My Gospel

Paul the apostle was bold enough to include in his writings the phrase “My Gospel”. At first glance, that doesn’t seem too earth shattering, does it? However, a closer look at Paul reveals something about his passion for the Gospel and the Gospel alone. As we read in 2 Timothy 2:8:

8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel.
I often wonder if our Gospel is the Gospel that Paul preached. In a day of man-centered messages, do we here in 21st century America capture the essence of the Gospel? Let me state emphatically that I believe that there are no problems with the Gospel foretold in the Scriptures. However, maybe we have some missing components of the Gospel. Paul seemed in every difficult church situation to turn the gaze of the church he was mentoring back to the Gospel. The Gospel was the solution for heresy in Galatia, for division in Corinth, and everything that plagued the early church. Paul brought the infant church back to the basics of the Gospel. I would like to offer some insights into some very simple but yet profound basics of the Gospel that might be missing in our Gospel.

Paul seemed to focus on these.
1) An Indwelling Christ

Christ in you, the Hope of Glory. In a day with so much focus on our needs as humans, we seem to forget the power of His resurrection that now dwells within us. Paul stated in Romans, “Let the same Spirit Who raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you. And it will quicken your mortal body.” Jesus is telling the disciples “it is to your advantage that I go away; unless I go away the Comforter will not come”. In essence, Jesus was stating that when He leaves the Spirit will come and dwell within us, and actually make His home in us!
That’s Gospel, my friends. Christ Jesus possessing you and I. Let’s exchange our emptiness for his fullness.


2) The Greatness of Jesus

In regards to the statements Jesus made about Himself, let’s include them in the Gospel. Here are a few:
• Word of God
• Light of the World
• Alpha and Omega
• Bread of Life
• Way, Truth, and Life
• Resurrection and the Life

I was recently at a Thai restaurant with some friends having dinner. As I approached the cashier to pay the bill, I asked the lady if she was a Buddhist. A young man standing near spoke up and said, “She is, and I am a Hindu”.

Sensing I had an open door, I quoted 3 former religious figures:

Buddha said “There is no Truth”
Mohamed said “ I am still looking for the Truth”
Jesus said “I am the Truth”

Those words pierce the heart and proclaim the greatness of Jesus in the Gospel.

3) The Eternal Purpose of God

Paul’s Gospel started with God’s purpose instead of man’s need. Man has need, no doubt. But as we read Ephesians and Colossians, Paul uses these words in his writings: as we read from Ephesians 3:11:

“…according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord”

What does Paul mean by this? God’s intention is to reveal the reason Christ Jesus came. It wasn’t just so we can manage sin. His purpose is to bring us into the fullness of his Son. The purpose that Jesus came was to connect us to the Father in reality of relationship.

I liken God’s eternal purpose to watching the Star Wars movies. You’re introduced to all the characters in episodes 4, 5, and 6. But it’s not until you see 1, 2, and 3 that you understand the fullness of the movies. In our case, the Gospels in the Bible are the middle of the drama, and Ephesians and Colossians show us God’s purpose before creation, and thus we see the whole picture of God’s eternal purpose.

I pray that our Gospel will become Paul’s Gospel.

Peace,
Mike