“God gave a person, then a proclamation, and then a people. This is the historical and theological order” (page xvii).
Ferguson, Everett. 1996. The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today. Grand Rapids, MI:Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
The quote above from Ferguson’s book provides what I call “The Concentric Core of the Church.” His comment about the historical and theological order of what God gave is vital. Additionally, his reference to God being the Giver of them is significant as well. Last week’s article focused on God’s ultimate gift to humanity in the person of Jesus as the incarnation of His love. This week we continue the concentric core of the church with the following affirmation:
• God’s ultimate gift of proclamation to humanity is Jesus as the incarnation of His love.
The proclamation of the gospel actually begins in Acts chapter 2 and continues to the end of the book of Revelation. The four Gospel writers provide the content of Jesus’ ministry and teaching which later form the content of the proclamation. The good news is that Jesus has arisen from the dead, and is now seated on the right hand of God. This proclamation goes in two directions at once:
The good news of Jesus is proclaimed to those who otherwise would perish.
The good news of Jesus is proclaimed to those who need ongoing transformation into the likeness of his image.
This all reminds me of the apostle Paul’s declaration about the place of proclamation in the spreading of the gospel: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” (Romans 10:14). The proclamation of Jesus leads to belief and calling on the name of Jesus. Such expression by Paul can be taken to mean a totality of life where heart, mind and soul are given over to the Risen One. No wonder the good news needs proclaiming! This is a message that is hard to take, and it certainly bears repeating over and over to all who need and want to hear it. It is a joyous thing to think of the proclamation of the gospel as a gift from God!
In Christian love, Curtis
“God gave a person, then a proclamation, and then a people. This is the historical and theological order” (page xvii).
Ferguson, Everett. 1996. The Church of Christ: A Biblical Ecclesiology for Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
The quote above from Ferguson’s book provides what I call “The Concentric Core of the Church.” His comment about the historical and theological order of what God gave is vital. Additionally, his reference to God being the Giver of them is significant as well.
• God’s ultimate gift to humanity is the person of Jesus as the incarnation of his love.
According to the Gospel of John, this gift of Jesus is offered because God so loved the world. The
little adverb “so” demonstrates the depth and breadth of that love. All four Gospel writers attempt to look at the gift from various angles, thus providing a rich and textured masterpiece of Jesus.
• God’s ultimate gift of proclamation to humanity is Jesus as the incarnation of his love.
The proclamation of the gospel actually begins in Acts chapter 2 and continues to the end of the book of Revelation. The four Gospel writers provide the content of Jesus’ ministry and teaching which later form the content of the proclamation. The good news is that Jesus has arisen from the dead, and is now seated on the right hand of God.
• God’s ultimate give of His people is the gift of community as Jesus incarnate to the world as a demonstration of His love.
Do you think it would make a difference if we saw the church as a gift of God for the world? Would it make a difference if the world saw the church as gift to itself? Are we living out our daily Christian life with a strong sense of this “giftedness?” I need to share this gift with others. My good news is shared with any and all who are deprived from enjoying this gift.
When the church emerges from the core of the person of Jesus, with a proclamation of the love of God in the risen Jesus, and demonstrates the power of that risen Lord in the presence of its people—no greater witness in the world can be found! May we realize such giftedness!
In Christian love, Curtis
Bruce L. Shelley begins his book Church History in Plain Language (Updated 2nd Edition) with this observation:
“Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God.” (1995, page 3)
What an insightful statement to begin a work on church history! It was the “event of humiliation” that actually changed the course of history, and became the foundation of the Christian religion. This central event shaped and formed the Christian movement as it made its way from the cradle of Palestine and became a Diaspora into the known Greco-Roman world.
You may remember the story that Luke records in the book Acts. The treasurer from Ethiopia, employed by the queen, was reading from an Isaiah scroll. This is the passage of Scripture the he was reading:
“He was led like a sheep to the slaughter,
and as a lamb before its shearer is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice.
Who can speak of his descendants?
For his life was taken from the earth.” (Isaiah 53:7,8)
Philipp joined this treasurer in his chariot, and from this very passage told him the good news about Jesus. As the church began to spread into different parts of the Hellenistic world, the message of Jesus was central to that movement. But what caused problems was that having a Messiah who was “humiliated” was humiliating to the Jews, and the Greeks wanted nothing to do with a weak and powerless God.
This may be why today the Christian message is still hard to take. That is why the fundamental Christian message is deceptively replaced with messages about health, wealth, fun, self-fulfillment, etc. with a veneer of Christian decorum. It is easier to sell that way!
But Jesus is fundamentally presented time and again in the New Testament as a humble servant. Again, in the Carmen Christi “Christ Hymn” of Philippians 2:5-11, we find that Jesus’ humiliation was the cross event. This cursed way of dying forever destroyed the Messianic expectation of military might and prowess. The resurrection vindicated his humiliation. As Jesus emptied himself, God took the posture of humiliation.
It is only out of the stance of brokenness and humiliation that we, too, can participate in the radical work of God. So much of Jesus’ life exemplified that posture of humiliation. Our life must be no less!
In Christian love, Curtis
