Preach the Gospel to Yourself

In Matthew 24:14, Jesus said, ‘And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony, and then the end will come.’ We, as part of this global mission, know that the disciples did their part (Matthew 28:19) and that the gospel is still bearing fruit wherever it goes even today (Colossians 1:6). The motivation to preach the gospel comes from the fact that it is mighty to save all who believe (Romans 1:16), whatever their lot. 

But have you ever pondered on the implications of the gospel to your own soul as the proclaimer and preacher of the word? If the gospel is crucial for the unbeliever, then the gospel must be equally essential for the believer. As we endeavour to preach the gospel to others, we must also be intentional to preach this gospel to ourselves.

What should we keep in mind as we seek to awaken our souls to the gospel realities we love so much?

Preach God’s Love and Design

There are several components of the gospel as captured in scripture, and we shall apply some of these components as we seek to understand how we ought to preach to ourselves. Firstly, the gospel is about the God who created man in his image (Genesis 1:26-27). He did not fashion man after beasts and other plants but chose to make him in his likeness, fearfully and wonderfully (Psalm 139:13-16); this is God’s design. All our looks come from a designer who perfectly put them together and caused us to belong, to find significance, security, and acceptance in him alone. With this truth in mind, we can rise above societal pressures concerning looks and unrealistic beauty standards online. We can tell ourselves that we are God’s workmanship (Ephesians 2:10); hence, we find intrinsic and extrinsic value in him.

We should also remind ourselves that he chose to fashion us the way he has because of his love for us. Adam and Eve experienced the love of God in the garden, and even after they had sinned, we shall see shortly. Today, scripture reminds us often that the Lord loves us with incredible love (1 John 3:1, Ephesians 3:18-19, 1 John 4:9-10). We must constantly remind ourselves of the love of God, especially in a world full of betrayal, unfaithfulness, and prejudice. Remind yourself of the love God has shown you, and never lose sight of it. An old hymn captures it this way:

“Could we with ink the ocean fill,

And were the skies of parchment made;

Were every stalk on earth a quill,

And every man a scribe by trade;

To write the love of God above

Would drain the ocean dry;

Nor could the scroll contain the whole,

Though stretched from sky to sky.”

Preach God’s Providence

God created and loved man but never left it at that. He provided for their livelihood (Genesis 1:28-30). He supplied everything they needed, and in those moments, they couldn’t question God’s dependability. Even after they fell from grace because of their rebellion of heart (Genesis 3), God never stopped pursuing them. Even today, we must continually remind ourselves of these truths and preach them to ourselves: God is my provider, and from his hands, my need is satisfied (Psalm 34:10, 23:1, 2 Corinthians 9:8, Matthew 6:31-33). What is it that brings you anxiety? Whatever it is that seeks to steal your peace, subject it to the truth of the gospel: God is your provider, and you shall not want. And, indeed, hasn’t he provided much more than even your physical needs?

Preach God’s Expectation on Us

Another truth worth considering is that our God has laid out responsibilities for our living. He, therefore, has expectations of us to obey his commands. At the core of it all is the whole issue of stewardship (which has lost its significance in this age of individualism). How does this connect with the gospel? In Genesis 2:15, God put man in the garden and tasked him to tend and look after it. God placed Adam in the garden to be the steward, ensuring all things ran as they should. After the fall, we see things crumble because of sin, yet God still expects us to carry our responsibility of caring for his world. He has given us bodies and talents that he expects us to use well in our role as stewards (1 Corinthians 4:2, 1 Peter 4:10, Matthew 25:14-30). Remind yourself of the responsibilities of the gospel upon your life, for therein is our fragrance in this rotten world.

Preach Man’s Greatest Need

When considering the truths of the gospel, let us also remind ourselves of our fallenness due to original sin (Genesis 3:1-13). Adam and Eve sinned by going against God’s command. Their sin, like a chronic disease, infected all men who came after (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Our great adversary, the devil, used deception to bring about a spirit of rebellion in the hearts of men. One crucial message to preach to ourselves is that we are incapable of attaining God’s high standards (Romans 3:10, Isaiah 59:2) by our strength. Our lives are filled with evidences of fallenness and inadequacy, so much so that thinking of ourselves otherwise only means setting ourselves up for a crush.

Remind yourself that without God’s help, you can do nothing (John 15). We are needy. Unless the Lord makes things work for us, we will fall eternally. We need his grace to help us stand firm (Titus 2:11-12). Reject the urge to gloat in your strengths and abilities (1 Corinthians 10:12). The best of men are men at best.

Preach God’s Unmerited Grace in Christ

Good news is good news because there is terrible news. All our human failures (Romans 3:23) make for bad news. But God, in his grace and mercy, reached out to cover humanity’s shame and guilt (Genesis 3:21). We, therefore, ought to preach to ourselves the hope we have in Christ (1 John 4:10, Romans 5:6-8). He became sin for our sake so that we might become his righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21). There is no way in a million years that we can ever be good enough to please God by our own effort. If he doesn’t transform us, we are done. Without his grace, we would be finished. We must always remind ourselves of this message that by grace, we have been saved (Ephesians 2:8-9). It is also by the same grace that we shall be sustained (1 Corinthians 15:10, Philippians 2:13).

Preach God’s Invitation

Finally, just as we call forth men and women to earnestly consider their ways and turn to the Lord in faith for salvation (Romans 10:8-10), we also must remind ourselves of the same (Matthew 10:28-30). We must prompt ourselves to turn to him whenever we feel lost and anxious! Christ is our only true hope because he has given the call already and made provision for our easy access to his pleasures forevermore (Hebrews 4:16, Psalm 16:11).

Are you weary due to life’s challenges and trials? Run to Jesus! Are you heavy-laden with the cares of the world? Take them to Jesus! Is your yoke heavy and draining? Pick up his yoke. It is easy. Is your burden overwhelming your mind and heart? Take it to Jesus and learn from him. He is gentle and lowly; you will find peace in his presence. Remind yourself that the gospel can change sinners and encourage saints. Preach the gospel to yourself! It’s our only source of true hope, joy and comfort. 

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