The Transforming Power of The Gospel

The gospel has been misrepresented, misunderstood, and put on the back burner in American Christianity. Many Christian leaders have compromised the gospel in order to appease or to please people. However, this appeasement will do nothing to change and transform our culture. The only hope we have lies in an unwavering stand on the gospel. God is trying to wake us up as a nation. He wants us to return to Him; return to an uncompromised preaching of who He is, and a unity in the truth of His word.

There are over two hundred churches in Sioux Falls for 180,000 people. There are many amazing churches that are faithfully preaching the word of God, sharing the truth of the gospel, and bearing fruit for the Kingdom of God. However, if we are to be united as the Church in Sioux Falls and truly reach our city, then there has to be a passionate return, in a greater number of churches, to the transforming power of the gospel.

This renewed passion for the gospel has to be based upon a deeper understanding of why the gospel is good news. Pastor Jon Piper writes an incredible article that describes why it is important to truly understand the good news of the gospel.

“The gospel is not just a sequence of steps (say, the "Four Laws" of Campus Crusade or the "Six Biblical Truths" of Quest for Joy).Those are essential. But what makes the gospel "good news" is that it connects a person with the "unsearchable riches of Christ."

There is nothing in itself that makes "forgiveness of sins" good news. Whether being forgiven is good news depends on what it leads to. You could walk out of a courtroom innocent of a crime and get killed on the street. Forgiveness may or may not lead to joy. Even escaping hell is not in itself the good news we long for - not if we find heaven to be massively boring.

Nor is justification in itself good news. Where does it lead? That is the question. Whether justification will be good news, depends on the award we receive because of our imputed righteousness. What do we receive because we are counted righteous in Christ? The answer is fellowship with Jesus.

Forgiveness of sins and justification are good news because they remove obstacles to the only lasting, all-satisfying source of joy: Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is not merely the means of our rescue from damnation; he is the goal of our salvation. If he is not satisfying to be with, there is no salvation. He is not merely the rope that pulls us from the threatening waves; he is the solid beach under our feet, and the air in our lungs, and the beat of our heart, and the warm sun on our skin, and the song in our ears, and the arms of our beloved.

This is why the New Testament often defines the gospel as, simply, Christ. The gospel is the "gospel of Christ" (Romans 15:19; 1 Corinthians 9:12; 2 Corinthians 2:12; 9:13; 10:14;Galatians 1:7; Philippians1:27; etc.). Or, more specifically, the gospel is "the gospel of the glory of Christ" (2 Corinthians 4:4). And even more wonderfully, perhaps, Paul says that the preaching of the gospel is the preaching of "the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesians 3:8).

Therefore to believe the gospel is not only to accept the awesome truths that 1) God is holy, 2) we are hopeless sinners, 3) Christ died and rose again for sinners, and 4) this great salvation is enjoyed by faith in Christ-but believing the gospel is also to treasure Jesus Christ as your unsearchable riches. What makes the gospel Gospel is that it brings a person into the everlasting and ever-increasing joy of Jesus Christ.

The words Jesus will speak when we come to heaven are: "Enter into the joy of your Master" (Matthew 25:21). The prayer he prayed for us ended on this note: "Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory" (John 17:24). The glory he wants us to see is the "unsearchable riches of Christ." It is "the immeasurable riches of [God's] grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus" (Ephesians 2:7).

The superlatives "unsearchable" and "immeasurable" mean that there will be no end to our discovery and enjoyment. There will be no boredom. Every day will bring forth new and stunning things about Christ which will cause yesterday's wonder to be seen in new light, so that not only will there be new sights of glory everyday, but the accumulated glory will become more glorious with every new revelation.

The gospel is the good news that the everlasting and ever-increasing joy of the never-boring, ever-satisfying Christ is ours freely and eternally by faith in the sin-forgiving death and hope-giving resurrection of Jesus Christ. May God give you "strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge" (Ephesians 3:18-19).”

Savoring and waiting,

Pastor John Piper

PRAISE:

Edison Middle School student leaders are taking charge. We praise God for how in the midst of a classmate/student, Kinsey Capaldo, being hospitalized because of atypical pneumonia; the staff, students, and parents are coming together to pray for her.

About 30 Sioux Falls Christian High students gathered outside during their lunch period last week to worship together.

Duane, a volunteer, meets weekly with a group of middle school boys that formed because they play basketball together. Two boys prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior last week.

Patrick Henry Middle School received approval from the principal to have Collision in a classroom and they started their outreach yesterday.

Memorial Middle School just got approval to meet at the school. The students know many students at their school go to church, but they want to see them have more authentic relationships with Jesus.

25 Nepali girls showed up for the weekly group that meets. It was formed from girls that wanted to play soccer together, and now is a relationship building/discipling time.

PRAYER REQUEST:

Pray for complete healing for Kinsey and for strength for the Capaldo family. Click here to be linked to "Join Kinsey Capaldo's Fight for Life". We are grateful that Jesus is their rock.

22 people came for volunteer training last night. Pray for the Lord to give direction to the specific area for them to volunteer in.

Pray for the middle school student leaders from Edison, George McGovern, Memorial, Patrick Henry, and Whittier as they gather Friday night to worship together, share testimonies, and network as leaders.

Pray that the gospel would be the great news that students find and be passionate about.

#JohnGlasser