Vision for Mission: Nurturing an Apostolic Heart

Session 2 The Power and Veracity of the Gospel Passion for the Good News of the Kingdom

Note: The video referred to in this lesson is called “The Challenge of Our Unfinished Task” (Interdev). A supplemental handout to the video and this lesson is Appendix 21, The Three- Segment World , found at the back of this book. Also see Appendix 35, Suffering for the Gospel: The Cost of Discipleship and Servant Leadership

“Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, descended from David” (2 Tim. 2.8) may well stand as a summary of what the entire New Testament means by “Gospel.” It has to do with the person of Christ, though with an equal stress on Christ’s saving work centered in the Cross and Resur rection. The advent of salvation is depicted in the Old Testament terms of promise and fulfillment (Rom. 3.21; 15.4-9; 1 Cor. 10.11). The present availability of that salvation is offered “by grace alone, through faith alone;” the work of reconciliation is both complete, i.e., God in Christ has effected the world’s salvation (2 Cor. 5.19,21), and incomplete, i.e., God has entrusted the Gospel to His servants who as ambassadors for Christ call men and women to accept all that has been accomplished (5.20). “Gospel” is the link between these two ideas, meaning both all that has been done in Christ for human redemption (thus it is “good news”), and offer freely extended to the hearers to “repent and believe the good news” by acceptance and obedience.”

~ “Gospel.” The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1995. p.532.

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I. The Language: The Family of Greek Words

A. Greek. Evangelion : usage of the term by the apostles

1. “Good News”

a. Matthew 9.35

b. Mark 16.15

c. Romans 10.16

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