The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1)

The Gospel is more than a genre of literature found in the New Testament (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) about the life of Jesus. These books are called Gospels because they have a special message to proclaim.

Gospel (Old English, Good Spell [or good message]; Greek, euaggelion) was the announcement of any type of good news in the ancient world, especially really good news like the victory of a king or general. The Gospel writers gave ‘gospel’ a religious connotation by linking it to Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Saviour of the world and Son of God. There are many other similar ways it is used in the NT.[1] Who Jesus was, what He did, and what that can mean for the believer is why it is all really good news.

It is good news that Jesus the Messiah came, born of a virgin, to save His people from their sins. It is good news that He lived a perfect live and taught people the truth about God, it is good news that He died so sins might be forgiven, that He rose from the dead so we might have life and life eternal, it is good news that whoever believes receives the gift of the Spirit, and on and on the list of good news could go.

The Gospels are not mere biographies for they were written with a purpose, that you may believe the good news they share: these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:31).

The Gospel is a story, a message, a proclamation, an invitation, a command to believe. It calls on all to believe in who Jesus is, repent of their sins, trust in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, all with the full assurance of pardon, a restored relationship with God, the gift of the Holy Spirit and an eternal reward, all as a free gift of grace!

It is a message of salvation and a promise of life, to all who believe. And it is for all people (meaning open to all people). It is for oldest man and the youngest girl, for a European or someone from Oceania (Acts 2:39)…anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. (Acts 2:21).

Many Christians have helpfully developed ways to share the Gospel.

By letters:

The 5 G’s of the Gospel

GOD created the world.

GUILT, we all have sinned against God and gone astray from Him.

GRACE, we are saved according to God’s grace by faith in Jesus Christ alone. There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from sin but to trust in God’s appointed means.

GRATITUDE, when we are saved the Christian, through the presence of the Holy Spirit and a recognition of what God has done for the sinner, becomes a grateful person, a new creation. Their life is change and they now seek to do all they do for Him, to serve the Lord with gratitude and love.

GLORY, all the Christian does is for God’s glory as they are headed for glory (heaven), but still more, all that God has done is for His own glory!

The 3 R’s of the Gospel

RUINED by Sin

RESCUED by faith in Christ

RENEWED by the Holy Spirit

Pictorially

May the Gospel never ceased to be wondrous in our eyes as believers and may the unbeliever come by God’s grace not to see it as offensive but as GOOD NEWS, for that is what the Gospel is.

The Lord’s Sweetest Blessings,

Pastor Chris

[1] See for examples: http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=34166