Escaping the Gospel of Me

When LeBron James broke the NBA’s all-time scoring record, it wasn’t just a historic moment it became a metaphor for our age. As LeBron pulled up for the record-breaking shot, nearly every spectator had their phone raised, not to remember him, but to capture their own version of the moment.

In an arena packed with professional cameras already ensuring the moment would be perfectly preserved, thousands strained for a shaky, second-rate recording. Why? Because in that moment, it wasn’t about LeBron. It was about me.

That moment, immortalized in a photograph by Andrew D. Bernstein, wasn’t just about basketball. It was about how thoroughly we’ve reoriented life around ourselves. But this cultural lens doesn’t stop at sports. Tragically, it’s shaped how many of us see the gospel itself.

We’ve taken the greatest story ever told one that begins with God, centers on His glory, and ends with His eternal reign and subtly twisted it into a story about us. A gospel of self. A gospel of me.

The Original Lie: “You Could Be Like God”

This self-centered drift is nothing new. In the Garden of Eden, Satan’s strategy was to convince Adam and Eve that God was holding out on them, that they could be like God if they’d just take control (Genesis 3:5). That lie has echoed down through history, showing up in new forms but preaching the same message: you should be at the center.

Even after Jesus came, died, and rose, our old sin nature still tempts us to hear His gospel as a celebration of our worth, rather than His. John Piper writes, “Unless we begin with God, we will inevitably put ourselves at the center of the gospel.”

The Gospel That Centers on God

Let’s walk through the true gospel narrative not through the mirror of our own desires, but through the lens of God’s glory.

Creation: For God

When God made us, He didn’t design us to be the centerpiece of our own universe. He made us in His image, to reflect His character, and to bring Him glory (Genesis 1:26–27).

From the very beginning, our existence was meant to point others to the greatness of God. Even the breath in our lungs is a gift to be used in praise, not self-exaltation.

Fall: Against God

Sin, at its core, is not merely bad behavior. It’s cosmic rebellion against a good God. David, after grievous sin, cried out, “Against You, You only, have I sinned” (Psalm 51:4).

Sin isn’t just what we do to others it’s how we’ve treated God. That’s why the consequence is so severe: separation from Him and the just wrath of His holiness.

Redemption: To God

But God rich in mercy didn’t leave us in our rebellion. Ephesians 2 tells us that though we were dead in our sins, He made us alive in Christ (Ephesians 2:4–5).

Why? “To the praise of His glorious grace” (Ephesians 1:6).

We were saved not primarily because we were lovable, but because God wanted to display the richness of His mercy. Jesus died not just to get us out of hell, but to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18). The cross isn't just a rescue mission it's a revelation of God’s glory.

Commission: From God

When we’re redeemed, our lives get a new center of gravity. No longer living for ourselves, we now live for Him who died and rose again (2 Corinthians 5:15).

Our time, talents, and treasure aren’t tools for building personal kingdoms. They’re gifts to be stewarded for the glory of Christ (1 Peter 4:10–11). Whether we speak, serve, or sacrifice, the aim is not to impress the world but to point to the worth of our God.

Consummation: With God

The story ends not with self-actualization, but with God dwelling with His people (Revelation 21:3). Heaven isn’t a reward for being good. It’s the place where God Himself is the reward.

Piper put it powerfully: “The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God.” If we would be content in heaven without Christ, we’ve misunderstood the gospel. Heaven is glorious only because God is there.

Turning the Lens Away from Self

The subtle temptation of our age is to use God to feel better about ourselves. To seek His benefits but not His beauty. To post about Him but not pray to Him. To claim His promises without submitting to His purposes.

But the gospel calls us to something better. It lifts our eyes off of ourselves and sets them on a God infinitely more satisfying than our own image.

So put the phone down. Stop trying to be the center of your own highlight reel. The gospel isn’t the story of you making it. It’s the story of God glorifying Himself by saving you.

And the deeper you embrace that truth, the freer and fuller your life becomes.

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