On one occasion, Paul told a group of Christ-followers that “I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God” (Acts 20:27). What exactly does this mean? Simply put, declaring the whole purpose of God involves preaching the whole message of the Bible, not just selected parts. In large part, the irrelevance of American churches can be traced to their refusal to genuinely believe and authentically share the full message of God’s Word.
Admittedly, that seems harsh, but think about it. How many churches avoid talking about how God created everything, preferring to be ambiguous about evolution, the state-sponsored version of where we came from? How many churches ignore or deny the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit? How many pastors purposely avoid discussing Bible prophecy and the return of King Jesus? Here’s the deal. Jesus is the solution to every human problem. He is the only way to be saved from the righteous judgment of God. He is the truth that sets us free from sin and death. He is the source of a fulfilled life in this age and eternal life in the age to come. In other words, nothing is more relevant than Jesus. He’s not optional, He’s not the key to a bigger and better you, and He’s not some feel-good Sunday school story for kids. He is everything that matters.
To demonstrate the importance of making Jesus known, Paul proclaimed “I am innocent of the blood of all men” because he had preached the whole message of God’s Word (Acts 20:26-27). This message includes creation, how God made a perfect world and has made each one of us. We are accountable to our Creator for how we live. Unfortunately, none of us meet His perfect standard. After He created a perfect world, the first humans rebelled against Him. Their sin brought suffering and death into the world, and all of us are born separated from our Creator. This corruption is a big deal, but God made a way for us to be reconciled to Him. He sent Jesus on a rescue mission to save humanity. Christ died for our sins on a cross, and He rose again three days later showing that He conquered sin and death.
After He rose again, He ascended to Heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father. He left us with a simple mission: preach the bad news about sin and judgment and the good news of His death and resurrection. Fortunately, He didn’t leave us without any help. Quite the opposite, the Holy Spirit was sent to supernaturally carry us through this messed up world and keep us on script. The charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit are supernatural manifestations which point to the power of Jesus and the reality of what Christ-followers are all about.
Finally, although sin and death ruin what God made, a day is coming when God will destroy evil and restore all things. The coronation of Jesus will take place, with every knee bowing before Him, as He fully establishes His Kingdom on earth.
While there will be plenty of people who reject this message, it’s not our job to make it more palatable or argue about it. The proclamation of the whole Gospel, from creation to the coronation of Christ and everything in between, is our job. Let’s get to work.