What is the Gospel that Jesus preached? How can the Christian know what Jesus had to say about the message that was declared by Paul to be of first importance (1 Cor. 15:3)? It can be somewhat challenging to draw out the Gospel presentation of Jesus in the Gospels – at least as it compares to the words found in the epistles. The epistles are written as clear teaching, while the Gospels are historical/narrative accounts.
In the book of Romans, Paul gives a clear Gospel presentation. He takes the reader through matters pertaining to sin and the wrath of God. He then strategically moves the reader on toward matters of forgiveness, faith, and what genuine repentance looks like.
The book of Mark is not written in a way that causes the Gospel to be any easier to understand than in the other three Gospel accounts. Mark moves quickly, and if you blink, you may miss what he is trying to say. If you space out in your reading, you definitely won’t catch the meaning behind the text. But nevertheless, those that stop to ponder the words of Mark will find the Gospel being presented as clear as day.
To begin, the Gospel is not Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Those are referred to as the Gospels, and they are marvelous works of God. But a distinction must be made between those and the Gospel message itself. As one approaches the topic of the Gospel, he is approaching the very topic that Paul said was the single most important topic in all of Christianity.
At the end of the day, believing the story about Noah and his ark will not save you. You will also not inherit the kingdom of God if you believe God parted the waters for the Israelites. What you believe about end times theology will not save you. One message and one message alone is declared to be “…the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth…” (Rom. 1:16). So what is it? What is that message that unleashes the power of God to save the lost sinner? In Mark 1:14-15, Jesus gives us a glimpse when He highlights four aspects of the Gospel.
Scripture says, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel” (Mark 1:14-15).
This Scripture will be broken down into the following four points:
- The time is fulfilled
- The kingdom of God is at hand
- Repent
- Believe in the gospel
- The time is fulfilled
When Jesus moves onto the scene to declare the Gospel after John was put into prison, He does so in Galilee. Galilee was not a city, but rather a province. Within this province were the cities of Cana (where Jesus turned water into wine), Nazareth (where Jesus grew up), Capernaum (where Jesus spent much of His ministry), and more. So Jesus is pictured here as going into a place more similar to a state in America rather than a city. He is traveling through Galilee preaching the Gospel message.
He begins by telling these people, who would have been predominantly Jewish, that the time is fulfilled. Jesus presumed that they would have known what this meant. He did not need to paint a vast picture for them to grasp what He was saying. If you were to say that to someone nowadays, they would not understand what you are telling them. But this was not true during the days of Christ.
Paul elsewhere uses this terminology when he says, “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law…” (Gal. 4:4-5). Both Paul and Jesus are saying simply that the prophecies of the Messiah/Savior that were found in the Old Testament have found their fulfillment in Christ.
This would have painted a clear Gospel picture for anyone who had eyes to see. This would have pointed back to the psalm of the cross (Ps. 22); it would have directed the people’s attention to the suffering servant (Is. 52:13-53:12); it would have reminded them of the very first prophecy in which the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15).
- The kingdom of God is at hand
The people had been looking for the Messiah’s coming. They had been restless, and their eyes were looking upward. “When will the Messiah come?” was the cry of their hearts. However, they were looking in the wrong places. They wanted someone to come and deliver them from Roman rule. This is where they may have gotten a little confused, as what they wanted did not line up with Jesus’ plan. So often this is the rub: man does not desire the very things that God desires.
Jesus said the kingdom of God is at hand. This terminology is often misunderstood. However, it can be understood relatively easily in the story of the rich young ruler. When the rich young ruler sought out Jesus, he asked Jesus, “…what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 18:18). Here this man used the terminology “eternal life.” Shortly after, Jesus told him to obey various commands, and the ruler said that he did. Then Jesus told him that he must sell all that he has and give it to the poor. At this point, the man walked away sorrowful. Jesus said, “…How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24-25). The rich young ruler started out with a question about eternal life. Jesus then equated eternal life with the kingdom of God. Therefore, what is at stake, simply put, is salvation.
Jesus preached to the people that their long-awaited salvation had come.
- Repent
Jesus here tells the people to repent. The etymology of the word repent means to change the way one thinks. For instance, if someone does not believe Jesus is the Christ, he needs to repent and begin to believe that Jesus is the Christ. He needs to think differently. However, the word repent cannot simply be defined by its etymology but rather by all that it encompasses.
Repentance involves a changing of the mind, but if the mind has really changed, so will the conduct of one’s life. Scripture says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Prov. 23:7). And again, “…be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” And finally, “Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance” (Matt. 3:8). The Bible makes it clear that true repentance involves a turning from sin.
- Believe in the Gospel
Repent and believe is the common order. Surely there cannot be genuine faith in Christ if one does not first turn from his other sources of refuge. Refuge and trust are synonymous. That which you place your trust in, you also make your refuge. That which you make your refuge, you are also trusting. Money can be place of refuge; lies can be a place of refuge; anger, greed, and all the various sins of the world can be one’s place of hiding and trusting.
Jesus says, “Turn from these, and I will be your refuge. Place your trust in me. Believe the Gospel!”
Application
Jesus desires that you would believe the Gospel today. He desires that you believe the Gospel today for the first time, or once again be encouraged through faith in the message that delivers you from the penalty of sin.
Turn to Jesus today and embrace His work on the cross. He died for you so that you might have eternal life. The kingdom of God has come, and today is the day of salvation.
Final prayer
Father, I thank You for the ways that You have helped me to understand Your Gospel. I pray that each day, You would open my eyes more to see the work of Christ. Thank You for the death of Christ on my behalf this day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.