The goal of the gospel is to make every man, woman, boy and girl Just Like Jesus. This is the outcome of the gospel message when we fully commit to become followers of Jesus. The mission of the Church is to aid our transformation from mere believers in Christ into fully mature disciples of Christ. We should desire and spend our greatest efforts to be full-fledged copies of the perfect Master. If there is any other mission that is put before this, the Gospel and its desired outcome have been displaced.
The reason that I’m a Christian is because many people in my life believed the gospel message was indeed good news. Their constant modeling of Christ-likeness before me discipled me to seek the same Master. The good news about Jesus is not simply a generic announcement; it is a clarion call to a reality that affects every aspect of my life if I let the gospel message do its work in me. I thank God that good news is immune to repression. It has the marvelous effect that it can’t be contained. “Hide it under a bush? Oh no!” It’s something that we have to shout from the roof tops. This expression of the gospel is so critical but is only the beginning stages of discipleship. I’m grateful that I encountered Christ followers who cared enough to share this good news with me.
The good news is about Jesus.
The good news is that Jesus loved us all when we did not deserve love. That sounds so abstract but the fact is the good news about Jesus’ life, death and resurrection has implications for my life, death and resurrection. This good news story intersects the really bad drama that is my life. My life is filled with failures that purchase me a one-way ticket to hell; but the good news story is about Jesus who through sacrificial obedience to God exchanged my ticket for a ticket to a heavenly destination. It’s easy to focus on the heaven part but this is also good news for my life today! The life of Jesus has becomes my shining example defining what it means to truly live. Why wouldn’t I want to be just like Jesus?
Jesus’ life was filled with love, nurture and care for others. This type of life is the highest form of living. Sometimes I like to imagine what the world could be if everyone took seriously the call to live Just Like Jesus. I imagine a world where things are lovely and pure, just and righteous; I am picturing heaven on earth. This transformational living is a daily renewal that requires an everyday dying to self and living for God. It calls for intentionality in all of our attitudes and actions. It moves us closer to the cross and deeper into the heart of God making us more and more just like Jesus.
