The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;
Mark 1:1 (KJV)
The phrase “the gospel of Jesus Christ” is found only once here in our text today Mark 1:1. The phrase “gospel of Christ” is found 11 times and “gospel of God” is found 7 times. The phrase “the gospel” is found 80 times in the Scriptures. The word “gospel” is found a total of 98 times. From Genesis chapter 1 all the way to The Revelation chapter 22, the “gospel” is the common theme.
The Old rugged cross of Christ and the Gospel message is the central or the focal point or the main theme of the entire Bible.
As one writer said, there is a scarlet thread that runs the entire course of the Word of God. And why is that? Because the Gospel of Christ is the:
- the oldest message known to man.
- the most powerful message known to man.
- the most loved and the most hated message ever known.
- both the simplest, yet the most complex message ever given.
The Gospel can be shared with a sinner in just a few minutes, yet we have studied it for years and years and still have not exhausted the depths of the truths and the doctrines of many facets of the Gospel.
Here are some several thoughts regarding the Gospel:
The Person of the Gospel
The Gospel of Mark in chapter 1 verse 1 it says, “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God.” The central focus of the Gospel according to Mark 1:1, is Jesus Christ alone, the Son of God, our Savior, our Redeemer.
Every Old Testament symbol and type and shadow foretold the Person of the Gospel – the Lord Jesus Christ. The central person of the Gospel message is the central person of the entire Bible. That is why it is called “the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The Preaching of the Gospel
The Gospel is unique in that it was designed to be conveyed through an unusual mode of communication. In fact, the first time we find the word “gospel” in the Bible, it is being preached. That preaching of the Gospel is the mode by which God chose to communicate the gospel message. God chose for the message of peace to be delivered in a manner that is accompanied by a pricking of the heart. God chose for the message of forgiveness to be preached by men that are in constant need of it. God chose for the message of God’s mercy to be proclaimed by the recipients of His mercy.
The message of hope through Christ to be shared by those that were once without hope and without Christ. The message to obey the Gospel is to be preached by men that were obedient to the call to preach the Gospel.
What greater way to propagate the message of the Gospel than to use those whose lives have been changed because of the Gospel? What greater method to transport the Gospel of redemption than a sinful man that has experienced that redemption? What greater way to communicate the love of God than to flow from the lips of those that God has loved?
The Power of the Gospel
How could a person that has experienced salvation in the new birth ever be ashamed of the gospel of Christ? Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God under salvation to everyone that believeth.”
The Gospel has the power to reconcile fallen man to his Creator. It has the power to:
- deliver man from a life of sin.
- quicken the dead spirit and save the unregenerate soul.
- restore the fellowship of fallen man to God.
- bring peace to the troubled, and cleansing to the filthy.
- replace the heart of stone with the heart of flesh.
- bring nigh those that are afar off.
- bring those that in the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God’s dear Son.
- rescue the perishing and to pull them out of the fire.
- find those that are dead in trespasses and sins and quicken them together in Christ.
- heal the brokenhearted, give sight to the blind and set the captives free.
- transform a person looking for dope and drugs, to a person you look to for hope and hugs.
- change a person’s eternal destiny, from an eternity in Hell to an eternity in Heaven.
- change a person from being a child of Satan to being a child of God.
- change a person’s nature from sinful to holy.
- change a person’s home from hell on earth to heaven on earth.
There is nothing on this planet that has more power than the Gospel of Jesus Christ!
The Priority of the Gospel
- The Gospel is such a priority that Jesus literally before He ascended back to heaven commanded that it be preached to every creature on earth. (Mark 16:15)
- The Gospel is such a priority that a preacher that doesn’t preach it correctly the Bible said should be accursed. (Galatians 1)
- The Gospel is such a priority that those that do not obey it will be judged severely. (1 Peter 4:17)
- The Gospel is such a priority that a church that fails to preach it forfeits its right to exist. (1 Corinthians 9:16)
- The Gospel is such a priority that a person that does not believe and accept it will spend eternity in the lake of fire. (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9)
The Promise of the Gospel
There are many promises attached to the gospel but the main one is this: Jesus Christ promised to never cast away anybody that came to Him believing the Gospel. Christ is willing to save whosoever will let him take of the “Water of Life” freely.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:12 (KJV)
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a simple story. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was sent to earth and was born of a Virgin. He became a man so He could be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, which we have inherited from Adam and Eve that sinned in the Garden.
Once the sin debt was paid, and God was satisfied by the travail of His soul, Jesus prayed one last prayer. He said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Then He bowed His head and gave up the Ghost.
Three days later, Jesus came out of the grave. He rose from the dead under His own power.
So, the Gospel is simply the message of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
If you repent, turn to Christ in faith, and believe this message, you can be saved today. The question is, do you believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ?