jd greear - gospel (recovering the power that made christianity revolutionary)
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Recoering the Power tht Mde
Christ inity Reolut ionry
J D G R E E A RForeword by TIMOTHY KELLER
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“J.D. lear o te gopel, umle ad umorou. He’ wrttea oo tat’ good for te Crta lag aurae, te Crtatempted to legalm, te Crta tempted to gult, te Crtatempted to elfe. If you wat to e moal ad fatful, rea-
g out wle oldg fat, t oo wll eourage you.”—Mar Deer, eor pator, Captol Hll Baptt Cur ad
autor of Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
“Wt t oo J.D. Greear oldfe poto o a team of youg eagelal oe allg te twety-frt etury ur a to te gopel. He powerfully ad progly ow tat te gopel uta eeary ad releat after you eome a Crta a t eforeeaue te gopel doe’t mply reue u from te pat ad reue ufor te future; t alo reue u te preet from eg elaed totg le fear, eurty, ager, elf-relae, ttere, ettlemet,ad gfae. J.D. mae te lear ae tat we te word of tegopel—Crt’ loe for u wtout trg attaed—grp our eart,t et u free ad age eerytg.”
—Tulla Tda, pator of Coral Rdge PreyteraCur, Ft. Lauderdale, Florda,
ad autor of Jesus + Nothing = Everything
“My oul otue to e eouraged y te trrg up of trog oe to pot people to te gopel ad wat appear to e a geuemoemet a to tat tg tat Paul oder “of frt mportae.”
J.D. a doe a materful o of larfyg ad wrgg out te gopelmplato for te lfe of te eleer. Weter you are a pator, aeee ur your wole lfe, or ae reetly eome a Crta you
wll f d t oo to e elpful.”—Matt Cadler, lead pator, Te Vllage Cur
“My fellow pator, J.D. Greear, troug oo, a elped u t quet for gopel-aturated lg. He tae te prple of gopeletralty ad ow u ow to oret our le aroud t. I appre-ate ow refreg ad real way e mae te gopel aele tooter o tat tey a experee t traformg power. I epeally le te oo’ pratal eto o gopel prayer a a way to at u reearg tee trut deep to our eart ad md. Weter you
are explorg Crtaty for te f rt tme or are logg to ‘loo totee tg’ aga ad aga, let me te you to ped tme wt telpful oo.”
—Tmoty Keller, eor pator, Redeemer Preytera Curad autor of The Reason for God
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“Radal oedee to te pero of Crt a oly prg from re-le trut te uffey of Crt. I am grateful to God for my fred
J.D. Greear ad all to plat our le ad ure oldly te olof te gopel. T oo wll elp you ret daly God’ great grae a
you le otually for God’ great glory.”—Dad Platt, eor pator, Te Cur at Broo Hll
ad autor of Radical
“Wt darmg oety, J.D. offer a gtful loo at te pr-tual realte w fae u today. I loe te eto o Your New Idetty!Perap te mot pogat ad etral trut for me ‘eg gopelCetered ot mog pat te gopel ut otually wmmg deeperto t.’ I eourage you to read t oo.”
—Dr. Fra Page, arma of te Exeute Commttee of teSouter Baptt Coeto
“J.D. Greear oe of te greatet me of God I ow. Ad oe of te mot rllat. H alty to ommuate te gopel a fre yetfatful way perfetly poto m to pea te lfe-gg meage of
Jeu to you a way tat you ae eer expereed. Ad a way tat wll age your lfe foreer.”
—Stee Furt, lead pator, Eleato Curad autor of Sun Stand Still
“I’e led log eoug to ow tat tere’ oly oe ope, oe tg tat a atually eal u ad traform u: te grae-aturated gopel of
Jeu. J.D. Greear te u to de to te ottomle ed of te gopelpool ad fd lfe tat deeply atfe.”
—Jud Wlte, eor pator of Cetral Crta Cur,La Vega ad autor of Torn,
“Wat left f te gopel lot? Tat queto ould aut teeagelal md a we are ow urrouded y o may fale Gopel,partal Gopel, ad ofued Gopel. Addreg t emergey,
J.D. Greear offer oud ouel, lear lal tg, ad te fullmeaure of oto elpg Crta ad ure reoer teautet gopel of Jeu Crt.”
—Dr. R. Alert Moler Jr., predet,te Souter Baptt Teologal Semary
ad autor of He Is Not Silent
“Te gopel truly age eerytg. I Gospel Pator J.D. Greearmae tat trut rytal lear. I t oo you wll lear tat Crt’
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preee ad approal are al l you eed today ad alway for eerlatg oy. I loe t oo for te leg t wll e to te ody of Crt. Ita a word for u all.”
—Dael L. A, predet,
Souteater Baptt Teologal Semary ad autor of Engaging Exposition
“I elee God ad J.D. wrte t oo for u a tme a t,for tere a eer ee a tme te ur were we o deperately eeded to ee te gopel more learly, ad te pero of Crt oetral to te gopel. T oo a gft from God to H ur adto te world.”
—Clayto Kg, predet of Croroad Worldwdead autor of Dying to Live
“If you’re ot amazed y te lood-oaed good ew tatrpped you from te grae, te you ut mgt e o your way toeg ored to deat. Ad oredom lead to te futlty of rote per-formae, pretedg, ad ultmately depar. I’m taful oe of my faorte preaer te world, J.D. Greear, tae all tat o too. Wt preo ad pu, J.D. rg te o ad awe of
gopel power. T oo wo’t ut egage your md, t’ll que your pule.”—Ruell Moore, dea of te Sool of Teology ad eor
e-predet for Aadem Admtrato at te Souter Baptt Teologal Semary ad autor of Adopted for Life
I ae pet my etre lfe tudyg moemet. Great pr-tual moemet le Great Awaeg or moary moemetae at ter eter te reoery of te gopel. We deperately eed
u a moemet our tme, ad I for oe elee we are eeg t. J.D. Greear ge larty ad perpete to t growg gopel moe-met. T oo ould e read y eery pero reatg, wetereleer or ot, weter “leader” or ot. Get to ow afre te God
wo ae y readg t oo, ad fd reue for your oul.—Al L. Red, profeor of Eagelm ad Studet Mtry,
Baley Smt Car of Eagelm atSouteater Baptt Teologal Semary
“Notg a affeted my lfe more ta te gopel. My trty-fe year of patoral mtry ae ge me a eer-reag loefor, ad deeper awe of, t power. Dr. Greear a mu to offer te ody
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of Crt emrag t gopel all t glory. Te gopel really te power of God for alato, o read ad e foreer remded!”
—Joy Hut, eor pator,Frt Baptt Cur of Woodto
“I loe te gopel ad te way tat te gopel fuel zeal . . . adI loe te way tat J.D. wrte aout t. T a gopel aturated oo tat wll gude you your dere to loe te Lord ad your egor.I gly reommed t.”
—Elye Ftzpatr, autor of Give Them Grace: Dazzling Your Kids with the Love of Jesus
“Wt te larty ad oto of a propet, J.D. Greear allu to more ta auray ad aadem wt te text. I oo e allege u to e ure tat te gopel more ta etral to ourteology . . . ut tat t a traformed our le.”
—Ma Bruo, eor pator,Frt Baptt Cur of Jaolle
“Are you tred of te doet etwee ead-relgo adeart-relgo? Read t oo. Are you tred of te treadmll of
performae-dre Crtaty? Read t oo. Are you ulearaout ow your loe for te gopel ould play-out your daly wal wt God? Read t oo. Are you tred of te empty ‘gopel-argo’tat, regrettaly, a eome ogue our day? Read t oo. It ort olume, J.D. Greear a gfted te ur wt ometg
woderful: e all u to redoer te Soure of te traformg power of te Crta lfe. I ort, e eo u, woo u, ad dreu to Crt, our great treaure ad eteral oy. Hopeful ad lfe-gg, I gly reommed t oo.”
—Sott Adero, exeute dretor, Derg God,Meapol, Meota
“Te frut we rae—oy, peae, loe, goode—pertetly elude our teque ad formulae. J.D. Greear remd u tat Jeuad gopel are ot te mea ad te ed. Saor t oo.”
—Gle Lue, predet, Doet Reear Group
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Copyrgt © 2011 y J.D. Greear
All rgt reered.
Prted te Uted State of Amera
978-1-4336-7312-2
Puled y B&H Pulg Group
Nalle, Teeee
Dewey: 226
Suet Headg: BIBLE. N.T. GOSPELS \ GOD \
DOCTRINAL THEOLOGY
Ule oterwe tated all Srpture tae from
te ESV® Ble (Te Holy Ble, Egl Stadard
Vero®) opyrgt © 2001 y Croway Ble,
a pulg mtry of Good New Puler.ESV® Text Edto: 2007. All rgt reered.
Alo ued: Holma Crta Stadard Ble® (hcsb),
opyrgt © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011 y Holma Ble
Puler. Ued y permo. All rgt reered.
Alo ued: New Kg Jame Vero (nkjv), opyrgt ©
1979, 1980, 1982, Toma Nelo, I., Puler.
Alo ued: New Iteratoal Vero (niv), opyrgt ©
1973, 1978, 1984 y Iteratoal Ble Soety.
Alo ued: Te Kg Jame Vero (kjv), w pul doma.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 • 15 14 13 12 11
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Dedated to te memer of te Summt Cur,
wo ae patetly waled wt a pator wo wa
redoerg te reolutoary power of te gopel.
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Agaist the orl; for the orl.
—St. Athaasis
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i x
Ackolegmets
To my wfe, wo a led out te gopel a well a ayoe
I ow. Her paoate loe for Jeu a ofte reued my
tedey toward eparatg owledge from pao. Ta
you for your patee wt me, ad for extedg to me te
grae of te gopel. I er grae I ae ee tat I am “frt,er; oly eod, ed agat.”
To my paret, wo fatfully modeled a loe for Jeu for
te twety year I pet ter ome. Tey eer ued te term
“gopel-etered,” ut tey led awe of te God of gopel.
Tat, a I ee t, te wole pot of gopel-eterede.
To Tm Keller, woe tg a o permeated my
ow tat I a o loger really tell were top ad me
tart. I am ealy deted to m for may of te dea
t oo, partularly apter 2, 3, ad 6. I ae lteed
to ad read Tm Keller o mu tat I ted to plagarze
terpretato of a paage efore I ee ear m tea o
tat paage. I told m tat oe, ad e lauged ad ad e
dd te ame tg wt Ed Clowey. I ae met Dr. Kelleroly twe, for a omed total of x mute. Te eod
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x GOSPEL
tme we met, I aed f I ould all m my fred. He ad
ye. So, to my BFF Tm Keller, ta you. I ae tred to ote
were I reout a pot I eard from m. Howeer, ag
lteed to ad read o mu of teag, I ometme
forget we I eard ometg from m frt. Ay omo
of tato adetal.
To Paul Carlle, Sam Wllam, Dad Powlo, Elye
Ftzpatr, ad Ed Wel, woe ouelg ad wrtg ae profoudly f lueed my tg. Se my frt ou-
elg la emary, I’e alway ad tat f I ould prea
le ayoe, I’d prea le a ouelor.
To my fred Brue Aford, Day A, Mar Droll,
Tyler Joe, Clayto Kg, Stee Furt, Dad Platt, ad
Tulla Tda: Hearg your gt, lteg to you
prea, ad oug dea off of you ae aged te ar-
ater of my mtry foreer. You ae ee gft of God to me.
Fally, I wat to ta te loyal, patet team at B&H
Pulg Group, partularly Jedda Coppeger, Mael
Kelley, ad Tom Walter for our ad our of laor wt me
o t proet. At tme t eemed you were ee more om-
mtted to t oo ta I wa! Ta you for your dedatoto mag teologally rgorou materal aele to all.
T oo mu etter eaue of your laor.
I ae o dere at all to e orgal. I ae ad oly tree
orgal tougt my lfetme, ad tey were’t tat good.
I dere for people to udertad te oept tat are t
oo. Coder me, ad t oo, merely a rea of trut
tat God reealed to H people aet tme. God te
oure; te ur te odut. I tad grateful det to
ot.
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x i
Cotets
Foreword x
Itroduto 1
Part 1: How the Gospel Does What
Religion CannotCapter 1: Te Mg Gopel 9
Capter 2: Wy Relgou Cage Doe’t Wor 25
Part 2: The Gospel Prayer
Capter 3: Te Gopel a Gft-Rgteoue 45
Capter 4: Caged wtout a Commad 59
Capter 5: God I Better 69
Capter 6: Caged y Sgt 87
Capter 7: Gopel-Cetered Relatop 109
Capter 8: Extraagat Geeroty 123
Capter 9: Urget Mo 145
Capter 10: Expet Great Tg 161
Capter 11: “But f Not . . .” 177
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x i i GOSPEL
Part 3: Toward a Gospel-Centered
Understanding of Life
Capter 12: Wy Are Tere “Commad” Srpture? 191
Capter 13: Wat I te Rgt Way to Wor for God? 205
Capter 14: Wat Doe a Gopel-Cetered Cur
Loo Le? 221
Coluo 241
Appedx 1: Te Gopel Proet 249
Appedx 2: A Gopel-Cetered Warg
to Youg Zealou Teologa 253
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x i i i
Foreor
BY TIMOTHY KELLER
Oe of te mot tartlg paage te Ble oet te
magfee of agel wt te mytery of te gopel. Agel
are redly maet ad powerful eg, lg God’
eteral preee. Yet tere ometg tat a appeed
o te eart tat o tupedou tat ee tee mmortal
eg experee te pertet logg “to loo to teetg” (1 Pet. 1:12 niv). Wat are “tee tg” tat ould
poly ad otetly oume te atteto of God-
fxated reature? Te awer —te gopel.
Coerg t alato, te propet, wo poe of
te grae tat wa to ome to you, eared tetly ad wt te greatet are. . . . It wa reealed to tem
tat tey were ot erg temele ut you, we
tey poe of te tg tat ae ow ee told you
y toe wo ae preaed te gopel to you y te
Holy Sprt et from eae. Ee agel log to
loo to tee tg. (1 Pet. 1:10, 12 niv)
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x i v GOSPEL
Te agel eer get tred of loog to te gopel.
T mea tat tere o ed to gopel explorato. Tere
are dept te gopel tat are alway tere to e doered
ad appled ot oly to our mtry ad daly Crta lfe,
ut aoe all to te worp of te God of te gopel wt
reewed o ad umlty.
Te uderlyg oto my preag, patorg,
ad wrtg tat te gopel—t eterally faatg me-age raed y te agel—a age a eart, a ommuty,
ad te world we t reoered ad appled. Te gopel
lfe gg, eaue t geerate age tat are reeed oly
y grae troug fat. T foudatoal trut, oweer, get
ypaed, oured, ad forgotte, eaue, a Mart Luter
oted, relgo form te default mode of te uma eart. It
eetal, te, tat we dtgu relgo from te gopel.
Relgo, a te default mode of our tg ad prate,
aed upo performae: “I oey; terefore, I am aepted y
God.” Te a operatg prple of te gopel, oweer, ,
ot urprgly, a aout-fae, oe of umerted aeptae:
“I am aepted y God troug Crt; terefore, I oey.” To
truly udertad t paradgm ft at a lfe-alterg leelrequre tat te gopel e explored ad “looed to” at eery
opportuty ad regular, ytemat way.
We te gopel explored t way, t produe
uommo properte. Blae Paal, wrtg te ee-
teet etury, reeal ow t our:
Without this divine knowledge, how could we help feeling
either exalted or dejected? The Christian religion alone
has been able to cure these twin vices, not by using the
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FOREwORd xv
one to expel the other according to worldly wisdom, but
by expelling both through the simplicity of the gospel. For
it teaches the righteous that they still bear the source of
all corruption which exposes them throughout their lives
to error, misery, death, and sin; and [yet] it cries out to
the most ungodly that they are capable of the grace of
the Redeemer. Thus, making those whom it justifies to
tremble, yet consoling those whom it condemns, it so nicely tempers fear with hope through this dual capacity. . . .
Grace and sin! It causes infinitely more dejection than
mere reason—but without despair, and infinitely more
exaltation than natural pride—but without puffing us
up! (Pensées 208)
It oe tg to udertad te gopel ut qute
aoter to experience te gopel u a way tat t
fudametally age u ad eome te oure of our
detty ad eurty. It oe tg to grap te eee of
te gopel ut qute aoter to t out t mplato for
all of lfe. We all truggle to explore te mytere of te
gopel o a regular a ad to allow t meage to flueeour tg.
My fellow pator, J.D. Greear, troug oo, a
elped u t quet for gopel-aturated lg. He tae
te prple of gopel etralty ad ow u ow to oret
our le aroud t. I appreate ow refreg ad real
way e mae te gopel aele to oter o tat tey
a experee t traformg power. I epeally le te
oo’ pratal eto o gopel prayer a a way to at u
reearg tee trut deep to our eart ad md.
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x v i GOSPEL
Weter you are explorg Crtaty for te frt tme or
are logg to “loo to tee tg” aga ad aga, let me
te you to ped tme wt t elpful oo.
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1
Itroctio
I am a profeoal Crta. But for may year I foud
Crtaty to e wearome. Tat’ a ofeo you wo’t
ofte ear from a pator, ut t wa true of me.
I frt put fat Crt we I wa g ool. My
oero, a far a I a tell, wa ere. I udertood tatCrt ad pad te full pealty for my , ad I urredered
to do wateer God wated me to do. I got a g lt of tuff
to tart ad top dog for God.
I wet to a Crta ool tat empazed oformty
to a et of rule. We dd’t dae, eaue dag would
mae you ae mpure tougt. Ad we ould’t lte to
mu wt a eat t eaue tat would mae you wat
to dae. We were’t allowed to go to ee moe, eaue
moe would mae you worldly. We ould’t ee go ee te
Crta moe we tey ame to te teater eaue f
people aw u at te moe tey mgt aume we were tere
to ee worldly moe, ad tat mgt mae tem t t wa
OK for tem to ee worldly moe. It wa rule le tee tatreal Crta led y.
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2 GOSPEL
I leared tat real Crta tell oter people aout Jeu,
o I et goal for ow may people I would tell aout Jeu
a ge mot. I ee etaled a maxmum tme lmt (ff-
tee mute) for ow log I would t wt a trager o a
arplae efore rgg up weter or ot tey ew Jeu.
I ollege I leared tat real Crta loe teratoal
mo, o I too lot of mo trp (twety-fe ou-
tre te year!) ad gae lot of moey to mo. I eepaed up my etre lfe to a oerzed duffel ag ad wet
to le a trd-world fudametalt Mulm outry for
two year.
I later leared tat real Crta loe te poor. So I
poored a Compao ld. But wa’t e ut oe a
edle ea of urtg people tat deperately eeded my elp?
Sould I adopt fe more? Twety-fe more? Dd I really
eed to dr tat Coe wt der? Could’t tat moey
e ued to feed aoter orpa? I otatly felt gulty aout
aytg I owed. Wateer I gae, t wa’t eoug, eaue
tere wa always more I ould ge. Ad, after all, “God
doe’t udge your gg y te amout you ge, ut y te
amout you ae left.” I alway ad a lttle more left ta ted Ida dd.
Ad te of oure, tere wa te ufortuate day tat
I read te ograpy of a moary wo taled aout ow
mu more you ould do for God f you were gle, ad o I
oluded f I wa really erou aout eg ued maxmally
for God, I ad to e gle. Tat’ wat Paul ad, rgt? To
paraprae 1 Corta 7, e ad, “I w you were all le
I am” (.e., gle), o you ould e ueumered mtry.
Tu, f I wated my lfe to e maximally leeraged for God’
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InTROduCTIOn 3
gdom, ow ould I dere aytg but elay? Would’t
I e wllg to e gle for eety year o oul ould e
aed for eterty? So I tred to gore grl for a emeter dur-
g ollege—ut to my agr, tey would’t leae me aloe.
(At leat tat’ ow I rememer t.)
By tat tme I wa lg a way tat would ae met ut
aout ayody’ tadard a a “real,” ommtted Crta.
But t relgo of o-alled grae ofte felt more to me ledrudgery ta delgt. No matter ow may rule I ept
ad ow dpled my lfe wa, I waled aroud wt a
eer-preet ee of gult. I te deepet part of my eart, I
ew—knew—God wa ot really pleaed wt me, eaue
tere wa alway ometg I ould e dog etter. Te really
good Crta were alway dog ometg tat I wa’t.
To mae matter wore, my marrage ept reealg ow
elf ad petty I wa. Seeg oter more ueful ta
me mtry made me ealou to te pot tat I delgted
te tougt of tem fallg to ad eg dqualfed
from mtry. I tll felt elaed to te lut of my fle. My
ere for God wa feret, ut my pao for Hm were
old. I ertaly dd’t desire to ow Hm more.I wa tred, ad wle I would eer admt t, I wa tart-
g to ate God.
He wa te merle tamater alway tadg oer me
yellg, “NOT ENOUGH! I wat MORE!” He wa alway
tere, wag damato my fae, ayg, “If you wat My
approal, tere’ ometg ele you mut do.” H otat
demad were drg me ae. Te more I tred to wal
H way, te le loe I felt for Hm. Te more loely my
feet followed Hm, te more my eart ra away.
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4 GOSPEL
O, I ad te fat dow. I ew He ad tae te pealty
for my . I alo ew tat He wa te uere’ mot atfy-
g poeo. But f my ead ew tat trut, my eart dd’t
feel t. I wa motated to
wal wt God prmarly y
my dere to tay out of ell.
Reetly, oweer, I
doered ometg tata aged eerytg.
Te gopel.
I ow ayg tat oud trage for a eagelal pator
wo leadg a growg megaur to ay, ut t true.
It’ ot tat I dd’t udertad or elee te gopel
efore. I dd. But te trut of te gopel ad’t moed from
my md to my eart. Tere wa a uge gap etwee my
tellet ad my emoto. Te Purta Joata Edward
leed reawaeg to te gopel to a ma wo ad
ow, ead, tat oey wa weet, ut for te frt
tme ad tat weete urt ale mout. Tat wat
appeed to me.
“Redoerg” tegopel a ge me a oy
God I eer exper-
eed all my year of
feret relgo. Now I
ee, almot daly, a loe
for God growg my
eart, dplag a loe for
myelf. Te ealouly tat
oe oumed my eart
The more closely my eet
ollowed Him, the more
my heart ran away.
The Puritan Jonathan
Edwards likened his
reawakening to the
gospel to a man who
had known, in his head,
that honey was sweet,
but or the frst time had that sweetness burst
alive in his mouth.
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InTROduCTIOn 5
eg replaed y a dere to ee oter proper. I feel elf-
e gg way to tedere ad geeroty. My rag
for te lut of te fle are eg replaed y a rag for
rgteoue, ad my elf-etered dream are eg replaed
y God-glorfyg amto. A power urgg me tat
agg me ad pug me out to te world to leerage
my lfe for te gdom of God.
I tll ae a log way to go, ad I daly ae to truggleagat te God-atg dere of my fle, ut I am ag-
g. I am, a Paul would
ay, mag “progre”
te gopel. Te gopel a
doe my eart wat rel-
go eer ould.
I elee t a do te
ame tg for you. Tat’
wat t oo aout.
Oer te ext eeral apter, I wat to reaquat you
wt te gopel. Not ut wt te dotre, ut wt t
power. Te gopel te aouemet tat God a re-
oled u to Hmelf y edg H So Jeu to de a auttute for our , ad tat all wo repet ad elee
ae eteral lfe Hm. I wat you to ee te gopel ot
oly a te mea y w you get to eae, ut a te
drg fore ed eery gle momet of your lfe. I wat
to elp, ome mall way, your eye to e opeed (aga) to
te eauty ad greate of God. I wat you to ee ow te
gopel, ad t aloe, a mae you geuely paoate for
God, free you from aptty to , ad moe you outward to
oyful arfe o ealf of oter.
“Rediscovering” the
gospel has given me
a joy in God I never
experienced in all my
years o ervent religion.
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6 GOSPEL
Here’ ow we’re gog to go aout t togeter. Te
frt eto of t oo aout why te gopel—ad oly
te gopel— te mea y w we a truly e aged.
I wat to ow you wy “relgou” (wat we’re gog to all
“meaal”) age aolutely, potely, doe ot wor. I
t eto, I wll ow you ow te gopel age u a
fudametally dfferet way ta relgo doe, ad tat t a
do ometg our eart tat relgo utterly uale to do.I part 2 I wat to trodue you to a mple tool tat
a elped me, for eeral year ow, aturate myelf te
gopel. It a mall, four-part prayer tat I’e ome to all
“Te Gopel Prayer.” Ea part of tat prayer ere a pef
purpoe, potg you to wat God a doe for you Crt
ad ow tat age ow you ee God, yourelf, ad oter.
I elee t prayer a e te mea y w you “prea
te gopel” to yourelf daly.
A you read te frt two eto, tere wll proaly e
ome queto tat are. Tg le, “If we are free Crt,
wy do I tll fd o may ommad te Ble?” “Wat
ould I do we I do’t dere God?” “How mu doe God
expet me to do for Hm?” “Wat doe a true, gopel-eteredur loo le?” ad o fort. I te trd eto, I wat to
ofrot tee queto ead o, ad I ope to prode old,
lal awer for you. I ope t eto wll oe you
tat te gopel really , a te apotle Peter would ay, all tat
you eed for lfe ad godle (2 Pet. 1:3).
Tat’ t. Smple eoug? Good. Tme watg, ad
te mot amazg ew all te uere watg to e
doered.
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PART 1
Ho the Gospel doeswhat Religio Caot
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9
CHAPTER 1
The Missig Gospel
I te gopel really mg? If o, were dd t go?
Mot Crta ae te fat tragt: Jeu wa or of a rg, led a perfet lfe, ded o te ro our plae, ad
wa raed from te dead. All toe wo plae ter fat
Hm wll e forge ad ae eerlatg lfe. So, te gopel
ot mg.
Not o fat.
I metoed te troduto tat tere a dfferee
owg tat oey weet ad ag tat weeteurt ale your mout. Beg ale to artulate te gopel
wt auray oe tg; ag t trut aptate your oul
qute aoter.
Te gopel ot ut uppoed to e our tet to
eae; t to e a etrely ew a for ow we relate to
God, ourele, ad oter. It to e te oure from weerytg ele flow.
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10 GOSPEL
Let me lay all my ard
o te tale: I elee ea-
gelalm, a a wole, de-
perately eed a reoery
of te gopel a te eter
of Crtaty. Ee
oerate deoma-
to le my ow (te Souter Baptt Coeto), tegopel a ee elped y ay umer of eodary tmul
for growt.
I do’t mea tat we ae orrupted te gopel—o, we’e
tll got toe fat rgt. But te goal of te gopel ot ut
tat we pa ome d of tet y aurately reoutg te
mportae of Jeu. Te goal of te gopel to produe a
type of people oumed wt pao for God ad loe for
oter. We ertaly do’t eem to ae that rgt.
A Crtaty tat doe ot ae a t prmary fou
te deepeg of pao for God a fale Crtaty, o
matter ow zealouly t ee oero or ow forefully
t adoate rgteou eaor. Beg oerted to Jeu
ot ut aout learg to oey ome rule. Beg oertedto Jeu learg to o adore God tat we would gladly
reoue eerytg we ae to follow Hm.
I graduate ool my roommate ept a dog amed Max
our oue. Beaue poor Max wa rppled a leg,
lfe oted of lyg o our doortep ad targ up at u
we we waled y. I rememer loog at m oe day ad
tg, “Baed o ow mot people ee Crtaty, Max
would mae a fe Crta: e doe’t dr; e doe’t
moe; e doe’t u; e doe’t get agry; we’e ad m
Being able to articulate the gospel with accuracy
is one thing; having its
truth captivate your soul
is quite another.
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 11
eutered o tougt-
lfe uder otrol.”
Jeu’ dple are ot
uppoed to e merely
omplat, eutered dog.
Jeu’ follower are to e
alive wt a loe for God.
We you loe God adloe oter, Jeu ad, all
te ret of te Crta
lfe fall aturally to
plae (Matt. 22:37–39).
How Do We Learn to Love God?
How, te, do we lear to love God? Tat’ te dlemma of
te “great ommadmet”: “You all loe te Lord your God
wt all your eart ad wt all your oul ad wt all your
md” (Matt. 22:37). But ow a true loe e commanded ?
Beg ommaded to loe omeoe you ae o atu-
ral affeto for eome wearome. True loe grow a arepoe to loele. Te frt tme I aw my wfe, I felt te
egg of loe for er. Te more I’e gotte to ow er
oer te year, ad te more I’e ee of er eauty, te more
I’e grow to loe er. My loe a repoe.
Loe for God ommaded Srpture, ut te om-
mad a oly truly e fulflled a our eye are opeed to ee
God’ eauty reealed te gopel. Te Sprt of God ue
te eauty of te gopel to awae our eart a dere for
God. “We loe Hm,” te apotle Jo would ay, “eaue
A Christianity that does not have as its primary
ocus the deepening o
passions or God is a
alse Christianity, no
matter how zealously it
seeks conversions
or how orceully it
advocates righteous
behavior.
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12 GOSPEL
He frt loed u” (1 Jo 4:19 nkjv). Loe for God grow out
of a experee of te loe of God.
We we fou prmarly o eaor age, we are
gorg te real ue: a eart tat doe’t wat to loe
God. Tat’ ertaly ot
to ay tat we ould oly
oey God we we feel
le t; oly tat preag Crtaty prmarly a a
et of ew eaor wll
reate people wo at rgt wtout eer log te rgt.1
T reate yporte, weary ad reetful of God.
What Is “Real” Spiritual Growth?
I te lat meage Jeu gae to H dple, He told
tem tat te way to frutfule ad oy—te “eret” to te
Crta lfe—wa to abide Hm. Tey would’t produe
“audat frut” y readg oo, tefyg ter elf-
dple, memorzg Srpture, or gettg aoutalty
group. Toe tg all ae ter plae, ut real frut omeoly from oe plae: adg Jeu.
“Adg Jeu” may oud le prtual mumo umo
to you. It alway dd to me. I aumed tat we you were
“adg Jeu” you’d wal aroud wt a etereal glow
your eye ad explaly wae up at 4 a.m. trummg
pao tue o te golde arp you eep ede your ed.
But te word abide mu more tragtforward ta tat.
Te Gree word meno mea lterally “to mae your ome .”
We we “mae our ome ” H loe—feelg t, aturatg
Love or God grows
out o an experience
o the love o God.
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 13
ourele wt t, refletg o t, tadg awe of t—pr-
tual frut eg to prg up aturally from u le roe o
a roeu.
Sprtual “frut,” you ee, produed te ame way
pyal “frut” . We a ma ad woma oee pyal
“frut” (.e., a ld), tey are uually ot tg aout te
mea of mag tat ld. Rater, tey get augt up
a momet of log t-may wt oe aoter,
ad te fruit of tat log
tmay a ld.
I te ame way,
prtual frut ’t made
y foug o te om-
mad of prtual growt.
You a’t ut grt your teet ad ay, “I wll ae more log
feelg toward God! I wll e more patet! I wll ae elf-
otrol!” I’ll expla later te role for deal of te fle ad
elf-dple, ut true prtual fruit ome from gettg
wept up tmate, log eouter wt Jeu Crt.
H loe te ol w all te frut of te Sprt grow. We our root ade there, te oy, peae, patee, d-
e, getlee, ad elf-otrol grow aturally our eart.
So f you wat to ee prtual frut your lfe, do’t fou
prmarly o te frut. Fou o Jeu’ aeptae of you,
ge to you a a gft. Foug o prtual frut wll uually
produe oly frutrato ad depar, ot frutfule.
Hae you eer looed at your lfe ad tougt, “Wy
am I tll o mpatet? How ould I really e aed ad tll
ae u a prolem wt elf-otrol?” I ertaly ae. If
When we “make our
home in” His love,
spiritual ruit begins
to spring up naturally
rom us.
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14 GOSPEL
aytg, te more I’e waled wt Jeu te more aware
I’e eome of my fule. Jeu, oweer, dd ot tell me
to “ade” my frutfule. He told me to ade Hm—
H aeptae of me, ge to me freely a a gft.
Adg Jeu mea udertadg tat H aeptae
of u te ame regardle of te amout of prtual frut
we ae produed. Iroally, t oly we we udertad
tat H loe ot odtoed o our prtual frutfuletat we ga te power to eome truly frutful. Oly toe
wo ade Hm produe mu frut. I oter word, toe
people wo get etter are
toe wo udertad tat
God’ approal of tem
ot depedet o ter
gettg etter.
So wat I really wat
to elp you do t
oo ade Jeu. Te
y-produt of adg
Jeu tat you wll eome more patet your marrage;
you wll deelop elf-dple; you wll eome geerou. Adg Jeu wll produe all of te frut of te Sprt
you—ut ot y ag you oetrate partularly o ay of
toe tg. You oetrate o Jeu. You ret H loe
ad aeptae, ge to you ot eaue of wat you ae
eared, ut eaue of wat He a eared for you.
To see spiritual ruit
in your lie, don’t
ocus primarily on the
ruits. Focus on Jesus’
acceptance o you, given
to you as a git.
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 15
Without Love, It’s Ultimately Worthless
My eor year of g ool, I tarted a relatop
wt a redle grl for wom I should ae ee ead oer
eel. “O paper” e wa perfet. Te prolem wa tat
we we were togeter tere wa ut o magic , f you ow
wat I mea. I ould’t fd a reao to quit datg er, ow-
eer, o we ept o datg, ee after I left for ollege 1,200
mle away.
I retured ome for te frt tme oer Crtma rea,
ad we agreed to ee ea oter te day efore Crtma.
All wa well ad good utl te afteroo efore I wet to
er oue, we I ad a alarmg tougt: Was I supposed
to get her a Christmas present? It wa, after all, te day efore
Crtma. If e got me a Crtma preet ad I dd’t geter oe, te I would loo le a total leezeall.
Jut to e afe, I topped at te mall o my way to ee
er. I wet to a portg good op, te atural plae you
loo for romat gft, ad tere I aw t—te aolutely
perfet gft: a Adda ow-g e-warmer. It wa $7.
I wrapped up te woole materpee ad put t uder te eat
my ar ad droe te forty-fe mute oer to er oue.
Se ame to te door, ad after a few pleaatre, e ad,
“I ougt you a Crtma preet.” I ad, proudly, “I got you
oe too!” Se ad, “Here your!” ad gae me a beautifully
wrapped ox from uder te tree. I opeed t ad too out; to
my orror, t wa oouly a ery expee rt.
Se looed at me expetatly ad ad, “Were’ my gft?”I ad, “U . . . I left t at ome!” (Tg tat wa
afe . . . I ould go ome later, uy a ew gft, ad mal t to
er. Ad I got to eep te e-warmer. W-W.) But te
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16 GOSPEL
e ad, “Well, we do’t ae aytg to do togt. Maye
we ould go a to your oue ad get t. I’d le to ee your
paret, ayway.”
I’m ure tat durg te forty-fe-mute dre ome
I eemed a lttle dtat. It’ eaue I wa plottg. Prayg.
Vowg. We we waled te oue, I pulled my mom
ade ad ad, “Hey— tere aytg you were plag to
ge my ter tat e doe’t ow aout yet?” My mom ad,“Wy?” I ad, “No furter queto, pleae.” My mom wet
ad got a gft teded for my ter (aoter pretty expee
weater) ad we put my date’ ame o t tead. I too t
to my “grlfred” ad ad, ofdetly, “Here’ your gft.
I tougt t would e perfet for you.”
I’e ofte wodered te year e te wat would
ae appeed tat gt ad I ome lea ad told er te
trut tat my gft to er wa oly doe to ae fae. No dout,
e would ae refued t f latly. No grl wat to e loed oly
out of olgato.
Someow we t God dfferet, a f He pleaed
we we ere Hm eaue we’re requred to. He’ ot.
God dere a people wo dere Hm, wo ere Hmeaue tey loe Hm. He “ee toe,” Jeu ad, “wo
worp Hm Sprt ad trut.”
I fat, Paul ay wateer we do for God tat ot
fueled y loe for God ultmately wortle to Hm:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have
not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And
if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries
and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 17
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give
away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing. (1 Cor. 13:1–3)
Let’ fae t: Paul’ lt ere mpree y ayoe’
tadard. “Speag wt te togue of me ad agel” a
to put you te top 1 peret of prtually gfted people.
“Udertadg all mytere ad all owledge” mea tat you’e got ee te fer pot of Crta dotre dow
pat. “Fat to remoe mouta” mea you a flat get tuff
doe prayer. Ad “ giving away even your body to be burned” ?
Wow. Oedee doe’t get ay more “radal” ta tat.
We te offerg plate goe y, you pull out a mat ad
lgt yourelf o fre for God. Tat’ Varty.
Yet, Paul ay, prtual gftede, dotral matery,
audaou fat, ad radal oedee do not equal te oly
tg tat atually matters to God—loe for Hm. Wtout
loe ee te mot radal
deoto to God of o
alue to Hm.
Let me make sure that sinks in . . . You a ga
all te prtual gft
te world. You a tae
te mot radal tep of
oedee. You a are
eery meal wt te ome-
le your ty. You a
memorze te oo of Letu. You a pray ea morg
for four our le Mart Luter. But f wat you do doe
Spiritual gitedness,
doctrinal mastery,
audacious aith, and
radical obedience o
ot eqal the only thing
that actually matters to
God—love or Him.
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18 GOSPEL
ot flow out of a eart of loe—a eart tat doe toe tg
eaue t geuely desires to do tem—t ultmately worth-
less to God.
Te pot tat to produe real loe your eart for
God tae ometg eyod prtual gft, greater dotr-
al owledge, audaou fat, ad ee radal oedee.
Sometg etrely dfferet. Radally dfferet.
Tat’ were te gopel ome . Te gopel, ad tegopel aloe, a te power to produe loe for God te
eart. Paul all te gopel “God’ power for alato” (Rom.
1:16). Tere are oly two tg tat Paul eer refer to a “te
power of God.” Oe te gopel; te oter Crt Hmelf.
A te tory of te gopel prolamed, te Sprt Hmelf
mae te eart ome ale to ee te glory ad eauty of God
reealed t. Jut a Jeu’ ommad to te lame ma to “get
up ad wal” ad in itself te power to oey te ommad, o
te tory of Jeu’ deat ad reurreto a in itself te power
to mae dead eart ew. A te gopel eleed, troug
te power of te prt, our elf, ardeed eart urt ale
wt rgteou ad godly pao.2 A we eold te glory of
God te fae of Crt, Paul ay, we are traformed toglory (2 Cor. 3:18–4:14).
Relgo, te, a tell you wat to do—amely, to “loe
God wt all your eart, oul ad md” ad “to loe your
egor a yourelf”; ut te gopel aloe ge you te
power to do t.
Te gopel produe ot ut oedee, you ee, ut a
ew d of oedee3—a oedee tat powered y
dere. A oedee tat ot pleag to God and delgt-
ful to you.
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 19
Now, oe larfato: I’m ot ayg ere tat eery ar-
fe we’re aed to mae for God wll e ad of telf desirable .
Te ro wa ot ad of telf derale to Jeu. Herew
12:2, fat, ay tat Jeu ad to endure t pa, w
mea He ad to umt H dere to God’ wll. But ee
te rufyg of H fle wa rouded oy for Hm. Te
oy of wat He wa ota-
g—te pleaure of Godad eterty wt u—wa
greater ta te pa.
Tat’ ow God wat
our oedee to e a
well. We we p up
our ro to follow Hm, He wat ee te pa of te ro
to e rouded oy oer wat we are otag.
Tat d of oy Jeu aot e produed u y
mple reoluto to oey. Tat d of oy ome oly from
eg aturated te gopel.
Tu, f you are ot were you ould e prtually, te
awer ot mply to get uer for Jeu. It ot ut to get
more radal your deoto to God. It’ ot oly to ee greater prtual gft or ee to lear more aout te Ble.
It to mae your ome God’ loe ge to you a a gft
Crt.
Tat’ wat I mea we I ay te gopel mg.
We ae uttuted all d of omet age for true
eart age. We eourage people to purue ew ad et-
ter prtual gft. We tell tem to reoer aet deotoal
teque. We try to eef tem up o a partular dotral
ytem, a f more orret fat wll do te tr telf.
The gospel produces
an obedience that is
powered by desire.
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20 GOSPEL
We tell tem to ow audaou, mouta-mog fat
prayer. We tell tem to get radally ommtted to te Great
Commo. Tee tg all ae ter plae, ut all we are
dog plg uperfal age oto a eart tat doe’t
really loe God. None of toe tg a produe loe for
God. Oly te gopel a. Wtout tat, ultmately our
age are wortle.
I am a lazy yardma. To my wfe’ agr, I do’t (wll-gly) plat flower.4 I do’t fertlze. I pay omeoe ele to
ut te gra. All I are aout, a t relate to te yard, tat
I do’t get omplat letter from my egor ad I a ee
te top of my d’ ead we tey go outde. My wfe, o
te oter ad, loe a plu, rgt, eatly maured law.
Oe day e omplaed tat our flower ed ad too may
weed tem, ad tat I eeded to do ometg aout t.
Now, tere are two way to ll weed. You a get o your
ee ad ped eeral our pullg tem up y te root.
T te orret way. Or, you a apalm tem wt weed
ller. T te lazy way. My way. So, multple tme ea
ummer I lated our flower ed wt weed ller . . . ad
all our weed ded, ut le te adertemet promed. Ado dd qute a few roe ue tat were augt te le of
fre. Beautful, gree e wt uddg arlet flower were
tured to tumleweed.
My wfe, of oure, omplaed aout tat too. I a Sprt-
flled way, of oure. So, let’ ay tat to mae er appy
I ad goe dow to te flort ad ougt eeral doze roe,
rougt tem ome, ad ega to taple tem to te dead
rae of te roeue. Would I ae fxed aytg? For
a wle, te dead roeue may ae ge te appearae of
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 21
eg ale, at leat from a dtae. But tey would ot really
e ale, ad I would ot really e out of te dogoue.
Paul Trpp a ad tat mot of te tratege for
Crta growt amout merely to “roe-taplg te-
que.” Ge away more moey. Be more erou aout your
. Be more dpled your lfe. Read your Ble ad ae
aoutalty parter. Go to a mall group.
Sprtual dple ae ter plae (we’ll get to tatlater). But otg a tae te plae of orga age
te eart.
Oly te gopel, you ee, te power to oey te frt
ommadmet. Oly te trut of te gopel a a eart
tured o telf urt ale loe for God.
For may eagelal te gopel a futoed olely
a te etry rte to Crtaty; t te prayer we pray
to eg our relatop wt Jeu; te dg oard off of
w we ump to te pool of Crtaty. After we get to
te pool, we get to te real tuff of Crtaty: materg
good prple for our marrage; learg rule ad regula-
to of ow to eae; ad fgurg out f Kr Camero wll
e left ed. Te gopel, oweer, ot ut te dg oard off of
w we ump to te pool of Crtaty; t te pool
telf. It ot oly te way we eg Crt; t te way
we grow Crt. A Tm Keller ay, te gopel ot ut
te ABC of Crtaty, t te A–Z; t ot te frt tep
a tarway of trut, t more le te u of God’ weel
of trut.5 All oter Crta rtue f low out of t.
Tat’ wy growt Crt eer gog eyod te
gopel, ut gog deeper to te gopel. Te puret water
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22 GOSPEL
from te prg of lfe are
foud y dggg deeper,
ot wder, to te gopel
well.
My prayer tat t
oo wll all u to a deeper
udertadg of te go-
pel a te true eter of Crtaty. I ope t elp you ee tat te gopel ould’t
ut e a tet to eae ut te ore of our etre le. We
you ae made your ome te gopel. You wll e radally
geerou. You wll ow audaou fat. Tee tg are ot
added after te gopel, tey flow from te gopel.
Te apotle Peter ay tat te agel tll “log to loo
to” te tg of te gopel, eaue t dazzle ter md
(1 Pet. 1:12). Te agel ae ee God fae-to-fae, ad yet
tey tll a’t get eoug of te gopel! Do we t we are
really ready to moe o to ometg ele?
Wateer prtual dyfuto you ae your lfe, te
ure te gopel. Do we wat to e flled wt pao for
God? We ould dr from te gopel. Do we wat to getotrol of our ode? We mut e aptated y te gopel.
Do we wat to e otet wt wat we ae? We eed to feat
o te gopel. Do we wat to lear to loe our poue? We
ae to e oerwelmed
y te gopel.
Mart Luter ad
Lectures on Romans
tat true prtual prog-
re wa “alway to eg
The gospel is not just
the diving board o o
which we jump into the
pool o Christianity;
it is the pool itsel.
Growth in Christ is never
going beyond the gospel,but going deeper into
the gospel.
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THE MISSInG GOSPEL 23
aga.” He ad we mut daly “emrae te loe ad de
of God . . . ad daly exere our fat tere; etertag
o dout of God’ loe ad de.”6
Alway “eg aga” wt te gopel. Ade t; wm
t; mae your ome t. See more ad more of your lfe
troug t. Be aolutely oed at eery momet of eery
day of te goode of God your lfe. Tat’ te oly way
you’ll eer really grow. Te gopel a doe t wor u we we rae God
more ta we rae eerytg ele lfe—more ta moey,
romae, famly, ealt, fame—ad we eeg H gdom
adae te le of oter ge u more oy ta aytg
we ould ow. We we ee Jeu a greater ta aytg te
world a offer, we’ll gladly let eerytg ele go to poe
Hm. We we loe oter
le He loe u, we’ll wll-
gly yeld our poeo
to ee H gdom ome
to ter le.
Oedee tat doe
ot flow from loe ed upeg drudgery—ot to
u, ad to God. Te gopel tur tat drudgery to delgt.
It age u from eg lae wo have to oey God to o
ad daugter wo want to oey God. Aga, God ot ut
after oedee; He’ after a wole ew d of oedee—
a oedee tat flled wt dere.
Dwellg o te re of te gopel a foreer aged
my lfe. It a traformed our ur. I elee wt my
wole eart t a age you too. But te umlg tg for
The gospel has done its
work in us when
we crave God more
than we crave everything
else in lie.
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24 GOSPEL
me tat I a’t really teach ay of t to you. Tee tg
are prtually reealed ad prtually dered. Tey requre
te gft of eaely eye. I ould’t ee tea t to myelf
we t wa rgt frot
of my fae, o wat would
mae me t I ould
llumate your eart?
Ad wat mae you t you a deelop a
pao for God y readg
a oo? So wy ot top rgt ow ad plead wt God to
ope te eye of your eart? You mgt ue te word of Paul
prayer for te Epea,
[I pray] that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father
of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts
enlightened . . . [and I pray that you] may have strength
to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and
length and height and depth, and to know the love of
Christ that surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Eph. 1:17–18; 3:18–20)
God is ater an
obedience that is flled
with desire.
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25
CHAPTER 2
why Religios Chagedoes’t work
I walked out into our backyard one Saturday and encounteredmy four-year-old daughter, Kharis, pouring water from a
watering can into her sandbox. When I asked what she was
doing, she replied, without looking up, “Daddy, I need the
sand to grow. See? There’s not much left.”
I te t expl t e e t gw y wteg
t, eue, f ue, t t le. Te ly wy t eete mut f te x f Dy t pu me
.
Tt’ w elg ge yu. Relg pu t .
It ge yu lt f tuff “t ”: Ble tue t g t; ew
t t t yu lfe; tg t y t y, et. Tt’
wt me e lle “mel” ge.1
Tt’ fumetlly ffeet fm w tee gw.
A tee gw e fut eue t le. Fut pg
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26 GOSPEL
up tully eue f te lfe e. T w te gpel
ge yu. Yu e ge eue yu ge. T “g” ge.
Mt ttege yu e f gwt Ct e up
eg, f ll te Ct lguge, “mel” ge.
We get uy f G. We ew ptul ple. We
ge mey. We m.
I te l y we ee tue ffeg eelpett te u ptul uye f te wee. Te eelpe
e quet le:
• He yu e yu Ble t wee?
• He yu pye?
• He yu e yu ft wt mee t wee?
• I tee tte/ulg fu/m plege t-ut t eelpe?
It ue t e gme t me t ee f I ul mmee
mplete ll te elemet te eelpe fm te tme te
ffeg tte t te tme t gt t me. I e Ct
wt my p te (w t ee me u) eey wee
f uple f ye.
Te plem wt mel ge tt tey quly
eme weme t yu. Tt’ t t y yu ul’t ee
tg we yu ’t wt t , ut tt f te extet f
yu Ctty eg te gt el t,
yu e ettg yuelf up f te. Yu e lyg elg
t et tt le te tg. A, wete yu ee
tulte t t, yu wll eet G lg yu pte
t tuff yu wul’t tewe e g f He wee’t
teteg mt.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 27
Te e “me-
l” ge ’t elly w f u ge t
te e f wt’ wg
wt u—ll te wy
t u gl te
ge f Ee. I wt
t te u tee tpte, eue ly te
we uet wy elg w’t w wy ly te
gpel “fx” u.
Functional Gods
Ou gl w lty.2 Yu my e tme
eeg tt. “Ilty? I ’t ee tem wg w py-
g t l.” Tt’ eue we metme fl t gp
wt wp elly . Yu wp wtee t yu eem
mt eetl f lfe ppe. F Am Ee t
w te tee f te wlege f g el. It fut w
mptt tey wee wllg t ey G t get t. F
u, t my e mey, te pe f te, g mge,
elty fmly, eg et ttu t w, expe-
eg me eul pleue.
We metg eme mptt t yu tt t
e yu e mm yu emt, yu e
wppg t. Yu e wllg t y “” t G t get t.
Te Heew w f “gly” (kabod ) ltelly me
“wegt.” T ge metg gly yu lfe (, t wp
t) t ge t mu wegt tt yu ul’t mge g
You will resent God
holding you captive to
do stu you wouldn’t
otherwise be doing i
He weren’t threatening
damnation.
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28 GOSPEL
lfe wtut t. A l e lmt ytg—ee te g
gft f G. Fmly, fe, em, ee u—teee ll g tg, f ue. But tey eme l we we
g tem “G-type”
wegt.
Ultimately, idolatry is
behind all of our sin. We
place a greater weight onsomething other than God.
Wtee te tg e
tt we feel le we ’t le wtut tt tl u
e e “futl g” t u.3 We my t ptte
u e efe tem, ut we ptte u et.
All peple, elgu t, e g, eue ll e
wppe. My peple feel le tey e t wppe
eue tey e’t elguly te. Yu me tu
ff yu e f wp
y t eg elgu t
yu ul tu ff yu ex
e y emg gle.
All um eg e
metg tey elee t
e eetl f lfe; me-
tg tt tey ul t
mge feelg ppy fulflle wtut. Wtee, tt
tg , yu e wppg t, llly peg.
An idol can be almost
anything—even the good
gits o God.
All people, religious or
not, have some sort
o god, because all are
worshippers.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 29
Functional Saviors
Te ft et Am Ee fte te tll f
etg te fe fut w ee f te w ee.
Wee tey e efe etg te fut? Ye. But ly fte
tey ete te fut te ee te tem.
Wt ge?
Te ely u fte (guy le Gegy f Nzzu
Atu) exple tt p t te Am
Ee ee “lte” te le epte f G,
te ee t te tem. Nw g tppe
temele f G’ le epte, tey wee left wt
ee f expue, fe, gult, me.
S wt Am Ee ut tt ee f e-
e? Te me tg y f u we we feel e—tey le f metg t put ! If yu e plem
leepwlg uely we up e gt tg
Supe Wlmt, u e, yu ply wul’t ue tt
pptuty t p up few e yu eee f
te ue. Ite, yu’ mmetely l f te ltg
et f metg t e yuelf. A py tt e yu w ee yu.
Am Ee eetlly te me tg. Tey me
temele “eg f fg lee” fm G. Te
lte me tem feel me eptle.
We e ll ee te me quet ee e. We ty t
e te me f u ee y etlg u wt-e me wy. We f metg tt et u pt fm
te: we’e mte; we gt t et f l; we
e g me lt f mey; we’e g pet;
we’e me ftful u elg t te. We’ll ue ut
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30 GOSPEL
ut ytg t etl u wt. Peple w e’t el-
gu t ll t ut mu elgu peple. Atetfeel le tey e f-me g tze. Hllyw
t pe temele l tt. Ty Sp y,
“I my ll lt f peple . . . ut I’m g .” Eeyy
l f tg t utfy te wte.
F mt f u, lfe le e g Survivor epe wee
we e tyg t e G eeye ele wy we et te e w ul e tw ff te l.
Te tg we ue t etl u wte, e
lle “futl .”
Why Religious Change Doesn’t Work
Relgu ge, mtte w well-tete, e’t
w f tee pmy e:
1. Religious activities fail to address the “root” idolatries
that drive our sin.
At t t, u e e y te ft tt we ee
metg me t we ee G. Relgu ge tget
te t f wtut eg te lty tt pmpte
tt te ft ple. I ft, lt f tme, elg
eme mply te
wy t get l f tt
tg we mt ee.
Let me ge yu
exmple: Tm Kelle tell
f tuly exully
pmuu e ew
Religious change targets
the acts o sin without
addressing the idolatry
that prompted that sin
in the frst place.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 31
llege. Te yug m’ exul pwe w ut me
t lut, wee. Gg “te e pt” w ue f etty t m—t pe e w m, ge te
mt f pee, ge m ee f pwe e
wme.
Dug u ye t guy gt le wt m-
pu mty “gt e.” He quly gt “ fe f Jeu”
ge pg, l tetmy f ew mmtmett Ct.
Hwee, Kelle y, tee w tll metg “ff”
ut t guy. He w t ey eyle pe t e
u. If yu wee u wt m, e t w
wy e w gt yu wee wg. I mll gup e
wte yu t egze his p gtful. He lwy
wte te pt f pmee.
Te guy ll te extel g f le f Jeu. He
epete f exul pmuty. He wet t lt f
Ble tue wtee lly f Jeu. Hwee, t w
ppet tt e mply te ex f elg te ute
mfett f tue ee. Wt e elly wte—
“t l”—w pwe e te.4
T t e t Ct. T ew me f
puug l l.
Tue wp eee t G f te e
t tt yu elgt G. Tee fumetl ffe-
ee eg G t get metg fm Hm eg
Hm t get me f Hm. We I w llege, I t te
t let e ue fe t t gute.5 I ememe l-
g t my pt eeg metg ll mu,
metg pety, metg m my e.
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32 GOSPEL
Ntg elly ue ppelg, ut I tugt tee w
e tt te m ue we’ get e up t t metg, tt ue me eyle t t-
tg u lteg t e emtg pety.
Mte. Hlf f te ue w pet leg te me
f ue Fe et, te te lf wtg -
e f me tgt lep pe ut te tge. Eey
wee I ee my m- t te efe I wle tte l. But I eee g ge te ue t mt
my GPA, I tuge t ut, tue , mge t
pull A.
Tt w me t fftee ye g. Se tt tme,
lt ge. I e gtte me. I e tee ug-
te. A my wfe I w e e tet t u ty’
pefmg t ete, wee we py tp ll t ee . . .
ahhemm . . . tete. Me tgt pe ut te tge.
A I ey t. Nt te tgt pt, ut te te tuff.
T ut t—w t that y? I llege I ue
tete me t get mey. I tue t I ul
get g ge I ul get g I ul make
money . But w I ue my -ee mey t get me
tete. Tete ue t e
te me t mey, w
t te e f my mey.
Tue elg we
yu ee G t get
tg ele ut me f
G. My peple ue elg wy f gettg metg
ele fm G tey wt—leg, ew, ee epe
fm ugmet. T weme t u, t G. But
True religion is when you
serve God to get nothing
else but more o God.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 33
we G H w ew, Ctty eme tllg.
Sfe eme y.I te w, gettg elguly te u, ee
g e, e t eely me yu e eme
tue worshipper f G.
Yu my e mply -
ee elg t e
me eet me tte ee l le
epet, pe, ue,
g fmly, ppety.
2. When our acceptance is based on our performance,
we exacerbate two root sins in our heart: pride and
fear.
Te expue f u ee mplte u eep
ee f fe. We ee tt we wee t eptle we
wee (w tue), we felt e t metg t
me uele me eptle t G.
But wtee we t me u ette t te, we
feel pu ut, tt le u t me . Pe ge
e t lee, mptee, tlee, ugmetlm,
my te e.
Of ue, te te , we we ’t feel le we
meue up t te, we ep. Ou ee f ee
fe f eet gw. T le ly t me feet
ttempt t tgu uele fm te, eluy
te f te u u. Ou ep ete tt
we fte tu t te lut f te fle t fll. Dep e
u ul “ee” e peple t e ug, ll,
Getting religiously active
in a church does not
necessarily mean you have become a true
orshipper o God.
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34 GOSPEL
etue mft, et. It tu peple t wl, el
mt, ee pet. Wle pefme-e epte tut u t
yle f pe ep, epte y G’ ge pue
extly te ppte fut. Te ue f G’ peee
ppl te wy u ee f ee u -
g f te ppl. We
e mplete Hm. Wee ee fee t let te
ee u fult, eue we
w we ley e te
lute ppl f te
ly Oe we p
elly mtte ywy. We
eme gu
tw te, eue we
e we f w mu we’e ee fge. We e t
f t le ll we e, eue Hm we e ll tt we
ee.
Te t e elgu ge e’t w t
wt t utlty.
3. The insecurity of always wondering if we’ve done
enough to be accepted causes resentment of God, not
love for Him.
A I te t te egg f t , we I ft
eme elee, I ttly felt gulty ut tg I eee
t ette t eme g Ct. Depte my feey,
my le f G w t gwg. Tut e tl, I ’t
wt t get le t G. He’ ut pt ut metg ele
While perormance- based acceptance
thrusts us into a cycle
o pride and despair,
acceptance by God’s
grace produces exactly
the opposite ruits.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 35
I ul e g efe He’ ppe f me. S I wte t
eep Hm “p ff” t te I ul e t pee. A Mt Lute, te get Refme, te ut melf,
my fe f G’ ugmet w pug te f Hm
tt w g my et fte fte wy fm Hm,
ee f my t le, te ufe, me gly.
Tt’ eue tue le f G t gw we we
e uue ut H feelg f u. All f u ee f G wll e e wt eye t eletg u ttu efe Hm.
Ultmtely, t t le f G—t’ le f uele.
Cle Spuge tl ty lluttg t:
Oe up tme, ey p t fme le
mll fm ul Egl. Dug e et-
g e, e uete te lget t e
ee ee. He tugt, “Nw tt t tt
eft g.” S e tele t te g’ ple,
te uee, l te t yfully t te
g’ feet. “O g,” e , “yu e lwy ee
u weful, f gu g t me,
I le yu ey mu. A te f my le f yu,
I wt yu t e t t. It gft w yu
tuly eee.” Te g, tue y t m’ mple
ffeg, epe, “T yu f t gft. I p-
pe t w te fml tt uu yu fm
I wul le t ge yu tt l gft. Plee
w tt t l mll te f te ffet tt
I e f yu, my .”
Oe f te g’ leme, tg te ut
tt y, tugt, “Ww! If te g wul ge ll
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36 GOSPEL
tt fml epe t t, mge wt
e wul ge f el gft!” S te lem wettt gt fu te mt met e e’
ee ee ugt t t te g te ext y. Te
fty lem , “Kg, yu e weful
wty g. A te f my le f yu, I wt yu
t e t e gft.”
Te g, eg ey we, w tug te ue, t te lem, “Yetey te p m
w gg te t t me. But ty, yu e gg
te e t yuelf.”6
We u lt epe up u gteu e-
, u gteue wll e e y ee t elete
uele te eye f G. T t le f G; t’
elf-ptet.
Te gpel tu elg upe w. Te gpel ue
u f G’ epte, ge t u gft ee y Ct’
wte, t u. I
epe t tt gft, we
e me t ey. Le
f Hm gw epe
t H le f u.
Te Bt pt
D. Mty Lly-Je
e e geg-
t wt tey wul f wle tey wee wy fm me
e y, fe, w w t te me tg, p
eue ll f tem. “It epe w mu te ll w
f,” Lly-Je . If t wee mll, up ptge
True love or God
cannot grow when we
are unsure about His
eelings or us.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 37
lette, yu’ pt tem te y, “T.” If te
IRS flly ugt up t yu fte te ye f uptxe me t
te yu t l, yu
fe p ff yu ete
et, yu wul t pt
tem te y,
“T.” Yu wul fll t te feet y, “Command me!” Te gpel ewe u t te euty f G
ewelm u wt mey. Ou e ge eue
we ge. Utl tt ppe, ll elgu ge wll e
upefl. Ee f yu fe yuelf t t gt, yu et
wll e gg te te et. T te te f ttl
epty.
The Gospel According to J.D.
Let me expl w t ply ut my lfe. I e
et I tuggle wt, ut e te e me
eepe tt uully g ute.
Oe gt my wfe I ee t me py-
ly me t eteme wt my mt fequetly eu-
g yfut wee, wy I tuggle mu
wt tem. (Nte: I wul
not e g t wt
yu pue, ule yu
e uuully t .
Fm w I’m g
t alone .)
The gospel turns religion
upside down.
The gospel reawakens
us to the beauty o
God and overwhelms
us with mercy.
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38 GOSPEL
Anger. Se pte ut tt I get mt gy we I
ete () feel le I’m lg gumet () mee mg me l tup. Tt eue, we eteme,
I ee peple t me me, I feel (wee gt
wg) tt my tellgee ey mpet t gg
te epet. Be my fle f ge lzt f
te mt f te. I ee te mt f te
e t e ppe lue. Te ppl f te my futl g futl . G’ peee
le e t uffet f me.
Overwork and neglect of family. I ew eue I e-
petely wt t e ueful. A wy I ee t e u-
eful? Beue I elee tt f I’m ueful tt I’ll e
te ppl f te.
Worry. Wee e my wy me fm? We eteme
tt my wy uully e fm te fe tt I’m t gg
t e te ue tt I wt t e. Te u gg t
fl; I’m gg t e luggt; I’m gg t ly e
mee. But, g, wy I ee t e ueful, t t
ut fm te w? Beue I ee t e me y te.
Depression. We I get epee? It’ uully fte
I pe em. A t’ t tt I’m ut futte tt
my peple ’t get te mege. I m ette eue
my etty ult my ll eputt pee. If
I m g pee, te peple wll me me.
Lying. Te temptt f me t le e, my wfe
I eteme, fm tw ple: (1) I le t e up my
tmg exggete my mplmet. A
wy I tt? Yu w te we. (2) I le t eep
te ppy eue I ’t wt t ppt tem. Beg
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 39
ft-, type A, peple plee, I ’t le t let peple
w. Beue, f peple e ppte wt me, te tey e t ppg f me, we’e ley etle tt
I ’t le tt. My lyg ymptmt f my wp
f peple’ ppl.
Yu y, “J.D., yu e e ue.” I m. But e
yu. I’m ut e eug t put t pt. (A, e-
tlly, mye te e I’m wllg t tt eue It tt eg et wll me yu me me f my
tpey. A . . . t ee e!)
I y f tee fe , yu mm me: “J.D.!
Don’t be angry!” O, “Thou shalt not lie!” But yu mgt well
tell g t t . My plem tt my et e
te ppl f te tt tee me ttely t
me etg!
My euty me me feful. It me me e t-
tempee. It me me wllg t e te tut f pel
tge. A ee f I ul ple myelf t t get
gy we le, I wul e ly ee up te el
plem: I elgt me te ppl f te t I
te ppl f G. I m lte. Tt my epty.
Te “lw” f G (.e., mm le, “J.D., ’t le,
e epee, wy, get gy”) tell me wt t , ut
’t elly ge me te pwe t tem—t let t ey
tem fm te et.
Wt elg ule t , G e f u te
gpel. Te gpel w me G w ette t te
ppl f te G me lule t te pe.
Te gpel w me tt G’ peee ppl e
te getet teue te uee. Te gpel eel G’
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40 GOSPEL
mey tw me, tt me me me meful wt
te—t eue I e t e t g G’ ep-te, ut eue I m
ewelme y H
mey tt I ’t elp ut
exte tt t te.
We mut tute u-
ele, teefe, tetut f te gpel.
S, te text tt
fllw, I wt t ge yu tl t ut tt. It’ pye
I’e pye eey y f eel ye t mmee myelf
te tut f te gpel. I mply ll t, “Te Gpel Pye.”
The Gospel Prayer
Ft, let me me ue yu uet: tee’ tg
mgl ut t pye. It’ t tt t get G t
g tg f yu. Ietlly, t’ l t my ttempt
t eple te L’ Pye. T pye mply tl t
elp yu t yu m te ptte f te gpel. Te
pt t te pye; te pt tg le wt te
gpel.
Te Gpel Pye fu pt. Te ft tw pt le
u w, elpg u t eew u m G’ epte
f u te lue f tt epte t u:
1. “In Christ, there is nothing I can do
that would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
The gospel shows me a
God who is better than
the approval o others
and a God more valuable
than their praise.
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wHY RELIG IOuS CHAnGE dOESn’T wORK 41
2. “Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
Pt 3 f te pye u e wt epg t
te ge f te gpel l le. Uetg G’ ge-
ety tw u ul le u t l geety tw
te.
3. “As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
Pt 4 f te pye elp u ee u wl tug te
le f te gpel me u t uu ft. If te
elly e eel G’ mp f e te eu-
et eel H pwe t e tem, te u pye
te elf ul e uu l:
4. “As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
I’e pye t pye eey y w f te lt few ye.
Yu w wt? It’ flly ttg t .
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PART 2
The Gospel Prayer
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The Gospel Prayer
“In Christ, there is nothing I can do
that would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
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45
CHAPTER 3
The Gospel as Gift-Righteosess
Hw e G feel ut yu, gt w? A w yu
eteme tt? D yu e yu we wt f wee yu’e ? Hw tet yu quet tme e ee?
Wete yu’e ee e t yu le? F my ye
qulft le tee e my epe.
If I’ g wee— el “Ct” wee”—I felt
le t G. We Suy me u, I wul feel le
lftg my e wp, lmt f t y,“G, ee I m . . . I w Yu’e exte ut eeg me
t wee.” If I’ tell wee, I le eg G’
peee w ue G w petty te ut g
me tee t.
But te ppte w l tue.
If I ’t e g t eg el Ct, I felt
petty tt fm G. If I’ flle t me temptt,
ee e t my wfe, ge me ey pptute t
e Ct, w tgy wt my mey, fgtte t eyle,
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46 GOSPEL
e te g, et. . . . well, te wee I felt le G
wte tg t wt me. We I me t u, I ee t lft my ul up t G. I w petty ue He
’t wt t ee me ete. I ul feel H pleue—H
l f ppl.
Tt’ eue I ’t elly uet te gpel. O,
t let I fgtte t.
The Gospel
Te gpel tt Ct uffee te full wt f
G f my . Jeu Ct te ple wt me, lg
te pefet lfe I ul e le, yg te et I
ee eme t e. Se Ct 5:21 y tt He
tully became my tt I ul ltelly become H g-
teue. St Altu lle t “te get exge.”
He t my e, e f t, ffe me H pefet e
etu. He t my meful ee t lte me wt
H gteue. We I eee tt ge epete
ft, full epte eme me. He le my ple,
e my ple,
te ffee t me gft.
Telg ll tt “gft-
gteue.”
Tt me tt G
ul t le me y
me t He e gt
w, eue G ul
t le ept Ct
y me t He e,
God’s righteousness
has been given to me
as a git. He now sees
me according to how
Christ has lived, not on the basis o what kind o
week I’ve had.
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THE GOSPEL AS GIFT-RIGHTEOuSnESS 47
G ee me Ct. G’ gteue ee
ge t me gft. He w ee me g t w Ct le, t te f wt f wee I’e .
Ct’ lt 100 peet mplete, 100
peet te pe f te w e eee t epe-
te ft. Tt’ wt we fe te ft pt f
Te Gpel Pye:
“In Christ, there is nothing I can do
that would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
Jut let tt f mmet. Rgt w, f yu e
Ct, we G l t yu—egle f yu tu-
t—He ee te g-
teue f Ct. If we
elly elee tt—t
ly wt u e ut
l wt u et—t
wul ge eeytg
u le.
A New Way of Approaching God . . . and Life
Imge f yu ul y t t G: “G, ee wy
I t Yu ul e my pye: t wee, I lue
fty-y ft, ug tt tme I met St te fle,te m w, ete ll temptt. A te
I uffee uutly t te f e, ut wtut
mplt te ft fl f elf ge. Te ly tme
I pee my mut w t fge te w wee g tt
I you are in Christ,
when God looks at
you—regardless o your
situation—He sees the
righteousness o Christ.
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48 GOSPEL
t me. Al, I wle wte, ele l guy te pt,
fe fe tu ugy me wt lf f e.” Ag t te gpel, that is exactly what you can, and
should, say. Jeu’ et
p f eey ue f
yu ; H pefet lfe
w ee ete t
yu. I lgt f tt, yu elly feel le yu
ul me G me
fle t yu y g
yu quet tme eey y?
Ct’ eee petul tee tg we ul
t t t; H et fl tt tg ul te
wy fm t.
Sptue y tt we e t t me t te peee
f G tmly ppeeely ut wt “le”
(He. 4:16 hcsb). Te le tt me fm wg
tt G ee u g t te mplmet f Ct.
F mt f u, tt mpletely utetute. Mt
Lute tt u et
e we f “w-
gteue”—tt ,
te e tt wt we
eteme w G feel
ut u. Ule we e
tely peg te gpel t uele ly, we fll
t “w-gteue.”
Christ’s obedience is
so spectacular there is
nothing we could do to
add to it; His death so
fnal that nothing could
take away rom it.
Our hearts are
hardwired or “works-
righteousness.”
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THE GOSPEL AS GIFT-RIGHTEOuSnESS 49
Satan’s A-game
D yu w w le t pu u t elute uele
g t w well we’e e? Ou eemy, St. St,
elee t t, le t t u f u . Tt’ e f
me—te “ue f u ete” (Re. 12:10 nkjv).
Oe f St’ mt effete wep, I elee, mg u
fget te etty te Fte ele e u Ct
g u ee f ppl w well we’e e.
Yu tully ee tt plye ut te lfe f Jeu.
We St tempte Jeu te wlee, e te t e-
et Jeu’ ttet fm te Fte’ elt t te
ue f lt (Mtt. 4:1–7).
“[Se] yu e te S f G . . .”1
Emee tt quet ut. Te eemy w
mplyg, “Well, e Yu e te ‘S f G,’ Me y
. . . ul’t Yu e le t me tg ffeet? Wy
wul te ‘S f G’ e ut ee te eet ll le?
Sul’t Yu e le t me e fm te te, ete gel t Yu we Yu fll?”
Wt w gft ut tt w te Fte
ut ele e Jeu te peu pte: “T my
ele S, wt wm I m well plee” (Mtt. 3:17).
Rte t fetg te Fte’ elt, te eemy
wte Hm t l t te fm f lt f He Sp. Jeu tl te eemy tt He t ee
e ptet t pe He w te Fte’ S; te
Fte’ elt w uffet.
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50 GOSPEL
If tee wee ee tme f St t g ut
“A-gme,” t wul e ee t. D’t yu t t g-ft tt St eg
“A-gme” y tyg
t get Jeu t te H
eye ff f te etty te
Fte ele e
Hm t ee l-t te wy?
St’ pp t u
te me. St’ mt
effete wep t te u eye ff f wt G
ele e u te gpel.
D yu t tt?
St’ pmy temptt ttegy t ty me
u fget wt G ut u t elute
u tg efe G y me te te.
A lt f tme we we t ut ptul wfe we
t f t tem f tge, pml peme—
peple lettg x feet e te e, te eye llg
te f te e fmg t te mut, gg
-me ey metl mu . . . De St tuff le
tt? I wul’t put t eet m. But I’m petty fet
tt’ t m ttegy.
He tt u etty te gpel. St’ e et
t t Jeu ’t lue lett Ou ;
e w Jeu pgp ptue ut te wlee. He
eete Jeu’ m wy fm G’ elt e Hm.
Satan’s most eective
weapon is to take our
eyes o o what God
has declared over us
in the gospel.
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THE GOSPEL AS GIFT-RIGHTEOuSnESS 51
A quet, f ue, g f tut tem.
Wy wul G lee H S le te eet?St’ quet lwy e g f tut tem.
Ou eemy, f exmple, wll etly pt ut u flue.
Smetme e elp u ee w ly we’e g t eg
Ct y wg u mee w mu ette
Ct t we e: “Wow—did you hear how much Scripture
that guys knows? That’s what a real Christian sounds like. But you? Your Bible knowledge is pathetic.”
Ote tme e puff u up wt pe: “ At least you don’t
struggle with jealousy like she does.” Ete ttegy effete,
eue ete e we te u fu ff f Ct’ gft-
gteue put t t uele. A mp wt
te le t tw f St’ fte : pe ep.
Pe le t e f et tw G te f
te. Dep le u t epe, fe, ulgee
te lut f te fle. T te yle e le t e u .
Bt tt wt uelef f te gpel.
We St te u eye ff f te elt pe
e u t te gpel, we le te euty tft
we e te lg
ppl f u eely
Fte. Te gtewy
te pee f ll te
te temptt.
Jeu epe t tee
temptt y peg
fetly f te Fte’
ppl f Hm. Jeu put
ft G’ w. He
When Satan takes
our eyes o o the
declaration spoken over
us at the gospel, we
lose the security and satisaction we have in
the loving approval o
our heavenly Father.
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52 GOSPEL
mte H “ele Sp” ee te fe f get tl
ut. We wll eme te eemy te me wy.S get t lely: t St te Hly Spt wll
pt ut yu . But tey etely ffeet wy
f etely ffeet pupe. I’e e t le t:
St tt wt wt yu , te w w
yu e. Te Hly Spt tt wt wt Ct ele e yu, elp yu eul wt yu
.2
St et u w wt u flue. Jeu ll u up
t u etty. Jeu tt wt te pefet tte He
pue f u y H et ue te pwe f H e-
uet t g u t fmty wt t.
E y Jeu y t u, “Yu e My ele l.
I m well plee yu. Nw le tt wy.” St, te
te , y, “L t yu. L t te t f yu
umte. L t w ply yu’e lg. Tee
wy yu e G’ ele l.” W e e yu gg
t elee? Tee’ etety f ffeee etwee tem.
We my let ugte, K, w x ye l, e
w ey tm, I ul’t get e t ty ytg ew—
ew f, ew plygu, e t te f, yg, e
utg, e pelug—e f t! I’ euge e t
ty metg e’ y, “I’m e, Dy. I ’t wt
t.” I tle t e eel tme ut te ee t e e.
Oe y e my fu-ye-l ugte, Alle, I
wee g te tlg ut te tte f m-
g t tw. I , “Mye t ye, K, we te
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THE GOSPEL AS GIFT-RIGHTEOuSnESS 53
Fe weel!” I my eew m, I ul ee fe gwg
e eye. “N, Dy”, e , “I ’t. I ’t wt t.”I , “K, yu w, yu’e ut gg t e t e
e. Smetme yu ut e t ty ew tg.” It w t
le I w g e t g tug tt eepy lw ext
ytg. Se le w , “I w, Dy . . .
metme I feel le I’m ut g ey-t.”
Hetly I w lttle futte t t pt, I tumptly, “Tt’ gt, K. Smetme yu e
ey-t, yu’ll ee g ywee lfe utl yu
eme e.” My fu-ye-l, Alle, w w lteg t
ll f t, le e t e wt te weetet, mt ee
expe , “N, K, yu e NOT ey-t.
Yu e my g te.”
I felt le mee lppe me te fe wt tw
y fu. I tugt, Great. My four-year-old is the voice of the
Holy Spirit, and I am the voice of Satan.
St te my f u t eleg e
tully te e f te Hly Spt. We’e gw
utme t te e f emt tt we t te
ly tg te Hly Spt ee y t u , “Stp t! Stp t!
Stp t! Wt’ wg wt yu? Yu’e tele!” He pe
ltgete ffeet: “I e me yu, My l. I e te
wy ll yu . I ul t ppe f yu me t I
gt w. Le tt wy.”3
T f wt Jeu t te wm ugt te t
f ultey, He t e, “Nete I em yu; g
me” (J 8:11 nkjv). Wt mt gft
ut H ttemet t e: pme ft; mm
e. “Nete I em yu” peee “g
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54 GOSPEL
me.” We lmt lwy ty t eee te. We y, “If
yu mge t g me, te G wll ept yu.”
G, wee, mtte u from epte, t tw
t. Jeu’ ffmt wul ge t wm te euty tt
ul fee e fm e etute eltp wt ex.
Wtut tt, e’ ee tuly e fee. G’ ppl
te pwe tt lete u fm , t te ew f g lete uele.
Embracing Your New Identity
My peple ’t e me flue tt t te
pt. Pep tee e e tt wpe t yu ul,
“See? Tt pe t. L t wt yu . Yu e flue.
Yu e g.”
Tt te e f yu eemy. Wt mut yu ?
Eme yu etty te gpel. I Ct, G ul’t
le yu y me t He e gt w.
Mye yu’e t ueful yu lwy tugt
yu’ e. Mye yu feel le yu let yu pet, yu
fmly, yuelf w. Mye yu ee geel pt
f ppl e yu lfe—fm we, yu fe,
yu pue, yu pet, fm G. I tu f-
feet wy tey tell yu, “Yu’e t g eug. Yu’e
pptmet.”
Pe te gpel t yuelf. Yu mut tell yuelf tt
eue f Jeu yu e te lute ppl f te ly
Oe we p elly mtte.
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THE GOSPEL AS GIFT-RIGHTEOuSnESS 55
Mye yu e te ppte plem—mye yu’e
lwy ee “ we.” Yu’e lwy mpe fly teeye ele yu elf-eteem g. I’e ee tt
y lt f peple f lfe—utl tey flly meet me-
e ette t tem. O tey fe flue. If yu f yu
etty yu ue, yu’e gg t g tug yle f
pe ep. Yu’e pu meeg we yu
e tp, yu y eeye. Yet, yu l le -tt tte f p, lwy we ut mee tg
wy yu ue. If t yu, pe te gpel t yuelf.
Rem yuelf tt G’ epte ll tt mtte
tt t lt fee. It ee ge t yu gft; ee
y Ct, t y yu. Tee’ m f pe.
Mye yu e tue t w few f te fut f te
Spt e peet yu lfe. D yu ee t, How could
anyone who is truly saved be as messed up as I am? I t tt
metme. We I l
t my et I tll ee
futtgly mll mut
f geety ple y
ewelmg mut
f elfe. Jeluly
pe tll pp up le
wee. We I tt t e my ptul etty w mu
pge I e me, I tt t ep.
My etty my euty e t my ptul pg-
e. My etty my euty e G’ epte
f me ge gft Ct. A tt’ g, eue f
ytg, I m me, t le, we f my t I w te
ye g.
My identity and my
security are in God’s
acceptance o me given as a git in Christ.
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56 GOSPEL
Get this: That is spiritual progress. T gw wee
f te ept f G e yu fm is gwt tegpel.
D yu wy lt? Wy pg fm t eg
e f eeg G’ lute le f yu. Wy
ppe we yu elze tt G le yu uflgly
wll let tg teupt H pl f yu g.
Yu ee, t ll f tee emt—fe, euty, fle-fee, ep, wy—we mut pe te gpel. We
mut tell uele, ly, tt tee tg we ul
tt wul me G le u me tg we e e
me Hm le u le, H le pefetly tl
f u le.
Ou u
flue e t,
ee g, epte u
fm Hm. He put
tem wy fee, f,
te et fm te
wet (P. 103:12). We e
ee ete, e
f ll, te gteue
f Jeu Ct. He t u Ct, “Yu e My
ele l. I yu I m well plee . . . I wll ee lee
yu fe yu,” “uely ge mey wll
fllw yu ll te y f yu lfe. Yu wll well My ue
fee” (Mtt. 17:5; He. 13:5; P. 23:6, ut ppe).
To all o these
emotions—ear,
insecurity, alse-
confdence, despair,
worry—we must preach
the gospel.
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THE GOSPEL AS GIFT-RIGHTEOuSnESS 57
Abide in Jesus
He yu felt te w te ept f yu et?
Ag Jeu me emg uele ttly tt
tee tg we ul ee tt wul me G le u
me, tg we e e tt me Hm le u le.
• Wt ut f yu ge wy ll yu mey, wul’t
He le yu ut lttle t me? Nope.• Wt f yu wet t le te feg m fel?
No again.
• Wt f yu flly eg t tet yu pue wt
ge? Nada.
• Wt f yu t ut te t f e le e e?
She might love you more, but God wouldn’t.• Wt f yu wet e full-wee wtut gle, lut-
ful tugt? God’s acceptance of you is based on the fact
that Christ went a lifetime without sinning against Him
in even the slightest way. Now, you are in Him and He is
in you. Thus, God could not love you more than He does
right now, because He loves Christ perfectly.
Yu mut well
t get tut daily .
Smetme uly. Sme-
tme eey mute. It te
ly wy t e ut fe,
uelef, temptt. Wy fte? Beue,
g, yu e we f w-gteue. We yu’e
t eletely tg gpel, yu’e ply lppe
t elf-utft me. It’ lt le te plt et
You must dwell on God’s
great truth aily. It is
the only way to drive
out ear, unbelie, and
temptation.
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58 GOSPEL
tt “w--mle” gme yu ply t te f. Jut we
yu’e e e w, te ppe fm ffeetple. Te mmet we
te u eye ff f te
gpel, te et f
elf-gteue elf-
emt pg
up. S, we mut pu tem wt te utetute
tut f te gpel: G’
epte ge t u,
t etety, gft we
eee y ft, t te pe gly f G.
Me yu me tt wee. A yu , yu wll
u futfule.
S I’ euge yu t py me fm f t pye
ly, ttg gt w:
h
“In Christ, there is nothing I can do
that would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
The moment we take
our eyes o o the
gospel, those rodents
o sel-righteousness
and sel-condemnation
spring back up.
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59
CHAPTER 4
Chage ithot a Comma
“In Christ, there is nothing I can dothat would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
Hpefully yu’e egg t ee tt wellg tt mple
tut f te gpel le t g, tul utgwt. Pep
yu’e ley expeee w g ge yu lfe.
Te Ble ge u eel e tue w t w.
Oe f my fte te ty f Zeu. Zeu wet
fm eg e f te mt elf me et Iel t te
mt geeu—tteuly, wtut eg mme t.
Meet Zacchaeus
Zeu w t g m. I ft, e w w-
gt m. A wee, lttle, m.
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60 GOSPEL
Te Rm plem lletg txe fm -
quee te. Te peple wul uy te te l met ee te tx. A tplte Rm ffl
wul t e fml eug wt te ty’ uee t
w wee ll te el mey w.
S te Rm e te fm te quee ty t
llet te tx f tem—mee w wul w wee
te mey w g. Te tx llet wee te ge g f le t t tem. Te Rm t e
w mu ext te tx llet llete f temele. A
lg tey gt te e, tey tue te e. A yu
mge, tx llet gt ey, ey .
I te w, Zeu’ uttl welt me fm
ellg ut fmly fe t mpel feg pwe.
Zeu eetly ’t e, wee. He le mey.
Tt’ te ly wy yu wul ee et t eg tx l-
let. Mey t e wt me t yu t eeytg.
Seriously—can you imagine a worse person?
Te Jew Mishnah tt tx llet wee lt-
me tt tey ul t ee e ee peple. Yu
wee fee t le t tx llet, t , eue lyg t
ml w t . Yu t glmpe f w uppu-
l Zeu w te ft tt e t lm tee t
ee Jeu. (If t pe wt t t ft f yu
w, yu uully ut let tem, eue tey ’t elly
ffet yu le f gt. But e me f Zeu.
Tey p-ee m gt te fe eey tme e me
me fw. Hee te tee-lmg.)
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CHAnGEd wITHOuT A COMMAnd 61
Zacchaeus Meets Jesus
But te te uexpete ppee. Jeu le up t
Zeu’ tee , “Zeu, me w. I’m m-
g t yu ue f e.”
Wt extly w at tt e pty we ’t w,
ut we w te effet t te Zeu. He ,
“I wll py ytg I’e tle fu tme.” O tp f
tt, e ge wy 50 peet f teue t te p.
Tee e f Jeu’ mmg Zeu t
ep le tt. I ft, Zeu ge wy ey te
Letl equemet f ettut. Tee w ly e tme
tt yu e t py fu tme, tt w f yu’
tle mey’ w. (D’t w wy tt ? Mye yu
ue tem udder fl u metg.) A tee etly tg te lw ut gg wy 50 peet.
Zeu eetly ut t eue e felt le t.
New Tetmet l y tee et plyfule
te wy Zeu fm Jeu f wt e’ ut t .
He’ t le, “O Seeg L, umle epe t
Yu equemet, I ge wt Tu em. Plee eptmy umle ffeg ue empee f te we tg
I e e.” Te te f Z’ lguge , te, te
-le. Almt, “L, D, wt . . . l t wt I’m
g! L, D, !”
He’ ulg e wt gy geety. He’ tpy
gg. He’ t gg wy mey eue e t—e’gg wy mey eue he wants to.
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62 GOSPEL
What Caused the Change?
Zeu wet fm eg m w l ul t te
g f mey t m w gt uzz fm gg t wy.
Wt ue tt ge? Te fu f te ty w
Jeu tete Zeu, te e. Jeu lle Zeu
w fm te tee we eeye ele ut m ut.
We l w tt Jeu wet t et wt Zeu
efe e epete. I tt y, t e mel wt mee
w g f epte, ee f tmte fellwp. T et
wt mee met tt yu wee emg tem.
Te Jew lee uetly ete: “Wt He
g etg wt guy w w e? Hw He
mmute le epte t tt guy?”
But Jeu pue Zeu, tt mmet, me-tg te Jew lw t ee le t. Jeu le t
wee lttle m tee—w w tee eue e w
epe, utt, gtfully — ge m -
tt f epte tmy.
Tt expeee ge Zeu fee. Eey te
elg te wl wul e t Zeu, “If yuge, yu f G. If yu ge, yu f ep-
te lt.”
But te gpel te ppte f elg. Jeu t
Zeu, “Zeu, lt come to you. Yu ’t
g ut f lt.
It fu yu.”Zeu w t
ge y mm f
Jeu, ut y expeee
wt Jeu.
Zacchaeus was not
changed by a command
o Jesus, but by an
experience with Jesus.
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CHAnGEd wITHOuT A COMMAnd 63
We Zeu tte f G’ ge, e w t-
fme fm m f geey expltt t e f l,exuet, uly geety.
The law produces Pharisees; the gospel produces
Christians
Uftutely mt pee tll t tt peg
te lw me wy w we ge u gegt.“Do tithe.” “Do give sacrificially.” “Do downsize.” Au u
u we ll te “-” em. Tey ge yu lt f
tg t me yu feel wtle we yu ’t
tem. Peg f t type mgt metme pue lge
ffeg, ut tey pue tg f el lue G’ gt.
Te peg f te lw pue ly Pee.1 Tey
mgt e Pee w ft twe wee, tte te pe
um, efue t wl me t et mut f
tep te St. O, tey mgt e Pee w ge
wy lt f mey, pt le, g m tp.
Ete wy, tey e ly Pee. Te fu extel
ge, wle te et e flle wt p. Tey e
mmultely eet tm.
Ge te Pee te ue et: tey wee qute zel-
u te eee. My ge wy lt f mey. Sme
telle te wl e f et (ee Mtt. 23:15).
Tey wee lwy t pye meetg ut te ft
e t g up f lutee tem. But tey wee l tte,
eetful, tfe, elf-fue. A tey te Jeu
Ct.
G e t wt Pee. He wt peple w e-
flw wt te y f eg Jeu.
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64 GOSPEL
Transformed not by a command of Jesus, but by an
experience with Jesus
Le Zeu, we wll t e tfme y te m-
m of Jeu; we wll e tfme y expeee with
Jeu. A I’ll expl pt 3, eee t mm
eetl pt f te Ct lfe, ut te pwe f tf-
mt e’t me fm tem. Te pwe f tfm-
t me fm te gpel. We e ge t y eg tl wt we ee t f G, ut y eg te ew ut
wt G e f u.
Tu, te t
eumetg lt f m-
m t ey, tue g-
pel peg glgt ty— ty ut G
tt eel u pwe
euty tt yu e
ee te me e yu
e eutee t.
If yu’e ee wte e f te “ep me,” te plt
lwy lly te me:2 (Te, f exmple, te 2010
lute Avatar.) Yu e me le guy wt pupe
lfe, et, uge . . . ut te e’ wept up t
me get, tllg m, w e expeee el -
ge eute el euty fumetlly ge
y te expeee. (I te e f Avatar , me le eepy
euty wt lue tl. Le tll e f te Smuf.) He
etu t te el wl mpletely ffeet pe. He
lge f f ml ge. Wy? He’ ee el
ge eme t. He lge mte y
We are changed not
by being told what we
need to do or God, but
by hearing the news
about what God has
done or us.
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CHAnGEd wITHOuT A COMMAnd 65
ml, eeyy temptt. Wy? Beue e’ tte el
euty. Tt’ wt ppe we yu meet G te ty f
Jeu. Yu get wept up t ty f u m m
euty tt yu e fee ge. Yu e -
lly ltee eue yu’e ee tte metg fm
mpletely ffeet wl.
Gpel ge teSpt f G ug te
ty f G t me te
euty f G me le
u et. Hg u
eye pee t ee u pt
tt ty ete u
le f G tt tg
eug t flly e ut u ttt t te l. Te
gpel ue u f fe, tft, pe.
Pul ee t Zeu-tyle pe f ge t
yug pt-fe, Ttu:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation
for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and
worldly passions and to live self-controlled, upright, and
godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope,
the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior
Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all
lawlessness and to purify for himself a people . . . who are
zealous for good works. (Titus 2:11–14)
Gospel change is the
Spirit o God using the
story o God to make
the beauty o God come
alive in our hearts.
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66 GOSPEL
Tt’ petty exute lt f gteu lg, ’t t?
“Reug ugle wlly p”; “lg elf-tlle, upgt gly le”; “wtg” egely f Jeu
t etu . . . But how e Pul y we eelp tee tg?
Wt t tt trains u t tem? Ble memzt?
Autlty pte? Beg ptze te Spt? Rl
et?
Nt tt tey ’t e te ple, ut Pul pt te f te ee: It “the grace of God,” Pul y, tt t
u t “renounce ungodliness and worldly passions and to live self-
controlled, upright, and godly lives.” T ut, Pul y,
w te ge f G me t te wl f yu, puug
yu t te . Te G f te uee “ gave himself for us,”
me u H w, wll appear g t te yu me
wt ll te gly ple pwe tt ugt Hm
ut f te ge.
We we get wept up t tt ty f ge, we wll
e “zelu f g w.” We wll ee lg f H
ppeg. Vey few peple te elg lg t t
efe G. Mt e lutely tefe y tt. I le
Mulm text f wle w tt wle Mulm e
feetly mmtte t All, mt t “lg” t ee Hm.
Te e f tg efe All tefyg.
Te gpel f G’ mey, wee, ete lgg f
G. Beue we w we e fe efe Hm, we w
te le He we t u te gpel, we lg t ee Hm.
S Pul tell Ttu t pe t peple te get ty
f ge, eue ly te tey wll le gtly. He e’t
tell tem “ty e” “le me.” H fu t
eg; t’ believing .
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CHAnGEd wITHOuT A COMMAnd 67
Tet, mm, t tep wll ly ge u
e extelly. Gettg ugt up t te ty f Jeuge u et.
Preaching the beauty and unfathomable grace of Jesus
S w te we mpel tue, et-etee ge,
t uele te? We tell te ty f ge.
We elp tem ee wt Zeu w. We tully e tge te mute tee-lmg tx llet,
eue we e le, t e f te , t ee te ge
f Jeu ee me lely t e ul.
Wy w Zeu te tee? Beue e w epe.
Jeu wul e H mty ug tee e. Jeu
lle Zeu w fm te ple f me t te
ple f , t Zeu’ ple te tee.
Te ge f G extee t u t te ul lw
u m. We “t mze te peee f Jeu te
Nzee, we w He ul le me, e -
eme ule.”
Tee wy t uet wt Jeu f yu,
et leel, t e lly ge. Ge ge
wee-lttle-tgy e t t f mgfet geety.
I pe yu wll wp yu py:
h
“In Christ, there is nothing I can dothat would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
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69
CHAPTER 5
Go Is Better
wt yu elly feel le t e peet yu lfe f
yu t e ppy? F lfe t e wt lg?Mye, f yu wee elly et, yu’ e t mt tt
t’ mey. O te lm f te. O pwe. O fmly.
Fe, ee u.
I t G? I He wt yu mt ee wt? I H
peee te e, pele tg yu ul t le
wtut? Te ft pt f Te Gpel Pye ef let u u-
e f G’ epte f u Ct. Te e pt f
te pye me u t eflet w get teue tt
epte . Hw mptt G’ ppl yu lfe?
It’ e tg t w tt G epte yu fully
Ct; t’ te tg f tt t eme te wegtet
mt efg elty yu lfe.
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70 GOSPEL
Te e pt f te pye ge le t:
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
T e pt f Te Gpel Pye el wt u
ppety tw lty.
Idol Factories
A l wtee te te ple f G u le.
A l wtee we feel le we ul t le wtut; t
wt we t lute eety f lfe ppe.
Il e te tg tt we ge te mt “wegt” t.
Tey eme ey tt we ’t mge u le wtut
tem. A l t eely tg. It’ uully g
tg tt we’e me t g-tg tt te eme
tg t u.1
I Exu 20:1–5, G y tt l metg
tt () we “w w t,” w me t mm u
eee. It metg tt () we “ee,” w me we puue t eue we feel le we ul’t le wtut
t. A u, t tl u emt. We e tefe t te
ppet f t tg t. Flly, t metg we () le
me t G. G elu f u le, f peg
metg g u me y t G e, t eme
l. Tm Kelle tt l e u lftetem, u et gtme, u mt uyelg
emt.2
J Cl tt te um et “l fty,”
ttly ltg g-le wegt t ete tg.
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GOd IS BET TER 71
Ilty w e te ft , t ee e eey
e te.S wt tt f yu? Wt e yu ge g-
le wegt yu lfe? I’m gg t yu me que-
t—f yu we tee
quet etly, yu’ll
ply tt t ee me
eug teme. Teee mt lely wt yu
e uttute f G.
The “Idolatry-Detector” Test
What one thing do you most hope is in your future?
Cee ue? A et ly? Owg yu w me?
Owg e e t te e? Gettg me? Seeg
yu gw up t e ueful? Hg te epet f
yu temmte? Gg p? Beg le epete y
yu llegue?
Wt t tt, wtut t, lfe wul ly eem wt
lg?
What is the one thing you most worry about losing? Wt
e tg ul yu ut lutely t get lg wtut?
Yu fmly? Yu ? Te le f yu pue? Te epet
f yu ?
I ue t e ut my etemet etmet eue
I w f I’ me me fl mte, le t ll,
e t w uly wge geetg peple t te
ft ete f Wlmt. Mey te euty
I fte feel le I ee f te g lfe, I fte wy ut
lg t.
John Calvin said that
the human heart is
an “idol actory.”
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72 GOSPEL
Smetme I fe lg my fluee my u.
I fe tt I get le I’ll le my ege peple wll qutmg t e me pe. I e t eug gtme
wee I w up e Suy mg eeye ge
t ew u wee tte ew pee lgtg t up.
I w up u g utum t’ ut me my wfe,
e ttg te ft w lteg t em y
Mtt Cle e P.I’m t yg we ul e exte, ee ptet,
ut lg y f te tg. Te quet wete
t tey e lule t u tt te l wul e
uutle.
If you could change one thing about yourself right now,
what would it be? Wul yu le tty pu? Wul yu
ge yu l? Yu mtl ttu? Yu ? Yu zp
e? Wul yu e yu me me?
Wtee yu me up wt, yu ply wt t ge
tt tg eue yu t tt f yu yu’ e mu
ppe. Tee etly tg wg wt eg t
ge u le. But we we ul’t mge eg ppy
ule metg ge, we e l.
What thing have you sacrificed most for? Sfe
wp lmt lwy g . Wt e yu
we te et f? T get te lp? T t te
pefet y? T l te ? T e te et yu fel? T
get t et me leel?
Wt yu pze mt w y wt yu puue te
et.
Who is there in your life that you feel like you can’t forgive,
and why? A ex-u ue yu eputt tle
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GOd IS BET TER 73
te et ye f yu lfe? Yu wfe w ete yu
pully umlte yu? A eple uetl pte w ue yu ue? A le fe w tle yu y-
fe? A u e w lle yu l?
My tme u lty t fge ete t te
ft tt mee t wy fm u metg we feel le
we ’t e ppy wtut. Tee tg wg wt
egettg, eeply, te l f y f te tg. We yut fge mee, wee, t uully eue tey
t metg fm yu tt yu epee f lfe, p-
pe, euty. Tey tle metg fm yu tt yu
t ee e eple, yu t tp tg tem
f t.
Wt left yu tte? Wt ppee yu pt
tt yu ut ’t e? Wee yu ele f pm-
t, ete ut f pptuty? W t eg ue y
pet, eg etye y pue fe?
Bttee lmt lwy te t lty. Smee
t metg fm yu tt yu tugt w eey f
lfe.
When do you feel the most significant? We yu l
yu e up te get? Wt tee tt yu pe peple
f ut ut yu? D yu ttly met yu ,
te yu t yu’e gg t e we yu gute,
wee yu gt yu egee fm? Ae yu lwy lg
f wy t w ff yu ue ? De yu et
wt pe we yu tl ut yu ? If yu’e pt,
yu le t we peple yu w g yu u ?
O yu te tt eue t’ mll? D yu le t we
peple mpe yu ptely t te pt?
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74 GOSPEL
Yu etty wtee me yu feel te mt gf -
t. Wt me yu feel te mt gft wt yuput te mt wegt up.
What triggers depression in you? Tt yu ee ll?
Te ft tt yu mge e’t l le t’ ee gg t
get ette? I t tt yu e ee et ge tll
e’t me? I t we yu ’t get te egt yu
w yu eee?3
I t w lttle yu’e mple? I ttt mtte w yu ty, yu u tll w’t gw?
Depe tggee we metg we eeme
eetl f lfe ppe ee t u.
(Plee te: I’m t tyg t gl e me f te
pylgl ft epe. Ofte tee e me.
I m mply yg tt metme u epe fueled y
u lty.)
Where do you turn for comfort when things are not going
well? Mye yu uy yuelf yu w t um te ft
tt yu wfe ge yu yu e ftg wy
fm yu. O pep yu f epe te m f le.
Sme eul pleue, le pgpy mft f?
Pep ll ug?
Mye yu tu w t me tut ut yuelf tt
mft yu. I’e fte mfte myelf pptmet
y emg myelf f me tlet I . I g l,
we I w epee eue my tlet ee w t t-
g ff, I tl myelf my em lty et me pt.
My wfe tuggle wt ml etg e l-
lege. Se felt le e eee t e get y t e
y el wt. But e l fu mft f. Se’
get epee eue e ’t ee w e ul e ppy
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GOd IS BET TER 75
f e ’t le wegt.
He epe e et mft f. It w
u yle ete y
te ft tt tw f e
g wee flt wt
e te.
D te queteel et ptte
yu lfe? St. Augute tt tg le wy, fe, -
e, eep epe e “me fm te fe” g
fm te lt f u lty. Fllw te tl f tt me
yu’ll ee wee yu e uttute metg f G.
Trying to make God an accomplice in our idolatry
Atugly we fte ty t me G mple
te puut f u l. Jme, te lf te f Jeu,
tt metme we we py, we ’t get wt we f
eue, “yu wgly, t pe t yu p. Yu
ulteu peple! D yu t w tt fep wt te
wl emty wt G?” (Jme 4:3–4).
We “py le ultee.” Tt’ petty tug
lgy, ut wt e t me? A ultee mee
w f te te tmy tey ul e fg
te pue. We e ultee t G we we em tt
He ge u et tg tt we f ppe,
tetmet, euty tee tg tt elly we
ul e fg Hm.
• “G, I ut have to be me I’ll e mele! ”
• “G, we just have to e le.”
St. Augustine said that
things like worry, ear,
sadness, and deep
depression are
“smoke rom the fres”
rising rom the altars
o our idolatry.
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76 GOSPEL
• “G, wy haven’t You ele me? It’ t f.”
•“G, I have to get t mel l.”
Ag f y f te e tg t wg, ut we
u y depends tg te tg, we e eme
ptul ultee. We e ge wegte tt we
ul e gg t G t metg ele. A we’e g
G t elp u te pe f tg te tg.
Imge f I tmy wfe, “Sweetet, yu
ememe tt July 28,
2000, yu we t meet
my mt exul
ee?” “Ye.” I tue,
“Well, I e ee tt
wt I ee t e fulflle
mtlly exully
t e ff. C
yu ge tt f me?”
Hw my wfe lely t et t tt ppt?
If yu ’t w e, e ue tt’ ply te lt
et I’ ee e, pe. We we gt me, e
we t tfy tee ee eelf. Se ’t g up t
eme my pmp.
Neele t y, G wll t e yy’ pmp.
Our idols leave us empty
Ultmtely l lee u empty eue u et wee
ete f G. T ue te w f te eeteet-etuy
plpe Ble Pl, G ete u et wt -
uum. We e f metg t fulfll u eepet g,
We are adulterers to
God when we demand
that He give us certain
things so that we
can fnd a happiness,
contentment, and security that really we
should be fnding in Him.
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GOd IS BET TER 77
ut tg et w eue te uum w ete
y te ee f G. Aytg we uttute f G tt ple lee u tll yeg. O, St. Augute put t,
“You have made us for Yourself, Lord. Our hearts are restless, until
they find their rest in You.”
Yu et w ete u wy tt ly te ete-
l le f G tfy t. A mge pte, mtte
w pefet f yu, t ply te le f G yu lfe.Rememe tt ee Jerry Maguire wee Tm Cue y
t Reee Zelwegge, “Yu mplete me.” Mt f u em
ut fg mee w mplete u; w me ll u
uppe, euty, meglee g wy.
Afte wtg ume f mge me tgete
e pt e te ye, I fetly y tt
eue, lely gle peple eme eue, lely m-
e peple. Plem le lele euty e t
ue y te um
eg; tey e ly ue
y G. Yu ul w
ete ft femt
f G, t f me.
Yu mge pte,
mtte w pefetly
ute f yu, ee
ply te le f G
yu lfe.
Wt ppe mt mge tt yu e gl
fltg e f lele ep, we lg me
6'5" tuly, well-ult lfe peee. A, f ue, e e
wt y wg pe wul —e lg t m f
Problems like loneliness
and insecurity are not
cured by another human
being; they are only
cured by God.
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78 GOSPEL
e lfe. A e uffte te lfe ut f m, eue e,
ty e my, ’t meet te ee e lfe. He w’tege t. Oly G .
We wee’t ete f te um eg, we wee
ete f G.
Mey—te l f e—’t tfy u, ete.
Le mge, mey e get leg fm G. But
mey t pe ltg euty geue fulfllmet. Jut l t te peple w e mey— tey l eue,
ppy, fulflle? Ye g I e f Ftue 500 CEO
w , “I pet ll my lfe lmg te le f ue,
ly t f ut t w leg gt te wg ulg.”
Wtee l yu e, te eult wll tll e te me.
Il pme fulfllmet ut ele llumet. A
tt’ ut te egg.
Ilty l pue xety fe u et.
We le f, wg tt f u l te fm u, lfe
wll e mele. Te emy mgt g, wpg
ut wt lttle left u etemet. We mgt ee get
me. Ou ue mgt fl. A le e mgt get
e.
Ft J 4:18 y tt ly “pefet le” t ut fe.
Il ’t le pefetly, ut G . G’ le pefet
() t tety tw u (G ul t le u me t
He ley e); () t lty t tfy u (we e ete
t e tfe fully y te le f G); () t tl f
ll tg u le (we w tt te G w tl ll
te uee le u wll ee lee u tl-
lg eey mleule te uee t w ut H g
pefet pl f u le). Retg H pefet le e
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GOd IS BET TER 79
ut y fe wy. N l ee ge yu tt, eue
te l tt lg, tt fulfllg, tt pweful.
Jesus Satisfies
Jeu te e eetl tg tt we mut e. He
lfe telf.
Jesus is better than money. G w ll te mey He’ u Fte; He pme t ge u wtee we ee.
A G ee e p elw 10,000.
Jesus is better than human love. Yu I e ee
expeee teee ffet le G we t u
we He t u H m t te .
Jesus is better than any earthly pleasure. G te
fut f ll pleue. Etly pleue, C. S. Lew
fmuly , e uppe t fut le y f te u
tt et u t te ue.4 A te y wm u
fe, we l up lg te y t t ue. Mge,
ex, mey, le, fe, g f e ll w
eflet f tue ge. F wle, me “lu” my
tut y fm ttg u fe. We mgt em gle
we we’ le t e me. We mgt e p we we’
le t e . Det my te e f u le. Te y
f te u wll t tme e ele fm u eye, ut te u
telf em.
Afte te ft te I wet wt my wfe, fe
e me te ext y wt I tugt ut e. I ppe
ut pee f te ppe le w me 60+
ete tt ee e. I put w e-w ep-
t f e pelty, e mle, e m, ee e te.
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80 GOSPEL
I we t t m , “Tt’ wt I tugt ut
e. I’m gg t my e.” Afte we gt egge, I wet fu tt pee f ppe t fme. O
u weg y I ge
t t e wt te pt
ue t, “Yu epeet
metg tt ee
e te wy fm me.”I w e, eelf, ul
e te wy. But e
represents metg tt never e te wy fm
me, tt te euty le f te Fte G. A
Jt Ew , “Pleue te y, G’ le
te u. Pleue te w; G’ le te ute.
Pleue te tem, G’ le te e.”5
Jesus is better than earthly power. Tee gete
ee f empwemet t t w tt te eeg G
w et eey mleule te uee wg ll
tg f u g. That el pwe.
Jesus is better than popularity. Wt g etly fme
f yu e fmu ly t u f e? T e w
e y te G f te uee, tt ette t
te ppt f mll f lttle -ut etlg.
J Ppe, fte gg lt ml t te e I ge
e, y, “A t ge . . . eeytg te wl
t ffe, G ette me g. Tee m-
p. G w, eey tme.”6
Jesus is the one
essential thing that
we must have.
He is lie itsel.
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GOd IS BET TER 81
Our ability to be joyful in all things is the measure of
how much we believe the gospel
Smetme we w tt Ct te ll f u ,
ut H ppl ut e’t y tt mu wegt u
le. Ote tg mtte me t u.
Te mut w yu uet te gpel meue
y yu lty t e yful ll umte. If yu gp
wt teue te peee epte f G e, teee we lfe ge elly wg yu wll e y tt
ut yu, eue yu’ll egze te lue f wt yu
e Hm. We lfe pue yu te fe, yu’ll y,
“But I tll e te le epte f G, teue
I ’t eee.” A te y yu f tt teue
me yu ee ee we yu e ly e. Yu e y tt et ept t tu. T wy Pul
ul y fm te fe f Rm p: “Ree
te L always ; g I wll y, Ree” (Pl. 4:4, ut
emp).
If the Coach Is Happy, I Am Happy
We I w llege, I e twele-ye-l y’
e tem. We wee petty g, we ge tug
te e uefete. My f twele-ye-l tu
tutte t te plyff e wt uute fee.
Te ft plyff gme w el t gt, e te
tem, lug me, tugt efet w ple.
Well, we gt ue. Te fl e ’t elly eflet
t—we ly lt 3 t 1. But te te tem lutely m-
te te fel f ply. A te wt f t w tt te t
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82 GOSPEL
plye w . . . emm . . . gl. Se w te getet twele-
ye-l plye I ee ee. Se mte. Se t tfte t gl, I w f t.
S, wt ut te mute left t g te e lf,
w 2 t 1, I pulle ut e f u et efee plye
tl m, “D, I m te f tt gl gettg ll
te t gl.”
“Me t, C.”“D, yu e e gmet f te et f te gme,
t tt gl. Weee e me wt fftee y
f u pelty x wt te ll, I wt e e e e.
Yu uet tt?”
“Ye , C.”
“I me t, D. Se yu wle eplty. Yu
uet me? D, I ’t e f te guy ext t yu
ut t flme. Tt t yu eplty. Se .”
“I gt t, C.”
A D tue u t g te fel, I ,
“D, t legally.”
We we t pte. Te glu le-
tle. It w w u ly pe.
Wt ut fe mute left t g te gme, femle
M gt te ll ut mfel eg t me e
wy w te gt e. Se wet tug te left full
le e w le. Se ut e wy t te ete,
e metg tee t te tppe—I’m t ue wt—
ut te ext tg I ew e w te fetl pt yg
f mmm. Nw, ut e, te weepe, te gle.
Se pump-fe wt e gt leg t te weepe
gle fell te gu. Ete tt tey ut epte—
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GOd IS BET TER 83
I’m tll t ue w. But w t w ut e we-
pe gl. A, te, el. He me.
Out f te left e f my pepel ge lu
ppee. Mg letly, teltly, ut t full-pee. David ,
te eet twele-ye-l efee. Tt em le
e, eg w wt ely pe, e t e, fm
e, te full pe-egle tt pt. Tee w tu, lu f ut, te lee.
Eee lee. Smewee te te ultue e.
(I mgt e g few etl t t ty f me -
mt fl, ut yu get te ft.)
It w e f te mmet we eeye w le,
“Did that just happen? ” A te, ll t e, lmt f
me et uely yelle “t,” eeye eupte
t ge. Te tem w gy eue tey tugt we
te t te ut te t plye. Te efeee w gy, ty-
g t fgue ut f t w pppte t ge twele-ye-
l e tw m ut f te e. Ou tem
w gy eue tey elze D ut e tem
pelty te pelty x, w tey wee ue t
e . Te e mm wee gy eue tey tugt
“py-” et t p lttle t g “gy-”
et gl.
D lwly t up, , le pefet lttle getlem,
elpe te gl up. Te, t my , tue t me ge
me g g tum-up, emg ll ut fm te
pet t w w e t tt. (All I ul e
my m w te tem lawsuit .)
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84 GOSPEL
I pulle D ut f te gme , “D—wt
wee yu tg? Wt’ wg wt yu, ?”D le up t me wt pefetly et twele-
ye-l fe, , “C . . . ut yu tl me t te
e ut . . . illegally .”
D tugt te lt tg I tl m e wet t
te gme w t te t gl ut il -leglly . “Te e ut,
D . . . D—me t ty.” Tee t let e tg tt ey mpee—tu-
g, ee—ut D’ eee. D ew tee ul
e eee equee f t. He ew t wul t
u pelty . He ew e’ ply get e .
He ew e’ ply get gue y pet . . .
mye ee umpe te plygu fte te gme.
But e ’t e, elly, ut y f te tg.
Wt e e ut? My ppl. I lttle (wpe?),
twele-ye-l m, e tugt, “C my e. It
e’t mtte wt ele ppe. If the coach ppy, I m
ppy.” He w wllg t fe wtee equee f I w
plee wt m.
Jeu t y tt f wegt u le.
Oeee t Hm tly, ut H peee ppl
e wt ytg we fe y equee we u.
He elly tt glu. He te teue wt fg
ll ele t t.
Freed to Enjoy the Rest
Leg t e tfe Jeu wll fee yu t ey
eeytg ele. Beg fulflle Ct me tt yu
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GOd IS BET TER 85
lge epe te tg f lfe ppe. Tt
me yu ey tem, eue yu e lge eley tem. Te ppet f lg tem e’t teze yu.
A yu y “” t tem we tey e t G’ wll.
Te get y tt yu elly ly eg t ey
mey, me, ex we yu ’t epe tem f
lfe. C. S. Lew t le t: I lfe, tee e ft tg
(G) e tg (eeytg ele). If yu put fttg ft, yu’ll l get te e tg. If yu put e-
tg ft, yu’ll t ly le te ft tg ut yu’ll
le te e tg t.7 We Jeu yu lfe, yu
tt t ey te et f yu lfe.
We yu e tfe wt G’ peee ppl
yu lfe, yu wll lge e ut wt eeye ele
t ut yu. Yu qut g yu fult tt
lg wt utetty, lettg peple ee te el yu—te
“yu” wt ll te fult wt—eue yu lge
epe te mt f pel fulfllmet.
It eluty, letg tut: Ct, yu e
ll yu ee f eeltg y. H ppl peee e
ll tt yu ee f lfe ppe.
He te only Oe w ul ply te le f G u
le. He equl, pte, e’t wt t e
te ffe f “G” wt ye.
If yu’e le me, yu ply ee t em yuelf f
tt eey y:
h
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
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87
CHAPTER 6
Chage by Sight
Sgt e f te tg I t f gte utl I w
fte wt te plty f lg t.Stly fte I gt me I e te y
t ffeg le eye ugey f ululy lw pe.
It ’t u t me tt ttg ut yu eyell t te
lwet e w t elly g e.
I t t w te fteg f te tp u my e
tt flly tggee my m wt w ut t p-pe. Suely t eme ytl le tt tey wee ut t
eme my e efm my et wt g-pwee
et le.
Nw elple, I wte te lttle fe le ff te -
e f my gt eye (I elze tt e’t u le te
f tg yu want t wt . . . ut wee ele tee t l
t tt mmet?) Afte te e w eme, I w tete
t tw-mute lep lgt w, uple wt
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88 GOSPEL
uu ug-ue mell . . . tug tw mute
e’t u le lg tme, t feel le y we yue pet te tle ee yu.
All I ul t ut te wle tme w, “Wt
f tee etque?” Etque e t mm
wee I le Nt Cl, ut I’e wte te Hty
Cel’ Unexpected Mega Disasters eug t w tt
tee’ tellg we te ext g e mg. Tfully, etque. A te wle pe, f
t eye, lte ly ut fftee mute. Te t
eple te e my eye, pte t e wt lttle
eyell-upe-glue, t me up, ee e te I’e ee
le t ee 20/20.
F te f yu eg le eye ugey, e
euge.
I elze I ply w’t y el ge f ee ee-
g g. But lyg tee ug te ugey I me e
mmet t eflet te lue f my gt. Wtut gt
tee mu f lfe tt we’ m. We wul’t w
te eute f l te mety f uet. We wul’t
w te tll tt me t u et fm eeg l
f elgt u le’ fe te ffette gze f
u pue.
Sptul gt ee me mptt. Sptul gt
w we peee G. Wtut ptul gt yu m ut
te mt glu ply te uee. A te tgey
tt f yu e ptully l yu e e tt yu’e
mg ytg t ll.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 89
Oe we e u eye pee t te euty f G, we
elly tt t uet te e pt f Te GpelPye:
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
Te ptle Pul y ptul gt wt ge u.
Seeg te le f G te gly f Ct wt etu-
tue u et ee u ee (2 C. 3:18; 4:4).
Tt’ wy twe te f Epe Pul
G t ge te Epe ptul gt. He y, “I py . . .
. . . that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation
in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts
enlightened, that you may know what is the hope . . . and
his power . . . (Eph. 1:17–19)
tt
[you] may have strength to comprehend . . . the love of
Christ.” (Eph. 3:18–19)
Pul’ e pye me gt te mle f te
f Epe. Te ft tee pte wee eep gpel
te; te lt tee e emly elet tutf lg. Ct tee fte ete w te
me mptt f te tw: te te te pplt.
I upet Pul wul y tt wle t e mptt, te
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90 GOSPEL
mt mptt tg f
ll eeg te euty gly f G eele
te gpel. We te
gly f G ee
te gpel, ge u
tully. Te gl f
peg, te, etete eye f fmt tut pplt.
Te gl f peg wp.
Dte elp ee te G we mut ee; pplt
elp u ee w t le te G we e ee. But t e
uele f te eye f te et e t ee pee t ee
te euty f G.
Seeing What Israel Saw
Jut Pul pye f te Epe, te f t tg G
we He le te le f Iel ut f ley Egypt
w pe te eye t w He . Exu 19 y tt He
eee up Mut S, wppg t me t
e. Lgtg tue flle te e. A u le
tumpet pee te , gwg lue lue utl t
w lmt uele.
G ge Me tt tut tt e w t
tu tt mut— e, t ee ml. If ye
mu e te pemete et u te mut,
tey wul e tu e.
G te pe t tem ut f te mut, emg
tem tt tey wee teue pe t Hm, tt
Doctrine helps describe
the God we must see;
application helps us see
how to love the God we
have seen.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 91
He e tem “egle’ wg” ut f ley ut
Hmelf. We te peple w t, ee w tey epe:
“All te peple te mp trembled . . . tey . . . “believed ”
(Ex. 19:16, ut emp).
A eult f tt elef, te Ble e 19:8,
g 24:3, tt te peple , “All te w tt te
Lord pe we wll .” Hee te pge: Tepeple w. Te peple elee. Te peple eye.
O tt y tey w G’ weme ze, H utu-
le le, H tee mey. Tt gt pue
t fe f G
ft G. It w we
we mgle
wt tmy. Te up-
ple G w l
te tee Fte. Awe
me wt tmy
te eee f Ct wp. A te tey plege t
ey.
Relly eeg te tee tg, G’ weme ze, H
utule le, H tee mey, w we wll
ge t.
God’s awesome size
I te tue etque lgtg, tey w
tt He w te G w mme te mgfet pw-
e f et.
Tee metg ut weme ply f tue tt
ge yu glmpe f w g G . He yu ee le
Awe combined with
intimacy is the essence
o Christian worship.
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92 GOSPEL
t te gt y tugt ut w g te uee
? Atme tell u tt f te te etwee te u te et wee te te f e pee f ppe, te
te te etwee te et te let t wul e
t f ppe 70 feet g. Te te u glxy
wul e t f ppe 310 mle g. A u glxy
ut e f ue f tu f glxe te w
uee. Tee G e ll f t w pe t t ex-
tee wt ut w l t ll te plm f H .
Te mleule ey H eey w. St me t ut
f extee t H wm.
He g tt yu ltelly t exggete Hm.
Aweme ply f tue—le, tuetm, u-
et, te, tum—em u f tt.
Te Ielte gt tte f tt t te mut.
I elee tt mt peple ty e lt ee f G’
weme ze. We eue G t mette, mle-
l-ze ety tt we expl tl.
He t. Te fte G tgge te m. We
we ty t eue G t mee we expl -
tl, we tully pple peple’ lty t elee Hm.
Cle Me, e f Ete’ tuet, exple tt te
e Ete ee elee te Ct G lt
t wt w Ct pee y pe ut
G:
Te eg f te uee ey mgfet
ul t e te f gte. I ft, I elee
tt wy Ete lttle ue f gze
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 93
elg, ltug e tu me lly ey
elgu m. Ete mut e le t wt tepee ut G felt tt tey wee l-
pemg! He ee me mety t e ee
mge te et f te uee felt tt
te G tey wee tlg ut ul’t e ee
te el tg. My gue tt e mply felt tt
te ue e u t e ppeepet f te Aut f te Uee.1
We we pe f G, we pe f Oe we ze
pwe wm mgt e f ey u w.
Pep e f te e we fl t teue G we e
u lmte ew f Hm. G G f u me
ze tt u m ee quetg we we ee Hm. We
temle elee.
God’s untouchable holiness
N e ul tu te mut, G : “Yu t
ee my fe . . . le” (Ex. 33:20).
G G f u fte pefet tt t ee te
lgtet H peee e tlete. We I,
te ppet f G, w G up H te, e fell up
fe, tefe, , “Suely I m ue, I e ee
te L” (I. 6:5, ut ppe). We Uzz ee
ut t tey te A f te Cet wee G’
Spt welle, e w tu e.
G G we le pefet m-
plete tt t ext H peee. I e peple fte
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94 GOSPEL
pe glly ut “eeg G.” If G ppe te f ff
te ple wee yu wee ttg gt w yu w Hfe, yu’ mmetely e. Stg te peee f G
wt wul e le tue ppe tug te ufe f
te u.
Seeg eg G’ le me Iel temle.
We fte t we e e G f y w-
plyg te wle e f H ugmet. Ou ue-fely G e t pu . He etly e’t e peple
t ell. But ell ge u ptue f te lute pefet
euty f G. Hell wt ell eue G w
G . Hell wt ell eue tt’ wt gt
ftely eutful glu G eee. Hell t e
egee tte t u
em tt t e. Hell
ul me u mut
t gpe t te g-
teu, ut, le f
G.
He yu ee e
mee y tt G
ul t e “fee,” ly epete? Yu’ e
tme ellg tt t te Ielte fte te eute e
te mut. Tt eute w designed t pue fe.
It ly we we ee te le f G— gt tt
ul tefy u—tt u et le t wp Hm. A
G tt tfy u ul G tt ftely
eutful tt gt Hm eque eee fte
pumet.
Hell is what hell is
because that’s what
sin against an infnitely
beautiul and glorious
God deserves.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 95
D yu elze w mpletely pue pefet G ?
D yu elze wt ge te peee f yu etple yu ? Imge yu wee g gl f ml
I tl yu t ee mxe wt few p f um
l tmte y te
AIDS u. Tt’ t
mu, ut tug tt
gl f ml t yu lp wul epule yu. We
t efe G wlly
tmte y . S
t ext te peee f G. Iel g e
t e f.
Tue wp eg wt fe. It e’t e tee, ut
tt’ wee t tt.
God’s tender mercy
A Iel temle efe G’ weme ze
lute le, e pe t tem fm te mut,
gg tem tee tee w:
“You have seen . . . how I bore you on eagles’ wings and
broiught you to myself. . . . [You are] my treasured posses-
sion. . . . I am the Lord your God, who brought you out
of the land of . . . slavery. (Exod. 19:4–5; 20:2)
G y t tem, “I w yu uffeg I e
yu e . . . I pe yu up, teely, le fte wul
y wue l ut f we ugt yu t
Myelf.”
True worship begins
with ear. It doesn’t
end there, but that’s
where it starts.
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96 GOSPEL
Tee’ mge I ee fequetly te ew tt lwy
me me, wtee te text. Te me e teee f me tgey, tey’ll ptue me mge f
fte yg te ly, e y f l ut f
te wege. Mye t’
eue I’m w f
fu le, ut eeg
fte w te l’ p tue
me mewee eep my
ul.
A I le tt w treasure . G ll tem H
“teue” pe. T teue metg me
tt yu’ ge up ut ut ytg f t. If I fu
ut my le tte me e ee,
te ly pe w expee mee tt u-
e wul t py f, I wul ell eeytg I
t get tt mee f tem. Wy? Beue I teue
tem.
Te Mgty G f te uee, te G w
eeytg l tg, ll elple, gulty peple
H “teue.” He e te e, etee te p,
eue tem.
Tee ly e w I t f t ee G
lutely pefet tt e H peee le t mme-
tely lt yet tee H mp tt He
ete t u p eue u: beautiful.
There is only one word
I can think o to describe
God . . . beatifl.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 97
Sight Breaks the Power of Sin
Iel’ epe t t eelt w tt tey “elee”
tey “temle.” Tey , “Whatever God says to us, we
will do.” I lgt f wt tey’ ee, t te G tey
wte t w ey.2 Tey ge. Nt ut te
e, ut te desires. Tey wte t w ey
G.
We we ee te ze euty f te G w
pe t u, te pwe f lty e u et
e.
Te wy tt we wll tp g t y eg tl e
e, “Stp g!” ut y eeg te mety gly
f G u et.
“But wt!” yu mgt y. “Te Ble full f e-te pt. I’t te pt f te Ble t tp
g?”
Ye. But eg te by-product f eeg G. A
we ee te euty f G feel H wegte u
et, u et eg t ee Hm me t we ee
. Befe te Ble y, “Stp g,” t y, “Behold your God! ”
T f t le ll. Tee e tw wy t eep
ll flt. If yu fll ll wt yu et, te te
ly wy t eep t te t tully m t upw.
Tt’ w elg eep yu mtte: t epetely “t”
yu. “Stp g t!” “Get uy wt tt!” T my lfe pt. Peple me Suy I “m” tem
ut metg. “Be me geeu!” A tey tt f
wee. “G m!” A tey g up f tp. Eey
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98 GOSPEL
wee I m tem t ptul t. N we
peple ’t le eg u me.But tee’ te wy t eep ll flt. Fll t
wt elum. Te t flt t w, mg eque.
Seeg te ze euty f G le te elum tt
eep u g ptully.
We yu e ee te euty f G felt te
wegte f G’ mety yu ul, ’ pwe e yu wll e e. I fte tell llege-ge guy t u u
tt tey tu te exul e ff le lgt
wt. Tey ee elee me. I tell tem, “I’ll pe t t
yu . . . Imge tt yu e le wt yu glfe, t-
tg wt e te u t e ue. Yu exul ee
eg t te e yu
feel le tee wy
yu tu tem ff.
At tt mmet, yu feel
ttlly ut f tl, le
tee wy t y ‘’
t te pwe f tempt-
t.” Tey y, “Extly.”
I tell tem, “At ut tt
mmet, e Amy Rge fte wl . . . . See? Sexul
ee, ff le lgt wt!”
Wee t g? It t tt tey uely lt l,
t w ut tt tt mmet te fe f e Rge fte
w wegte t tem t te exul lut. Dee f e
w upe y ee t et.
Te e my f u feel le we “’t y ” t temp-
tt tt G e t e tt f wegt u
When you have seen the
beauty o God and elt
the weightiness o God’s
majesty in your soul,
sin’s power over you
will be broken.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 99
et. G’ utty mut e gete t u ee; H
euty ul e me ttte t y lut f te f le. Ite w, te e we ’t y t temptt t
tt u ee f te tg t lge; t’ eue u
ee f G t mll.
I e t elly y t te ee f temptt, we
ee t eelp tge ee f G. Lee uge
ly e expelle y t-ge e. Put Tm
Clme lle t “te
expule pwe f ew
ffet.” Ou ffe-
t f l e ugt
ue tl ly we
tey e te pte y
tge, me etg
ffet.
Utl tt ppe, ll ge we me wll e upef-
l. We wll ey ly we we t tee tet f pu-
met te pme f ew. T f eee
weme, t t G t u. We e fg u et
t puue wt tey ’t wt t puue.
Mt peple le ul-ptty: tey e pte t
te ful lut f te et; ut tey e l pte t te
ule f te elg. S me tem ee te wg tg;
te elg eep tem fm g wt tey w ee.
Seeg te gly f G eele te gpel ge u fee-
m fm t elg. Te gpel et u fee fm
te tet f emt ge u et tt we
wt t w ee G.
Our aections or idols
are brought under
control only when
they are taken captive
by a stronger, more
enchanting aection.
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100 GOSPEL
Yu y, “But wt! If peple t tt Ct ley
te ll te pelty f te tet f pumetem, te tey wll wtee tey wt.”
Well, t let w we’e g te gt quet. T
extly te et Pul expete fte lyg ut te gpel
Rm 1–5. H we: f peple ly wt t puue ,
tt eel tt te et e ptully e (Rm. 6:1–2).
Te we t, Pul y, t lp ule tem. If yuet le , tw yuelf te mey f G, g
Hm t ge yu et eme H gteue
ge t yu gft. Oly te wll yu et ge. Te
ge f G, Pul y, wt pue el epete
u (Rm. 2:4).
Feem fm , yu ee, hating . A te ely
u fte Igtu : “It mple f m (tuly)
t e fee fm te t f efe e te t.” Yu wll
ly te we yu tt t le G. Yu le t le
G y eeg H euty le f yu eele te
gpel.
Te lee f te u ple J Buy, te
ut f Pilgrim’s Progress , p f peg te gpel.
Tey tl m, “Yu ’t g tellg peple tt Ct’
gteue ee ete t tem full. If tey elee
tt, tey’ll feel le tey wtee tey wt!” Buy
eple, “If peple elly ee tt Ct’ gteue
ee ge t tem etely gft, tey’ll wtee He
wt.”
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 101
“So, where can we see God?”
“S,” yu y, “Wee we ee G le tt? Wee’u mut wee G ee efe u fe?”
G quet. I’m t tellg yu t e ut Cel B.
DeMlle’ Ten Commandments wt t e e.
Te mut Exu 19, mpee t w, w ut
m w f lte mut wee G’ gly wul
e eele—Mut Cly. Me t 1,400 ye fteG ppee Mut S, Jeu wul lm up te
mut t put G’ gly ply. Jut le S,
Cly w ee y
t lu f e
G tue H fe
wy. O te Jeu wul eue te tu-
e f G’ ugmet
te lgtg f
H wt t H y.
Te fe f G’ le
wul u tug te y f Ct utl t mpletely
ume Hm. We tgee te le f G’ le,
Jeu w tu e f t. We Jeu e, te et
ltelly , te lt tg Jeu wul fm te
yell, wt e le tumpet, “ It is finished !”
Te ug mut f Exu 19 w ptue f
Mut Cly, wee Jeu ge u te leet mt
mplete ptue f te gly f G.
I te we ee te mgmty f G’ ge.
G me t y u egle’ wg fm ge;
The gospel not only tells
us about the power o
God; the message o the
gospel is itself the power
o God.
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102 GOSPEL
He eue u ut f te w f et y uttutg Hmelf
u ple. Imge tg ut lf mle fm teHe Dm, tt me tutue lg utl
mut f wte. Imge, t yu , tt yu uely
w fmg up fm te ttm f te m, ly t
ee me fe f wte ut tug te m we
fe ue feet g me ug w te lley tw
yu. Det et. But uely, gt efe te wteweep yu wy, te gu ft f yu pe up
wllw eey ue, tt t p tue yu. We
Jeu e te , He t etwee u te ug
e f G’ gteu wt. He wllwe up eey ue
t Hmelf, tt t p em f yu me. He
te up f G’ wt t t eg, tue t e,
, “It fe.”
He tt f yu eue yu e teue t
Hm.
I te we ee te mee f G’ pwe.
Te gpel eel gete pwe t ee te pwe f
et. It te pwe f ew et; eeemg fm
egeetg lfe fm et. Pul ll te gpel “te
pwe f G” (Rm. 1:16). D yu w tt tg ele
Sptue, exept f Ct Hmelf, efee t etly
“te pwe f G”? T ut tt—te u 9,900
egee Feet te ufe 27 mll egee t
t e. Tum we e up t 100 feet g tel t
e 80 mle u, etyg eeytg te pt.
A eetly ee t epte t te tug te
ee t 1.5 mll mle pe u. We w f le
tt pew l up t 17 mle t te tmpee
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 103
we eupt e
e me t 3,000mle wy.3 Oe um
DNA t, le t
te um eye, t
eug fmt t fll
e tu 500-pge
. Ne f te lle “te pwe f
G.” Jeu’ tu
w f puttg wy u
fee g tumpt e te ge, wee,
wt G ll “My pwe.”
A yu ee elee tt gpel, t pwe tully
elee t yu. Yu ee, te gpel t ly tell u ut
te pwe f G; te mege f te gpel itself te pwe
f G. By te pwe f te Spt, te eg f te gpel
e-ete u et t le te tg G mm.
T f t le Jeu’ mm t te lme m t wl.
We Jeu , “Re, te up yu e, wl,” He
w gg te lme m t ly mm, ut H
w l ge te pwe t ey tt mm. I te
me wy te gpel G ge te pwe t wt He
mm.
Beleg te gpel t ly te wy we eme
Ct, t te pwe tt ele u t , eey mmet
f eey y, te ey tg Jeu mm u t .
Believing the gospel is not only the way we
become Christians, it is
the power that enables
us to do, every moment
o every day, the very
things Jesus commands us to do.
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104 GOSPEL
Mahmud’s Vision
Oe mgt wle I w lg Ilm uty
I eee pe ll fm m I ee met me
Mmu. Mmu exple t me tt e ey
mptt em, e elee tt I w uppe t elp
m tepet t. I em e wee mlely
ele fel. T fel, e tl me, eeme t m t
ymlze lfe. He felt le, wtut pupe, tue m-
pp et. Afte wlg f wt eeme le
y, e e e e m ll me. Tee e
w m w, w, “w ee g wte
ltg. I ul t l fe, eue t e le
te u.” T eely m ee t te f e
pulle ut py f te gpel te t ple t Mmu’ . “T,” te m t Mmu, llg
m y me, “wll get yu ut f t fel.”
Mmu efue. Mmu w ftful Mulm,
e ee t pe “Ct ltetue.” He we up
l wet, et etg quly, feelg ey f.
He e felt f e eete ppet tw wt t .
We e fell leep te e gt, e fu m-
elf g te fel. Ag, te “m” ppee, ffeg
Mmu te py f te gpel. A g Mmu
efue.
Te t gt we Mmu wet t leep, te m w tee wtg m. “T, ly t,” e t
Mmu, “wll get yu ut f t fel.” Wt temlg
, Mmu t te gpel fm te m.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 105
Mmu te t me, “My fe tell me tt yu e
expet te gpel. C yu tepet my em f me?”N e. Tt wt e .
Nw, I w e ey ttl Bptt me,
em wee t pt f u t elgu
epete. S, I , “Mmu, I ’t elee
em.”
Nt elly. I le t m , “Bte, yu e lu, em tepett ut ppe t e my ptul
gft.”
F te ext tw u I exple te gpel t m.
Tug e tll quet, e ’t elly ut te
we I w gg m. Afte ll, e’ ee tute
y e meege t lte! We I exple t m
w Jeu te te , e , wt te
temg w fe, “All . . . te Cet G, yg
my ple? C t e tue? O, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar ”
(Wt Mulm y we tey ge pe t G—meg,
ltelly, G te getet!).
It w u e elee, I e m f e
wul le t ple H ft Jeu. We e ye,
I e m f e ew wt u mmtmet mgt t
m. “Mmu,” I , “yu mgt le yu . Yu mgt
get e ut f yu fmly. T mmtmet t Ct
mgt ee t yu yu lfe.”
I’ll ee fget wt e ext. He mle ,
“Of ue I w ll tt. Tt wy t t me e
mt t me tl wt yu, eue I ew tt f I eme
fllwe f Jeu t mgt t me eeytg . . . ut f Jeu
Ct G, G ge Hmelf le tt f me te
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106 GOSPEL
, I wll g ywee wt Hm. If I le my , my fm-
ly, my lfe, t OK. I’ g wt Jeu ywee.” Yu my ee e “” f Jeu yu em
le tt. I e’t ete. Wle u expeee my t e
tt mt, u epe t Jeu ul e le ttl.
We ee te gly f G, Pul y, te fe f Jeu Ct
peete t u te Gpel. Wt we ee tee ette
t em . Bemg fllwe f Jeu meg yu et eptue y te euty, mety,
lue f G’ gft f Hmelf t yu tt wg ple-
g Hm eme te e g p f yu et. Ee
f t t yu eeytg ele.
What about You?
D yu feel te wegt f G’ mety yu ul
t wy? Yu my e e te Ble tu tme, ut
e yu ee ee ewelme t te ply f G’
pwe gly tt yu temle? Befe Ctty tell
yu t do ytg, t ll
yu t t we
mzemet t wt G
e for you.
I yu et ptte
y te gly euty f
G? Ae yu eme y
ee f we and w
y feelg f tmy?
If t, wy t get w
yu ee gt w
Get down on your
knees, open the pages
o the Gospels, and pray
that the Jesus
who walks through
the pages o Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John
gives you a glimpse o
His true majesty.
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CHAnGEd BY SIGHT 107
eg G t pe te eye f yu et t let yu ee Hm
f w He elly ? Bette yet, wy t get w yuee, pe te pge f te Gpel, py tt te Jeu
w wl tug te pge f Mttew, M, Lue,
J ge yu glmpe f H tue mety? Yu’ll ee e
te me. A yu’ll f yuelf yg tee w e
e g, w wt yu wle et:
h
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
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109
CHAPTER 7
Gospel-Cetere Relatioships
wt te e, efte m f te w e ee
e? Gwg up, I e lt f we t tt quet. At e u I te, tey tt f yu wee elly e,
yu wul w t y () ge yu lguge; () te
wy yu ee (f yu wee y, yu t ut yu eg,
ut yu t, we plete ); () ue
tee te f ee, gette, Dey; ()
pefeee f mu wt lttle t umet.Mt f tt ulu. But te gpel e g
umtle ge yu lfe.
Te t pt f Te Gpel Pye ,
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
It’ mple t elly expeee te ge f te gpel
t e tfme t pe f e, geety,
le. We we expeee te geety f te gpel,
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110 GOSPEL
we wll tully exte tt geety t te. We eme
peple wt geeu pt, tt ffet w we tette wt we wt u mey, tme, tlet.
Grace and Victor Hugo
Oe f my ll-tme fte me ee te pe-
g equee te 1998 me et f Vt Hug’Les Misérables . Lm Nee ply te pt f Je Vle,
tte ml w ut ee ple fm -l
mp Fe.
He tumle le lte e gt t te me f pet,
w te m ffe m f elte f te ee-
g. Tt gt Vle tel ll te lewe te pet’
me. Te pet, eg me mmt ue, get
up t etgte. Vle pue m te fe
m ut. He te lee wt te tle le.
Ely te ext mg te ple g Vle
t te me f te pet. Te gu mgly y t
te pet, “He tl u yu ge t le t m!” Beg
ple pe, ll te pet t fm tt
Vle tle te lewe, Vle wll g t
p—f lfe.
Te pet, fe tll ue le fm te
gt efe, l t Vle y, “Wy ye. Ye, I .
I’m ey gy wt yu, Je Vle . . .” Te e ,
uexpetely, ‘. . . eue yu fgt te let. Wy
yu fget te let? Tey e wt lmt 2,000
f.”
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GOSP EL-CE nT EREd RELATIOnS HIPS 111
Te gu mmetely e Vle t e elee.
Vle, mewle, umfue t te tu f eet. Te pet ew e tle te le, Vle ew te
pet ew. A yet te pet t ly ue f te -
t, e e tl welt t . I explt
te pet y quetly t Vle: “A w ’t yu fget
t. D’t yu ee fget t. Yu’e pme t eme ew
m. “Je Vle, my te, yu lge elg t el. Wt t le I’e ugt yu ul. I’e me yu
fm fe te . . . w I ge yu t G.”
Les Misérables te ty f w Vle eme “te
ew m” te pet ele e wul eme. Te mey
f te pet tfm Vle fm ee ml
t ptet, , geeu m w e f te p
te p. A epet f get mey, e eme ge f
get mey.
T, f ue, t te full gpel. It te me t
t f mey t ge u et. Te Spt f G
t pe u eye t te mey euty f G Ct
ge u ee f t. But tee tut Hug’ etl
pt: mey eget mey.
Hug welt f mtel t w fm te Gpel
we e fte tle. I Mttew 18:23–25, f exmple,
Jeu tl ty ut e m w we te m
exty mut f mey—“te tu tlet” t
e pef. (Tt’ lt f mey. T “Cgel
tmulu pge.”) Te y me we te et w ue,
te m w lle t ut. Te m ul’t py
equetly w etee t “et’ p.” Tee
e wul l, tgete wt fmly, utl te et w
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112 GOSPEL
p ff—ee f t met uequet geet eme
mpe. Te m, pele, tew melf te gu
eg t ple f mey—me tme t py ff te et.
Eeye wtg t ptet ee eg t feel um-
ftle, eue l ffe ’t eme ueful y
wg mey. Tey’e t lle “l ue” “l
puppe”; tey e lle “l .” If yu ’t py,mee me Bu w up t yu ue t e yu
tum.
But te te mt uexpete tg ppee. T l
felt emt Jeu ll “splagma ,” Gee w
meg gut-leel mp f te guy. We ’t w
wy. Pep e ememee w le, mye e
ut etfe wt t guy—wtee— ttm lp
tte t que te flle eye. He te te
utle: “Fget ut t. Yu we me tg.”
N e te m ul elee t, let f ll te
fge m. F te ft tme lfe, e felt fee. He
te te l ffe pfuely emege fm te
utm ew m. He ue me, feelg lgt ,
t tell fmly te ew f te elee.
A e e te teet fm te utue, e
w l llegue w we m $3. He ge te m
y te e , “Ge me my $3.” Te guy , “I’m
y. I’e wee. I ’t e y mey. I’ll py yu
ext wee.” “N!” te m ee. “If yu ’t py w,
yu’e gg t p.”
I mge tt we Jeu w tellg t ty, t t
pt H ee lle te eye. “Ge me e. Nobody
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GOSP EL-CE nT EREd RELATIOnS HIPS 113
fge f mll f
ll wul tw me-e p e $3.” A
tt Jeu’ pt exactly .
Tee wy yu ul
e y ept f wt
G fge yu f
e ugeeu pt tw te. If yu e, t mutme yu e uwe f te ge G w tw yu.
Te peple w elly elee te gpel w t y
emg le te gpel.
Smee tute te ge f te gpel eelp
lmt e lty t fge.
A Radical Forgiveness
It w my flue t gp te ge w t me te
gpel tt lmt etye my mge.
My wfe I e ee me f egt wonderful
ye. Plu tw te e, f ttl f te. Te ft tw
ye wee ug. I ememe my wfe I g t
e te few mt efe we gt me, “We ee
fgt—we mut e pefet f e te!” A we ’t
fgt. At tt pt. Tugut te ete ye f u t-
g eltp eggemet, I t ememe gle
ltet.
Well, we me up f lt tme ug te ft x mt
f u mge.
Afte guelg t ut f uple f ye, epet
we wet t ee ll uel. He pee Ble t
Those people who
really believe the gospel
become like the gospel.
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114 GOSPEL
1 Tmty 1:15 wee Pul ee melf te “ef”
f e (nkjv). He te e u f we tugt Pul wexggetg we e lle melf tt. My te f te
Ble me me wt t y “,” e te Ble et
Pul e’t exggete. But w ul Pul really t e
w gge e t Ju It Ne?
Stll mpletely uwe f wee te uel w gg
wt t, I , “I ’t w.”He tt Pul w ee tellg te tut yg
tt eue peept, e w te gget e. Pul
w ette qute wt w fule t e w
ye ele’. Of ue Pul ew, teetlly, tt te
peple wee eey t te e e w, ut e w mu
me we f t e w te. We Pul tugt
ut ee f ge, e ’t t f te ft—e
tugt f melf.
Ou uel exple tt t my wfe I w one
another, and not ourselves, “te ef f e.” I ul ee
my wfe’ , ut I w lfully lu t my w. If I
uet my w eep ee f ge, I wul e me
tully extee ge t e.
Te uel’ ext w exple my et le
mell: “We yu elly elee te gpel, yu ee tt
yu e ft e ly ely e gt. Te
plem yu mge tt ete f yu eem we
f w mu yu’e ee fge. Beue yu e’t elly
tte ge, yu w’t exte ge t e te. Yu ee
t g t te gpel.”
Ou mge plem wee gpel plem. Tt
fte my wfe I eg t exple me tmtely
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GOSP EL-CE nT EREd RELATIOnS HIPS 115
te ge tt ee extee t u Ct. Tug
tt tuy u ete pt tw e te ge. We eg t ee uele ft, e, e, e
gt; we eme me we f u w ee
f ge, we eme me wllg t exte t t e
te.
We tll ut ppt e te. We tll get
mptet. But we I t ut w mu G f-ge me f, wt I’m e t fge e f e’t eem
tt uttl. A we t mze t wt G e
f u te f Ct, we f t t ty gy t
e te.
As God’s grace changes us, our grace changes others
I g elt wt ume f tugglg mge
u u e te ye, I e te tt e f te g-
get tle t wg ge t te te elef tt f
yu t etlte, te w ut yu wll ee le te
wge f wt tey e e. We te t up uele
t eute u pue, u , u we, u pet,
ye ele u pt t te fult w tey’e
ut u.
Tt’ wt I tugt ug te ft tw ye f m-
ge. I tugt te ly wy elly t ge my wfe w t
me e feel te p f
wt e w g t me.
If I ut e te me
wy e ut me, e’
epet.
God changed us by pouring out undeserved
kindness on us.
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116 GOSPEL
Futeme, I felt gt pyg e f e wg.
We we e wge, lttle e tug f g uet tellg u tt te le f ute te uee
ff. We feel g ut ety we we e gtg te wg.
We t we we ete te le f ute, eeye wll
tt eg ppely g.
Tt le. I tt w G ge u, y pug u
f u ? N. G ge u y pug ut ueeee u. We we tte tt, u et wee t-
fme.
We wll elp te ge te ext me wy. Pul
exple t t wy:
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath
of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,
says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry,
feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink;
for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
(Rom. 12:19–21)
My fte pe tt ee tt y etug g
f el we wll “heap burning coals on [our enemy’s] head.” Tt
u le wt I wte t t my eemy (um . . . my wfe)
te ft ple! But Pul ’t yg tt we ump l
mee’ e t hurt tem—tt, fte ll, wul e gt
te ete pt f t pge. Dumpg l te e
met to wake them up.
Te pe w eee yu e epe t
te e t wee. Yu e t tem
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GOSP EL-CE nT EREd RELATIOnS HIPS 117
me tem ee te uty f te elfe elp
we tem t te leg f eltp.Oly te, Pul y, wll yu overcome el. Yu ’t
eme el mee y pyg tem . Yu’ll ly
pepetute t. Yu etlt wll pue me ge
tem, , tu, me el, f t tw yu, tw me-
e ele. Yu ety te el mee y wg tem
extgt ge. Jeu t t wy: we we e wge, we ul
“tu te te ee.” Sme tepet tt t me tt
we egge me type f uelt pf m. Smee
pue u te fe, we t up, l t tem
y, “I tt ll yu gt? I’m tll tg! Hee, t me
g!”
But Jew tugt, te “ee” w te yml f
eltp; g mee’ ee w te g f pee
fellwp. “Stg mee’ ee” met tt yu
e ttg te eltp. T e yu e tu
met tt fe wee tg yu f gte. Nt gg
yu epet. Tlg e yu . Nt tg ut
yu ee.
Jeu y, “Tu yu te ee t tem.” I te
w, reoffer the relationship t tem. Jeu t y “tu
te me ee t tem,” “let tem t yu g.”
N e y “te tem te ee etu,” ,
“etlte tey e p t.” He “tu te te
ee” to tem.1 Reffe te leg f eltp. We
mgt ee t ft tem wee tey wge u, ut we
wtut te lgtet ee t wu etu. We
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118 GOSPEL
te tg f te lw ffe tem te e f
ete eltp. Jut le Jeu f u.
I ftg tem, yu e t tyg t elly py
tem f te ffee—elly wppg tem. Yu e
ftg tem f their sake , eue yu e ee y
wt te g t tem, wt t g t yu
eltp. Yu t le, me ee wt w te utg tem te t t effet yu. Wee
tey wee elf uel, yu ep wt teee
ee t ele. Yu te lee ffe tem
pee. By g yu mgt ey well “we” tem ut f
te etute e.
Te gpel e t tell u t e pe tw te
te fult. It tell u t e ggeely geful. We e-
me el wt g. “Oeme” w’ tem. Pul
yg, “G t w wt el, efet t uly wt ge.”
Jeu eme el u
tug te ge f te
. We wll eme
el te y eg t
tem Jeu w t u.
Me, we e uppe
t le t u m-
ge. We Pul tell
u t “le u we le
Ct le te u,”
t pmly wt e
w tlg ut. Ct
le te u y eeg e utful lw ffeg
The gospel does
not tell us to be passive toward
others in their aults.
It tells us to be
aggressively graceul.
We oercome evil
with good.
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GOSP EL-CE nT EREd RELATIOnS HIPS 119
e ly le epe. H ge tw te u
t f, ut me, te u eutful. T pue te u le f Hm tt ul ee e ee p-
ue tug etlt. C. S. Lew t well: “T ee
[Ep. 5:25] mt eme te u we wfe
eee mt ge te let, t’ te e we wfe
mt uwty f m, — e w mee tue—let
lle. F te u euty ut wt te e-gm ge e; e e t f, ut me e, lely.”2 We
me u we eutful y exteg t tem te ge f
te . T “we tem wt te w,” elp fm
tem Ct-le te. Ct t f u, ft; we
t f u we, e.
We respond to God, not to others
Nw, I e wt yu mgt e yg. “But t pe
e t deserve my ge. Yu ’t w w eeply tey’e
ut me.”
A mptely I , I wt t tell yu: That’s the
whole point .
We ’t eee G’ ge we G e u, ete.
Te ttm le tt te pe we e t fge my
t ge we we ft w tem ge. We ’t ete.
I ’t w my peple w elee te gpel te ft
tme tey e t. Jeu extee ge t me lg tme
efe I ge. He e f me “wle I w tll e”
(Rm. 5:8).
I ft, te pe yu e fgg mgt ee ge.
A tt’ OK, eue fgee eeft t fge,
t. We get e t le le G le. Ee f wg
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120 GOSPEL
ge ee ge te we fge, t ge u, tt
G’ pmy pupe ll tt ppeg t u tlfe. Pul y G wg all tg u le tgete
tw H g pl f fmg u t te mge f H
S (Rm. 8:28–29).
Ultmtely I m epg t Jeu, t t te pe
ft f me. Te pe wgg me my t eee
epe f ge, ut te Jeu w le e f mee.
S . . . yu’e wtg f te epm, w tw
u lte. We e me yu wt t g Ol Tetmet
m. Pep tt
mmet f futt yu
mgt ememe, “T
epm’ te
tg mpe t te
lpemy I mmtte
gt G.” Yu mgt
tll ft te ep-
m ut te,
ut yu’ll e etely ffeet pt. (Nte: T
ppee t me lt. I e eme we tt G eem
t e ppte wle my f mpetet, ug
peple f my tft.)
We yu e tte te ge f te gpel, elt-
p, mtte w wg utful yg, l te
me t yu. Yu’ll ee yuelf “ft, e, e,
e gt,” we tt ppe, yu ete p-
t tw te’ ffee tw yu wll ge.
When you have tasted
the grace o the gospel,no relationship, no
matter how wrong or
hurtul or annoying,
looks the same to you.
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GOSP EL-CE nT EREd RELATIOnS HIPS 121
Te leet m f G’ ge yu lfe geeu
pt tw te. Yu ul ly t te ge f G w yu
Ct, py:
h
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
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123
CHAPTER 8
Etraagat Geerosity
“As you have been to me so I will be to others.”
Tt’ te mt f ge-e elee. We’e ee
w tt ete u geeu pt tw te ffee f
te. But w e tt ge u tttue tw u p-
e? Wt e gpel-etee elee’ eltp
wt mey l le?
I w yu’e ply expetg petty pt we ee.
Smetg le, “Wtee yu’e gg . . . t’ t eug.
Tee e I w ue tee g f e
y. Feel gulty ge me.”
Uetg te gpel wll etly le yu t
extgt geety. Hw ul t t? “Yu w te
ge f u L Jeu Ct” Pul y, “tt tug e
w , yet f yu e e eme p, tt yu y
pety mgt eme ” (2 C. 8:9). If we uet
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124 GOSPEL
wt Jeu ge up t e u, w ul we t wllgly
yfully ge up u pe tt te mgt e lfel?
But tee lemm. Hw ul we ee ge up
eug t equl wt Jeu ge up f u? Jeu H
ele Fte tu H fe wy fm Hm te u He
eee Hm mt. Ne f u wll ee ge up ytg tt
ee mpe t tt.I t t tt, te Ble tl ut ume f
tg G wt u t wt u mey ee ut ge
t wy (tug He etly e wt u t e extgtly
geeu wt t). Mey tl He put u f te
mplg multple pupe u le. S, t pte
lttle me f -ept l wt “gpel-etee
geety” l le.1
Two Primary Errors
I f tt tee e tw pmy e we t me t
Ct’ tttue tw gg.
Te f t e ge metg le t:
“G wt 10 peet, fte tt yu
wtee yu wt wt yu mey.”
I te w, fte yu’e tte, yu’e e yu uty,
yu g yu mey wy ug te te 90 peet
t l gft up yuelf. F my Ct gg
wy tt ft 10 peet tully me t gettg G
t ee te te 90 peet. “Bg te tte t te
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 125
teue,” tey y, “ ee f G wll t pe up te
ww f ee pu ut u ue f le-g tt yu t t t” (Ml. 3:10, ut ppe).
F tee elee, gg etmet pl t get
me tuff.
T pt, y telf, t ut mplete—t me
unChristian, eue, ultmtely, t pmy mtt
mey. We ge t G t get me mey fm G. It tue tt G pme t le u we we ge, ut ee-
g me mey t te pmy e we e t ge. We
ul ge gteful epe t G w ge eeytg
f u. We we ge t G pmly e t get me
fm Hm, we e t wppg G; we e using Hm
(2 C. 8:6; 9:8; 1 Tm. 6:6).
T f gg tg t wt wt Jeu
w tlg ut we He t “te up u ”
fllw Hm. Fllwg Jeu me tt we leege u
le f te gm f G, ut He leege H f
u. Jeu H lfe w le ee tt fell t te gu
e tt lfe ul me ut f t t eeft t-
e. Eey ple f Jeu
mut feel te me ut
e w lfe (J
12:24). Jeu t tte
H l f u, He ge
t ll. Wt He eee
epe—ee, wt
He em— full
ffeg f u le.
Jesus said His lie was
like a seed that ell into
the ground and died so
that lie could come out
o it to beneft others.
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126 GOSPEL
Te peple w ge G tte tey get
wt elf-etee lfe e t yet eme te pt f plep.
Te e, ppte, e Ct ppe
t gg ge metg le t:
“Te ly tg yu ul wt yu mey
ge t wy t te p. Afte ll, tee e lwyme p me lt peple. Tu, f tee’
metg yu e tt yu ul ge wy tll
ue, yu ul ge t wy.”
I’e e t tttue tw u pe ee
efe “ttle” metlty. I ttle, yu et yuelf
f ll luxue t pe eue f te ttle. All yu
“luxuy metl” get melte tw f ullet. All lle
ptl ul teefe e ue t fee te p py te
le f me.
Rememe tt ee Schindler’s List we te elty
f w my Jew ee lle te Hlut et
Lm Nee e l t wt y, “T wt
. . . I ’t ee t wt. Wy ul’t I e l t?
T wt ul e fee tw Jew . . .” Tt’ w peple
t pt t.
T pt ugget tt we ul le mmlly
umly ple ge ll te et wy. Yu quet
le t:
• “If yu wee tg, wul’t yu lqute
yu etemet t fee tem?”
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 127
• “If yu le wee l te ex te, wul’t
yu ge up eeytg yu t eue tem?”
I f t pt pg, t etly t let
ptlly et (we e el ttle wt el ulte
we ’t ge tt). But wle t pt mu me
le wt te New Tetmet t te peu pp, t
tll ut f le wt te full ll teg mey,
ple wt te gpel telf.
I te t pt pelly f wle, , qute
etly, t le me t ep. Tee w lwy mee ele
w eee Jeu te p t e e f. S,
I elly ee t get Ce wt lu? Cul’t I tp
wte ge tt $1.40 t m? Wul’t tt fee
p f wee? O, ul I ee e etg ut t ll? Aee f I et t me, I et ytg e e e?
Lt f p ’t ee e tt. A I elly ee
weg g—, t te ey let, gl e? I ul ell
my e gl g ge tt mey t m. Wee te
ut my ue peetme luxuy tt ul elly g
t pe wm pm f I?
Correcting Our Perspective
I e me t ee fu ll e wt tt tttue:
First, this kind of thinking has no practical end. We
eug, eug? A I mete t te egg f tpte, f pe mpe te fe t tt f Jeu,
tey wll lwy me up t. He left ee t me t
et, ple t ly H e, e ttuu
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128 GOSPEL
et. He fe met y G. Tee’ tg we
t equl te fe f Jeu. A t te ttle metlty . . . well, ttle, f I
ullet te eemy w mg f my fmly, I wul melt
w all my p et wt my I ul e
ullet t efe my . I e te, wee, tt mt
ppet f te ge-t-ll-wy ew, wee, tll e
p. D tey elly e me ut te peu pt tey lt ul te Su? If t, wy t ell te
p? Suely tey ul ue wtut p!
See elee tg t pt tell u t “pe
mey ly eete; ge wy y exe.” But wt
extly excess ? If yu te ytg e e e,
w’t tt exe?
Fe ue ye g J Cl peee te ee-
eg tety f t type f tg. He ,
If m eg t ut wete e my ue le
f eet, t, eef, p,
e wll ftew e uet l ut emp . . .
F e wll tu e m wete e up
wtut p, g wtut eef. If y
m ul e te f ulwful, te
e e wll t e t pee efe G, we e et
ete l e mm tul, wle t u
t m tt e ul ut y ee e
f. If e ggle t weet we, e wll t wt
le ee ee flt we, flly e
wll t e tu wte f weete lee t
te wte.”2
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 129
Second, this approach assumes that God needs our money.
T ul me upe t yu, ut He e t.G ete te wl wt ut w elp fm y
f u. He me eug f f 5,000 fmle wt ut
fe le tw f. He ue te “tw mte” f te
ww t me t te et f te . He me
mey ppe f’ mut we He ee t. Weee
He ee, He peue Kg Cyu t py f teeulg f Jeulem. Belee me, He’ t t mey.
He w te ttle tu ll ell y f
tem weee He wt. At pt e He ee pp
u f He needs u eue t get H e.
Tt’ t t y tt He ’t me te u
-le H m. It etly tue tt He put
t te f te u te mtel eue He pl
t ue t g lt t te wl. But wle G ue u
geety pt f H pl, tt’ ffeet t mplyg
tt G ee u mey t get te e.
Third, this position ends up being, for all its spiritualized
language, a form of “compulsory” giving. We e e y gult
ge t llete t. Gpel-etee gg, y tt,
teze y feem. We ge yful epe t te
ge f Ct eue tee tg we’ te wt
u mey t glfy Hm ee H gm me
te et.
Te New Tetmet ge t metulu legt t
peg mut elee ul ge. F exmple,
te gpel f Lue, t let tee tme Jeu mme
ffeet mut.
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130 GOSPEL
• I Lue 18:22 Jeu tlg t yug ule
w t f mey Jeu y t m, “Gewy all f yu mey—eey pey! A me
fllw me.”
• I Lue 11, Jeu efeg t w me peple
ge He y, “Yu tte” (w gg
wy 10 peet) He y, “T g” (Lue
11:42).• Hee Lue 19:9 Zeu ge wy 50 peet
Jeu y, “Tt ey g pe yu’e
ee e.”
F type A peple le me, u mguty e u zy.
“Well, w t, Jeu? I t 100 peet? O 10 peet? O
50 peet? Jeu, I ee x t e ff. Wt’ te extmut I e t ge t get ‘te gl t’?”
Te pt , there is no one answer . . . pt f gee-
ty mply t metg yu pue y etlg
t.
Fourth, this position is out of sync with a number of other
things the Bible teaches about God’s purpose in giving us posses- sions. G t ge u mey mply f u t ge t wy.
Plee ’t mtepet tt. G e pe u wt lt
f mey tt He e ee wt u t leege f te—
t ge t wy feely. But G te pupe gg u
mey ey gg t wy. Ag t Pul, G ge u
me mtel tg t ey He glfe we ey tem. Ay g fte le t elgt le wt gft;
u Heely Fte ffeet. We Kg Slm
tugt u tt g mey e puet, tt gly
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 131
me fte lee mey ee t te le’ le. S
let’ ele me t wt te pupe e.
The Generosity Matrix
We le ule, fmul, l--wte pep-
t. Wt mey, wee, te Ble ge u mpleme-
ty lue gpel-etee et l le.I f t let x ll pple ut mey tt
we ul l eeet te. Any one of these prin-
ciples, taken alone, will knock you out of balance . Hlg ll x
pple te, wee, le yu t extgt ge-
ety umle ppet f G’ g gft. Hee
tey e!
1. God gives excess to some so that they can share
with those who have less.
I 2 Ct 8:13–15, Pul ue te ty f te
m ge t te Ielte te wlee t expl
G ge exe t me we e t wt te. If my
wfe p my lttle gl ’ lu, e put tw we
t eue e ew tee w t l w
tg, we wul wt e t ge t wy we e w
ge te e. We ’t ee e t quel t wy e
tmw we fget t ge e lu. We w’t fget. G
e te me wt u. He ge exe t me f u ty
we e ty wt te ee ty. He w’t fget
ut u tmw.
Te Ol Tetmet tl umeu ple ut
elee’ eplty t te p. Jme y tt f we ee
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132 GOSPEL
te uffeg wtl u eue fm m, te
we e t elly peple f ft. At y tt ely u“tee w t eey pe mg tem, f my
wee we f l ue l tem ugt te
pee f wt w l l t t te ptle’ feet,
t w tute t e
y ee” (At
4:34–35). Tu, te f u wt
eltely lt ul ge
feely t te wt lttle.
It’ peely why G ge
me f u lt. We’ll
e t we t Hm
f wt we wt u ue. Sg wt te p
t u uty u yful plege.3
2. Jesus’ radical generosity toward us serves as a
model and a motivation for our radical generosity.
I 2 Ct 8–9. Pul fute expl t te
Ct tt Jeu’ geety tw tem ul e te
ptte f te geety tw te.
A I e, Jeu t meely tte H l;
He ge ll f t. A G ee u lty t e mey
ge u gete pt f pwe, we ul leege
tt pwe mey le Jeu —t t ee u
t f lg, ut t ee u t f gg. We
ul t f lfe le Jeu , Pul y, w leege
H pt H eue t e u te t ppe
Hmelf. Tu, we ul leege u ppety f te e
Those o us with
relatively a lot should give
reely to those with little.
It’s precisely hy God
gave some o us a lot.
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 133
f wl egelzt, t gete elf-ulgee. Pul y
tt G tully multple u fl eue for the purpose of eg u “ee f wg” (2 C. 9:10).
Hw y f u w e tte te extgt le f
Ct e tgy wt u eue? De’t H mp
tw u me u tully pe t elp te ee?
If we ee mee w ee tt we meet, w
u et t wt t elp tem? W’t we le te ftele, te ww, te ut-, te mele, e we
w tt we e wee ftele, etge fm te Fte,
le, ee f etel ept fm G?
Hw we y we le te t pu ut u le
tt te e? I w e g te gpel wt gl
me R. Afte tlg f qute me tme, e ,
“I ul’t elee wt yu elee. It wul we my lfe.”
I , “Wy?” Se , “If I elee wt yu elee—
tt my fe wee eme lt ul ly
e fu y eleg Jeu—I wul pp e f
tem— ft, eey pe-
I met— my
ee plead wt
tem t elee Jeu. I
wul ee tp pleg,
ee tp weepg, utl I
e eeye t
elee.” D we feel tt
wy ut te lt?
Pul, w tle
mu ut feem
te Ct lfe, y e
As God increases our
ability to earn money
and gives us greater
positions o power,
we should leverage
that power and money
like Jesus did—not to
increase our standard
o living, but to increase
our standard o giving.
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134 GOSPEL
felt “ue lgt” t te w e’t e ut
Ct (Rm. 1:14–17). G eele Hmelf t Pul ge; w ul Pul t yel lfe f te? Ae yu
leegg yu lfe f te Jeu leege H f yu?
3. The Holy Spirit must guide us as to which sacrifices
we , personally, are to make.
I te me Bptt Refme- le I u, peple e t extly ue, ptlly peg, wt
te Hly Spt does , ey egeetg u et
tg u f .
I’m t gg t ttempt t we te quet f wt
ll te Hly Spt e ee,4 ut I elee te Hly Spt
tely gue u. I ft, te e f geety, I epe
t. Hw I w w pte f ee I ul
leege my lmte eue f?
I ’t e lt f ule e ’t ge tt
mu wegt t “ly ue,” ut I t tt te Hly
Spt t w u w f H m pte e f
u. Wtut tt gue, I’m t ue wt I wul . I’
feel le I w lle t eeytg.
Nw, g, t pple, f te y telf, wll le yu
wy. I ft, f yu ly ge eue te Hly Spt “tell
yu t,” te yu gg t ef lwg fm et f
gttue. Yu e ut fllwg e. Rememe, G
e’t wt peple w ge ly eue tey e tl. He
wt peple we et e up pteuly yfully
we tey e ge te e t e geeu.
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 135
4. God delights in our enjoyment of His material gifts.
I le t ge my tg tey ey. G etly ffeet; Sptue tell u G te ultmte Dy
(Lue 11:11–12). He le t elgt u wt ll f
leg. Pul y 1 Tmty 6:17, fte emg te
f te eplty t e geeu, tt t “G,
w ge u ly ll tg t ey” (nkjv). G ge u
mtel leg gft, He glfe we we ey tem. Sptue me t pt ume f ple. F
exmple,
• Plm 104:15 y He ge f we (fut
ue f u Bptt) t gladden our hearts , t ut t
u u e. A Out te glfe Jeu.
Pe G.
• I J 2:1–11 t y tt Jeu ete elly g
we t te weg fet C. He ul e
e te wtee w, ep uffet, “w-
tme” we. (Ag, f yu fellw Bptt f wm
t we lgy lt , t wul e le gg t
weg eept wt Jeu wee tey u ut f te lttle m we, Jeu me pme
mp uffet te ple.) Te pt
tt Jeu pe g tuff f peple t te pty
eue He loved H Fte’ et ew tt
by enjoying it we glfy G.
• I Neem 8, we te peple wee weg w t expe te gttue f “eeg” te
lw, te ft epe w t weep. But Ez
Neem corrected te peple, , te, “G
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136 GOSPEL
ey e f weet , e
me t te w e tg pepe. T y e t u L. D t gee, f te y f te
Lord yu tegt” (8:10 niv). G wte tem
t expe te gtefule t e tug
lavish pty. Cul’t tey e ut gwe
u egetle wte ge te
et f te mey t te p? Of ue. But t tmmet G wte tem t pty.
• We te wm te Jeu’ feet J 12,
Ju ete eue te pe f te pefume
pue ut e Jeu’ feet w $25,000, tt
lely ul e ugt lt f f f te p!
But Jeu e’t y, “Yu’e gt, Ju . . . My,
me , we’e w . . . yu ul ‘melt tt
tuff w’ ue t f w-ullet.” Rte, Jeu
elgte te extgt, ulle f, luxuu,
e-te-tp ply f le. Nw, yu my et
y, “But tg te feet f Jeu ffeet t
peg $4 mel mt f uele
we we ul wte te ge te
mey t m.” Of ue yu e gt, ut ’t
m te pt— Jesus recognized other uses for money
besides just evangelism and poverty relief.5
Ag, f yu te t pple pt fm te te
fe, yu wll get ut f le. “G ge me ly lltg t ey” “He e’t ee my mey” ely
e ue t utfy ulget, elf-eg lfetyle. But yu
( ul!) egze G’ ftely ge t yu
mtel leg.6
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 137
Yu ’t e t feel
gulty ut mg ltf mey. Yu ’t e
t feel gulty ut ey-
g me f te leg
f mey. Pul tt
t ly e w w
t e e; e l ew w t u (Pl. 4:11–13 kjv). Sme Ct eem t
w w t e e, ut t w t u. We mut le
t eee t uffeg ppety fm G’ .
Ly Oe y, “We G ‘Am’ me (lee me
wt ppety), I’ll ge Hm t, ey t, e t
geeuly; we He ‘J’ (te Ol Tetmet ppet)
me, te I’ll t Hm, tut Hm, ey my elt-
p t Hm. By G’ ge, I w t w t e e
w t u. I ll tg tug Ct w
ge me tegt.”7 I t t peely wt Pul met
tt ee.
5. God, not money, should be our primary source of
beauty and security.
My f u e up mey eely f “y y”;
te pe mey fluly t que te mt up-t-te
ttu yml etue mft. F te fme, mey
te pmy ue f euty; f te ltte, te pmy
ue f euty.
T te w ee mey te euty, Jeu y,
“Ce te f te . Tey ’t e mey, yet G
te e f tem” (Mtt. 6:26, ut ppe). G
Scripture tells us God
is the ultimate Daddy
(Luke: 11:11–12). He
loves to delight us with
all kinds o blessings.
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138 GOSPEL
te e f yu ette t mey ee ul. S ’t wy
ut tmw, eue G ette euty t mey. T te w ee mey te euty, Jeu y,
“Ce te flwe f te fel. Tey ’t pe lt f
mey, yet G me tem eutful . . . ee Slm
gly y w t petty te flwe!” (Mtt. 6:28–29,
ut ppe).8 I te w, G wll euty,
gfe, eymet t yu lfe tt mey t.S yu ’t e t pe ll yu mey g te tg
t yu lfe. Let G e yu euty euty.
We we lge ee mey u pmy ue f
euty euty, we naturally wll e me t ge wy.
Ct w wp
G, t mey, ee
mu le fm te wl
t e ppy eue.
Tey , we le t
y u u u,
le sufficiently ge
extravagantly .
Futeme, Jeu l tl u tt f we uet wt
w mg te euet, we’ ee eely teue
mu we etmet t etly e. I te euet
we wll expeee te leg f et t te fullet.
S we ’t e t get t ll w ee. Wt we m ut
w ee, we’ll expeee te euet e f up
tee. S yu ee get t te t t te Alp? Bg
el. D yu w wt te euete e f te Alp
gg t l le? If Jeu’ euete y w egzle,
ul e tue, et f, ut ul l wl tug wll,
Christians who worship
God, not money, need
much less rom
the world to be happy
and secure.
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 139
wt te et f euete et gg t l le? Yu
ply w’t ee e t fly up tee t g ee te Alp. Yu ply w’t e t fly ple t ll.
Yu’ll ply f ly yuelf. S Jeu llege u t t
lttle fte ut et u eue wy tt ep
e f etety (Mtt. 6:19–22). A Ry Al y,
yu ’t te y f yu mey wt yu we yu e, ut
yu e lt f t e f yu.9
A G’ Kgm eme u teue, yful gee-
ty eme u tul epe.
6. Wealth-building can be wise.
G y t OK, ee llly we, t ul welt.
Ce tee le tut Pe:
• “Te w f te we te welt.” (14:24)
• “Welt ge tly wll wle, ut wee
gte lttle y lttle wll ee t.” (13:11)
• “G t te t, O lugg; e e wy . . . e
pepe [ e!] e e umme gte
e f et.” (6:6–8)
Slm ge f Pe 13:22 t y tt we
m lee ete tt lee ee gl-
e! Tt’ petty gft w f tt G expet
me elee t e wt.
I ft, ulg welt tully increase yu lty
t e geeu. Hg mey llw yu t e
tteglly geeu we te gt mmet e. Sme f
te elet Ct ue lge eug t l me
f te ft u meetg, w w g e tey wee
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140 GOSPEL
e ut f eey te flty. Te G Smt w
le t ge mey t te m ee peely euee ext.
Futeme, te mt pple f em tt
mey ete mey. Tug te mpu teet tt
umulte zle g, yu ge me wy e
lfetme f yu et me f yu mey wely t yu
ul y mply g yuelf f ll f t yu gett. Pe tee tt, e Jeu te “ple f
te tlet” (ee Mtt. 25:14–30). Tu, metme te et-
met f pt f yu mey me geeu e
t gg t ll wy.
Nw, g, f yu el t pple le ( t
te wt te te), t wul le t te g f
welt, metg Sptue lely em (Jme 5:1–5).
We mut le eple g wt geeu gg.
Peple e yg now, we mut e geeu t tem w,
t ut t u et.
Clely, wee, te Ble te yu e mey
G-g wy.
How Much Should Christians Give?
Yu’e ee wtg f te ttm le. Flle um
tue le lw, eue we le elf-utft. But lw
eep u fm elg wt te el ue—u et. Te lw
ee t pe t—wete tt’ gg 10 peet; “gg
wy ll te exe”; “lg t te ege Ame ue-
l ly gg wy eeytg e tt”; ug
PC te f M; g Flge te f Stu,
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 141
et. Lw pe ely. But te gpel wte et te
temptt t eue Ctty t lw. Tey fu teet.
Tt’ wy, I elee, te Ble ge u te mtx f
tee x pple lee tem, me wy, uele.
Tee x pple wll ll e t w gpel-tute
et. S, let’ et te temptt t pefty wee
te Ble e t. Te gge quet tt we mut ut mey e
et quet, le tee:
What does your spending show that you delight in?
We yu get ext mut f mey yu wee’t
expetg, e yu et ft g t wt yu wt t uy
f yuelf, te elt lt t pe f
te? Wt e yu peg w tt yu elgt ?
Te lg l t yu e. Wt e tt
e f expetue w tt yu le?
What does your saving show you find security in?
W yu tut t te e f yu te futue? D
yu ee t e so much? Peple e uffeg now— G
ge yu eue w t elp tem. Cul we t e
metly ge wy extgtly? Ct we epe
te G w pe f u ty l t te e f u
tmw?
Whose kingdom are you building?
Te mt fumetl quet eey ple f Ct
mut melf w gm primary puut.
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142 GOSPEL
Qut tg mu
ut te mut yu’egg t te
ut te gm yu’e
puug. Fllwg Jeu
me eeg yu lfe
ee t e plte f
G’ gm.S, yuelf: What have you done with the majority of
your resources up to this point in your life? How are you leverag-
ing your talents now for God’s kingdom? What have you spent the
majority of your money on thus far? Where does the bulk of your
treasure lie?
Awakening from “the American Dream”
to “the Gospel Reality”
Ame Ct e le ultue tute y
metg we e lee t ll “te Ame em.” Te
Ame em , t eee, g tg. It w te
pme f feem—te feem t puue lfe ppe-
ty wtut gemet etl ett.
I m ey gteful t le uty tt me t
ey t eme eltely welty. I’e le ee ue
ttp te
plety f Cmmut
ute. Belee me, I
le te Ame em.
But ple f
Jeu, wt mtte mt
The most undamental
question every disciple o
Christ must ask himsel
is which kingdom is his
primary pursuit.
As a disciple o Jesus,
what matters most is
what I do with the wealth
that the American
dream has aorded me.
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ExT RAvAGAnT GEnEROSIT Y 143
wt I wt te welt tt te Ame em
ffe me. Jeu t put me ee et t puue elf-eeft. He put me ee t leege my leg, lug
te Ame em, f te pupe f te gpel.
Peple w e wtut Ct g t ell fee. Te ly
wy tey e ut te gpel tug u. We e
ttle, te ulte e el. We mut we fm te
Ame em t gpelelty.
We’e ly gt e lfe
t le, t tme t
le t. Tu, we ul
leege u le f ll
tey e wt. A t
ut t, ely: S
we t efe Kg Jeu, we wll ge ut f
wt we wt wt He ple u .
D we e te te eue pe t u y S
w le e f u fll u le wt pe
plege tt mply me u le me eyle?
I’ llege yu t py te t pt f Te Gpel
Pye e yu eue, te fllw wee G le
yu.
I’ll w yu: pyg t pye wt ety ge-
u. It ul lly lte yu lfe. But Jeu, te gpel,
lt peple ll e te wl e wt t.
h
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
Soon we stand beore
King Jesus, and we will
give an account or what
we did with what He
placed in our hands.
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145
CHAPTER 9
urget Missio
Te gpel mpel u t ep t te Ct
epe t u. Tt’ wy we py: “As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
We’e ee w tt ft ge w we fge te,
e w t mpel u t yel u eue f te
leg. I wt t tl w ut w t pue u ut t te
e f te et.
We I ft ueee t Jeu, I tl Hm I’ wt-ee He e me t . All I eee w me tut.
I ept wtg f me f “Dmu R” expe-
ee—wee G e me ut f my tl me
te pl, t let pelle ut my Cee wt He
wte fm me. Smetg le, “J.D., te te gpel t
Afgt.” But tg le tt ee me. N gt
lgt. N e. All my Cee ee pelle ut w
“oooooooooooo.”
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146 GOSPEL
S I e ee pt I tugt I’ e g t gt
wt t. But ug my u ye f llege, I w etey Rm 2:12, “F ll w e e wtut te lw
wll l pe wtut te lw, ll w e e
ue te lw wll e uge y te lw .”
I Rm, Pul ly ut e wy ft Jeu
eey f lt, w peple e t e ut Jeu
e t put ft Hm, w we e te ly etey e t fm. I Rm 2:12 Pul expl tt ee
te peple w e’t e ut G mut we t
Hm, eue G eele Hmelf uffetly t tem
tug te ee te ple f te et.
Tey my ee e e te me f Jeu, ut tey w
tee G, tey e eete H utty H
gly. We ll, elgu elgu le, e eete
G. Beue f tt, we ll t eme. Tu, Pul
lue, u ly pe ueee “e e,”
tt me y eg te gpel.
It t ee wt ppee tt mg
I e tt ee. It w f tt tut uely eme el.
I uet t, efe, pptlly, ut f te ft
tme my lfe, I felt te wegt f t. It w lmt le we
yu e tg t e f te “mg eye” 3-D ptue tt
uely ump ut t yu we yu yu eye ut gt.
Te elty f wle t f peple peg, g ee
e ut Jeu, gppe my ul.
Yu ee, t mt, e t f u wl Ct.
Tt’ f yu ut eeye w lm t e Ct.
Tt me at least 4.5 ll peple e, y te w m-
, -Ct teefe epte fm G. Te
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 147
Ju Pet, Ct m ee gzt,
tell u tt f tt 4.5 ll, t let 2.25 ll e lttlet e t te gpel.
2,250,000,000. Individuals.
It’ ey t get lt tt ttt. Jep Stl e ,
“Te et f e tgey. Te et f mll ut
ttt.” Tt’ llg ttemet mg fm m-
m, ut tee’ me tut t. Sttt ewelm. But we we e fte wt te et f ul, we
feel mp, eue we ee tt pe eflet f
uele. We etfy wt te p.
Tee 2.25 ll e peple ete te mge f G,
ut le yu me. Tey e te me ee, wt, ut,
ee yu I e. E e mee’
ugte. My e mee’ mm . Tey w wt
t le t e lely f. Gg t ell f tem eey
t te tgey tt t wul e f yu me.
A te wegte
f 2.25 ll people lt
wtut G pee
my ul, I felt le I
w ufftg. I ut t
tee, peele.
It ’t eem gt t
e gg ut my lfe, puug my em, wtg
G t tell me wt t . We w wt He wt u t .
Imge yu wee wlg y l t yu me
up yug l lyg te t, ut, ule t
me. Yu e t mg te te. If yu p te
l up, yu wll eue m; f yu t, e wll e. Wt
Going to hell or
them is every bit the tragedy that it would
be or you or me.
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148 GOSPEL
yu ? D yu get w yu ee, py G
wt H wll , wt f wm, fuzzy feelg fm-g tt t H wll tt yu eue te l? Of ue t.
Yu w wt G’ wll . Se te l.
I elt t te
uee peple gup
f te wl, we w
wt G’ wll : “TeL t . . . wllg
tt y ul pe ut
tt ll ul me t epete” (2 Pet. 3:9 nkj). Peple
tl ut “fg” G’ wll. It t elly “lt.” H wll
tt lt peple e ut Jeu eme e.
Tt mg, fte y tt elty, I tee
pt:
1. I could deny it . I ul ey te pl teg
Rm tt peple e lt utl tey e ut
Jeu elee Hm. Pg g wt
yu wt t elee fm te Ble lle “le-
lm.” Yu fm te Ble t ft yu pelpefeee. But te Ble t uffet wee yu
te wt yu wt lee wt yu ’t. Yu
I ’t uge te Ble; t ul uge u. Te pt f
lelm e e.
2. I could ignore it. I ul put my e te
ge te ft tt ll f peple u me wee lt. I ul g ut my lfe, lettg Jeu
te me t ee gg me fulfllmet
meg. But w ul I tt w, wg wt
I w? Igg tut e’t ge t.
People talk about
“fnding” God’s will. It is
not really “lost.”
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 149
Sly, I elee, t wt te t mty f
te egell u g wt te wlegeut ee ell. We g ut u le f
ell wee t el, le tee e t 2,250,000,000
peple w e e f eg te gpel
exept tug u. We ply wle peple pe.
3. I could embrace it. I ew t wul e l.
It wul le t mt eett f my lfe.
I e ume 3. Tt mg my pye ut wt
t wt my lfe ge fm, “God, if You spell out in my
Cheerios for me to go, I’ll go,” t “God, here am I. Please send me.
Use my life, to the greatest extent possible, to bring salvation to
others.” I elee tt te pye eey ple f Jeu ul
py. Ou pye ul t e “G, f Yu me pel
ppel f me t metg ut te lte f te
wl, I’ll t.” Tt’ f eele pye, eue He
ley tl u wt He wt f te wl. Ou pye
w ul e tt G gue u t u pef le. Wete we ul e le te Get Cmm
lge te quet. How we ul e le te
quet.
G wee my pye y llwg me t pe tme
ee e f te uee peple gup f te wl,
w He’ llwg me t pt u tt e utue f tuet yug ult e ye t te te
me f Ct wee He t w.
Eey ple f Jeu ul G t ue e
lfe mxmlly f H gm. Oee m wll
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150 GOSPEL
t e G’ we f eeye. But f we e elly
expeee te gpel, te we’ll e g G t ue u H m. We wll y metg le t: “L, let
my lfe e ee f te, le Yu w f me, plte
t te gu. Let my em e tt te mgt le.
Sw me w t et et my lfe f Yu t f me.
As You have been to me, I want to be to others.”
T ut t: Hw ul we t py tt? Wee wul you e wtut Jeu? Ag t Pul, yu’ e t
extly te me ple tt lt f peple te wl e
f yu efue t eme
te t (Rm. 10:14–17).1
Mt Lute tt
t wul’t mtte f Jeu
e tu tme
f e ee e ut t. We e te ly wy tey e
ut t.
Nw, let’ ememe ee, let we le uele wt
ue we ’t y, tt te w f lt, fm tt t
f, G’ w. G ’t ly te Get Cmm
u ule f He expete u t g mpl t f
Hm. Jut He te ly e w e, He’ te ly
Oe w empwe upple f te m. Ee fte
Pul l ut te e tt peple ly e e f we
pe t tem, e y, “A w ll tey pe, ule
tey e sent ?” Nte, e e’t y, “A w tey e
ule we go?” But, “Hw tey e ule we are sent ?”
Pul tll l eew f te mpletg f te t.
Te Hly Spt t te eg efe te gg e
y g. Te Hly Spt t u, mm u,
Where would yo be
without Jesus?
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 151
eue u. He’ll ue u u tuff te pe, ut
’t fue H g t through us wt Hm tellg u tt we e t t for Him. He ge u pme, tt He wul
ul H u tug u, t ge tt we wee t
ul t f Hm.2
Tt , te ew te ytem f eg, gg,
peg, eg, eleg ’t wt y flue
G’ pt t “e.” It’ wt u “gg.” We we peetuele t G wllg ge, et ue tt He’ll e
wllg See.
Tt’ wt I tt mg my m m:
I peete myelf t G e t e ue y Hm.
I e t e te ee put te gu t e. F egtee
ye w G wee tt pye. Tt lue
ee gmet well me te teet.
We yu py te t pt f Te Gpel Pye,
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others,” e pepe f
G t le yu t metg exty. Be pepe
f l eett f yu ete lfe.
Our Freedoms versus the gospel
We ll e em ut wt we’ le t wt u
le. But e we wllg t let u em e tt G
ue u H gm?
Oe f my fte te fm Pul’ lfe ptue w
Pul le t wy (At 16:16–34). Pul ee put
Rm p, t f metg e wg ut f me-
tg e gt. He elee gl fm em
em expltt. Rte t eg ewe, wee,
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152 GOSPEL
e w ete, Rm-tyle, te mpe. But e
ly tee tt gt, wt pe, leeg wu,e eg t eflet te ge f G tw m
wppe Hm wt g.
I epe, G et etque. Te p wll
fell w, Pul’ fell ff.
He w fee m.
A t w G-ge feem t. Afte ll, ’tG te e w et te etque? Pul ew tt
G metme et gel t fee meege p;
He e tt f Pete ut few pte efe
(At 12). Wul’t t e ee ele t lue tt
w wt He w g ee t? Suely t w we
t pye!
Yet, Pul pepe t wl t te pe , e w
te te Rm le, wt w w, ut t ll
melf. Te ule te y w tt f Rm le
lt pe, f wtee e, e t py wt
w lfe. Pul w fee, ut e w te m .
De tme. Tee t Pul—wt G-ge
feem e , Rm pt te te.
Wt Pul ? He tue feem
wle t te p, yfully wllfully, e ul
e te gpel wt pt.
Te Rm le, ewelme y t wle equee
f eet, epe wt temulu quet, “S, wt
mut I t e e?” (At 16:30). I ’t elp ut e
te w te quet, “Wy, Pul? Wt wul
me yu t? Wy wul yu e ut me?”
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 153
Pul wul expl lte, lette t te u t
Plpp (w wul e w lue t Plpp l!) wy e wul metg le tt. Pul exple
tt e melf ee mtl ge we Jeu tue
H H feem e t eue m. Beue
Jeu etee t Pul’ ptty, t e m, t ly me
ee, te, tt Pul wul tt me tg f te
(Pl. 2:5–11). We le wl f pte, t pyl ptul.
We wee e tee uele.
Wee wul yu e f Jeu e t tew H
eue yu e tewg yu?
Wt e yu g wt yu lfe? Hw e yu
leegg yu eue, yu fee tme, yu
tlet t ee lt me t te?
He yu elute yu tlet, yu pptute,
leege tem f mxmum gm mpt? T t
ut te uty f elet, pelly-lle-ut few. Hetly,
metme I t we ete t wle lguge f “ll-
g” t m te ft tt mt Ct e t elly lg
ple f Jeu. Rl geety l mmt-
met t te m te epe f eey pe w
expeee te ge f Jeu Ct. Fllwg Jeu, eg
H ple, me lg He le. He leege H lfe
f te lt.
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154 GOSPEL
Ae yu ug yu gft, yu tme, yu pp-
tute t e yuelf, t le te wl wtte wlege f Jeu?
I ’t tell yu extly wt etg yu lfe f G’
gm wll l le. G put u melu y
f gft p t H y tt t l ffeet f
e f H fllwe.Mye yu le
mu, mu le t yu
me, ge te et
wy.
Mye yu ul ue
yu ue ll ee
ple wee Ct
t well-w. Mye
yu ul ete f
te tee.
Mye yu ul ge yu tme t ee te p yu
mmuty.
Mye yu ul me t p eg yu
w ty t e te peee f Ct tee.
Mye yu ul ge yu t tme t g m
tp u te wl.
Oe te lt few ye t u u I e ee peple
ep t te gpel te mt ele wy. I’e ee
peple eg fm g-pyg pte t me u
tff. I w f u, wfe, tw teege le
w e “te Ame em” wet t le
fumetlt Mulm uty. I’e ee peple ge wy
Sometimes I think we
invented this whole
language o “calling”
to mask the act that
most Christians are not really living as disciples
o Jesus.
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 155
etmet ppete we ul exp u mte. I’e
ee peple upt fm e eg t le gett.I’e ee llege tuet tu w eel-ue-
tu-ll ffe t g t u pltg. I’e ee
tuet wt fm m wt g eg ptetl t
e wt lw eg ptetl eue tey tugt t wul
me tem me ueful f te Get Cmm. I’e ee
te w t g-pyg leege tem fpul wte. I’e ee peple get le u tuet
le’ mte. T pt mt we w twety-fe
peple upt fm u u t g plt u
uee pt f wtw Dee, Cl. I’e ee
fmle pe up te me t efugee. We e wle
my f peple u u w e pte le fm
u te wl—t eue tey wee ule t e e
lglly, ut eue tey wte t f mee wt
Jeu e f tem.
Tee peple wt t e
metg t ly t te
feet f Kg Jeu we
He me g.
De ll f t u
l t yu? If , then
you’re getting it . Jeu
t me t me lgt
ltet t u lfetyle. He lle u t le f mpletely
ffeet gm. T p up H le le He .
Stp wtg G t tell yu t ffe yu lfe f te
gm. He’ ley e tt. Ite, Hm t w
yu how best t t.
Jesus did not come to
make slight alterations
to our liestyles. He called us to live or a
completely dierent
kingdom.
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156 GOSPEL
I py tt yu’ll eme te lte f te wl
ege yu lfe lgt f t.
“But you are the only Christian I have ever known!”
F tw ye I ee u plte Sutet
A. Te lt et I tee, lmt te ye g,
left elle m my lfe.
A Ilm fe, wm I wll ll Ame, met y g-ye. He ee my et fe tee. He
efee me t ey lely tme my lfe f tw
ye, we tle, telle, tue, f e tgete.
I te ume f tme t g up Jeu t m,
ut Ame eeme ege t lee te uet le. He w
mmtte Mulm I ee met. He w f
le Ilm “yut pt,” luteeg fte
t ee ueplege tee. We I wul tl
ut Jeu, e wul mle y, “Yu e g m f
ft. Yu wee Ct uty yu
te ft f yu pet. I w Mulm uty
I te ft f me. Yu wee Ct
wll e Ct. I w Mulm I wll e
Mulm.”
Aut wee efe I left, I ew I t e e me
et wt m. S, I t m w pue my
et ut. I tl m tt, g t te Ble, ly te
w e elee Jeu Ct f te fgee f te
ete G’ gm. F fftee mute e t
pltely ltee. He te te me f my fep
left.
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 157
I t ee m g utl te y I w pepg t
etu me. A few mute efe I w uppe t lee, eme t y g-ye. I ul tell metg w m,
I e m ut t.
“Ou et fm wee g,” e . “Afte we
tle, I tugt ut w mu I ppete yu f tellg
me etly wt yu elee. But te I ’t t
mu f t . . . ‘He Ct; I m Mulm,’ I tugt,‘tt w e f u w , tt w t lwy
wll e.’
“But ee y fte u et I em.
“At ft I tugt t w e f te em tt me
we I et py f. But I’e te f em. T
w ffeet . . . I my ‘em,’ I w tg et
uely, pe efe my feet w te ‘tgt w
wy’ leg t ee.3
“A I le up lg t ptwy t ee,” e
, “ you wee t! Yu e t ee’ gte, ut te
wy e w le y uge, . I tugt t
myelf, ‘Tt wee uey e. W te pwe
t pe te ?’ But te, I wte, mee fm
e ew yu, tey lle yu me. Te te
wug pe we f yu, yu wet . . . te my
et e eue I elly wte t g wt yu. But te,
te pee g yu me ut, wle
w te pt lttle wy, tete yu ut t
me w ee et. A yu pulle me up t ee wt
yu. D yu t G tyg t tell me metg?”
I wul e plem tepetg t e.
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158 GOSPEL
F te ext u I wle m tug Rm
At, wg Hm w Jeu, te G-m, me tet, le u uttute, e u et, e g,
ffee lt t ll
w wul elee.
Wt e ext
metg I ee,
ee fget. He , “Iknow wy All ge me
tt em. He w tell-
g me tt yu wee et ee y G t w me te pt
tt le t ee. Yu wee t te me G’ wy
expl t me H Injil (gpel). But ty, my fe, yu e
gg me, we wll ply ee ee e te g.
Yu e te ly Ct tt I w. W wll te me
te wy f G?”
I wul le t tell yu tt e eme elee. Sly,
e t, , t my wlege, e t.
We le wl f Ame. Tey e t ume.
Tey e ul.
He yu elly tugt wt tt me f u?
We t pete t’ t tue. Smee e Cle
Spuge e f tey tugt peple w ee e
ut Jeu ul e e. H epe wet metg le,
“I ’t elee tey e, ut te ette quet “How
could those of us who have known Jesus and failed to take Him to
those who have not heard possibly be saved?”
I e ty eel ye g ut m w w
g w tette ute f L Agele lte
e eeg. A gft etque umle tug te
You are the only
Christian that I know.
Who will teach me the
way o God?
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uRGEnT MISSIO n 159
eg te m pulle e t te e f
te t wt t ut. Te etque w eee ut efte few e. S, te m pulle t te
, t left t ge, eg t e. Aut
lfwy te ge e te te tllgt f te
ft f m ppe. He tppe , gt ut,
elze tt et f te ge flle ut ug
te etque. Te ft f m e t tem, t full pee, plugg ely 75 feet t te wte
elw.
Te m tue u, elze tt eel me
wee ee tw te e. He eg t we
m ftlly. Peple g ge ute f L
Agele t 3 .m. e t lely t tp f wt l le
zy pe te e f te , e wte fu
e pt, plugg t te et elw.
He te w lge u mg tw te e. He
me up m tt f tt u w gg ff te ge, t
t te m wt t. S e t te pt we
m. Te u e t fle t lgt, ut te
m wul t me. Te u e gt ut, w te ge,
gle te u me ul g pt.
Wt wul yu e e f yu ee te e t
e te e te ge? Yu ply wul e
e ut wt tt m —ptely ple f peple
t tp.
Peple te wl w t w Ct e ee
f etut f we t tt peete y te flle
ge. Mll me e ee tee w.
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160 GOSPEL
Eey y yu ul t ut wt Ct ge up
tt yu wul t pe. Te, yu ul G t elp yu f te wt He e f yu.
Ag, I’m wg yu: t geu pye. It wll
le yu t me l ge. S I llege yu t py t:
h
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
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161
CHAPTER 10
Epect Great Thigs
we w te lt tme yu pye f metg tt tu-
lly ppee? Mye t’ ee wle. But t t ttmmet, let me yu te quet: We G
me, were you surprised ?
S f t gpel pye we e ee (1) te
feee f G’ epte f u, (2) te wegte tt
ul e wt u, (3) w t ll f l epe
f geety tw te. I t fl pt f Te GpelPye, we’ll ee w te gpel me u t uu ft
get ttempt elf f te Get Cmm.
Hee t :
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
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162 GOSPEL
Jeu ge petty emle pme t H ple
J 15. He tt f we “em Hm” (.e., e H le), we ul wtee we wt t wul e
ge t u. If we le wt wee f H le for oth-
ers , te f pwe pye we ul tp t wul lw
u m.
A few ye g I w g tuy f te m mle
Sptue. I te mt f tt tuy I te metg I’ ee ee efe. Mt f tee mle t ppe
eue mee w tg et, pe mm
fm G. Mt ppee eue mey peee
wt G ply wte t ptul tut
e Hm t t. Te tte f te mle eg
wt tem.
A get exmple f tt te ty f S, Me,
Aeeg.
I e yu’e ufml-
wt tt ty, ee’
qu eew f te plt:
Kg Neuezz
t, lg, egtt-
l g w ugt
tgete eeye
gll gm tey
w w t ety-ft ttue f melf, eue
e w tll lttle ete ut te ft tt peple me
fu f tge me ll tugut mle l. (Sme
lee tepett ee te.)
S, Me, Aeeg efue eue tey
w tey ly w w t te G f Iel. S, we
Most o these miracles
did not happen because
someone was acting
on a direct, spoken
command rom God.
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ExPEC T GREAT THInGS 163
te mu tt, tey ’t w. Tey t ut le ee
t te pe.Neuezz ll tem up ft f eeye
t expl wy tey e efy utty. He te
wl’ mt pweful ule fey fue t
t up.
Te eply lwy tgue me. Tey pe wt
uu mxtue f etty uetty ut G’ plt ele tem:
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the
burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your
hand, O king.” (Dan. 3:17)
Tt u petty et tt G ut t me-
tg petul t w Neuezze w g.
But te tey y,
“But if not . . .” (v. 18)
Wt? Wt mute, wee’ te fee g?
Tey e fet tt G wt t w
Neuezz te et f te wl tt He te ly
tue G. Yet, tey e gutee tt G wll tt
y eleg tem. He mgt t y elpg tem uffe
well te p. But tey w He’ll metg.
Wy wee tey ue G wul ue t pptuty
t w ff tt He w te e, tue G? Well, tee’
lttle pe t te egg f Del 3 tt ul t
yu ttet. It y tt Neuezz gtee
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164 GOSPEL
tgete peple f eey “te, tgue t.” T w
te ft tme ll te t e ee gtee tgetee te tteg t te Twe f Bel. (Befe te Twe
f Bel, eeye pe te me lguge; t Bel
G e tem up t lguge ttee tem.)
A w tey e ee gtee y egm et
elf-wp. G tt He wul gte te t
u t wp Hm.S, Me, Aeeg ew tee w
wy G wul let Neuezz tel H pt. S
tey e G t w te t tt He w te ly
Oe t e wppe tug tem. A t ppee.
Neuezz tew tem t te fey fue, ut
tey wle ut ute. Eeye ew tt G, t
Neuezz, w te wl’ tue Kg.
Take a Dare on God
A te y te uet eply t Neuezz,
S, Me, Aeeg t ee pme
tt G wul w up te tem y elee.
Tey ut t e G. T ptte eem t e te
m we G me te Ble.
T ut D ppg te fel t fgt Glt.
Nwee 1 Smuel we f G pullg D e t
tell m w t’ ll gg t g w: “OK, D. Hee’
wt’ gg t ppe . . . Yu’e gg t e t g f
Glt tlg m, yu e t g ut tee wt
lete tp fe mt te . . . yu pyg ttet,
D? I f e mt te. Te . . .” N, D mply
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Ex PECT GREAT THInGS 165
w tut wee e ew wt G wte t ,
e t e G t t.I’m ug tt lguge f “e” tetlly. We
te le f Iel etee t te Pme L,
G t tem: “Be
tg ugeu . . .”
(J 1:9). I Egl, “e
tg” and “ugeu”u eut. I
Heew, wee, te tw
pe e ffeet. Te
e f “e tg,” te metg le “e g.”
G wte tem t e fet eug Hm t te
e Hm.
Cle, ft-flle tge te f Ju,
e ut tt. He pte t uquee mut
ttle tug etue, “I wt t que tt
mut f G.” A te e le up te mu-
t wt wle, g gt-tl tg me
(J. 14:11–12).
A few ye ele, Ju fu melf ttle
w e tugt e eee lttle me ylgt t f
te . S, e e G t me te u t tll (J.
10:1–14). Nwee te Ble G pme He wul
me te u t tll f Ju eee lge y. But
Ju e ywy. A G t.
Nt ly G “tp te u” f Ju, He e m
e y twg w “lge te fm ee tem
f Aze, . . . tee wee me w e eue f
te lte t te f Iel lle wt te w”
God wanted them
to be confdent enough
in Him to take a dare
on Him.
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166 GOSPEL
(10:11). Te pt: G le t fgt f H peple we
H peple uet wt H wll “te e” Hm t t!
If ytg, we ee t pple tefe te lfe f
Jeu.
A wm e u up e Jeu t tu te em
f H gmet. F twele ye e ee efle y
“ue f l,” metul flw tt me e pepetully ule. Se’ pet ll
e mey py,
ut e ul elp e.
Heg ut Jeu, e
tugt, I bet He can do
something . . . He has so much
power that just brushing His
clothing might heal me.
We eeye e wt e’ e, tey expet
Jeu t e gy. Jeu’ epe t e, wee, ytg
ut ge. He y, “Dugte, yu ft me yu well”
(Lue 8:48). Se elee Jeu’ mp, tt’
wt e fu.
Ply my fte pt f t ty tt Jeu’
tlly epe t e f He ’t ee e tl
f te elg pwe tt wet ut f H y. He y,
“Smee tue me, f I peee tt pwe ge ut
fm me . . .” (Lue 8:46). It lmt le elg umpe
fm H y eflex. Te pt? G’ elp flw
ut eflexely t te w peume up H ge
pwe.
God loves to fght or His
people when His people
understand what His will
is and “take a dare” on
Him to do it!
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Ex PECT GREAT THInGS 167
I te ty ee M 7, Getle wm,
epe y mt Jew, e Jeu t t em ut f eugte. Jeu’ epe t e t e te mt pltlly-
et ttemet ll te New Tetmet: “It t gt t
te te le’ e tw t t te g” (M 7:27).
Dog? Tt’ e’t eem ey e. Sme l ty t
fte wt Jeu y yg g ee me metg
me le “lttle puppy.” Mye , ut He’ tll efeg te g. A llg mee “g” tt y w ee
we t t wul e u, eue g wee ule!
Te wm upe. Se egze tt Jeu’
ttemet t l lu, ut ept f e
uwte. Se e’t pute e uwte f
Jeu’ ttet; te, e y, “Ye, L, yet ee te
lttle g ue te tle
et fm te le’
um” (. 28 nkjv). I
te w, “Jeu, tee
mu ge pwe
Yu tle, tt tee
ut upply ee
f g le me.”
Wow. Se put ll e
pe te mp
pwe f Jeu. A
e fu t w ee-
eg upply.
D’t m te pt. I ll f tee tut, te pe-
w eee te mle w t epg t “et
e” fm G. Tey mply peee te mp
The person who
received the miracle
was not responding to a
“direct order” rom God.
They simply perceived the compassion and
power o God, and then
asked God to act on it.
And God answered.
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168 GOSPEL
pwe f G, te e G t t t. A G
wee.Let me w yu e me ll exmple f t
f ly peumpt. T ut e f te mt mp-
tt mle te New Tetmet, I elee, f w we ee
mty.
A Ministry-Defining Miracle
Jeu tugt ll y te 5,000+ peple H
uee w ugy. S Jeu tue t H ple
e tem wt they tugt He ul . T w elly
ut “ tet,” te ptle J wte, “F He Hmelf ew
wt He wul ” ( J 6:6 nkjv).
A tet. S wt extly w He “tetg”? He wte t
ee wete t H ple uet w wllg
le He w t fee tt multtue.
Te ple fle t tet mely, f ue. Oe
ple tl Jeu t e tem wy. Ate gt f
tety metg le, “Ye, Jeu, get e . . . we
ul ll g get w f egt mt te pl
u mey we mgt e le t uy tem e le f
lm Ceez-It.” Jeu, wee, ptetly t te
fe mll le f e tw f f yug y’ lu
( Heew Hppy Mel) multple t tt tee wee
twele et full f lefte, e f e f te ple t
te me memet f te uelef.
Jeu we tem tt y tt tee w tge
H lty wllge t fee te multtue. Why was
He teaching them that? Beue f te et f te le tey
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ExPEC T GREAT THInGS 169
wee gg t e tg ft f ptully tg mul-
ttue, ee f te gpel, tey eee t w utw wllg le He wul e t fee te multtue
wt te Be f Lfe.
Jeu t ge. He tll wllg le t fee
te multtue. Wt He wt u t ly l f H
wllge, pye, elee H pwe t wl
epete ee.
Intercessory Faith
We te ept t u u lle “teey
ft.” Iteey ft me eleg Jeu’ wllg-
e elf f mee ele. My tme we ee tt w
“tee” we t “pye.” Itee pye,
f ue, ut peple metme t tt pye we t
le G’ CNN ew-te eel tell G u f
tuff He wul’t tewe w. Afte we py, G y,
“O . . . I e tt w gg . T f tellg
Me. Nw I g w fx tt.”
Iteey pye t fmg G elf f
mee ele; t eleg G elf f mey
ele.
Stly fte I left
Sutet A, te l
w I le w -
ge y tum tt
t te le f ely
200,000 peple. I etue
tee few mt lte
Intercessory prayer is
not inorming God on
behal o someone else;
but believing God on
behal o somebody else.
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170 GOSPEL
t te e, gy t G. Why, God? Why? You
could have spoken a word and sent a wave of salvation. Instead You sent a wave of destruction.
G pe t me tt e. Nt uly—ut lely.
He , “I wt t e we f lt, I wll. Tt’
wy I wt yu ee. Belee My ge My pwe,
teey elee we f My mp t t l.
G ple H peple tut wee He wt tem telee H ge pwe, teey eleg t t
te tut.”
Ou mt mptt w eleg.1 Belef ul
te pwe f te m f G. We e t elee G’
teee geety f lt peple, and ask accordingly.
No Shortage
Tee tge G’ wllge lty t
e. Te tge u uelef tt He mp-
te pweful te gpel y He .
D yu really elee
tt G mp-
te pweful
te gpel eel Hm t
e? De te ze f yu
pye eflet tt elef?
Reetly I w py-
g f my le, ptully uee y me llege
tey wee fg. I te mt f pyg I w flle wt
t ewelmg ee f God’s love f tem. It w petty
mzg tugt: G le my le ee me t I .
We are to believe
in God’s tenderness
and generosity or
lost people.
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Ex PECT GREAT THInGS 171
I Lue 11:11, Jeu t: “Wt fte mg yu,
f f f, wll te f f ge m epet?” Ay f yu pet ee tt? Yu yu
f w yu lp m le ? Of ue t.
Yet, Jeu y, “If yu te, w e el, w w t ge
g gft t yu le, w mu me wll te eely
Fte ge . . .” (. 13). Evil petty tg w t ue t
ee u eltp t u le. Mt f u le ule. But mpe t G’ le f tem, u le eem
“el.” G le my le, wmee I m pyg f,
me t I ply mpee.
D yu py wt ee f G’ get le f te f
wm yu wee pyg?
Wt wul yu pye l le f yu elee tt
te elly w te meue f G’ mp f
mee?
We Cle Spuge wul py f peple
gegt, e felt tt teee. He wul fte te up,
gpe y, y metg le, “G, I t e
t ee my le uffe. Hw Yu e t ee Yu? If
I ul elp tem, I wul. W’t Yu w mp ee
t Yu l?”
Cle Spuge w lly “me t lm t”
telg. He egze tt metme G y “”
t u pye, eue metme G ette pl
t pyl elg t te mmet. But tt ’t eep
m fm eg te teee f G f peple e
pye. Spuge el up G’ ge efe G
elee G’ pwe t tut.
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172 GOSPEL
I te ext pte, I’ll expl lttle me fully w yu
el wt uwee pye, ut uffe t ee t y ttu fee te mp pwe f G ul
t e ffete we He
e’t we u pye
le we t He ul.
Te te meue
f H mp, te euet te me-
ue f H pwe. We
we ’t uet wt
G g u -
umte, we l t wt we ee eele ut
Hm te . We tll w tt G good. He
e ut u, feel u p, ee weep we we weep
(J 11:35). He ette fte t H le t we e
t u. We ul eme tt we py.
So, Ask!
Tee eem t e lmt t wt G wll we
we peee H wllge t elp Hm t t.
A Jeu J 15:7, f we peee H le f te,
uet tt He me t ee e te lt,
tt He wt t g lt t e f te gly f te
Fte, te we “wtee [we] w,” He’ll ge
t t u.
Tee tge f mp G. Te tge
u wllge t elee tt mp.
What would your
prayers look like i you
believed that the cross
really was the measure
o God’s compassion or
someone?
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Ex PECT GREAT THInGS 173
The tragedy of wasted opportunity
Hee wegty tugt t e I le tpte: If G elly wllg le t e te
gpel te He , ey e He e’t pu ut
tt pwe eue yu I ee Hm t, e’t
tt me u eple, pt f, te l f mll
w mgt e ee e, ut wee’t, eue we ee
e?2
I w tt te Ble tee tt G eeg
G wll e ll He eteme t, t e wll e
lt (J 6:37, 39). But te Ble l tee u tt He
ple H pwe t u pl, t e elee y ft. He
wll l u utle f we fl t e t.
Hu Tyl, te get my t C, felt tintensely :
We e t wt Oe w L f ll pwe
mgt, we m t tee tt t t e,
H e ey tt t t e; wt Oe we
ugg W et u t eee tt
u y my e full, t pe u mut we, tt He
my fll tem. A we well t ememe tt t
gu G, w eee t ple H
lmgty pwe t te mm f eleg pye
l t lgtly te lgulte f te w
eglet t l temele f t f te eeft f te
peg. . . .
I te tuy f tt e W, I lee tt
t t ueful we, t elte ppel f
elp, ut ft eet pye t G t tut ft
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174 GOSPEL
le. . . . I ut ut tt f I pye f
fellw-we, te me f te L Jeu Ct,tey wul e ge. I ut ut tt,
we t u pye, te me f u gg ft
wul e pe, tt wul e pee
efe u uee pt f te Empe. . . . Te
ee f lgulte eme me me
tee. Smply eue I efue t f tem,te le t me fw, t g ut t
C: eey y te f tu tt l
wee pg t Ctle ge!3
Te gpel eel t u w wllg G t e. We
ul gly.
S wee G ple yu, we elf e
yu uppe t elee? D yu elze w mu pwe
lle, f we wul ly elee?
Mttew 13:58 e f te et ee te New
Tetmet. It y tt Jeu t my mgty w
Nzet “eue f te uelef.” It w t tt Jeu
w uwllg ule t w tee, t w tt tee w
e t elee Hm teey elee H pwe. I ee
wt tt t e f my ty, my u, my fmly.
I m fet t fu t wy t te
f mee we l ty G wt t tu upe
w. O mye G tg yu et t g t e f
te 6,600 uee peple gup. Mye yu wll elee
G’ mp f tt gup, tug yu ft te
lt wll eme elty. Mye yu e te ft elee
yu fmly, G wll ue yu ft t g te et
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Ex PECT GREAT THInGS 175
f yu fmly t Hm. Weee yu e, expet get tg
fm G, te ttempt get tg f Hm.4
Py wt te fee tt me fm te gpel:
h
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
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177
CHAPTER 11
“Bt if not . . .”
S, Me, Aeg me ut f te fue
wt ee te eyew tt. Ju exteepe f ylgt. Te wm wt te ue f l w
ele. Tee tg ge u fee G’ wllge
t elp u, teefe we lly py:
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
But ee’ te u quet: Wt f He y ? F
eey elee fm fey fue, tee e te mty
w e t f lme. S wt yu we te mty
flp? O yu fe eet te gpel? O yu teege
tu wy fm te ft? O G e’t el yu?
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178 GOSPEL
I’e tut wee I ul’t ee wy G wul
t ge me wt I w g f. My equet eeme t e le wt H pupe. S wy ’t He we?
“But if not . . .”
Te e te utg w tt S, Me,
Aeeg ue t lue te pee t Kg
Neuezz. Tey ew tt G’ pl mgt t
lue te elee, t let te ee w. Jut eue G e’t we yu pye te wy yu
t He ul e’t me tt He y le mp-
te y le tl. It e’t ee me yu me te
wll f G wt yu wee g f.
J te Bptt w Spt-flle m wt Spt-
fuele mty, ut mty ee (eemg) flue.
H ppulty e. N me le wee eg p-
tze epete Jew lee lge weg
efe H ppet e. He “eme get tg f
G,” e w eee.
Ft-flle pye Spt-flle mty t
lwy pue lge, mpee memet.
Te u I pt w fly lge e, we e
eeg me tuly G-ze tg ppe u mt.
P t t, wee, I le llege mty (t t me
u) tt I ee ue G w gg t ue t e
tu t te m fel. Tee wee ut 120,000
llege tuet wt ffty-mle u f te u,
I e G t tt wl-gg memet mg
tem. At te e f tw ye f ft-flle l, I ut
twety tuet my mty, mt f wm wee t ey
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“BuT IF nOT . . .” 179
mmtte t te u. Neele t y, t w’t qute te
At 2 expeee I ee pg f.Befe tt I pet tw ye peg Ct feg
uty, expetg He wul tu te t upe w f
H gly. I ly w tw peple me t Ct.
Tee e tme we yu G f metg He
e’t ge t t yu. S wt e tt me? Tt G
t fly pe t yu yu tugt? Te quet ut wy G llw tgey, el,
uffeg e wt ut telf.1 But w G feel
ut u, w He elte t u, ee fee et-
le te gpel. Wt I wt t elp yu ee t
pte w yu ep we G e’t t le yu
t He ul.
How to Respond When God Doesn’t Act
Wt yu we yu e g f get tg
g t G’ mp yu ’t eem t e
gettg we?
1. Keep asking
Jeu tugt H ple tt tee wee me tg
G wul ly ge epe t petet pye. T llu-
tte t, He tl ty ut y l et uge
w gte p ww e equet mply eue e
ye m t et ut t (Lue 18:1–6). He te tl u
tt pye metme we le tt.
I’m ue gl tt Jeu me t lgy, t me.
Cmpg G t pu, uut ule? Jeu’ pt w
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180 GOSPEL
t t mpe te Fte t uut uge, ut t contrast
Hm wt e. If ee uut uge wul gt pettt wm mply eue e efue t let t g, te uely
G wll py ttet t te petet equet f te l-
e tt He le. Lue y tt He tl H ple t
ty eue He wte tem t t ge up pyg.
My f te getet te te gm f G
me fte t le le te ee pemetly le. F exmple, te le “le” f gettg te
le f Iel ut f Egypt. Tey ee ley f
me t fu ue ye te tut w get-
tg we, t ette. Te le “le” f El t
emtte t A te le f Iel tt Je
w te tue G, ut El wet e ult lt
ywy. Te le “le” f Pul t get t Rme.
But e f tee get me f G ept g ept
eleg. H tey ge up pyg te tet u tey
wul e ffete te ty G tee t ge t tem
te eleet. Te ely u pye ll gt t get Pete
ut f p—eetly e ul met t pye meet-
g eetly w t eug.
Yu my t e gtte yu we yet, eep g.
Te wle lgy f g Jeu ue f pye Lue
11:9 efe t e: yu ’t p te e wt.
Kg me t t epetely. Pyg me g
epetely.
Pul ge u glmpe t petee pye
1 Ct 16:9, “A get effete pee
t me, and tee e my ee” (nkjv). Nt “ get
eeme pe t me, but tee wee my ee
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“BuT IF nOT . . .” 181
I lue t w le,” ut “ G pee get
and tee wee my ee.” Pul w te peee f ee, tle,
le pptu-
te t eep peg, t
gl t ge up. I ft,
Pul t e tl t quit
g f metg 2 Ct 12:9. G
flly et w me-
ge , “Pul, let
t e g. Yu’e t
gg t get t. Yu’e
gg t get ext ge te.”
I’ll e et wt yu: t e mytey t me. If t
G’ wll t ge u metg, wy t ge t te first
tme we f t? Wt le tt G e me tg
ly epe t petet, ueletg equet. S eep
g.
2. Understand that God often accomplishes His good
plan through our “unanswered” prayers
G wll ee ll f H g e. But He metme
e wy tt e myteu t u.
Heew 11 ee
tw gup f elee
w eee tw m-
pletely ffeet f
we t te pye:
Paul saw the presence
o adversaries,
obstacles, and closed
doors as opportunities
to keep asking and keep
pressing, not signals to
give up.
God does some things
only in response to
persistent, unrelenting
request.
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182 GOSPEL
. . . [some] through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced
justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war,
put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their
dead by resurrection. (vv. 33–35)
But tee wee l elee w:
. . . were tortured, refusing to accept release. . . . Others
suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and
imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two,
they were killed with the sword. They went about in
skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated.
(vv. 35–37)
Te e tw ey ffeet gup. But te wte f
Heew pt t t f tem exmple f ft
w w G ue t t mplete H w et:
“All tee, tug mmee tug te ft, t
eee wt w pme” (. 39).
I w wt yu e yg: “Plee, L, let me e
gup #1.” Me t. But G pupe f t. Bt e
pt f H pl. I e gup, G we ff H power
y gg tem wt tey e. I te te, He we ff
H value y lettg tem tetfy tt He w ette t lfe.
At te e f te y, G’ pwe t pmly ut
ty e yu ptul tut. It’ ut te gly f
H me et. Smetme He e tt y gg yu
ty e tle; te tme He e tt y lettg
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“BuT IF nOT . . .” 183
yu uffe t w wtg wl tt He ette t
ytg ele te et. T pfu mplt f e ptul tem
f elgu tugt gt w. Te -lle “ppety g-
pel” tee tt t ee G’ wll f H peple t e
p tule y wy. Ppet f u elef
ll peple t ee te eee f G’ leg mtel
pyl well-eg.Let me e lut: Te
ppety gpel le.
G e le t ge gft
t H le, He
elgt u uee.
But te getet ppety
t g ew ; t
wg Hm -
g lfe tt g gly
t Hm. Peg mege tt y f yu me t Jeu, He
wll me yu t ly wg, t le peple t lty
te t ft. It le peple t ue Jeu, t le Hm.
G glfe we peple get well, ut He’ l
glfe we peple e well. We ee t te ty
f S, Me, Aeeg. We tey me
fely tug te fue, Neuezz :
“Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,
who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who
trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and
yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any
god except their own God.” (Dan. 3:28)
Preaching a message
that says i you come to
Jesus, He will make you
rich is not only wrong, it
leads people to idolatry
rather than aith.
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184 GOSPEL
Neuezz ge gly t G t ly eue G
elee S, Me, Aeeg, ut euetey we tt G w me lule t tem t ee
lfe. Neuezz wul ee e ee le t ee tt
S, Me, Aeeg t ge tug te
fe. Suffeg put t elef te lue f G e ll
tg.
We ’t meue G’ mp y wete He
we u equet le we t He ul. We
meue G’ mp y te gpel.
We u umte me u wee G , we
u ul te G w ge Hmelf f u t te
.
Tt le t pple ume 3.
3. Never stop believing
It ey t elee te le pwe f G we
yu e eeg t mfete yu umte. Beleg
G’ le e, wee, we He’ t weg
pye te wy yu t He ul.
F ye, tet e e gumet gt
G e te peee f el te wl. It ge me-
tg le t: If there were a God who is infinite in love, He
would want to stop pain. If He is infinite in power, He could stop
pain. Therefore, since pain exists, God must not.
Pep yu’e e ml quet, ee elee:
• G, wy w’t Yu le my mty?
• G, wy e’t I me yet?
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“BuT IF nOT . . .” 185
• G, wy ’t my ue ppeg? I’ ue te
pft t le te!• G, wy w’t Yu el me?
• G, ’t Yu ee? Wy w’t Yu elp? D’t Yu
e? D Yu t le me?
I ’t we ll te “wy” quet, ut I w t:
We mut t etepet w G feel ut u e u
umte. Te ettle fee w G feel ut
u, te euet w u w mu pwe He
ug t g ut H g pl f u le.
Te l pt u t te mytee f w G
w. If tee wee ee tme we t le le G w
et el w tl, t w we Jeu, te up-
pe ele S f G, w eg ttue t et. Wew w tt tee w
ee tme we G
w more te e’
et. He w mpl-
g u lt tt
mmet. Smetg ttppee t e get -
ty f el tue ut t e te et pt f H pl. He
’t g lt epte te , ut tully through t.
Tt me He wg H getet pl ut ee yu
wt mmet t.
It ul’t e upg tt metme G’ getet w e ey u mpee gt w. If G’ w-
m g e me H pwe e me, e
t t me ee tt me f te wy He w ut H
le et mgt e ey my mpee gt w?
We must not reinterpret
how God eels about
us based on our
circumstances.
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186 GOSPEL
T ut w mu gete G’ pwe t yu. He
me te glxe wt w; yu ’t fgue ut w t gette l yu DVD plye t qut f lg “12:00.” If tt
mple t ll t w mu gete H wm t
u, e t t me ee t yu tt me f wt He e
my t me ee t yu t te mmet?
Beue f wt we le ut G fm te gpel, we
tut tt metme He gg H le t e u le ee we He e’t we u pye te wy
we wt Hm t. He u Fte, eue fte w
me t le tey metme y t l’ equet.
I te peu pte, we w w Jeu tugt u t
l t G le lg Fte. He e u, Lue 11,
t e wt we wul f u e u f pee
f f t et. Wul we ge m te? Well, w
ut: f yu yu f , wul yu ge that t
m? I pe t. Yu’ tell m because yu le m.
G ette we fte t u t we e t u
le. Smetme He y because He le u
gete pl t we mpee t te mmet. Mu
f te eg e te “’” I ge my tey ’t
uet yet. My fu-ye-l y, “But D, wy ’t
I put t f te lttle le te wll? It l le
t ft.” “Altetg uet” e tll lttle ey e,
I ut y, “F w, l, tut me. D’t put te f te
et.”
W gete? Te gp etwee my fu-ye-l’
uetg f elty me; , mine and God’s ?
S t me ee t me tt me f wt He e e’t
me ee t me. Yet metme G’ egte we t
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“BuT IF nOT . . .” 187
my pye e te mt lg tg He ul f me.
I’e e t t wy: “G metme we upye y gg u wt
we wul e e f
we w wt He
w.”
Te ttm le
t: We ul eege up pyg f G’
pwe t e t u
le, ut t te e f te y we et te le f G
emtte t te , ee f we ’t ee w t eg
mfete t te mmet u umte.
4. Abide in Jesus
Uwee pye fte pe yu te pptuty
t e wete t Jeu elly eug f yu. A
we’e lee, “g Jeu” me, ltelly, “mg u
me H le f u,” t f pe te g pl He
wg tug u, ee
u p. T f t-
ft H peee
wt u, ee we we
e tg ele.
T mg I
eft wt fe wt wm I ge t emy.
Tee ye g e w ge wt leuem. Eey m-
ty em e w te wy. He tl me tt e ly
ptl m, e w fe t melf f
Jeu elly w eug f m. If e ee e
God sometimes answers
our prayers by giving
us what we would have
asked or had we known
what He knows.
We should never give up
praying or God’s power
to break into our lives.
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188 GOSPEL
f mty em me tue, Jeu eug t e
y w?Smetme G tp yu f ue tt yu ee
wt yu elly e . Smetme He wt yu t e
tg ut Hm yu w tt He elly eug.
A Ly C y, “Yu mgt ee elly w Jeu
ll tt yu ee utl He ll tt yu e.”
Te extet t w yu e Jeu me-
ue y yu lty t e
yful ll umte.
If yu y e e
yu ue, yu
, yu eltp
ttu, tt me yu e’t elly g Hm—yu’e
g te tg. Wtee tl yu y wt
yu e .
We G t weg yu pye te wy yu’
le Hm t, yu ee t pe t te gpel. Yu ee t
yu ul te mp emtte t te
te pwe emtte t te euet.
Yu ee ly t em yuelf:
h
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
Sometimes He wants
you to have nothing but
Him so you can know
that He really is enough.
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PART 3
Toar a Gospel-Cetereuerstaig of Life
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191
CHAPTER 12
why Are There “Commas”i Scriptre?
A yu py tug Te Gpel Pye, y y ut,I elee te me tg wll ppe t yu tt ppee
t me: Yu et wll ut le wt ptul fut. Yu
lfe wll e tfme yu tully mel t wt
G e f yu Ct. Yu p f G wll
gw gete t yu ttt t . Yu wll eg t
m, ttely, tt me ge, le, mey w yu te gpel.
Tt’ wt eg “gpel-etee” elly ll ut—
t mg pt te gpel, ut tully gg eepe t
t. It’ ut elzg tt te gpel te fl we t
eey ue plem lfe ut eeg te wle
wl tug te le f te . A we e exple w te gpel ge u, tee
e et ue I’e left te tle utl w. Tee e
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192 GOSPEL
g, l quet yu ply e yu ee
ut w eeply te gpel ge yu we yu ete yuelf t.
Te ft quet ey ptl e, e tt
e ut fm eg te Ble: If te gpel ge
telly, te pt, tt we ee wt gt, wy
e tee my “mm” tll te New Tetmet?
De’t te wle ept f “mm” mply tt we eet e tl t metg tt we tewe mgt t ?
If gt e me tully, wy wul we ee t e
mme t ?
Yu ’t epe te
ft tt tee e m-
m tully
eey pge te New
Tetmet. Tey ge
fm tut w
t tet yu emplye t
w t e yu le
t w t’ OK t leep wt. But f te gpel ge u te
et tt fulfll te lw, wy e G tll pe u wt
tee ule tut? Ae tey ut tg weel f
Ju Vty Ct?
A u u eee te e f gpel-
eteee, t quet ufe ume f tme.
Oe, fte ee f em w I l ut f
wee we u wee gg wt we eee e
meme t e g t get tee, I eee tg let-
te tellg me tt ug tt em I e te
gpel flle t leglt mpult t ee
I God has really
changed us with the
gospel, why do we still
need to be commanded
to do aythig?
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wHY ARE THERE “COMMAndS” In SCRIPTuRE? 193
peple t g wt I wte tem t ! If I ut pee
te gpel peple wul tully wt tey wee uppet I wul’t e t uge tem t ytg, tey
. I tellg te u tt we e eplty
t ge, t ee, le u mmuty, I e
te gpel.
I tt tue? De te pt f mm lte te p-
ple gpel-etee ge?Nt t ll. Hee e tee e te New Tetmet tll
ge u mm:
1. The commandments enlighten our darkened hearts. Te
ptle Pul expl Rm 1 tt te plem f te
flle um et twfl. Ft, e y, u fl et
e ee, mg u ignorant of much of what is right . He
ge t y tt u ful et e l peee, fte
hating the right even when we know what it is.
G’ lt f u lue teg u wt gt (y
gg u tut mm) emg u et
tt we le wt gt (tug te pwe f te gpel).
Bt mmmet gpel e le.
Te lw f G e le l t, ptg u
te et t g. T ee t t u . But te
t tg t pwe te ege.1 Smlly, lw,
temele, e ule t ge u te pwe t tem. Te
gpel te pwe f G f lt. Jey Bge um
t up well,
G’ le pe u wt te mtt f e-
ee, wle G’ lw pe te et f te
ll expe f le.2
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194 GOSPEL
2. Obedience to the commandments limits the damage of our
sin. When we , we ut G, te, uele. Sin eg peee ee, w etute eug
f telf, ut we t t, te etut pe. I m t
ey te mmmet ee we I ’t wt t f f
te e t I ’t wt t pe te etute pwe
f my .
Jme mpe ’ etutee t te gett p-e, “Te [ful] ee we t ee ge t
t , we t fully gw g ft et” (Jme
1:15). Te ft tg t uully e ty t lmt te
mge f ee. We ey te mmmet ee we
we ’t feel le t eue we ’t wt t ee u ful
ee g ft et u le te le f te.
F exmple, f I m tempte t ultey, I mut y
t t, ee f ptul mmet I tuly ee t. Wy?
Beue I w tt ulgg ulteu lut te my
lpemg f G’ me tep fute, ett-
g equee f my fmly, my u, te wm I lept
wt, me.
I ’t ut y, “Well, ultey wt my et,
I ’t et my et tug extelly-fue elgu
ule. S I mgt well t t pe lte G ge
me.” I y pfu “” t te temptt eue f ll te
etut t g.
I ’t tfy myelf y mply g ete te uge,
wee, I em te tte f my et tt ee mputy.
Jut eue I ete te temptt t ultey e t
me I e tg f w t epet. I mut fe te
twte tt f my et G t me t ew.
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wHY ARE THERE “COMMAndS” In SCRIPTuRE? 195
A I mut well te G f puty w e
f my mputy, eue tt wll me me t te mputy le He e.
3. Disciplining ourselves to practice certain behaviors helps us
develop a love for them. Oeee t te mmmet ge
u e t eelp le f te Oe we te tey
eflet. Tt my e lttle t gp, let me expl.
Jme K. A. Smt me te e Desiring the Kingdomtt te wy we le t le et tg y ptpt-
g t pte tt t u t le tem. If u
ly ute e tue t ulge te lut f te fle, f
exmple, we wll gw u le f te tg. If u -
t put u fe-t-fe wt te eute f te gpel, wee,
we wll gw t le te te.3
Appette, yu ee, grow yu ue tem. He yu ee
ge ut t et t yu fte teue gge
mu tt we yu’e e yu y, “Uggg. I ’t t I’ll
ee et g!”? Fu u lte, wee, yu e ugg
u te pty f Pp-Tt. A te ext tme yu
g t te teue, yu et ee me. Te ppette f f
gw yu fee t.
T tue wt ll f u ppette. Peple w tuggle
wt pgpy fte y tt te me tey fe te
ppette f llt ex, te tge e tt ppette
eme. Te lze yu e, te tge eme yu ee
t t u te u tg. Te me we get
t G’ W, py, pte puty, te me we ee
te tg. Tu, plg uele t wt we ’t
lwy wt t elp u le t le te tg we ul
le.
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196 GOSPEL
Of ue, mply ptg te tg t eug
f temele. Sptul ple mut e mpey eep tut te gpel. Te gpel ge te
ee g f te
et. Te wle pupe
f te ple, ft,
t ge yu pptuty
t t ut, me-tte , me wt
te gpel. Sptul -
ple e le we tt
et u t te pwe f
te gpel. Tey e pwe temele, ut tey -
et u t te ple fm w te pwe flw. Tey e
gtewy t te gpel, ut t te gpel telf.
Sy yu ’t “feel” le eg te Ble; te yu
“feel” le wtg TV. I “mg yuelf” e te Ble
mply leglm? N. By feeg yu ul te W f G,
yu e tg yu et t le t. A yu e te W
f G, eute te
G wt t, yu le
f Hm H W
wll gw. If yu e,
wee, t wt TV,
yu ppette f lze
te lut f te fle
e lely t gw te.
Tu, te ext y yu wll ee me TV le f G,
f yu ulge te fle g, t wll g
ww yle. A yu fee te fle, yu ppette f te
Disciplining ourselves to
do what we don’t always
want to do helps us
learn to love the things
we should love.
Spiritual disciplines are
like wires that connect
us to the power o the
gospel.
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wHY ARE THERE “COMMAndS” In SCRIPTuRE? 197
fle gw. A yu fee te Spt, yu ppette f Hm
gw. T te pt Pul me fte e f te getetexplt f gpel-etee ge te Ble: “D t
e eee, G t me; f wtee m w,
tt e wll l ep. F e w w t f le wll f te
fle ep upt, ut e w w t te Spt wll f te
Spt ep eeltg lfe” (Gl. 6:7–8 nkjv).
We my le, I ’t mply y, “Well, yu leeue tt’ wt w yu et t te mmet. I’m t
gg t fe yu t tell te tut, eue I ’t wt t e-
te lttle Pee. Jut mette te gpel pefully
yu’ll qut eg ety.” Ite, I “ee” tem t
tell te tut (y gg pumet f tellg le). My pe
tt ptg tut tey wll le t le t, eue
we we t e wt G’ eg we expeee
meue f fulfllmet tt me fm tg my
wt w we wee ete.
I egze, wee, tt my mm t tell te tut
ly te tem f. S mu I m “mg”
tem tell te tut, I m l teg tem ut te euty
f te G f tut, w ept H pme t u ee we t
t Hm H lfe. Leg f H ftfule t tem ee
we tey wee l te ly wy tey’ll ee elly le
t love tut.
O, e e me exmple: geety. Te wy yu
le t le geety y eg geeu. Tee e ee
my tme I ’t “feel” le gg wy mey. I’ get
ext $1,000 w f me ee I ul ge t t ut
“felt” le uyg flt ee TV te. We I ge wy
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198 GOSPEL
te mey, wee, I expeee te y f gg. Beg
geeu ete me ee t e me geeu.I tt mpmg gpel-etee ge? Am I
“g metg t te gpel” y yg yu’ll eme
geeu t y ft Jeu y ptg geety?
Nt t ll. Afte ll, Jeu Hmelf , “Wee yu teue
, tee yu et wll e l” (Mtt. 6:21). D yu ee wt
me ft tt equee? Yu put yu teue mewee, then yu et fllw.
Yu y, “But ’t gpel-etee geety eg
ewelme t te l ge f Ct tt yu elgt
eg geeu?” (ee
2 C. 8:9). Well, ye.
But tully eg ge-
eu put yu tu
wt te et f G
yu expeee Hm,
yu’ll le t le Hm
H wy. D’t ty
t e me gpel-etee t Jeu. He uet w
gpel-eteee w.
Ou eee t G we we ’t feel le t ee
e t f ft f telf, u t f eee
y t G f Ct’ e t ge u et tt we
ee t ey. Tt etly me ft t t not
eyg.
Sptue tell u, ft, tt we e t e tely pu-
ug te mtft f u fle (Rm. 6:1–14). Mortify
mple tt we e tg et efe f wt u
fle ee. But w extly we “mtfy te ee f
Our obedience to God
when we don’t eel like
it can even be an act o
aith in and o itsel.
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wHY ARE THERE “COMMAndS” In SCRIPTuRE? 199
te fle?” Pul’ we y eleg we e ee me
le Ct. We u fle ee tt w ty t te wll f G, we e t elee wt G ele
e u te gpel, y g expuge u et
fm t ely ttt t . Gpg te G eele
te gpel pue te “ew ffet” tg eug t
p u t t te lee pleue. A J Owe ,
“Sptul ple tm te t f , ut ly tegpel pull up te t.”
What, Then, Is Legalism?
I’t leglm y tme yu te ge tug exte-
l eee? Nt extly. Leglm ete we yu
() feel le t G we yu tem, () yu put
mu emp eelpg te utw e tt yu
eglet te w ge
tt me ly tug
ft te gpel.
Leglm, f exm-
ple, tg tt e-
g te Ble me G
le ept yu me.
It e t. Ct ept
te lw pefetly f me,
eg te Ble f
fu u eey mg wul t me G l y me
fly up me.
Leglm l tg tt fg myelf t e te
Ble uffet, f telf, t geete my et
A gospel-centered
approach to reading
the Bible means that you discipline yoursel to
read the Bible even when
you don’t eel like it.
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200 GOSPEL
le f G H W. Reg te Ble ’t tt
ete; ly te Spt f G e tt tug te megef te gpel. Reg te Ble e, wee, pe
opportunity f te Spt t ft me wt te mege. A
Pul Mlle y, “Reg te Ble e’t ete tmy
wt G, ut t e me m f t.”4
A gpel-etee pp t eg te Ble me
tt yu ple yuelf t e te Ble ee we yu’t feel le t, ll te wle epetg t G tt yu ’t
le Hm me tutg yu m wt te mege
tt G’ epte f yu ge gft Ct.
Case Study: Fasting
Oe fl exmple I’ll ue t elly ty t e t me:
ftg. Ftg metg I ely “feel” le g. I ft,
my y ee “feel” le g wtut f. We yu ft,
yu e tully epg yu y f legtmte g
tt yu t yuelf tt tfyg yu ul G
me tfyg t tfyg yu y wt f.
Ftg, te ufe, l qute leglt. Hw e
epg yu y f f pue tue ptul fut? It
e’t, y telf. Gg wtut f etly e’t me
yu me pleg t G. But f yu ue te ee f f
t t yu ul t fet te gle f te gpel, ftg
eme ppe tug w te pwe f te gpel
flw. Tt’ ppetly wt Jeu we He fte. He
te H y fm f He ul elly uet
tt “M ll t le [e: “te, me le”] y e
le, ut y eey w tt me fm te mut f G”
(Mtt. 4:4).5
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wHY ARE THERE “COMMAndS” In SCRIPTuRE? 201
I te w, ftg
ete te pptuty texee me effete
ft te gpel. Te
gpel te ly ple
wee te pwe f ew
lfe—te pwe t eelp
le f G f t-e—ee. Te pwe f te gpel ly elee we
elee t. Ftg meely pe u ette pptuty t
fu te gpel elee t.6
S, te New Tetmet e ee t mpete,
ut tey e ue te te f te gpel. Te
gpel wte tell u wt we e t f G, ut ly
tey ute u wt te tut ut wt G e
f u.
Understand the gospel; practice the disciplines
Sptul ple ly tu t leglm f yu ’t
elly get te gpel. If yu e tugly tute
te gpel, wee, yu wll pte ptul ple
etly.
Uftutely, mt Ct gtte tw ptul
ple before tey uet te gpel. Te eult
yle f pe ep.
A ey ee pt fe exple t me tt e tugt
te peple u t eptulze te Ct
gwt te pe f weel. E pe epeete e
f te ptul ple—pye, ftfule Ble e-
g u, geety, wte, mmuty, et. He te
The New Testament does indeed contain
imperatives, but they
are shrouded in the
indicative o the gospel.
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202 GOSPEL
tl tem, “Rte yuelf 1 t 10 w well yu’e g
t e, w te legt f te pe t ep ttt ume.” Te eultg ptue, e tl tem, ul ge
tem ee f wy te le wee ut f w ptu-
lly. “S,” e tl tem, “ele t gw t ye wtee
e yu e te tet.”
Su tl e ueful (we ee ue e f t t
u u!), ut ly f t tugly tute gpeltelgy. If t’ t, te we tt t e u ptul etty
w well we e g ptully te t wt G
ele e u Ct. Jeu ept ll te ptul -
ple pefetly, u ple, G uge u w e
H pefme, t u. Sptul ple pt fm
tug gpel telgy wll le t pe epeee
fm G every single time .
If yu uet te gpel, wee, te yu
pte te ptul ple G te: gtewy
t te gpel, t uttute f te gpel. Yu ee
et gl—f exmple, t pe t let fftee mute te
W fftee mute
pye twe eey y;
t ft e mt; t
e Ct weely, et.
Rte t eg ue
f pe ep, te
tg wll mply ete
f yu egul pptuty t tet wt te gpel.
Ee u flue tee e em u tt G e H
epte f u Ct’ eepg f te lw, t u.
I you understand the
gospel, you can practice
the spiritual disciplines
as God intends.
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wHY ARE THERE “COMMAndS” In SCRIPTuRE? 203
Tt elzt wll e u t t ee me we f te
ge f G, w wll pue ee me ptul fut. Te me we tte f te gpel, te me we le t. A
te me we le t le te tg f G, te me tme
we’ll pe tme g te tg, le y ple
me y ee. We ete t elf-epug yle f lfe.
We e wg t te Spt, fm te Spt epg lfe
eeltg. We wll e “g Jeu” ut Jeu mme,
we wll e mu fut, ut He pme.
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205
CHAPTER 13
what Is the Right way to work for Go?
At te egg f t , I tl yu tt I’e -tt tuggle f gug ut wt G wte fm me lgt
f te ee f te wl. Te quet gg my m,
ttly, w: Am I g eug f G?
Te gpel tee u tt u ppl y G t
e g “eug” f Hm. Sme mgt lue,
te, tt we e lgt t te wl. Te gpel’t ut w, fte ll; t’ ut etg G’ w
yu elf.
It’ le tug, tt Jeu expet H fllwe t e
feetly t w H gm. A f we le peple le
He’ le u, t we t t ly y wle peple pe.
But w mu eug? A t ple t te tmu eplty? I eyg y luxuy ee et
flue t elly eme te fl ll f te ?
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206 GOSPEL
I t, I’m g t: Wt e gpel-etee
pp t te ee f te wl l le? T mptt quet t , eue f we get
t wg, we’ll ete wte u le megle puut
eue we ’t t we ee t ytg f G; ,
we’ll u uele ut yg l Jeu ee tee
u t y. But f we get t gt, we wll e te y f lee-
gg u le f Jeu He leege H f u.
A House for God, by God
Kg D lee te we t t quet we e
pupe et t ul temple f G (2 Sm. 7).
By t pt D’ lfe G tugly etle
D te g f Iel. He ge m tle g-
m efete ll f D’ eeme. Te l f
Iel w ppeg t et.
A 2 Smuel 7 pe, D ttg tgete fte -
e wt Nt, te t’ pt, ut D’
p. D’ eye fell t te tele, mle tet
G H peple emle w H peee welt
tey telle fm Egypt.
By t tme, te tele w few ue ye l.
It w ply gettg petty tee. Plu, t w ut
tet, D’ ue ut ee ute f MTV
Cribs . S D y t Nt, “Yu w, t ’t gt . . .
I le e ue tt mell le e, G le
tet.”
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 207
Nt ep le y pt e we mee
welty ffe t ge m mey: “G, my te, lltt yu et” (2 Sm. 7:3 ut ppe).
Lte tt gt, wee, G ppe t Nt:
“Go and tell my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord :
Would you build me a house to dwell in? I have not lived
in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in
a tent for my dwelling. In all places where I have moved
with all the people of Israel, did I speak a word . . . saying,
“Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’” (vv. 5–10)
I t tee et plyfule G’ eply. “O
. . . yu’e gg t ul ME ue, e yu, D?
D, yu elly t I’m we ut My mm-
t w tee? D, e I ee , ‘I’m te f t
fty l tet?’ Yu t I wt e ue? Ce f
mte, D. My teet e me f gl. Yu e
e wt My el ue l le up ee. A f I elly
eee e ple t le, D, I wul’t e mg t
yu g yu t pt Me me mey t ul e. Afte
ll, ememe tt . . .”
“ I t YOU from the pasture, from following the sheep,
that you should be prince over my people Israel. And
I e ee with you wherever you went and e ut
ff ll YOUR eeme from before you. And I wll me
f yu get me. . . . And I wll ppt ple f
my peple Iel wll plt tem, so that they may
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208 GOSPEL
dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. . . .
And I wll ge yu et from all your enemies. Moreover,the Lord declares to you that te Lord wll me yu
ue.” (vv. 8–11, emphasis mine)
W te fetue ule tee ee? Nt D—
God .
G y, “T wle tg t ut yu gg tMe, D. T ut Me gg t yu. T t ut
yu ulg Me ue; I’m ulg you e. I’m te ge;
yu’e te eee . . . D, I’m t ttg u ee
gg, ‘O . . . f D wul ut pe Me lttle f ext
mey I ul get ut f tee qul lg t
ul Myelf el gm.’ I ete ll f t, D,
I ’t need ytg fm yu te pe. I’m te G
w everything needs tg. I wll ul t ue,
I ’t need e ue f yu elp te pe.”
G te ge t tell D ut te Me He wll
e w wul ul H ue et. Tt Me, f
ue, wul e G Hmelf te f le. G wul ul
te ue f lt et, D w t needed ,
te ee tt D w upplyg metg t G tt He
’t ley e.
G te y,
“And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure
forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.”
. . . Then King David went in and sat before the Lord
and said, “Who am I, O Lord G od , and what is my house,
that you have brought me thus far? And yet this was a
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 209
small thing in your eyes, O Lord G od . . . . And what
more can David say to you? . . . Because of your prom-ise, and according to your own heart, you have brought
about all this greatness, to make your servant know it.”
(2 Sam. 7:16, 18–21)
Ce t: D tte t u wtg t
ul metg f G. He e t ttg we f wtG g f Hm.
I’t t te eug teme f te gpel? Slt
t pmly ut u
g metg f G.
Slt ut knowing
wt G e f
u— ttg tue
we f t. T ptl
f u t ememe we
e te gt wy t
w f G.
Ye, Ctty
we wll tg f G.
But wt we wll e gteful epe t wt He’ e
f u, t eue He needs u elp.
Slw w e tt ttemet g.
So David says: “Therefore yu are great, O Lord God”
(2 Sam. 7:22, emphasis mine).
Ag, w get? D, eue e ult f G
mgfet ue? N. G get, eue He f
In Christianity we
will do things or God.
But what we do will
be a grateul response
to what He’s done or
us, not because He
ees our help.
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210 GOSPEL
D wt D ul ee f melf. G ult
D ue fm tg.
“For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you.
. . . And who is like yu peple Iel , the one nation
on earth whom God went to redeem to be his people,
making himself a name and doing for them great and
awesome things by driving out before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, a nation and its
gods?. . . And your name will be magnified forever.”
(vv. 22–23, 26, emphasis mine)
G’ me wll e mgfe fee eue f wt
G et. Te wl t uppe t l t
Ct pmly y, “Wow, what great and impressive
things they have done for God,” ut “Wow, what great things God
has done for them.”
Wt ul t ut ut u peple l t u
te ge pwe f Christ tt exue fm u le.
Ct wte pmly tetmy ut G’ w
u elf, t ut u w H.
A D wlege pye, G et te pt-
te f w H w w t e e te ft get t
f lt, te Exu.
Te Exu t put
ply ll te get
mpee tg tt
Iel e f G.
Te Exu me yu
Christian witness is
primarily a testimony
about God’s work on our
behal, not about our
work on His.
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 211
t we f te mzg tg tt G e f
Iel.Me, f yu ell, w mt ulely lee. He w
lly epe wt lp, ge wt peeg te
getet pltl memet f ll tme. Mt peple e
ttlly te wg e ut Me. We t f 6'4" -
etll tem pt wt eep, te, Clt Het-
eque e w m ut t P, “G y, ‘Let My people go!’” eeye we eet te pwe f Me’
pe. Oe f te few pel tg we know ut Me
w tt e w “we pee,” w me tt l
peett left mu t e ee. Mye e lttle
muy e, mye
e tuttee. Wtee
t w, we e we
up P’ ut t
em Iel’ elee,
e t m euly.
But te te plgue
tte. Oe y e ll f
Egypt’ tgl wee
ttee. Te mgty Nle w tue t l. Te u w
ee. Fle et te l. Te ft f eey
uptete uel e.
A Iel wle ut f Egypt tt y t feem, e
, “Ww, Me qute te lee.” N tey mel
t wt ele peple t gup f le wee. Rte,
tey t we t wt G e f tem.
Tt’ w Ct eey geet e t e. Te
ue f lt t ult y u, f G; ut y G, f
God hangs a sign
outside o the
construction zone o
His kingdom that says
“No help needed.”
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212 GOSPEL
u. G g g ute f te tut ze f H
gm tt y “ No elp eee.”
The Work Principle
Wt e t te u ut u eplty w-
g f G t mplete H m et?
God doesn’t need us.
G ul ue f u; He t lg t u t ul
e f m. Slt, tt t f, fm G, He
e’t ee ytg fm u te pe.
Jeu wet t te alone. Te w t tem
efft. Eeye e Jeu t te . Le D
e, Jeu ut t tt fel le t fe te gt f
u wle we ll t uftfule te ele.
We Jeu w e fm te e, t w y G’
pwe le, wt elp fm y f u. Te ple
wee’t ee Hm wt te t gg, “Cme ,
Jeu . . . Me mut t mut, Pete. J, ge m te
elet .” Te Fte ugt Jeu fm te e
all by Himself .
We Jeu etle H etel gm et
te futue, t metg te Ble y He wll y
Hmelf. Te f Reelt y tt te New Jeulem
me w t et fm ee, pepe y G f u.
We ’t ul t up t ee fm te et f Hm.
I te me wy, t G le w ul H u
te et ty. We Jeu et H ple ut t m-
plete te Get Cmm (Mtt. 16:18), He t tem,
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 213
“ I wll ul my u, te gte f ell ll t pel
gt t,” t “Yu wll ul My u, I’ ll e ut t yu we yu ee elp.”
Imge w ewelmg t w we Jeu ly te
Get Cmm te ple. “Blly, yu mut
te te gpel t eey pe eey uty te wl
eue I m te ly wy tey e e yu e te
ly wy tey e ut Me” (At 1:6–8).Bg m. Lt f w le. Bette get tte
wg gt wy. Supgly, wee, te ft tg
Jeu tl tem t g wt. D tg. Ntg,
tt , ut wt f te mg f te Hly Spt. I m ue
te me type A f te ple wee le, “Wait ? We ee
t get gze! We ee t e mey. We ee t t
up pee. Tme wtg! Peple e yg! We mut g
now!” Jeu uet te feelg, ut, ut He tll
tl tem t wt. Wy He tell tem tt? If nothing else,
Jesus was drilling into them that He alone can build His church and
complete the Great Commission. Tey wee pwele t g
ut wl lt. “Apt fm Me,” He tl tem,
“yu nothing .”
Te pt eme fm e t e te Ble
“G e’t need yu f ytg.” Yu I e uttely
pwele t g ut lt elg. T me-
ge t te e f te gpel. Te gpel m t tte
pe epeee fm eey gle. Te gpel’ ft
w t me u t t tue we t wt G
e f u.
Nw . . . yu y, “Wt mute. G e’t need
me? Te e tt me I ul g ut my mey wy
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214 GOSPEL
peg ll my mey myelf, ttg wtg God
t fee te p w te lt?”Nt t ll. Beue ee te e pt f te gg
pple:
As recipients of grace, we will want to give back to God.
We we gp w mu G ge t u ge,
we ee w get te ee f te wl e, we wll want t w f G.
G tl D e te gt tttue—ut te wg
pl. D w w mu G e f Hm, e
wte t metg etu. D wte ll te
peple Iel t w tt G w te e e
ue. Te temple e wte t ul ul et peple’
ttet t te gete f G. G mmee D:
“Beue t w yu
et t ul ue f
My me, yu well
tt t w yu et”
(2 C. 6:8 nasb).
S fte eg tl
“” t ulg, D et
ut t lletg ll te
mtel pl f te
temple Slm wul
e wt e eee t
ul t (1 C. 22:1–6). Afte wt G e f
D, e wte t something ! Ee tug G ’t
telly ee m t elp ul te temple, D wte
t metg f te G w e mu f m.
When we think about
how many people in the
world are dying, both
body and soul, without
God, we want to see
the grace that has been
given to us come to
them also.
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 215
I epe t te gpel, we ul wt t ge t
G. T ut t: wee wul yu e wtut Jeu? A we we t ut w my peple te wl
e yg, t y ul, wtut G, we wt t ee
te ge tt ee ge t u me t tem l. Wt
ele wul gpel-etee pe want t wt te
eue?
We must offer ourselves to God and do what He leads
us to do.
We we put te ft tw pple tgete, we
e t te t: gpel-etee peple ffe temele t
G, yfully, te wtee He et tem t ,
wg tt ly wt He empwe tem t wll y
el g. That’s wt we e eple f—ffeg all we
e t G g f H et. Tt’ extly wt
D .
Yu ee le ptue f wt t l le At.
Afte te Hly Spt me, te ple ’t t te
u y, “Ww . . . Gl Yu’e ee, Hly Spt. Let
u w we wl egelzt e. We’e gg f-
g.” Ite, tey , “Hee m I, e me!” Tey pye
f G t empwe tem e tem. Tey e G t
ue tem. Tey ew tt f G ’t e tem, tey wee
pwele t y g. I epe t te gpel, wee,
tey egge t e et. Tey wte t e pue ut f t-
e Jeu ee pue ut f tem, ut t fm me
ltu, m-glfyg t tt tey ul ul te
gm f G te w.
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216 GOSPEL
Te wegt f g te wl t u ule.
We ul’t le f t w. A we elly ul’t y-tg ut t ywy. G le e. G pe. I
epe t te gpel, wee, we ffe uele fully t
G, lgg f wl
lt. Te we
wtee He et u t
. Te w ple all f te eue t te -
pl f Jeu gteful
epe t H ge
wt get fee
H lty wll f ely ulmte pwe t te pl.
Jut t f te ty f te y wt f e le tw f
(J 6:1–15) te wm w ge te tw (Lue
21:1–4). G ’t ee wt tey pe. I ft, te lttle
y wet me wt me t e ge. But 5,000 plu peple
wee fe te pe.
Hearing from Nathan
Yu y, “Well, tt’ get . . . But I’e ee
Nt w em wee G tl m wt I w
uppe t . Hw m I uppe t w w G wt
me t w f Hm?”1
Telly, G ee tl D t llet te tuff f
te temple. D ut tte g t, G ’t tp
m.
S ee e few tugt t elp yu get tte wt
yu ul e g f G:
Those who place all o
their resources at the
disposal o Jesus will
fnd nearly unlimited
power at their disposal.
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 217
1. Start with the needs right in front of you. Te f
Jme y tt f mee tg t yu wt ee, te t G’ tet f yu t fll
t. Te e tt “G e’t ee u” ul ee
e ue exue t t meet te ee tt e
gt ft f u. Jeu pe te G Smt
te ple eue e met te ee we e w
t, tze te pet te Lete w pete m y, feelg “lle” t ge tg. S, tt
y elpg te ee “gt ute f yu gte.”
If tee ee tt yu ee yu fulfll, t .2
2. Carefully evaluate how your vocational talents can be
leveraged for God’s kingdom. Hw yu e
leege t le te?3 Oe f te mt ueut-
lze tl eg wt G wt yu t
te ll u. Jut G ue Nt, w w
pt f D’ ptul mmuty, t et D,
G wll ue H ll u t elp et yu.
3. Ask what your local church is doing that you can be
involved in. G ge u u ll ue t
elp et u effetely meetg te ptul
pyl ee f u ty. If yu u e’t e
mty t t ty, g t ew e.
4. Consider whether there is some area of passion or inter-
est growing in you. Wt t yu et? I tee
peple gup, uty, yu t ut ll
te tme? D yu e em f g metg
ptully get f G? Cmmt tt t G,
Hm t e yu. Wt Hm t pe te
(P. 37:4–5). D’t e f t ( te w f
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218 GOSPEL
Wllm Cey), “Expet get tg f G,
te ttempt get tg f G.” G tell yu“” f He ee t, ut fte te em telf fm
Hm. A lt f tme te wy we e u ptul
gft y eg eep ee u et t
metg f te f Ct’ e.
5. Listen to what other believers say about your gifted-
ness. Ofte, G eel e f ptul-gftee u y g mee fm te u pt t ut
t u. Ote peple ee e wee we e ptu-
lly tg, wee G ue u te le.
Tt’ w I ee my gft f peg. Ote
peple tl me w mu G ue me te le
we I’ te G’ w.
6. Be open to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jut G
gt mege t Nt, He get e t yu.
It mgt me te fm f w f ppey
mee pe t yu, te uel f we fe,
le , ytg ele G e t ue.
G’ t ew t t mmut tg. He
get H mege t yu. Yu tut Hm.
G te mte ule f H ue, yu
I ly lwly ftle. We mply y ut e; He p-
e te eue. He wll tell u wt He wt u t .
Te we t wt wt He’ pe.
D’ Slm, wm G ue t ul teetly e f te temple D melf wte t
ul, ply t et: “Ule te L ul te ue,
te w ul t l ” (P. 127:1).
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wHAT IS THE RIGHT wAY TO wORK FOR GOd? 219
We ul egely ye f G t ul H ue
tug u wt expettly Hm t ue u tepe. But egely ffeg uele t G t te me
ug ut t t f Hm. Cty t ppul p,
te Get Cmm e t eg wt “G t ll te
wl pe te gpel.” Te Get Cmm eg
wt “All utty ee ge t Me ee
et” (Mtt. 28:18 nkjv). Befe Jeu ge te GetCmm, He em te ptle tt ultmtely te
Get Cmm H. He te Oe wt te lty t
ul te u, He te Oe w mut t tug
u. A Mel Ht y: “Te Get Cmm eg
wt te Get Auemet.”4
Oly y eleg te uffey f te G f te
Get Auemet wll we ee e te fee t
ttempt l tg f te Get Cmm.
S, G eetly t e ue y Hm, te
wtee He put ft f yu wt te fee tt He
g t tug yu. Tt te ly gt wy t w
f G.
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221
CHAPTER 14
what does a Gospel-CetereChrch Look Like?
Hee’ wee t get elly extg. It’ e tg f - ul t e eweg t te gete f te gpel.
It te t t te leel f ete u t expeee
metg le t. C yu mge te f wte
ue f peple lg gpel-etee le tgete
ll u mgt e mmuty? C yu ftm
te f mey ge tt wul exue fm te fel-lwp, te f mpt tey wul e we tey
eg t e t te mmuty Jeu w t tem? A
wt t l le we ete u f peple eg t
ee G’ wllge lty t e te mmuty,
gly? I get exte ut wtg tt.
S let’ get gt t te et f te ue: Wt e gpel-etee u l le?
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222 GOSPEL
I’m gg t ge yu tee qulte f “gpel-etee”
u. Uftutely, I t te exmple f ue wmel ll tee e ey few.
1. In a gospel-centered church, preaching the message of
the gospel is the priority. Te gpel uemet, t
ut wt we e t f G, ut ut wt He e
f u.
Gospel, Gee, w t exluely elgu w.It mply met “g ew.” We Gee g wul
w ttle, e wul e “gpel e” u Geee
t ue tt e w te ttle, w tl
g, tt te peple wee fee. We tt ue-
met w me, te peple wee expete t elee t le
gly.
Te gpel uemet tt Jeu L
tt He w te ttle f yu lt. We e t
ep epete ft (M 1:15). Te gpel
t good advice ut w t le; t good news ut wt
G e.
Jeu tl H ple t “e H wtee,” w
met tey wee t tell eeye, ftfully, te ty f wt
He had done f te wl. Te le wul etly em-
tte te ge H pwe ugt te le, ut tey
wee t ttly pt t wt He e tt me te
ge ple.
Wee tee
plmt f te ty
f Jeu Ct, tee
gpel mty.
The gospel is not goo
aice about how to live;
it is goo es about
what God has done.
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 223
He yu ee e tt ttemet (ttute t F
f A), “Pe te gpel. If eey, ue w”? Hw yu expl te gpel wtut ug words ? Tt’ le
yg, “Tell me yu pe ume. If eey, ue g-
t.” Yu pe ume is gt. Te gpel is te w
ug wt Ct e. Peple ’t l t u
le w te ty f Ct. Tey my ee glmpe f
te e f Ct, ut expetg tem t get te gpel ut y wtg u wul e le tyg t gte fmt
fm ewt wt te u tue ff.
We e t e lwy, eeywee, peg te w.
Tt’ wt te ely u . Eeywee, fm ue t
ue, tey wee lwy tellg te ty f Jeu.
2. In a gospel-centered church, the emphasis of the message
is more on what Christ has done than what we are to do. A
I’m ue yu’e ee y w, te ly tg tt g tue
ptul gwt g —wellg , tg ut,
tg we f—wt Ct e f u.
We u mege mty glgt metg
ee tt, we ee te lfele etwee peple te
pwe f G, mtte w “g” ueful te tg
we e peg ut . Nothing we e t f G
mptt wt He e f u.
A I l te Ct lpe, I ee ue
empzg ll f good tg tt uftutely eep
peple fm fug te essential tg, te gly fee
ge f G eele te gpel.
Few f tee tg tey empze e f
temele, tey ut eme eue tey te t elpe
te e tg tt is itself te pwe f G f u—te gpel.
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224 GOSPEL
My ept elw t met t tue u
tt, ut t mgt elp yu ee wee u ttte t uttute metg f te gpel te pmy
me f ptul gwt.
At many “charismatic” churches, te emp ple
g expeee wt te Spt. We etly ee t e
tmtely qute wt te Spt. But expeee wt
te Spt t eple te etlty f te gpel mege.I ft, wt te Spt mt lg t t me te g-
pel el t u et (2 C. 3:18–4:4), te wy we e
flle y te Spt y gpg eleg me f te
gpel. I te w, being filled by the Spirit happens when
we renew our minds in the awareness of the gospel, not through a
special ceremony . Yu wt t e flle wt te Spt? Belee
te gpel g (Gl. 3:1–3; At 10:43–45). We we te
peple t ee lee t G tug ett expeee
te t ptg tem t eewe ft te gpel,
we e elpg te gpel wt ey expeee. Te
Spt Hmelf wul never t. H le t pt u t
te gle f te gpel (J 15:26).
At many “seeker-sensitive” churches, te emp
le, ptl t tep f Ct lg. “Sw tem,”
t e ge, “w t le t ut. Sw tem w G
fx te mge. Sw tem w mu ette lfe wul e
f tey wul t G’ wy.” Nw, eg type A, t-
ete pe, I love action steps . Cle t tep t
ge te et, wee. Beg tl wt t t
ge me; ly tg we f wt G e .
Leg “f e tep tw g mmut” wll t
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 225
ely mu f my mge emg te ll tep
G te tw me Jeu Ct. Tm Kelle , “Relg tell yu t g ge;
te gpel ge yu te pt.” At tep tt
t flw ut f t f Jeu gtefule f wt
He’ e wll ultmtely pue ly futte, peful
Pee, mtte w wmely te t tep e
peete. At many “fundamentalist” churches, te emp
ppe e. Yu lwy lee wg w Ct
ul ee, tl, e. T e et, I ’t elly e
plem wt “guele,” eue—fe t—we ll e e-
t mut f guele we expet te t . At ee
te mt elxe ue t geelly uet tt gl
ul’t wl u tple, guy ul’t we tg,
e ul’t p te “f-m.” Te plem t
wt guele, per se ; te plem we te emp
te guele elpe te gpel telf. Cleg up my
lguge t ge me. Acting le Ct t
ge me. Oly eg ewelme t te G f te gpel
ge me. Te m plem t te guele tem-
ele (tug me f tem e, t tme, ulu); te
plem te emphasis ge t tem.
At many “younger” churches, te emp elx-
g te t f fumetlm. I u gpet’
ue u ptulty w meue y u ttee;
Suy l; Suy Weey gt ee; eg
t el; gg weely tt; wg ll fty-
ee ee f “Jut A I Am.” Ctempy ue fte
ut ge te lt te ff te te. Te ew lt lue
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226 GOSPEL
luteeg t e f te weee ee, gg t mll
gup, , e ll, ttg. Te elemet te lt mgte ge, ut t tll lt f t-’, te expet-
t tll tt utw e mft e G’
pmy wy f gg u et. A lt f te ew, l,
emegg Ctty tue ut mply t e “l legl-
m” guge ltg. Mel Ht y: “F ll f te
(yuge) memet’ e tque f te megumel, te emp tll fll meug te leel f u
zel tty te t mmeg peple te
getet ty ee tl.”1
At many “Reformed” churches, te ptul f Refme
telgy ew te . Te umpt eem t e
tt f yu mte te ptul f te TULIP,2 e
ete t 1, 2, 3 J (J Cl, J Ppe, J
MAtu), te yu e ptully eptle eey-
tg wll e gt yu lfe. Rgt te , f ue,
eetl, ut “tl flwe” tfm yu et.
Oly te euty f Jeu tfm te et. I w me
wll y, “But te fe pt f Clm are te eee f
te gpel!” Pep. But f yu empze fmty t yu
e f te fe pt me t yu mple wp
f te Ct f te , yu e eple t wt
fmt. Rgt fmt eetl, ut I e ee
f t my peple w e me exte ut te TULIP
t tey wee we f te . I e l ee my
peple w ’t te my ext te te fe pt w
e ptely le wt Jeu ptely ewelme
t H ge.
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 227
At many “prosperity gospel” churches, te emp
ple te tu, lee lfe G wt yu t e.I ’t e plem teg tt G le t le H
le. He e. But wt elly ge yu t te
pe tt G ge yu me mtel tuff te futue;
wt ge yu we yu ee G Hmelf ette
t y leg He ul ge yu, tt ee f yu le
eeytg e Hm, t eug. A metme Gtee yu tt y p ept. Te real mge
f ppety teg tt t eet u eye wy fm
G t H gft. We “w G wll le u f we ey”
ew “te lue f te G ge t u te ,”
we euge lty et tue ptul gwt.
At many “discipleship-focused” churches, te emp
l, fl mmtmet t plep
geety. Ag, me. It’ tue tt fllwg Jeu me
eug ll we e, tg up u t fllw Hm,
pug ut u eue f H gm. How though,
can we produce a heart of generosity in people, a heart that pours
itself for the world because it loves it like God does ? Te ptle
J tt u l gg ul pe te pe-
ee f u le.3 Le wtut l gg wtle
(1 J 3:16–18), e y, ut l gg wtut le
(1 C. 13:1–3). S u mm t l lg ul
e ue te uemet f G’ le ge t u
Ct, eue ly tt mege wll we le t le
G (1 J 4:19).
If we ly mm peple t e geeu, we wll p-
ue meely epete peple w u ut t metg
extgtly geeu t pe tey e e. Tt type
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228 GOSPEL
f w-gteue, w we ty t w t u
le t pe we e le f G. A et f geety wll ly e pue u we
eme elee te gpel. Te peple w e tte
te gpel wll ep wt extgt geety. D’t
fue g wt pg. Dg wt wg;
pg w t fx t. If u et e llue
elf, we ’t fx tt ut y gg mey wy. We et eme me we f te extgt e f G
tw u Ct. Selfe te g; te gpel
te pmy pg.
At many “emergent” churches, te emp te
wlt tue f lt, ptully l ute
l elt ue. Ame. We ee t e pyg
ttet t te ue, gpel-etee Ct wll
e ut tem. But yu t fue te effects of te
gpel wt te gpel telf. I Glt 3, Pul tt
Jew Getle wul e ugt tgete tey ue-
t wt G t t e ll f u. We we’e ee
ge y te gpel, we e ut te tm f ute
get le. Tee e te effet f te gpel; tey
e t te gpel telf. Mmg eluty Ct
te ft etuy wll
t ge u et;
emg wt Jeu
f u te ft etuy
wll.
I lmt ll f te
te e, te plem t wt wt’ eg tugt,
ut wt te emphasis eg ge t wt tugt. E, t
You cannot conuse the
effects of the gospel
with the gospel itsel.
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 229
ee , fte mply “tut ut f ppt.”4 I
te w, “eey” t ut wg teg; t lputtg uue emp et pet f g teg.
I le w Mel Ht y t: “We le Ct y
distraction ely y el . . . ‘Ctle Ctty’
ppe tug t well utt.”5
Gpel-etee ue, te, empze mt f ll
te ew ut wt Ct e f u. Te ey mtte flow out from tt; tey ’t elpe t.
3. In a gospel-centered church, the members demonstrate
the beauty of the gospel in the community. Wle te gpel
, ft femt, mege, t lwy mpe y
emtt f tt mege. Eey tme te gpel w
pee y Jeu te elet ptle, t w fllwe
y “g.” Tee wee me t we-pg mg t;
g wee mle wt mege. Tey put te mege f
G’ gm tgle ply.
A g e’t lwy e t e mulu. A g
mply emtte te le euty f G’ gm.
Te u, Pul , w t e G’ “emtt” m-
muty, wee He put ply f wtg wl H
“mfl wm” ele pwe (Ep. 3:10–11, 21).
I At, we te ely u w mply eg “te
u,” Lue tell u get ee f fe “we me
up eey ul,” tey “f wt ll te peple,”
“te L e t te ume y y y te w wee
eg e” (At 2:42–47). I te w, ut y g
wt elty ll ue (pyg, g, ttly
peg te w, et.), tey wee egelzg te mmu-
ty. Te peee f elty ll u mmuty
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230 GOSPEL
te getet tlyt f
te egelzt f ttmmuty. I elty
u te ll mmu-
ty ul ee te gly f
te gpel ply. A
tey , my te m-
muty wll e eme wt ee f fe
we my wll e me t elee—ut tey wee
At 2:42–47.
Tee e t let fu tg we f te f At
ut te u tt “mze” te mmuty. E f tee
put te gpel ply. E f tee wll e peet
gpel-etee gegt.
The Church and the Book of Acts
Love and unity in the church
Te le uty te ll u mze te m-muty. It w me t ftety f fe; t w
elet fmly wt uexpete uty. I ge f mt
l, l, l ffeee, te ll u w
te ly ttut te Rm wl tt ugt uty
etwee le e. Te ue Pul plte wee
ee fellwp f Jew Getle, yug l, p
. Rey St y tt t e f te mt g-
ft ft tutg t te ely u’ exple
gwt te ft 400 ye fllwg Ct.6
The presence o a
healthy local church
in a community is the
greatest catalyst or
the evangelization o
that community.
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wHAT dOES A GOSP EL-CEnT EREd CHuRCH LOOK LIKE? 231
F Seffe fmuly lle te u G’ “f l
plget” t eptl wl. Tt’ eue
te u te wl ee
uty tt tgge te
m; tt w tt ll
peple e mm
ety (G); mmplem (); mm S (Jeu).
Generosity
Te l geety f te u mze te m-
muty, t ew ttet t te l geety f
Ct. Empe Jul, e f Ctty’ f eet peeu-
t, mple lette t fe tt e ut ul t
eep te u fm gwg, mtte wt e . I
gut, e , “The godless Galileans! They take care not only of
their own poor, but ours as well.” It w Ct gg tem-
ele wy t te ule t py tem tt e
eptl Rm wl te tut f Jeu’ lm. I’e me
t ee tt my w mmuty t. I le wt Forbes
mgze ll “te eutl u f Ame.” Septm
fte mpe eut. I u mmuty, extgt
geety fte ee
me g t u
plpl eg
(w t t y we
’t l fte peet
ey, ele we
t te Ct ft!).
The church is God’s
“fnal apologetic” to a
skeptical world.
In a post-Christian,
skeptical age, love on
display is sometimes
the most convincing
apologetic.
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232 GOSPEL
I pt-Ct, eptl ge, le ply te mt
g plget.I te ely u, e wet ugy. N e wet
wtut elte. Eeye w pe f. Peple l fel,
pe f, wet e f te e f te. Te u-
ug mmuty w mze. A tey elee.
Joy in the midst of persecution
Te y wt w te ely u uffee l mze
peple. Te wllge t pe ut Jeu we t t
tem eeytg w fug t te ul ee
(At 4:13). Te lty t e y te mt f get
p ew peple’ ttet t te lue tey ple G.
Ayy e ppy we tg e gg well. We
Pul w el pte uutly Plpp p, wee,
tll w fm te etg te gt efe, p-
g G te t ug G wg egee, te
eptl Plpp l t te (At 16:25–31).
I w wtg TV e mg wt my fe-ye-l
we pee wt mle te ze f Tex me
exple t ewe tt f tey wul ge m “ee
gft” f $1,500, G wul f et multply H leg
tem. He uge ewe w wee et et
t fll up te lt t f pe te et mg
t t m. “G mgt ew yu wt BMW,” e
, “ yu eg wll e mze t te mle yu e
yu fe yu pull ut f yu gge yu ew
, yu tell tem te get ew ut wt Jeu
e f yu.”
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 233
Relly? Yu eg wll e amazed t te mle
yu fe we yu e g yu ew BMW? I upetye wul mle tt umte. Wt wll mze
yu fe we yu y e wt e yu
401K etmet e te yu e tll le t y,
“I e pe y G ey te e f ll tee
tg.” We u umte e te et, te lgt f
u pe G e te gtet.
Miraculous answer to prayer
Lt ut t let, te mulu we G ge
t te pye f te ely u mze te mmuty.
Mulu we t pye e t ut metg G
Aptl tme. D’t wte te ff el f te
pt. G epetely tugut te Ble tt wt
wul tgu H peple w te wy He wee te
pye (Deut. 4:7). Pep te ly e we ’t ee G
me u mt le tey w we ’t Hm le
tey .7
Tty-e ut f fty mle te f At
ppe outside te u, te mmuty. I fte tell u
u tt me I, pt, e e t ly 1/40
f te pwe f G, e I pe mt f my tme te
u! Mt f t wt f tem. G’ pwe ey t e
mfete te mmuty. He wt t emtte u
ty tt He wllg le t e.
We I le mg Mulm Sutet A, tee
wee tme I ut ’t w wt t y t me Jeu
w t tem. S I’ ffee t py f peple. I l
my ze f peple pye f tem Jeu’
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234 GOSPEL
me. Sme f tem gt ette. I’ll ee fget te y
gup f 12-ye-l y g my ell e ul me t py f mte. I e te f
te gup y, “Wy e yu g m t me? He’ t
Mulm.” Te te y , “Ye, ut t m G
lte t.”
G fte utette H mege mmuty
tug mulu we t te pye f te u tt mmuty.
The Signs Accentuate the Message, Not Replace It
Le uty. Geety. Jy peeut. Mulu
we t pye. Tee e mzg tg. But we mut
g ememe: tee mzg w etute, ut
ee eple, te el explt f te gpel. Ou ge-
ety, y, le, mulu pwe ly put ply
te glu gpel we plm wt u w. Tey t
eple peg. Sg e ly g f t le wt tey
e gfyg.
Weee y g w, mtte w wty t
w telf, gt te wy f te peg f te me-
ge, Jeu te p-
tle ee t mmetely.
Tt eue te g
wee t pt t te me-
ge. If tey wee tt-
g fm te mege, tey
wee lge eg
te pupe.
Whenever any good
work got in the way o
the preaching o the
message, Jesus and
the apostles ceased it
immediately.
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 235
F exmple, fte Jeu mululy fe te 5,000 wt
te fe le tw fe, te peple eme fxte Jeu’ lty t mmetely e wl uge. Tey
wte t me Hm g gt te tee. Wt w
Jeu’ epe? Stt wlwe “e uge” ue?
N, He efue t epet te mle pee te
t te peple ut te ee t ee Hm te Be f Lfe
(J 6:26–27). Jeu w e e y m t elp m ele pp-
ety pute wt te te. Te guy legtmte
ute mplt. A we w, G ee ut ute
(I. 58; Am 4:6–8). Yet, tt tut, Jeu efue
t teee, yg tt t w t elly “H ue.”
Ite, He pee em t t f tem ut te
f gee. Jeu’ “ue,” ft femt, w t ft
et wt te ee f te gpel (Lue 12:13–14).
I At 6, te ptle wee peete wt legtmte
l ee te mmuty—te ww eee mee
t elp put f te tle. Te ptle epe tt
te wul e t ee t t e eue tey ul
t e tte fm peg, te mt mptt t
(At 6:1–5).
D. Mty Lly-Je t ut tt ty:
C’t yu e peple ug tt tme y, “Wt
g peg f peple mg u e tg
uffeg? Te tme f peg e te tme
f t ee.” Hwee, te Aptle, ue te
fluee f te Hly Spt, w te geu temp-
tt put ft f tem , “Ntg
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236 GOSPEL
elpe te mpte f peg te W. We’ll
G t elp u e up te w meet teee. We t, y y me, qut peg.”8
Ntg, mtte w g uget, eep u fm
puug u pmy ete: preaching the gospel . But we
e peg t, u le ul e puttg te le, pee,
y f te gpel gp ply. Ou mmuty ul tte u te le f Ct wy tt lee tem
mze, ugy f me.
De yu lfe tt?
We te lt tme
mee w mze y
yu geety? We
te lt tme tey e
yu wee te y yu
pe uffeg ul
ply me fm?
I yu u g
tt yu mmuty?
How one middle-class church has learned to put the
gospel on display
I 2004, G te u u tt we wee t put-
tg ply te geety f te gpel u mmuty.
I w teg tug te ft lf f te f At,
we me t At 8:6–8 wee t y, “Te w wt e
p ttet t wt w eg y Plp we
tey e m w te g tt e . . . . S tee w
mu y tt ty.”
Nothing, no matter
how good or urgent,
can keep us rom
pursuing our primary
objective: preachig
the gospel.
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 237
I e u u f tey tugt tee w “mu y”
te ty eult f u peee tee. Te I e te ty At 9 ut Tt (w te tuget me f
te New Tetmet: “D”) w e my g
w t f ty tt we e e te mmuty
gtee t e ee wept. I e u u, “D yu
t f te Summt Cu ‘e’ tt u mmuty wul
weep tt we wee ge?” We elee te we t t te quet w “.”
If ytg, te mmuty my e ee exte tt we
wee ge eue tey wul eg e t u tx-exempt
pee f ppety get le “u” ml lutteg te
mlx (tug I etly ’t wt t ueetmte te
gfe f te peple w tute Ct t u u
te y peet te le ug tt tme).
T me lg ty t, we ele tt wt G’
elp we wul eme leg t u ty—t te
Ct’ le t tem. T g H le H elg t
te ple u ty tt eee Hm mt. S we e G
t w u wy we ul emtte te pee le f
te gm t tem.
Stly teefte, G ugt t u ttet ey
uepefmg pul elemety l te e ty.
Te l w te wt e l u uty w
t t e ut w wt tw ye.
Oe te ext eel ye we eme ey le wt
tt l. We le eel et pet. My f u
peple gt le tutg le. Smll gup pte
lm tee, ue efugee, met pyl
ee f fmle te l. Oe -t-e-me uple
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238 GOSPEL
u u e tt y gft f tem e eete t
fmly te l we ue ee etye fe. At te e f tt ft ye, te ppl e u f we
wul py f e tuet ug e-f-te-ye exm
eue te e wul e te pmy te y w
te l wul e elute.
I te fut ye f u lemet, te l (w
peuly te lwet e f y l te uty) te get peetge f t p te e-f-ye
exm. I ept lg u lemet wt te
l, te ppl ete te u’ efft wt elpg
t mpe te l’ em pefme.9 At tee’
quet tly teefte, e f te tee , “I e
lwy w yu Ct elee yu ul le yu
eg. . . . I’e ee w wt t le le utl w.”
T pt Juy I w te t pe t u ty’
ul Mt Lute Kg, J. lly. It ey gft
eet u ty—telee, wt ll ty uty ge-
met ffl peet. Tey e me mply t expl wy
we tugt t w mptt t le te mmuty.
Jut few mute efe te pgm tte, I w
tg tge eu Jel Otee t At 29
eet. Te uty mge, eg my xety, put
my ule , “J.D., yu w wy yu’e ee
e t pe t t eet?”
I , “N, f yu ul tell me I’ elly ppete
t, eue I’m upe eu.”
He , “Beue f ll yu u e f u ty.”
Lte I w tl, “Eeywee u ty we f ee,
we l f peple fm te Summt Cu meetg tt
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wHAT dOES A GOSPEL-CEnTEREd CHuRCH LOOK L IKE? 239
ee. We ul’t t f ye t ette emy te
pt f tely le u ty t yu, elf f yuu.” I wet ut tt y f twety mute exple
tt u u’ geety w epe t te l
geety f Ct tw u. Ct e f u wt
we ul t f uele; w ul we t exte tt
t te w e ee? At te e f my tme te l
, my, ty ul ge tg t. Te w uttte te mege. Tey me t le
uetle.
Oe te lt few ye, I’e e my te u
u f mll gup tg up mey t py f peple’
ugee; ug efugee; ee wzg ue e
t ge me wy. We’e guet em w geeuly
epetfully tey wee tete we tey me t u
u mpu.
It u y t y t peple we tey te e
e u geety: “We le t e geeu t te
eue Ct ee geeu t u.” Ou geety
pe u te pptuty t plm te gpel. Ou -
e t te peple f u ty ly m w f Jeu’
get e f u, ut I elee t elpe peple u
ty t uet me f wt Jeu le. It elpe
ete u mmuty uge f te gpel.
Preach the gospel, to all people in all times at all places!
A gpel-etee u ptze te mege f te
gpel t mte; fue tt mege wt Ct
e te t ytg we e t e g, te
emtte te gpel te mmuty u tem.
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240 GOSPEL
A gpel-etee u lwy ut te gpel. It
pee te gpel ll ple, t ll tme, t ll peple. Te gpel te efg elemet eey pt f te
mty.
Nelee ee t e te gpel t elee t e
e. Belee ee t e eme f te gpel tey
gw eepe Ct. Tee elly tt, yu
ee, etwee wt elee ee t e wt uele-e ee t e. Bt elee uelee ee t get
glmpe f G’ met gly, tte f H upg
euty, ee f w mu ge G w tw
tem Ct. Bt elee uelee ee t e
eue f te pe elf-uffey, t e eme
f te ll-upg euty f G. Tey t ee t e
te up t ft. Te gpel te ete f te mege
mtte w yu e tlg t. It eeytg. Ct ll.
S me te gpel etl eeytg yu . Pe
t eeywee. Alwy. T eeye.
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241
COnCLuSIOn
Yo’ll neer Fi the Bottom
Oe f te tg I le ut Jeu’ te tt He fte
ue te y te t me H pt. Su tee te ple f te teue e fel, ee
Mttew 13:44.
I t, m mlg lg tug uy’ fel we
e tu te wt e ume t e ptug
fm te t. He g lttle wt , e
tt t ; t te e f get teue etflle wt tge El meml f temeu lue.
Rte t tellg uy ut wt e’ fu, w-
ee, e e-e te teue me ffe te fel.
H uy (w mpletely gt ut te teue)
wy e wt t uy t, te m y, “O, I ’t
w . . . te g te t te tee e . . . petty
. . . I ’t w . . . I ut wt t.” Beue fe
e t ell te fel, e qute m tml pe.
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242 GOSPEL
Befe e ee get te fgue ut f mut, wee,
te m em “SOLD!” ue me t pull tgete mey. Te plem tt e e’t e tt f
mey , e t lqute eeytg. He e
me y le w mey fm wee wll le
t. He ge up ltelly eeytg. But Jeu ee te
m’ tttue tw t wle ff wt e w: “y.”
In his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that
field. (13:44)
Wt f ll et t w f wt e’ lg, ut
y f wt e’ gg. Te m p ll te wy t te
t et melf f ll et eue e w tt
wt e gg ftely me lule t ytg
e gg up.
Jeu tt fg G le tt. Me m-
te—t fllw Jeu me tt yu elqu yu gt t
eeytg ele te wl. Yu ltelly mut eue t ll
(Lue 14:33). Tt me tg e ff-lmt t Jeu.
Yu t put lmt wee yu wll le wt yu wll
. Yu “tt” wt Hm e tpult; t
lute, utl uee. Yu mut e wllg t
ept fm fmly, fe, mft, e, ee yu
w lfe. Yu mut e wllg t te p up H ug,
pful, we fllw Hm. Yu mut le f t-
e He le f yu.
But f yu peee te lue f Jeu, e f t wll
eem le fe. Te pful te t f -
plep e eee, ut te y f wt yu e te
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COnCLuSIOn: YOu’LL nEv ER F Ind THE BOTT OM 243
Hm f utweg y w f wt yu e
e.Heew 12:2 y tt Jeu wet t te wt y.
“Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the
throne of God.”
He etly ’t le te , te ut f Heew
. He t eue t. It p w exutg. But He
w e tug H l y te y f wt He w g-
g. A wt w tt y? Amg te tg, you.
T te G w yu t p up yu
fllw Hm.
Jeu te teue
wt leg eeytg
f. Kwg Hm wll
tu fe t weet-
e uty t elgt.
Ee we yu mmt-
met t Hm le yu t , He wll e teue tt
u tt y.
Lg Jeu wt me Jeu’ feel “lgt.” Hw
ele ul Jeu e , “Cme t me, ll w l
e ey le, I wll ge yu et. . . . F my ye
ey my ue lgt” (Mtt. 11:28)? I’t t te me
Jeu w tl u t te up u ? Hw te e
“lgt” ue?
Oly we yu le te Oe yu e yg t f. He
me ee t ttee weet.
Jesus is the
treasure worth leaving
everything or.
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244 GOSPEL
Te pt f t tt te gpel te ly tg
tt pue tt f le f G yu. Le f Jeu t e pue mply y mm. A wtut
le, Pul , ee te getet t f ft mmtmet
e ultmtely wtle t G (1 C. 13:1–3).
Le f G, Sptue y, flw fm H le f
u (1 J 4:19). Te ly wy tt le f G te
gw u tug ft te ty f G’ get lef u—te gpel.
A flle peple, we wll etly e t lt f
tg u le we ’t feel le g, ee fte we’e
gtte te gpel te gt ple. We ul wt’ gt
wete we feel le t t. But we ul t e tet
mply t ee G wt u t wle u et w-
e fm Hm. S we ple uele g wt
gt, let u l tute u ul te gpel tt we
le t le wt gt. Ou t f eee ul
temele e y f ft te gpel.
Let the Law Be the Law,and the Gospel Be the Gospel1
Be ey eful tt yu t ue f pg wt te
Ble te g. Dg ee wt wg;
pg tell u wt t ut t.2
Tee e my tg te Ble y wll e tue f u f
u ft geue. I e exple my t : we
wll e geeu wt te p (Jme 2:14–17); flle wt
le f te u (1 J 3:14); teely ee
wg elf f te peeute u (Mtt. 25:31–46);
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COnCLuSIOn: YOu’LL nEv ER F Ind THE BOTT OM 245
fgg (Mtt. 18:21–35); gwg u le f gteu-
e (1 J 3:3), my te tg. If tee tg enot tue f u, te we my t e e.
“Lelee,” “pty,” “tul ” e ge
f ptul et. We g epetely wg, wee, we
we t we fx te tg y etg u e.
Ft te gpel lwy G’ pg.
Jeu w e e, “Wt mut we , t e g te
w f G?” (J 6:28). I te w, “Wt e te
‘pmy’ w f G, Jeu, tt yu e t e most
mptt?” I t primarily l ute, gll m, -
y elf f te p, Sptue memzt, u
ttee, -t-
tt, mll gup
ptpt—w
mt mptt t Yu?
Eey u lee
t te ege f te
et wtg t e Jeu’ we. Te we eteme te
ext g ze Ctty.
Jeu etf e e f tee. He , “T te w
f G, tt yu elee m wm e et” (. 29).
Ww. Ou mt mptt “g” tu ut t e
“eleg.” We we e “e” tt, f ue, we wll t-
ully tt g ll te te tuff. Tuly eleg te g-
pel pue u e f te p, le f Sptue,
ee t e utet mmuty, le f le,
eeytg ele tt pt f te Ct lfe. Te
Faith in the gospel is
always God’s prognosis.
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246 GOSPEL
e e te eult f
(, fut f) ft tegpel. Beleg peee
gt eg.
S, yu elly wt
t te w f G?
Te elee Hm
wm He et.Beleg te gpel
wt elee exple
pwe Jeu’ fllwe
tt ue tem t le
wt l elee uu ft. It tte
eey te elgu teg te wl, tt t ffee
G’ epte gft t ew. Tt gft e-
te tety p f G Jeu’ fllwe tt
te elg w ple f pug.
Ft te gpel elee Jeu’ fllwe te pwe
tt me Ctty eluty.
S let me le y etug t te pt I me t te
egg: Lg lfe etee te gpel t ut
pyg te e’ pye t me ue yu’e gg t ee
te leg u f ew pple t mte te
Ct lfe. Gpel-eteee ut tutg yu
et te g ew f Jeu—lettg t eme yu
m tt yu ee eeytg ut yuelf yu lfe
tug t le.
Gwt Ct t gg ey te gpel, ut
eepe t t.
Truly believing the
gospel produces in us
a concern or the poor,
a love o Scripture, a
desire to be in authentic
community, a love or
holiness, and everything
else that is part o the
Christian lie.
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COnCLuSIOn: YOu’LL nEv ER F Ind THE BOTT OM 247
Me te gpel te ete f yu lfe. Tu t t we
yu e p. Let t e te fut f yu etty.Gu yu fee
t. Ru t t we yu
ul feel etle. Te
le tee tme f
fu mft
tee tme f eget.Dwell t utl gteu
p f G pg up
wt yu. Let t pe
yu t G-etee,
et-efyg em f H gly.
My ul fu t etg ple. N lge I tug-
gle, gu, e wt I mut f G t e plee
wt me. Ct mple t ll my elf. I
tg t t, I te tg wy. I e lt f
m t gw my Ct lfe, ut my pt Hm
eue.
Hg fu ( ette yet, ee fu y) Hm,
ewelme t H ge, my et gwg le f
Hm te. Geety le tem tt flw ee-
tge my et. I ge wy me mey w t I ee
e, t eue I e t, ut eue I wt t. I t
ut myelf le w t I ee e—mly eue I
e fu gete, me pttg gm t le f
t my w. Te ple f H gm me me
e wt me.
S, I te yu t e eepe t te gpel. Stuy t,
eeply—le te em tue te, ut le yu
Believing the gospel
is what released an
explosive power in
Jesus’ ollowers that
caused them to live with
radical recklessness and
audacious aith.
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248 GOSPEL
tuy uet tt lee yu peele; le m w
ptely le wt wfe tue e, utl e’ ptte y e tt etllmet wt e e ut y
lluemet tw te wme.3
Te gpel t meely te g ff f w
yu umpe t te pl f Ctty; te gpel te
pl telf. S eep gg eepe t t. Yu’ll ee f te
ttm.I pe yu’ll py t pye wt me f te et f yu
lfe!
“In Christ, there is nothing I can do
that would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
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249
APPEndIx 1
The Gospel Project
Te gpel te pwe f G f lt. Ntg wll
lte yu lfe me t wellg te e f te g-pel. It ppee t me; t’ ppee t u u; t wll
ppe t yu.
I lgt f tt, I’e gt llege f yu t mplete
fllw-up t t . Eey y f te ext fty y,
wll yu () py te fu pt f Te Gpel Pye, ()
e tee pte f te Gpel: Mttew, M, Lue, J?
Wy? I wt yu t tute yuelf te gpel
eey y. Te mt gpel-etee ee wtte
e Mttew, M, Lue, J. Yu’ll f Jeu
tee. Dwell wt Hm te Gpel f fty y,
let Te Gpel Pye tute yu et m H
euty le. I t t wll g lg wy elpg yu
le t “e” Hm.
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250 GOSPEL
Ag, ee te pye:
“In Christ, there is nothing I can do
that would make You love me more, and nothing
I have done that makes You love me less.”
“Your presence and approval are all
I need for everlasting joy.”
“As You have been to me, so I will be to others.”
“As I pray, I’ll measure Your compassion by the cross
and Your power by the resurrection.”
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APPEndI x 1 251
Day Reading
q 1 Mttew 1–2
q 2 Mttew 3–4
q 3 Mttew 5–7
q 4 Mttew 8–9
q 5 Mttew 10–12
q 6 Mttew 13–14
q 7 Mttew 15–16
q 8 Mttew 17–18
q 9 Mttew 19–20
q
10 Mttew 21–23q 11 Mttew 24–25
q 12 Mttew 26–28
q 13 M 1–3
q 14 M 4–5
q 15 M 6–7q 16 M 8–10
q 17 M 11–13
q 18 M 14–16
q 19 Lue 1–2
q 20 Lue 3–4
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252 GOSPEL
Day Reading
q 21 Lue 5–6
q 22 Lue 7
q 23 Lue 8–9
q 24 Lue 10–11
q 25 Lue 12–13
q 26 Lue 14–16
q 27 Lue 17–19
q 28 Lue 20–21
q 29 Lue 22–24
q
30 J 1–2q 31 J 3–4
q 32 J 5–6
q 33 J 7–8
q 34 J 9–10
q 35 J 11–12q 36 J 13–14
q 37 J 15–16
q 38 J 17
q 39 J 18–19
q 40 J 20–21
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253
APPEndIx 2
A Gospel-Cetere warig to Yog Zealos Theologias
I’e te tt my f u w gp t ept f “gpel-eteee” e teey t e me exte
ut te “tey” f gpel-eteee t we e ut
te gpel telf. At let I’m tt wy. I e gtte petty
g t etfyg -gpel-etee peg,
petty ly pt ut te tmg f et m-
te. Te pt f gpel-eteee, wee,
t te ew lty t
tque te. Te pt
f gpel-eteee
t e G wp
H ge.My f u w le t tl ut gpel-eteee
eem t pe ey lttle f te umlty tt ul g lg
The point o gospel-
centeredness is to
adore God and worship
His grace.
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254 GOSPEL
wt t. Yu ee tt w elf-pmtg we e
w ugu we e wt te. It lwy mze me tt we e pu eue we uet te ey tg tt
ul le u t umlty.
My m fte ue tte wt te ltet telg-
l te t t p f te G w ge Hmelf f
me t te . Kwlege tt e t le, ultmtely, t
le umlty “wtle,” Pul wul y. Wt elly ut, e y, t wlege y telf, ut te le tt
u wlege f te gpel ul pue (1 C. 12:1–3).
Oe f my fe wtg t tt t mgt
tute t gwg elf-gteue mg yuge
telg w feel le uetg gpel-eteee
me tem me pel te eye f G (, te y!)
t te w ’t tulte t, w uge eeye ele
y wete t tey ue te me tem tt tey .
Reetly I tle wt lttle l ly w ee my
Suy l tee t te ey ttl u w I
gew up. Se , “Yu w, I le me me fe
t ee, I fte we wt t elly le up tee
wt I ul e lg fw t. I w tey y tee e
teet f gl, ut tt e’t eem t exte me ey mu.
Te e tg I elly wt t ee Jeu.” T ly
ee e f J Ppe e wt te Gpel
Clt , ut e ee ge y te gpel. Se
le Jeu, tt te wle pt f gpel-eteee.
Tee e my lttle l le eg u ue-
e w my t uet w t tulte te tee
f gpel-eteee e te geuty t zzle u
m wt pylgl gt, ultul et,
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APPEndI x 2 255
Ctet tepett f ue Ol Tetmet p-
ge. Te et, wee, u wt le f Jeu eflw wt gtefule f H ge.
Te umle, gpel- le f G wt me
t ll te yu I wte t uet.
S ’t e qu t uge tem. Be umle y tem.
Mteg te tey f gpel-eteee t te pt.
Lg te G f te gpel .
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257
notes
Chapter 1
1. At t pt, yu my , “But wy te e we mme t
le G, f tue le ly gw, tully, epe?” Tt getquet, e we wll get t tme (peflly, pte 12). Te
Ble etly pe lt f mmmet, we mut ey tem
ee we t me eyg eey p we e t te ty. A I’ll
expl pte 12, eyg G’ mmmet ee we we ’t
feel le t e f telf t f ft te gpel.
2. G ge te ft telf t elee te gpel tug te
peg f te gpel. Te Spt f G ue tt mege t mpt
te lty t elee t te ee (J 1:13; J 6:44; Rm. 10:17).
Te pef we w tt ppe elee my y , ut
mt wul gee tt ft te et ly e pue tug te
pwe f te Spt.
3. Te ft tme I e t ptul pg w fm fe,
Tull T, mege e ge t te Summt Cu 2010.
4. I we t lgy t Pul Tpp, w ge t t tl e ge t
te Summt Cu f Rleg-Dum, Nt Cl, M, 2010.
5. Te pg f t I we t Tm Kelle. A I te wl-
egmet, t wul e f me t eetmte te mpt D. Kelle,D Pwl, E Wel, te e my tg. Tey
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258 GOSPEL
e et me tug gpel elut I e ee eee fm,
ply ee wll.
6. Mt Lute, The Sermons of Martin Luther , l. VI (G
Rp: Be, 1983), 146.
Chapter 2
1. I ft e tee tem Tm Kelle’ em te ple f
te ee fm M 4:3–20.
2. Pul y (Rm. 1:25) tt te eee f um wppg eg te etue me t te Cet. Am Ee te f te
fe fut eue tey wppe t ple f G.
3. Te ept “futl g” “futl ” e t
gl wt me. Mt Lute, f exmple, tl ut tee ept
Smaller Catechism, J Cl e te peg et f
Institutes. See l D Pwl, “Il f te Het Vty F,”
The Journal of Biblical Counseling 13:2 (Wte 1995), 35–50.
4. “Rt l” tem e y D Pwl te tle “Ilf te Het Vty F,” Journal of Biblical Counseling, l. 13, 2,
Wte, 1995, 35.
5. Hee g, I we t ept t Tm Kelle. D. Kelle ee
ml tut w e t ll mu le mply t get
ge, e ul get me mey. A e gew le, wee,
e eelpe le f ll mu tt e w pe lt f mey
t ey.
6. I ft e t ty em y Cle Spuge. I e le t tl y D. Mty-Lly Je Tm Kelle. A I t f
te gl, me f te etl I mgt e me up. Te eee f te
ty, te pt Spuge w mg wt t, wee, e te me.
Kelle’ e The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian
Faith (New Y: Dutt, 2008), 60–62.
Chapter 3
1. Sme l pt ut tt te lguge ee wul e ette
tlte, “Since Yu e te S f G.” A u, St my t e
etly g, “Ae Yu ue Yu e te S f G?” Rte, e
yg, “Se Yu e te S f G . . . ul’t Yu e le t me
tee umte ffeet? Yu ul’t e te eet; Yu ul
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nOTES 259
e ttg te. Yu ul’t e ugy; Yu ul e fetg
e.” Ete wy, t tll tt Jeu’ etty. St utly
tyg t get Jeu t quet H etty y pltg ut ut H
umte. (See t lgt, “If Yu e te S f G,” my
tlt ee t, wul e me f telgl tepett t
tgt gmmtl e. Jeu etly euff St’ tt y fetg
G’ elt e Hm te lt f H etty, te
t H peet umte.)
2. T fm em y Lue Ggl ge t te Met Ble
Stuy Atlt, GA. Uftutely, I t ememe te em ttle.
3. See, f exmple, Mt Lute, Luther’s Works, Vol. 1: Lectures onGenesis: Chapters 1–5 (St Lu: C Pulg Hue, 1999),
21–22. Cl Tuem, ummzg w Mt Lute tugt ut
te pwe f w, “I te w, te mgt tell me I m flue,
t, lw, el, mpetet, u, geu, ptet, et.,
tee w e t ut epte: tey e et pwe t me me
tee tg, te eye f te ee my w eye, elf-ut
eep te Del wpe my e. But G pe lue,
w me pweful. Yu my ll me l, yu pe tut, fI e le; ut f G ele me gteu, te my le yu ult
e t te fl w, te mt pweful w. I e pee my ul
eue G’ w el elty. Tt’ wy I ee t e te Ble e
y, t e te w pee e wee, t me t G pye,
t e w f ge fm te te te I ee t pe te
me t tem. Oly G pe w t me, I e tt w
ft, my elty tfme te ult f te, f my w
ful tue, f te el e melf, ee t ttute my elty. Te w f my eeme, extel tel, mgt e pweful f
mmet, le few explg gt te gt y; ut te W f
te L tge, gte, lt fee.” See ttp://www.efm
t21.g/Upmg_Iue/Buee/385.
Chapter 4
1. I m eeg t ue “te lw” ue y Pul lette t te
Glt. Ue t uge, “eee t te lw” tt w ee
t ge u y e mft te t y ft te gpel.
Te lw tell u, Pul y, “ t yu ll le.” Pul y t te
eee f w-gteue. G ge u ffeetly. Rte t
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260 GOSPEL
“ t yu ll le,” te gpel y “te ut ll le y ft”
(Gl. 3:1–6, 11–13).
2. T pt eelpe y ume f ut—Gy Tm,
J Elege, Tm Kelle, t me few.
Chapter 5
1. I’m t ue w t ft, ut I t te ft tme I e
t w y M Dll peg t te Ae te Cu feee
Dum, Nt Cl.2. F mplete tuy lty, I wul gly ugget Tm
Kelle’ Counterfeit Gods (New Y: Dutt, 2009).
3. F te f yu w e tt l wt me, I’ ugget When
People Are Big and God Is Small, y E Wel (Pllpug: P&R
Pulg, 1997). Wel ffe wefully gtful ly f um
tue, epelly f e, type-A peple.
4. See C. S. Lew, “Te Wegt f Gly,” The Weight of Glory and
Other Addresses (New Y: Sm & Sute, 1975).5. I’e e tt mgey ttute t Jt Ew, ut m
uue f te ue.
6. Ipt f t me fm ml e ge em
y J Ppe, “Te Peet Pwe f Futue Pe.” See ttp://
tegpellt.g/lg/uttyl/2010/09/03/g-g--
ette-t-mey-ex-pwe--ppulty.
7. Lew t lette t Dm Bee Gfft (Apl 23, 1951):
“Put ft tg ft we get e tg tw : put etg ft we le both ft e tg. We ee get, y,
ee te eul pleue f f t t et we we e eg geey.” He
metg ml “Ft Se Tg,” God in the Dock:
Essays on Theology and Ethics (G Rp: Eem, 1994), 280.
Chapter 6
1. Explt fm Cle Me, e f Ete’ tuet,
te e wy Ete ee elee te Ct G. N ue
lle.
2. Exu 19:8; 24:3. Lte, f ue, tey wul eege tt
plege, fllg ut f fm G ple. Tt w eue te
gt f G fe fm te eye.
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nOTES 261
3. See www.fttg.m/tle/2007/12/te-femt-eel
t-38.
Chapter 7
1. I e e t tepett f Jeu’ w eel tme e
te ye, mt eetly fm Tm Kelle, R Bell, Ke Se. A
wt mt f my tepett tee pge, t t gl wt me.
Kelle’ em elly elp yu uet ge-e fgee;
Se’ Peacemaking for Families (Wet: Tyle, 2002) elp yupply te teg te text f eltp.
2. C. S. Lew, The Four Loves (1960; Hut Be: 1991), 105–6.
Chapter 8
1. Sme ee my we f I m epg t pte t
pte 6 f D Pltt’ Radical , “Hw Mu Eug” (ClSpg: Multm B, 2010), 111–44. Te we “,” “ye.”
“N,” tt I e t ttempte t pte fully fly t eut
D’ e ut mey ep t tem. “Ye,” tt me e-
e f Pltt’ e pte mle ew f mey G’
pupe f t u le. I e wtte t pte t lfy wt
I elee te Ble tee ut mey. Pltt eewe t pte
tl me tt e geemet wt te pple peete. D
I t elee tt gly fep gly tque e t t , I m gteful f Radical te mpt t wl m.
I elee, wt D, tt te ul f te Ame u ee p-
tte y “te Ame em,” py tt G ge u geet
te ge t le wt Jeu le leege u eue puut f
te tg.
2. J Cl, Institutes of the Christian Religion, e. J T. MNell
(1559, epte Plelp: Wetmte, 1960), 1:839.
3. Yu w’t f ette tuy te Ct’ lgt t te
p, my p, t Tm Kelle’ Generous Justice: How God’s Grace
Makes Us Just (New Y: Dutt, 2010). Ru, ’t wl, t te te
t get yu py.
4. J 14:18, 28. I w I m teg geu gu ee.
How extly te Spt gue mplex, llly u. If t
el pt f quet f yu, g, let me ugget Ke DeYug’
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262 GOSPEL
Just Do Something : a Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will (Cg:
My, 2009). Tee e few eue t uet well-le
ey-t-e Ke’.
5. F g tl eue t tp, e Ry Al’
Money, Possessions and Eternity (Wet: Tyle, 2002), 285. Te wle
exellet, ut I fu ptully elpful pte 16, “Mg
Mey, Owg Pe, Cg Lfetyle,” fm w t
et me.
6. F me t pple, ee Gy Tm’ Pure Pleasure: Why
Do Christians Feel So Bad About Feeling Good? (G Rp: Ze,
2009), pte 3, 5, 11. Pelly, I f Tm t e lttle ut f le, t gg eug wegt t te Ct’ ll t uffe
fe. Tm ly ut te ll e f eymet f G’ g
gft, tug.
7. T me fm pel et I wt Ly Oe,
e pt f Nt Ct Cu Vt, Clf, My 2010.
8. I we te et f flwe t euty e t euty t
mege y Tm Kelle te pge ge t Reeeme Peyte
New Y Cty.9. T fm Ry Al’ Treasure Principle (Cl Spg:
Multm, 2005), 17, te f Al’ w mey w I wul
etly emme t yu.
Chapter 9
1. If yu f te e tt peple ly e e y llg teme f Jeu tulg, yu mgt e J Ppe’ Jesus: The Only Way to
God. Must You Hear the gospel to Be Saved? (G Rp: Be, 2010),
pte 7 D Pltt’ Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American
Dream (Cl Spg: Multm, 2010). I’e tugt myelf tt
mege ettle “Te T I Uget: Rm 10:14–17,” ge t te
Summt Cu Dum, Nt Cl, Ote 3, 2010. It
lle f fee wl t www.ummtu.m.
2. See te u pte 10. See l At 13:1–3. Te ely
u w ege t ee te gpel et fw t te t, ut tey
wte te Hly Spt t et tem empwe tem t te
w. T ut wt Jeu tugt tem t (At 1:6–8).
3. He ue tel Ilm tem f “te tgt pt” w
pple ly t te t ee.
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nOTES 263
Chapter 10
1. Tt’ wt Jeu tl H ple J 6. Te getet “w
f G” tt we e uppe t elee Hm. Beleg wt
empwe ll te w, eue eleg elee wt G wll
te tut ( J 6:29).
2. Te Ble tee tw mplemety, t tty, tut.
O e , G mpletely eeg e ll w wll e e,
t e lt (J 6:37, 44), ee f we t ply u le
peg lt t tem, G wll e up mee ele t t u
ple (Ete 4:14–16). Te mplemety tut tt f we t g,te w mgt e ee e w’t e e eue tey w’t e
e t e (Rm. 10:14–17), we wll e gulty f te l
(Eze. 33:1–0; At 20:26–27). F u t e “l gulty” me tt
we e u uty, te lfe mgt e ee e. We mut elee
l t te.
3. Hu Tyl’ Spiritual Secret , pte 11 19, ttp://www.
wl.et//tyl/te.tm.
4. Fm Wllm Cey, Fte f te Ptett M memet.
Chapter 11
1. Tw get tt wll te yu me t G’ pupe
uffeg el e Ry Al’ If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst
of Suffering and Evil (Cl Spg: Multm, 2009) D. A.
C’ How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil (GRp: Be, 1990).
Chapter 12
1. Ag, I we t lgy t Tull T.
2. T qute me fm Jey Bge’ exellet , The Discipline
of Grace (Cl Spg: NPe, 1994). I we get et t Bge
f t , well Transforming Grace (Cl Spg:NPe, 2008).
3. Cp D Het me t pt eul text te
eetly elee leep , Switch: How to Change Things When
Change Is Hard (Cw Bue, 2010). Tey expl w effete le-
e mplemet ge gzt. Tey me te e tt we
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264 GOSPEL
pmte ge me y gg wt peple expeee t y -
g tem f te ee f ge. Tey mpe t t m g
elept w gug te elept wt e. Te e mgt t
e’ etg te ml, ut f te ml telf ee ee t g ew
et, te e wul e elple t tully tp t. I te lgy,
te elept le u ee, te e le u m. Tee e tw
wy t me te e g et et. Yu tell m t g tt
et, pe e peue te ml. O, yu peue te
ml, te e wll e t fllw.
4. Pul Mlle’ A Praying Life (Cl Spg: NPe, 2009)
exellet eue ume f leel. H tetmet f pye ptul ple mg te et I’e ee e.
5. A exellet tetmet f ftg te wle ept f ptul
ple J Ppe’ Hunger for God (Wet, IL: Cwy, 1997).
6. A fe f me pple t pple (tt yu te te et
t le metg y te ptpt t) ftg wy t
egelm. Pt B Ret y tt te mt effete wy t ge
ept’ m uully t tug gumet, ut tug .
If yu e tet, B y, w t pe t G t ll, te temt ee te p wt yu. A tey expeee te y f gg t mee
ele, te et eme ftee t G, eue G le. A tey
expeee fl le, tey e expeeg me f G. Tt
me te et me eepte t G, w me te m me
eepte t gumet f G. H—et—e. Wt tey le,
ee wt tey t, me fm wt tey wee expeeg
g. B Ret e f te mt effete egelt tt I w.
Chapter 13
1. T get g le w G et u ty, tt y g
tuy w t e te wll f G yu lfe. (I wul ugget
Ke DeYug’ Just Do Something (Cg: My, 2009) uple wt
Hey Bly’ l Experiencing God (Nlle: B&H Pulg
Gup, 1998). Bt e lmtt, my p, ut tgete I
elee tt tey wll e me g quet pt yu te gt
et.)
2. Tm Kelle’ Generous Justice (New Y: Dutt Ault, 2010)
elp yu e wt t l le f yu yu u.
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nOTES 265
3. I’ ugget yu tuy w G ue eul t
H gm, u Gee Ew Vet’ God at Work (Wet, IL:
Cwy, 2002).
4. See ttp://www.meefmt.g/efult.pp?pge=tle
ply&1=AtRe&2=1201&3=m.
Chapter 14
1. Mel Ht, Christless Christianity (G Rp: Be,
2008), 119.2. Te ttl “5 pt f Clm” e “ Ttl Depty”;
“Utl Elet”; “Lmte Atemet”; “Ietle Ge”;
“Peeee f te St.”
3. 1 J 3:16–18. G’ f e f te wl flwe ut f H le
f t. Ou fe f te wl ul emtte u le well.
J yg tt le wtut fe wtle (1 J 3:16–18), ut
Pul tell u tt fe wtut le (1 C. 13:1–3).
4. Atu W. P, An Exposition of Hebrews (G Rp: Be,2003), 601.
5. Ht, Christless Christianity , 143–44.
6. Rey St, “U C Ce: Te Ce f At,”
The Rise of Christianity (S F: HpeCll, 1997), 156–72.
7. T t, f ue, t ey, tt tee wee me tuly uque
tg ppeg te elet y f Ctty. I elee G
me pel tg t utette te mege f te ptle, pge
le Heew 2:1–4 eem t te. Tt e t, wee, me wet f, expet, G t mulu tg u mt t.
8. Preaching and Preachers (G Rp: Ze, 1971), 23.
9. “Cu Efft E Fmly Sttu t Elemety Sl,” Biblical
Recorder , l. 175, . 19 (12 Septeme 2009), 7.
Conclusion
1. I we t pg t Mel Ht, Christless Christianity ,
(G Rp: Be, 2008), 124.
2. T mte me te ue-zelu Pee te “tw-fl l-
e f ell” te f Jeu Ct (Mtt. 23:15).
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266 GOSPEL
3. I we t lgy f pte tuy t te mteful w f
Pete Keeft lee lttle Between Allah and Jesus (Dwe
Ge: IVP, 2010).
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Introduce your church to the power of the Gospel Prayer.
Start a revolution.
l i f e w a y . c o m / g o s p e l
If after reading this book, you’re already seeing positive changes in yourself,
imagine what would happen if everyone in your church experienced these
teachings. So why not multiply the message of Gospel Revolution through an
8-session Bible study? The Member Book expands on the principles featured
in the book, offering personal devotionals, leader notes, and discussion
questions that take groups into a deeper dive of the revolutionary message of
the gospel. The DVD includes eight video teaching sessions that complement
the group experience with unique insights from the author. It also contains
sermon outlines and many promotional tools to get your entire church excited
about doing the study. Visit us online to see free sample chapters and video.
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Every wordmatters.
Every word of Scripture matters because every word is
from God and for people. Because every word is from God,
the HCSB uses words like Yahweh (Is. 42:8), Messiah
(Luke 3:15), and slave (Rev. 1:1). And because every word
of Scripture is for 21st century people, the HCSB replaces
words like “Behold” with modern terms like “Look.” For
these reasons and others, Christians across the globe are
taking a fresh look at the HCSB.
Every Word Matters
HCSB.org
Take a fresh look
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