Sunday 22 August 2010

New Day - Every Day!

It has been so good to hear & read reports of Newday. Last week, between 6 and 7 thousand young people for Newfrontiers churches around the nation and beyond gathered at the Showground for this years’ event. I have been hearing brilliant reports of great worship and many lives impacted by the gospel, which is priceless, and only time will tell the true impact of last week, as an army of young people return home or set off for university courses and so on, with a new zeal to live for Jesus.

I’m reminded of the opening verses of Colossians where Paul, writing about the gospel says: ‘…the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing- as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth,’ Col 1:6. This is what the gospel does! This is what happens when people, young and old, hear and understand the grace of God in truth! It is powerful! It is effective! And it bears fruit and grows and spreads out as the good news of God’s wonderful grace, expressed in Jesus Christ, captivates the human heart, changes lives and results in radical Christ-followers.

In case you’re thinking that this is a bit extreme and that ‘normal’ Christianity is not quite like that, let me quote what Milton Vincent points out about the gospel: “Outside of heaven, the power of God in its highest density is found inside the gospel. This must be so, for the Bible twice describes the gospel as “the power of God.” Nothing else in all of Scripture is ever described in this way, except for the Person of Jesus Christ.’ He goes on to say… ‘Indeed, God’s power is seen in erupting volcanoes, in the unimaginable hot boil of our massive sun, and in the lightning speed of a recently discovered star seen streaking through the heavens at 1.5 million miles per hour. Yet in Scripture such wonders are never labeled “the power of God.”*
(* quoted from: 'A Gospel Primer for Christians' by Milton Vincent)

This morning at Kings, Steve reminded us that this gospel, this “power of God” is at work in the life of every born again believer! When we hear, understand and respond to this gospel of God’s grace in Christ Jesus, it really is a New Day – Every Day!


Have a great week – in Christ!

Goff