The Gospels: "This &%$# is Rocking my World."

Over the course of 4 years I have been prayerfully engaging in a conversation with my friend John (fictitious name) about Jesus. John is in his late 40’s and has spent most of his life out of the church. John embraced a theology that included all people into salvation as long as they were good loving people. Buddhist, Hindu’s, Mormons, New Agers and Christians all the like could find salvation. Jesus was NOT the only way. John believed like many, that all paths lead to salvation.

I listened to John’s compassion for people. He argued that the Bible actually supported his views and complained about Christians being hypocrites, lacking love and compassion for the needy.

I found common ground with John by agreeing that many of his heroes such as Gandhi and Buddha were men who did good things. After building a safe ground for honesty and openness about different religions and our disappointment with the church and the different leaders, we agreed to get back to the basics and read the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) about Jesus.

I challenged him to study the Life of Christ. Thankfully, he is a veracious reader. He read day and night about the words and works of Jesus, by studying a Harmony of the Gospels. I will never forget the night he called me. “Man this shit is rocking my world, Jesus is a bad ass dude! I never knew this stuff existed!” I didn’t shake my finger and say, “I told you so.” I kept supplying resources, time and encouragement for self-guided discovery while God began cultivate His heart by His grace.

Today John is a different man, He has yielded his life to power of the gospel and it’s message. He is sinner saved by grace (Eph 2:8-9). He’s pursuing truth and recognizes that there is only one road to salvation (John 14:6). He talks about the peace he has in knowing Jesus He acts as if he was lost and know found. He isn’t in the church yet, but he loves Jesus and knows his word better than many of my Christian friends.

The gospel is an un-reckonable force that knows no bounds. Young and old, the gospel is the power of Salvation for those who believe. The truth of God’s word sets people free. Jesus is alive.