It’s time for the great flip
I finally understand why people attend church twice a year; once for Christmas and once for Easter. There is a common message preached on those two church holidays. The theme is what makes church palatable twice a year. I believe If the church proclaimed this theme every Sunday, churches might be a little fuller. If this message was the foundation of every Christian lifestyle, more people might be attracted to the Christian faith.
The message is simple: Jesus loves you. He loves you no matter what. No amount of darkness, shame or brokenness can stop Jesus from loving you. And you don’t have to love him back. He still loves you. And more than 2,000 years ago, He rescued you, restored you and gave you new life now and into eternity. This good news is worth repeating more than twice a year. And this good news is a free gift for you.
The narrative of the Bible is the same good news over and over again. In short, God created the world and gave it to his people as a gift. And it was good. But his people turned away from God. But God, because of his loving kindness, rescued his people. He restored his people and gave them a way of life that brings balance and blessing. He protected his people. But again, his people turn away from Him. Shockingly living life apart from God led to darkness, shame and brokenness. But God, because of his loving kindness, rescued his people again. This happened over and over in the Bible narrative.
Then something amazing happened, God sent his son, Jesus (Merry Christmas) to put an end to our cycle of rebellion. Jesus ushered into the world a divine rescue, redemption and restoration plan. He demonstrated a perfectly balanced and blessed life. He demonstrated a life full of love and mercy. And this divine plan was a gift to us.
Then, (here comes Holy Week and Good Friday) Jesus took our darkness, shame and brokenness. He took all our sin. He didn’t ask permission. Like a holy thief, Jesus stole our sin to bury it once and for all.
After he took our sin, he became our sin. His body became the sin of the world. His blood was poured out for the forgiveness of all our sin. This happened when he was crucified on a cross. Then, along with his body and blood, our sins were buried in the tomb. The entire narrative of the Bible leads to this epic moment on the cross. We are no longer separated from God because of our sin.
Then, (Happy Easter) Jesus rose from the dead. He arose out of the tomb and left the sin of the world buried once and for all. He arose with a new life. Now he gives us that same new life. Jesus conquered death, darkness, shame and brokenness. We have fullness of life through Christ’s atoning work on the cross.
Yet, the story is not quite over. Jesus promises to come back to complete the rescue mission. Make no mistake, he has conquered death. We live in a new kingdom always moving closer to full restoration. He gave us his spirit so we can continue to receive his gifts and live a balanced and blessed life. Even in the midst of death, darkness, shame and brokenness, we can proclaim his good news and share the good gifts with everyone around us.
It’s an epic story. It’s a true story. I love hearing it over and over again. I love it because it doesn’t require any thing from me. I get to sit back and be lavished with God’s love. The good news reminds me I’m rescued, redeemed and restored with new life now and into eternity in heaven with him.
The word “gospel” means good news. It’s good news for so many reasons, but for me, it’s good news because the love of the Father through his Son, Jesus Christ and the power of his Holy Spirit is all a free gift for me. I didn’t deserve it. Now, I want to share this gift with everyone I know!
If it’s not good news, it’s not the gospel.
But something happens on the other 51 Sundays. Side note, the year 2020 had 53 Sundays. So give or take a Sunday or two, something goes terribly wrong.
The narrative of God’s epic rescue shifts to man’s epic effort to earn God’s love. Suddenly a “pay-to-stay” salvation plan is handed to us. Now, we strive and serve God to please him. The gifts meant to bring blessing become a burden. And this is when a lot of people stop attending church. People are smart. They hear the contradiction. See you next year.
Ironically, this is not a new story. Jesus spent a majority of his ministry restoring the good news. The religious leaders of the day turned the ten commandments into hundreds of commandments. Originally, the commandments were given as gifts to create balance and blessing, but church leaders turned them into unachievable laws. Habits like prayer, fasting, tithing and Sabbath were gifts as means to worship God with all our senses. Now they’ve become rituals. Even repentance is a gift. God, in his mercy, turns us away from unhealthy things (He does the work). Repentance is a time given by God to reflect and remember his loving kindness (remember Holy Week and Good Friday). But we have turned it into an act of labor done to earn forgiveness. Remember that holy thief called Jesus? He took your sin. He was crucified for it and gave you new life. We don’t earn forgiveness, we receive it as a free gift.
Reformations have occurred in church history to restore the good news. Martin Luther attempted to restore the central theme of good news. He referred to the gospel as the Divine Exchange. Jesus became all my sin, and I become all of Jesus’ righteousness. And this work is Christ’s alone. And this is a gift so no one can boast or earn it.
Maybe it’s time for another reformation. Like Martin Luthers’ Divine Exchange, I like to call it The Great Flip. Jesus is the gift giver and I’m the gift receiver. It’s time to get ourselves out of the equation and restore Jesus as the sole gift-giver.
The equation is not: Jesus + something = Everything.
The equation is: Jesus + nothing = Everything.
The gospel cost Jesus everything. It didn’t cost you anything.
A popular illustration that needs a good comeback is the “Do vs. Done” principle. If you think you must “do” something to earn God’s love, then it’s not gospel. The gospel is this: “Jesus has “done” everything for you.
When “Christian living” becomes something you do to earn God’s love, it is no longer a gift. This is why we give presents at Christmas and Easter as symbols of God’s extravagant love for us. Christian living will proceed from our freedom in Christ.
And the gifts just keep coming! If you think you must muster up enough faith to believe everything I just said … good news! “Faith comes by hearing and by hearing the word of Christ.” Even faith is a gift. So when you read the Bible, read it as one receiving gifts rather than a list of rules. Read it to receive his loving kindness, to receive his forgiveness and receive his way of life that brings balance and blessing. And read it to share the good news with others.
Happy Easter (and Christmas too, if I don’t hear from you until next year)! May the good news of Jesus Christ “gift” you all year long. He loves you.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave … “ John 3:16
-Coach Jody
