Gospel's Threefold Message

The Gospel is a threefold message.

1. It is "the Gospel of the grace of God" proclaiming His favour to the undeserving. Acts 20:24 says, "But none of these things move me, niether count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God."

We often feel that life is a failure unless were getting a lot out of it, recognition, fun, money, success. But Paul thought life was worth nothing unless he used it for God's work. What he put into life was far more important than what he got out. Which is more important to you - what you get out of life or what you put in it?

Singlemindedness is a quality needed by anyone who wishes to do God's work. Paul was a singleminded person, and the most important goal of his life was to tell others about Christ (Philippians 3:7-13). It is no wonder that Paul was the greatest missionary who ever lived. God is looking for men and women who focus on that one great task God has given them to do.

2. It is the Gospel of power, telling out the good news that God never ask us to do a thing without giving us the power to do it. Rom 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth; to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

Paul was not ashamed, because his message was the Gospel of Christ, the Good News. It was a message of salvation, it had life changing power, and it was for everyone. When you are tempted to be ashamed, remember what the Good News is all about. If you focus on God and on what God is doing in the world rather than on your inadequacy, your embarrassment will soon disappear.

Why did the message go to the Jews first? They had been God's special people for more than 2,000 years ever since God chose Abraham and promised great blessings to his descendants (Gen 12:1-3). God did not choose them because they deserved to be chosen(Duet 7:7,8; 9:4-6), but because he wanted to show his love and mercy to them, teach them, and prepare them to welcome his Messiah into the world. He chose them , not to play favorites, but so that they would tell the world about his plan of salvation.

For centuries the Jews had been learning about God by obeying his laws, keeping his feasts, and living according to his moral principles. Often they forgot God's promises and requirements; often they had to be disciplined; but still they had a precious heritage of belief in the one true God. Of all the people on earth, the Jews should have been the most ready to welcome the Messiah and to understand his mission and message - and some of them were (see Luke 2:25; 36-38). Of course, the disciplines and the great apostle Paul were faithful Jews who recognized in Jesus God's most precious gift to the human race.

Jews and Christians alike stood against the idolatrous Roman religions, and Roman officials often confused the two groups. This was espesially easy to do since the Christian church in Roman was originally composed of Jewish converts who attended the feast of Pentecost (see Acts 2:1). By the time Paul wrote this letter to the Romans, however, many Gentiles had joined the church. The Jews and the Gentiles needed to know the relationship between Judaism and Christianity.

3. It is a Gospel of glory, declaring a better state of things in the future. 2 Cor 4:4 says, "In whom the god of this world hath blinds the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them."

The focus of Paul's preaching was Christ, not himself. When you witness, tell people about what Christ has done, and not about your abilities and accomplishments. People must be introduced to Christ, not to you. And if you hear someone preaching himself or his own ideas rather than Christ, beware - he is a false teacher.

Paul willingly served the Corinthian church even though the people disappointed him. Serving people requires a sacrifice of time and personal desires. Being Christs follower means serving others, even when they do not measure up to our expectations.