Jesus and the Gospel

Opening question

What piece of information/news would be considered good news for all humans on earth?

Why do Christians keep talking about the gospel?

Have you ever wanted to live in the future? Maybe not regarding a future where technology is more impressive, but maybe a future where your life looks like — having a job, being married, not running on 4 hours of sleep daily, or you fill in the blank. This sentiment is not foreign to the Bible, but is actually closely related to the gospel that Jesus came and announced.

If you spend time in Christian community, you may hear the word “gospel,” a shorthand way of referring to the core message of Christianity. Gospel is used to refer to the four accounts of Jesus in the New Testament, and the word comes from the Greek word euangelion, which literally means “good news.” We read Jesus say at the beginning of his ministry:

“After John [the baptist] was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God: “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:14-15)

This good news that Jesus was announcing had to do with the kingdom of God arriving. While gospel sounds like a religious word for us, it was more a political word for Jesus’ hearers. A gospel would be like the proclamation when a king won a battle or the royal announcement of a king. Though not a perfect analogy, it might be something closer to when a newly elected president or official is announced. While we might think of a kingdom as a physical place, it would be better understood as when a king/queen exercises rule. A kingdom is the rule or reign of a king/queen.

Why would it be good news that a man 2000 years ago showed up and said that through himself, the God of the universe is going to rule and reign over the world?

Why would this be good news for us?

If it’s good news that God’s rule and reign is here, that would assume that there’s another kingdom that we are living under that we don’t want. For Jesus’ hearers of these words, the Israelites, the kingdom they were living under was literal–freedom from oppressive regimes. Yet the bible invites us to consider the possibility that we all need freedom from kingdoms ruling over us.

The story of the bible reveals a good and loving God that created humanity in his image, meaning humans were always meant to represent God’s good and just kingdom, yet humans have created our own alternative kingdoms. This story also acknowledges an enemy of God that stands in opposition to his rule, and we see this evil show up in individuals, relationships, ideologies, and institutions. Consider the ways you see or experience injustice, corruption, heartbreak, brokenness, or death. Whether that's institutionalized injustice, climate change, or the effects of trauma – it’s not a hard exercise to conclude that something is wrong with the world.

Yet what made Jesus unexpected was how he went beyond this to point to the human heart: our individual hearts need freedom. Luminaries both religious and not agree: something is wrong with the human heart. In the 21st century, we have more information and resources than ever before, yet we are plagued with the same evil, brokenness, and restlessness as our ancestors. For example, sometimes all it takes is a stressful moment to reveal the kind of impatient and unkind people we are capable of being. Or our addiction to technology and social media, even when we have the research that shows its harmful impact on our brains and relationships. Or the thought patterns that make us spiral into anxiety. Jesus’ gospel says that we not only long for a world of justice and love, but we long to become the kind of people who embody justice and love.

Imagine living in a world where you know that nobody will harm you in any way. A world that is abundant, where no one has to fight for or hoard resources. No violence, no threats, no death. A world where you don’t have to lock your doors at night. A world where you yourself are capable of truly loving others.

So the gospel is that the rule and reign of God has arrived in Jesus: through his death and resurrection, Jesus became King and we can live in his kingdom. This means that we can become people who are free from the reign of evil.

How do I live in this kingdom?

You’ll notice if you read the gospels that Jesus never accompanied his gospel proclamation with any force–in fact, his hearers were probably disappointed that he didn’t start an uprising! Instead, there was a simple invitation: repent. Repent simply means turning around – rearranging your way of thinking and living around Jesus. This is the genius of Jesus’ revolution, in the words of Dallas Willard:

“The revolution of Jesus is in the first place and continuously a revolution of the human heart or spirit… His is a revolution of character, which proceeds by changing people from the inside through ongoing personal relationship to God in Christ and to one another. It is one that changes their ideas, beliefs, feelings, and habits of choice, as well as their bodily tendencies and social relations. It penetrates to the deepest layers of their souls.”

Jesus announced his kingdom 2000 years ago, and we still see evil today. The paradox in the story of the bible is that Jesus’ kingdom has arrived now, but Jesus’ kingdom is still yet to fully come. Christians since Jesus have held to the biblical hope that one day Jesus’ kingdom will come in its entirety, renewing all of creation. And while that is in the future, the mystery is that somehow we are able to live in that future kingdom right here.

Reflection questions

Do you think humans are inherently good or bad?
If Jesus’ words are true, what is one aspect of the world that you’d want transformed?
If Jesus’ words are true, what is one aspect of your character you’d want transformed?

Exercise

Slowly read through Mark 1 a few times this week. As you read, imagine what kind of transformation you’d desire to see in the world and in your life. Take notice of the kind of emotions this brings up in you.

Additional Resources

Gospel of the Kingdom video from The Bible Project

Part 2 | Return to Who is Jesus