If someone asked you, “What was the gospel
that Jesus preached?” how would you respond? I was surprised at my ignorance
when I first considered this question. I was used to seeing Jesus and his life
primarily through the lens of how they impacted the Cross and the debt that was
paid there. To my sorrow, I didn’t pay much attention to what Jesus actually
taught. In the gospel of Mark we see one aspect of our answer:
Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the
gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at
hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15
ESV)
For Jesus, the “gospel” was the announcement
of the availability of the Kingdom of God through trust in Him. This kind of
announcement requires repentance because of all the other kingdoms we have our
hands into (mainly our own).
The meaning of “repentance” in the New
Testament comes down to two senses: a change of mind and a sense of remorse.[1]
Jesus is inviting us to “re-think our thinking” about our lives in light of the
fact that in Him, the Kingdom of God is available to all persons. The extent to
which we are committed to other kingdoms above his Kingdom means our turning
will involve regret and what Paul called “godly sorrow” (2 Corinthians 7:10).
As one teacher paraphrased it,
“"Reconsider your strategy for life in view of the fact that you can now
live under the rule of the heavens, the invisible reality of God immediately
accessible to you by trust."[2]
This week during Lent, take time to
“reconsider your strategy for life” in light of who Jesus is, what he has done
and what he is doing. God’s intimate holy presence is closer than the air we
breathe! Let us turn away from “making things happen” and press into Jesus.
Then we can let go of outcomes and agendas and be free to experience his voice
and presence in new ways together.
[1] Walter M. Dunnett, “Repentance,” in Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical
Theology. Accessed online 3/14/19 at https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/repentance.html
[2] Dallas Willard, “Kingdom of God Teaching
Series,” 1990.
1 comment:
These are rich devotionals in the blog!!
Very sorry to see so little response.
Many of these could and should provoke opportunities for encouragement for the
blogger as well as each other.
If you are still at it Scott!! Thank you!
I hope you see this and are encouraged by it!
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