A hundred years ago, the United Presbyterian Church in North America – one of our predecessor denominations – spent some time and energy thinking about why the church exists. That’s always a good question to ask. It’s important for us to constantly remind ourselves why we’re here, because it is so easy for us humans to lose our way, to wander from the path that God has set before us, to “go astray,” like lost sheep. We can be more intentional about doing that which we know we ought to be doing, when we have a deep understanding of what we’re all about in the first place. A hundred years ago, the United Presbyterian Church in North America identified six “great ends of the church” – six fundamental reasons why the church exists. The first “great end of the church” is the proclamation of the gospel for the salvation of humankind. What does that mean for us, here and now?
The word “gospel” literally means “good news.” Those four gospels in the New Testament – they are “good news” books. You can find that word “gospel” and that phrase “good news” over 80 times in the New Testament, from Mark’s affirmation that his book is about “the beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God” (Mark 1:1) to Matthew’s description of Jesus “proclaiming the good news of the kingdom” (Matthew 4:23) to Paul’s statement that he was “called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God” (Romans 1:1) to the image in the book of Revelation of an “angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation and tribe and language and people.” Over and over again throughout the pages of the New Testament, we hear that all these words about God and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit constitute good news. “I am not ashamed of the gospel!” declares Paul (Romans 1:16); “Christ did not send me to baptize but to proclaim the gospel,” (1 Corinthians 1:17); he encourages his readers to wear whatever shoes that “will make you ready to proclaim the gospel of peace” (Ephesians 6:15). It is news to be shared; it is good news to be shared. Like any news story, some people may already know lots about it, others may have heard of it but don’t know many details, and some may not have heard of it at all.
One of the primary jobs of the church is to share this good news story – to “proclaim the gospel.” That’s why the evangelists wrote their gospels – they had good news they wanted to share. That’s why Paul traveled all over the ancient Mediterranean world and wrote lots of letters – he had good news he wanted to share. That’s why the apostles kept talking to people about Jesus, no matter how much trouble and hardship it caused them along the way – they had good news they wanted to share. That’s why Christian writers through the centuries have written so many books – they have good news they want to share. That’s why preachers ascend into pulpits week after week after week – we have good news we want to share.
In other words, it’s necessary for us to talk. It’s necessary for us to talk – a lot. We have a job to do, a job that has been entrusted to us by God, and it’s a job that involves a lot of talking. “Go, tell it on the mountain – that Jesus Christ is born!” That’s good news. It’s worth sharing!
But why? What good does all this talking do? What difference do all these words make? Why do we have to talk so much?
Because it makes a difference. It makes a real, tangible difference in people’s lives, when the good news is faithfully proclaimed and when it is faithfully heard. We proclaim the gospel . . . “for the salvation of humankind.”
That word “salvation” has to do with saving people from danger and rescuing people from harm. Salvation is what happens when you are drowning at sea and someone throws you a life preserver. Salvation is what happens when you are standing right in harm’s way and someone grabs you and pulls you to a place of safety. Salvation is what happens when cyou’re trapped in a burning building and a firefighter appears at the window to bring you down a ladder and away from the inferno. Salvation is what happens when you start out in one spot – a spot that no one in their right mind would want to be in – and someone comes along and brings you safely to another. It has to do with a change in the environment around us, a change that we don’t create out of our own free will (though we would if we could), but rather a change that is brought to us by the gracious, kind, merciful, loving act of someone else. In theological terms, salvation is understood to be an act of God. Salvation is what happened to the ancient Israelites when they were rescued from the threat of Pharaoh’s army through the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus 15). Salvation is what happened to the leper whom Jesus cleansed (Mark 1), to the paralytic whom he healed (Mark 2), to the sinners and tax collectors whom he welcomed (Mark 2), to the demoniac whom he freed (Mark 5), to the child whom he raised from death (Mark 5) – on and on the gospel stories go, recording one act of salvation after another. Salvation is what continued to happen after Jesus’ departure from earth, as the disciples shared their possessions with the poor (Acts 2), enabled a lame man to walk (Acts 3), and brought the love of God to people who had hitherto been excluded (Acts 10). Salvation is what happens anytime the good news of the gospel of God comes to a person – any person – in such a way that it enacts a fundamental change in that person’s world, a change that is gladly welcomed by the recipient. It’s not necessary to convince people that they are in need of salvation – because when salvation really occurs, people already know that they’re in need of some help!
Salvation stories didn’t just happen way back then. They also can happen – they also do happen – here and now. When an alcoholic throws away the bottle for good . . . salvation has come to that house. When a man works through his depression . . . salvation has come to that house. When a woman musters up strength to accomplish a feat that she had been told only men could do . . . salvation has come to that house. When a person of means makes a decision to be less selfish and more generous . . . salvation has come to that house. When a child in poverty receives a coat and a pair of mittens from an unknown stranger . . . salvation has come to that house. When leaders in regions torn apart by war come together to work out terms of peace . . . salvation has come to that house. When a man receives a brand-new kidney . . . salvation has come to that house. When a woman realizes that she doesn’t have to continue being on the receiving end of abuse from her spouse or partner . . . salvation has come to that house.
The church is called to proclaim the gospel for the salvation of humankind. The church is called to keep telling this good news story, over and over again, to person after person after person, because when people hear this story, when people really and truly hear this story and internalize it deep down inside, things happen. The Holy Spirit moves. People’s hearts are strangely warmed. People begin to see the world through a different set of eyes. People begin to realize the things they can do in this world, to be bearers of God’s salvation to other people, far and wide. And when that happens – wow. What a difference this gospel story can make. What a difference indeed.
Why does the church exist? To proclaim the gospel . . . for the salvation of humankind.
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Bill Pinches
Pastor
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