The word "Gospel" means Good News. So how do you define what is Good News? Something "Good" that happened to you like ... getting a promotion ... winning some kind of prize ... a snow day on the day of an exam ... an empty drive thru lane at Timmy's or is it simply anything that isn't bad news?!
Maybe you've heard the word Gospel talked about or proclaimed in a religious context as a list of historical facts about Jesus Christ that happened over 2000 years ago. Things like ... Jesus is God’s own son who was born of a virgin mother ... lived a perfect and sinless life and exchanged his life in place of our lives on a cross and three days later rose from the dead. And we’ve been told that if we believe this is true, then in faith, our sins will be forgiven and we won’t go to hell...and someday we’ll spend eternity in heaven with Jesus.
While these are all true facts about Jesus (which are amazing!) ... the Gospel is so much BIGGER and more immediate ... more NOW than that.
There are lot's of "little g" - good newses in our world but the message about what God has done to rescue and renew all things through Jesus is the Big G Gospel. It's God's power to change everyone and that changes everything!
For the next few weeks during our Sunday morning gathering we're going to look at the Big G Gospel and how it makes a difference right now as we learn to speak, live and enjoy the Good News of Jesus in every area of life!