The word "gospel" comes from the Greek word "euangelion," which means "good news". In the New Testament, it refers to the announcement that Jesus has brought the reign of God to our world through his life, death, and resurrection from the dead. The gospel is the possession of Jesus, but even more, Jesus is the heart of the content of the gospel. The gospel is the good news that God loves the world enough to give His only Son to die for our sin, and our salvation, eternal life, and home in heaven are guaranteed through Christ.

The four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, offer the earliest accounts of the story of Jesus, namely his life, death, and resurrection. They share four features that make them unique amongst other biblical stories or contemporary biographical narratives. First, they expertly weave in Old Testament stories into the story of Jesus. Second, the stories are designed to make claims about the identity of Jesus. Third, they all present the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus as the climax of the entire biblical narrative. Finally, the chronology of events has been rearranged to better reveal unique aspects of Jesus’ character.

The gospel is the whole of Scripture, but more narrowly, it is the good news concerning Christ and the way of salvation. It is a bold, powerful, and saving message that can truly reform the human heart. The gospel is so simple that a child can comprehend it yet so profound that you will spend a lifetime exploring and experiencing its fullness.