LET'S FACE IT: the word “gospel” gets thrown around somewhat loosely in Christian conversation today—so much so that its weighty meaning can get lost, or at least muffled. To grasp the good news of the gospel, then, we must first internalize the significance of the word “news.” This is, after all, what separates Christianity from every other religion.
Christianity isn’t, fundamentally, good advice. It’s an announcement of good news.
You don’t need to go to seminary to grasp the gospel. You don’t need to be in ministry to grasp the gospel. You don’t even need to have been a Christian for five minutes in order to grasp the gospel well enough to convey it to others.
All you need to understand is that 2,000 years ago, an invasion took place.
Heaven came to earth in the person of Jesus, and he inaugurated a new kingdom.
For 33 years, he lived a life of unflinching, perfect faithfulness to God the Father. He lived the life that, try as we might, we cannot live. And because he loves us, he died the death we deserved to die.
As a believer in Jesus, I can know that on the cross he was treated as if he’d lived my sinful life, so that I might be treated as if I’ve lived his righteous life.
And then Jesus was buried. Until he wasn’t—because three days later, he got up and walked out of his tomb.
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