Thursday, January 1, 2009

What is the gospel?

I'm getting ready to start working again, I'm going to the same company but a different location. When I was there last time, I'm not sure if anyone could have told that I was a Christian. I feel like I looked like the rest of them, and I felt like a loser. I tend to blame my old job on everything, on my emptiness, loss of personal identity and interest, everything. I never walk into that building and feel like the man I am, much less the Christian I am. After a long session of reading and prayer tonight, I felt like God was gently saying,
"let's talk about this work situation. let Me show you how you feel."

let's just say there was more hate and bitterness, fear and anger in my heart than I had ever dared to imagine. I thought of my former co-workers as losers, hopeless, and if they ever came to know God, I wouldn't even be happy for them. I really don't want that.

But that's only half the story.

I've been scared to death, ever since the whole first-job fisaco, of failing God. Of being lukewarm, not doing what I should, not impacting anyone, and just looking like the world.

I'm scared of getting it wrong, of being too evangelical or worse yet, being so set on connecting with people that I'm not as concerned with showing people the hope of Jesus Christ.

So that lead me to a question:
What is the gospel?

Is the gospel a story that really came true but all its for is for getting our sins forgiven?

Contrary.

The gospel is an invitation. It's an invitation into a deeper life, a relationship with the Lord God Almighty. an invitation to, by the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, walk with Him and let Him guide your steps.
It is an invitation to something beautiful, something unfathomably wonderful, something extravagant, and something abundant.

That's the gospel.
That's why we evangelize.

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