The True Gospel: Better than Self-Help Amidst Darkness
By Deacon Tuttle
God’s story of redemption breaks conventions of time, space, and cultural norms of the day. Our God took on flesh, lived, died, and rose for us. He not only did it joyfully, but also did it so we could receive the gift of salvation. God’s plan for salvation deeply affected the man in the story we will share next. In light of this, let’s see the gospel not only as the building blocks of our faith, but as Truth that reinforces and encourages us day by day as we preach it to others and ourselves.
This story is a sensitive matter as it delves into the life of a man who was previously in confinement and will potentially spend more time in jail. We want to honor his privacy while also giving glory to God in all that He is doing to reach him. For the sake of this, he will be referred to further as Brett*. Pastor Jordan Scott in Grand Junction had the opportunity to meet Brett on Easter Sunday. After being released from confinement, Brett* sought a church. Jordan said, “His first thought was to find a church. He was looking for a way out of the life he’s been stuck in, and church seemed like a good thing to try.” Without diving into details, Brett* has lived through tremendous loss due to gang affiliation and criminal activities.
God drew Brett* to church and used His people to share the true gospel with him. Life transformation is an honorable virtue to pursue, but it is hollow and not a true transformation without the saving power of our God. Previously, Brett* had encountered general Christian concepts, and he found the message encouraging. However, the preaching of the gospel message was a new and even foreign concept, with some teachings that were discussed. After Jordan preached the Sunday sermon, he was able to talk more with Brett* about how God reconciles us with the “three circles” shape, a tool Resonate churches use to share the gospel. Jordan recalled, “Using the three circles, we shared the gospel with him. He understood the sin section, identifying places in his life and past that were clear evidence of sin.” Following this, they shared about the free aspect of God’s love and gracious gift extended to us in the sacrifice of His son, and the Holy Spirit who wants to regenerate us. Jordan said, “The reality that Christ's work could only be accepted by faith, not by works, was alien to him. Confounding him even more was the truth that real transformation only comes from a relationship with God through the acceptance of the gospel. He’d arrived at church for a self-help program but heard about a dying God instead.”
“ Life transformation is an honorable virtue to pursue, but it is hollow and not a true transformation without the saving power of our God. “
Brett* expressed his desires to Jordan about wanting meaning and purpose, family and acceptance, which, unfortunately, he was searching for satisfaction in the wrong places. This led to numerous dangerous situations and the pain he endured as a consequence of sin. The gospel presented was a complicated message to contemplate, and it left Jordan sad but also sure about Brett*’s circumstances. “Sad because of the sin and pain in his life, yet sure the God of the gospel was the solution, the substance, the treasure [he’s] been without,” Jordan said. With the amount of information that Jordan shared through his sermon and follow-up conversation, he said that Brett* was more disoriented than when he arrived. Thankfully, by God’s grace and pursuit, he still left wanting to learn more about the true gospel despite more potential questions and hang-ups.
In the life that has preceded this encounter, Brett* has not been able to grasp the concept of goodness or a firm place or person to put his hope in. While he has not accepted Jesus as his savior, Brett* has begun reading the Bible more with Jordan and discovering what it means to read God’s word. The Holy Spirit is convicting Brett* to come closer to Jesus and discover what the real truth is about His character.
What does this story mean for us? We are all sinners in need of a savior. Our lives before Christ are often racked by seeking meaning, in which we find brokenness instead of fulfillment. Only a powerful God can save such poor and helpless sinners. Brett*’s story is teaching Jordan about God’s power. “Sometimes I get caught thinking that critical, clear-headed thinking transforms, or that it's community, or right habits, or you fill in the blank- is what transforms people. Brett is not saved. He’s not transformed yet. If the gospel were different, if our God were not a pursuer of people, if He made us earn salvation, people like Brett, whose lives have been visibly racked by sin, would have no hope. All people would be, but in his life it's easier to see.” God’s pursuit and enticing love towards all people is His clear way of showing care amid darkness. Romans 6:23 tells us, “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"; the gospel is a gift, and it’s for Brett* right now, available to him without any action before receiving it.
The gospel is a message of urgency in an ever-broken world. Don’t delay in sharing, don’t for a moment believe someone is too far gone or too lost to hear and accept the gospel for themselves. God is always at work, and God is reconciling His people to Himself. Pray that His will would be done in not only Brett’s life, but in all places at all times.
