GOOD NEWS WHAT IS THE “GOOD NEWS” OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST

NEWS IS ALL BAD We all complain about the news being all bad and getting worse. The nature of news is to report the unusual or what is not ordinary. The plane crash is not ordinary. Rape and murder is not ordinary.

GOOD NEWS IS RARE I have some good news today. “Gospel” – means glad tidings, good news, good message The Greek word – euaggelizo – is used 90 times in our NT. What makes news – good news? I want to study some passages to answer this question.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. Paul describes the gospel which he preached By this gospel we are saved

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, The gospel is often described as being the: – Death of Christ – Burial – Resurrection the 3 rd day Is this the “good news” of the gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 There are others in the OT and NT who died, were buried or on their way to the cemetery, and were raised from the dead. BUT THEY ARE NOT THE GOSPEL. Think about Lazarus in John 11. He died. He was buried (4 days) He was raised. This was good news for him, Mary and Martha and his friends. But this is not the gospel.

2 Corinthians 3: Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. We have the liberty in Christ (Good News) We are looking at the glory of the Lord We are being transformed We are being reshaped into the image of the glory of Christ GOOD NEWS – LIBERTY, TRANSFORMED

2 Corinthians 4:4-7 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus' sake. The gospel is more than a list of historical facts. The gospel must impact me in a personal way. It must have some impact on my life. If it changes my life, changes my attitude, changes me heart

2 Corinthians 4:4-7 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. Notice the underlined phrases Verse 4 – the light of the gospel should shine on them Verse 6 – shone in our hearts Verse 7 – we have this treasure

2 Corinthians 4:4-7 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. Verse 7 – we have this treasure The treasure includes: – Justification – Forgiveness – Removal from the wrath of God – Eternal life – Redemption

2 Corinthians 4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, We have the good news (4:7) in earthen vessels (our bodies) Don’t keep it a secret Is our gospel hidden from those who need it most? Are the lost getting the “good news”?

WARNING! With the good news of the Gospel – there is also a serious warning. We must believe the news We must repent of our sins We must obey in baptism We must live a trans- formed life We must remain faithful