What the Gospel Looks Like

David Nasser

David Nasser was invited in his car late at night to a Southern Baptist youth group meeting the next evening by his weed-sharing friend.[1] He told his friend he needed his parents’ permission, so the two of them went inside David’s house. David yelled out to his sleeping parents that he was sorry to wake them, but needed to know if it was okay for him to attend his friend’s church group the next day. Expecting a solid “No” from his Shiite Muslim father, he was surprised when his dad asked him the name of the church. His friend yelled out, “Shades,” synonymous with Shades Mountain Baptist Church. “I know those people,” his dad replied and gave David permission to go.

Later, David discovered that two weeks earlier, Aubrey Edwards, the worship leader for Shades, and some fellow churchgoers were at Café De France, his dad’s restaurant, and when they saw how short-handed he was, they rolled up their sleeves and served other customers. They came back the following two nights and did the same thing—free labor. Aubrey then invited David’s dad to choir practice. He came. Aubrey put out to the church the need for helpers, and for two weeks, people from Shades volunteered to serve freely at Café De France.
            
David and, later, his Iranian parents came to know Jesus. You can hear the amazing story at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTJmKvqEBHw.
 
Meditation
Titus 3:14--And our people must also learn to devote themselves to good works for cases of urgent need, so that they will not be unfruitful.
 
When we discover an unmet need in the life of an unbeliever and sacrifice our time, energy, and resources to help meet that need, that serving kindness is what the gospel looks like. The Messiah modeled this by coming not to be served but to serve (Luke 19:10). When He healed the sick and cast out demons, He met people at their point of need and established His authenticity. True kindness and love make the messenger and message credible. 
            
It is a wonderful thing to discern needs in one’s community and meet them through service. Why? Because the world does not operate on that economy. As we follow Jesus, the gospel liberates us from me-ism and the need to “get something” to the ability to care and serve those in need. Before we invite someone to church, a youth group, or some church event, we ought to roll up our sleeves and wait on their unattended tables. 
​
Ralph Neighbour, Jr. observed in Where Do We Go From Here, “Cell Group churches recognize there is a way to reach the unchurched who refuse to enter into Bible study. It is by serving them at the point of their deepest need.” Let’s not just tell people God loves them, let’s show them. Something to think about . . . in reveration! 
 
Inspiration
Everybody can be great... because everybody can serve.  You don’t have to have a college degree to serve.  You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve.  You only need a heart full of grace.  A soul generated by love.—Martin Luther King Jr.
 
©2026 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10—"The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.”  (Holman CSB)


[1] The author is not endorsing this as a wise lifestyle choice or evangelistic method