The Selfish Gospel
We messed up again.
Evangel literally means Good News.
News—it seems to be something we can’t get away from, right? Turn on the TV, news. Get on your iPhone, news. Pick up your daily newspaper, oh would you look at that, news. I’m not here today to tell you that watching the news or reading the news is bad or negative, because it isn’t.
I just want to emphasize that as followers of Christ we have the BEST news.
Our news is a lot better than CNN, better than FOX, better than the today show, and better than news on any social media platform. BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE... the Good News we have as followers of Christ is that it is never changing.
It is the same YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER.
Now onto the hard pill to swallow. The Selfish Gospel. I know you are probably really confused and maybe even uncomfortable with reading that.
Good.
The Gospel should NEVER be selfish, but guess what? We, yes, the Christians have turned the Gospel into something it was never meant to be.
We wonder why so many people call Christians ‘hypocrites’, yet we fail to see that sometimes the ‘Gospel’ we present to them isn’t the truth. And if it’s not the truth, then I can promise you that it isn't the Gospel.
The Gospel is TRUE, GOOD, and BEAUTIFUL.
1 Corinthians 9:16- For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
Galatians 1:8- But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God's curse!
We try to SELL the Gospel. We try to make it appeal to those around us. But guys, JESUS DOESN'T NEED US TO SELL THE GOSPEL.
We have it in our minds that God needs us—to be brutally honest He doesn’t need us at all. The amazing thing about God is that He WANTS US.
Since when did the gospel become about US? Our very reason for existance is to glorify Jesus Christ all the days of our life. How dare we mold it into something to benefit to our lives!
It is so easy to acknowledge that God is good and worthy of praise when the family is healthy, the bills are paid, and the relationships are going smoothly.
YET WHY IS IT DIFFICULT TO ACKNOWLEDGE GOD’S GLORY AND GOODNESS WHEN TIMES GET TOUGH?
Do you want to know what is truly amazing to God and truly glorifying to Him? When your kid, brother, sister, mom, or dad gets in a terrible car accident, or when all your cards are declined, when the relationships have so much tension and you’re barely hanging on but you can STILL say,
"GOD IS SO GOOD AND HE IS WORTHY. ALL GLORY, AND HONOR AND PRAISE TO HIM ALONE."
This is why I say we have a problem with making the Gospel about us. We are a selfish people even regarding the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. We have become more consumed with preaching health, wealth, and prosperity to people then showing them how to be in awe of God when they are in the middle of the storm.
-LM
You are loved! Until next time...
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