Irresistible Invitation by Maxie Dunham - Day 15

Irresistible Invitation:  Responding to the Extravagant Heart of God                   

Day 15: The Essence of the Gospel

 

                       For God, who said, Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”  (2 Cor. 4:6)

 

Is there any other text that gathers up the essence of the gospel any better than that quotation?  The definition of “essence” is –that which makes something what it is—that which makes the gospel what it is is here in this text.  Incredible isn’t it? The incredible glory of God shines through out all time in the face of Jesus the Christ.  This is the amazement of the Incarnation, and the fact that this radiance of Jesus Christ has shined in each of our hearts is the essence of the Christian experience.  And when we take that amazing experience of God’s presence through Christ in our lives and in our hearts to the world, we share powerful and incredible Christian witness.  All together this provides the essence of the gospel and it calls to each of us. 

 

Maxie Dunnam speaks of the incarnation in this way.  “The radiant glory of God shines in the face of Jesus Christ. God’s ultimate revelation is Jesus Christ.  On that night when Jesus was born, in response to the cries of the righteous for an answer to the terrible silence of God, God sent and infant who, at that moment, could do little more than cry.  On that night, God stooped to our level, and bending over this violent playpen we call home, gave us troth in the only way we might possibly understand; a baby lying in a manger.  On that night, a world which couldn’t care less came face to face with a God who couldn’t care more.”  (Irresistible Invitation pg 103)

 

We find it said this way in the letter to the Hebrews, “ IN the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son…” (1:1-2)

 

We call the amazing experience of Gods radiance shining in our hearts, the Christian experience.  Some may call it conversion or salvation or being born again.  If you have had this experience, no matter what you call if you are “alive in Christ.”  Your life is changed and you want to talk about it and you have something to show for it!

 

This leads us to the amazing practice of Christian witness.  The amazing experience of Jesus Christ shining in our lives is our to share, in fact we are obligated to share it with those who we meet in Christ’s name.  Witness is the vocation of every Christian!  This vocation is defined and empowered by the facts of the Incarnation.  Dunnam points out that “what we think about Jesus Christ and how we experience him determines the shape of our personal life and destiny.” (Irresistible Invitation pg 106)  And it determines the shape of the ministries we live. 

 

The Heart of the Matter

 

In what ways do you reflect the radiant glory of God in your life?  Are there areas where you feel a bit dim?

 

Are there certain things you think about Jesus that have shaped your life for the better?  How might some of your thoughts about Jesus be keeping you from experiencing the light of the knowledge of God shining in the face of Jesus Christ in your heart?

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