Alright friends, here we are again. It’s me, Dylan, your brother and friend in Christ. I like to see myself as sort of a Kermit the Frog figure, quiet and soft spoken, but a constant source of hope and happiness. Well, it’s 2025, so I suppose we need to go over the Gospel again. A lot has happened the past five years and many people have been shaken by the news, worldly ideologies, and empty philosophies.
We need a refresher. I’d love to share with you out of the overflow of what I’ve been receiving from Jesus. And I’d love to hear back from you too. Please join us on Good Fridays, our Elisha’s Riddle Podcast, our Facebook pages, and maybe even in person at Nick’s church or my church in California. Let’s not stop meeting together and encouraging each other in this Gospel. Perhaps it’s even time for you to step out and connect with local believers in your neck of the woods.
It’s 2025, what’s the Gospel again?
God
Let’s start with God! Where would we be without him?
Oh I know, we wouldn’t exist! LOL.
But let’s remember who God is. Does it sometimes feel really hard and strenuous to pray? I’ve been there at times. It most likely means we’ve forgotten how good God is. Who is the God we’re praying to?
We are praying to a Father, Son, and Spirit who fills all things everywhere with his presence (Ephesians 1:23). We’re praying to the One who has been with us our entire lives. We literally cannot escape his love. “The earth is full of his unfailing love” (Psalm 33:5). You could run for miles and miles with all the rejection issues in the world and you’d still be surrounded and indwelt by the smiling love of God. You exist to be loved by Him. Sorry, there’s nothing you can do about that 🙂
The Cross
Oh the cross! What he’s done! It’s more than enough! A perfect sacrifice!
What exactly happened on the cross again? The entire old order of separation, anxiety, and law-living was crucified for the entire world (2 Corinthians 5:14). Colossians 1:20 in the Knox New Testament says that God made peace through the blood of his cross “to win back all things into union with Himself.” Union is the reality that all things are swimming in. Like fish in the ocean, we cannot escape the reality of his presence.
The whole sinful nature, or old man, was crucified at the cross and we are now a new creation in Christ. This is good news! We do not need to stay in bondage to any sin, addictions, or bad habits. Neither do we need to stay in bondage to mental issues like depression, anxiety, or resentment.
And most importantly, we don’t need to fight our way out of these things. There’s nothing worse than thinking you have to deliver yourself out of sin. The good news comes like a kiss to Sleeping Beauty, calling us to wake up to the reality of our righteousness in Christ. The truth is the truth. It’s how God sees us and the reality that he purchased for us.
Because of the cross, we are perfect, holy, good boys and girls; happy, hopeful, and helpful. If you are experiencing any contradiction to this, grace for yourself is in fact included in the new creation. Just relax and keep believing what God says about you.
The Destiny of the World
And a final reminder: He’s got the whole world in his hands! This planet is destined for a glorious purpose. We’re headed for a worldwide dance party praising the Lord! He’s promised to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). He’s promised a universal redemption and, in fact, he’s already accomplished it (Acts 3:21; Colossians 1:20). The world is already filled with the glory of God (Isaiah 6:3). That’s why I sing “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong loud and proud!
The world is still waking up. But he’s also promised that one day the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14). We get to play a part in this. It’s supposed to be fun! (Joy = fun) Let’s show others this glorious gospel of union with God by the way we live and the way we speak.
It’s 2025, it’s time to believe the gospel again!