Obviously, I could keep going on (and on and on and on) about the impact of preaching the Gospel to yourself every day. It’s that important, that central – when we explore the vast implications of the God of the Universe sacrificing his Son on the cross, that Son who rose again, it changes everything. The Gospel is powerful and practical enough to reach into every aspect of our lives. Under the umbrella of the Gospel, every facet of our lives becomes part of the story of God’s glory and love.
So, I am hoping, if my feeble words can communicate anything, you understand that the story of Jesus is absolutely central, and it should be the focus of everything we do.
And I’ll leave you one last thought: the Gospel is our ultimate motivation for everything we do.
I clearly remember fallingin love with my husband. In fact, it was hard not to – because he pursued me ruthlessly. Before I even knew him, he had set his eyes on me. And he was determined to win me – from scheming ways to meet me to listening as I shared my heart to reading poetry to me and surprising me with tea under the stars – he never stopped trying. And I couldn’t help but fall for him in return. Who is this that would be all about winning someone like me?
Such is the relationship between Christ and his bride.
When our hearts fully grasp that we have been given righteousness, that we have been ruthlessly pursue (He has danced over us with singing!!), that our life is one of abundance and security and great joy, we can’t help but fall in love.
Who would give everything to win people like us?
And people who fall in love with Jesus obey his commands (John 15). Not out of penance to pay for their sins, or works to win their salvation, or legalism to inflate their pride, but simply out of deep, overflowing love.
When our hearts overflow with gratitude for and joy in the Gospel of Christ, we can’t help but respond to him in loving ways.
So, join me in preaching the Gospel to ourselves…every day? To chew on it, to let it sink into the fibers of our daily living?
To fall in love withJesus?
Because this is the Gospel: a passionate story between a lover and his bride.
[If, in the daily, ongoing sermon, you are learning new things about what the Gospel means in your every day living, please share! I would love to hear how it is uprooting you.]
the Overlap 