As long as there is a man, woman, boy or girl in this world that is oppressed and abused, as long as there are lonely people whose every day is a ceaseless ache, as long as there are families crushed and narrowed by abject poverty, unemployment and the growing sense that nothing will change—no matter what the governments say, no matter who has the strongest armies, no matter how plausible the reform packages are, no matter how many laws are enacted or police and courts willing to enforce them—as long as there are such people in the world gospeling is needed!
It isn’t the gospelers who give hope—it’s the gospel they gospel that destroys utter and eternal despair. It’s the Person they proclaim in that gospel who destroys the foundations on which utter despair is built. That is true but there must be gospelers or…]
The truth these gospelers have been privileged to know is true no matter how many millions have never heard it.
The truth of the gospel is true even if one has been unlucky enough to be born in a prison-like society where the power-brokers and the predators suppress the truth and keep it from the millions.
The truth of the gospel is true even when it isn’t believed by those who have heard it and rejected it–rejected Him.
A day will come when all wrongs will be righted!
The final act of a godless regime or society or world is to hasten the death of the vulnerable and voiceless as if that was the last word. But it isn’t the last word!
Let Hitler stand for all the tyrants ancient and modern, current or future, whether they are military, political or economic–their satanic spirit is one. Here is how he and all who are like him have seen the people under their power. In a discussion with Albert Speer in 1945 when he saw the war was going against him he purposed to turn Germany into one vast ruin. “We will not capitulate. No, never! We may be destroyed, but if we are we will drag a world down–in flames.”
The Holy Father has given assurance to the entire human family that in the resurrected and ever-living Lord Jesus the entire world will be judged in righteousness and fairness [Acts 17:30-31]. What ages prior to Jesus could not know—were ignorant of—is now told to us by God in the gospel about the life, death, resurrection and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Church as it gospels in its ordinances and liturgy [Baptism, Lord’s Supper, it’s hymns, prayers, Bible reading, listening] and its daily embodied gospel preaching it proclaims the coming public and personal reign of God in Jesus. The Church experiences much of what the human family experiences along with the human family but she mustn’t deny who she is! She mustn’t deny that she is the bearer of a unique message that has created and shaped her and given her her destiny and commission. To do that is to deny her Lord and Master.
No atheistic faith is ours! No atheistic conclusion that all human existence ends in eternal darkness, unimaginable cold and changeless death…death…death. Our faith begins in good news, is sustained by good news and reaches its eternal fulfillment in ceaseless and joyous splendor.
We gospel justice for all and not just some! We don’t proclaim justice only for those “lucky” enough to be born in the right place in the world at the right time in history and in the right family. However the God and Father of the Lord Jesus works it out there will be justice/fairness for all!
Only the NT Church has that message! As long as there is a world in awful need there will be the need for the indwelling Lord Jesus telling his redemptive Story in every generation in and through the Church that is scattered in handfuls throughout the world and among the nations.
Tomorrow is Sunday! Resurrection day! The Lord’s Day!
From all the homes and the hovels, in a host of languages, the sick and the healthy, the rich and the poor, the learned and the non-literate will stream to places of gathering and there they’ll gospel. Not just for themselves but for the millions in this age and ages past.
Poor little man, woman, girl or boy, you may not have much, you may never have had much and in this life all you may ever have is pain and humiiation but know this, there is a God who sees all that is going on, all your agony, all the oppression and abuse that’s been your life from the beginning and may be until your death. He doesn’t just see it but in Jesus Christ assures you that he will right all the wrongs and he would love you to be able to believe that even now, though all your pain and sorrow and hunger denies this message. Weep and protest but a day is coming–your day is coming when Jesus Christ himself in power and love will speak for you and all yours.
Meanwhile let the Church think and gospel noble things of God!
©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.