The Evaporating Gospel

THE EVAPORATING GOSPEL

Rom.1: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth;

Over these numerous decades the church has relegated the gospel to the gateway to salvation, which of course it is. But subtly and not so subtly the gospel has been assigned a cameo at the end of sermons, and used more extensively for children. The story has gotten stale so much of the church has moved on to more contemporary and relevant topics. It is deeply embarrassing and offensive to the sufferings of our Lord that the gospel receives so little attention.

All kinds of causes have now replaced the everlasting gospel. Let a CEO mention he is in favor of traditional marriage and parts of the church come alive. Let there be a gay pride parade and the church rallies against it. Conservative values are now the gospel, and believers will join hands with unbelievers in all kinds of “conservative" causes. And of course nationalism is the tie that binds a massive mixed multitude. And in many quarters, the “founding fathers” receive almost as much attention as Jesus Himself.

Salvation itself is treated as a one moment event which can be filed under a historical testimony. But in reality, even though there is a glorious moment of conversion, the salvation experience should be a living and breathing lifestyle which digs deeper and deeper as time passes. And at the heart of that life is Jesus and His everlasting gospel. The modern palate has little taste for the gospel and instead feeds on all sorts of earthly delicacies that center upon man and not Christ.

The gospel continues to evaporate from the evangelical horizon. And with the gospel the Person of Jesus Christ has become residual. People want the “how to’s” rather than a deeper knowledge of the Crucified and Risen Christ. But I ask you, if a believer had become stranded upon a desert island alone, what would all this success talk do for him? If he had a Bible would he not pray and read with a pursuit of knowing Jesus more fully? How would patriotism serve him? Would he write up great and swelling papers on predestination? Would he revere George Washington, or for that matter, any man?

Or would he be in a continual state of thanksgiving because of the eternal grace which he has and which cannot be removed? The gospel is not some entry level doctrine; it is the power of God. Paul preached Christ and Him crucified which was an offense to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles. But still he preached it. And Paul himself acknowledged that it was that kind of preaching which brought him much persecution. So where is our persecution? It seems as if the culture realizes it has nothing to fear from those who name the name of Jesus but fight in the same trenches and with the same weapons as do those who reject His name.

The gospel is the unthinkable; the unfathomable; the inconceivable. It is the good news offered to those who have never deserved good news. It is the mind boggling sacrifice of grace to rescue the enemies of their own Creator. There is no greater message in all the universe. It is not only the message that changed our lives, but it is the message that must govern our lives. If we live the gospel then there is no room for smugness or self righteousness. If we have received God’s love through that gospel then we must live within that love and offer it to friend and foe alike. A true revelation of the profound depth and meaning of the gospel should continually drive us to our knees and keep us broken before Him.

And when we say the gospel we mean the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. But how do we let those words roll off our tongues so effortlessly and not embrace them as life? Inside that gospel is the cross. The same cross to which we bow and the same cross to which we should, we must, nail our own selves and die. In a colossal mystery Jesus went to that cross and suffered for us. God suffered. God died. Picture a young lamb brought to the brazen altar and given to the priests as an offering. Watch, if you can, as they slit its throat and immediately that lamb is covered in blood. Perhaps it squeals and perhaps it withes in pain before it dies. And after it is burned, it is eaten.

And then comes the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world. Oh my…oh my. The One who healed, the One who fed, the One who loved, the One who forgave, He rides into Jerusalem knowing full well His fate. It is more than a narrative. This is filled with divine power and glory! The same voices that say “Hosanna!” will soon say “Crucify Him!” But is He deterred? Does He re-evaluate His mission because we are so unworthy and even ungrateful? No, His face is set like a flint toward the cross.

When God slew the animals for Adam and Eve the Son was watching. When Abraham was willing to offer Isaac the Son was watching. When the death angel passed over the families covered by blood the Son was watching. As millions of gallons of animal blood was spilled the Son was watching. And He was not just a curious bystander or an interested audience. The Son knew they all pointed to His day of sacrifice, and He despised the shame and for the joy that was set before Him, He endured the cross…for us. Oh my.

But why not a quick death? The animals were slain quickly and with some mercy, so why not the Son of God? The animals were not tortured, so why was this Lamb so brutally beaten and so mangled? Oh dear brothers and sisters, can you not see and feel the depth of our sin? Our sins could not be forgiven just because some priests commands you to say the Lord’s Prayer ten times. That is a mockery of what Christ did for us. Our sin was and is so grievous, so repulsive, and so diabolical that it necessitated this torturous death; the death by crucifixion.

With blood and sweat proceeding from every pour our very Creator receives the punishment for our sins. I know that many in these modern times desire to reject the penal essence of the cross but they do despite to Christ. Modern man wants some intellectual explanation that retains a buffer from the violence and gore administered to God’s Lamb, but there is no buffer. The horror of the scene tells the strory of our sin and the depth of God’s eternal love. Can any among us truthfully say we understand it all? No, it is the greatest of all mysteries.

In a day where we get goose bumps over seeing the desolate landscape of Mars, the story of the cross is now outdated and archaic. Men will receive the resurrection as some sign for a new beginning, but the cross has become a doctrinal scourge. But make no mistake, the gospel is filled with blood. It is something very special when someone like me cannot stand to see blood even in a surgery, and yet I can gaze at my blood covered Savior in love and worship. Yes it is gruesome, and I have recoiled when I have seen a bloody automobile accident, but His blood I willingly embrace. It is a magnificent gift of grace.

And so, my friends, do not let the gospel evaporate from your hearts and minds. It may not meet the sophisticated standards of the modern culture, but it is still the power of God. We may not be invited to speak at Harvard, but we are invited to speak in the prayer chamber. Embrace the gospel every single day. Do sentry duty and reject the modern tides that flow within the church and erode devotion to Christ and His gospel. Men and women have died for that gospel, and now we are called to live it in word and deed. God help us to “adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things.”