Simple Gospel?

Simplicity of the Gospel

Is the gospel simple? If someone asked me this question, I'd respond with a yes and no. I believe it is easy for us because we are to believe it. Sure, it's work but it's a lot easier than what my boy Jesus had to go through. Yes, Jesus was willing, but he also had to deal with human and spiritual pain.

Remember for me what I have to believe and follow. Jesus had to be beaten, verbally abused, and left alone (spiritually, as well as physically). The easiness of this gospel for us came at the price of Jesus. Jesus had to bear all of mankind's sin upon the cross. 

He felt God's wrath. God's wrath has to be pretty bad because remember God hates sin. It's like Batman's feelings towards guns but a million times worse (not even Batman punching someone can amount to God's power). I mean God's hate is shown in the story of Noah. He literally got rid of almost everything. 

God in his infinite knowledge knew his hatred towards sin meant he had to do something to save man. God knew that we couldn't save ourselves. This is when a desert handy-man named Jesus comes in to our story.

Jesus Christ: Pain and Gain

So this is where Jesus comes into play. This was God's way of making things right for man. Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, did miracles, and taught really powerful stuff. The plan was for him to come and teach the kingdom of heaven and then have him die a death to end all death. 

Let's be honest, that sounds really poetic, but also kind of awful from a human perspective. Well during this process leading to his death, Jesus was beaten, mocked, spit on, and then placed on a cross with two other criminals. 

Once again, from a human perspective, this sucks. What makes this worse is the fact that Jesus is utterly alone. When I say alone; I'm talking God the Father has turned away from Him. Unlike us, who always has God, Jesus experiences Hell. He doesn't have God with him, He's alone. 

This is the part we applaud 

I imagine this is what Hell is, the absence of God. Not only that but Jesus experiences a physical death, too. He is in the grave for 3 days. So this Jesus fellow has experienced a lot of pain, suffering, and loneliness. Yet God in his great mercy resurrects Jesus and Jesus is back in his proper place. Except now, He stands between us and that wrath of God. 

Why do this? Why suffer? Why does God give a crap about someone like me? God's desire is to rescue mankind. Jesus, who is the human embodiment of God, loved mankind so greatly that He gave himself up to all the pain and suffering for saving mankind. 

He thought about the billions of people on this earth. It makes you think. He cares about each person. He cares about the lives of people. Although it seems like kind of a crazy process to get to where we are, it was necessary to appease God.

So the question was: Is the gospel simple? Yes, in a way but also complex. That's the beauty of it. It's a simple complexity. It's simple for us to just believe and follow Christ with our hearts. He gives freely. Maybe all that's left to say is thank you. 

I'll be honest, most days it doesn't feel like enough. Yet, maybe that's why we need to remind ourselves to be thankful every day.

Goodbye to our Captain

For the love of the game...

Yesterday, David Wright unofficially announced that he will play one more game at Citi Field in September. Mr. Wright spoke and gave thanks to many people while holding back tears. At the age of 35, no one would assume that their career would be over. These days you can play baseball into your early 40's. Yet, this wouldn't be the case for David Wright.

As I listened in on his press conference, I felt a sadness fill me. It wasn't because I thought it was a bad decision, but rather because of what the man meant to the Mets organization, as well as myself. He was a Met fan and got to play for the team he loved. He was always a Met. He thrived in New York when so many athletes get bashed on in New York (see Eli Manning or Carlos Beltran). It's really hard to say anything bad about the guy.

It's been extremely difficult imaging that Wright will no longer wear a Mets jersey, as a player (here's to hoping he becomes a coach). I was really hoping he'd get a World Series because he's just one of those guys who deserves it. I mean look at his career as a Met: a lot of disappointment. Yet this guy wanted to win with the Mets because he thought the fans deserved it.

David Wright reminds me of what I love about baseball. I love the way it feels when you hit the ball and you know you are getting on base. I love the way it feels to make a diving play that saves a run. I love when you beat a batter in a long battle as a pitcher. I love the thrill of stealing a base. I love the community of the team and how we come around one another if we are struggling. I love the way it feels when you celebrate with your team after a homer . I love sliding because it was fun. There is one moment that still stands out in my mind of David Wright: the moment I knew he felt the same way I did when playing baseball!

It was 2015, the Mets were making a run for the playoffs, against their rival, the Nationals. David Wright was on first base and Cespedes was hitting. Cespedes hits the ball well in the gap and Wright is hustling. Wright was waved home and he beats the throw and scores. Wright who is a player who had been around for awhile at this point, fist pumps in genuine excitement. He was excited because the team was winning. It wasn't about him, it was about the team. There are not many guys like that in baseball anymore.

I will miss Wright. He's a great player, but most of all a really great guy. He loved baseball. He loved the Mets. He loved his teammates. He loved the fans and made sure that we knew. Thank you David Wright!  Once a Met, always a Met.