CGI's Wynn Skelton Gets It!

In times past, both here and elsewhere, I have noted that there are ministers within the Church of God International who have a good grasp on the Gospel and regularly preach it from their pulpits. Unfortunately, their message is often overshadowed by the folks who don't. Nevertheless, just as I have criticized the folks who are obsessed with politics and headline theology, I believe that it is also important to highlight those folks within CGI who are focused on Jesus Christ and salvation through him. After all, this is the essence of the Gospel - the message which Christ commissioned his disciples to deliver to the world! Hence, it is my great pleasure and honor to focus some attention on a message recently delivered by Wynn Skelton entitled We Are Barabbas.

Pastor Skelton opened by talking about "the very personal thing that Jesus Christ has done for us." There isn't any hint of the old Garner Ted Armstrong oratorical gymnastics - just the humble but compelling content of the Gospel. In short, Wynn was focused on the sacrifice of Jesus for our sins. This, of course, is the elemental/foundational message of the Christian Church - the same message which has fired the imagination of multiple millions of individuals down through the centuries since Jesus walked this earth.

Pastor Skelton focused on the story of Barabbas found in the Gospel of Mark: "Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner, whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But Pilate answered them, saying, 'Will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews?' For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered and said again unto them, 'What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of the Jews?' And they cried out again, 'Crucify him.' Then Pilate said unto them, 'Why, what evil hath he done?' And they cried out the more exceedingly, 'Crucify him.' And so Pilate, willing to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. (15:6-15)

The pastor noted that Barabbas was facing execution by crucifixion for his crimes (insurrection, murder, and robbery). He also went on to point out that Barabbas was guilty of his crimes, but that Christ was completely innocent of any wrongdoing. Yet, as Wynn underscores in his message, the innocent died - and the guilty was set free! The pastor also noted how this parallels our own circumstances - that we are ALL guilty of sin, but that Christ paid the penalty (death) for our sins!

He went on to quote a number of passages from Paul's letter to the Christians at Rome (5:6-8, 3:23, 6:23, and 8:1). The pastor also quoted from the First Epistle of Peter: "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (3:18). Wynn noted that "Jesus died so that you and I could live!" Then, he went on to suggest that we should all be asking ourselves about how we are using the freedom which Christ has procured for us. Likewise, the pastor noted that we should all be having our own individual conversations with our Savior and telling him what his sacrifice means to us.

He concluded his message by playing a recording of Michael W. Smith's Above All. For those of you who may not be familiar with this song, the beautiful lyrics relate the story of the Gospel:

Above all powers, above all kings

Above all nature, and all created things

Above all wisdom, and all the ways of man

You were here before the world began

Above all kingdoms, above all thrones

Above all wonders the world has ever known

Above all wealth and treasures of the Earth

There's no way to measure what You're worth

Crucified, laid behind a stone

You lived to die, rejected and alone

Like a rose, trampled on the ground

You took the fall, and thought of me

Above all

Now, that is a message that ALL Christians should be able to rally around and support. Its familiarity and simplicity does NOT diminish its power to compel and touch us. Moreover, as the ACOG Passover approaches, I can think of no better focus for their messaging. After all, we should all understand that Christ is OUR Passover sacrifice!