Thursday: Twenty-First-Century Runners
In his popular Bible paraphrase The Message, Eugene Peterson uses “message” wherever the biblical word for “gospel” appears. The good news about Jesus is truly the message still needed by the world today. Christian families are called to experience it together and to share it in whatever culture they live.
How would you summarize “the message” using the following texts? Matt. 28:5-7; John 3:16; Rom. 1:16-17; 1 Cor. 2:2; 2 Cor. 5:18-21.
Missionaries
The earliest news the disciples ran everywhere with was of the resurrection of Jesus. Christian families today join a long line of runners proclaiming, “He is risen,” as He said (Matt. 28:7, NKJV). The reality of His resurrection makes credible everything else Jesus said about Himself, about God and His love for sinners, about forgiveness, and about the assurance of eternal life by faith in Him.
Passionate about the gospel. Scripture gives glimpses of the gospel’s sweeping effect on the lives of Jesus’ early followers. They opened their homes for Bible study; they prayed and ate together, shared money and resources, and took care of each other. Whole households embraced the message. Were they suddenly flawless people? No. Were there some conflicts and discord among them? Yes. But somehow these followers of Christ were different. They acknowledged their needs for God and for each other. They put a priority on unity and harmony at home and at church, endeavoring to fulfill the Gethsemane prayer of Jesus (John 17:20-23). They witnessed to each other and to unbelievers with boldness, even putting their lives at risk for their beliefs.
So must it be for us. Even in the current age, jaundiced as it is toward godly things, people who are excited about something still get a hearing. The Spirit longs to fill human hearts with excitement about the gospel. When the good news really becomes as good in our hearts as it is within the Word, sharing will be spontaneous and unstoppable.
| What changes might need to be made in your own family that could help it be a better harbinger of “the message” we have been called to share? |
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We can argue the case for Christianity all we like but if we do not live a life that has been changed by the Gospel our witness in simply not going to work. I have had far too many discussions and arguments with unchurched folk to the extent that now I avoid such arguments as fruitless. We must learn to live the life of Christ living within us. If we do, then we have a message more powerful than any erudite argument that we can raise.
If we do not reflect the love of Jesus to those around us, Christ may as well not be risen. He has to “rise in our lives” for the Gospel to be effective.
The early disciples must have captured that spirit because it is recorded that:
Do people describe us as having been with Jesus?
You know. Your second sentence is how I want answer today's last question.
And here I thought I wanted to answer with: daily prayer and worship time, together, is the only way.
(Smiley faced)
I like what the writer says about sharing the good news about christ, that we could only share the good news unstoppably and spontaneously if our hearts are embedded within the word of God and experience the filling of the holy spirit in us, cause only then does our message even hold strength and do we have the boldness to share it if we are not doing it out of maybe what we think suits us as Christians nor trying to extend our own image other than that of CHRIST.