Good News
Evangelize now, 11 February 2024
15 02 24 Filed in: Sermons | 40 Days of Prayer
Evangelize now
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 28:18-20
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
“What would be good news in Toledo? What headline would you love to see in the Blade?”
I asked those questions to some of the most prominent people in our community several years ago when I was working on my doctoral thesis. What do you think? What would be good news to you? A big going-out-of-business sale at the mall? The birth of a baby? Your favorite team winning the big game? A job promotion with a big raise? A new car? An outstanding meal? A budding romance?
In 1985, there was a movie called Brewster’s Millions. Monty Brewster, a minor league baseball player, must choose between a $1 million inheritance upfront or an entire estate if he can spend $30 million in 30 days. There are several catches to the deal (he can’t give it away except for 5% to charity and 5% in gambling losses), but perhaps most challenging, he must keep it a secret.
Generally speaking, I don’t like secrets. I can keep a secret, but I usually don’t like to do so, especially when it’s good news. Good news needs to be shared!
Good news needs to be shared. Church people often talk about the gospel. We mentioned this last Sunday. Gospel simply means “good news.” Sharing the gospel, proclaiming the gospel is all about good news. When I interviewed people in UpTown about good news, I was trying to discern what it would mean to bring the gospel to our neighborhood. Many of the things shared answered that question. They spoke of jobs, safety, and health. Are those good? Yes! Does the gospel address them? Yes! Ultimately, the gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King and wants all of humanity to submit to his Lordship, not because he wants to oppress us, but rather he wants to liberate us from the bondage of sin, addiction, poverty, and violence. He wants to be LORD of your life and mine…every day…every moment. Sometimes we let him!
The last recorded words in Matthew’s gospel—his biography of Jesus—say this:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
Jesus is LORD. This is the gospel. This is good news! He has been given all authority.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
Because Jesus is LORD, because he has all authority, he can commission his friends to go. The original Greek word here is poreuomai. It means to traverse, to travel, to depart, to go! We can’t do it from our La-Z Boy recliners! We must take action, move, go! This is the calling of every follower of Jesus. This is the commission of every disciple of Jesus.
Which begs the question: what is a disciple? It is a student, an apprentice. I often hear people talk about how this football coach is a disciple of another one…a student becoming like his teacher. It was not uncommon in Jesus’ day for people to ask the rabbi to disciple them. It’s fascinating to me how Jesus chose his twelve rather than act upon their request.
The only way we can make disciples is by being a disciple. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? Do they know it?
Generally speaking, this can’t happen on Sunday morning. We gather to worship and study the Bible, which is great, but discipleship…spiritual formation…life transformation is “slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others” as Alliance leader Richard Bush used to say.
What is the first step to becoming a disciple? It’s meeting Jesus!
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, NLT)
Boom! There it is! Going and tell the gospel, the good news. That’s not written to professional clergy. That’s what disciples do. Disciples make disciples. Disciples share good news. Disciples go and make disciples…of all nations, which is why we’re so committed not only to Toledo but also Germany and the Dominican Republic and every nation, tribe and tongue…until all have heard the good news!
Imagine living your entire life and never tasting ice cream. I can’t imagine! How sad!
Imagine living your entire life having never experienced air conditioning or heat or running water or motorized transportation.
Imagine never hearing the name of Jesus, knowing nothing of this historical figure who changed the world. Imagine never knowing about the cross, the crucifixion, and the empty tomb. Imagine being completely clueless about God’s love, the invitation of salvation, the pathway to peace, and the opportunity to experience forgiveness and grace. I can’t imagine, but as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve encountered people who have not rejected Jesus…they’ve never been introduced to him!
That’s our job! That’s our mission! The first part of disciple-making is evangelism, proclaiming good news, inviting people into the Kingdom of God, introducing them to Jesus!
I have two friends who were born in other countries and knew almost nothing about Jesus before we met. I can’t tell you how much joy I have sharing my story and His story. They are not my projects. I’m not trying to force anything upon them…but I want them to know my best friend. I want to faithfully represent what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and encourage them to follow him, too. It takes time. I’ve known one friend for several years, the other for almost a year. I love to get together with both of them, hang out, talk, play sports…It’s not scary or intimidating…it’s just being intentional. GO and make disciples.
What about you? How many unbelieving friends do you have? I’m not saying I have a lot, but I deeply love these two men and I’m committed to them…again, not because they’re projects, but they’re my friends. I like them! I like being with them! I have been praying for them and believe someday they will surrender their lives to Jesus and tell others, disciple others. That’s how we’ve gotten here after more than two thousand years…disciples making disciples, proclaiming Jesus in word and deed, living radical, alternative lifestyles filled with faith, hope, and love.
I know for some of you it’s hard to GO and make disciples. You’ll never travel to east Germany where less than 1% are Christians. Can you pray for our trip in June? Can you help us pay for the plane tickets? Can you volunteer at Mud Hens games and help us raise money for the trip?
Not all of you are called to go to Germany, but you can probably go next door. You can probably go across the street and meet your neighbor. It amazes me how many people don’t know their neighbors…even the people who live right next door!
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
GO and make disciples…of all nations. The Internet has certainly allowed us to reach people far away, and let’s not forget the hundreds (thousands?) of international students, immigrants, and refugees living right here in Toledo. You don’t need a passport to do global missions! Volunteering with Water for Ishmael would be a great first step.
The rest of Jesus’ commission says that once people are introduced to Jesus and surrender to him, then…
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, NLT)
Discipleship is more than praying a magic prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s a lifestyle of obedience. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Disciples make disciples, and it begins with proclaiming good news…evangelism.
Author and pastor Ed Stetzer says of this text, “Jesus’ last words should be our first priority.” Family, we’re on a mission from God. The mission is not to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon once a week. It’s not to be busy distributing religious goods and services. We’re on a mission to make disciples, to restore God’s masterpieces, to love God and others well. The greatest way to love another human is to introduce them to Jesus, to share good news…evangelism!
As we finish our 40 Days of Prayer series with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, our subject is Evangelize Now. The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
Sharing good news is a joy! Sure, there are those who are imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their faith. I don’t want to make light of that. In fact, I want to pause and remember those who truly suffer for Jesus. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a classic collection of such stories, and Persecution.com has wonderful resources to help you pray for the persecuted church.
But we’ve been blessed with freedoms in this nation we must never take for granted. Instead, we should seize every opportunity to share good news. Not everyone will accept it, but that’s not the point. Sharing good news is a joy! I love to talk about my grandkids, even if the only person who is as excited as I am is their grandma!
We naturally talk about what we love—our family, pets, sports teams, hobbies…why not our faith? I know, we’re not supposed to talk about religion or politics, but what if it’s not about religion at all? What if it’s simply sharing the good news of what Jesus has done in our lives? We don’t need a megaphone. We don’t need to pressure anyone. Evangelism can be as easy as sharing our story…His story. At the end, I’m going to give you several tools to help you share good news, but first you need to see the urgency of doing so.
Our world is broken, desperate, and dark. People are lost, searching, and hopeless. I often say we are called to be hope dealers! Not everyone wants hope, but many people today are struggling with anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and a lack of purpose. We have the solution! We have good news! We have Jesus! I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad I’m living in this moment, this election year, this time in history where things seem to be falling apart. The darker the world, the brighter the light of Jesus can shine in and through us!
I used to hear people say the greatest time to introduce people to Jesus is when someone is in crisis…a divorce, a job loss, the death of a child…some life event that has them seeking, asking questions, looking for help. Sometimes that window is very small and once people get back to busyness, they won’t have time for or sense a need for God.
But right now, virtually everyone you meet is in crisis! COVID has been disorienting for all of us, but there’s more. In a 2018 Cigna health study—before the pandemic—nearly half of Americans said they sometimes or always feel alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent). More than one in four (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them.
In fact, loneliness is so bad, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in terms of lifespan, loneliness is equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day! People are dying because they need a friend…just a friend!
Can you be a friend to someone? It’s not just going to happen. You can’t do it playing games on your phone. You need to go…and make disciples.
Before we get to some practical tools, let me remind you of the urgency. We need to evangelize now because people are dying…physically, but even more tragically physically. If you still don’t believe me, Barna released a report this past week which showed the top thing urban churches like ours can address is…loneliness. Church and unchurched people said loneliness is the top thing we can address…and the Surgeon General is urging faith communities to do so. We are uniquely equipped to meet one of the greatest needs in our city. Let’s go!
So What?
What now? How do I make a friend? How do I start a conversation? First, pray. Ask God to show you someone to love, to befriend. It might be someone next door, but it could be a co-worker, a family member, the cashier at the grocery store…it could be any human. Each is a masterpiece, and many are hurting, lonely, living in fear.
Last fall I was introduced to Heather and Ashley Holleman. Heather’s a professor at Penn State and she wrote a book called The Six Conversations. It might be the best tool I’ve seen for engaging people in relationships. This is for introverts and extroverts, by the way! She said the four most critical things to do to foster a warm and connected conversation are:
- Be curious
- Believe the best
- Express concern
- Share your life
It’s really a great book on how to ask good, engaging questions, build relationships, and love well. That’s the first step to evangelism. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. In our present day when the church has a PR crisis, we have to earn the right to be heard. Tragically, church and Christianity do not sound like good news to many in our culture. They sound like politics. They sound like judgment and condemnation. They sound like guilt and shame. They sound like boredom and stuffiness (as Kenny said last Sunday). Let’s change that, family!
Conclusion
“What would be good news in Toledo? The Gospel! Jesus is LORD! He loves and died for every man, woman, and child in our city and beyond. He offers abundant life, eternal life, forgiveness, mercy, grace, peace, meaning, and purpose. He’s not as concerned about where we’ve been but where we’re headed. He is the perfect example of what it means to be human, and he’s where the joy is!
I want to challenge you with three things:
1. List three names of people you know that need salvation. If you can’t, pray that God leads you to some. Pray for them.
2. Look for “divine appointments.” Commit to praying for them and asking God to provide you with an opportunity to share the gospel with them.
3. Go and evangelize to someone! Share your story. Invite them to Dinner Church and Celebrate Recovery. Invite them to our Easter celebration next month. Invite them to our next Alpha Course.
Family, we have good news to share. Don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s let the whole world know in word and deed that Jesus is LORD!
Preach the gospel…it’s necessary to use words…and deeds!
You don’t have to have all of the answers to share the gospel. Just share your story. We just sang about it. Pray…Go…be intentional…take a risk…make a friend…share your story…share His story…for His glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
40 Days of Prayer
Matthew 28:18-20
Series Big Idea: We are beginning the new year on our knees, joining other Alliance churches for 40 Days of Prayer.
Big Idea: The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
“What would be good news in Toledo? What headline would you love to see in the Blade?”
I asked those questions to some of the most prominent people in our community several years ago when I was working on my doctoral thesis. What do you think? What would be good news to you? A big going-out-of-business sale at the mall? The birth of a baby? Your favorite team winning the big game? A job promotion with a big raise? A new car? An outstanding meal? A budding romance?
In 1985, there was a movie called Brewster’s Millions. Monty Brewster, a minor league baseball player, must choose between a $1 million inheritance upfront or an entire estate if he can spend $30 million in 30 days. There are several catches to the deal (he can’t give it away except for 5% to charity and 5% in gambling losses), but perhaps most challenging, he must keep it a secret.
Generally speaking, I don’t like secrets. I can keep a secret, but I usually don’t like to do so, especially when it’s good news. Good news needs to be shared!
Good news needs to be shared. Church people often talk about the gospel. We mentioned this last Sunday. Gospel simply means “good news.” Sharing the gospel, proclaiming the gospel is all about good news. When I interviewed people in UpTown about good news, I was trying to discern what it would mean to bring the gospel to our neighborhood. Many of the things shared answered that question. They spoke of jobs, safety, and health. Are those good? Yes! Does the gospel address them? Yes! Ultimately, the gospel is Jesus. Jesus is LORD. Jesus is King and wants all of humanity to submit to his Lordship, not because he wants to oppress us, but rather he wants to liberate us from the bondage of sin, addiction, poverty, and violence. He wants to be LORD of your life and mine…every day…every moment. Sometimes we let him!
The last recorded words in Matthew’s gospel—his biography of Jesus—say this:
Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18, NLT)
Jesus is LORD. This is the gospel. This is good news! He has been given all authority.
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
Because Jesus is LORD, because he has all authority, he can commission his friends to go. The original Greek word here is poreuomai. It means to traverse, to travel, to depart, to go! We can’t do it from our La-Z Boy recliners! We must take action, move, go! This is the calling of every follower of Jesus. This is the commission of every disciple of Jesus.
Which begs the question: what is a disciple? It is a student, an apprentice. I often hear people talk about how this football coach is a disciple of another one…a student becoming like his teacher. It was not uncommon in Jesus’ day for people to ask the rabbi to disciple them. It’s fascinating to me how Jesus chose his twelve rather than act upon their request.
The only way we can make disciples is by being a disciple. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? Do they know it?
Generally speaking, this can’t happen on Sunday morning. We gather to worship and study the Bible, which is great, but discipleship…spiritual formation…life transformation is “slow, incremental, over time, with others, and for others” as Alliance leader Richard Bush used to say.
What is the first step to becoming a disciple? It’s meeting Jesus!
But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? 15 And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, NLT)
Boom! There it is! Going and tell the gospel, the good news. That’s not written to professional clergy. That’s what disciples do. Disciples make disciples. Disciples share good news. Disciples go and make disciples…of all nations, which is why we’re so committed not only to Toledo but also Germany and the Dominican Republic and every nation, tribe and tongue…until all have heard the good news!
Imagine living your entire life and never tasting ice cream. I can’t imagine! How sad!
Imagine living your entire life having never experienced air conditioning or heat or running water or motorized transportation.
Imagine never hearing the name of Jesus, knowing nothing of this historical figure who changed the world. Imagine never knowing about the cross, the crucifixion, and the empty tomb. Imagine being completely clueless about God’s love, the invitation of salvation, the pathway to peace, and the opportunity to experience forgiveness and grace. I can’t imagine, but as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve encountered people who have not rejected Jesus…they’ve never been introduced to him!
That’s our job! That’s our mission! The first part of disciple-making is evangelism, proclaiming good news, inviting people into the Kingdom of God, introducing them to Jesus!
I have two friends who were born in other countries and knew almost nothing about Jesus before we met. I can’t tell you how much joy I have sharing my story and His story. They are not my projects. I’m not trying to force anything upon them…but I want them to know my best friend. I want to faithfully represent what it means to be a disciple of Jesus and encourage them to follow him, too. It takes time. I’ve known one friend for several years, the other for almost a year. I love to get together with both of them, hang out, talk, play sports…It’s not scary or intimidating…it’s just being intentional. GO and make disciples.
What about you? How many unbelieving friends do you have? I’m not saying I have a lot, but I deeply love these two men and I’m committed to them…again, not because they’re projects, but they’re my friends. I like them! I like being with them! I have been praying for them and believe someday they will surrender their lives to Jesus and tell others, disciple others. That’s how we’ve gotten here after more than two thousand years…disciples making disciples, proclaiming Jesus in word and deed, living radical, alternative lifestyles filled with faith, hope, and love.
I know for some of you it’s hard to GO and make disciples. You’ll never travel to east Germany where less than 1% are Christians. Can you pray for our trip in June? Can you help us pay for the plane tickets? Can you volunteer at Mud Hens games and help us raise money for the trip?
Not all of you are called to go to Germany, but you can probably go next door. You can probably go across the street and meet your neighbor. It amazes me how many people don’t know their neighbors…even the people who live right next door!
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 28:19, NLT)
GO and make disciples…of all nations. The Internet has certainly allowed us to reach people far away, and let’s not forget the hundreds (thousands?) of international students, immigrants, and refugees living right here in Toledo. You don’t need a passport to do global missions! Volunteering with Water for Ishmael would be a great first step.
The rest of Jesus’ commission says that once people are introduced to Jesus and surrender to him, then…
Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20, NLT)
Discipleship is more than praying a magic prayer so you can go to heaven when you die. It’s a lifestyle of obedience. Christianity is not a spectator sport! Disciples make disciples, and it begins with proclaiming good news…evangelism.
Author and pastor Ed Stetzer says of this text, “Jesus’ last words should be our first priority.” Family, we’re on a mission from God. The mission is not to sing a few songs and listen to a sermon once a week. It’s not to be busy distributing religious goods and services. We’re on a mission to make disciples, to restore God’s masterpieces, to love God and others well. The greatest way to love another human is to introduce them to Jesus, to share good news…evangelism!
As we finish our 40 Days of Prayer series with our Christian & Missionary Alliance family, our subject is Evangelize Now. The “e-word” is not only a command of Jesus, it’s a joy…sharing good news.
Sharing good news is a joy! Sure, there are those who are imprisoned, tortured, and even killed for their faith. I don’t want to make light of that. In fact, I want to pause and remember those who truly suffer for Jesus. Foxe’s Book of Martyrs is a classic collection of such stories, and Persecution.com has wonderful resources to help you pray for the persecuted church.
But we’ve been blessed with freedoms in this nation we must never take for granted. Instead, we should seize every opportunity to share good news. Not everyone will accept it, but that’s not the point. Sharing good news is a joy! I love to talk about my grandkids, even if the only person who is as excited as I am is their grandma!
We naturally talk about what we love—our family, pets, sports teams, hobbies…why not our faith? I know, we’re not supposed to talk about religion or politics, but what if it’s not about religion at all? What if it’s simply sharing the good news of what Jesus has done in our lives? We don’t need a megaphone. We don’t need to pressure anyone. Evangelism can be as easy as sharing our story…His story. At the end, I’m going to give you several tools to help you share good news, but first you need to see the urgency of doing so.
Our world is broken, desperate, and dark. People are lost, searching, and hopeless. I often say we are called to be hope dealers! Not everyone wants hope, but many people today are struggling with anxiety, fear, depression, loneliness, and a lack of purpose. We have the solution! We have good news! We have Jesus! I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad I’m living in this moment, this election year, this time in history where things seem to be falling apart. The darker the world, the brighter the light of Jesus can shine in and through us!
I used to hear people say the greatest time to introduce people to Jesus is when someone is in crisis…a divorce, a job loss, the death of a child…some life event that has them seeking, asking questions, looking for help. Sometimes that window is very small and once people get back to busyness, they won’t have time for or sense a need for God.
But right now, virtually everyone you meet is in crisis! COVID has been disorienting for all of us, but there’s more. In a 2018 Cigna health study—before the pandemic—nearly half of Americans said they sometimes or always feel alone (46 percent) or left out (47 percent). More than one in four (27 percent) rarely or never feel as though there are people who really understand them.
In fact, loneliness is so bad, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy said in terms of lifespan, loneliness is equivalent to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day! People are dying because they need a friend…just a friend!
Can you be a friend to someone? It’s not just going to happen. You can’t do it playing games on your phone. You need to go…and make disciples.
Before we get to some practical tools, let me remind you of the urgency. We need to evangelize now because people are dying…physically, but even more tragically physically. If you still don’t believe me, Barna released a report this past week which showed the top thing urban churches like ours can address is…loneliness. Church and unchurched people said loneliness is the top thing we can address…and the Surgeon General is urging faith communities to do so. We are uniquely equipped to meet one of the greatest needs in our city. Let’s go!
So What?
What now? How do I make a friend? How do I start a conversation? First, pray. Ask God to show you someone to love, to befriend. It might be someone next door, but it could be a co-worker, a family member, the cashier at the grocery store…it could be any human. Each is a masterpiece, and many are hurting, lonely, living in fear.
Last fall I was introduced to Heather and Ashley Holleman. Heather’s a professor at Penn State and she wrote a book called The Six Conversations. It might be the best tool I’ve seen for engaging people in relationships. This is for introverts and extroverts, by the way! She said the four most critical things to do to foster a warm and connected conversation are:
- Be curious
- Believe the best
- Express concern
- Share your life
It’s really a great book on how to ask good, engaging questions, build relationships, and love well. That’s the first step to evangelism. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. In our present day when the church has a PR crisis, we have to earn the right to be heard. Tragically, church and Christianity do not sound like good news to many in our culture. They sound like politics. They sound like judgment and condemnation. They sound like guilt and shame. They sound like boredom and stuffiness (as Kenny said last Sunday). Let’s change that, family!
Conclusion
“What would be good news in Toledo? The Gospel! Jesus is LORD! He loves and died for every man, woman, and child in our city and beyond. He offers abundant life, eternal life, forgiveness, mercy, grace, peace, meaning, and purpose. He’s not as concerned about where we’ve been but where we’re headed. He is the perfect example of what it means to be human, and he’s where the joy is!
I want to challenge you with three things:
1. List three names of people you know that need salvation. If you can’t, pray that God leads you to some. Pray for them.
2. Look for “divine appointments.” Commit to praying for them and asking God to provide you with an opportunity to share the gospel with them.
3. Go and evangelize to someone! Share your story. Invite them to Dinner Church and Celebrate Recovery. Invite them to our Easter celebration next month. Invite them to our next Alpha Course.
Family, we have good news to share. Don’t hoard it. Don’t keep it to yourself. Let’s let the whole world know in word and deed that Jesus is LORD!
Preach the gospel…it’s necessary to use words…and deeds!
You don’t have to have all of the answers to share the gospel. Just share your story. We just sang about it. Pray…Go…be intentional…take a risk…make a friend…share your story…share His story…for His glory!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Power in the Blood, 4 August 2019
05 08 19 Filed in: Sermons | The Power of the Gospel
Power in the Blood
Series—The Power of the Gospel
1 Cor. 15:1-8; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:1-14, 23-29; 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful because it’s all about Jesus.
What’s the best thing that has happened to you so far this summer? Think of one highlight and share it with someone.
Our world is filled with bad news. I still think one of the most depressing things you can do is watch television news—it doesn’t even matter what channel! They’re all filled with doom and gloom. Meanwhile, babies are being born, the beauty of God’s colorful creation is on full display, poverty in Africa is falling, families are experiencing reconciliation, Toledo is tied for the fifth-fastest growing construction job market in the country, you’re in an air conditioned building…
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled The Power of the Gospel. The word “gospel” simply means “good news” and that’s something we all could use more of, amen?
Before we go any further, let’s begin with a seemingly simple question:
What is the gospel?
The Greek word euangelion means “good news,” but what comes to mind when you hear the word “gospel?”
Here are some common expressions I’ve heard:
Gospel music (black gospel and southern gospel)
Full gospel
Gospel truth
Preach the gospel
I’ve heard people explain the gospel by saying if you pray a special prayer, you’ll go to heaven when you die. Salvation for sinners is good news, but the gospel is so much more. Paul once wrote to a church in the Greek city of Corinth these words:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
Okay, Paul, what is the gospel?
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
The gospel is not merely justification by faith. It’s not just personal salvation. There’s more to it than who’s in and who’s out, though many Christians have reduced the gospel to who gets to go to heaven when they die and who goes to hell, which is tragic.
If you imagine a theatrical play, some of said the Bible unfolds like six acts:
God creates His Kingdom
Rebellion in the Kingdom
The King chooses Israel
The Coming of the King
Growth of the Kingdom
Return of the King
The word “gospel” belongs to the biblical story. It is the announcement, the heralding, the declaration that Jesus is Messiah, the goal of the narrative, the climax of Israel’s story.
There are seven gospel sermons in the book of Acts (2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17), each a narrative of Israel which climaxes in Jesus as LORD and Messiah.
The gospel is all about Jesus.
It’s about who he is and what he did. It’s the story of the Messiah, the preexisted Son of God becoming king.
Paul wrote to Timothy,
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2Timothy 2:8)
Scot McKnight writes,
“The gospel is the redemptive story about what God has done in Jesus the Savior Lord. It is the story about the redemptive Jesus. First Christology, then soteriology. Not either or, but both, in that order. When the second is first, Jesus becomes a means; when the first is first, Jesus becomes the subject and our redemption the effect of Jesus.”
In other words, the gospel is first about Jesus, and then our salvation. Jesus is LORD and our Savior.
Many have reduced the gospel to the plan of salvation, yet nobody in the New Testament would’ve ever thought of the gospel in such a narrow way.
I’m not suggesting the Four Spiritual Laws or the Romans Road or anything other “plan of salvation” is bad. For those unfamiliar with the plan of salvation, it goes something like this:
God loves us and wants a relationship with us.
Our sinful rebellion breaks the relationship.
Jesus died on the cross to reconcile us to God, paying for our sins.
We can choose to accept or reject Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, receive forgiveness and eternal life, and be reconciled to the Father by faith.
This month we’re talking about the gospel and I want you to understand it’s more than a prayer you pray to go to heaven when you die. It’s all about Jesus. The good news is the Messiah came to earth, showed us what it means to be human, taught timeless truths and wisdom, died for every man, woman, and child who follows Him, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return soon.
We have four books in the Bible that are called the gospel…the gospel of Matthew, the gospel of Mark, the gospel of Luke, and the gospel of John. They are all about…Jesus! They are four biographies of Jesus. Jesus is the gospel. He is the good news. He preached good news and is good news.
The gospel is the power of God.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)
The context is important. The Roman empire was the definition of power. The Greek word for power, dunamis, speaks of supernatural power, miracles or mighty works. The gospel is more than just words or religion or ideology or dogma. It is powerful.
Jesus is the power of God, God in the flesh, God incarnate. Jesus came as a Jew into a Jewish culture that often despised Gentiles, but Jesus came, died, and rose for Jews and Gentiles. This might not seem like a big deal today, but it was radical 2000 years ago.
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, of Jesus. He risked his life to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God which Jesus brought to our planet, making righteousness–right living—is available by faith to everyone. They can go from death to life, from hopeless to hope-filled, from condemned to redeemed.
It’s not about what we do. It’s about Jesus has done. It’s not about our works, but faith in Jesus.
There’s power in the name of Jesus.
There’s power in the death of Jesus.
There’s power in the blood of Jesus.
There’s power in the teachings of Jesus.
There’s power in the resurrection of Jesus.
And that power, that Jesus, that
…gospel is for everyone.
Praise God, that means you and me. That means black and white, rich and poor, male and female, Republican and Democrat. The gospel—Jesus—and his bride—the Church—should be the most unifying, healing, welcoming people on earth.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
We’ve looked at this text before and it’s truly wonderful. The entire third chapter of Galatians tells us we are all invited to follow Jesus, regardless of language, geography, gender, or ethnicity. This is why racism is satanic. This is why denominationalism is satanic. This is why looking down upon the poor or judging the rich or hating anyone is satanic.
Jesus came for everyone.
Jesus died for everyone.
Jesus loves everyone.
But we all choose whether to make Jesus the leader of our lives or push him to the side and live life our way. The consequences are eternal, so this is a big deal. We can do now and eternity with God or we can do this life and the next without Him. It’s our choice.
I don’t know how anyone could reject God, His love, His grace and mercy, His forgiveness, His power, His relationship, His freedom, His joy, …
Some simply don’t know any better. They’ve never heard about Jesus or have a distorted view of who Jesus is based upon the poor witness—in word and/or deed—of his so-called followers…Christians.
Tragically, here and around the world the gospel—the good news, Jesus— has been replaced by rules, legalism, and religion. People have been led to believe it’s about going to church rather than being the church, that is, doing life together in radical community. They think it’s about what we’re against instead of what we’re for…them!
#ForToledo
Jesus is for Toledo. Jesus is for the planet.
We must be for Toledo. We must be for every man, woman and child on earth.
That includes those in prison, immigrants, refugees, those with AIDS, Muslims, atheists, child molesters, human traffickers, and terrorists. Jesus is for them, too. Their only hope is Jesus. The only way they can change is Jesus. The only power available to them is through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Some Christians get frustrated when non-Christians act like…non-Christians! They wonder why non-Christians don’t change. It’s because without Jesus and his supernatural power, they couldn’t change if they wanted to!
If you remember one thing today, remember there is supernatural power in Jesus Christ…and we are all invited to trust in God and His supernatural power.
The gospel is not merely good news, it’s great news! Why in the world would you want to keep it to yourself?
The gospel must be shared.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)
As humans, we naturally want to do things, accomplish things, earn things. This is why so many in our culture believe they’ll go to heaven when they die because they’re “good” people. God doesn’t grade on a curve, though. Any sin, mistake, failure on our part is enough to separate us from a holy God. The gospel reveals Jesus and his mission to seek and save the lost, to die for us, to shed his blood, to pay our debt, to create an invitation so compelling it seems unbelievable. Grace—unmerited favor—it truly amazing!
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)
The Jews were following 613 laws from centuries earlier, hoping their religion would earn them favor with God. Paul’s saying Jesus changed everything. He shattered their expectations with his life and teachings. He shocked them with his death and resurrection. He said the first will be last, to save your life you have to lose it, the greatest is the servant, the wisdom of man is foolishness compared to God. Jesus turned everything upside down.
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)
I wonder what Paul would say to us in the USA today, given our knowledge, technology, and philosophy.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
I love this! I’m privileged to have been raised in a stable home, given a good education, never deprived of food, and live in a country that has given me freedom and opportunity. Yet many of you and certainly many of our brothers and sisters around the world have been foolish, weak, lowly, or despised by the world’s standards…yet they are precious, loved, powerful children of God.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:1-3)
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
Paul said it’s all about God’s wisdom, God’s power, Jesus Christ, the gospel. May the evidence of the gospel be the way it transforms lives, including ours!
Credits: some ideas from Scott McKnight, D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Power of the Gospel
1 Cor. 15:1-8; Romans 1:16-17; Galatians 3:1-14, 23-29; 1 Cor. 1:18-2:5
Series Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful and transformative.
Big Idea: The gospel—“good news”—is powerful because it’s all about Jesus.
What’s the best thing that has happened to you so far this summer? Think of one highlight and share it with someone.
Our world is filled with bad news. I still think one of the most depressing things you can do is watch television news—it doesn’t even matter what channel! They’re all filled with doom and gloom. Meanwhile, babies are being born, the beauty of God’s colorful creation is on full display, poverty in Africa is falling, families are experiencing reconciliation, Toledo is tied for the fifth-fastest growing construction job market in the country, you’re in an air conditioned building…
Today we’re beginning a new series entitled The Power of the Gospel. The word “gospel” simply means “good news” and that’s something we all could use more of, amen?
Before we go any further, let’s begin with a seemingly simple question:
What is the gospel?
The Greek word euangelion means “good news,” but what comes to mind when you hear the word “gospel?”
Here are some common expressions I’ve heard:
Gospel music (black gospel and southern gospel)
Full gospel
Gospel truth
Preach the gospel
I’ve heard people explain the gospel by saying if you pray a special prayer, you’ll go to heaven when you die. Salvation for sinners is good news, but the gospel is so much more. Paul once wrote to a church in the Greek city of Corinth these words:
Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:1-2)
Okay, Paul, what is the gospel?
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
The gospel is not merely justification by faith. It’s not just personal salvation. There’s more to it than who’s in and who’s out, though many Christians have reduced the gospel to who gets to go to heaven when they die and who goes to hell, which is tragic.
If you imagine a theatrical play, some of said the Bible unfolds like six acts:
God creates His Kingdom
Rebellion in the Kingdom
The King chooses Israel
The Coming of the King
Growth of the Kingdom
Return of the King
The word “gospel” belongs to the biblical story. It is the announcement, the heralding, the declaration that Jesus is Messiah, the goal of the narrative, the climax of Israel’s story.
There are seven gospel sermons in the book of Acts (2, 3, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17), each a narrative of Israel which climaxes in Jesus as LORD and Messiah.
The gospel is all about Jesus.
It’s about who he is and what he did. It’s the story of the Messiah, the preexisted Son of God becoming king.
Paul wrote to Timothy,
Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, (2Timothy 2:8)
Scot McKnight writes,
“The gospel is the redemptive story about what God has done in Jesus the Savior Lord. It is the story about the redemptive Jesus. First Christology, then soteriology. Not either or, but both, in that order. When the second is first, Jesus becomes a means; when the first is first, Jesus becomes the subject and our redemption the effect of Jesus.”
In other words, the gospel is first about Jesus, and then our salvation. Jesus is LORD and our Savior.
Many have reduced the gospel to the plan of salvation, yet nobody in the New Testament would’ve ever thought of the gospel in such a narrow way.
I’m not suggesting the Four Spiritual Laws or the Romans Road or anything other “plan of salvation” is bad. For those unfamiliar with the plan of salvation, it goes something like this:
God loves us and wants a relationship with us.
Our sinful rebellion breaks the relationship.
Jesus died on the cross to reconcile us to God, paying for our sins.
We can choose to accept or reject Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, receive forgiveness and eternal life, and be reconciled to the Father by faith.
This month we’re talking about the gospel and I want you to understand it’s more than a prayer you pray to go to heaven when you die. It’s all about Jesus. The good news is the Messiah came to earth, showed us what it means to be human, taught timeless truths and wisdom, died for every man, woman, and child who follows Him, rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will return soon.
We have four books in the Bible that are called the gospel…the gospel of Matthew, the gospel of Mark, the gospel of Luke, and the gospel of John. They are all about…Jesus! They are four biographies of Jesus. Jesus is the gospel. He is the good news. He preached good news and is good news.
The gospel is the power of God.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.” (Romans 1:16-17)
The context is important. The Roman empire was the definition of power. The Greek word for power, dunamis, speaks of supernatural power, miracles or mighty works. The gospel is more than just words or religion or ideology or dogma. It is powerful.
Jesus is the power of God, God in the flesh, God incarnate. Jesus came as a Jew into a Jewish culture that often despised Gentiles, but Jesus came, died, and rose for Jews and Gentiles. This might not seem like a big deal today, but it was radical 2000 years ago.
Paul was not ashamed of the gospel, of Jesus. He risked his life to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God which Jesus brought to our planet, making righteousness–right living—is available by faith to everyone. They can go from death to life, from hopeless to hope-filled, from condemned to redeemed.
It’s not about what we do. It’s about Jesus has done. It’s not about our works, but faith in Jesus.
There’s power in the name of Jesus.
There’s power in the death of Jesus.
There’s power in the blood of Jesus.
There’s power in the teachings of Jesus.
There’s power in the resurrection of Jesus.
And that power, that Jesus, that
…gospel is for everyone.
Praise God, that means you and me. That means black and white, rich and poor, male and female, Republican and Democrat. The gospel—Jesus—and his bride—the Church—should be the most unifying, healing, welcoming people on earth.
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)
We’ve looked at this text before and it’s truly wonderful. The entire third chapter of Galatians tells us we are all invited to follow Jesus, regardless of language, geography, gender, or ethnicity. This is why racism is satanic. This is why denominationalism is satanic. This is why looking down upon the poor or judging the rich or hating anyone is satanic.
Jesus came for everyone.
Jesus died for everyone.
Jesus loves everyone.
But we all choose whether to make Jesus the leader of our lives or push him to the side and live life our way. The consequences are eternal, so this is a big deal. We can do now and eternity with God or we can do this life and the next without Him. It’s our choice.
I don’t know how anyone could reject God, His love, His grace and mercy, His forgiveness, His power, His relationship, His freedom, His joy, …
Some simply don’t know any better. They’ve never heard about Jesus or have a distorted view of who Jesus is based upon the poor witness—in word and/or deed—of his so-called followers…Christians.
Tragically, here and around the world the gospel—the good news, Jesus— has been replaced by rules, legalism, and religion. People have been led to believe it’s about going to church rather than being the church, that is, doing life together in radical community. They think it’s about what we’re against instead of what we’re for…them!
#ForToledo
Jesus is for Toledo. Jesus is for the planet.
We must be for Toledo. We must be for every man, woman and child on earth.
That includes those in prison, immigrants, refugees, those with AIDS, Muslims, atheists, child molesters, human traffickers, and terrorists. Jesus is for them, too. Their only hope is Jesus. The only way they can change is Jesus. The only power available to them is through Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Some Christians get frustrated when non-Christians act like…non-Christians! They wonder why non-Christians don’t change. It’s because without Jesus and his supernatural power, they couldn’t change if they wanted to!
If you remember one thing today, remember there is supernatural power in Jesus Christ…and we are all invited to trust in God and His supernatural power.
The gospel is not merely good news, it’s great news! Why in the world would you want to keep it to yourself?
The gospel must be shared.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-19)
As humans, we naturally want to do things, accomplish things, earn things. This is why so many in our culture believe they’ll go to heaven when they die because they’re “good” people. God doesn’t grade on a curve, though. Any sin, mistake, failure on our part is enough to separate us from a holy God. The gospel reveals Jesus and his mission to seek and save the lost, to die for us, to shed his blood, to pay our debt, to create an invitation so compelling it seems unbelievable. Grace—unmerited favor—it truly amazing!
Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. (1 Corinthians 1:20-21)
The Jews were following 613 laws from centuries earlier, hoping their religion would earn them favor with God. Paul’s saying Jesus changed everything. He shattered their expectations with his life and teachings. He shocked them with his death and resurrection. He said the first will be last, to save your life you have to lose it, the greatest is the servant, the wisdom of man is foolishness compared to God. Jesus turned everything upside down.
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. (1 Corinthians 1:22-25)
I wonder what Paul would say to us in the USA today, given our knowledge, technology, and philosophy.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)
I love this! I’m privileged to have been raised in a stable home, given a good education, never deprived of food, and live in a country that has given me freedom and opportunity. Yet many of you and certainly many of our brothers and sisters around the world have been foolish, weak, lowly, or despised by the world’s standards…yet they are precious, loved, powerful children of God.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. (1 Corinthians 2:1-3)
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
Paul said it’s all about God’s wisdom, God’s power, Jesus Christ, the gospel. May the evidence of the gospel be the way it transforms lives, including ours!
Credits: some ideas from Scott McKnight, D6.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Parable of the Weeds, 26 July 2015
Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: good and evil coexist in our world—for now!
Introduction
Last week we began our series Parables, a look at several stories Jesus told as recorded in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel—good news—or biography of Jesus.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 13:24-30
Last week we talked about a man who sowed seed. The success of the harvest was not dependent upon the sower, the seed, the water, or the sun, but rather by the soil. Bad soil produced bad crops and good soil yielded a great harvest.
As we continue reading Matthew chapter thirteen, Jesus continues to talk about sowing seed, this time seed that apparently lands in good soil…but there is a problem. Its origins go back to the Garden of Eden—in more ways than one!
In the first chapters of Genesis, Adam and Eve are enjoying God, the Garden, one another, and work. Yes, they enjoyed work.
They were punished for their disobedience, listening to the enemy, the serpent, satan, the devil. They ate the forbidden fruit, and they suffered the consequences.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)
At the risk of oversimplifying the punishment, God allowed weeds to grow!
I hate weeds. Hate is a strong word, yet weeds were the bane of my existence as a child. You may have heard me share stories about pulling weeds in our garden and yard. I’m sure my mom would disagree but it seemed as if my sister and I spent half of our summer days pulling weeds in 100 degree heat, sun beating down, no water until dinner, no rest until bedtime, and no vacation until winter break! I love you, mom!
Obviously I had no such experience, but I do vividly remember moments—if not hours—pulling weeds, wanting to curse Adam and Eve for eating the fruit and causing me great hardship!
Weeds are nasty. I dare say weeds are evil.
As we will see from our text today, had I studied the Bible more as a child, perhaps I would’ve discovered this passage and used it as an excuse to not pull weeds!
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (Matthew 13:24-26)
First, this is a parable, a story of what the kingdom of heaven is like, a picture of the future. We are all so curious about heaven. Where is it? Who will be there? When do we get to go? What does it look like? Do all dogs go there?!
Jesus says a man sowed good seed in his field. Good seed produces…good crops, in this case wheat (my apologies to those who are gluten-free!). We can assume the soil is good, but unfortunately the man has an enemy. The enemy goes to the trouble of sowing in the same field, but instead of sowing seeds, he sows weeds.
Why? Weeds grow naturally. I have a garden full of them to prove it!
Growth takes time. It takes time for babies to grow into adults, for seedlings to grow into big trees, and for seeds to grow into crops. In the early days following planting, it’s difficult to know what is planted…or where. Many gardeners use popsicle sticks or other markers to show above ground what is below.
In Jesus’ parable, the wheat and weeds appear together.
The world is getting better. The wheat is growing.
The world is getting worse. The weeds are growing.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ (Matthew 13:27-28)
This is a great question. I’m sure I asked it many times of my mom. Do you really want us to pull the weeds? Wouldn’t it be better for us to swim in the neighbor’s pool and not get our clothes dirty?!
No parable or analogy is perfect. As a general rule, pulling weeds helps the crops grow. This explains why I’ve grown so few crops in our garden over the years; we don’t spend enough time pulling weeds, they rob the crops of nutrients, and sometimes even choke them, winding their way around the stems of our plants. Weeds are evil!
The answer really is surprising.
“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” (Matthew 13:29-30)
Jesus seems to be saying two things:
Do you understand this parable? If you’ve read this chapter, you have an unfair advantage, one unavailable to Jesus’ disciples. A few verses later we get the explanation.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” (Matthew 13:36)
The more I read the Bible, the more I understand human nature and realize I’m not alone in my cluelessness! There’s so much of the Bible I don’t fully understand, yet that prompts me to pursue it all the more.
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (Matthew 13:37-39)
Jesus begins by identifying the two teams! Jesus sows good seed—the people of the kingdom—into the world. The devil sows his people into the world, the weeds. The harvest is coming and angels will harvest the people of the kingdom and the people of the evil one.
God is real. The evil one is also real.
Most people prefer to talk about God than about satan. More people believe in angels than demons. They’re all a part of reality.
If you don’t believe me, last night “an 8½-foot-tall bronze monument featuring a goat-headed Satan” was to be unveiled in Detroit by The Satanic Temple. The monument, a “1½-ton Baphomet, which is backed by an inverted pentagram and flanked by statues of two young children gazing up at the creature, shows Satan with horns, hooves, wings and a beard.” (freep.com)
So much for underground! For the record,
“The Satanic Temple Detroit chapter founder Jex Blackmore has said the group doesn't worship Satan but does promote individuality, compassion and views that differ from Christian and conservative beliefs.” (freep.com)
As I’ve said before, the essence of satanism is the worship of self, something that seems to be our national—if not world—religion!
Talk of heaven and hell, God and satan, angels and demons makes many uncomfortable, but whoever said life and reality were to be comfortable?
Here’s what Jesus said:
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:40-41)
I don’t like the thought of hell any more than the next guy, but these are Jesus’s words. Heaven is for real. Hell is for real. There will be a separation of the wheat and weeds, the sheep and the goats, those who follow Jesus and those who follow their own desires, those who worship God and those who worship themselves.
Which are you?
The world really is getting better.
The world really is getting worse.
A day is coming when we will all be judged for the way we lived our days on this earth. Today really matters. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow.
This past week Heather and I attended one of the most gut-wrenching gatherings we’ve ever experienced, the funeral of a five month-old baby who died in his sleep. Like all funerals, it was a reminder of how fragile life is and how each day is truly a gift. They say you are not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready? Are your loved ones ready?
The reason Christians aren’t taken to heaven upon following Jesus is there is work to do here on earth. Light and darkness coexist. Good and evil coexist. One is always in tension with the other. Let’s make sure we are in the light of Jesus and reflecting that light to our dark world today. Tomorrow might be too late.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Series Overview: this summertime series will examine the various parables of Jesus recorded in thirteenth chapter of Matthew.
Big Idea: good and evil coexist in our world—for now!
Introduction
Last week we began our series Parables, a look at several stories Jesus told as recorded in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel—good news—or biography of Jesus.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 13:24-30
Last week we talked about a man who sowed seed. The success of the harvest was not dependent upon the sower, the seed, the water, or the sun, but rather by the soil. Bad soil produced bad crops and good soil yielded a great harvest.
As we continue reading Matthew chapter thirteen, Jesus continues to talk about sowing seed, this time seed that apparently lands in good soil…but there is a problem. Its origins go back to the Garden of Eden—in more ways than one!
In the first chapters of Genesis, Adam and Eve are enjoying God, the Garden, one another, and work. Yes, they enjoyed work.
They were punished for their disobedience, listening to the enemy, the serpent, satan, the devil. They ate the forbidden fruit, and they suffered the consequences.
To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’
“Cursed is the ground because of you;
through painful toil you will eat food from it
all the days of your life.
It will produce thorns and thistles for you,
and you will eat the plants of the field.
By the sweat of your brow
you will eat your food
until you return to the ground,
since from it you were taken;
for dust you are
and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:17-19)
At the risk of oversimplifying the punishment, God allowed weeds to grow!
I hate weeds. Hate is a strong word, yet weeds were the bane of my existence as a child. You may have heard me share stories about pulling weeds in our garden and yard. I’m sure my mom would disagree but it seemed as if my sister and I spent half of our summer days pulling weeds in 100 degree heat, sun beating down, no water until dinner, no rest until bedtime, and no vacation until winter break! I love you, mom!
Obviously I had no such experience, but I do vividly remember moments—if not hours—pulling weeds, wanting to curse Adam and Eve for eating the fruit and causing me great hardship!
Weeds are nasty. I dare say weeds are evil.
As we will see from our text today, had I studied the Bible more as a child, perhaps I would’ve discovered this passage and used it as an excuse to not pull weeds!
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. (Matthew 13:24-26)
First, this is a parable, a story of what the kingdom of heaven is like, a picture of the future. We are all so curious about heaven. Where is it? Who will be there? When do we get to go? What does it look like? Do all dogs go there?!
Jesus says a man sowed good seed in his field. Good seed produces…good crops, in this case wheat (my apologies to those who are gluten-free!). We can assume the soil is good, but unfortunately the man has an enemy. The enemy goes to the trouble of sowing in the same field, but instead of sowing seeds, he sows weeds.
Why? Weeds grow naturally. I have a garden full of them to prove it!
Growth takes time. It takes time for babies to grow into adults, for seedlings to grow into big trees, and for seeds to grow into crops. In the early days following planting, it’s difficult to know what is planted…or where. Many gardeners use popsicle sticks or other markers to show above ground what is below.
In Jesus’ parable, the wheat and weeds appear together.
The world is getting better. The wheat is growing.
The world is getting worse. The weeds are growing.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“ ‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ (Matthew 13:27-28)
This is a great question. I’m sure I asked it many times of my mom. Do you really want us to pull the weeds? Wouldn’t it be better for us to swim in the neighbor’s pool and not get our clothes dirty?!
No parable or analogy is perfect. As a general rule, pulling weeds helps the crops grow. This explains why I’ve grown so few crops in our garden over the years; we don’t spend enough time pulling weeds, they rob the crops of nutrients, and sometimes even choke them, winding their way around the stems of our plants. Weeds are evil!
The answer really is surprising.
“ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’ ” (Matthew 13:29-30)
Jesus seems to be saying two things:
- Pulling weeds risks pulling the wheat.
- At harvest time, the wheat and weeds will be separated and have very different outcomes
Do you understand this parable? If you’ve read this chapter, you have an unfair advantage, one unavailable to Jesus’ disciples. A few verses later we get the explanation.
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” (Matthew 13:36)
The more I read the Bible, the more I understand human nature and realize I’m not alone in my cluelessness! There’s so much of the Bible I don’t fully understand, yet that prompts me to pursue it all the more.
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. (Matthew 13:37-39)
Jesus begins by identifying the two teams! Jesus sows good seed—the people of the kingdom—into the world. The devil sows his people into the world, the weeds. The harvest is coming and angels will harvest the people of the kingdom and the people of the evil one.
God is real. The evil one is also real.
Most people prefer to talk about God than about satan. More people believe in angels than demons. They’re all a part of reality.
If you don’t believe me, last night “an 8½-foot-tall bronze monument featuring a goat-headed Satan” was to be unveiled in Detroit by The Satanic Temple. The monument, a “1½-ton Baphomet, which is backed by an inverted pentagram and flanked by statues of two young children gazing up at the creature, shows Satan with horns, hooves, wings and a beard.” (freep.com)
So much for underground! For the record,
“The Satanic Temple Detroit chapter founder Jex Blackmore has said the group doesn't worship Satan but does promote individuality, compassion and views that differ from Christian and conservative beliefs.” (freep.com)
As I’ve said before, the essence of satanism is the worship of self, something that seems to be our national—if not world—religion!
Talk of heaven and hell, God and satan, angels and demons makes many uncomfortable, but whoever said life and reality were to be comfortable?
Here’s what Jesus said:
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. (Matthew 13:40-41)
I don’t like the thought of hell any more than the next guy, but these are Jesus’s words. Heaven is for real. Hell is for real. There will be a separation of the wheat and weeds, the sheep and the goats, those who follow Jesus and those who follow their own desires, those who worship God and those who worship themselves.
Which are you?
The world really is getting better.
The world really is getting worse.
A day is coming when we will all be judged for the way we lived our days on this earth. Today really matters. There’s no guarantee of tomorrow.
This past week Heather and I attended one of the most gut-wrenching gatherings we’ve ever experienced, the funeral of a five month-old baby who died in his sleep. Like all funerals, it was a reminder of how fragile life is and how each day is truly a gift. They say you are not ready to live until you’re ready to die. Are you ready? Are your loved ones ready?
The reason Christians aren’t taken to heaven upon following Jesus is there is work to do here on earth. Light and darkness coexist. Good and evil coexist. One is always in tension with the other. Let’s make sure we are in the light of Jesus and reflecting that light to our dark world today. Tomorrow might be too late.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus, John 20:11-18, 3 November 2013
Big Idea: Jesus is alive! Let’s tell the world!
We often approach communion with great reflection, and well we should. However, the story does not end on the cross. Last week we saw Mary Magdalene and others shocked to find the tomb of Jesus empty.
Jewish people spent seven days mourning the loss of a loved one. This meant they could not wash, work, study the law, or even have intercourse for a week. They knew how to express grief! An empty tomb prevented final acts of love to be done to Jesus. Even tomb raiders would usually leave behind the body.
We know “the rest of the story,” but those at the empty tomb
…still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. (20:9)
What does this mean? It means they did not understand! Have you ever read the Bible and seen something you never saw previously? Some Scriptures require experience to fully understand.
Jesus had said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? (John 16:19b)
Jesus had said, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20b)
Jesus had said, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
Sometimes we are just filled with disbelief.
When we ended last Sunday, we read that
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (10)
Jesus died. The tomb is empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (20:11-12)
Imagine the week Mary has had. This is a woman that deeply loved Jesus. He had expelled numerous demons from her. He showed her great compassion. She cried at the foot of the cross as her hope literally died.
His body was buried quickly and two days later she comes with friends to bring spices for the body. The tomb is empty. Peter and John leave. Now she is crying outside the tomb…and she encounters two angels, two angels dressed in white, hardly appropriate during a time of mourning!
Where were the angels when the boys were around?
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (13a)
Why do they ask? They’re angels! They know. Jesus is alive, but Mary remains clueless.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
(13b)
She thinks someone moved the body.
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (14)
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus. Unbelief is blind. He was the last Person Mary expected to see. Did her tears mask His face?
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (15a)
Jesus echoes the angels, asking the reason for her tears. She hears His voice now and still has no idea who is before her.
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15b)
Was it common for gardeners to open tombs and hide bodies? Hardly! They were at the bottom of the social ladder and tended to gardening.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (16a)
The most important word in the world is your name. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice. One word changed everything for her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (16b)
This means “my teacher” or “master.”
It’s easy for us to miss images and symbols John’s initial readers would recognize.
John is the only Gospel writer that tells us these events take place in a garden, a garden filled with spices, suggesting the imagery of the Song of Songs. Mary is a woman who finds the one she loves in a spice-filled garden and wants to be with Him.
Dr. Gary Burge notes,
“Miriam was the most famous sister of Moses, who oversaw her little brother’s journey down the Nile. In an ancient Jewish synagogue at Dura Europos on the Euphrates a fresco depicts this scene carefully. The floating bed of Moses becomes a coffin and tomb from which the baby Moses is raised to life (thus avoiding death).42 Old Testament Miriam even becomes a prophet (Ex. 15:20–21; Num. 12:1–2) who bears a message to Israel. While John refers to Mary in the narrative with the Greek word Maria, when Jesus (the new Moses) meets her in 20:16, oddly, he employs the Hebrew form of the name: Miriam (Gk. Mariam, Heb. Miryam). He names her “Miriam Magdalene”— where Magdalene connotes the Hebrew noun migdal, “tower.” This caretaker of the new Moses, this intimate helper, is now transformed from a mere “Mary” into a Miriam, into a migdal that now bears a prophetic message to the apostles.” (The NIV Application Commentary, John)
A woman in “paradise” encounters the Creator and Ruler of the Garden, Jesus.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (17)
Why did He say not to touch Him? Scholars have wondered for two thousand years. Some believe Jesus literally meant don’t touch His body, but Thomas would soon. Some have translated it “do not fear,” but that seems unlikely. Others suggest it is preparation for His ascension, His return to the Father. In other words, He may be saying, “Do not cling to Me. Go tell the disciples I will soon return to the Father.” He will leave our planet, but also leave the Holy Spirit, an even more intimate expression of God who will live inside every believer.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (18)
John records her as the first one to see the resurrected Messiah.
She has seen the empty tomb.
She has seen the LORD.
So What?
Mary Magdalene told the disciples the good news: Jesus is alive.
It is our privilege to tell our friends, neighbors and co-workers the good news: Jesus is alive!!!
Last week it struck me how the Gospel is good news. Who doesn’t want to share good news? It’s hard to deliver bad news, but it should be a joy to announce good news.
This text perhaps raises more questions than it answers, but one thing is clear…Jesus is alive! The One who died for us, who redeems us from sin and death, lives.
We don’t worship an idea, a concept, or a book. We worship a Person who entered human history and transformed it.
Listen to the words of John Updike in his poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter.”
Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the church will fall. . . .
Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence;
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché, Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of time will eclipse for each of us,
The wide light of day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We often approach communion with great reflection, and well we should. However, the story does not end on the cross. Last week we saw Mary Magdalene and others shocked to find the tomb of Jesus empty.
Jewish people spent seven days mourning the loss of a loved one. This meant they could not wash, work, study the law, or even have intercourse for a week. They knew how to express grief! An empty tomb prevented final acts of love to be done to Jesus. Even tomb raiders would usually leave behind the body.
We know “the rest of the story,” but those at the empty tomb
…still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. (20:9)
What does this mean? It means they did not understand! Have you ever read the Bible and seen something you never saw previously? Some Scriptures require experience to fully understand.
Jesus had said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? (John 16:19b)
Jesus had said, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20b)
Jesus had said, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
Sometimes we are just filled with disbelief.
When we ended last Sunday, we read that
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (10)
Jesus died. The tomb is empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (20:11-12)
Imagine the week Mary has had. This is a woman that deeply loved Jesus. He had expelled numerous demons from her. He showed her great compassion. She cried at the foot of the cross as her hope literally died.
His body was buried quickly and two days later she comes with friends to bring spices for the body. The tomb is empty. Peter and John leave. Now she is crying outside the tomb…and she encounters two angels, two angels dressed in white, hardly appropriate during a time of mourning!
Where were the angels when the boys were around?
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (13a)
Why do they ask? They’re angels! They know. Jesus is alive, but Mary remains clueless.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
(13b)
She thinks someone moved the body.
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (14)
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus. Unbelief is blind. He was the last Person Mary expected to see. Did her tears mask His face?
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (15a)
Jesus echoes the angels, asking the reason for her tears. She hears His voice now and still has no idea who is before her.
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15b)
Was it common for gardeners to open tombs and hide bodies? Hardly! They were at the bottom of the social ladder and tended to gardening.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (16a)
The most important word in the world is your name. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice. One word changed everything for her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (16b)
This means “my teacher” or “master.”
It’s easy for us to miss images and symbols John’s initial readers would recognize.
John is the only Gospel writer that tells us these events take place in a garden, a garden filled with spices, suggesting the imagery of the Song of Songs. Mary is a woman who finds the one she loves in a spice-filled garden and wants to be with Him.
Dr. Gary Burge notes,
“Miriam was the most famous sister of Moses, who oversaw her little brother’s journey down the Nile. In an ancient Jewish synagogue at Dura Europos on the Euphrates a fresco depicts this scene carefully. The floating bed of Moses becomes a coffin and tomb from which the baby Moses is raised to life (thus avoiding death).42 Old Testament Miriam even becomes a prophet (Ex. 15:20–21; Num. 12:1–2) who bears a message to Israel. While John refers to Mary in the narrative with the Greek word Maria, when Jesus (the new Moses) meets her in 20:16, oddly, he employs the Hebrew form of the name: Miriam (Gk. Mariam, Heb. Miryam). He names her “Miriam Magdalene”— where Magdalene connotes the Hebrew noun migdal, “tower.” This caretaker of the new Moses, this intimate helper, is now transformed from a mere “Mary” into a Miriam, into a migdal that now bears a prophetic message to the apostles.” (The NIV Application Commentary, John)
A woman in “paradise” encounters the Creator and Ruler of the Garden, Jesus.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (17)
Why did He say not to touch Him? Scholars have wondered for two thousand years. Some believe Jesus literally meant don’t touch His body, but Thomas would soon. Some have translated it “do not fear,” but that seems unlikely. Others suggest it is preparation for His ascension, His return to the Father. In other words, He may be saying, “Do not cling to Me. Go tell the disciples I will soon return to the Father.” He will leave our planet, but also leave the Holy Spirit, an even more intimate expression of God who will live inside every believer.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (18)
John records her as the first one to see the resurrected Messiah.
She has seen the empty tomb.
She has seen the LORD.
So What?
Mary Magdalene told the disciples the good news: Jesus is alive.
It is our privilege to tell our friends, neighbors and co-workers the good news: Jesus is alive!!!
Last week it struck me how the Gospel is good news. Who doesn’t want to share good news? It’s hard to deliver bad news, but it should be a joy to announce good news.
This text perhaps raises more questions than it answers, but one thing is clear…Jesus is alive! The One who died for us, who redeems us from sin and death, lives.
We don’t worship an idea, a concept, or a book. We worship a Person who entered human history and transformed it.
Listen to the words of John Updike in his poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter.”
Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the church will fall. . . .
Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence;
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché, Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of time will eclipse for each of us,
The wide light of day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.