A Welcome Interruption
Now I would remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you.* (1Co 15:1-2)
1Corinthians 15:1-2 makes it clear: every Christian has an ongoing relationship with the Gospel. And how we interact with the Gospel shapes our spiritual growth.
Twice in this single sentence Paul draws attention to the fact that the Gospel comes to us as a thing that is preached.
The word for “preach” here comes from a cultural phenomenon of that time: noteworthy official events were publicized like this—guys traveled from village to village, gathered the residents, and loudly read the news.
Stop what you're doing, come gather around, listen and be changed.
Sometimes, after this interruption, the people would shrug. Sometimes they would shake their heads and grumble, or even shout back in protest. Sometimes they would cheer, hug each other, and celebrate.
The word translated “preach” here is a specific one of those three types of “news”—the good kind of interruption. (literally, “Happy Proclamation”)
The Gospel is the Happy-Interruption of Jesus into our thoughts and feelings.
The Gospel comes to us and says, There is a God! He is all powerful and all loving! He has sacrificed Himself for you! And so, the Gospel interrupts our sense that we’re all alone, left to our own plans and our own abilities, unregarded and unloved.
The Gospel stands and says, Jesus Christ is perfectly good and trustworthy! He has given Himself for you! He gives Himself to you! He never leaves you and won’t forsake you! Which interrupts our suspicion that God might not be reliable, that He doesn’t care for us, that He’s never really done anything for us and only occasionally checks in.
The Gospel loudly reads the news that, There is therefore now No Condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, All the Promises of God are Yes! in Him, and there is kept in Heaven for you an imperishable, undefiled, and unfading inheritance. Which counters our suspicion that God is even now judging us, withholding good from us, and our future is uncertain.
None of likes to be interrupted. But our thoughts are not true thoughts until the Gospel has had its say. Our feelings are not true feelings unless the Gospel has also been felt. Our plans and actions are not good or wise until Jesus has modified them.
Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts… And let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you. (Col 3:15-16)
What has the Gospel done to you lately? Will you welcome—even invite—the interruption of this Great News? Again and again, more and more, so may it be.
PRAYER
Come, Holy Spirit. Interrupt my thoughts, interrupt my feelings, interrupt my life, with the good, better, wonderful news of Jesus. Speak peace into my heart, hope to my mind, love into my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Photo by Logan Voss on Unsplash