Too Cool For The Gospel?

Bev and I watched Courageous last night. It's the latest release by Sherwood Films, a Christian company that makes movies with a message. It is not sophisticated film-making. The message is not subtly woven into a complex plot. In another time in my life, I most likely would not have watched it, or if I did, would have found the straightforward method of presentation too simple for appreciation. No more! I cheered the heroes, empathized with those in difficult circumstances, and felt inspired by hope. The producers met their goal - to share the Gospel of Christ and to challenge fathers to be real Dads.

Do we  clutter up the Message of the love of God with our pretensions?

Do we rob the Gospel of the power to change us by trying too hard to be 'relevant to our culture?'

Do we think we need to improve on God's Story?

Don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting that life lacks complexity. I am not ignoring the huge questions that cause us to struggle in faith. Christians must not duck behind "Jesus loves me, this I know, 'cause the Bible told me so," to avoid issues of justice or applied grace. Mature faith confronts entrenched evil. The resulting conflict demands much from us - in both heart and mind. And yet- it all comes back to one Fact: "God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8, NIV) Jesus says that this fact calls for two basic responses from us all: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:30-31, NIV) No matter how long a person has been a Christian, it all comes back to accepting God's grace by faith and to responding with authentic love.

Ponder these words. "For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2:2-5, NKJV) Paul reflects on his ministry and reveals his dedication to the simplicity of the Gospel. My prayer is that we will renew our own love of the Truth and let the Story continue to change and challenge us.

A woman who is struggling to make a huge moral decision in her life came to me to talk over the options. "What can I do?" she asked me through sincere tears. Every apparent course of action looks too hard, demands too much of her. I recognized her dilemma and agreed that there was no easy way to marry obedience to God's Word with her desire for personal happiness. But, then I pointed her back to the Cross and to the love of the Father. "Until you are secure in His love, until you have settled yourself in faith in Christ, you cannot know the peace and power of the Spirit that can make obedience to His will a joy," I told her. It is true for all of us. If we become so sophisticated that we fail to lay the foundation of faith in Christ's power to save from sin, we cannot know the true joy of the Spirit-filled Christian life.

Don't let yourself become too cool for the Gospel. Here's the word from the Word. Meditate on it.

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes-Jews first and also Gentiles. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life." (Romans 1:16-17, NLT)

"I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you-guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." (2 Timothy 1:12-14, NIV)