“The world will always laugh at the gospel of the cross. . . . The theology that teaches men are sinners before God and need a sacrifice to die and atone for their sins is deemed primitive in our culture,” observes John P. Sartelle, a senior minister of Tates Creek Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. In his essay in Tabletalk, April 2009, he offers this challenge:

“Many of us evangelicals deny that we know Jesus by taking the emphasis away from the cross as we speak to His disciples and present our gospel to the world: ‘Follow Jesus: He will straighten out your marriage. Follow Jesus: He will make you better parents. Follow Jesus: He will make you financially solvent. Follow Jesus: He will enrich your relationships.’ Now, that is a Jesus who is easy to like and easy to follow. It is easy to stand in the world and be proud of that Jesus. To attract the world we say, ‘Come, drink coffee and hang out with Jesus. Be comfortable with Him. Kick back with Him. He is anti-institutional. He is anti-authority. Living with Him is a cool ride.’

“Dear reader, if we would recapture the gospel we must return to the ignominious cross. ‘For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp. So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured’ (Hebrews 13:11-13).”

We might keep this in mind as we pray for other’s salvation and discipleship in Christ. The gospel is the hope we all stumble over or break ourselves on. May the Lord have mercy on us and those near us.