Why the Gospel of Christ Jesus is Truly Good News for All
Invitation: Knowing Jesus and His Love
“But who do you say that I am?” – Jesus (Matthew 16:15)
Who do you say Jesus is?
Pause for a moment to consider.
What do you know about him?
What have you heard?
Growing up in church, I heard many different things about Jesus…
…Jesus loves me and I am unworthy of his love.
…Jesus forgives sinners and if I mess up, God, his Father, will punish me.
…Jesus is the Savior of the world and most people in the world will not be saved.
…Jesus is the Good Shepherd and a blood-soaked warrior whose return means the end of the world.
Though I wasn’t fully aware of it at the time, trying to reconcile and defend all of this produced a current of fear and anxiety that coursed through my life of faith.
This fear and anxiety peaked when I was a freshman in college. That was tough year. I was emotionally, socially, and spiritually unprepared – not ready for life on my own, or the complexity of college relationships, or an academic examination of the Christian faith. I was worried about everything, including my salvation. I never stopped loving God, but I wondered about God’s love for me.
Then, one afternoon, early in my sophomore year, I went for a hike in the hills that surround the campus. In a moment of unexpected grace, I just knew. God loves me. God will take care of me. It will be okay. This assurance changed my life, and continues to inform my response to the question of who Jesus.
…Love Embodied. This is who I know Jesus to be. Jesus is the incarnation of God’s steadfast, eternal, unconditional love. God with us and for us, now and forever. God invested for good in our lives and in the whole creation. The story of Jesus, and so also our story, is a story of love.
What follows is a telling of this story. Grounded in the biblical narrative. Informed by the work of saints throughout the ages, as well my personal and pastoral experience. Introducing a theology of participation, an understanding and practice of Christian faith based in God’s participatory love, embodied in Christ Jesus, and communicated by the Spirit of God, known in Scripture as the Holy Spirit. And, hopefully, expressing why the Gospel of Christ Jesus is truly Good News for all.
The first chapter focuses on the biblical books that tell the story of Jesus and the historical context of their writing. In this chapter, we’ll explore their declaration that we know God most fully in Christ Jesus. I’ll also advocate for a Christ-centered approach to interpreting Scripture.
The next three chapters chronicle the birth of Jesus recounted in the Gospels. In these chapters, we’ll explore the incarnation of Christ Jesus, God-in-the-flesh, making known the reality of who God is and who we are. I’ll also offer an understanding of creation, sin, and redemption grounded in God’s participatory love and our freedom to respond in ways that are, and are not, loving.
Chapters five and six recount the public ministry of Jesus – from his baptism through the days before his crucifixion. In these chapters, we’ll explore what Jesus did and taught, who he called and who he confronted, how he embodied the participatory love of God. I’ll also affirm that what Jesus said and did, before his death, offers real and transformative benefits for our life, our community, and our world right now.
The next two chapters focus on the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. In these chapters, we’ll explore the difficult questions of why Jesus suffered and died as he did, as well as the centrality of the bodily resurrection for Christian faith and life. I’ll also present a participatory theory of atonement, which centers our salvation in God’s mercy, as well as an understanding of being chosen by God as a gift for participating in the mission of God.
Chapter nine addresses the second coming of Jesus. In this chapter, we’ll explore the ways in which the Bible, particularly the book of Revelation, describes the promised return of Jesus and what this means for the future of humanity, society, and creation. I’ll also assert that the return of Jesus does not bring death and destruction, but rather life and restoration.
The next two chapters consider the presence and power of the Holy Spirit expressed in the community of Jesus. In these chapters, we’ll explore the gifts and fruits of the Spirit, what it means to be the church, and how we are called to share the good news of Christ Jesus together. I’ll also consider the witness of the early church and how it drew so many people to follow the way of Jesus.
The closing chapter reflects on what it means to be a follower of Jesus today.
Maybe you’ve heard things about Jesus you can’t reconcile. Maybe you’ve been told about Jesus in unloving ways. Maybe you want to share the love of Jesus and don’t know how.
Wherever you are on your journey, “Jesus, a Love Story” is for you. I hope as you read what follows, you hear in new and life-giving ways the old, old story of Jesus and his love.
[Each chapter begins with suggested Scripture passages that guide you through reading the biblical story of Jesus and ground the insights that follow. I reference the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible unless otherwise noted.]