The Restoration of Essence: The Gospel Journey Back to 'Insanely Simple'

 

1. Introduction: The Revolutionary Power of Abnormal Simplicity
Steve Jobs embedded the philosophy of "Insanely Simple" into every Apple product. Here, "Insane" means crazy—referring to a simplicity that borders on obsession, unattainable through ordinary effort. He detested the complexity of the world and staked his life on stripping away all ornaments that obscure essence.

The Bible also demands this "abnormal simplicity." While the world says we must learn tens of thousands of rules to succeed, God tells us to focus on one person: "Christ." This simplicity is not ignorance but spiritual insight that pierces through all complexity.

2. The Fat and Muscle of Faith: The Boundary Between Law and Gospel
Jobs likened simplicity to the body. Fat consumes energy without contributing strength, while muscles are the core that moves the body and sustains life. Our faith also accumulates "fat": efforts to display our righteousness, religious masks, and complex humanistic calculations.

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:8)

The training in godliness that Paul speaks of is the process of building "spiritual muscle." Complex religious life (fat) only makes us spiritually obese, rendering us powerless in moments of crisis. Only the muscle of the gospel enables victory in spiritual battles.

3. One Word of the Old Testament: "Messiah" (The Essence of Waiting)
If the vast 39 books of the Old Testament, with its numerous sacrificial laws and prophecies, were condensed into one word, it would be "Messiah"—the One God promised to send to solve the problems of sin, curse, and Satan that fallen humanity cannot resolve on its own.

"And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." (Genesis 3:15)

From the very beginning of Scripture, God gave the simple solution: "the offspring of the woman (Messiah)." All Old Testament history was a process of waiting for this one word to be fulfilled. The simple promise flowing through thousands of years is the muscle of the Old Testament.

4. One Word of the New Testament: "Christ" (The Essence of Fulfillment)
When the promise of the Old Testament came to earth in the flesh, the New Testament proclaims Him as "Christ"—the name that ended all the fundamental problems of the complex world at once.

"Simon Peter answered, 'You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.'" (Matthew 16:16)

This confession is the pinnacle of "insanely simple" faith. Peter did not explain Jesus through philosophy or logic. He confessed that the single word "Christ" contains all answers. The Lord promised to build His church upon this simple yet clear confession.

5. Imprinting, Rooting, Constitution: Changing the Soul's Operating System (OS)
Just as Steve Jobs designed not only Apple's hardware but also its operating system (iOS) to be simple, our soul's operating system must also be redesigned by the gospel.

Imprinting: Change in Consciousness
"Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it..." (Joshua 1:8)
This is the stage where the gospel's Word is deeply engraved in our minds and thoughts. Daily reading and hearing of the Word is the work of removing complex unbelief within and paving the way for the gospel.

Rooting: Change in the Subconscious
"That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither..." (Psalm 1:3)
When the Word takes root in the subconscious and sinks deep into the soul, an unshakable peace arrives regardless of circumstances.

Constitution: Change in the Soul
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" (2 Corinthians 5:17)
This is the stage where the gospel becomes the "muscle" of our lives, instinctively choosing Christ in crisis situations. This is the completion of healing.

6. A Life That Gives Life, Heals, and Builds (Life of Healing)
When the gospel is summarized "insanely simply" within us, three responses follow in our lives:

Healing: Complex worries and past wounds crumble before the single sentence, "Christ finished it all."

Survival: In any storm, the confession "You are the Christ" alone enables us to survive.

Giving Life: Because we hold a simple and clear answer, we can give accurate answers to those wandering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0lDxDFfvW4

Conclusion: Simplicity Overcomes the World
Steve Jobs said, "Simple can be harder than complex. You have to work hard to get your thinking clean to make it simple." Faith is the same. Spiritual concentration is required to strip away the countless thoughts and religious fat that complicate us.

Let us not seek other complex reasons in our lives, workplaces, or even within the church today. May the one phrase, "Only Christ," become the muscle of our souls, making Him the protagonist of response who gives life to us, revitalizes our fields, and builds everyone up.

The simplest is the most powerful; the most essential is the greatest. May today be a day of entering into the power of that great simplicity—"only the gospel."