Vintage.
There is something about things that are vintage – relics of the past – that cause a certain amount of hype within each passing generation. For people my age, we like things that remind us if Mr. Rogers, 80’s music through a boombox, Gumby, Mario Bros., The Smurfs, and New Kids on the Block. Major companies and sports teams have brought back old logo designs, mototone color schemes, and slogan we all thought died long ago.
In some ways we’ve done the same things with the saving message of Jesus Christ.
We’ve made “The Gospel” a buzz word within christian circles (especially those considered “reformed”). We’ve taken something that we all may have thought of as “vintage” (though we would never admit it) and gotten excited about it all over again. Don’t get me wrong, an excitement about the Gospel is aways a good thing. However, I fear that it will slip back into the gray matter of our minds to be nothing more than a good memory – like old Saved By the Bell episodes, TrapperKeepers, or slap bracelets. The gospel is not just a cool thing from our past, it is the ever present truth of God that is still transformational today. Our current emphasis on the gospel must not only remain, but increase.
If we do not keep the gospel at the center of our churches and our lives then we will not be honest with God. We will go on saying we have been changed by Christ but quarentene His redeeming effects to only a portion of our existence. The blood of Christ that was spilled on the Cross apeased the wrath of God. The Ressurection of Christ opened lines of comuncation once again between all of us, who were enemies of God, with God Himself .
The message of Jesus Christ is the core of the Gospel, and the only reason we can ever be truly honest with God.
Not too long ago I asked a few good men to tell me the gospel. I was sadened by their response. Some said, “It is Jesus.” Or “It is the death of Christ” and still others said, “It is Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.” The gospel message is more than just Jesus, His death, or the gospels that tell us His story. The Gospel message starts all the way back in the garden of Eden when man, God’s greatest creation, chose to defy God. The plotline of redemtion is captured through history (His-story) and in the pages of Scripture as we see God graciously take back what man selfishly held back from Him – ourselves. The center of the storyline, or the “climax” if you will, is when Chirst enters the world by way of a virgin. He not only showed us the way to God, but paid the price to get us there. But the gospel can’t end at His death, not only would that be anti-climactic, but tradgic. The resurrection of Christ is what God chose to use to prove He was not just another version of us. By living again He made His promise of power over sin, and life after death, a tangible reality. Therefore, the message of Jesus Christ is the core of the Gospel, which is the very reason any of us can ever be truly honest with God.
So with that said, my friend, please cling to the Cross for your hope and salvation. Without it your attempts at morality or religion will be nice, but futile. The Old Testament principle of being completely honest with God is impossible without the New Testament application of Christ’s redemtion. You are free in Christ. Free to be honest. Free to be transformed. Free to be you.
While the Gospel will never grow old, living a life dedicated to God is a vintage idea to be esteemed but never forgotten. People like Moses, Abraham, Ehud, Esther, Asaph, Hosea, Jeremiah, Nicodemus, Bartamayus, Paul, Peter, the Apostles and many others lived unhindered lives of dedication to their Lord and their calling. Follow their example and hold up your life before God and allow his light to reveal where you need Him the most. A person who has Christ at the center of their existence will never be left the same, honest to God.
