A Clear Statement On One Page

Many years ago, a friend who was a Regional Manager for a large automobile company shared a video with me of a business consultant’s speech to a large gathering of the car company’s management. In the speech, the consultant shared a story about a request by an international automobile company for him to give the car company guidance on how to gain a competitive advantage. The consultant put together a large binder with 200 pages of fine linen paper and gave it to the executive team. Every page in the binder was left blank except for one page. Page 25 of the binder contained a one-line typed message: IT IS NOT A PLEASANT BUYING EXPERIENCE.

This blank pages binder story came to mind when one verse captured my attention while reading Paul’s defense speech to King Agrippa and Festus in Acts 25:13 to 26:32. Paul summarized when he persecuted Christians thinking he understood God and His plan. Paul also related additional details about his conversion experience in Acts 9 that dramatically changed his life. Paul recounted the story of his encounter with Jesus and shared the clear Gospel statement Christ declared to Paul [26:18].

Suppose we are tasked to give a written report to explain the Gospel. Like the auto consultant’s approach, a binder that is attention-grabbing is made with blank pages. Hundreds of empty pages except for one page, which contains the clear statement about the Gospel:

TO OPEN THEIR EYES, IN ORDER TO TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT, AND FROM THE POWER OF SATAN TO GOD, THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND AN INHERITANCE AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED[1] BY FAITH IN ME

Salvation is offered to all of humanity spoken from the mouth of Jesus Christ.

Like the story of his encounter with Jesus, Paul later recounted when his life was at risk. We are also tasked to be witnesses to the marvelous grace of Jesus Christ and what the Gospel can do each in person’s life:

1.         Darkness in Our Life is Vanquished

2.         The Power of Satan is Defeated

3.         Sins are Forgiven

4.         Our Lost Inheritance is Restored[2]

It is the promise of the Good News.

-Dan Nickel

[1] Sanctified — God transforms a person from sin to set apart for God’s use and purpose

[2]William MacDonald, Believer’s Bible Commentary: A Complete Bible Commentary in One Volume [Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, Inc., 1995], 1660. Commentary on Acts 26:1