A Pastor’s Plea for the Gospel of Jesus Christ

I’m a pastor and I have a pastor’s heart; which means I care about the spiritual formation of people.  It means I care about discipling each person under my pastoral care.  That’s why I preach and write.  Because I hope that my efforts, empowered by the Spirit of God, will actually help people embrace Christ’s invitation; “Come, follow me.”

So I attempt to “explain” things... like, for instance, the Gospel.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, I’m afraid, has been reduced in evangelical Church circles to less (much less) than it really is.  John Ortberg says that many Christians think the Gospel is “the minimal entrance requirements to get into heaven.”  That is unquestionably not what the Gospel is.

The Gospel is the announcement (the good news) that Jesus Christ is Lord.

The biblical writers hijacked the word “gospel” from the political world of their day.  In the Roman world the “gospel” was the official announcement of the birth or coronation of a new Emperor.  The Emperor was given the title of “Lord.” 

The gospel writers are announcing the birth and coronation (through crucifixion and resurrection) of the true Lord of the world.  Peter and Paul both made the highly controversial and politically charged claim that the titles of “Messiah” (a Jewish title for the anointed one) and “Lord” (a Gentile title for the one with ultimate authority) now belong to Jesus.  Read Acts 2:29-36 and Philippians 2:9-11.  (Rome didn't execute these men for telling people how to get saved.)   

So to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ is to believe that Jesus is Lord.  To share the gospel of Jesus Christ is to invite others to believe that Jesus is Lord. 

In a world that operates under the misguided perception that presidents, dictators and demagogues are the “lords” of the world, I think we need the gospel that is actually true to the scriptures, the gospel first proclaimed by the apostles, the gospel that is more than a spiritualized version of Star Trek, a “beam us up” theology. 

We need the proclamation that, “God raised this Jesus to life… Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit… Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (Acts 2:32-36) 

As a pastor, I’m delighted when we actually believe this central proclamation of the Church; when we live in this world as citizens of the kingdom of God; when we love our enemies, when we share our possessions, when we care for the poor and oppressed, when we speak up for those who can’t speak for themselves, when we joyfully make great sacrifices for others, when we give full allegiance to the Lord, when we follow the way of Jesus, the Christ!  That does my pastor’s heart good!