Good News

Dear Brethren,

What is the Gospel of God?  How many times have we heard the phrase, "We must preach the Gospel"?  As members of the Church of God, do we understand the meaning of the word Gospel, and our present responsibility with regard to the Gospel?  We may think we do - but do we really?

People will sometimes say, "That is the Gospel Truth," in an attempt to add credibility to a statement they have just made.  The truth is that precious few people have any idea what the Gospel is.  The word Gospel appears over one hundred times in the New Testament - yet its significance is hardly understood.

Some will say that the word Gospel means "good news".  That much is true!  But, there is much more meaning in the word.   For example; good news about what?

Others will add that Jesus came preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom.  We know this is also true.  Jesus did come preaching the good news of the Kingdom of God.  Why then is there so much confusion and conflict about the Gospel?  It was prophesied that Jesus Christ would preach the Gospel - and He did.  Notice the words of Jesus Christ quoting an Old Testament reference to the Gospel:

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised..."  (Luke 4:18)

"The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound..."  (Isaiah 61:1)

Most people would not even recognize the desperate need this world has for good news.  Most feel they are doing okay and headed for heaven.  This present evil world needs to know of the good news of the Kingdom.  Satan side-tracked the plan of God for a season - but only temporarily.  Satan's rebellion brought "bad news" to God's creation.  In Romans 8:21 Paul spoke of the time when Satan's damage to the creation would be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

The "Gospel of God" and "The Gospel of Jesus Christ" are one and the same.  It is the good news about God's Kingdom being established in all the earth.  Through the death, resurrection and life of Christ, the plan of God is going ahead - making possible the coming Kingdom of God.  But, how many people are aware of this incredible fact?

The apostles and Jesus did not completely fulfill the requirement for the message of the Gospel of God to be preached.  Notice: The prophesied preaching of the Gospel has not been completed - there is more to come.

"And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come."  (Matthew 24:14 )

Until Christ returns, the good news of God's coming Kingdom must go forth.  The end has not yet come.  Let us not assume that God is completely satisfied with the way and the extent to which the Gospel has gone to the world.  Too many are content to believe that as long as "somebody" has a program about prophecy and world conditions - the Gospel requirements are being met.  That is not the case.  Jesus Christ will usher in the Kingdom of God - the likes of which this world has neither seen nor heard.

There is yet a need for the Gospel to be effectively preached.  The message of God's coming Kingdom needs to be told to all humanity in the way that will witness to mankind that there is a hope for peace and salvation.

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Sermon:  "The Gospel of God"

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