Over forty years ago a long haired, scruffy, slightly smelly Jesus freak gave a piece of advice to a long haired Jesus freak wanna-be – me. Not sure whatever happened to that guy but his simple advice has pulled me through some rough times in my walk with the Lord. With deep sincerity, he looked me right in the eyes, “Don’t ever forget what Paul said,’Don’t be removed from the simplicity of the gospel'”.
Years later, when I discovered a wonderful thing called a Concordance I went in search of that Scripture. It is not there. I can only assume it was Paul his Bible study leader or Paul his barber who told him that. In any case, the wisdom of the warning has helped me many times over the years.
In these forty years of following Jesus I have hammered out my soteriology, my eschatology, my ecclesiology. I am still open to learning but I have a fairly good grasp on homiletics, hermeneutics and am just a dissertation away from earning my PhD in Pastoral Ministry. I am grateful for all I have learned but when the unanswerable storms of life come and I feel overwhelmed, disappointed with God, frustrated with His people or ready to give up on myself it isn’t all that information that carries me through. Instead, I think back to those days and that piece of advice given so sincerely, “Don’t be removed from the simplicity of the gospel”.
I think back to when I was a dumb 17 year old who thought Ezra was Esther’s sister, that Moses and Jesus lived at the same time because of the order to kill all the babies and that Dan and Beersheba were a husband and wife duo. I didn’t know what any of those 50 cent theological words meant and didn’t care. All I knew was Jesus loved me and I wanted to serve Him all my life.
Sometimes I wasn’t sure I loved Him. Sometimes I was upset with Him. I didn’t know diddly squat about church history or doctrine. All I knew was He had saved me, He loved me and I wanted to serve Him. When times have gotten rough I fall back to that point of helpless trust and it has held me firm through the roughest storms.
What is “the simplicity of the gospel”? What has sustained me through the most wicked enemy attacks? It is the most profound truth I have discovered in all my study: “Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so.” You can cling to that. It will carry you through. It is enough.
“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Luke 10:21 KJV)
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2 Corinthians 11:3 KJV
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
okay, now this has got to be the very most favorite of everything I have read of your writings! 🙂
of course that was after I got past trying to picture you with long hair. seriously, you may to post a picture of that just so me and everyone else can actually believe that… :). oh, and so I don’t have use what little brain cells I have trying to picture it when it comes into my thoughts 🙂 (please at least tell me that picture on this post is not that picture I’m asking for…! if it is I’m even more happy you decided to go with shorter hair 🙂 )
but seriously, I often find myself thanking God that He had it so that my life would cross paths with yours!!! Thank you so much for being such a beautiful reflection of Him and being obedient to His call to serve Him and share your love and your Love walk with Him!!! I know my time in your life and even still today changed my life forever. And I know it has for countless others as well!!! You constantly inspire and encourage me through memories of being around you and witnessing your walk with him in your words and deeds. and even now at a much greater distance in these writings and other ways I get witness your humanity intermingled with Him expressing Himself through in that humbleness of humanity. Your definitely not perfect, but your a perfect example of an un-perfect person loved by a Perfect God! 🙂
I think what I love the most about this one is…
That song that you focus on in the most difficult times is the very song I heard that ever got me about Him and is what got me in church for the very first time at age nine. And I too quite often find myself secretly singing to myself to remind me that He loves me. Then it sometimes even slips out of my lips as I’m singing it to myself, most often to the surprise of those around. but always received with smiles and usually with them joining in to sing it as well 🙂
Thank you so much for being a man after God’s own heart!!! As my spiritual father you teach me and stretch me and at times, even rebuke me. And as a sister in Christ you always, always inspire me and help me see Him in my own humanity! Thank You!!!
And if I do ever get to see you in person again it is quite likely I will hug ya so hard I may squeeze the stuffings right out of ya 🙂 🙂 🙂
With much love,
You spiritual daughter and sister in Christ
and Always In His Loving Embrace!
Cheryl <
PS…
written on my iPhone and I did not proof read it. my apologies for any spelling and grammatical errors!
Thanks Cheryl.
The picture with the title did look a little weird, didn’t it?
Ecclesiastes 12:11-14 NKJV
The words of the wise are like goads, and the words of scholars are like well-driven nails, given by one Shepherd. And further, my son, be admonished by these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.
Thanks Ted. Appreciate your comments – and I love that passage from Ecclesiastes
Yes Jesus loves us! simplicity. my favorite too!! simple devotion to Christ..devoted to him..because he was first devoted to us..it always springs from, comes back to and extends from his cross…even though we go dizzy in circles sometimes!!!… everything! leads us back to babes in his arms! 🙂 thankyou!!
I agree, Sharon. That has been the thing that has kept me true when the craziness of Christians and the Christian life has sometimes made me want to give up. It IS all about HIM.
I once had a similar encounter to the “T” with a slightly less scruffy, but scruffy nonetheless, Jesus Freak. I was a Baby Christian and hanging out at a Church Social. I was confused and trying to get sense on something I had heard. I truly was a sponge then. Then in the midst of the group I was seated, a scruffy guy looked me just as intently in the eyes, and with loving kindness said something to me I never forgot. He said, “Whenever you get confused, just go back to the Cross.” He was implying Christ of course, but that more than any Sermon stayed with me all these years from my time at that Church. That is as simple as gets, my scruffy guy was saying the same thing. 🙂
I once wrote something on the Gospel. I wrote, “The Gospel is so complex most people never get it, and it’s so simple, most people never get it.” I believe this true. That is why The Lord Himself must open your Eyes, Ears, Heart, Mind, and Soul. As Jesus said, “My Sheep know my Voice and they come when I call them.”