Preaching A Real Gospel

Perhaps one of the best things about the gospel is that it is real. This has profound significance for preachers.

Jesus Christ of Nazareth was a real man. He died a real death – a Roman crucifixion. He then rose back from the dead to a real life.

When we preach the gospel, we aren’t preaching abstract thoughts, religious ideas, simple numbers, scientific theories, philosophical formulations, or social peace strategies. When we preach the gospel, we aren’t even preaching a removed set of doctrines that we are to ascribe to. We are preaching good news – news that is real.

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a reality. So when we preach the gospel rightly, we are preaching a reality.

The holiness and justice of God is real thing. People are real sinners. God’s wrath is really coming. God really loves us. Jesus really came. Jesus died a real death, and accomplished a real salvation from that real wrath of God, for a real people.

There is a real gospel for a real people. The people we are preaching to are not numbers, they are not statistics, they are not our fans, and they are not test dummies. They are people with souls. They have real emotions, real issues, real concerns, and a real need for Jesus. Give him to them.

When we preach, we are not dealing with possibilities. We are not dealing with maybes. We are not dealing with could be’s. We are not dealing with probabilities. We are dealing with realities.

There is real judgment coming. There is real salvation to be had.

It is far too easy to slip into numbness – a danger that will too soon prove to be fatal. Oh, to believe these things to be real! How our preaching may be affected for the better.

I have three ways in which this reality could affect our preaching for the better.

1. Less Camping. What I mean by that is that when we believe the reality of the gospel, there will be less pitting one theological camp against another. There is a time to teach of theological camps and denominations and such, but preaching is not the time. Life and death is on the line. Being convinced of the reality of the gospel will lead to less mudslinging and more blood-slinging.
2. More Urging. When we realize that there is either real salvation or real wrath for real people, we will do more urging. We should have no bones about our mission – we are trying to convince those listening, to repent of their sin and believe in Jesus. The souls of people are too real to leave them without giving all of our efforts to convince them that today is the day of salvation.
3. More Christ. If we are speaking of realities, there is not a reality more true than the person of Christ. Jesus Christ is the most real person. If men and women are to find that real salvation, they will find it only in Christ Jesus. Give him to them. Let them feast. Let their hunger be satisfied and their thirst be quenched. Once we’ve given them Christ. Let’s give them more. Give them Christ till the cows come home. And then once the cows have come home, give them Christ till the rooster crows.