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Tag: Gospel

The Gospel is Good News to all who will humbly accept Jesus and listen to His teaching.

We refer to the four books of the Bible which tell the story of Jesus Christ as the Gospels. These books are named for their authors: Matthew, a Jewish Apostle; Mark, a disciple of the first generation who recorded accounts of Peter and the Twelve; Luke, a gentile Physician and disciple of the first century; and John, one of the Twelve Jewish Apostles chosen by Jesus.

Apocalypse 3 – the Gospel Proclaimed from Heaven to Earth
What Apocalypse?

Or you might ask, ‘What revelation?’

We defined these last time in Apocalypse 2 – Good News Unsealed from the original Greek of this Scripture – ἀποκάλυψις.

apokalypsis of THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

Do you see it behind this graphic?

I began by pointing toward an apocalypse from heaven as bad news for some yet Good News for others.

Then the kings of the earth and the eminent people.. and the wealthy and the strong.. hid themselves…
Revelation 6:15 excerpt NASB

More about revealing the Good News from heaven to earth in a moment, but first let’s once again define our terms by narrowing what most readers already know about the Gospel.
What is the Gospel?

εὐαγγέλιον

euangelion

a reward for good tidings

{Don’t forget this primary definition about our reward for faith in the Lord.}

good tidings

{The message of good news itself}
We recognize the four books of Scripture known as the Gospels; however note these contextual uses in the New Testament including Acts, the Epistles and one in Revelation with which we will close.

From Strong’s G2098 – euangelion {with thanks to BlueletterBible.org} The KJV translates Strong’s G2098 in the following manner:
1. gospel (46x)
2. gospel of the Kingdom (3x)
3. miscellaneous (10x)
4. gospel of God (7x)
5. gospel of Christ (11x)
If you are looking for a more complete definition of the Gospel you can view it here from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.

Gospel GOOD NEWS: not exclusively about Jesus, but as revealed of eternal life, accessible to sinful man ONLY through Him.
Roger @ talk of Jesus {dot}.com

Gospel – 77x as a noun

But wait, Gospel is also a verb of action.

Here will be where we must understand distinctions between recognizing Good News, its messengers (be they angels of heaven or saints of the earth), recipients of the Good Message and actions of response.

εὐαγγελίζω – euangelizō – verb – (55x)

– from G2095 and G32; to announce good news (“evangelize”) especially the gospel:—declare, bring (declare, show) glad (good) tidings, preach (the gospel).
- used in the OT of any kind of good news
- in NT primarily:
1. preach (23x),
2. preach the Gospel (22x)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord…

And he began to say unto them, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.” – Luke 4:18,21 KJV

The Gospel of the End!

Why should we pay attention to Jesus concerning the apocalypse?
- The Gospel is not just the four books Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
- It is not only a noun we can describe
- or is it all preaching and door-to-door evangelism.
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Don't be misled by christian claimants hitting you over the head with a Jesus sign or hateful christian morality; for they may be members of the synagogue of Satan or white-cloaked followers of false prophets.
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The Lord has revealed to John, the Apostles and those with ears to hear Who He IS!

Α ἄλφα & ō Ω

Revealing the Ending First

Before we move on to the opening of the seals which reveal the apocalypse, let’s not miss what Jesus says to John about Himself.

Jesus states (4x) in Revelation:

I am Alpha and Omega..

The Revelation of Jesus Christ

apokalypsis of Good News

omega revealing the end

The Revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place.

I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.
Revelation 1:8 KJV

The Book of Revelation opens with this apokalypsis of WHO JESUS IS! Twice in the beginning of the apocalypse the LORD says HE IS:

the Α ἄλφα & the ō Ω.

Jesus instructs John to write to the seven churches with pointed exhortation of encouragement for some and warning for others. We see symbolism of the Holy of holies in heaven!

John uncovers the place of the churches in the Most Holy Place in Heaven — IF the saints of the church will abide by the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Members of the 21st century churches would do well to heed Christ’s warnings to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 in these last days. I cannot take time to reinforce these teachings from Revelation which I have preached previously.

Peeking at THE END

NEXT: We will open the seals hiding the omega of time from us. (I cannot unfold the entire apocalypse before its time.) Yet consider briefly and glance ahead to a Scripture near the ending of the Book.

And He who sits on the throne said,
“Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Then He said to me, “It is done.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end..
Revelation 21:5-6a NASB
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To be continued...
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February 5, 2021
Loneliness in the Solitary Confinement || Distanced from Friends
Security

Story of a man awakened

I’d like to continue from what I told you last time. You need to know what happened after a rude awakening from my dream of when my wife and I were in Eden walking with God as if HE Who Created All was my friend!

You know of course that I awoke to this day and not a time before Abraham and you may have heard or read my story, but I wanted to tell you how I felt at the time.

A Knock at the Door

We lay intertwined embraced in warmth flowing from fingertips to toe. Our paradise shattered as I awoke to a loud knock on the door…

“David! . . . Lend me three loaves!”

Who is this at this late hour, I thought? Then as I recognized my neighbor’s outcry at our door,

“Shaul, is that you?” I inquired.

“Of course it’s me. Who else would it be at this hour?” my neighbor responded as he continued,

“A friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.”

We had just fallen asleep and I retorted,

“Do not bother me. As you can plainly see the door has already been shut and we are all in bed.”

“Come on, David, I have nothing to eat for my friends who have just arrived,” he replied.

“I cannot get up and give you anything,” I again said even though my wife and I were awake by now.

Shaul again began shamelessly knocking at our door as my wife looked toward me with that look.

“Alright, my friend,” I shouted over his knocks as I headed to the door.

“I will give you your bread.”

A Parable of Separation

You know this story.

Perhaps the characters are purely fictional as in most parables; but like many of Jesus’ parables, He probably retold it in many places to different crowds in various ways.
- Can you identify with the family behind locked doors in the darkness, separated from friends and seeking peace?
- Or perhaps you can imagine that you are the friend of Shaul, who has traveled a day’s journey and arrived unexpectedly late.
Your good friend didn’t even know that you were coming to him in person. And all of you were overjoyed for this personal reunion!

Friends — no longer separated by distance.

AND your friend is even willing to go to his friend and neighbor for something to eat while rejoined in communion with each other.

Picture Paradise when Heaven’s Door | of Separation | is Opened

I have just illustrated Jesus’ parable with names of appropriate symbolism as the Lord occasionally does. [i.e. Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham]

שאול
Shaul

Shaul means, “borrowed.” http://blb.sc/000vVY

“Lend me three loaves,” he begs his beloved friend.

דָּוִד

David

David means, “friend” or “beloved.” http://blb.sc/001ccS

“This is my beloved and this is my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.” – Song 5:26b NASB

and behold, a voice out of the heavens said,
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”
says the LORD, the God of Israel – Gospel of Matthew 3:17

The Gospel of Luke 11:

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, when He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, “Lord, teach us to pray…

We know it as:

The Lord’s Prayer

Jesus’ Disciples were already isolated ‘in a certain place.’

No show here for church friends

or ritualized rote of memorized obligation.

Father, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins…
Gospel of Luke 11:2b-4a NASB

Christ’s application in an isolated place

Jesus, of course, is talking about prayer – petitions of a sinful man to a Father God | separated from man | by holiness.

Here is a man alone secure in his home praying – spirit to Spirit.

Perhaps he does dream of Paradise | personal relationship with the Lord God | as it was in the beginning.

Jesus invites His followers to a place | separated and distanced from others in this world.

The call to prayer is to the Father of His beloved children.

a friend at the door | to a Friend inside

I’ve told you this parable from a perspective of the FRIEND INSIDE.

The Lord Jesus speaks to each SINNER as a friend knocking | adam knocking repeatedly on the DOOR | of Heaven through prayer.

Jesus says of the FRIEND inside who I have just described in this parable:

8 I tell you, even if he will not get up and give him anything just because he is his friend, yet because of his shamelessness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.
- You and I are Shaul, the borrower of bread.
- Our Heavenly Father is David | our beloved friend with the bread of Heaven, which He now has given to us after having answered a knock at His door.
It is His story I have just told!

Our beloved Heavenly Father and Friend invites you to share the Bread that came down from Heaven – the Bread of Life, Christ Jesus Who IS the Son and | Door to eternal life.

Jesus answers disciples asking about prayer with a parable of the Father | who once again desires the Personal Face-to-face fellowship of Eden.

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you;
seek, and you will find;
knock, and it will be opened to you.
For everyone who asks receives,
and the one who seeks finds,
and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.
The Good News of Luke 11:9-10 NASB | Jesus on prayer to the Father

NEXT: A look at Social Distancing of the Church in a 1st century world of violent upheaval.
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To be continued...
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January 13, 2021
JOHN 2020 Good News for A.D. 2020
Intro to the Gospel of John

IN THE BEGINNING: λόγος logos

Intro to talk of Jesus .com

in A. D. 2020

talk of Jesus .com shared the Gospel of John
in the context of A.D. 90, with application to A.D. 2020,
rather than chronologically, culturally or by chapter & verse..
..while during recent months:
- some sought to stream the stage of worship
- some sent seeker-friendly scripture into our homes
- some church communities disintegrated while others diminished & distanced (like our 2020 remote office meetings complete with slides).
To review the Gospel of John, simply click on any link in the outline below & it will open in a new window.
Roger – author of A.D. 2020 series on the Gospel of John

I hope you were blessed by the secure links to reliable sites for further study of Scripture, as well as insight into the 1st century church of John’s Gospel (written ~A.D.- 90).

Scripture encourages us to a more mature faith.

John’s Prologue – Good News!

IN THE BEGINNING was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.

ALL THINGS came into being through Him, and apart from Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of

MANKIND.

And the Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not grasp it.

14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us; and we saw His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God [Son] who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.
John 1:18 NASB

The Book of the Prologue

John’s Prologue [1:1-18], from which the Apostle next proceeds to the testimony of John the Baptist and the Messiah’s calling of the Twelve, states many important theological themes & along with his Epilogue [21:1-25 {linked below}] provides additional depth of purpose of John’s Gospel.

John’s Prologue & Epilogue

“Follow Me

In A.D. 2020, this is where we began our deep dive into the Good News of John.

Signs – Jesus IS the Messiah

Unless the Father draws you – Signs

Do you believe in the Son of Man?

Life in the Holy Spirit

John 3: “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” …

Teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ
- ‘My Father’s House – John 2
- “You must be born again.
- I am the Messiah – John 4
- Before Abraham was, I AM
- John 11
- “..and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal.
- also love one another-John 13
- Jesus prays – John 17
- Jesus answered him – John 19:11
Jesus said:
Gospel of John

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! – John 1:29b

As Jesus passed by, He saw a man who had been blind from birth. – John 9:1

Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?” – John 8:53

“But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. – John 10:26-28

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise from the dead.” .. “I am the resurrection and the life; the one who believes in Me will live, even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” – John 11:23,25

talk of Jesus .com

About the Author John -2- Sons of Zebedee

The Gatekeeper & the Shepherds – the Door

Before Abraham was, I AM

If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly

Even in the unexpected crisis of these last days what does man fear most?
from Lazarus – HELP from the grave

Death!

It is finished.. + Death’s witnesses

Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness
The Hour Is Come

“Indeed, an hour is coming, and has come, when each of you will be scattered to his own home..

.. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.”

John 16:32-34 excerpt CSB
“Take heart,” the Lord Jesus encourages disciples, I have overcome the world.”
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
John 20:20 KJV

Unrelenting Bad NEWS of A.D. 2020

What must I do with the GOOD NEWS

of Jesus Christ?

Good News for A.D. 2020 – A.D. ∞

Hear all the unrelenting bad news of yesterday or today.

For followers of Jesus, His death diminished life’s hope in eternal life; that is until the Gospel of the Lord’s resurrection reached the eyes and ears and touch of His dearly beloved friends.

John and the Disciples witnessed the Lord Jesus in His Risen Flesh many times after His resurrection.

“Peace be with you.”

And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
John 20:20

Their sorrow had turned into joy and so must ours; for in Christ Jesus his disciples of every generation have eternal life through His sacrifice for our sins. This is our Gospel, His Good News to those who would believe.

NEWS of A.D. 2021

SEE what follows JOHN 2020 in JOHN 2021.

“Peace to you,” yet also a command of the risen Christ Jesus.

& without Him:

EXPECT MORE BAD NEWS

John’s Epilogue
John 20:30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.

But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:21 CSB

I pray that the Lord has blessed you through the Gospel of John in A.D. 2020
Roger – Roger@talkofJesus.com

May our Lord Jesus Christ draw you into His grace, giving you new hope of Eternal Life in the YEAR OF OUR LORD 2021, in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, AMEN.
December 30, 2020