The Point of the Gospel

In the Beginning {John}

Jesus (called the Word by John) was with God in the beginning and was that part of God through which all things were made. Jesus became a man, sent by the Father, and lived on the earth. He was life and the light of mankind, shining in the darkness, though people did not always recognize him. Any who believed in His name were given the right to become children of God.

The Conception of John the Baptist {Luke}

When King Herod ruled (a puppet ruler placed there by the Romans), a priest named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth, faithfully followed God’s commandments and religious laws yet had no children. (In this time period and culture, the inability to have children was often considered a punishment for some wrong doing or at least a commentary on being unworthy of God’s blessings.)

As part of his priestly duties, Zechariah went into the temple to burn incense. The appearance of an angel frightened him. (Only priests were allowed into the inner temple. Worshipers prayed outside.)

“Do not be afraid,” the angel said. “Your prayer has been answered. Elizabeth will bear a son and you shall name him John. The Holy Spirit will dwell in him from birth. (This was unusual. God usually bestowed His Spirit on specific people for finite periods of time.) John will bring many of the people of Israel back to the Lord their God by turning their hearts to moral uprightness, thus preparing them for the Lord.”

“How can my wife and I conceive a child at our age?” Zechariah questioned.

“I am Gabriel,” the angel answered. (A messenger, Gabriel visited Daniel in the Old Testament, chapters eight and nine, as well as Zechariah and Mary.) “I stand in the presence of God and have been sent to tell you this good news. Since you did not believe, you will be unable to talk until what I say comes true.”

Elizabeth became pregnant and rejoiced that the Lord had taken away her disgrace of being barren.

 Next time—writer’s status. I’ll let you know how I’m faring with blog directories. More of The Point of the Gospel next Friday.

The Point of the Gospel--Intro Part III

The Fulfillment of the Law

Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law. So what exactly was the purpose of the law? The Old Testament speaks of God’s divine nature and anything unholy or sinful having to be kept separate from His holy presence. Old Testament kings and prophets given the gift of God’s Spirit were often charged with the task of warning people of their separation from God and to repent and become right with Him by returning to the law. Sometimes they relayed comforting messages of God’s love and protection.

Practically every circumstance in life had its law and accompanying rule or ritual for cleansing oneself from sin when one of these laws was inevitably broken. Other than those people specifically chosen by God, others had no direct, personal relationship with Him. Priests, who first had to go through their own cleansing rituals, entered the interior part of the temple forbidden to anyone else and into God’s presence. They offered the people’s prayers and sacrifices for forgiveness.

Jesus said that He came to fulfill the law. Many at first wondered if He might be one of the famous prophets of old, Elijah or Ezekiel, come back to life. The law, when followed to the letter, bridged the gap between God and people. Impossible for imperfect people to keep the law 100 percent of the time, Jesus became the permanent way to God, His death the ultimate atonement for sin.

Jesus’ Promise

Jesus promised the disciples they would not be left alone after His death. Another counselor, the spirit of truth and a comforter, would teach all things and was the point of the Gospel. The Holy Spirit, the ultimate authority and teacher of God’s truth to each individual, offers direction, comfort, wisdom, and strength on our journeys.

If Mr. Jennings’s program on the Gospel had gone a bit further into the Book of Acts and its story of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit, the question of what happened after Jesus’ death and why the Church grew despite great odds might have been easier to answer.

Next time—the beginning of the story.

The Point to the Gospel--Intro Part II

In Reading the Story

The four writers of the life of Jesus wrote for different audiences and stressed different stories to better reach them. Matthew, for instance, wrote primarily to Jews and very carefully linked his stories of Jesus to prophecies about the Messiah in the Old Testament to prove who Jesus was, though he also clearly states that Jesus came for all people.

Mark leaves out most references to the Old Testament, perhaps writing to a non-Jewish audience, and reads more like an itinerary of Jesus’ life. He focuses more on events than philosophy. Luke, an educated upper-class physician, writes with an emphasis on the poor, outcast, and oppressed, and includes stories of more women and children than the others. John did not dwell on the facts of Jesus’ life, preferring to focus on the meaning and mission of His coming, quite often by quoting conversations with ordinary people.

Sometimes the four writers share stories. Other accounts are found in one rendition and not in the other three. For the first case, I relate them in regular paragraphs. In the second, the name of the writer is indicated in brackets. Helpful historical asides are placed in parentheses. Personal Thoughts are paragraphs where I state my own opinions.

The Trigger for the Story

Years ago, Peter Jennings hosted a program on the story of Jesus. He ended by commenting that though no one could prove exactly what happened after Jesus’ death, obviously something did for those early followers of the Church to grow world-wide and continue for over 2,000 years. I wanted to be able to answer this for my kids.

Next post—the point of the Gospel.    

The Point of the Gospel--Intro

Compiling the Story

I am a mom who decided to compile the story of Jesus to make it more user friendly for my kids. In our society of ever quickening gratification, wading through four often redundant accounts to learn one story may seem too time-consuming. Yet each author wrote from a unique perspective and included stories or philosophies not found in the other accounts.

I wanted to stay close to the Bible’s tone and give my children a sense of the original writing. Not a theologian, I went at this as a layperson with a love of the story and teachings, a healthy curiosity, and lots of questions that need to be discussed. I ask them more in the spirit of debate than as an expert with the answers. Other than for historical remarks, I consulted no sources but the Bible.

I encourage my kids to seek God in prayer, through the study of available resources, and by asking questions rather than mindlessly accepting others’ interpretations of what they should believe. One thing everyone can probably agree on is that no human is perfect. So it stands to reason that no human organization possesses perfect knowledge of God. Feel free to weigh in with your own questions and insights, though I do ask that we remain civil and respectful in any dialogue. I love to debate. I will not harangue.

Next post—the point of the Gospel.

Reflections

Remembering My First Job

The AARP bulletin has an essay each edition. The last one asked for what you know about first jobs. I remember mine with a bittersweet pang.

I began babysitting at the age of fourteen and quickly garnered a steady list of families. It paid well and once the kids went to bed, the time was mine to do homework, read, watch TV—and raid the refrigerator. I especially liked the family who kept gourmet chocolates there, though teen angst made it tricky. One week to the next, few would be gone. How could they resist? Though invited to help myself, I felt awkward taking them and made pains to select from various spots in the hope that the holes would be overlooked.

Apparently, I took too many. One night, I crouched down to pick up their toddler, a sweet-natured little boy who loved my made-up stories. The rip of the inner thigh seam of my jeans ricocheted around the room. I pretended not to notice as did the thoughtful parents. I learned more than compassion for another’s embarrassment from this family. I held and cared for my first infant when their baby daughter was born and figured out how to slow down her loving brother’s excessive displays of affection. He thought she enjoyed being rolled from one end of the rug to the other.

Sooner than I wanted to, I learned about grace under extreme circumstances. I hadn’t heard from the family in some time and neighbors, whose kids I also babysat, informed me that the sweet little boy who loved stories was battling cancer. I told myself I should call the family. I had no words. The mother called me several months later and asked me to babysit. I’ll never forget how she worded the news. “Our son died on us.” Said in a calm, accepting voice, nevertheless, it conveyed a deep chasm of pain. Again, I had no words. I hung up and cried.

Entering their house and holding the baby girl who would only have her parents’ memories of her big brother was hard. Despite their own anguish, the couple made an effort to ease my disquiet. We traded stories of their three-year-old son, cute to mischievous, and the heartache didn’t seem quite so bad. They moved not too long after. Their example of courage, empathy, and grace has stayed with me. I hope I’ve put them to good use in turn.

Next Time

I think I’ll post my compilation of the life of Jesus on Fridays and whatever comes to mind the rest of the time.