Gospel

	"Remember Jesus Christ," Paul encourages in 2 Timothy 2:8-10, "risen from the dead, descendant of David, according to my gospel, for which I suffer hardship even to imprisonment as a criminal; but the word of God is not imprisoned.  For this reason I endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus {and} with {it} eternal glory."
	In this passage, Paul makes evident the enormous importance of our word for this week: the Gospel.  The word "Gospel" literally means "good news."  In its simplest form, the Gospel refers to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus.
	"Now I make known to you, brethren," Paul expresses in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, "the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
	Once again, the apostle makes clear the importance of the Gospel.  It is this Gospel which saves us, we are told.  The passage goes on to define the Gospel as the death, burial and resurrection.  In a broader sense, though, the Gospel goes beyond the death, burial and resurrection.  It encompasses everything that the sacrifice of Jesus means to us.  This is why the New Testament frequently associates the word "Gospel" with a variety of words.
	"In Him," we find in Ephesians 1:13, "you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."
	Here the Gospel is referred to as the Gospel of our salvation.
	"The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God," we find in the first verse of Mark's Gospel.  He refers to it as the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
	"Paul," Romans 1:1 states, "a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called {as} an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God."
	Paul calls it the Gospel of God.
	"For God," the apostle adds in verse nine, "whom I serve in my spirit in the {preaching of the} gospel of His Son, is my witness {as to} how unceasingly I make mention of you."
	Here he calls it the Gospel of God's Son.
	"And having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace," Ephesians 6:15 lists with the Christian armor.
	The Gospel is called the Gospel of peace.  This what Paul has in mind in Romans 10:15 when he quotes a passage from Isaiah.
	"And how shall they preach unless they are sent?" Paul asks in this verse.  "Just as it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings of good things!'"
	Remember that Gospel means "good news."  So "bring glad tidings of good things" is the same as "preach the Gospel of good things."
	So we have the Gospel of salvation, of Jesus, of God, of peace.  One of the most common words associated with the Gospel, though, is "kingdom."  This is especially true when we consider the activities and teachings of Jesus.
	"And {Jesus} was going about in all Galilee," Matthew 4:23 records, "teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people."
	"The time is fulfilled," Jesus teaches in  Mark 1:15, "and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel." 
	Can we, then, preach the Gospel without teaching how it is associated with our salvation?  Can we, then, preach the whole Gospel without teaching accurately about the kingdom to which it provides entrance?  

	The good news of Christ's death, burial and resurrection is of central importance in the New Testament.  What does this Gospel mean to us?
	"And it was for this He called you through our gospel," we learn from 2 Thessalonians 2:14, "that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ."
	Our calling is through the Gospel.
	"To be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles," Paul notes in Romans 15:16, "ministering as a priest the gospel of God, that {my} offering of the Gentiles might become acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."
	Our ministry is through the Gospel.
	"Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ," we find in Romans 16:25, "according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past."
	We are established through the Gospel.
	"For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ," Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 4:15, "yet {you would} not {have} many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."
	We are begotten through the Gospel.
	"In Him," Ephesians 1:13 explains, "you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise."
	We establish our relationship with God through the Gospel.
	"But now has been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus," Paul notes in 2 Timothy 1:10, "who abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel."
	Through the Gospel, death is abolished and life and immortality are brought to light.
	"However, they did not all heed the glad tidings," Paul laments in Romans 10:16, "for Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed our report?'"
	The Gospel must be obeyed to be of any value.
	"Because of the proof given by this ministry," 2 Corinthians 9:13 agrees, "they will glorify God for {your} obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all."
	Indeed, the Gospel is of no use to us if it is not obeyed.  This is why Jesus makes a clear command to His followers just before He leaves the earth.
	"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation," the Lord orders in Mark 16:15. 
	"In the power of signs and wonders," Paul expresses in Romans 15:19, "in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ."
	Paul is one of those who obeys the Lord's command to preach the Gospel.  What kind of an assignment  is this?
	"Truly I say to you," the Master instructs in Mark 10:29-30, "there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel's sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life."
	Those who preach the Gospel may have to forfeit all of their earthly treasures.
	"For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it," Jesus promises in Mark 8:35, "but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's shall save it."
	Those who preach the Gospel may even have to forfeit their lives for it.
	"Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner," Paul recognizes in 2 Timothy 1:8, "but join with {me} in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God."
	Paul is willing to suffer for the Gospel, and he encourages others to do the same.  After all, the Gospel must be preached if we are to find eternal life.  It is the Gospel which condemns sin.
	"But we know that the Law is good," Paul teaches in 1 Timothy 1:8-11, "if one uses it lawfully, realizing the fact that law is not made for a righteous man, but for those who are lawless and rebellious, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers and immoral men and homosexuals and kidnappers and liars and perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound teaching, according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, with which I have been entrusted."
	The Gospel condemns sin while bringing to light the glory of Christ.
	"In whose case," Paul warns in 2 Corinthians 4:4, "the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."
	As Paul cautions in this verse, Satan does not want us to see the light of the Gospel.  So he does his best to hide the Gospel from those who might see it.
	"And even if our gospel is veiled," Paul writes in 2  Corinthians 4:3, "it is veiled to those who are perishing,"
	The Gospel holds the power of life and death.  The Gospel holds the power of eternal life and eternal condemnation.  This is why the Holy Spirit expresses stern warnings concerning our handling of the Gospel.
	"But even though we," Paul warns in Galatians 1:8-9, "or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed."
	Yes, the Gospel has the power of life.  But this is the case only with the true Gospel.  A false Gospel is no good news at all.  And the real Gospel is of no use to those who fail to obey it.
	"For {it is} time for judgment to begin with the household of God," 1 Peter 4:17 notes, "and if {it begins} with us first, what {will be} the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?"
	"Dealing out retribution to those who do not know God," Paul alerts in 2 Thessalonians 1:8, "and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus."
	What awaits those who pervert the Gospel?  They are cursed.  What awaits those who reject the true Gospel?  They are lost forever.  What awaits those who obey the true Gospel?
	"Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ," Paul encourages in Philippians 1:27, "so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel."
	"Because of the hope laid up for you in heaven," Colossians 1:5 promises, "of which you previously heard in the word of truth, the gospel."
	The Gospel is the word of truth.  And those who obey this Gospel will be set free.

Unless otherwise noted, "Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), (C) Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.lockman.org)