Study of the Bible Community Group
The Bible unfolds like literature, and we follow the instructions like marching orders. The last orders supersede the previous ones. So the New Covenant (Testament) gives the design of who we are, what we do, and how we meet. What do you see in it, that can help us live better?
What is the true Gospel preached by Jesus and the apostles?
Was Jesus's death and resurrection preached thru out the land or was it something else.
The Kingdom of God (God's coming Kingdom on earth) IS the Gospel message, without which we have no Gospel at all. This Gospel preached by Christ all through his ministry did not include the facts concerning his death. This is positively proved by the fact that his disciples, who preached the Kingdom with him during his ministry, did not realize that Christ had to die until after his resurrection, and even then it was very hard to convince them of the resurrection, being that his death shocked them so severely and unexpectedly. This is clear from the following words that Jesus spoke to them -
"The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. But they UNDERSTOOD NOT THIS SAYING, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not" (Luke 9:22,44-45).
"Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people... The chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel" (Luke 24:19-21).
We find that even when his resurrection was reported to them by dependable eyewitnesses, they still did not believe it (Luke 24:11). When even the other 10 apostles were convinced by Jesus' actual appearance, and told Thomas, he still would not believe them (John 20:25). Yet they had all been preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom for up to 3 years. Their preaching, long before Christ's death, comprised the Gospel of the Kingdom. So their Gospel must have been far different from that preached by churches today, which only speaks of the death of Christ as their 'gospel' message
The preaching of the Apostles after Christ ascended to the Father continued to be the Gospel of the Kingdom, which had now added thereto the things concerning the death and resurrection of Christ. Therefore it is vitally important that the Gospel they preached be ours, if we would attain to salvation and life -
"When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, AND the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized" (Acts 8:12).
"He (Paul) expounded and testified the Kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening" (Acts 28:23).
Mathew 4v23 "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people."
9v35 "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people."
24v14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
It was the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus's death and resurrection is a part of it now, but that was not preached back then. Jesus's death and resurrection is important. Did Jesus go out and preach that to the world? No. Did the apostles? No. It was the coming Kingdom.
Jesus even taught the apostles to add this in their prayers. "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth......"
We see the time getting close of our Lord's return too. We live in exciting times! And hopefully it will be soon!
Was Jesus's death and resurrection preached thru out the land or was it something else.
The Kingdom of God (God's coming Kingdom on earth) IS the Gospel message, without which we have no Gospel at all. This Gospel preached by Christ all through his ministry did not include the facts concerning his death. This is positively proved by the fact that his disciples, who preached the Kingdom with him during his ministry, did not realize that Christ had to die until after his resurrection, and even then it was very hard to convince them of the resurrection, being that his death shocked them so severely and unexpectedly. This is clear from the following words that Jesus spoke to them -
"The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day. But they UNDERSTOOD NOT THIS SAYING, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not" (Luke 9:22,44-45).
"Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people... The chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel" (Luke 24:19-21).
We find that even when his resurrection was reported to them by dependable eyewitnesses, they still did not believe it (Luke 24:11). When even the other 10 apostles were convinced by Jesus' actual appearance, and told Thomas, he still would not believe them (John 20:25). Yet they had all been preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom for up to 3 years. Their preaching, long before Christ's death, comprised the Gospel of the Kingdom. So their Gospel must have been far different from that preached by churches today, which only speaks of the death of Christ as their 'gospel' message
The preaching of the Apostles after Christ ascended to the Father continued to be the Gospel of the Kingdom, which had now added thereto the things concerning the death and resurrection of Christ. Therefore it is vitally important that the Gospel they preached be ours, if we would attain to salvation and life -
"When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God, AND the Name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized" (Acts 8:12).
"He (Paul) expounded and testified the Kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets, from morning till evening" (Acts 28:23).
Mathew 4v23 "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people."
9v35 "Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people."
24v14 "And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."
It was the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Jesus's death and resurrection is a part of it now, but that was not preached back then. Jesus's death and resurrection is important. Did Jesus go out and preach that to the world? No. Did the apostles? No. It was the coming Kingdom.
Jesus even taught the apostles to add this in their prayers. "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth......"
We see the time getting close of our Lord's return too. We live in exciting times! And hopefully it will be soon!
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