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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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