Church Signs

This past Sunday I tried to explain how most Christians don't know what the real Gospel is ; and I used some church signs to prove that we've been sending the wrong message. There's a Baptist church just out of Garner that posts the number of persons saved and baptized the previous Sunday. One church sign reads, "You will suffer." another reads, "No Catholic priests serve in our children's ministry." Still another sign reads, "If you've been waiting for a sign - this is it!"; and yet another "Go to church!" Then there's that very familiar one - "Jesus Saves".

Now imagine that you're among the unchurched and you're driving by reading these signs. What attracts you to "You will suffer"? Do you really want to be another notch in the belt of that Baptist church that keeps count of the number of people they've rescued? And what about that Jesus Saves sign? You know some Christians and they're no better off than you are. What does Jesus save them from? Divorce, disease, or addictions? Maybe what that sign really means is that Jesus saves money on car insurance with Geico. Lord knows He's been commercialized enough!

It's no wonder people aren't flocking to beat down our church doors. We don't seem to walk our talk and others see right through us. So what is this Good News that we have to share with the lost?

Jimmy asked that question the other week, and received the typical answers about how Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a perfect and sinless life, was crucified and died and rose again so that we can be saved. That's true. The sign, "Jesus saves" is the truth. But it's a worthless truth because the world is so chaotic that it seems to be out of control - not under the control of an omniscient, omnipotent Creator. When someone has to beg for food and sleep under bridges at night, they have little hope for more than surviving another day. They don't want an eternity of more of the same. And that's the sad part, because eternity doesn't have to be that way.

There are three types of people that need to hear the gospel. First, are those who've never heard it. Second - those who have become numbed and distracted by Satan and can't comprehend the Gospel. And third - those in the Church who've been taught the wrong gospel. What's the wrong gospel?

Take Mike Murdoch - a televangelist, who every time you tune into his show, he promises you'll be blessed if you'll obey God and send in a $58 seed this week. A month ago it was $144 - a one-time faith offering. Next week it will be another figure that God has given him. That's the prosperity gospel. Then there's the late Jerry Falwell's gospel of a just and holy God who is coming back soon with a flaming sword. On the other extreme is Joel Osteen with a gospel of self-worth. What each of these men preach is true, but that's not the gospel that Jesus preached. Jesus' first official words were, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is near."

Jesus didn't go around preaching about rebirth and salvation. He didn't preach prosperity. He didn't preach that there were many paths that all lead back to Him. Jesus preached the Kingdom of Heaven. That was His only message, His purpose for coming to Earth. And that is the message the Church needs to start preaching.

I'm not sure that I even understand the Kingdom gospel myself, because I've been brought up in religion. We've been taught that our job is to preach salvation through Jesus to everyone we meet - but that's not what Jesus told us to preach. He told us to be witnesses for the Kingdom. People should witness us being different than everyone else.

Our (Christians) problem is not Satan or sin - for Jesus took care of that at the cross. It's not power, for if we needed power, God would have sent power instead of His Son. Our problem is ignorance. Scripture says that for lack of knowledge, His people perish. Jesus said that He was the Gatekeeper, and that those who belonged to Him, recognized His voice and entered into His fold. What the Church has focussed on is the Gate, not what's on the other side.

It's like John Z coming up with a great new recipe for a meal at his restaurant. He wants people to come and try it for himself, so he advertises something like this: "We're proud to offer a wonderful new pasta dish that is to die for! You're going to love it! And when you come to our restaurant, I want you to notice how beautiful our door is. Observe the degree of detail and artistry in every corner of the door. There is no other door like it anywhere in the world! You're going to be impressed by our door!"

Christians have focussed on getting to the door, but have been reluctant to see what's on the other side. Jesus came to get us on the other side of the door so that we can experience the Kingdom God promised us. To make matters more confusing, the gospel is not Heaven. We've really been told little about Heaven. But Jesus did speak a lot about the Kingdom. "The Kingdom of God is like....."

To understand what the real Good News is - we've got to go all the way back to the beginning, when God said, "Let us create man in our own image and let them have dominion over the Earth." It was God's plan and purpose to extend His Heavenly spiritual kingdom to a visible physical realm. He wanted spiritual offspring to dominate (steward) this physical world, so He created us with spirit, soul, and physical body. Our job is to mimic on the physical world, what God does in Heaven. But we know the story - Adam and Eve sinned and gave up our inheritance to Satan. The world we were supposed to dominate began to dominate us. Consider plants - plants were intended to be used by man; but now plants like tobacco, the opium flower, and grapes dominate the lives of millions of humans.

Jesus, the second Adam, came to restore God's original plan by reclaiming what Adam lost. He lived a life that personified God's plan for how man should live. We weren't created to be servants of God, but children. Scripture says that we are kingly priests - and that's what God intended for mankind. We have His authority to rule the earth - not one another but in cooperation with one another. Through Jesus, we have a restored relationship with God - we are now saints and brothers of Christ. We are princes - Christ is King - and the King rules His kingdom through us - guided by the Holy Spirit who lives within each believer. God desired from the beginning to live with us and Jesus restored the Spirit that walked with Adam in the Garden so that He walks with us today.

Jesus didn't come to establish a religion, but to restore a relationship. Religion is hard work, but Jesus said that His yoke was light.

Jesus taught that "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for their's is the Kingdom of Heaven." He said that we're all in spiritual poverty - but God hasn't given up on His original plan. "Blessed are the meek." We've been beat down by a fallen world and imprisoned by religion into believing we're slugs undeserving of grace and mercy. "Blessed are the lonely." Deep inside, we know that there has to be more to our existence than a life of trials and failures. We're blessed, because Jesus came to do something about our circumstances!

If we really understand what has transpired, we might be more effective witnesses. We have the authority to reclaim what Satan stole from us. We have the power to affect people's lives - which is why I'm so excited about Up To The Table. When we meet someone who's hungry, we ought to be able to meet that need because we're able to tap into God's economy - if we will learn how His economy works. If someone needs a coat, we ought to provide him one. If we're having trouble in our marital relationships, we have access to God's counsel through His word and prayer. Everywhere we go, we take God with us. Every time we encounter difficulty, we have the power to change our circumstances by listening to His Spirit and doing what He tells us to do.

Imagine what a relief that is. In a way, Joel Osteen is pretty close. We're important to God, His children, no less. This earth is our eternal home, and we are ambassadors for our Father in Heaven. We have the power we need to change our circumstances. We have a restored relationship with a Father who values us so much that He never gave up on His original purpose of extending His Kingdom through man.

The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we now have the Holy Spirit walking with us just as Adam enjoyed; and that He will help us to exercise our office as kingly priests and to enjoy the privileges of being citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. I'm still trying to absorb this knowledge.