The Gospel According To You

The Gospel According to You Colossians 3: 1-17

Here at our church we are constantly talking about the mighty acts of God.

How He created everything….you and me and all the birds and animals…How he destroyed the world by water when man proved to be too sinful…..How he sent Jesus His son to die for us…..Just to point out the high lights of some of his acts. We also talk allot about the acts of Jesus Christ

1. His virgin birth

2. Healing sick

3. Raising people from the dead (Lazarus)

4. His dying on the cross for all mankind paying for their sins

5. His resurrection and victory over death

6. His ascension

We also talk about the acts of the Apostles. Most of the New Testament records these acts. I don’t want to belabor the point, but the Apostles, their ministries, their lives and deaths were a response to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yes we talk about the Acts or Actions of everyone evolved in the Covenant of God. But there is someone missing. It is you and me. What are your Acts? If someone wrote a book in the bible about you, what could they say about your Acts? I remember hearing this statement: If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Think about it? Would they say you are a new and changed person because of Jesus Christ or would they say you are a Poser. A want to be. An imposter, not a real Christian.

Several years ago, Reverend Ted Gartrell recited a Poem by Pastor Leroy Brownlow in worship at Normal Presbyterian Church that I think makes the point…….. that in order for Gods Mighty acts to have meaning, it requires that we must consciously respond to those acts by allowing God to work through us. Our Personal Acts become the Acts of God, Himself. Let me read the poem to you:

"The Gospel According To You"

There's a Gospel according to Matthew; To Mark;

To Luke; and John too.

There's another gospel that many are reading...

The Gospel according to You.

All teachings we find in the Bible

Are facts we know to be true;

You must live them to make them the Gospel...

The Gospel according to You.

Many read not the words of the Bible;

I will tell you what some of them do.

They are reading the book you are writing...

The Gospel according to You.

There's Great Power In Gospel Preaching

The Bible teaches that this is true.

But the sermon most likely to influence others

Is The Gospel according to You.

God help us to be faithful to Jesus...

To live all His teachings so true,

So that all may see His Spirit

In the Gospel according to You

You are writing a gospel, a chapter each day;

By things that you do; By things you say.

Others read that gospel, whether faithless or true!

Say! What is the Gospel According To You?

The Apostle Paul goes to great lengths to explain how important our response and obedience to God’s work of salvation really is. He writes: “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above where Christ is seated on the right hand of God. Set you minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Why would we want to do this? What would be our incentive to put our minds on heavenly things? Paul writes: “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with him in glory.” That is why. We are not of this world, we are of heaven, by virtue of Jesus Christ, so why worry about the earth? Why act as though we are lost like the others who love to sin? Paul is saying to distinguish yourself by not living as sinners do, but as of Children of God himself.

He writes :

12 "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."