Talk the Walk

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Friday, May 16, 2014

God expects every believer  to know what the Gospel is, be able to explain it to others, and to actually do so.  (See the 5 “Great Commissions” Matt 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:46-49, John 20:21, Acts 1:8).  

To that end what follows is the Good News that everyone needs to know.  Take time to learn it, internalize it, believe it and share it with someone because every “someone” needs it.

“Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3)                                 

                             THE GAP has been bridged.   God has bridged the gap between you and
                              Himself.  When a friend sees his sin and can't forgive himself or believe
                              that God will forgive him, your friend needs to know that God, at great
                              cost to himself, has forgiven him.

"he was raised from the dead"  (1 Corinthians 15:4)
                         
                              HOPE.  You have hope. What God did for Jesus, He is doing right now
                              for all who believe.  There is life after death.  There is also life right now
                              after failure and tragedy.  People need to know this.  There are people
                              out there losing hope by the hour.

"Jesus is Lord"  (Romans 10:9)

                               A KING you can count on.  Few of us find that we can count on our
                               elected leaders.  The first believers, having seen Jesus alive, ascended,
                               and learning that he was now Ruler of Heaven and Earth, gave Jesus
                               their allegiance and in doing so discovered that he could be relied on to
                               meet their deepest need even while many of their earthly needs went
                               unmet.  They discovered that allegiance to this King was safer and more
                               satisfying than allegiance to earthly masters.

                               People need to know that Jesus is in charge.

"You are no longer outsiders, but you are members of God's very own family." 
                                                                                                             (Ephesians 2:19)

                                A FAMILY to belong to.  When you meet someone who just doesn't fit
                                anywhere and they know it, you can offer them the Gospel.  God has a
                                place for them in the Family of God where that person can find the
                                brothers and sisters they have always longed for.

"the Holy Spirit . . . leads into all truth . . . . he lives with you now."  (John 14:15-17  (TLB))

                                THE HOLY SPIRIT to guide you.  The actual mind of God dwells within
                                anyone who becomes a Christ follower.  This is like having a hot line
                                always open to God Himself, a spiritual GPS if you will.  The Good
                                News was huge for early Christians who needed guidance as they
                                faced so much opposition. 

“All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.  God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." 
                                                                                                            (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

                                THE BIBLE to teach you.  This passage speaks for itself.  The record of
                                the first believers and their forbearers is available to each of us.  We
                                can learn how they experienced God, how they negotiated life and
                                what they want us to know about living well in God's good world.

"Ask and you shall receive, knock and the door shall be opened."  (Matthew 7:7)

                               PRAYER THAT MATTERS.  This is the greatest of News.  The God
                               who created and sustained the universe actually hears and cares about
                               what you say to Him.  When you ask for help God acts on your behalf in
                               some way, shape or form.  Your praying actually makes a difference.
                               It changes things.  Tell this to someone.

"we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."    "Until the time when everything will be restored as God promised."    (Ephesians 2:10,   Acts 3:21)

                               A PURPOSE TO LIVE FOR.  No one ever has to live a life of
                               purposelessness.  Everything that anyone of us ever does matters.  It is
                               all preparation for eternity.  Everything we do in this life is raw material
                               for the next.  Believers can participate in the renewing of the world.
                               There exists no higher purpose than that.  This is Good News.  Each of
                               us can live a life that matters eternally.

"Thy will be done"   Matthew 6:10

                               A SURRENDER that sets free those who wave the white flag.  Allowing
                               Jesus to be Lord, the leader of your life, means trusting that God will
                               provide more for you than you can provide for yourself.  This is Good
                               News when you find that you can't get the life you always wanted on
                               your own power.  It is this part of the Good  News , the Gospel, that
                               unlocks all the rest. When sharing the Gospel with others, this must be
                               added to whatever else among the benefits listed above you have
                               offered. 

                               Without this step none of the rest can be realized.

“Lord, I ask that each and every one of us in the CLC family learn, personalize, and communicate this Good News to others.   It is this Good News that the world needs and we have it to offer.  Motivate us and give us the attentiveness to others and the will to “walk across the room “so that the Good News of the Gospel gets outs and spreads like wildfire.  Thank you Lord, Amen”

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