The Gospel and simplicity

At its core, the Gospel of Christ is a Gospel of simplicity.

Jesus was born, he died, he rose, and he is coming back again.

To "make" heaven, all I need to know is that Jesus was the Son of God, He forgives me for my sins, and I am to live a holy life.

I love it.  I love it that God has made is so simple (I was tempted to use the word easy - but that wouldn't be correct - it can be "hard" to accept even such a simple message).

Jesus when he taught, he taught with stories.  Parables the Bible calls them.  Stories that the people of His day could relate to.

That is my role in teaching.  "Breaking down" the Word of God so that everyone can understand and apply it to their lives.

Now, don't get me wrong.  There is a time and place for deeper theology.

Every so often, someone asks me to go "deeper into the things of God."

I smile at that.

Let me give you an example of what I could say.  I have been reading Professor Craig Keener's commentary of John (for my John series).  His an example of what he wrote concerning John 1:3:

"Scholars who view John's purpose as antignostic could find plenty of antignosticism in 1:3; in contrast to Gnostic beliefs, Christ alone is the mediator of creation in John.  In Gnosticism, emanations from the primal Aeon formed the evil immaterial world; the creator was generally the Demiurge, a power far removed from the original deity.  Were Mandaic literature not so late, one could even read the verse from an anti-Mandaic angle, noting latter rabbinic polemic against the idea of mediation in creation, which appear in Philo.... (page 375, The Gospel of John, a Commentary).

What does John 1:3 state?  "Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made."

What does that mean?  Jesus created all things.  Nothing was made without Him.  As the creator of the world, he can take care of my needs and your needs.

Cut.  Print.  That's a wrap.

Now do you catch my point? 

Sometimes the "deeper" things of life are found in simplicity itself.

Just a thought for a Thursday.