The Gospel transcends all the came before it and all that tries to compete with it because the Gospel is all about Jesus Christ who transcends all. But what is the Gospel? When Mark wrote his work he started out by saying, “The beginning of the Gospel….” He knew that he couldn’t write enough to tell us everything about the Gospel. When John finished his book, he said, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” John 21:25 Yeah, the Gospel is certainly transcendent because Jesus is. But, that doesn’t answer the question! What is the Gospel? Give me the executive summary.
I think we can trust Jesus’ summary, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” v15 The Gospel (the good news) is on one hand real simple, Jesus has come to bring salvation. Salvation is near, just repent and believe. This is what Paul repeated to the jailer in Philippi as well, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved” Acts 16:31 Peter in the first sermon post-Easter said something similar as well in his relatively short sermon, “Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” Acts 2:38 So although the Gospel, like Christ is transcendent, it is also simple – Jesus came, died, and was resurrected that we might live, we just have to believe!
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. -John 3:16
