THE GOSPEL IS GOOD NEWS!
Jesus began His public ministry in Galilee, preaching the good news of God, which is the gospel. What was the good news that Christ preached?
First, He preached that the “time is fulfilled.” The time of Israel’s waiting and watching for the Messiah was complete. Jesus the Messiah had come. The prophecy in Daniel 9:24-27 concerning the coming of the Anointed One was fulfilled. Sixty-nine weeks of years or 483 years had passed since the rebuilding of the Jerusalem Temple and the Messiah had come, just as God had promised. As the apostle Paul wrote, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law” (Gal. 4:4).
Second, He preached, “And the kingdom of God has come near.” Notice the “and” conjunction. The “fullness of time” and the “kingdom of God” coming are connected. Jesus is the Messiah and He is also the prophesied One born to the house of David, which makes Him heir to David’s throne. However, the Jews expected a great national deliverer, whereas Jesus had come to establish a spiritual kingdom called the Church. The kingdom that had come near was Christ’s laying of the foundation of the Church, which is made up of all those who have believed in Jesus.
Third, He preached, “Repent and believe in the good news!” Repentance and faith go together. For one must repent by expressing their sorrow for sins, and desire to turn from them, before they are ready to believe. Believing, we confess that we need a Savior to save us from our sins and that we recognize that Christ Jesus is that Savior. The good news is that “God was in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them” (2 Cor. 5:19).
Have you heard this good news? Have you repented of your sins and believed in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior?
PRAYER: Dear Father, we have heard the good news and we have repented and believed. We are members of Your Kingdom and Christ Jesus is our King. Strengthen us today go and announce this good news to everyone we meet. In Jesus’ name, amen.