The Gospel
The gospel by definition is good news. Specifically, it is good news “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…” (1 Cor 15:3-4). This is first and foremost before anything else. It is good news. It therefore needs to be shared, spoken, preached, and taught with words. You could act out the crucifixion, burial and resurrections scenes, but the significance behind those acts can’t be understood. Jesus didn’t just die. He died for our sins. Then people need to understand why he needed to die for our sins.
It’s hard to grasp that our God is a holy God and can’t even look on sin let alone abide with sinners and yet, despite this, Jesus died to completely forgive and remove our trespasses against God in order to restore our relationship with God. But unless words are used, this gospel will can’t be remotely understood.
This good news needs to be heard so that it can be believed. “For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?… So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10:13-14;17)
The Response
The good news gives way to proper response. Paul continues, “Last of all, as to one untimely born, he [Jesus] appeared also to me… Unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God and I am what I am… I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.” (1 Cor 15:8-10) The gospel is not the new life we now live. It is not that I now desire to live a better life, and give more to the poor and love others to a greater degree. That is not the gospel as some like to think, but it is the glorious response to the good news.
When the magnitude of Jesus’ death and resurrection penetrate us, our response is worship. Worship is seeing the greatness of someone or something and responding to it in a way that makes clear to everyone around that it has become extremely important to you. The way you talk about it is vocally lifting it up, praising it and speaking highly of it. You act in a way that also demonstrates the significance of it; your money goes towards it, you travel great distances to get to it, etc. Your thoughts are continually directed towards it. And even your attitude is affected by it. This is all worship.
When the gospel draws out worship, when the knowledge of cross moves from the head to the heart, everything about us changes. Actions and deeds are the proof the gospel is breaking into the heart.
So Share the Gospel!
God desires worshipers. To tell others how they are supposed to live their life, and explain what they’re supposed to say in various instances, and shame people into having a decent attitude in every situation they face, doesn’t mean they are worshiping. The best you can create in someone by doing that is a religious obedience, otherwise known as the hypocrite.
The world needs to hear the gospel. Non-Christians need to hear it so they can turn to God in order to have that relationship with him restored and can begin worshiping as a joyful overflow of that relationship. Christians need to hear the gospel continually so they never cease in worshiping as they strive to live a life in a manner worthy of that gospel. So, please, lets keep on sharing the good news.
Curtis
Three Semi-Wisemen 