The Gospel of the Chili Pepper

Chili Peppers from PXHere.com

In 2012, I was part of a men's chorus at my church. Several times a month, we would gather at a nearby assisted living facility where several long-time church members lived and lead the group in singing hymns, share a short devotional, and then partake in communion.

On one such occasion, I was asked to deliver the devotional and so I now present you with the message that I shared, "The Gospel of the Chili Pepper".

Did you know that the word gospel originates from an Anglo-Saxon term god-spell, which means “good story”? 

Did you know that god-spell is a rendering of the Latin word evangelium and the Greek word evangelion, which both mean “good news” or “good telling?

Did you know that God's good news can be found in something as small and simple as a chili pepper?

When I was asked to prepare this devotion, I sat down at my kitchen table to think and saw a bowl of chili peppers on the table before me. Could I deliver a devotional based on this spicy fruit?

Then it occurred to me, the lowly pepper was created before man - Gen 1:11-12 (NASB)

 ¹¹Then God said, "Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit after their kind with seed in them"; and it was so. 

 ¹²The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. 

God saw that it, the chili pepper, was good and if God thinks sees something as good, then shouldn't I as well?
Also, the fact that the pepper lived in relationship with the Father before man did, is a key thing we should consider. The whole Gospel message is more than just salvation from our sin, but has a much richer and deeper meaning for us: the restoration of our relationship with the Heavenly Father.

Adam and Eve both walked with God in the garden, before the fall. They had a relationship with Him.

The chili pepper lived in the garden before Adam and Eve walked the earth. It lived in a relationship with the Father, the Master Gardener.

With a chili, especially a spicy one, a little is more than I need but almost always leaves me craving for more. A little of God in my life is usually more than I need, but when I am in a close relationship with Him, it leaves me thirsty, hungry, and craving for more of Him.

The chili reminds me of the heat and presence of the Holy Spirit. Many of my encounters with the Holy Spirit have left me "on fire". His presence brings a warmth that is loving and inviting.

At the same time, the chili reminds me of  the "Tongues of Fire" at Pentecost that is described in Acts 2:3-4 (NASB)

³And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them.

⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

The chili is a warning reminder of the damnation of hell.
However, I'm not much into "fire and brimstone", so I shall say no more on this.

(2017 Update: ) The chili serves as a reminder of the "Refiner's Fire" (Thanks to Alex Morales from TrueLife Church) The purpose of the refiner's fire is to melt the metal so that the impurities can be scraped from the surface. Gold that is "refined" is more pure coming out than when it went it. Same for silver. Should your relationship with God not also purify you in the same way?

Here are some verses about the refiner's fire:

• Zechariah 13:9 (NASB)
• 1 Peter 1:7 (NASB)
• Psalms 66:10 (NASB)
• Malachi 3:2-3 (NASB)
  

Most importantly, the chili is simply a reminder of God's goodness and love for me. He wants a relationship with me more than I want one with Him. He has pursued me since before the foundations of the world, right up to this very point.

Love,

~~Ken

P.S. When I shared this devotional back in 2012, it was from a simple outline that I have in my journal to this day. So I have "obviously" fleshed it out for your enjoyment and understanding.