In a Nutshell

I don’t like tree nuts.  When I was a little kid my job at Thanksgiving and Christmas was to shell pecans so my mom and grandmom could make pecan pies.  I hate pecan pie, but oh well.  They would get a few pounds of pecans from the state farmers market in Columbia, SC and I would sit and shell them in front of whatever was on the TV. I got really good at it. I’m familiar with what’s “in a nutshell.”

            My first “Bible” was a pocket New Testament.  It was in the King James Version, had a fake green leather cover, and very thin pages.  I don’t really remember reading it, but it had John 3:16 printed in 30 (?) different languages in the front.  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  Martin Luther called this verse “the Gospel in a nutshell.”  I tell kids that if there is one Bible verse they should memorize, it’s this one. 

            Gospel means “good news”!  It is news that is proclaimed, announced, spread, spoken.  It is news!  In the Greek word for “Gospel”—euangellion—the word “angel” is in the middle of it.  Angels bring news.  The Gospel is the good news of God in Jesus Christ.  That God so loved the world (cosmos) that God “came down” in Jesus Christ.  His teachings, life, crucifixion and resurrection (!) were to save us, not judge us (John 3:17).  The Good News is that God heals our brokenness, which is another way of talking about “salvation”; and rather than be told to “do” we’re told to “believe,” to “trust” him.  The truth is we’ll never be able to “do enough” to save ourselves or our world.  But Christ can change hearts of stone to flesh and make “dead” people reborn.   God says, “Trust him,” “believe in him.”  That’s Good News.  In a nutshell!  

Peace,

Pr. Christian