Why has the message of Jesus Christ endured more than 2000 years?

Christ’s presence in people carries the Gospel forward

The Rev. Jonathon Jensen, priest, Trinity Episcopal Church, 1011 Vt.:

The message has endured because Christ has endured. A common misconception is that Christianity is a set of ideas, doctrines or rules. The message, that which we call the Gospel or the “Good News,” is a person. The Gospel is Jesus Christ — born, crucified, died and raised to new life. That message is a radically new way to relate to God as one of us, in the person of Jesus.

In the Christmas season, we learn a special name for Jesus: Emmanuel, which means “God is with us.” The message is incarnate (literally “made flesh”) in a people who are willing to be reborn in Christ and become disciples of the God “who is with us.”

Just as the message is not a set of ideas but a person, the Church is not a building but a people. The Church is best understood as the living Body of Christ in the world living out the message of Jesus.

I close with a story from 50 years ago, from the history books.

On the April day in 1955 when a disastrous fire destroyed the interior of Trinity Episcopal Church, a number of people were watching the firemen putting out the fire. One of the bystanders said to the Rev. Robert C. Swift, “Mr. Swift, I’m so sorry your church has burned.”

Waving his hand at his parishioners, the pastor replied, “There is my church.”

Buildings may come and go. The people change. The Church is the message or good news of Jesus Christ lived out.

Whenever people allow Christ to be born in their hearts, that message will endure.

Send e-mail to jwj@trinitylawrence.org.

God’s message the same yesterday, today and forever

The Rev. Randy Beeman, senior pastor, First Christian Church, 1000 Ky.:

Right now, you are probably enjoying Christmas with family and friends and rejoicing that the Christmas shopping is done.

As you look at the mountain of gifts next to the Christmas tree, you have to ask yourself, “Why?”

I suppose that most of the gifts are upgrades or new interests and some are replacements for things that have fallen apart or broken down. The older gentleman in the store was overheard saying, “They just don’t make things the way they used to.”

This is true except for one area of life: Our spiritual relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Jesus doesn’t wear out, fall apart or break down. In fact, the Bible speaks of Jesus as the “same yesterday, today and forever.”

The message of Jesus has continued for more than 2,000 years because his purpose is to be someone in our lives who isn’t temporary, but eternal.

Thoughts and ideas, movies and people come and go, but Jesus is here for all time. That is why Jesus and his truth can be trusted for his advice, direction and knowledge in 2004 just as much as he could be trusted by first-century people.

In our society, we value things that last. That is why people value the person of Jesus. He wants to be with you all the time and forever.

So there is still something that is just like it used to be: Jesus.

Send e-mail to rbeeman@sunflower.com.