The Main Thing

An old friend from my days @ The Center for Sports & Wellness @ Mission Hospital posted this image on her Facebook page. I'm not sure what she meant by it, but this image gripped me for the Gospel. The Gospel IS the Main Thing. If we don't get the Gospel, nothing else really matters. The Apostle Paul kept The Main Thing, The Main Thing when he wrote:

"The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." 1 Tim. 1:15

Pretty clear. Jesus was born to save sinners. That's you and me.

Lots of folks want to sell the Jesus that will improve your marriage, or make your kids obey, or provide you with health, wealth, and happiness. The line is: "add Jesus to your life and everything will be just fine". The problem with that 'gospel' is

1. Everything is not fine, and



2. An improved life in not the Main Thing

So, what's the Main Thing, Mark? Thanks for asking...

Rather than typing a bunch of statements and Bible verses for you to read here, I'll invite you to click here http://sharetheumbrella.org/ to view and listen to a 4-minute animated "Main Thing" presentation. It's called the Umbrella Analogy, and was created by our pastor @ http://www.compasschurch.org/. Simple. Succinct. Serious.

If any of you ever want to talk about the Main Thing with me, I'm always available. I will speak the truth in love, your job is to decide what you're going to do with The Main Thing.

Get Dressed, Christian!

Being from So. Cal., I'm a casual kinda guy. I prefer shorts, T-shirt, and flip flops to slacks, button downs, and loafers. During our time in Italia, we've noticed that folks here like to dress up a tad. This, of course, means nothing to me, but the girls have enjoyed following this Italian suit (ha!).

So, as I've been studying Paul's letter to the Colossians, this text has struck me. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the Apostle says,

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Col. 3:12-17

Turns out, San Paolo likes to use this phrase, "Put on". For example:

"The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light." Rom 13:12

"For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality." 1 Cor. 15:53

"For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal. 3:27

"Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil." Eph. 6:11

I like to recommend to "be filled" before you "put on". Meaning: "...but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ." Eph. 5:18-21.

So, I say we all be filled with the Holy Spirit and get dressed with compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, and love so we can:

• Bear with each other


• Forgive each other


• Have Christ's peace


• Be thankful


• Have the Word of God dwell in us richly


• Teach and admonish each other


• Sing songs of thanksgiving to God with each other

So that,

"whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." v. 17

Amen?