by Wayne Schwab

The Gospel is Jesus’ victory in all of our life.

To talk only of God’s forgiveness and unconditional love as the Gospel can tempt us to a childish pattern of seeking only to be cared for, rather than seeking to be God’s coworkers. There is so much more power in the Gospel as the Good News of God’s victory in Jesus Christ. Forgiveness of sin and God’s unconditional love are still there as part of the Good News. But, the even greater Good News is that the risen Jesus shares his power over evil with us! “As the Father has sent me, so I send you … receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:21-22). Through his gift of the Holy Spirit, we receive the power to cope with sin not only in ourselves but in the whole world out there.

Through baptism, we join God’s ongoing work in Jesus Christ to overcome evil, sin, and death – to overcome all that is against love and justice. Christian living becomes working with Jesus Christ in each of our daily arenas from Monday to Monday – in our homes, at work, in our local communities, in the wider world, when we’re at our leisure, in our spiritual health, and in our church life. In each of our daily arenas, we join Jesus in his ongoing work to make life more loving and more just.

Making life more loving and more just is a call to action! Christians can be invisible and silent no longer. We are on mission with Jesus Christ wherever we are. His Spirit – the Holy Spirit – is at work in us all the time as well. Not only are we forgiven, we have the power to cope with our own sin and to take on transforming life in our work – yea, in all of our own daily arenas.