The Gospel in Time

What is the gospel? That's probably the most important question a Christian can ever answer. When I was young and a Fundamentalist I would have answered it differently. Perhaps I would have pointed to the Romans road or the four spiritual laws. But those aren't the gospel, but rather sales pitches used to articulate parts of a gospel.

So then what is the gospel? The answer is quite simple. The gospel is the story of Jesus Christ. In the gospel we learned that Jesus, the god-man, became incarnate flesh and dwelt among us.  We learn what he taught us, that he had power over death and life and that for us, and our salvation, he died and rose again.

The good news of the Gospel is more than about how we are saved, but that is definitely a part of it. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus has come to bring about New Creation! In other words he's come to put things right!!!

As Anglican Christians we have several ways that we Proclaim this message. We have the Creeds, which are summation of the gospel. But we also have our liturgy, sacraments and our church calendar. These things are not vain repetitions and or empty traditions, but they are the gospel acted out each and every Sunday.

My focus here today he's on the liturgical calendar. The liturgical calendar is different then our secular calendars. Anglican Christians do not aureate their lives around secular holidays like Memorial Day and the 4th of July, but on are ecclesiastical calendar. The rhythms of Our Lives should be centered on the feasts, fasts and holy days found therein.

This calendar is the gospel lived out in time. By keeping the holy days and feasts we are both proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and forming our lives in it. This means that when we order our lives around the liturgical calendar we are actually ordering our lives around the gospel.

This calendar, therefore, is not just a way remembering biblical events or keeping track of time, but it is actually a participation in the Life of Christ. It is through this participation in the Life of Christ that our lives become transformed and we learn to be more like him.

Are activities throughout the church year are there for meant to teach us who Jesus is and who we should be in light of that. For example at Christmas we exchange gifts. The exchanging of gifts is not just for the sake of being thoughtful, but it actually has spiritual meaning. We exchange gifts because in Christ God the Father has given us the greatest gift of all.

Another example of this would be in the participation in the Stations of the Cross during Holy Week. That liturgical practice, if done correctly, reminds us of the suffering that Jesus injured on our behalf end the suffering that we as Christians are cold too in service to our Lord and his kingdom.

Right now we are in the midst of the Season known as ordinary time. Its color is green and it is the most lengthy all the liturgical seasons. But it is not less important did any of the other seasons, but rather it is the time in which we are to dwell on our everyday lives. It is the season following the Ascension and Pentecost, which is well everyday. A season between seasons, where we wait for our Lord's return serving him and gladness and striving to keep the faith until his second coming.

For me this season has always been long and arduous. I have always half joked about how I tire of the color green, but in all seriousness it is the perfect metaphor for our Christian lives.  Lives marked by the longing for what is yet to come.

My encouragement then for all Christians,  Anglican or not, is to embrace the calendar of the church and use it to its fullest in ordering your lives. Keep the feasts! Don't overlook the fasts and celebrate the holy days with thanksgiving and joy in your hearts!  It is the story of Jesus and our story too!!!