Hello
Christians often talk about the Gospel. Gospel just means “Good news”. Jesus said the Good News he had to preach was about the Kingdom of God:
…the crowds were looking for him; and when they found him, they wanted to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other cities also; for I was sent for this purpose.” (Luke 4:42-43)
So what is this Good News? What happens in the Kingdom of God? To put it very simply, when we become citizens in the Kingdom of God, we live in a love/trust relationship with the King (our loving heavenly Father) and with each other. This is how our Father wants us to live. This is how he has always wanted us to live. This is what he made us for. The Kingdom of God is right here, now, and we can be part of it. This is the Good News that we are to share with the world. (More about Jesus’ teaching about the Kingdom of God can be found in the article “What did Jesus say about the Kingdom of God?”, link below.)
What makes us share the Good News badly? Traditions, doctrines, rituals and jargon. We focus on things that are not found in Jesus’ teachings, so they are not part of the Good News. We focus on our buildings and on our church services (Jesus did not tell us to build churches or hold church services – yet most churches put most of their energy and resources into building and maintaining buildings and holding church services). We focus on studying scripture (Jesus did not tell us to study scripture. Truly. He didn’t.). We follow rituals that have long lost their meanings. We use jargon that cannot be understood by non-churchgoers. All these things are stopping us from sharing the Good News well. All these things hinder the progress of the Kingdom of God.
What we need to do is live the Good News by following Jesus’ teachings in our everyday lives – loving our loving Father and loving others. People will notice that we love. They will notice that we are different. Jesus said it is by our love for others that the world will know that we are his disciples (John 13:35). When we obey Jesus’ teachings, and we are seen to love our Father and love each other, we will be able to talk convincingly about what it means to be in the love/trust relationship with our Father that he calls us to. Only then will others take notice of what we say.
We must pray that we will love more.
We are living in a post-Christian age. An age where a very large proportion of society finds Christianity to be irrelevant. The Good News is not irrelevant. The Good News truly is the answer to the world’s problems.
So, why doesn’t the world respond positively to the Good News? Because we Christians are sharing it badly.
May our loving, heavenly Father bless us, guide us and equip us to do his work today.
Jesus is Lord.
Peter O
Related Articles
“What did Jesus teach about the Kingdom of God?”
“What did Jesus teach about evangelism?”
“What did Jesus say about being a Christian? ‘Follow Me'”
“Do our church services meet the needs of those who are looking for God?”
“Do we follow the teachings of Jesus in our churches?”
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Thanks for your comments, many truths here. I really like what you write on building churches. It is true Jesus didn’t tell us to have people come to us, but instead go to them. He sent out His disciples and He Himself is this same example. We are to share the “Good News”, but I would say that many of today’s Christians do not know the “Good News”. Yes, if we abide in His word the true message of salvation will come to light.
Some Christians do not obey Jesus so the world doesn’t see a reborn life, but at times a life of continuous sin. Jesus says be the light of the world. Jesus in us is love, mercy, forgiveness. This is the fruit the world should see in followers of Jesus. It’s more of what the world should see than what we say. When they see the Light in us, and are drawn, enabling us to share the “Good News”.
On your comments about Jesus not telling us to read scripture, I have a different perspective. Jesus is the Word. His Word comes from various parts of the OT, as He fulfilled it completely. His disciples remembered His words and the fulfillment. Reading the OT is so beautiful to see the fulfillment of Jesus and His request of the Father. Jesus many times said “He must do”, as to fulfill and complete the scriptures. I believe the Holy Spirit brings us back to Jesus words, yes His words written in the NT, as well as His words in the OT.
Lastly, we must also understand that some loved darkness rather than light. So God will draw people to us and those that love darkness will resist us.
Blessings in Christ.
Dave