What?

What is the gospel? You know when asked this question a year ago my answer would have been as simple as the question. The gospel is the good news of Jesus. That is 100%the right answer, I don't want to over look that, but the gospel is so much more than just the good news of Jesus.

The gospel is a collision between Heaven and Earth! It is the one connection that we have with the creator of the universe. It is a display of faith to all the nations and all people. Have you ever noticed the context in which the word gospel is used in the bible? Here are 4 verses I think you should look at, I'm sure there are a lot more but this is what I have chosen.

Matthew 4:23
Mark 16:15
Romans 1:6
2 Corinthians 4:3

The context, in all of these verses, is the same. Following Jesus commanding us to proclaim the gospel there always follows an act. A healing or casting out demons, performing miracles, feeding thousands with almost nothing, and providing for the needy. You see the gospel is so much more than just speaking the word of God to others. It is loving people, providing for people that can't provide for themselves, giving to to the less fortunate, facilitating someone to teach the word to others who haven't heard. It is showing Christ to someone, not just telling them about Him. I mean seriously think about it if some one was to tell you about this guy who can balance a running lawnmower on his chin, would you believe them. Most people would say no way, unless you actually saw him do it. Right? It only makes sense that we show people Jesus.



 A common thing that I see in the church is people focus their gospel on eternity. We are called to be living sacrifices for Christ, why in the world would we think that the gospel only deals with eternity and has absolutely nothing to do with our lives on this Earth. That's dumb and just plain wrong. The gospel is Jesus atoning for our sins so that those who believe in him will spend an eternity with him. So are we supposed to just sit and soak and soar on earth and relish in the fact that we will live in heaven with Jesus? If that's what you think the gospel is you will not spend eternity with Jesus, plain and simple. Faith without works is dead!

To sum all this up I just want to say that the war has been won. Though we may lose a couple battles, our Savior has already paid the ultimate price. I am ashamed that for so long I abused Jesus' sacrifice for me. I must live, eat, breathe, speak, drink, hear, touch, walk, sing, yell, dance, run, jump, crawl, and surrender to the gospel. For I am nothing and my God is everything!