The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world
The title says it all.
I will explain my recent lack of profound posts with three reasons. One, I am busy in Philly. Two, when I have time to post I enjoy being lazy and not doing anything. Three, I lacked clarity with which to post.
But now that clarity has come in the form of a quote from a Martin Luther King Jr. sermon delivered in 1954 (or 56…) entitled Paul’s Letter to the American church. One quote (amongst the many fantastic quotes that the sermon contained) was the above title, “the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world.” And it is this overarching statement that has reinvigorated me with the clarity of mind to post, to proclaim, to preach if you will, that I fully believe King’s statement to be true. Just as true as it was in 1954, it is true today, and will be true until the fullness of that hope is achieved That Day To Come.
And if I believe that statement to be true, that truly the Gospel of Christ is the hope of the world, then that makes a great many other things follow from it.
For example, I am in Philadelphia because I believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the true hope of the inner city. It is the hope of children who would rather meander around MySpace then read a book. It is the hope of families familiar with violence and oppression. The Gospel is the hope of poor school systems. The Gospel is the hope of utilities not being able to be paid. The Gospel is the hope of molested children and abused mothers. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the inner city.
And when I speak of the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is not simply (as if it could ever be simple…) that Christ died on the Cross for our sins, and now we live with Him forever. It is that. But it is the fullness of that Gospel as well. It is the Gospel that redeems the brokenness of the world, that proclaims “Grace, Grace, Grace!” Grace for the prideful. Grace for the lazy. Grace for the weak. Grace for the arrogant. Grace for the selfish. Grace for the perverted. Grace.
It is this redeeming transforming Gospel that can reform the Church, restructure economic norms, abash oppression, reconcile races, cultures, and genders. It is this Gospel of Jesus Christ that is the hope of the world. And that hope is for today. It is not some distant hope to be suddenly upon us on some distant day. It is an ever present hope that we welcome into our homes, churches, workplaces, and lives when we choose Christ above all else.
When we choose Christ, His hope seizes us and we are compelled to live (as King calls it) maladjusted to the patterns of the world. We live maladjusted to patterns of greed, war, violence, oppression. We are, in Christ, opposite of these things. Our Hope is in selflessness, peace, love, and justice.
So it is not with a naiveness that I say that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the inner city. It is with a great vindiction of faith and a resolute understanding (or at least always trying to understand more and more) of the immense power and scheme of God. His is not a wicked scheme, He is not cruel. He is good. And His Gospel is hope.
Hope for inner-city Philly. Hope for the Gaza Strip. Hope for suburbia. Hope for Kenmore and South Street and Stow and Green. Hope for America. Hope for Afghanistan. Hope for both the unborn and the abortionist. Hope for for Mozambique and India. Hope for the Dalits and their oppressors alike. Hope for Creation and nature.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the hope of the world.
{This has become a predominant theme in my life of late, thanks for taking your time to read it!}
Grace and Peace.
