A Gospel Lesson on Broadway
by Luke McConnell
Fun fact: I love Broadway shows. Well, I love going to them. I certainly don’t love every show I’ve ever seen. I’ve never been to New York City, but I know when I do go, I’ll have to fight the temptation to park myself in various theaters for the entirety of the trip and just take in show after show.
Last Sunday, Mary and I went to see “Dear Evan Hansen” at the Civic Center with our good friends Brennan and Becca Walker. It was phenomenal, and I highly recommend you check it out. It was recently made into a movie, and while it’s certainly not the same and won’t live up to the onstage standards, at least it’s accessible!
It’s about Evan Hansen, a high school senior with Social Anxiety disorder, and his journey of self-discovery and acceptance following the suicide of a fellow classmate. It gets really deep and heavy at times, as you’d expect with suicide a prevalent theme in the show. There’s also themes of broken families, the disconnect of in-person relationships and relationships built on technology interactions.
As I took it all in, I watched scenes that are played out all over society today. We all know broken families, have known someone who committed suicide, even have a friendship that’s built more on texts and Instagram interactions than in-person conversations and time together.
It was tough and heart-breaking to see the characters struggle and look for solutions to their sorrow, their anxiety and their brokenness. As I watched, God reminded me there’s only one response to all that brokenness: the gospel.
The gospel allows us to accept our brokenness and lean into Jesus, who makes us whole again. The gospel allows us to be accepted by the one who created us and loves us more than the world collectively ever could. The gospel allows us to be free of anxiety because our future is secure, and we will never find ourselves alone.
There is so much brokenness in our community, and we have the great response to all of it: the gospel.
Now, the gospel we believe isn’t just a gospel we share with someone and move on to someone else. The gospel leads us to love people in word and deed. James 2:15-16 says, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?”
There’s a practical aspect to the gospel that is lost when we think someone receiving it cures all ills. That’s not the case at all, and we as Christians should understand. Brokenness, pain, suffering, anxiety, etc. do not go away just because we are followers of Jesus. The gospel is the answer, but we can’t miss the solutions that come with it.
Someone who is struggling with suicidal thoughts needs to hear the gospel, and know they are valued by God. But they also need a friend and relationships this side of heaven that reinforce that truth. A family on the verge of splintering needs to hear the gospel, but they also need counseling to work through the problems that are driving the conflict.
The gospel changes hearts, minds and lives. As believers, let’s make sure we are people of word and deed, not just people who talk at a problem. Let us be people who love by getting down in the shards of people’s broken lives and help them, through the gospel, put the pieces back together.
Our family has tried to do this well in our own lives. Last Tuesday, we finalized the adoption of our sons, Andrew (13) and Logan (8). You might remember the newsletter article I wrote last April hinting at a big decision. This was it! We’re incredibly excited and thankful to God not only for his faithfulness through this process, but also for you, our church family, who has been an incredible support over the past nine months!
I love the way God speaks to us in the mundane, ordinary things in life. I wasn’t prepared for a gospel lesson when I sat down in the Civic Center last Sunday, but God reminded me the only source of healing for the broken world we inhabit is the gospel. Let’s make sure the world knows that as well.
Author Bio
Luke serves as the Cube Director at Council Road. He previously worked at Channel 9 as a sports writer and an account executive. He also serves as the play-by-play voice for Southern Nazarene University athletics. Luke graduated from OU in 2011. He and his wife, Mary, have been members at Council Road since 2012. They have four boys: Andrew, Logan, Jackson and Cameron. Mary teaches third grade at Wiley Post Elementary. They also help lead a home group.