What if I had it all wrong?

1. Theology of
Two
Gospels

2. Think of it like
fire-insurance.

3. The contemporary gospel is primarily
INFORMATION ON
HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN
AFTER YOU DIE
with a large footnote about increasing your personal
happiness and success through God.
with a small footnote about character development
with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience
with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

4. What if we have become confused about what the gospel of
Jesus Christ really is?
What if there are two gospels being
proclaimed within Christianity?
What if we are
proclaiming a gospel
about Jesus, but not
the gospel Jesus
proclaimed?

5. “Shouldn’t we let Jesus
define the gospel?”

6. The time has come, he said. The
kingdom of God has come near.
Repent and believe the good news!
Mark 1:15

7. Remember:
were
contemporary
realities in Jesus’
day!

8. There was no
problem with
proclaiming a
new religion - but

9. To proclaim a
new kingdom
meant a new
supreme
authority …
and it meant
a new way of
life.

10. Jesus proclaimed a radically different
framing story … Good news of the Kingdom
of God.
The Gospel / Good news - announcement
of a new regime, administration, victory.
Kingdom - reigning, relationships, values,
laws, customs: the unified whole

11. The gospel of the kingdom of God …
A God who forgives …
A God who includes …
A God who notices …
A God who serves …
A nonviolent God who reconciles …
A God who heals …
A God who transcends boundaries …
A God who sides with the poor …
A God who is present …
A God bigger than organized religion …

12. It is clear that “kingdom of God” (or
heaven) does NOT mean “heaven
after you die,” because the Lord’s
prayer teaches us to pray …

13. Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth as it is in
heaven.

14. It does NOT teach us to pray …
May we come to your kingdom
when we die.
May we all go to heaven where,
unlike earth, your will is done.

15. Jesus doesn’t send us out to make
“Christians” - but to make
“disciples.”
Therefore go and make
[spiritually form] disciples
[apprentices] of all nations,
baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded
you.

16. The gospel of the kingdom must
produce disciples who learn a
new way of life.
As disciples, we learn to live the way
of life that Jesus lived - life in the
kingdom of God.

17. Self (soul)
church
world
Heaven

18. self
church
world
Heaven

19. Two gospels …
One of evacuation
One of transformation

20. Gospel of saving individuals from
hell, and abandoning earth to
destruction.
Gospel of saving earth from human
sin, beginning with us.
or:

21. Gospel of saving earth from
human sin…
What if “sin” isn’t a long list of culturally
unacceptable behaviors….
What if “sin” is anything short of failing to
love God/Others more than yourself?

23. Would it be Heavenly?

24. What if Jesus gospel is not about
toning down and repressing your God-
given life force?
What if He called us to something
pure and true and good, something
that connects us with God, with
others, with the world?

25. The contemporary gospel is primarily
INFORMATION ON
HOW TO GO TO HEAVEN
AFTER YOU DIE
with a large footnote about increasing your personal
happiness and success through God.
with a small footnote about character development
with a smaller footnote about spiritual experience
with a smaller footnote about social/global transformation.

26. What if Jesus Gospel was
Love God / Others more than yourself to
bring forth His Kingdom. Now!
Be a disciple – surrender to love, like
Jesus.
Christ like selflessness and love requires radical faith.
God’s Holy Spirit lives in you to help
Repent for selfish acts and return to the joy of a union with Jesus which
weakens the desire to do things contrary to His heart
Even pray for suffering to be more like Christ

27. Jesus
Gospel
is
Love