How to preach the gospel without trying to scare people into heaven.

The following segments simply take up the New Testament references to the word “gospel” and seek to redefine its broad meaning.  If we are called to preach the gospel to every person, we need to begin by having a genuine Biblical understanding of what the gospel is rather than an understanding born of evangelical tradition.

The New Testament Word "Gospel"    

The word “gospel,” as it is used in the New Testament is based on several forms of the Greek word ‘euangellizo’  (vb) which puts together two ideas:  ‘eu’ = good, and ‘angello’ = announce.  The word ‘angello’ is pretty obviously where we get our word for ‘angel.’  Angels were messengers from God.  The word is usually translated “gospel” in English translations.  This word tends to have an assumed meaning, namely “the message about salvation in Jesus Christ.”  The other use of the word is when it is simply translated “good news.”

We have the same distinctions in English.  If I were to say, “I received good news about my test results last week” I would be referring to getting some information that I was pleased about.  If I said “I heard the gospel last week,” I would certainly be referring to an experience where someone talked with me about Jesus, or I may have read something that told me about Jesus.  Because our contemporary use of the words is much more pronounced than the New Testament itself, the following  New Testament study will refer to the examples of the use of the words “good news” where there is reasonable evidence to presume that it is referring to the message about something God wants to do through his Son Jesus Christ.

 Matthew 24:14 THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

When Jesus came to Jerusalem for the last time there was a different tone and focus to his ministry. He still went to the temple to preach and teach.  He still healed the sick and cast out demons.  But if you read any of the gospel accounts you will soon see that there is a different feel.  Jesus love was shining more particularly on the religious leaders and his teaching more specifically targeted them.  He told parables about things like tenants of a vineyard who would not receive messengers from the owner nor pay him the rent that was due.  In the midst of increasing tempest, during the last days before Jesus death the disciples, who are a constant source of encouragement to those of us who often take a while to pickup on some things, point out to Jesus how wonderful the temple buildings are.  In the Greek language there is a grammatical instrument for showing whether a question assumes a ‘Yes’ answer or a ‘No’ answer.  In this case their presumption is that Jesus will agree that, ‘Yes the buildings are truly wonderful.’  I think our way of saying that would be say something like, “Aren’t these buildings terrific?”  To their probable amazement, Jesus announces the destruction of the temple.  It will happen with such contempt that not one stone will be left sitting where it was.

If I may digress just a little at this point, I think it is a profoundly sobering thing to realize that this, the greatest temple of the three started being built in around 19 BC and was completed around 64AD.  When Jesus spoke these words the building work had been going on around 49 years and the whole project would take 83 years.  It was a magnificent structure.  In all truth the magnificence was not so much born of Herod’s respect for God but his desire for his name to be associated with these and so many other grand structures.  It was his shot at eternal fame.

So when Jesus spoke about the temple, it was already the most magnificent building.  Jesus had already come twice and prophetically cleared it of the money changers and the bird and animal sellers.  The disciples must have been totally blown away by his reply. They thought it was a plus.  To Jesus it was one huge distraction and sadly its use-by date was fast approaching.

Following this response the disciples want to ask the obvious question.  When is all this going to happen?  Jesus then proceeds to outline a number of signs that will indicate that the culmination is near.  Ironically he was not talking about the destruction of the temple in 70AD.  He turned their minds further along the chronological track.

Of those five signs, the first three are indicative of great and accumulating darkness:  there will be major spiritual deception; there will be international conflict; there will be severe persecution for Christians.  In the midst of these and other signs of destruction there will be unprecedented kingdom ministry.  The gospel of thekingdom will be happening in every part of the world and to every different kind of people group.

What is important for us to understand from this reference to the ministry of the gospel is that this statement is the first of a number that Jesus would make.  He would not talk about this matter again until after the resurrection.  Then he repeats this kind of statement in the words of what we have come to call the Great Commission.  In this first foreshadowing of the task that Jesus would commit to the church that would bear his name and carry his authority is the fact that the gospel here is clearly married to the work of advancing the kingdom of God.  If you look at everything Jesus said about the kingdom of God and if you consider the ministry he performed as the kingdom of God came to individuals and groups all over Judea and Galilee you will see a picture of what preaching the gospel is really about.  It is not just telling the story of Jesus death and telling people that they will go to hell if they don’t receive him.  The ministry of the gospel IS the work of the kingdom of God and the work of the kingdom of God IS the proclaiming of the gospel.

If we were to spend more time learning how to bring the ministry of the kingdom of God to the people and spheres where we live and work and less time trying to tell people how to get a ticket to heaven when they die, we may well have a gospel that more people would understand and receive.  The ministry of the kingdom would focus our attention on the work God wants to do NOW, not just what he wants to give people THEN.  For my money that is always going to be better understood.  When someone is healed, they don’t have the same problem believing in Jesus. When they are freed from demonic oppression the same and when they experience God’s mercy in genuine indiscriminate redemptive love there will be more success in the matter of getting people to put their trust in Jesus and be born again.