Real and good

Cristo Redentor's home groups have been taking a look at various aspects of evangelism in preparation for Club Preguntas. We considered Acts 4 the other day, and when we got to verse 3 were asked what is off-putting or repulsive about the message of Jesus today. We came up with five things that I think are true of both Australia and Chile. In no particular order then, the Gospel says:

1. you have to be accountable for your actions;
2. you are a sinner, a bad person at heart;
3. you have to hand over control of your life;
4. you have to place your trust in things you can't see and touch - God and a 2000 year-old story;
5. you have to agree that other paths do not lead to God.

No wonder it's a miracle when any person comes to Christ. Before I became a Christian I hated these things, even when I thought they might be true. What I didn't see then was that life is better if it accords with reality - and, when I'm most honest with myself, I know the ugliness of my thoughts and motives, and even sometimes my actions. Pretending this isn't real and getting indignant about it doesn't do a thing to help it.

The other thing I didn't see was that this God came to earth as a real man; was murdered by men and punished by his Father in our stead, such was the love he had for us; after his rescurrection, had a guy called Thomas jab his finger in the nail-holes so that he might believe and trust - and that all the other religions call for us to do something and leave us uncertain about the outcome. Life is better if you are reconciled to your kind, tender, wise and powerful King and Dad and he is looking out for you.