In 1958, the Green Bay Packers played the worst season in their entire history, with one win, one tie, and ten losses. With the very existence of the team in jeopardy, it was time to bring in new leadership. Enter Vince Lombardi, who accepted the position of head coach in 1959. As you may already know, after a particularly bad loss, Lombardi called the team back into the locker room the very next day. With the team assembled around him, he held up a football and spoke the now-famous words:
Gentlemen, this is a football.
He then took them out on to the field and continued in the same manner: “These are the yard markers. These are the end zones. I am the coach. You are the players.” He would then go on to lead the Packers to five NFL championships, and victories in the first two Superbowls.
Gentlemen – and ladies, this is the Gospel.
We’ve just launched into a study of the Gospel. It may feel to some of us that this is too basic, that this is something that we don’t need to study. “Yes coach, I know that’s a football. I know where the yard markers are.” We may feel like we know what the Gospel is, and may already be thinking “When are we going to start studying something that I don’t already know?”
Here’s a challenge for us: Let’s consider that perhaps we don’t know the Gospel as well as we think we do. Even those of us who have been in the church all of our lives. Maybe the Gospel really hasn’t permeated our entire being and saturated our lives as much as we think it has.
The Gospel is not just good news for after we die. The Gospel is not just a positive thought we can cheer ourselves up with when things aren’t going well. The Gospel is not just the comfort of knowing that we’re forgiven when we mess up. It is all of those things, but it is so much more. There is so much depth to the Gospel, and we could easily spend all of our lives learning more about it, and seeing it play out in new ways.
This post could attempt to spell out some of the so much more of what the Gospel is, but there’s just too much. As we go through this study together, try to be open to the fact that we all have room to grow where the Gospel is concerned. Consider that the Gospel isn’t finished doing its work in you, and that there is more to be done. Try to think deeply about questions in the book that may seem simple on the surface to see if there’s something you’re missing.
Most importantly, remember that we are not studying a concept for you to learn more about. We’re studying a new reality that you can experience here and now. A new reality that Jesus has brought into being, a reality that is just as concrete and immediate and present as gravity and sound and light. It is all around you, everywhere you go.
Chris
To use another sports reference
You knocked it out of the park !!
I may not always agree with structured learning but its hard to argue with your logic. Good job putting into words things that seem complicated .
Well shucks….
Steve, if there’s someone who’s always ready to step up to the plate (see what I did there?) when it comes to living out the Gospel, it’s you. You really do help motivate me to do better, and I’m not just saying that. I mean it.