What is the Gospel?
It's the day of Pentecost. The first Christians are running about, telling and possibly shouting in a multiplicity of languages the amazing things they've seen God do (this is probably the first time that the faithful people of God are properly called Christians, even though they didn't have that term yet). And with all that excitement, all that confusion, Peter gets up to speak.
Peter tells them the Gospel message.
Christians talk about that a lot. "The Gospel." It's what Christians believe, right? It's what ministers tell people they should believe, right? "Repent and believe in the good news" was a refrain during Lent at my childhood church. Gospel means good news. But what news?
Peter gives us a brilliant line summing it up right at the end of his speech: "Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." - Acts 2:36
God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.
The good news is that Jesus, though crucified, was made Lord - the ruler, the true king - and Christ - the savior, the promised one, the messiah, which is shown magnificently in his resurrection from the dead.
The gospel that Christians believe is that Jesus Christ was crucified, died, and was buried, but that on the third day he rose again from the dead - and he is now our Lord and Savior.
Brothers, what shall we do?
So what do we do with that? Good question. And you're not the only one to ask: the people crowded there "were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Brothers, what shall we do?'" - Acts 2:37
"And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" - Acts 2:38
Believe, repent, and follow together.
They have believed in the gospel, they're called to repent from the ways they're disobeying God, and they're called to follow Jesus through baptism which joins them together with other believers and sets them on track to grow in faith - all empowered by the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.
Some questions to consider:
- In your own words, what is the gospel?
- Do you believe the gospel? When did you start to believe it?
- How have you struggled to live like you believe it?
- Brothers/sisters, what shall you do? How should you follow Peter's call?
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