It’s the Gospel Truth!! This might be an expression that you are familiar with. Have you ever heard it used? Have you ever used it yourself? If we follow its original intent, it implies that I am telling you something that is so true and so correct, that it is backed up by the absolute truthfulness of the gospel itself. It implies that the gospel is absolutely true, so now my story is just as true as the gospel. There are two major problems with this expression as I see it. Normally when I have either used that expression or heard that expression it was about a subject that really didn’t matter much, but I wanted to put extra emphasis on it by saying that it was as sure as the gospel truth. For example:
- “The quarterback on my team is as good as Tom Brady! And that’s the gospel truth!”
- That test I just took was harder than any bar exam that could be given! And that’s the gospel truth!”
- This was the hottest summer that we have ever had! And that’s the gospel truth!”
You get the idea. But there is another problem with this expression. Do really know what the gospel is and do we believe it? For example:
- If you had to write out a definition of the gospel… could you?
- If someone ask you to explain the gospel to them… could you?
This coming Sunday September 10, we are beginning our academic year of study that is centered around an examination of the incredible theology found in the New Testament book of Romans. We are calling this year of study… “The Gospel Truth.” We will begin this week, and with just some intermissions over the year, we will walk this through the end of May. The LifeWay teaching team that I work with has been working our way through this incredible book over the last months, and I am now ready to bring it to you starting this coming Sunday morning. But I want to warn you… this is wonderful and yet at the same time it will be extremely challenging. Historically, all great renewals and spiritual revivals have taken place when God’s people look carefully and dig into the truth of the gospel, the application of the Gospel, personal obedience to the Gospel, and then learning to take the gospel truth to our world. Romans is only 16 chapters long. It is absolutely jammed packed with so much that in our months of study I can only hope to open the door of a lifetime of reshaping your understanding of the gospel and its power. I’m convinced if you walk this through over the next months with the rest of your church family, you will never be the same again. And THAT’S THE GOSPEL TRUTH! Before you come Sunday, spend some time reading this week on your own Romans 1:1-17 to get started. I am beyond excited to bring this to our church family… our community… and our world. I can’t wait ‘til Sunday.
