The Cabbage Patch Gospel: The Good News (part 3)

I remember asking my mom where babies from. I hadn't learned anything from the media. Little kids didn't learn about the "facts of life" and matters of gender specific health issues on TV in those days. Probably no parent is ever really prepared for The Question, but my mom gave it her best shot. She told me that God gives a baby to a woman and man when they love each other. I thought a lot about it. It raised several questions in my young mind. But...? How...?

The answer was appropriate for a preschooler, but not very satisfying in the long term. What she told me was true, but not entirely accurate. It reminds me of how I first heard the gospel presented when I was 13. The gist of it was that I was I sinner and that I could come forward, ask for forgiveness, and invite Jesus into my heart. It stirred me, and at the second hearing a week later, I responded, went forward, prayed, and began my walk with Jesus. I absolutely stand by that decision. I am so grateful that the Lord met me that day!

But, as I began to read the gospels on my own and ask questions, I became concerned. I found no example of anyone who initially experienced God in the same way I did. Gradually, I reached the conclusion that the "Plan of Salvation" that I was given was true, but not entirely accurate. It was the "Cliff Note" version. It hit many of the high points, but lacked content. It was appropriate for a child, but not satisfying for an adult. Very often, though, something very similar is all that is presented. And unfortunately, what I sometimes hear is more like the cabbage patch version of the facts of life. In that answer to The Question, the parent says, "We went to the cabbage patch, found you, chose you, and brought you home." It's a fairy tale.

Christians have fairy tales, too. "Give Jesus a chance." "Start coming to church and your problems will get better." "Ask Jesus into your heart and you'll go to heaven." It seems clear to me that the disciples didn't give Jesus a chance. He gave them a chance to follow Him. I find no promise that love for Christ diminishes problems. In fact, He says quite the opposite, but we have His Peace and His Presence in the midst of them. And I believe Jesus said something about not everyone who says "Lord, Lord"--the right words--will enter the kingdom, but the one who obeys will enter.

The computer geeks say, "Garbage in; Garbage out!" meaning what you get out of your computer can't be better that what's put in. In sharing the gospel, it's no different. If you give a no-cost gospel, you'll get a believer who places low value on his commitment. If you give a simplistic gospel, you'll reap those who mistake platitudes for character. If you give the cabbage patch gospel, the harvest will be those who can't separate the truth from a fable.

Mark 8:34 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. 36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? 37 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? 38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."