How Important is the Gospel?
Let’s align our priorities with our beliefs.
Most believers want their actions aligning with healthy priorities.
That sounds refreshing.
We believe the gospel.
And we would love prioritizing the gospel. And we’re trying to make that happen.
We wish prioritizing was simple. Perhaps it is.
Most of us struggle to get everything done … that should be done.
Singularity of focus is powerful.
Each day, we prioritize tasks.
Each day, we shuffle and re-stack the deck. Sequencing events in order of priority … by some foggy combination of emotion, energy, and logic.
What method determines higher priorities? That’s a fairly tough question.
Well let’s consider the basic definition.
PRIOR'ITY, noun 1. Surpassing something else; an object of higher ranking value compelling greater time and energy. Above. Higher urgency.
2. Priority of debts, as a superior claim to payment before others.
PRIOR’ITIZE: verb 1. Arrange in order of importance.
WHO is most important?
When one allows the highest ranking Being to fulfill His rightful position, then other priorities align sequentially.
1 Chronicles 29:11 “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all.”
When the right “Number One” is number one, everything else organizes.
What qualifies God as top priority?
John 3:31 says, “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: He that cometh from heaven is above all.”
Makes sense. God is higher, locationally. He’s elevated. He came from up there, to down here.
We speak Earthy language. Whereas the Word became flesh and speaks Heaven’s language.
Why is preeminence given to God?
1. He earned that position.
“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” Colossians 1:13.
Yap! Earned it.
2. He made everything.
“For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. … that in all things He might have the preeminence” Colossians 1.
So the emphasis here is letting Christ have preeminence, which helps determine how all other priorities rank.
When Christ is supreme, what other priorities rise?
1. Reconciliation ensues:
“… that in all things He might have the preeminence … TO reconcile all things unto Himself; … And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled” Col 1:18-21.
When He’s given proper preeminence, reconciliation occurs.
When God is top priority, we find time to participate in the ministry of reconciliation. Reconciling people to God, with God. We find this in verse 23 and 29:
v 23, “… and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, … whereof I Paul am made a minister;
v 29, “Whereunto I also labour, striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.”
Boom!
When Christ is supreme, what priorities arise?
2. When God is our main focus, love rises to the top.
Colossians 3:14 “And ABOVE ALL these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.”
1 Peter 4:8 “And ABOVE ALL things have fervent charity among yourselves …”
Hmmm. Sounds supernatural. Not something I generate internally. I’m obviously not the source of Divine charity. I need to “put on” charity and keep it fired up, FERVENT! Definitely would need God’s help to make that happen … at all. :)
1: Allow God His proper first-place.
2: Then minister … with fervent charity.
What priorities should occupy my mind?
Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
What things from this earth will make a successful transition into things above? Human souls are designed to transition from here below, to up above. Set your affection (singular) on things above … would that include helping people find The Door and The Way into the land above?
Life is a matter of priorities, we always do that which is most important, then find time to do the rest.
Here’s all we know for sure:
Life is a limited-time opportunity.
God wants gospel partners.
Prioritizing gospel-related activities requires diligence and overtime.
Diligence and overtime …
because we still have to function in society. We still have to fulfill our role. We still work a normal job for approximately 40 to 60 hours a week. We have to sleep. We have to do normal things. Carving out one bonus hour per day for gospel meditation … and preparation for maximum distribution requires going the 2nd mile. Extra level effort! And God is all about that!
The gospel starts moving forward on spare time and pocket change. Then growth happens.
Plant the seed. Start the pattern.
Each of us can find SOME time: start small. All believers have SOME energy and resources. The gospel needs carriers. The message does not go forward by itself.
Imagine EVERY possible believer using EVERY possible platform such that the Gospel goes forth to EVERY possible person.
Priorities.
How can we better prioritize the gospel?
By prioritizing God in our heart and intellect, we are opening the door to ministry WITH love, thereby reserving time for advancing the gospel in some measure. Every day, in someway, the gospel must increase.
Question: ”How important is the gospel?”
The natural me wants to hesitate … and not give a complete answer … because if I give the proper answer, then the next question obviously is participation level. Am I acting in accordance with what I say I believe?
If God is first place … then loving people enough to minister to them the knowledge of the gospel of God becomes the logical outflow. Maybe I just need to focus on giving God His first place (by carving-out time and energy to focus on Him) so that He can empower me with love and a passion for the ministry.
How did Paul say it?
Awe, verse 29, “Whereunto I *also* labour [that key word *also* implies God initiated the labor], striving according to His working, which worketh in me mightily.”
Wow 🤩. Mighty + striving + *also* laboring. Sign me up!!!
That’s what we want. We want God working through each of us uniquely with mighty striving and massive momentum to accomplish the Divine commission! Whereby we feel significant and purposeful in partnering with God in the great work of getting the gospel out there. To the regions beyond. To that one person’s hand today.
You know what kind of people hand out gospel tracts?
A: Those who carry them.
You know what kind of person carries gospel tracts?
A: Those who prepare their hearts by prioritizing God.
Near-field transfer of gospel content from phone-to-phone through airdrop or “nearby share” is now possible. Anyone who has a phone can share the gospel.
God wants His gospel going.
Believers likewise want the gospel in motion.
So how do we make that happen?
Priorities.
Intentionally carving time and energy for the purpose. Setting our affection on Him Who is above all, so that we can effectively partner with the greatest Power available to accomplish the greatest good ever, which is gospel DISTRIBUTION so we can see the miracle of Holy Spirit assisted Gospel RECEPTION happening.
100 years from now what is the top priority? Who made it … to the proper location. Some made it … into the presence of God. Others are gone, banished, condemned, sentenced to eternal separation.
Numbers should elevate our personal urgency. Participation is not just requested but commanded. These people died. Did 176,084 precious people much like yourself enter into eternity today with Christ or without Christ?
We all work.
We’re all busy.
We all have relationships.
Life is complex.
Still, zero excuses allowed for not carving out at least a reasonable chunk of time daily devoted to prioritizing God and His gospel … of reconciliation … with love… through intense labor.