the gospel is a noun

The men of the city had gone off to war. The women and children and elderly remained back home, anxiously awaiting word of the results of battle. Good news would mean great joy and celebration for the people, while bad news would mean distress and despair. Finally, the scout spotted a lone figure running over a hill toward the city. It was the herald bringing news from the battlefield! As he approached, the townsfolk began to hear his proclamation, “Good News! We have overcome the enemy! We have won the victory!”

This is the original usage of the word gospel in the ancient Greek world. A herald or messenger (keruks or angellos) would bring a message from the front lines of battle back to those awaiting word on how things were going. A “euangelion” was the good news message that the victory (nike) had been won, which was followed by great joy and celebration. Whether it’s greek, latin, or english - euangelion, evangel, good spell, or gospel - it all means a good report or a good message.

Today the word gospel is used in all kinds of different ways, often as an adjective. There’s gospel music, gospel tracts, gospel projects, gospel cruises, gospel churches, etc. There are all kinds of gospel things out there in our world today. But the Apostle Paul reminds us that there is really only one true gospel, and that is the good news gospel message about Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and his death and resurrection for us in our place.

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel, you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born” (1 Cor 15:1-8).

As Dr. Rod Rosenbladt is fond of saying, there’s not a single thing about us in that entire passage. It’s mainly objective truth and not subjective experience. Although we are involved in the process of hearing and believing the gospel, it’s ultimately something that is done to us and for us from the outside. It’s a delivery of historical facts that tells us who Jesus is and what he has done for us through his dying on the cross and his rising from the grave.

St. Mark begins his book, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” That’s what it’s all about. The titles of the four books we know as “Gospels” in the New Testament bear this out. The Gospel, according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There are four books - but not four different gospels. There is one good news gospel message witnessed and testified to by four different people.

Paul goes on to explain the meaning of this gospel in the first chapter of his letter to the Romans:
“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God - the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord ... For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, as it is written, ‘the righteous will live by faith.” (Rom. 1:1-4, 16-17).

The gospel is the dynamite power of God in Christ for you. The gospel says that it is finished, that the devil is defeated, and that death is destroyed. The gospel says that Christ is risen and Jesus is living and that in him, you have free forgiveness and full salvation forever. Not because of anything you have done, but simply because God loves you enough to come save you and rescue you. That is the greatest good news the world has ever known. And it’s not just any good news; it’s good news for you. “The time has come. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:15).

In ancient times, after the herald would bring his message of good news to the people, they would often go out to meet the conquering leader as he came back to the city. After they all went out to meet him, they would return to the city to continue the victory celebration. This is a picture of what Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem looked like on Palm Sunday, as well as his return on the last day when he comes again as our conquering king, bringing the heavenly Jerusalem with him in the new creation.

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come and see

A few weeks ago I saw a video of fireworks going off in Nazareth on New Years Eve. The person filming was on the roof of his building, so he was able to capture quite a spectacular panoramic display. There was an anticipation and excitement in the air, as the sky was filled with color and flashes of light. Everyone in Nazareth that night would have been able to see the light.   

Quite a contrast between Nazareth now and Nazareth of two thousand years ago. The light of the world, the light of light, the very god of very god had come to dwell with them - but hardly anyone seemed to notice. Isaiah 9 states that "the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light." But had they? It sure didn't seem like it.

When the holy family returned to Nazareth from their sojourn in Bethlehem and Egypt, they began to lead a fairly provincial life. Joseph went to work in the carpentry shop while Mary worked at home, raising Jesus and the other children who would come later. Nothing much happened out of the ordinary (as far as we know) until Jesus turned twelve and they traveled to the temple in Jerusalem for the Passover. That's when his parents lost track of him and weren't able to find him for several days. When they finally found him teaching the teachers at the temple, he said to them, "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)

That's the only episode we have in Scripture from the events surrounding his birth until the beginning of his ministry that seems to show that there was something special about this boy. From all accounts, everyone in Nazareth would have just thought of Jesus as a very good boy who obeyed his parents and worked hard with his father as a tekton's apprentice in the family trade. (A tekton was a builder who worked with wood and stone.)

That's why the townspeople in Nazareth were so shocked when Jesus began his ministry in Galilee preaching, teaching, and healing people. "Isn't this Joseph's son, whose father and mother we know?" (John 6:42). "Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where did this man get all these things?” (Matt. 13:55,56).

It's also why Nathanael responded the way he did when Philip told him that they had found the Messiah in Nazareth. "Nazareth? Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip's response was simple and to the point. "Come and see."

That's our invitation this Epiphany season as well. Come and see Jesus being baptized by John in the Jordan as he begins his earthly ministry. Come and see him overcoming the devil's temptations in the wilderness. Come and see him turn water into wine in Cana. Come and see him on the mountain peak, as he gives us a peek of his glory. Come and see him descend to the plain, as he sets his face toward Jerusalem and to the cross, to die for our sins and the sins of all the world.

Five years ago I was on a tour of Israel and had opportunity to be in Nazareth to see the massive bronze door at the Church of the Annunciation. It has six main panels that depict scenes from the life of Christ - from his birth, to his baptism, to his ministry, and finally to his death on the cross.

It's too bad that door wasn't there for the local townsfolk to see 2,000 years ago. It might have cleared a few things up for them. But the good news is - it's there for us now. And not just over there in the Holy Land - but right here in the palm of our hand through the Word of God.  During this Epiphany season Jesus is not only the Light, he is also the door - the way to forgiveness, salvation, and life eternal. Come and see!

what will your verse be?

One of my favorite commercials of all time debuted at the Super Bowl in 2014. I'm usually one of those football nerds who just wants to watch the game and mutes the commercials, but this time it was different. This commercial mesmerized me and captured my imagination. I kept hoping they would show it again later on in the game. Since then I have watched it many times.

It was a commercial for the new Apple ipad Air, and it featured the voice of Robin Williams from the movie "Dead Poets Society" along with images of beauty and wonder from around the world. The commercial ends with these words - "the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"  

The commercial is affective and effective because it combines words and images together in a way that draws you into the story. But it's not just any story. It's not just Apple's story or the world's story. By the end of the commercial you realize that it's actually your story. "The powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"

I believe the same can be said of Holy Scripture. You begin to read a passage of the Bible thinking that you are reading an old story about someone else. But as you continue to read and reflect, you begin to realize that this is not only God's story or man's story, it is also your story as well. It's about your sin, your grief, your pain, your loss - as well as your forgiveness, your freedom, your redemption, your restoration. 

It's kind of like a Disney Star Wars ride.  At first you think you are just watching a show - and then suddenly you realize that you are in the show as one of the main characters! Instantly you find yourself engaged in the action of a new adventure and a new way of seeing the world. This is what the Bible does to us as well - as we read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest God's Word. The Word of God, the Eternal Logos, Jesus Christ Himself is revealed to us by the power of the Holy Spirit, and pretty soon, God's story becomes our own. It's funny - we think that we're the ones who are reading and interpreting the Bible, but we soon discover that it is really the Bible that is reading and interpreting us.

Martin Luther writes in his explanation to the Third Article of the Creed, “The Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with His gifts, sanctified and kept me in the true faith; even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth, and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith.” 

 This is what Epiphany, "the season of light", is all about. The first words God ever spoke were "Let there be light", and there was light, and it was good. That's how He began and that's what He has been doing ever since - making something out of nothing, bringing light out of darkness, creating life where there was only death. The Apostle Paul writes that "this grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (2 Tim. 1:9)

One of our liturgies for evening prayer states - "enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ." That is our prayer this week as Christmas turns to Epiphany - and December turns to January - and a new year and a new decade begin. Epiphany means appearing - revealing - manifesting - making known. It is the time when we take all of the gracious gifts we received during Advent and Christmas and let them shine for all the world to see.

By the light of a star and the light of God's Word, the Epiphany season proclaims that God's salvation in Christ has been manifested and made known to us and to the world. A new year awakens, a new day dawns, and the great and grand story of God's salvation in Christ, the greatest story ever told, begins to play itself out in the church and in the world. And as it does so it becomes our story too, as we are swept up into the divine drama to play our part in the narrative. 

The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be? What part will you play in God's great story of reconciling the world to himself? What are you going to do - now that God has taken care of everything in Christ so you don't need to do anything? Well, the 10 Commandments are a good idea. Your vocation is a good place to start. As Luther famously said, "God doesn't need your good works, but your neighbor does." 

"Now is the time of the Lord's favor. Today is the day of salvation."  (2 Cor. 6:2)

"Arise, shine, your light has come." (Isaiah 60)

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