It's Gospel

“It’s Gospel.” She said. As I thought about it, I realized she meant that is the absolute truth. It got me thinking, how many uses do we as Christians have for that word, that don’t mean what it meant in Scripture. So I asked dictionary.com which said:

1. “the teachings of Jesus and the apostles; the Christian revelation.”

2. ”The story of Christ's life and teachings, especially as contained in the first four books of the New Testament, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.”

3. (Usually initial capital letter) any of these four books.

4. “something regarded as true and implicitly believed: to take his report for gospel.

5. ”a doctrine regarded as of prime importance: political gospel.”

I liked all these answers, but unfortunately they are all wrong. Now, before you all yell and shout- I know that the first three definitions are common uses in the church for identifying the first four books of the New Testament. However, that is not what the Gospel is, or what teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ describes.

To teach or preach the Gospel message, means specifically to walk people through the persecution, crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus during that first Easter weekend. It also means explaining why it is important to the hearers, even today. Don’t take my word for it, read what Paul wrote about it to the church in Corinth: [1st Cor. 15: 1-8]

“Now I make known to you, brethren, 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, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ in one (not so short) passage. Look at the words Paul uses: v3: First Importance, according to Scripture; v4: according to Scripture; v5: Cephas (Peter) and the twelve; v8: to me as well.

Then go back to v2, and Paul says- it is this by which you are saved if you hold fast. It is easy- this is the message that saves, nothing else. God is simple and direct like that. Jesus taught: I am the way, the truth, and the light, NO ONE comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14:6 paraphrased)

If we are not preaching/teaching this in our services, how is anyone going to get saved? And if we don’t tell them why, why would they want to? I hear so many churches and pastors lament that they are doing more funerals than baptisms. Well, if they are never presenting this Gospel of Jesus Christ in their services outside of Easter, is it any wonder they are not seeing any results.

Another thought: How many of the conversions in the New Testament happened in a church? Answer: None! (OK, I will admit it is a trick question, there were not any church buildings at the time.) But, if you read the New Testament, you will see all kinds of locations where salvation took place that had nothing to do with a religious service of any kind. I mean can you think of an example like: during a meal, fetching food or drink, doing laundry, in jail, in court, after a shipwreck, and making tents or leather goods? WE, as the body of Christ, need to get back to living our faith in the open and stop being ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

IF you are strong in your faith, and you are out grocery shopping, it should be normal for someone to stop you and ask: “You seem different from everybody else, why is that?” And your answer should be immediate: “Because of what the Lord has done for me. Can I tell you about it?”

If we want to know why the Kingdom of God is not growing in America like it was 50 or 60 years ago, the answer is simple: WE stopped living like Christians, and stopped teaching like Christians, and started waiting for people to come to us in our comfy churches. That is not how God works. His work is out there among the people He created who are suffering, and His followers are meant to be out there being part of the solution, showing those who are hurting that God cares, and Christ loves them right where they are.

So let’s put the Gospel of Jesus Christ back at the center of our Faith, our church services, and our lives and see what God will do with it. OH- hang on, it is going to be better than a roller-coaster!