Gospel as the over-arching metanarrative of life!

As the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ has gripped me, and as I have dived deeper, waded further, gone wider and climbed higher by His grace into His awesome love, I have discovered the utter importance of having every message which I teach, preach and share, having its nerve center in the Cross and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Meaning, whether I preach, teach and share on prayer, evangelism, discipleship, intercession, church growth, gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit, prophecy, boy-girl-relationships, stress management, anger management, emotional intelligence, paradigm busters, whatever, especially to a church audience, or to an audience of believers, I have come to realize that these topics must have as its anchor, the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus truly MUST be the center of it all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES96YsNtCHY Watch Israel Houghton singing 'Jesus be the center of it all'.

Any topic divorced from the Person and Work of Jesus at the Cross and Resurrection, is devoid of power. The apostle Paul said in Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.³⁴ 1:17 For the righteousness³⁵ of God is revealed in the gospel³⁶ from faith to faith,³⁷ just as it is written, “The righteous by faith will live.”³

The Scripture says that the Gospel IS, meaning always current! Whenever one who is impacted with the gospel of Christ, preaches and teaches the Gospel, it is the power of God unto salvation. How can we not preach and teach the Gospel of Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation, every time we preach and teach and share any other topic?

I am convinced that every pastor and church which re-focuses on the Gospel of Christ, and faithfully recover 'our common salvation, I now feel compelled⁸ instead to write to encourage⁹ you to contend earnestly¹⁰ for the faith¹¹ that was once for all¹² entrusted to the saints', which see the power of God working in and through that congregation, and in their ministries.

Who will take up the challenge to faithfully preach, teach, share and live the gospel of Christ Jesus?