K. I. S. S.
Neither the Rock Band KISS nor the typical saying of, “Keep it simple stu”…well, you know how that goes, is what I’m talking about.
This past Sunday, in the sermon, our elder who was filling in for our Pastor said, “Keep it Simple…” It struck me that the Gospel is just that simple:
Jesus lived.
Jesus died.
Jesus rose again…all according to the Scriptures.
Yet, we Christians can make the Gospel just so complicated.
Over the past Summer (2020) I have been hosting the Apologetics Together Zoom classes almost every week. In challenging the other Christians to be prepared with an answer for their faith I have broken the Gospel down to what Paul gives us in his letter to the Corinthians. But, it dawned on me in the Divine Service that KISS could be a reminder to us to Keep It Simple Saints.
So often, we believers get caught in the weeds when trying to proclaim the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Hey, sometimes we get so caught up we run. However, if we just would Keep It Simple Saints we wouldn’t have to run. More importantly we would not have to have all the answers.
Now, I’m big on having answers but even for me sometimes I just want to run from the conversation. Yet, if we keep it simple saints, we don’t have to. We can give them the only hope we have in this life for the next life. Jesus Christ died, buried and risen again for the forgiveness of all of our sins. Believe and be baptized in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Yup! It is just that simple.
All we need to do is be ready having asked our Gracious Father to bring to us those who need to hear the Good News; their sins are forgiven. Bring to us those who need to be reminded that they ARE forgiven. Each day, asking God to bring to us the poor, the broken, the hungry, the needy, the ones who have lost all hope, the sad, the distressed, the proud, the boisterous, the ones who thirst after something more…in other words, the LOST. You know, sinners in needs of salvation.
You don’t need the theological education. You don’t have to answer every one of their questions. You don’t have to talk for hours. It takes 1 minute to tell them, “You know, Jesus loves you and showed this to you in dying on the Cross and being raised from the dead for your sins so that you may have eternal life.” It just might be what they needed to hear at that moment. You don’t have to say much more, unless they ask more about it. But…Keep It Simple Saint! Invite them to come to the Divine Service…or if that’s too scary for them perhaps mid-week Bible Study. Ask if you can have your Pastor contact them and then take their information and pass it to him. See, you didn’t need a PhD in Theology and Soteriology (that’s the study of salvation) to give them the Word of Life.
Ah…I sometimes complicate things and so this is a reminder to me to Keep It Simple Saint! Hopefully it is a reminder to you as well.
May our Gracious God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you by His Holy Spirit. Amen.
P.S. It is always good to gain a greater knowledge of Christ and His Word so I do encourage you to, in the words St. Augustine heard, “Tolle Lege” (Take up and Read).
There are several resources available here:
https://www.cph.org/p-6903-the-essential-lutheran-library-standard-package.aspx