I think the last time I planned a special meal was years ago. The reason being, I am not a great cook, I don’t have a lot of talent in the area (don’t care to) and some important skills are lacking. One of those is timing. The more dishes you add to a meal, the messier it gets time wise. Eventually, what happens to me is one or two dishes are not ready when the rest of the food is, causing some of the food to get cold while other food is still cooking… very frustrating for me. Of course there are times I forget stuff and it remains in the fridge (like the homemade cranberry sauce at Christmas- hubby cooked, I distributed)
So for me, as boring as it sounds, I stick to three dishes with an occasional salad made ahead: meat, starch, veggies. I keep it simple because it’s easier for me to handle and really, it’s all you need to meet your nutritional requirements. Healthy food, lots of veggies, who needs fancy or special meals? It all goes down the same place… just saying.
In 1983, it was a simple message that changed my life. Jesus Christ was God come in the flesh to die for my sins and was resurrected to life by the power of God. We are all sinners, and we need to repent and ask forgiveness for our sins and give our lives over to the Lord. This is the gospel. Simple enough, but we seem to want to complicate it today, adding in financial blessings, speaking positive, steps to healing, and more effective ways of getting our message out there, all while continuing controversies, nitpicking at exact meanings of words, and endless debates.
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God… And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 1Cor. 2:1,4,5
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 1Cor.
But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain. Tt. 3:9
Peter’s first few messages were simple: you (man) have sinned, you need to repent and turn to God for only in Jesus is there salvation through His death and resurrection. (Acts 2:14; ; 4:8) He simply pointed them to Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. The message of the cross doesn’t need to be complicated or fancy in order to work. The power of God makes the words change hearts. Our need for our/ man’s wisdom only gets in the way of God working.
Keeping it simple means it won’t be messy or hard to understand, and hearts won’t get cold while waiting for our great oratory to be done. Keeping it simple meets all the requirements for salvation except the action of the hearer. The simple gospel message is necessary in the lives of every person on the face of the earth, for the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. ), and Jesus is the only way in which men might be saved (Acts 4:12).
Jesus loves you enough to come in human form, live a sinless life, yet die guilty for your sins, but God raised Him from the dead and you can be forgiven and have eternal life with Him.
Let’s keep it simple.