Ideas That I Cannot Ignore: Gospel

Over the past seven or eight years, I have come across a number of ideas about God and His work in the world that have been seemingly impossible to set aside. It is by God's grace that I have come across these ideas initially and been drawn to return to these resources regularly to embrace what they show me about God. I am not inclined to say that I have found out all the important truths of God or even that every idea presented throughout each sermon or article is without error (or my interpretations of the ideas presented has been flawless) and I am happy to discuss objections. I am inclined to say that I have come to a greater knowledge and love and enjoyment of God because of what I have heard and read.

College presented a lot of challenging ideas. New objections to the goodness, sovereignty, and purposes of God that I had never heard before battered my brain. I had read "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Philippians 4:8 ESV).

And I really wanted to do that. In God's great kindness, a random google search brought me to this article here:

The Goal of God's Love May Not Be What You Think It Is

Ultimately, what am I enjoying when I see something like this?

This article marks a wonderful transition in my life where I made a conscious effort to really make sense of the Bible and of the ideas that are presented there. And I could do it happily!

"In the cross of Christ, God rescues us from the house of mirrors and leads us out to the mountains and canyons of his majesty. Nothing satisfies us – or magnifies him – more."

This is an exciting new idea about the Christian life. I ought to be satisfied, happy, and joyful because of all that I know about God and all the splendor He has put on display in creation and in Jesus. If I will experience joy and happiness that I am so desperately searching for (not to be found, ultimately, in anything but God) then God will get what He rightly desires and what He will ultimately get (His own glory in the world).

One of the pastors I have listened to over the years has mentioned the idea of "expository exultation." That is, presenting and expounding on an idea or Biblical text clearly but, in the process of explaining, simultaneously exulting in the beauty and glory of God and what He has accomplished. I think that each one of these resources draws attention to a glorious and perfect and wise and sovereign God and the good news He offers. So what I hope to collect are some examples expository exultation that have been particularly helpful in moving me towards God. Sermons and articles found online here and there have all, in various ways, nudged or even shoved me towards God. And I look back with great gratitude. There are five categories of ideas that I have sorted out thus far and the first is the Gospel.

Gospel

A wizened old pastor was asked, "How would you state the Gospel in thirty seconds or less?"

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.
(1 Corinthians 15:3-5 ESV)

I really appreciate the joyful little smile that comes on his face as he recites the verses.

The simplicity is there, but clarification is needed. It is important to answer questions about what that verse means. Embrace the verse and then clarify meaning or clarify meaning and then embrace the verse. Either option works but when the words were written the author intended to convey specific ideas about the Gospel and I want to understand them.

What is sin? ("Doing something bad" or "Doing something God doesn't like" were not definitions that satisfied as I grew older.)

What do I need to do if I have sin and Christ died for it? Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do? And Peter said to them, 'Repent...'” (Acts 2:37 ESV)

What does repentance look like? Simply trying not to do bad things did not seem to be going well. I still did things that God didn't like even though I tried not to. Simply turning from bad behavior did not quite describe all of the trouble with sin I seem to have.

“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire." 
(Matthew 3:11 ESV)

So in addition to repenting, I must consider Jesus? I ought to repent and then allow Jesus to completely immerse me in the Holy Spirit and fire? I was not certain of what that meant.

"When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God." (Acts 16:27-34 ESV)

So Jesus presents himself through the Gospel to save if we would believe in Him. And more words and phrases appear that require more clarification.

Believe in Jesus. What does believe mean? How do I believe?
"You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!" (James 2:19 ESV)

Be saved. What do we need to be saved from?
"Do you say, 'Yes, I'm saved.' When? 'Oh, so and so preached, I got baptized, and...' Are you saved? What are you saved from, hell? Are you saved from bitterness? Are you saved from lust? Are you saved from cheating? Are you saved from lying? Are you saved from bad manners? Are you saved from rebelling against your parents? Come on, what are you saved from?!?" Leonard Ravenhill

Have faith in God. What is faith?

Hope in God. What does hoping in God look like? It is not simply hoping that God will give me what I want or what I ask for. Sometimes it is painfully clear that I want something that is sinful. Or even I desire something that is good but I want it at the wrong time. And even when I have it I am not satisfied.
"You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." (James 4:2-3 ESV)

Be born again. This is a spiritual reality, that is clear. But what brings about this spiritual reality?
Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” (John 3:4 ESV)

These questions are being slowly answered thanks and phrases and words are being described with greater detail thanks to several faithful teachers that I have been able to listen to, specifically John Piper. "Expository exultation" of a beautiful God shows up in all of these resources. I hope that they cause your heart to treasure God. Even more so than they have cause my heart to see and enjoy a beautiful God.

Faith and Belief
Oh that everyone who hears the description of believing in Christ and story beginning at 32:50 would say, "I saw at once the way of salvation!" (Click on the slider and it will go to a specific part of the sermon. Or watch the whole thing for the wonderful context.)

"Then lifting up his hands, he shouted, as only a primitive Methodists could do, “Young man, look to Jesus. Look! Look! Look! You have nothing to do but to look and live.” I saw at once the way of salvation. I know not what else he said—I did not take much notice of it—I was so possessed with that one thought. Like as when the brazen serpent was lifted up, the people only looked and were healed, so it was with me. I had been waiting to do fifty things, but when I heard that word, “Look!” What a charming word it seemed to me! Oh! I looked until I could have almost looked my eyes away."

Saved
What are we being saved from? Why is the Gospel such good news? A brief description in the context of marriage is at 19:15.

Born Again
God does wonderful and mysterious things.

May the Gospel be heard, understood, and enjoyed.

"Is God a Megalomaniac? Right Answer. Wrong Reason."

This idea has provided a great deal of help when reading the Bible and trying to figure out what God intends to convey in what can sometimes seem to be a discordant collection of stories and texts, especially in the Psalms.  (Thesaurus says discordant is a good word.)

Is God a Megalomaniac? Right Answer. Wrong Reason.