Gospel

because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. (Philippians 1:5 ESV)

Gospel. What a magnificent and strange word. Gospel. What does it mean?

In our language 'gospel' conjures up various images. Sometimes it is used as a synonym for truth. Sometimes it signifies a genre of music. Sometimes it is borrowed and used to describe a particular theme or message that a person may have, as in "The congressman made an appearance at the parade preaching his gospel of tax cuts and laissez faire economics."

But in the Greek-speaking world the word 'gospel' had a different meaning. In its simplest sense it meant "good news". Often it meant a particular good news announced publicly and affecting many people. For example, the birth of Caesar was heralded as gospel, or good news, to the world. 

In the same way, we see the angels herald the good news of the birth of Jesus in Luke's Gospel.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11 ESV)

We open our Bibles to the New Testament and the first book we encounter is The Gospel According to Matthew. What follows, of course, is an account of the life of Jesus. Next come Mark, Luke, and John--all gospels. So in our earliest encounter with the word 'gospel' in the New Testament we find it to be the good news about Jesus Christ and all that his coming into the world entails.

While the word certainly denotes more than just that, I want us to focus on that aspect of it today. (Later, as we progress through the book of Philippians, we will have opportunity to look more closely at other aspects of the word.) And I want us to remember what it was that gave Paul joy in Philippians 1:4,5--namely that the Philippians had been partners with him, fellows in the gospel. They were participants in the good news of Jesus Christ.

Are you? Are you a part of this rag-tag band of followers, the fellowship of the gospel? Do you belong to Christ? Have your sins been forgiven? Are you a believer? If you aren't, then I want to encourage you to keep reading. I want to encourage you to "taste and see that the LORD is good.*" If you are, then rejoice. Christ Jesus has come into the world to save sinners. He has come to seek and to save that which was lost. He has come to redeem the world. He has come to renew all that was ruined in Adam. He has come to set things right. He has come looking for you.

*Psalm 34:8