The Heart and Soul of the Gospel
**This is the text from a sermon I preached yesterday (October 27, 2019) at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit, Michigan.
The text includes the prayers at the beginning and end of the sermon and a few of my personal notes to enhance the delivery of the sermon.
( Sharing this sermon ("The Heart and Soul of the Gospel") in part or as a full document is permitted. Attribution (credit to the author) will be appreciated. -Deborah)
Thank you Lord for calling
us into your kingdom, into your power, and into relationship and connection
with you. Show us how to live the purposes for which we were created. Show us
how to live as authentic witnesses to the truth of your word.
Amen.
Passage from Colossians
1:9-14 (NIV)
9 For this reason, since the day we heard about
you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to
fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and
understanding that the Spirit gives,[a] 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the
Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work,
growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according
to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who
has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of his
holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of
darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness
of sins.
Our
text begins with the apostle saying…”for this reason.”
What is
the reason the writer references? For the answer, let’s look at a previous
statement made in this letter to the church at Colosse.
In the
earlier portion of the chapter Paul says the faith, work, and spiritual fruit
of the church in Colosse is well known to him, and to others. He mentions the
love this congregation has shown to all
believers. Paul says these church members have truly understood God’s grace.
In this
context, the apostle then explains a series of truths about the work of this
church and our passage finishes with a summary statement that explains
everything previously stated.
In this
summary statement we find the heart and soul of the gospel: “We
have been rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into the kingdom of
Jesus Christ, God’s beloved son.” (repeat)
Some of
us refer to this experience as being converted, being born again, or being
saved, or being redeemed. If this has been our experience---regardless of what
we call it—we have a “before and after” story. In this “before and after” story
rests the core of our ability to be authentic witnesses of Jesus Christ.
The
word dominion here represents the idea of expressed power and authority. It
represents rulership. The writer says as believers in and followers of Jesus
Christ, we have been rescued, or saved, from one power or authority into
another power or authority.
We
can’t take credit for our experience of rescue, but we can enjoy the benefits
of the rescue.
What is
the dominion of darkness?
The
dominion of darkness is defined by disconnection from God, disconnection from
true relationships with others, and disconnection from our best selves (our God
intended selves).
The
experience of rescue implies inability to effectively act to save the self.
Jesus Christ, God’s son, rescues us from the state of disconnect, from life in
the dominion of darkness.
In
other words, we have experienced a transfer. This transfer is not only a change
of status, it is a change of our character. It is a change of our life
priorities. It is a change of our eternal
destiny.
It is
also a change of how we relate to God, how we relate to others, and how we relate
to---and understand—ourselves.
The
apostle explains what this change looks like. What are the markers of this
change? Do we need to pay attention to these markers of change?
In the
book of second Corinthians, Paul encourages what we today would call a
“self-test”.
Examine
yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do
you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the
test? 2 Corinthians 13:5 New
International Version (NIV)
Let’s
look at the characteristics that made the Colossian church so successful. They
were successful in sharing the gospel and loving all of God’s people. They were
successful in demonstrating the fruit of the Holy Spirit : But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22)
First, Paul encourages the church to live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in
every way. For these Christ followers, their expression of connection to God is
seen in their desire to please God, to live a life worthy of this kingdom they
have been transferred into. What would this worthiness look like?
Paul wants
these believers and followers to bear fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God. We’ve already heard (from the Galatians passage) how Paul
speaks of fruit, of spiritual fruit. It’s certainly not something we can
accomplish on our own—despite our willpower, intelligence, natural abilities,
or good intentions. Growing in the knowledge of God is what brings forward good
fruit. As we know more of who God truly is, we are more truly drawn to become close
followers of God. In our own small ways, we begin to replicate the qualities of
God. We begin to show others the love, mercy, grace, patience, and kindness we
have experienced in connection with God.
Paul
continues on, saying the believers and followers have been strengthened with
all power, according to God’s power. God’s power, not ours, makes the
difference. Our ability to do the work we have been given is never based on us
alone, but on our connection with God. This is not unusual or difficult or
reserved for a select few. This power lives within us because we are in
connection with the maker and maintainer of all things.
Paul prays
for the church. He prays continually. This “continual prayer” suggests there
are always new things to do, new things to understand, new decisions to be
made, new fears to conquer, new insights to explore, new joys to experience.
There is no complacency here, no sense of being “good enough to get by” or of
having “made it.”
Here, again
from our text, Paul says what he prays for when the thinks about the church in Colosse.
He prays that God will…
“…fill you
with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding
that the Spirit gives.”
The Holy
Spirit gives wisdom AND understanding. What difference does this make? In
wisdom we have truth; in understanding we have the application and the
expression of that truth.
In this
expression of truth, we begin to experience connection with others and with our
selves. Wholeness, or holiness, means we have a single (not conflicted) view of
who we are, why we are in the world, and what we should do with our time,
energy, and resources. These actions are not only for ourselves. These actions
are for others as well—others that are known to us and others that are not
known to us.
Howard
Thurman (1899-1981, African-American theologian, pastor, world traveler, and
writer) says we can more deeply understand God by examining the parable of the
shepherd. God is the shepherd always seeking to find the lost sheep, those
outside of communion and community. God is the God who restores connection and
fellowship. Christianity is not the path of a Lone Ranger. It is the path of
connection.
As God’s
followers, we seek what God seeks, what God wants for all people. God loves all
people equally.
So what do
we do with all of this?
We embrace
and thankfully accept this truth: we have been empowered to live as authentic
witnesses of Jesus Christ. We affirm through our life and our words everything
Jesus says. He is the Light of the World. He is the Good Shepherd. He is the
Gate for the Sheep. He is the Bread of Life. He is the Vine. He is the Way-the
Truth-the Life. Finally, He is the Resurrection and the Life.
Because of
these truths, our work is not tiresome or unimportant work. This is necessary
work. This is the work of the whole person, of the holy person. This is work of
eternal value.
The
authentic witness has three qualities. The authentic witness has:
Something important to do,
Something important to say,
Something important to look forward to.
WHAT DOES
THE AUTHENTIC WITNESS HAVE TO DO?
The work of the authentic witness always moves
self and community toward reconciliation in God, through Jesus Christ. (repeat) This is the unique message of the church. The
authentic witness is always learning, always growing, always seeking, always
killing fear, and always expanding the scope of their dreams. All of this
happens for the sake and goal of reconciliation in and with God. As we often say, we are reformed and always
reforming.
WHAT DOES THE AUTHENTIC WITNESS HAVE TO SAY?
The speech of the authentic witness points to
Jesus Christ as the unique revelation of how God actually feels about humanity
and all creation. (repeat) In Matthew 28, Jesus tells his disciples to
make other disciples. He tells them to be authentic witnesses. True witnesses
tell what they have seen or experienced, not what they’re read, heard, or
considered. Witnessing happens in the context of relationships. When Jesus
tells his disciples to “go”, He’s really saying “go live your lives and while
you’re doing that, make more disciples.”
WHAT DOES THE AUTHENTIC WITNESS HAVE TO LOOK
FORWARD TO?
The future of the authentic witness is eternal,
and is eternally with God. (repeat)
C.S. Lewis (1898-1963, British scholar and
professor of medieval literature at both Oxford and Cambridge universities,
atheist turned Christian, then Christian apologist ) writes in the Screwtape
Letters of the sudden and violent physical death of a young Christian convert
during a bombing raid in WWII London.
The Screwtape Letters is an epistolary novel --a
novel written in letters-- about the struggle between the forces of good and
evil for a human soul. Near the end of the book, Lewis writes: “he (our young convert)
got out (meaning left this present world) so easily, no nursing homes, no
doctors that lie, no hospitals--- just sheer instantaneous liberation.”
Those who have been rescued from the dominion of
darkness have been brought into the experience of eternal life. Eternal life
begins now, not after physical death. Jesus tells us this: those who believe in
Him---even if their bodies appear gone, lost, lifeless, or destroyed—are always
alive. We are always in Him and we are always with Him. God’s work of rescue
for His followers is total, complete, and eternal.
This is the heart and soul of the gospel.
Lord, we are thankful you have called us into
connection with you, with others, and with ourselves. Give us courage to be
authentic witnesses of what we know. Free us from the fear of what others will
say, think, or do. Make us always aware of your presence and your love. Amen.
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