Our Gospel

DAILY BYTE

We’ve been talking this week about the challenge of sharing the Gospel with others, yesterday remembering that if we’re going to be sharing, it’s important for us to be seeking out greater depth in our own faith and knowledge of scripture. But, if we knew our scripture well, we would know these words from 2 Timothy – “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David – that is my gospel.”

Without feeling the need to be any fancier with our lingo and speeches about why people should believe in God and come to church, we are called simply to “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David.” That is our gospel.

That is the crux of the good news that we have to share with people. So, without being a rocket scientist or a biblical scholar, we can all take ownership of those words.

Remember Jesus Christ – the one who has saved us and continues to offer saving grace to us every day.

We remember the miraculous and life-changing promise that he was raised from the dead, and so we aren’t bound by death either. We are unchained and free to be unashamed of who we are, even if we don’t understand entirely the miraculous faith we profess.

And we know this because of the scriptures, which tell us God’s faithful journey with his people – Adams and Eves all the way through the line of King David, never ending – faithfully staying with people through Jesus Christ up until us now.

This is our gospel. Jesus Christ. Raised from the dead. Gave us a promise. That we are raised too. God has been faithful. Has shown us this in the scriptures. And will never leave us. This is my gospel. This is my good news.

No matter what else confuses us or happens around us or to us – no matter how much suffering comes about, as Paul says, this is his gospel – this is our gospel. It has changed our life.

And if we believe it, then we have to share it. Otherwise what is the point?

If we can talk for hours on end about the sports report, our relationships with our friends, our favourite jazz music, and the book that we read last week – if we can talk about everything else in the world that brings us joy, nourishment, and growth, what is the point of any of it, if we cannot talk about the one thing that holds all of those other things together?

If we tell God that he is at the centre of our worship – the reason for our life, wouldn’t we want to shout that from the rooftops and get as many people as possible to come access that life, too?

FOCUS READING

2 Timothy 2:8- 9 (NRSV)

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David – that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Lord God, I remember who you are – Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendent of David. I want to proclaim that this is the good news for my life! Help me learn to do this with humility, faithfulness, boldness, and joy. Amen.