this Changes Everything

This Changes Everything.  Titus 2.11, 1-10

Why the Gospel?  We are on the brink of the Gospel of Matthew--why read the Gospel (which means Good News) of Jesus coming into the world?            ->      What difference does it make—or does it?

One of the strongest cases for Christianity is the radical life-changing power it wields.  Have you ever known anyone who was ‘hard after it’ in terms of worldly passions and pursuits, who was radically changed by the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  I have. 

For those of you who have been with me—receiving Morning Briefings—for a while, you will remember the Duke of Earl, from my days serving on the mean streets of Long Beach, working with the homeless, mentally ill and quite a few gang members and criminals, including those from the wickedest Los Angeles gang of all, the 18th Street Gang.  Well, the Duke, (his street name, of course), became my bodyguard, so that I was able to go anywhere in that city, with him nearby.  When first I encountered him, he sent a chill down my spine—but I watched the Lord woo him and draw him back to himself, over weeks, months and now it has been years.  He went from sleeping in one corner of a parking garage near Lincoln Park, to getting into a great little old apartment (with me helping him navigate the VA system), from being constantly angry—with God and others, to a man who is now living out his purpose1.  Truly.  Only God. 

The life-changing power of Jesus Christ may crack its hardest case though when a guy who thinks he is on the top of the world comes to realize that he is missing something--who sees the light, goes toward it, and dramatically changes--a regular guy like you and me, who comes to a new understanding, meets Jesus . . . and it changes everything.

It is normal to be caught up in what this world has to offer, especially if you live in the ‘mecca’ of consumerist materialism, like Orange County California, maybe particularly if you did not have much as a kid. The guy typifies the whole self made man thing—Joe Montana2 meets the Marlboro Man on the back of a polo pony—oh yeah, while the camera snaps his picture left and right, because he is one handsome man.  At a certain point, the world was his oyster, as they say, and doggone-it, he was going to live all out, acquiring more and more things, availing himself of all that goes with living for yourself—travel, art, cars, clothes, entertainment, etc.—everything that this world has to offer, that at the end of the day, leave us unfulfilled and rather self-absorbed.  But then something happened.  Like the pebble that found its way through Goliath’s helmet, penetrating his brain, and felling the giant—the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ hit its mark and got his attention. 

As only truth has a way of doing, it made him stop and think.  Maybe there was a whole lot more to the God thing than just stale religion.  True that.  Over the last 10 years, I have watched the life-altering realities of Jesus Christ—how he came, how he loved, how he died—and the sculpting power of Scripture, and the creativity of the Holy Spirit chisel away the stone from this man to release a new man, whose passion and purpose now revolves around living as best he knows how, not for himself but for God. It is a beautiful thing.  The most striking change is in his humility and contentment—how he loves his wife and adores his children.  Walking with Jesus has changed everything.

It never grows old, does it--hearing real life stories of changed people?

No wonder I have been smitten by Paul’s succinct statement about Christ:

“For God has revealed his grace for the salvation of all people. That grace instructs us to give up ungodly living and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in this world, as we wait for the blessed Day we hope for, when the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ will appear. He gave himself for us, to rescue us from all wickedness and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.3” 

The Gospel/the Good News of Jesus Christ is for everyone—rich white man, poor black marine vet, young person, beautiful women, endeavoring to break away from the repression that yet today keeps them bound in India, Egypt, Pakistan, Syria … no exceptions.  Salvation does not come to us because of our efforts—it is not our doing at all, but God’s initiative, when Jesus came, died, and he said ‘done.’  As for us, we simply apprehend it, recognize our position before him, and seek to follow him.

Life with Christ changes our today, but it promises a tomorrow as well, a forever deal, because Jesus is coming again, and we will be with him4.  We will be with the Object of our Faith.  Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.5

Take a moment to write your thoughts:  after reading these verses, after reading the account of two lives radically changed—what does the Gospel mean to you?

Christine

podcast:  

 

 1 – I talk to the Duke of Earl on the average of once a week, and got to have lunch with him a couple months ago.  He looks great, now has ‘teeth’ thanks to the VA, and can smile.  He is still in the same great little apartment, and now uses all the things he learned from his years on the streets and as an OG to assist the DEA in making the streets of Long Beach safer—only God!       2 - In case you do not know the name ‘Joe Montana,’ he was a phenomenally-gifted professional quarterback who played in the National Football League.     3 - Titus 2.11-14;  4 – 1 Thessalonians 4.16-17;  5 - 1 Corinthians 13.12