This morning in High School Ministry I shared with students about
how the Gospel changes everything. Paul talks about how the Gospel is at work
in us by "training us to renounce ungodliness
and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly
lives"
(Titus 2:11-12). We looked at 10 areas the Gospel changes.1
1. Discouragement and depression –
Both are often brought about when something is more important than God. Fear,
loss, hurt, shame, and guilt, which often bring discouragement and depression about, are all radically impacted by Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We have nothing to fear in Jesus, every loss is for our good, God has forgiven
when we hurt and grieve him, shame is
gone in Jesus, guilt is cleansed!
2. Attitude towards the poor – We
were spiritually poor and destitute because we chose sin, but God generously
sent His Son for us. Think of it, God who is infinitely rich, gives to us who
are desperately poor. We have nothing except sin, death, and the wrath of God
to our name. But God gives his Son.
This changes everything when we have the call on
our life to give to the poor.
This changes everything when we have the call on
our life to give to the poor.
3. Family Relationships – Through the
power of the Gospel, God the Father becomes our Father. We no longer need to
depend on our parents for their approval, as we have the ultimate approval from
God the Father. We no longer need to be hostile when our parents fail, as the
Gospel reminds us that we all have failed.
4. Dating and sexuality – One’s
failures in sexuality don’t define you, Jesus’ life does. We no longer need to
worship our boyfriends or girlfriends for their approval, love, or acceptance,
Jesus gives us what we ultimately need!
5. Race relations – We no longer look at our
race or culture with superiority, as every race, every culture, and every
ethnicity has been affected by sin. We no longer look down on other races, as
every race is on an equal playing field due to sin and can only be forgiven and
transformed by the blood of Jesus.
6. Individual relationships – we no longer need
to relate to others based off of what they can give us, as we have been given
ultimately all we need in Jesus.
7. Witness and evangelism – We no longer have to
share the Gospel in fear, we have eternal life in Jesus. We begin to share out
of generosity and love, not guilt. We no longer tell others of Jesus in
arrogance, as our insight and intellect have not saved us, God’s grace has. We
don’t push or coerce, it’s God’s grace that changes hearts, not our words.
8. Human authority – The Gospel is
not opposed to human authority, but rightly places God as highest authority and
calls us to submit to the proper authorities after God. Following the rules of
authorities doesn’t provide us with a right standing, only Jesus provides us
with that. Therefore we submit to authorities in submission to Jesus.
9. Guilt and self-image – We no
longer have to believe the lie “I am worthless, I am a failure, I am guilty, I
am dirty.” In Jesus we are completely righteous and forgiven, to say that
anything else defines the core of who we are is a lie from Satan.
10. Joy and humor – If we are saved from our sin by God’s
grace alone, then we have a constant source of joy and delight. We have hope
and all that we ever need, of course we can laugh and enjoy life.
The Gospel changes everything for the person who is seeking to believe it more and more. Remind yourself continually of it, memorize verses describing it, and seek friends who will encourage you to believe it!
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