The gospel is seen brightest against the darkest backdrop.
Nothing has taught me the truth of this more than church-planting in Rose Park (a neighborhood in Salt Lake City). We can find brokenness everywhere, but pastoring Redeeming Life in a broken community has put it front-and-center in my ministry. Suicides and suicide interventions, loss of family members and babies, illness, cancer, arrests, depression, and all sorts of things are just part of the ministry of a pastor. Sin still abounds, even in the church. Sexual immorality, greed, lack of forgiveness, anger, gossip, backbiting, and so-on. We have that, too.
But recent events have reminded me that the brightness of the gospel doesn't change. Instead, we find the change in the depravity of the backdrop. The gospel is consistent, always.
The other thing that these events have reminded me is that no matter how bright the gospel and how dark the backdrop, blind eyes still see nothing. God must open eyes if anyone is ever to see the gospel. Our job is to shine the gospel brightly--lifting it high, not putting it under the bed, or keeping it covered by a basket. Yet, as a Christian, I see the backdrop and the bright-shining-gospel.
Not long ago, my friend shot his ex-wife and her fiance. The fiance is dead, the ex-wife is recovering from multiple gunshot wounds and emotional trauma, and my friend is gone too. Five children, parents, siblings, other family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers will forever remember February 7th and weep. It's a dark backdrop.
Since the day we moved into the neighborhood, I've been praying for my neighbors and their three children. We've broke bread together. Their kids and our kids play together. They've attended church with us a few times, and we've driven their girls to our student ministry. We read the Bible together, and I've discussed the beautiful good news of Jesus Christ. As I do with everyone I pastor, I've called them to repentance and encouraged them to turn to Christ. I believe we've shined the gospel into their dark world.
Blindness? Maybe. It isn't very easy to see if the seeds of the gospel have germinated. Turning to worldly hope in an ever-darkening world may not bring them to any light. The light of the World is Jesus, and there is no other Light. Yet it seems they, like so many others, sought light elsewhere.
I mourn my friend and neighbor. I weep for what will come of all the children involved. I'm sad. But my heart breaks even more for those of us who are not blind to the beautiful light of the gospel but still seem content with the dark backdrop.
The closer we get to the gospel, the lighter and lighter the backdrop becomes. The gospel pushes out the darkness. It must flee! So why do those of us who can see the light neglect to move closer to it? We should be like moths. Instead, we seem okay with some of that darkness. But from experience, I can promise you: darkness only breeds more darkness.
Instead, hear the gospel. See the gospel. Run to Jesus, grab on, and never let go. Hear the words and see the light of 1 John 1:5. "This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all."
