lifeasmission

In his most recent book, Surprised by hope: Rethinking Heaven the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, N.T. Wright says this about the gospel,

…the gospel, in the New Testament, is the good news that God (the world’s creator) is at last becoming king and that Jesus, whom this God raised from the dead, is the world’s true lord…The power of the gospel lies not in the offer of a new spirituality or religious experience, not in the threat of hellfire (certainly not in the threat of being “left behind”), which can be removed if only the hearer checks this box, says this prayer, raises a hand, or whatever, but in the powerful announcement that God is God, that Jesus is Lord, that the powers of evil have been defeated, that God’s new world has begun. This announcement, stated as a fact about the way the world is rather than as an appeal about the way you might like your life, your emotions, or your bank balance to be, is the foundation of everything else.” (226-227). 

And interestingly, Angels and Airwaves, my new musical obsession (thanks Mick), in their song, “Secret Crowds,” sing this… (listen here)If I had my own worldI’d fill it with wealth and desireA glorious past to admireAnd voices of kids out walking dogsBirds, planes, trees and carsIf I had my own worldI’d love it for all that’s inside itThere’d be no more wars, death or riotsThere’d be no more police, packed parking lotsGuns, bombs sounding offIf I had my own worldI’d build you an empireFrom here to the far landsTo spread love like violenceIf I had my own worldI’d build you an empireFrom here to the far landsTo spread love like violenceLet me feel you, carry you higherWatch your words spread hope like fireSecret crowds rise up and gatherHear your voices sing back louderIf I had my own worldI’d show you the life that’s inside itThe way that it glows when you find itThe way it survives with it’s familiesFriends or it’s enemiesLet’s make this a new worldI swear you can go if you want toI know that you have that within youInventing the first clean and usableGod’s greatest miracleIf I had my own worldI’d build you an empireFrom here to the far landsTo spread love like violenceSo, I don’t necessarily have some sort of amazing thing to say about this – just that I think Wright does a great job of articulating a much more encompassing gospel than many of us are used to and I found it rather striking to find a similar sort of longing and desire for this sort of gospel in the words to this song.

Related posts:

1. Derek Webb – Ten Thousand Angels
2. NT Wright Thinks I am Right
3. What the Gospel is Not