A few weeks ago, during our small group study on Romans, Jon asked “What is the Gospel?” This question was prompted by Paul’s statement in chapter 1, verse 16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…” After a few moments of silence one brave soul ventured to answer his question.
Our group was not the first to be stumped by this question. “What is the Gospel?” It is not a word that you hear outside the church and many believers do not feel “qualified” to wade into that particular theological discussion. We all know what we believe and why, but for some reason when asked to explain the “Gospel” we feel at a loss for words.
In my own life, it means forgiveness When I know I deserved the fall It called me out of my darkness And carried me to the Cross In a moment, my eyes were opened In that moment, my heart was changed Like a blinding light, in the dead of night It's the Gospel
Ryan Stevenson, The Gospel / 2017
The word Gospel comes from the combination of two Greek words which are translated to mean “Good News”. In simple terms, it can be described as the message concerning Christ, the kingdom of God, and salvation. Alternatively, each of the first four books of the New Testament are also called the Gospels as they tell of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
I’m sure we all agree that the coming of Christ was indeed “Good News”. And while we celebrate his resurrection each Easter, it is with a humbled awe, that we realize without his death on the cross, there would have been no resurrection to celebrate. But how do we share this “Good News” with others in a way that is personal and profound?
To answer this, I went back to the Old Testament, to the Hebrew word “Bisar” which means to proclaim good news. Originally, this word was used primarily in a military setting to describe the outcome of a victory in battle. Since the Israelites believed that God should receive the honor and glory for the victory, the word "bisar" came to have a religious connotation. One writer suggests that “To proclaim the good news of Israel's success in battle was to proclaim God's triumph over God's enemies.”
To transition this word to a more personal application is (for me) an obvious next step. Remember the song “Look What the Lord has Done”?
Look what the Lord has done Look what the Lord has done He healed my body He touched my mind He saved me, it was just in time
I'm gonna praise His name Each day He's just the same Come on and praise Him Look what the Lord has done
Mark David Hanby
The lyrics of that song are a proclamation of the “Good News” or the “Gospel” in personal terms. I’m not sure anyone could sing this song and not experience a feeling of God’s victory over their own personal enemies.
I have found, over my many years, that I can see a commercial for a product and be interested, But it’s when I hear a personal recommendation from a friend or family member, that my interest level moves from consideration to sold. That personal recommendation makes all the difference.
The same is true with the Gospel or Good News. We can invite people to church or turn them onto an online service where they can hear the “Gospel” preached or taught and the impact of that encounter is a bit lukewarm. However, if we share our personal Good News with them, they are not only more willing to listen, but the results of that encounter can be life changing for that person.
We all have people in our lives who desperately need to hear the “Good News.” We know that they won’t find it in today’s social media or on TV. Everywhere we turn, we are bombarded with something new that causes fear, anxiety and worry. However, each Christ-Follower is equipped with their own brand of “Good News” that the Holy Spirit is ready and able to help them share.
What is your “Gospel?” What “Good News” do you have to share that will change the course of someone’s life?
To the captive, it looks like freedom To the orphan, it feels like home To the skeptic, it might sound crazy To believe in a God who loves In a world, where our hearts are breaking And we're lost in the mess we've made Like a blinding light, in the dead of night It's the Gospel, The Gospel that makes a way
Ryan Stevenson, The Gospel / 2017
My challenge to you in the coming week is to take some time and pick one thing that you would include in your own gospel story. When we think of Jesus’s story, we think of the birth, death, and resurrection. What would yours be?
For some it would be deliverance. For others, healing. For still others, unconditional forgiveness. Some of you may be able to identify more than one, but trust me, every Christ-follower has at least one.
Once you have your own personal “gospel”, you’ll be amazed how easy it is to share with others the victories that God had done in your life.
"The amazing news of the Gospel Is not that we can receive Jesus into our lives But that He's already received us into His"
(Ryan Stevenson, The Gospel)
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