What is the Gospel? Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Mark 1:1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The gospel is that Jesus lived the life you should have lived and died the death you should have died, in your place, so God can receive you -- not for your record and sake but for his record and sake. Tim Keller
So the gospel is news about what God has done in history to save us, rather than advice about what we must do to reach God. The gospel is news that Jesus’ life, death and resurrection in history have achieved our salvation. We do not achieve it, only accept it. Jesus does not just bring good news; He is the good news. Tim Keller
Photismos (Greek) ________________________________________________________
Gnosis (Greek) ________________________________________________________
Horot (Hebrew) ________________________________________________________
Hokmah (Hebrew) _______________________________________________________
Evangelion (Greek) _______________________________________________________
(Word definitions from Darrin Patrick’s The Church Planter, page 110-111)
Evangelion is the announcement of what God has done objectively in history, not just the subjective experience of one person. The gospel, then, is fundamentally an announcement: it is not just about who God is or what He might do, but about what God has done in history. The gospel is not good advice on how to reach up to God; rather, it is a declaration about what God has already done to reach down to save us. Darrin Patrick
The gospel is both objective and subjective, historical and experiential. It happened in history past, but it continues to impact the world every day because the resurrection happened and therefore, Jesus is still alive. Darrin Patrick
The gospel is the event (or the proclamation of that event) of Jesus Christ that begins with his incarnation and earthly life, and concludes with his death, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the Father. This historical event is interpreted by God as his preordained programme for the salvation of the world. Graeme Goldsworthy
The gospel of Jesus Christ is the defining revelation to mankind of God’s mind, and the defining fact of human history. The person and work of Jesus provide us with a single focal point for understanding reality. Graeme Goldsworthy
The English word gospel derives from the old English word godspell, which was a combination of good and spell. Darrin Patrick’s The Church Planter, page 112
The gospel is like a three-legged stool…First, there is the gospel story, the overarching grand narrative found in the Scriptures…The second leg of the stool is the gospel announcement, namely that God—in the person of Jesus Christ—lived a perfect life in our place, bore the penalty of our sin through His death on the cross, was raised from the dead to launch God’s new creation, and is now exalted as Lord of the world…The third leg of the stool is the gospel community. Our response to the gospel announcement—repentance and faith—is not a one-time event. It’s a lifelong expression of gratitude that wells up from the bottom of our hearts and overflows into love for God and His beloved community. Trevin Wax
As we finish our Old Testament reading for this year, remember… “Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (Luke 24:27)
Jesus is the true and better ___________ who passed the test in the garden and whose obedience is imputed to us (1 Corinthians 15). Jesus is the true and better ________ who, though innocently slain, has blood now that cries out for our acquittal, not our condemnation (Hebrews 12:24).
Jesus is the true and better ______________ who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void “not knowing wither he went!” to create a new people of God.
Jesus is the true and better ____________ who was not just offered up by his father on the mount but was truly sacrificed for us. While God said to ___________________, “Now I know you love me because you did not withhold your son, your only son whom you love, from me,” now we can say to God, “Now we know that you love me, because you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from me.”
Jesus is the true and better ______________ who wrestled and took the blow of justice we deserved, so we, like Jacob, only receive the wounds of grace to wake us up and discipline us. Jesus is the true and better ______________ who, at the right hand of the king, forgives those who betrayed and sold him and uses his new power to save them. Jesus is the true and better _____________ who stands in the gap between the people and the Lord and who mediates a new covenant (Hebrews 3).
Jesus is the true and better __________ of ___________ who, struck with the rod of God’s justice, now gives us water in the desert. Jesus is the true and better _______, the truly innocent sufferer, who then intercedes for and saves his stupid friends (Job 42). Jesus is the true and better ___________, whose victory becomes his people’s victory, though they never lifted a stone to accomplish it themselves.
Jesus is the true and better ____________ who didn’t just risk losing an earthly palace but lost the ultimate and heavenly one, who didn’t just risk his life, but gave his life to save his people. Jesus is the true and better ________________ who was cast out into the storm so that we could be brought in.
Jesus is the real Rock of Moses, the real _______________ Lamb – innocent, perfect, helpless, slain so the angel of death will pass over us. He is the true temple, the true prophet, the true priest, the true king, the true sacrifice, the Lamb, the Light, the Bread.”- Tim Keller
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