A Quick Paragraph or Two

The Gospel is the word Evangelion in the greek. It means good news or victories. The gospel of a particular roman general is simply the story of his Victories or at least the good news he brings back from the front lines. When Jesus followers talk about the Gospel, they are referring to the victories and good news of Jesus. My community, the Village, is at the beginning of a study exploring the different aspects of the Gospel. Most recently, we have been looking at Jesus' story in light of John 1:1-18.

John tells Jesus' story upfront before he even begins his Gospel. Jesus, or the word, was in the beginning. He created everything. He was the light of the world. We reject the Light. He conquers darkness and offers us an opportunity to be made into the children of God - if we are willing to receive and believe Him. The Ancients gave us laws to obey. Jesus came and gave us the gift of life and truth. He came and took up residence with us. If we see and experience him - we have experienced the Father.

This simple story is so powerful and life transforming - as a person who is sure he can't get it right - I find Jesus' story freeing. The rules, the getting it right, the performance, and the darkness of my life are all taken away by Jesus' Story.