If you’re a blog reader I would begin to wonder why in the world you are reading this one. It does not get updated that often and when it does you may not see words but pictures or even videos. Sometimes it makes me laugh about how much we write in blogs while wondering if anyone ever truly reads them. At any rate, it’s a new year, and with a new year we expect new things. However, we cannot forget that what we live for, or rather whom we live for is nothing new, but it’s a lifestyle that is based on a true story not more than 2000 years ago. But are we bothered by something that is that old.
If you notice Christian culture in our country you will notice certain dissatisfaction with something as old as the gospel. More than a few years ago there were many folks that decided that we need to be like Paul, all things to all people. Our churches need to be relevant and opened to non-Christians. People should wake up on Sunday morning and having the option of going to church or going to the beach, they should pick going to church everyday and twice on Sunday. Besides, if our Jesus is irresistible why should church be any different? I totally embrace this idea, and for one reason alone, - these folks still held on tightly to the foundation of Christ and solid doctrine. They did not abandon old and trustworthy truths. Now we see something different in our world today. We see a group called the emergent church, a group that wishes to not only change the way church is done but change the way we read scripture, change our convictions, and make our theology more flexible like a trampoline (and example used by a guy named Rob Bell).
The Gospel does not need to be changed, we need to be changed. When we notice our lives becoming stagnant and dull, we need to realize we are stagnant and dull not the gospel. It’s a time where we embrace the same story as the early apostles did and grow in our process of learning what Christ wants to do on this earth and in our lives. I will never forget the story of my friend and mentor, Jay Ridenour. In his senior year of college, Jay went on a mission trip to Bolivia. The team traveled around village to village for a few weeks showing, “the Jesus film” to people who had never heard the gospel. The film was a simple brush of the life, death, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. After going from village to village carrying all kinds of audio/video equipment they came to the last village of their trip. As the movie began to play Jay was approached by a woman who had asked him to hold her baby so she could watch the film. As the film came to the part of the crucifixion she began to weep out loud, so loud that it was almost a disturbance to everyone who was trying to watch the movie. While the lady was disruptive as she began to cry more and more, the team of students became excited as the thought that she would be the first person to want to know more about this Jesus. When the end of the movie came the team rushed to the translator to ask if the woman had any questions about this story of Jesus. The team was quickly informed that this woman who had become too emotional from seeing the brutal execution of Jesus on the cross had a unique story about herself. The truth was that this woman had heard of the gospel before, in fact she had heard it many times. The fact of the matter was that this woman had been a Christian for nearly 40 years, and heard the gospel when she was a little girl. In her eyes, the gospel was as new to her as it ever has been.
In light of a new year I hope your prayer is that we embrace the old but glorious story told to us in the trustworthy pages of the Holy Scriptures. We do not have to do many great things this year; we just have to be mastered by one thing that is very great. May the gospel of Christ Jesus continue to amaze you this year and overflow in your daily life for the glory of the kingdom of God.
For His Namesake,
JP
