Flawless Message

Chuckle: "If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple car payments!"

Quote: "The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others." --Albert Schweitzer

"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice" (Philippians 1:18).

Previously, we considered that we all are imperfect messengers for our Lord. Our flaws are many. But today, we can praise God that his message to the world is flawless, perfect, and everlasting. "For God so loved the world" is the refrain that echoes throughout all eternity as God's motivation for giving his one and only Son. Because of His great love, God gave us a way to have all our sins and blemishes removed forever.

The Bible was written over a period of approximately 1500 years. Its writers included kings, shepherds, physicians, fishermen, and many others. The 66 books contain no contradictions, no variance in God's message, and paint a clear, unmistakable, and error free word picture of God's amazing love and eternal plan to reconcile human beings to himself through the atoning blood sacrifice of his one and only Son. The message is as perfect as the Almighty God who authored it by his Spirit. Paul, as we must, kept this truth in mind as he dealt with imperfect and sinful people.

The flawless/perfect message of Jesus should be our focus. - Paul never said that the character and conduct of the messengers is unimportant. But, he has a single-minded passion and personal goal that all people should hear the gospel message. As long as the gospel is being preached to the lost, he could overlook the flaws in the character of those who were trying to injure him. It is not our job to judge the motives of others, but rather to be faithful in proclaiming God's message.

Unfortunately, in church life, some people are more concerned with the protection of their feelings than with the proclamation of the gospel message. They always want their way and walk around with a chip on their shoulder -- they are easily offended. Their passion is their own egos and selfish desires. My prayer is that your church may be free of such petty and selfish motives and be completely united in carrying out the church's most important task -- proclaiming the perfect message of Jesus Christ.

The flawless message of Jesus should cause us to rejoice. "And because of this I rejoice" (Philippians 1:18). Paul joyfully endured his imprisonment and the imperfections of others because through it all people were coming to Christ. You too may have to endure hardships to serve the Lord. And in order to do that joyfully, as Paul did, the gospel message must become bigger, and more important to you than your own life and desires. Do you have that kind of joy?

"The minister of the gospel must not be afraid of conflict with the wisdom of the world. Gregory the Great said, 'God first gathered the unlearned, afterwards philosophers, nor has He taught fishermen by orators, but has subdued orators by fishermen.'"

Love, Jerry & Dotse