually celebrate the good news of Jesus…
I am glad for the desire of many to celebrate the resurrection. Let us continually celebrate the good news of Jesus, the gospel, which is the story of his love demonstrated at the cross–his death, burial and resurrection. Our baptism into Christ is evidence of our participation in the gospel, and marks his presence in us and our life in him. Changed lives are the result, and thus evidence that we are participants in the gospel. ︎Hope for participation in resurrection to enter the presence of Jesus is connected to our participation in the gospel. At this season, may you let the message of Resurrection lead you to faith, obedience, newness, and hope. If Christians are those who are like Christ, the connection between the experience of Jesus (the gospel) and our own experience as we imitate him in death, burial, and resurrection must not be overlooked.
Earth Shaking Boldness
Arrested. Released. Arrested. Released. That’s pretty much the pattern Jesus’ followers experienced as they shared the message of Christ with the world around them during the first few months of Christianity’s existence. The early believers had amazing boldness and courage—sharing the message of Christ without regard for personal consequences such as jail. We can take a cue from them as we seek to share the message of Christ with the people around us, and with the school year coming to a close, now is not the time to leave things unsaid or to be hesitant in sharing what the gospel has done for you. Some of the most noted gospel boldness takes place in the Book of Acts. In fact, Acts 4:23-31 records a prayer party that broke out just after Peter and John were released from jail. This party brought immediate results (and probably disturbed the neighbors), so let’s see what the people did. How did the people praise God? What requests did they make? What results did they experience?
The early believers had amazing boldness and courage—sharing the message of Christ without regard for personal consequences such as jail.
You might think of Bible people as naturally bold and courageous, but courage didn’t come as easily for them as you might think. As you just saw, they prayed for it! Take a moment to write a prayer requesting boldness and fearlessness in talking about Christ with your friends. Follow the pattern of the prayer in Acts 4: Start with praising God, then move to bold requests. You also may want to incorporate the encouragement from the verses below regarding boldness with the gospel. Mark 8:34-38; Romans 1:15-16; 2 Timothy 1:8-12
Requests for courage and boldness in sharing the gospel always will be answered yes by God. You can count on God to increase your confidence and wisdom. Close your time by thinking of specific situations in which you can encourage friends with the message of the gospel. Your encouragement might simply be in the form of the promise: I will pray for you. Then follow through with praying. In fact, make it Acts 4 type praying.
Requests for courage and boldness in sharing the gospel always will be answered yes by God.
Below are some potential situations people around you might be experiencing. Write down any names that come to mind with each situation, and then look for opportunities in the next few days to share and pray boldly. Stay available and open for how God might want to use you in each situation. The believers in Acts 4 felt the earth move. God might have something similar in store for you. Friends who are hurting from loss or heartache. Friends who are sick. Friends who are stressed. Friends who are depressed. Friends who are lonely. Friends who are experiencing challenges in their family.
Becoming like Christ: The Disciplines of Discipleship
Since the word Christian may be defined as meaning “like Christ,” one way of summarizing the challenge of the Christian life is to say we must “become like Christ.” If a Christian is defined as one who is like Christ, the goal of every serious Christian is to become like Jesus. The disciple becomes like the Teacher. Jesus said that it is enough for the disciple to become like the master (Luke 6:40). What does it mean that we are being transformed into his image? (2 Cor. 3:16-18) What does it mean to be conformed to the image of Christ? (Rom. 8:29) What do we look like when Christ is formed in us? (Gal. 4:19) Many explanations have been given, but one of the simplest responses is that we imitate him.
If a Christian is defined as one who is like Christ, the goal of every serious Christian is to become like Jesus.
Carrying a cross requires discipline. Jesus taught his disciples about the necessity of counting the cost and taking up their crosses. By example, Jesus taught us the necessity of discipline in his forty days in the desert, in his commitment of the early morning hours to prayer, and ultimately by fulfilling the will of the Father on the cross. Fasting and prayer focused his life on God. In temptation, he found strength in the word of God. Fasting was not so much the source of temptation (a conclusion we may tend to draw in our contemporary world) as it was the strength for overcoming temptation. Extended nights and early mornings of prayer and solitude powered his marketplace ministry as he sought to serve and not to be served. The fortitude to face the cross was fashioned in Gethsemane prayer.
Let us make one of our 2019 goals that we will become more like Jesus!
Many who have confessed Christ want to take up their cross and follow him, but do not know the first thing about the practical disciplines of discipleship. The center of discipleship is Christ-likeness. Disciples become like Jesus. Spiritual disciplines understood and incorporated into the life a Christian will help move the new Christian, and the tired Christian, back to a life centered on Christ. Typical lists of spiritual disciplines can be quite long, but let me encourage you to begin by identifying a limited number of projects, activities, and exercises that you can incorporate into your Christian walk. Incorporate those spiritual disciplines that have life-changing power into the rhythms of your daily life.
As the New Year begins, a short list of spiritual disciplines might include a weekly (at a minimum) time of Bible reading, prayer, solitary meditation, shared discussion with a spouse, family or other Christians, private worship, and a service project. One might develop a spiritual rhythm wherein these six areas are rotated Monday through Saturday, with Sunday devoted to assembly and worship with the faith community. Let us make one of our 2019 goals that we will become more like Jesus!
BOLD in the New Year
It’s that time of Year, for New Year’s Resolutions. Let me suggest four spiritual resolutions that can revolutionize our lives. Be BOLD. I feel intense admiration when I read about the courage of the early Christians. I long to understand how one boldly proclaims faith in a hostile world. Why are some Christians bold while others are timid? While one must avoid the temptation for a quick fix, four characteristics are essential if we are to be bold Christians. The acrostic is a helpful memory tool.
- Believe. Boldness is a function of a deep, abiding belief in God. We will never be bold until we settle the question of faith. Upon what or whom do we depend? What matters more to us than anything else? What is the foundation of our world view? What is our beginning point? What are our orienting concepts? This is our belief system, and any person (Christian or non- Christian) who is bold has settled the belief question. This is what is worth standing up for. This is what really matters.Our lack of boldness may be due to a lack of biblical faith. Faith is more than intellectual assent to a few truths. Faith is the foundation of life.
- Obey. There may be a better word to describe this second factor, but obedience is the result. Boldness depends upon the depth of your relationship with God. What is your attitude toward God? Do you hear him, listen to him, and talk with him? Ours is a communicating God. Ours is a personal God.Genuine obedience does not come from duty and distant, dry words that must be obeyed. The kind of pliable, moldable Christian I am describing acts out of relationship and desire to be like God.
Faith is more than intellectual assent to a few truths. Faith is the foundation of life.
- Love. Certainly, it is true that we will love God; that truth is included in obedience. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Now we are thinking about our horizontal relationships. People are bold for one another. We commit to taking the same kind of love that has blessed our lives and spreading it into this world. We love others because we have been loved.
- Be a Disciple. This is an internal question. This is who I am. This is my relationship with myself. I have decided. I am willing to dedicate myself. I am determined. I will follow. I am a learner following a teacher. I have decided to follow Jesus. I am set for the defense of the gospel. There are a whole host of “D” words that may come to mind, but the one I choose to use as a summary is disciple.
May God help us grow in our belief, obedience, love, and discipleship. May we be bold as we live transformed lives in the kingdom!
Living an Authentic Life
Most of us don’t set out to be liars; we don’t wake up and ask, “How am I going to lie today?” We are much more subtle and nuanced. Sometimes lying just sort of creeps into our decisions.
“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Col. 3:9-10).
Lying is certainly a big deal to God. Bearing false witness is number nine in the Ten Commandments and God gave instructions about lying and falsehood throughout Scripture. In fact, there is a special shout out—and consequence—to those who “love and practice falsehood” in the last chapter of the Bible. God, however, is not concerned with us simply telling lies. He desires that we live authentic, genuine lives. The short passages below give us a clue about the truthful nature we are to embody. As you read the passages, notice what they say about falsehood, truth and lying. “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Eph. 4:25). “Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator” (Col. 3:9-10).
“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Eph. 4:25)
Both of these passages are part of letters that were written to believers—followers of Christ. Ephesians opens with a greeting of: “To God’s holy people in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus.” Colossians opens with: “To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ.” These first readers were holy. They were faithful in Christ. Yet, they still were instructed to speak truthfully and not lie. It’s not the overt lying that we have to worry about. It’s the subtle falsehoods that creep in, frequently out of selfishness and fear. These might show up in our lives as: harboring secret habits; wearing masks (projecting to be something we are not); hiding our hurts; withholding truth; thinking one thing and doing another. The English word pseudo comes from the Greek word (the language of the New Testament) that we translate falsehood. You probably recognize pseudo as meaning “fake” or “pretend.” When the first readers of Colossians and Ephesians heard this word, they would have understood it to describe “something that is not what it seems to be.”
Are you what you seem to be?
So here is the hard question: Are you what you seem to be? This leads to a follow-up question: What needs to change in you so that you are what you seem to be?
The Church Must Escape Religion and Recover Discipleship
The church has one message — the gospel of Jesus Christ! The church has two tasks, both of which are God-given. The church must actively pursue God’s eternal purpose of seeking and saving people — evangelism. The church must actively pursue God’s eternal purpose through teaching that keeps the saved saved — discipleship.
Keeping our eyes on these two tasks will guard against the tendency to let our discipleship disintegrate into just another religion. However, many Christians do not recognize the difference between religion and following Jesus as a disciple. The word religion literally means “connect again” or “reconnect” (re = again, lig = to bind, as in our word ligament). In a simple definition, religion is the effort that a person makes to approach God. In practice, religion has become burdened by a number of practices that have little to do with approaching God, being saved, or staying saved. In western culture, religion is very closely tied to “going to church.” Biblical Christianity is unique because the focus is on discipleship — becoming a Christ follower. “Go and make disciples….” Christianity does not depend on our efforts to approach God; Christianity is based on God coming to us through the person of his Son Jesus.
Biblical Christianity is unique because the focus is on discipleship — becoming a Christ follower. “Go and make disciples….”
John 4 tells the story of a woman whom Jesus encountered at a well in Samaria. She was a religious woman; she was also a sinner. When she talked about how and where to approach God, Jesus raised the conversation to a higher level. We are spiritual beings, even as our heavenly Father is spirit. God is spirit and he desires spiritual worship. Jesus says the Father is looking for worshipers who adore him in spirit and truth. The Father wants to connect with us, even as we seek to connect with him. Religion is often measured in externals; following God and connecting with God is internal. Many who visit our church assemblies or small groups are not much different than the woman in John 4. We must learn about the circumstances of those who show interest in spiritual things and do all we can to understand their needs and their desire to draw near to God. We must help them move from a religious perspective to a discipleship perspective. One place the church needs to do this more effectively is in our gatherings.
Religion is often measured in externals; following God and connecting with God is internal.
One way we connect with God and with one another is in our worship. The Christian assembly empowers the church through four dynamics. Our meetings should always include a reminder of our common faith — what it is that binds us together as followers of Jesus. Sharing faith will serve both to evangelize those who are in various stages of faith development and to disciple those who are committed to becoming Christ- followers (disciples). Third, the Christian assembly is a time of sharing our lives. With the modern tendency to institutionalize the church and in larger churches, this aspect of our assemblies is often difficult. Where is the intentional sharing and social interaction in the typical church assembly? The need for Christians to share their lives intimately is one reason small groups are essential in the contemporary church, especially in the US culture. The fourth element of Christian gatherings is gratitude and praise. Each of these four dynamics is important. Each of these four should be the goal of every person who leads worship. Each of these four — evangelism, discipleship, sharing, and praise — can be a part of each worship activity. Said another way: the assembly is not only for worship, it is also a place for evangelizing, discipling, and sharing. The small group must not focus exclusively on discipling, it must include all four dynamics. The evangelistic Bible study will be more effective when it includes all four dynamics.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone and 5 minutes later you can’t remember what in the world the conversation was about?
If that has happened to you, and it has most definitely happened to me, then it is probably safe to say that the conversation was about nothing. Our conversations can be made up of a bunch of talk and “nothingness.” This same nothingness can play out in our prayer lives too. We pray elementary prayers such as “bless this food” or “thank you for this day,” but there is no meaning or emotion behind these words. This pattern of prayer is stagnant and it is stunting our prayer lives and the prayer lives of those around us. As we unpack what a prayer life looks like and all that it entails, let us purpose to grow in the power of prayer, understand the posture of prayer, and let us re-learn what a prayer life looks like and how to demonstrate that to our students.
Throughout the Bible, God uses prayer as a means to powerfully connect with His people.
Let’s start off by asking the question, “What is prayer?” Well, to put it simply, prayer is our communication with God through the Holy Spirit, as He speaks to us through His Word. But prayer is more than a simple way of communication; it is a powerful tool that can cultivate your spiritual life.
Prayer should not be an effortless part of our lives, it should be viewed as a major tool to grow, cultivate, & establish our relationship with God.
Throughout the Bible, God uses prayer as a means to powerfully connect with His people. We see this in David’s humble prayer for deliverance (Psalm 3), through Hannah’s authentic prayers of pain and praise (1 Samuel 1:10-20, 2:1-10), through Jesus’ anguished prayer in the garden (Matthew 26:36-42), to Paul’s faithful prayers for growth and blessings on the church (Ephesians 1:17-19, 3:16-19, Philippians 1:9-11, Colossians 9-12). These prayers were not onetime requests. God’s people presented their needs before the Lord “seven times a day” (Psalm 119:164)! The power of prayer can be experienced by means of diligent pursuit, which then results in true intimacy with the Creator of the World! We see this proven true through the examples stated above and because of their steadfastness, they experienced the power of prayer! Thus, our connection with God is met through the discipline of prayer. So, prayer should not be an effortless part of our lives, it should be viewed as a major tool to grow, cultivate, & establish our relationship with God.
Generosity by Kent Hughes
Zacchaeus: he may have been a wee little man, but he was the kingpin of the Jericho tax cartel. He was filthy rich, but when he met Jesus, everything changed — not only his heart but his hands. The same fingers that once reached to extort money, now extended with generosity to the poor, and to pay back fourfold anyone he’d defrauded (Luke 19:8).
It’s only a few verses earlier in Luke’s Gospel that Jesus encountered another wealthy man, who we call “the rich young ruler.” His great possessions were the barrier to him following Jesus. Veteran pastor Kent Hughes, who served nearly thirty years at College Church in Wheaton, Illinois, says the contrast is unmistakable: How we handle our money has everything to do with how we orient on Jesus. The rich young ruler chose his wealth over Jesus, but for Zacchaeus, meeting the Messiah loosened his hold on his material possessions. There’s a very intentional theology of generosity in the Gospel of Luke in particular, and the point, as Hughes captures it, is generosity is a sign of a regenerate soul. “There is no such thing as a Christian scrooge,” he says. “We may know some scrooges who claim to be Christians, but I don’t think you can claim to really know Christ and be a stingy person.” The gospel opens our soul — and with it, our hands.
“Christians ought to give in such a way that there are things we forego in order to be generous — that vacation, that new car. Christianity encompasses all of our life.”
Generosity is more than tithing and more than just money. A stingy person can give ten percent, says Hughes. “Ten percent is good, but that’s not the point. The point is to be generous.” He points out that the total prescribed giving in the old covenant amounted to about 23%, not ten. Tithing isn’t necessarily a sign of grace. It can be very legalistic. The issue is giving sacrificially. “Christians ought to give in such a way that there are things we forego in order to be generous — that vacation, that new car. Christianity encompasses all of our life.” And so the regenerate are generous — not just with their finances, but with their time and possessions.
“Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
But for the Christian, the issue is not just that we give, but how. “God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). And giving gladly rests on the great why of Christian generosity: that Christ himself — our Savior, Lord and greatest treasure — demonstrated the ultimate in generosity in coming to save us. “Though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). If Jesus is in us, then increasingly such an open-handed tendency will be in us as well. One of the effects of the gospel going deeper into our souls is that it frees our fingers to loosen their grasp on our goods. Generosity is one of the great evidences of truly being a Christian. It is Jesus himself who speaks most often, and warns us more severely, about the danger of greed, but He is also the one who so strongly appeals to our joy and says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).
What Are You Passionate About?
Passion can be bad. The Bible describes passions and lusts of the flesh. Some people hear the word “passion” and automatically think of undesirable passions. Passion can also be good.
Passionate people make diligent efforts to fulfill the dreams that drive them. People who are passionate for God have a burning desire to pursue God and do his will. They passionately desire to participate and help fulfill God’s eternal purpose.
Jesus was a passionate person. A quick trip through the Gospels will discover quite a list of things for which Jesus was passionate. When a person is really passionate, that passion flows out into the lives of others. Passion is contagious. One passionate person can ignite an entire group. Passion changes the world. Passion says that goal is worth seeking at any cost.
People who are passionate for God have a burning desire to pursue God and do his will. They passionately desire to participate and help fulfill God’s eternal purpose.
I regularly receive articles from JGC Ministries. A recent article shared this quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupery, a French writer from early 20th century: “If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
The contemporary church could use a good dose of passion—
- Passion for God, yearning for God
- Passion for the Word of God.
- Passion for the Good News of Jesus.
- Passion for souls!
- Passion for the harvest!
- Passion for more laborers! Because the fields are white, and the harvest is plenteous, the workers are few.
May God send us more men and women of passion!
How can we live so powerfully that others glorify God? How can God’s people be a dynamic spiritual house? How can we live in harmony with one another? A closer look at Peter’s first letter reveals three important clues to help us meet the challenge of being God’s people in a hostile, alien world. Our lives are based in the living God who imparts life. Three times Peter describes God’s work in our lives as “living,” enabling us to truly “live.” His word, revealing his Son, gives us hope.
How can we live so powerfully that others glorify God? How can God’s people be a dynamic spiritual house? How can we live in harmony with one another?
- Hold onto a living hope – Through our new birth, mirroring the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God gives us a living hope. Baptism does not serve only to wash away the sins of the past. We are born into a living hope and eternal inheritance untouched by the decay of this world. The changes wrought in our lives last because our hope is alive. Ours is no yo-yo existence with continual ups and downs. Our hope is based not only on God’s power in Christ’s resurrection, but also on God’s power to shield his faithful ones. The God who has acted on our behalf in Christ’s death continues to intervene providentially for our protection. Our faith in Christ works to protect us, prove us, and deliver us. Because of what God has done in raising and glorifying Christ, our faith and hope are in God.
- Look to God’s living, enduring word – Our new birth is through God’s living word. Redemption from the vanity of this world and liberation from the emptiness of human traditions is not accomplished with this world’s resources. If it were, it could not last. The world will wither, but God’s word stands firm forever. Obeying the truth purifies us, craving God’s word builds up our spiritual life, living God’s word makes us like Jesus as influences others.
- Imitate God’s Living Stone – We, as living stones, resemble the Living Stone. God’s call is to holiness and spiritual sacrifice. God has chosen us as a nation of kings and priests, as his holy possession, to declare his praises. How will others know to praise God? Our abstinence from sinful desires, our determination to do good, our willingness to be God’s servants show forth his excellencies. We can do it because God stands by us. We hope because the God of all grace has called us to glory in Christ. We stand firm in the faith of God’s word. We believe that the power of God’s Living Stone imparts to us life, even in suffering and travail, restoring us, and making us strong, firm, and steadfast.
“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast.” (1 Pet. 5:10)