The Gospel in Stereo

News: “something has happened as a result of which the world is a different place”                                                                                                                                    Theologian/Historian NT Wright

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

Gospel [gr. euaggelion] – lit. good news, news that makes one happy, information that causes one joy, words that bring smiles, a message that causes the heart to be sweet.

• Hebrew:  the word carries power and effects what it proclaims. [i.e. Bad news brings sorrow, and good news causes joy.]

• Greek: a technical term for “news of victory.”  

• Roman Imperial Cult: the proclamation of a new emperor ascended the throne [the son of god; the savior of the world] and a new era of his royal reign has arrived.

• New Testament: 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.         Romans 1:16                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said.  He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.

1 Corinthians 15:3-6

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL IN STEREO?

It doesn’t matter how POWERFUL or BEAUTIFUL the song,

if it’s played on the wrong PLATFORM it just sounds like noise.

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”                  John 13:34-35                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Cultures New Ethic:  TOLERANCE

The Golden Rule:  TREAT others the way you want to be TREATED.

Jesus’ New Ethic:  LOVE

The Platinum Rule:  LOVE others the way Jesus LOVED you

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. "     Galatians 5:6b                                                      

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.     Romans 5:6-8                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Prayer:

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.      Philemon 6                                                                                                                                                       

FURTHER RESOURCES:

Simply Good News by NT Wright

Fool’s Talk by Os Guinness

Did Jesus Rise From The Dead by William Lane Craig

Becoming a Contagious Christian by Bill Hybels

Kingdom Conspiracy by Scot McKnight

They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball

Who Is This Man by John Ortberg