Preach the Gospel, even when in Assisi

The Gospel is the big news of something that happened 2,000 years ago. But due to its nature it is always the breaking news, the top story, the lead paragraph. That Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures and that he appeared to numerous witnesses in a resurrected body is the news. Even today. The Gospel is both, history and doctrine. Christ died and was buried and rose again is the history. Christ died for our sins is the meaning of that event. The one who gets to determine the meaning is God -- the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus was according to the plan and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:22-24) and it is he who made him to be sin who knew no sin so that in him we might become the righteousness of God (2 Cor. 5:21). The meaning of that death, burial and resurrection was determined in heaven. Because of who He is the only way God could uphold his righteousness and forgive God-belittling, hell-deserving sinners was by pouring out his wrath on his son in the place of sinners. But to uphold his righteousness -- his reputation -- the substitute must be without blemish, must be perfect. The substitute must perfectly represent man and God to appease or propitiate God's wrath (Romans 3:25, 26). That's the Gospel. The only response that is of any benefit is believe its necessity and its sufficiency to declare you right before the one true God and be rescued from his righteous, deserved judgment. Once again, the big news: There is one God and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus (I Tim. 2:5). The lead paragraph: God is calling all men everywhere to repent having fixed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness having furnished proof by raising one man from the dead (Acts 17). That's the news bulletin. That's the Gospel. You and I are not the Gospel. We can be tellers of the Gospel, proclaimers of the Gospel, preachers of the Gospel, heralds of the Gospel, singers of the Gospel, readers of the Gospel, but we are not the Gospel. To preach the Gospel we must use words at all times, even when in Assisi. Not only are you and I not the Gospel, we also are not the power of salvation. It is the Gospel that is the power of salvation (Romans 1:16) to everyone who believes. Uncool geeks can get the message out, mismatched misfits can mumble the Gospel, paralytics can preach the Gospel, cowpokes can yodel the Gospel. What we cannot do is empower the Gospel. It is the Gospel -- the very message itself -- that is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20). -- TWMathis