When I think of the Gospel I often think of information. Usually that information is summed up as the death and resurrection of Christ that brings us forgiveness and eternal life. But if you look up how the word “Gospel” is used in the New Testament it is almost always used in the context of the Gospel being preached, proclaimed or spoken to someone who needs to hear it. By very nature, Gospel is proclaimed.
Here are the first 17 times the word “Gospel” is used in the New Testament…
- Matthew 24:14 – “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”
- Matthew 26:13 – “Truly I tell you, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world,”
- Mark 8:35 – “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”
- Mark 10:29 – ““Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel”
- Mark 13:10 – “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations.”
- Mark 14:9 – “wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world”
- Mark 16:15 – “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”
- Acts 8:25 – “After they had further proclaimed the word of the Lord and testified about Jesus, Peter and John returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel in many Samaritan villages.”
- Acts 8:40 – “Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.”
- Acts 14:7 – “where they continued to preach the gospel.”
- Acts 14:21 – “They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples.”
- Acts 15:7 – “After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: “Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe.“
- Acts 16:10 – “After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
- Romans 1:1 – “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God—”
- Romans 1:2 – “the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures”
- Romans 1:9 – “God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you”
- Romans 1:15 – “That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome.”
What does that mean for us? It means the Gospel is fulfilling its biblical purpose when we proclaim it to those who need to hear it.
