Why Is the Gospel Important Daily?
Why Is the Gospel Important Daily?
Brothers and Sisters, sometimes I think we forget just how much we need the gospel every single day. We tend to think the gospel is mainly for those who have not come to Christ yet. Those who need the gospel to be saved. They certainly do and we should pray for the lost and tell sinners there is forgiveness and eternal life in Jesus Christ. However, sometimes we act as though the gospel got us through the front door. Now it is up to us to navigate the rest of the house. Beloved, that is just not true. The real truth is, I need the gospel daily. I need the gospel because I am still a fallen man living in a fallen world, just as y’all are. Yes, we have been saved by the grace of God. Yes, we have been justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Yes, the Holy Spirit lives within us. Yet, we still struggle with sin, we get discouraged. We have days when we are frustrated, and disappointed in ourselves. We say something we shouldn't say. We fail to do something we should have done. Or pride creeps in quietly measuring ourselves by how well we think we have done.
That is when I need the gospel. My hope is not built upon how good I was yesterday, nor is my salvation destroyed because I had a bad day. My hope is Jesus Christ. He lived the righteous life I could never live. He perfectly obeyed the Father in every thought, word, and deed. He willingly went to the cross and died for sinners like me. He bore the wrath of God my sin deserved. He was truly buried, and on the third day He bodily rose from the grave. He defeated sin, death, and the grave, and today He is alive, reigning at the right hand of the Father. Our Savior lives! Brothers and Sisters, that good news never gets old, and we never outgrow our need for it. The gospel reminds me that my salvation rests in Christ and not in Randall! I know that sounds simple, but sometimes we need simple. We can study deep doctrines, speak great theological truths, yet forget the good news that Jesus Christ saves sinners like us. The Christian life is not about moving away from that truth. Christian maturity means we begin to understand more deeply just how precious that truth really is.
When we are discouraged, it reminds us we belong to Christ. Emotions may come and go, but Jesus Christ does not change. There are mornings when we feel strong in the Lord. There are mornings when we feel like we can’t go on. Nevertheless, our relationship with Christ is not held together by our emotions. I am His because He loved me, redeemed me, and called me to Himself. The gospel turns my eyes away from my changing feelings and points me back to my unchanging Savior. So, when we stumble, the gospel reminds us there is forgiveness in Christ. That does not mean we sin as we please. Sin should always grieve us. It is a rebellion against God. Yet, when we sin, we do not run away from Christ. We run to Christ. We confess our sin, repent, and remember that the blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient. Our Savior knew every sin we would ever commit when He went to Calvary, and still He laid down His life for us.
When pride creeps in, the gospel brings us back to solid ground. It reminds me that salvation is by grace alone. I did not rescue myself. I did not make myself spiritually alive. I did not clean myself up and present myself to God as someone worthy of His mercy. God, in His grace, came after a sinner. The Holy Spirit opened my heart and gave me life. Christ became precious to me because God first showed grace to me. Brothers and Sisters, there is no room for bragging at the foot of the cross. The gospel reminds us that we need grace to keep going. We know we are saved by grace, but sometimes we begin to live on our own strength. We grit our teeth, straighten our backs, and tell ourselves if we just try harder. Our perseverance does not grow out of our own natural strength. We persevere because God preserves His people. The grace that saved you is the same grace that sustains you.
God does not regenerate His children and then leave them standing alongside the road to find their own way home. The Holy Spirit who gave us spiritual life continues His work within us. He strengthens our faith through the Word of God. He convicts us of sin. He draws our hearts back toward Christ. He helps us in our weaknesses. God holds His people, His people continue to cling to Christ. Sometimes our grip may feel weak, but His grip is never weak. Maybe that is what you need to remember today. Maybe you are tired. Maybe the road has been long, and you are wondering how much farther you can walk. Maybe you are carrying something heavy that nobody else knows about. You smile, shake hands, and tell everyone you are doing fine, but inside you are worn down. Maybe you have failed and are ashamed. Maybe you have been looking at yourself so much that you have forgotten to look to Christ.
Beloved, look again to Christ. Your hope is not found in pretending you are stronger than you really are. Your hope is found in a Savior who is stronger than you will ever need Him to be. We never graduate from the gospel. The longer I walk with the Lord, the more I realize I need the gospel. I need it when things are going well and I need it when things are going badly. By the help of the Holy Spirit, we learn to rest in Christ. By Christ's grace, we are strengthened when weak, forgiven when we repent, and held tightly in the arms of our Savior. So, Dear Loved Ones, preach the gospel to yourself every day. Treasure it. Rest in it. Tell it to your children and grandchildren. Share it with your neighbor. Remind your Brothers and Sisters of it when they are hurting. And when your own heart grows tired, look again to Jesus Christ. The gospel was not only good news on the day God saved us. It is good news today, it will be good news tomorrow, and it will remain our song throughout eternity. So, Brothers and Sisters, stay Bold in the Gospel and Strong in the Word.
