Embracing the Fantastical Truth of the Gospel

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel as a Fantastical Reality

The gospel is often perceived as a fantastical story, but it is a profound truth that stretches our imagination. It challenges us to envision a world where death is defeated, and eternal life is a reality. This is not an escape from reality but a deeper engagement with it, calling us to live with hope and purpose. The resurrection is not just a future hope but a present reality that empowers us to live with purpose and passion. This fantastical element of the gospel invites us to see beyond the mundane and embrace a life filled with divine possibilities.

The idea of the gospel as fantasy might initially seem perplexing, but it is deeply rooted in the transformative power of the resurrection. The resurrection is not just a doctrine but a mystery that defies human reason and stretches our imagination. It is a promise that the perishable will be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. This is the wildest of mysteries, a truth that transforms our understanding of life and death. [29:42]

1 Corinthians 15:50-52 (ESV): "I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed."

Reflection: How does viewing the gospel as a fantastical reality change the way you approach your daily life and challenges? Can you identify one area where you need to embrace this divine possibility today?

Day 2: The Mystery of the Resurrection

The resurrection is a mystery that defies human reason. It promises that the perishable will be clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. This mystery is not just a future hope but a present reality that transforms our understanding of life and death. The resurrection is a profound truth that stretches our imagination and challenges us to envision a world where death is defeated, and eternal life is a reality.

The resurrection is not just a theological concept but a personal promise that affects how we live today. It calls us to stand firm, to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. This work is not limited to pastors or church leaders but extends to every believer, regardless of their vocation or station in life. [32:53]

1 Corinthians 15:53-54 (ESV): "For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: 'Death is swallowed up in victory.'"

Reflection: In what ways does the mystery of the resurrection give you hope and strength in your daily life? How can you remind yourself of this truth when facing difficult situations?

Day 3: Personal Implications of the Resurrection

The resurrection is a personal promise that affects how we live today. It calls us to stand firm and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. This work extends to every believer, regardless of their vocation or station in life. The resurrection is not just a future hope but a present reality that empowers us to live with purpose and passion.

The personal implications of the resurrection are profound. It challenges us to live with hope and purpose, knowing that our labor is not in vain. This work is not limited to pastors or church leaders but extends to every believer, regardless of their vocation or station in life. The resurrection calls us to stand firm and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. [53:58]

1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV): "Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain."

Reflection: How does the promise of the resurrection influence your daily work and interactions with others? What is one specific way you can give yourself fully to the work of the Lord today?

Day 4: Communal Responsibility in the Gospel

As a community, we are called to support one another in living out the gospel. This includes celebrating sacraments like baptism, which remind us of our inclusion in the covenant community and the promise of new life in Christ. The resurrection is not just a theological concept but a personal promise that affects how we live today. It calls us to stand firm, to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain.

The communal responsibility of the gospel is significant. We are called to support one another in living out the gospel, celebrating sacraments like baptism, which remind us of our inclusion in the covenant community and the promise of new life in Christ. This communal aspect of the gospel empowers us to live with purpose and passion, bringing restoration and hope to a weary world. [01:17:39]

Hebrews 10:24-25 (ESV): "And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."

Reflection: How can you actively support and encourage someone in your church community this week? What is one specific action you can take to help them live out the gospel?

Day 5: Living with Purpose and Passion

The fantastical elements of the gospel empower us to live with purpose and passion. We are called to bring restoration and hope to a weary world, using our gifts and talents to make a difference here and now. This is the practical outworking of our faith in the resurrection. The resurrection is not just a future hope but a present reality that empowers us to live with purpose and passion.

Living with purpose and passion is a call to action. The fantastical elements of the gospel empower us to bring restoration and hope to a weary world, using our gifts and talents to make a difference here and now. This is the practical outworking of our faith in the resurrection, challenging us to live with hope and purpose. [54:50]

Ephesians 2:10 (ESV): "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Reflection: What gifts and talents has God given you to bring restoration and hope to the world? How can you use them today to make a difference in someone's life?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Good morning, church. Today, we explored the concept of the gospel as fantasy, a notion that might initially seem perplexing but is deeply rooted in the transformative power of the resurrection. We began by celebrating the presence of new fellows and their families, and then delved into the heart of our series, "The Outwardly Facing Church." This series has been examining the multifaceted nature of the gospel, and today we focused on its fantastical elements.

We turned to 1 Corinthians 15:50-58, a passage that vividly describes the resurrection and the promise of eternal life. The resurrection is not just a doctrine but a mystery that defies human reason and stretches our imagination. It is a promise that the perishable will be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. This is the wildest of mysteries, a truth that transforms our understanding of life and death.

Fantasy, in this context, is not an escape from reality but a deeper engagement with it. It challenges us to imagine a world where death is swallowed up in victory, where the dead will rise, and where we will live eternally with Christ. This is not just a future hope but a present reality that empowers us to live with purpose and passion.

We also touched on the personal and communal implications of this truth. The resurrection is not just a theological concept but a personal promise that affects how we live today. It calls us to stand firm, to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. This work is not limited to pastors or church leaders but extends to every believer, regardless of their vocation or station in life.

Finally, we celebrated the sacrament of baptism, a tangible reminder of our inclusion in the covenant community and the promise of new life in Christ. As we go forth, let us be a people who live out this fantastical gospel, bringing restoration and hope to a weary world.

###

Key Takeaways

1. The Gospel as Fantasy: The gospel is often seen as a fantastical story, but it is a profound truth that stretches our imagination. It challenges us to envision a world where death is defeated, and eternal life is a reality. This is not an escape from reality but a deeper engagement with it, calling us to live with hope and purpose. [29:42]
2. The Mystery of the Resurrection: The resurrection is a mystery that defies human reason. It promises that the perishable will be clothed with the imperishable and the mortal with immortality. This mystery is not just a future hope but a present reality that transforms our understanding of life and death. [32:53]
3. Personal Implications: The resurrection is a personal promise that affects how we live today. It calls us to stand firm and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that our labor is not in vain. This work extends to every believer, regardless of their vocation or station in life. [53:58]
4. Communal Responsibility: As a community, we are called to support one another in living out the gospel. This includes celebrating sacraments like baptism, which remind us of our inclusion in the covenant community and the promise of new life in Christ. [77:39]
5. Living with Purpose: The fantastical elements of the gospel empower us to live with purpose and passion. We are called to bring restoration and hope to a weary world, using our gifts and talents to make a difference here and now. This is the practical outworking of our faith in the resurrection. [54:50]
### [54:50]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[29:42] - Introduction to the Series
[31:15] - The Gospel as Fantasy
[32:53] - The Mystery of the Resurrection
[34:35] - Prayer for the Holy Spirit
[36:47] - The Struggle of Modern Life
[38:44] - Reintroducing the Resurrection
[40:33] - The Wildest Mystery
[42:26] - The Power of the Resurrection
[44:10] - Jesus' Victory Over Death
[46:18] - The Reality of Death
[48:28] - The Promise of Eternal Life
[49:31] - The Power of Belief
[50:39] - The Personal Nature of the Gospel
[51:16] - The Sacrament of Communion
[52:18] - Praying for Healing
[53:10] - The Purpose of Our Work
[54:50] - Living with Purpose
[55:31] - Historical Examples of Faith
[57:12] - Rational Apocalypticists
[58:20] - Bringing Restoration
[59:31] - Closing Prayer
[77:04] - The Lord's Prayer
[77:39] - Baptism of Maddox William Crunk
[86:59] - Announcements and Benediction

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

What does Paul mean when he says, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God"? ([32:53])
How does Paul describe the transformation that will occur at the resurrection? ([32:53])
What is the significance of the phrase "Death has been swallowed up in victory"? ([32:53])
According to the sermon, how should the promise of the resurrection affect our daily lives? ([53:58])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul refer to the resurrection as a "mystery"? How does this mystery challenge our understanding of life and death? ([32:53])
How does the concept of the gospel as fantasy help us engage more deeply with the reality of the resurrection? ([31:15])
What are the personal and communal implications of believing in the resurrection, as discussed in the sermon? ([53:58])
How does the promise of eternal life empower believers to live with purpose and passion today? ([54:50])

Application Questions

The sermon mentioned that the resurrection is not just a future hope but a present reality. How can you live out this reality in your daily life? ([32:53])
Reflect on a time when you felt weary or doubtful. How can the promise of the resurrection bring you hope and strength in such moments? ([36:47])
The sermon calls us to stand firm and give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. What specific work or ministry do you feel called to invest in more deeply? ([53:58])
How can you support others in your community to live out the gospel, especially in light of the resurrection? ([54:50])
The sermon emphasized the importance of not making peace with death. How can you cultivate a mindset that views death as an enemy while still living with hope and purpose? ([46:18])
Baptism was highlighted as a tangible reminder of our inclusion in the covenant community. How does your baptism (or witnessing a baptism) reinforce your commitment to live out the gospel? ([01:17:39])
Identify one area in your life where you can bring restoration and hope to others. What practical steps can you take this week to make a difference? ([54:50])

Sermon Clips

1. "This month, we're working through this series, the Outwardly Facing Church. And we've been working through what gospel is it that we preach and that we find our ultimate why as a church. We have a vision of how we're living out the gospel, but our why is the gospel itself. And this gospel, as we've looked at this month, is news. It is news that was announced to the world. We also have looked at the gospel as tragedy. It is bad news before it is good news that we are desperately broken because of sin in need of redemption in the work of Christ." [29:42] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Fantasy often is seen as something easily to dismiss as a genre, but it's become one of the fastest growing genres of literature in the world and of movie making. It's not that fantasy is somehow a desire to escape the world as it is. It is oftentimes wishing that the world were different than it is. Fantasy is often trying to deal with how the world is different than it is. And how do we address the problems that I experience now in this very broken world? And so instead of being escape, it's something that seeks to stretch our imagination." [31:15] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "I would imagine that many of you have greeted this morning this week, much like I have in the words of John Mark Comer in his book, Ruthless Elimination of Hurry. He says, we live time-torn lives. We want to be with Jesus, but we just don't have time to pray. We genuinely desire to grow into people of love, but our to-do lists are too long to make any serious attempt. We know rest is the correct thing, is the secret to spiritual journey, but Sabbath? That's one-seventh of our lives, and yet we are totally unsatisfied. We feel hurried, anxious, far from God, spiritually shallow, stuck in our self-defeating habits of behavior." [36:47] (61 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "We grow doubtful. We grow weary. And we oftentimes believe the deceit. The world. That we are merely left to our own devices here. God may have created things, but he's moved on long ago. And we're just trying to make the best way that we can. And we're weary. And we forget the truth, the fantasy, the greatest and wildest fantasy ever written. No story can touch it. Because there will be those who will say, oh, I, hear you preacher in the resurrection, but that is too good to be true. The problem oftentimes is that we define the limits of truth and we look for it to be our bed, but it doesn't rescue us. It doesn't give us hope." [38:44] (64 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "Mystery, power, personal purpose. Mystery. Not for a moment should we ever think that what Paul was writing here was received as commonplace. What Paul wrote here regarding the person of Jesus and those who would be followers of Jesus was absolutely roundly rejected. Yes, by one party of the Jews, the Pharisees, but not the Sadducees, but the Pharisees believed in a grand resurrection and the resurrection of Jesus. And they believed in a grand resurrection and the resurrection of Jesus at the end of history, not a resurrection in the middle of history. It was the doctrine of the resurrection that was the most difficult to believe." [40:33] (51 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "Jesus, our scriptures teach us, was the second Adam and lived in every way that we cannot and would not. And as the second Adam, with flesh and blood, took on death on that Friday afternoon on a cross as punishment for our sin, bringing to fulfillment the words of Isaiah, by his wounds we are healed. By his stripes we are forgiven. The lashes, the beating, the torture. And the cross and his being laid in a tomb is the second Adam, the son of God, in our place, going to death." [46:18] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "The power of God has defeated death. And I want to remind you, this is why, fellow Christians, if you are a follower of Jesus, do not make, friendship with death. Do not take it as something that we should make peace with. I do not make peace with death. Though I knew my mother's last days were coming, I hate death. Jesus hated death. And though the Scriptures say Jesus wept, what Jesus did at the face of Lazarus' death was anger at the result and consequences of sin and the brokenness that it has caused in humanity. Jesus was angry at death and so should we. It is an enemy. It is an infiltrator. It is not the way it is supposed to be." [48:28] (57 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "We do not hang around with small, unimportant dogma. No, we have the wild mystery of the power of God who came to save sinners and to say no to death and to give us life eternal. This is the great power. This is the promise. And this is the power that we are called to receive as a gift that we get to believe. Oh, come, great Holy Spirit, help our stubborn, doubting, shallow hearts to believe again in the great power that death has been swallowed up in the victory of Christ. Amen?" [49:31] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "Why have we stopped asking God for fantastic things? We ought to plead and beg of the Lord. Lord, bring healing today to our friends who are suffering, who are sick, bring healing to their bodies. We must ask the Lord for great things and we must expect that he hears our prayers and he may bring healing this very morning and he may bring healing, healing through the gifts of a physician. But one thing I know, all sick and all who have died in Christ will be healed because sin and death and disease does not have the final word." [53:10] (48 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "What work has the Lord given you, dear Christian? What talents, what skills has He given you? He's given those to you because He's given you a purpose. To take this fantastical fantasy, the wildest mystery of the resurrection where the dead will become undead. He's going to restore all things but we don't wait for that day to be part of that restoration story. You get to go with your gifts, with your talents, with your station to bring restoration today. And Christians throughout history have been known as the ones who go to the hardest places and do the hardest things." [54:50] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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