WHY THE FOUR GOSPELS
The Application
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With
|
the
historicity,
|
structures,
|
and
|
purposes
|
of
|
each
|
gospel
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in
context,
|
one
|
must
|
read
|
the
|
pages
|
of
|
the
|
gospels
|
as
|
more
|
than
|
a
|
historical
textbook.
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It
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is
|
not
|
a
|
dry
|
record
|
of
|
another
|
historical
|
figure;
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rather,
|
it
|
is
|
the
|
teachings
|
of
|
the
Messiah
codified
|
into
|
the
|
New Testament.
|
The
unified
|
gospel
|
record
|
is
|
a
codex
|
concerned
|
with
|
both
|
historical
|
data
|
and
|
practical
|
application
|
and
|
directs
|
us
to
|
follow
|
the
|
person
|
of
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Christ,
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including
|
His
|
teachings
|
and
|
outlook.
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Often,
|
terrible
|
stories
|
that
|
would
|
seem
|
more
|
appropriate
|
in
|
a
|
horror film
|
flash
|
across
|
and
|
television
|
and
|
computer
|
screens
|
as
|
act
|
news.
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A
|
sense
|
of
|
dread
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can
|
easy
|
fill
|
the
|
Christian
|
faithful
|
as
|
one
|
witnesses
|
the
|
multitude
|
of
|
global
|
issues
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such as
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poverty,
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starvation,
|
and
|
war.
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Yet,
even
|
in
|
the
|
darkest
|
of
|
times
|
the
|
person
|
of
|
Christ
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shines
|
as
|
“the Light
|
of
|
men,”
(Jn.
1:4).
|
During
|
His
|
ministry,
|
Jesus
|
taught
|
that
|
the
|
world
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would
undergo
|
various
|
perils
|
and
tribulations,
|
but
|
that
even
|
in
|
the
|
faces
|
of
|
such
|
terror
|
we
|
should
|
take
|
courage,
|
for
|
as
|
He
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says,
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“I
|
have
|
overcome
|
the
|
world,”
(Jn.
16:33).
|
We
|
can
|
take
|
these
|
words
|
from
Christ’s
|
mouth
|
as
|
similar
|
to
|
the
Lord’s
exhortation
|
in
|
the
|
Old Testament
to
|
“be
|
strong
|
and
|
courageous!
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Do not
|
tremble
|
or
|
be
dismayed,
|
for
|
the
|
Lord
|
your
|
God
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is
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with
|
you
|
wherever
|
you
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go,”
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(Josh.
1:9).
|
When
troubling
|
events
|
are
conveyed
|
to
|
us
|
by
|
news
|
outlets,
|
Christ
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teaches
|
that
|
there
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is
|
nothing
to
|
fear,
|
for
|
He
|
reigns
|
supreme
|
and
|
His
|
providence
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extends
|
over
|
everything.
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But
|
this
|
security
|
and
|
hope
|
in
|
Christ
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is
|
not
|
without
|
a
|
cost,
|
in
|
fact,
|
Jesus
|
teaches
|
that
|
following
|
Him
|
is
extremely
|
|
expensive—it
|
costs
|
your
|
life
|
(Matt.
16:25)!
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It
|
requires
|
a
|
dedication
|
to
|
God
|
that
|
not
|
only
|
effects
|
your
|
Sundays,
|
but
|
your
|
entire
|
life
|
and
|
encompasses
|
all
|
your
|
possessions.
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When
|
we
|
follow
|
Christ,
|
our
|
possessions
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are
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at
|
His
|
disposal
|
and
|
our
|
talents
|
become
|
tools
|
for
|
His
|
kingdom.
|
In
|
a
|
discourse
|
between
|
Jesus
|
and
|
a
|
rich
|
young
|
ruler
|
inquiring
|
how
to
|
attain
eternal
|
life,
|
Jesus
|
replied,
|
“go
|
and
|
sell
|
all
|
you
|
possess
|
and
|
give
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to
|
the
|
poor,
|
and
|
you
|
will
|
have
|
treasure
|
in
|
heaven;
|
and
|
come,
|
follow
|
Me,”
(Mk.
10:21).
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Unfortunately,
|
the
|
rich
|
young
|
ruler
|
went away
|
saddened,
|
for
|
he
|
valued
|
his
|
material
|
possessions
|
greater than
|
any
|
possible
heavenly
|
possessions.
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The
|
discourse
|
provides
|
for
|
the
|
modern
|
Christian
|
an
|
example
to
|
avoid
|
and
|
that
|
we,
|
unlike
|
the
|
rich
|
young
|
ruler,
|
should
|
be
|
encouraged
to
|
lay down
|
what
|
we
|
have
|
at
|
the
|
feet
|
of
|
Christ
|
so
|
that
|
we
|
may
|
acquire
|
riches
|
in
|
heaven.
|
The
|
four
|
gospels
|
in
|
the
|
New Testament
|
teach
|
us
|
many
|
things,
|
but
|
the
|
greatest
|
of
|
these
|
teachings
|
are
|
love.
|
Christ
|
came to
|
explain
|
that
|
the
|
purpose
|
of
|
the
|
Old Testament
|
was
|
not
to
|
supply
|
a
rigorous
|
Law
to
|
follow,
|
but
to
|
cultivate
|
the
|
heart
|
towards
|
loving
one’s
neighbor.
|
But
whereas
|
most
|
religions
|
teach
|
some
|
form
|
of
|
the
|
Golden
|
Rule
|
(e.g.
|
“love
|
your
neighbor
|
as
|
yourself”),
|
Christ
|
raises
|
the
|
stakes,
beseeching
|
His
|
followers
to
|
love
|
others
|
as
|
He
|
loved
|
us.
|
The
|
religion
|
which
|
Christ
|
came to
proclaim
|
in
|
the
|
gospels
|
was
|
not
|
a
|
religion
|
of
|
rigidity
|
and
strictness,
|
but
|
a
|
lifestyle
|
of
|
hope
|
and
|
love
|
coming
|
together
to
|
create
|
a
|
holy
|
Faith
|
delivered
|
to
|
us
|
by
|
the
|
apostles.