The Telephone Game — Gossip vs. Gospel - Monday
Today’s Verse
Isaiah 53:3
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (NIV)
If I asked you to articulate the Gospel of Christ on the spot, could you do it?
Back in November, I had the opportunity to attend the International Conference on Missions (ICOM), held here in our very own Lexington, KY. A few times over the course of weekend, I visited a ministry booth one of my friends worked at. Partially as a joke and partially serious, nearly every time I walked over I was asked to articulate the Gospel of Christ on the spot, in 3 minutes or less. Or one minute or less. Or 30 seconds. Really, the timing didn’t matter, the point was simple: can you share the Gospel, on the spot, when someone asks you? Can you share what you believe and will you?
The word “gospel” means “good news”. It’s a super simple idea, but incredibly profound. There are so many passages of Scripture that sum up the Gospel of Christ, some long and some short. One example that stands out in my mind is Isaiah 53:3, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Maybe it’s because the passage is so short, or maybe it’s because I can hear the song “By His Wounds” playing in the back of my mind (songs really do make things easier to remember, don’t they?). Lately, anytime someone asks me what the Gospel is, I just want to dive straight into Scripture, and do away with the risk of butchering it with human error and fallibility. Maybe that’s why so many people know John 3:16! Good reason, isn’t it?
The Gospel of Christ is the best news we’ll ever receive. Why not meditate on it? Why not share?
REFLECTION
This week, find 5 passages of Scripture that walk through the Gospel of Christ. Write them down. You can find all five at the beginning and read them each day, or you can find one new passage per day. There are tons of lists out there, but I encourage you to open up your own Bible and read the words from that page (rather than a blog post). Ultimately, the message of each passage is the same, but what differences do you notice in the delivery? Is there a shift in emphasis depending on the audience? Does having more or fewer details affect the poignancy of each passage?
