PREACHING THE GOSPEL
Every saved person, having believed into the Lord, must preach the gospel and delights to preach the gospel. The life of God in us, which we have received, is such a life. The more we preach the gospel, the more this life is released, and we will grow accordingly.
I. WHAT THE GOSPEL IS
Being the glad tidings, the good news—“Him that bringeth good tidings…that publisheth salvation” (Isa. 52:7); “Those who announce glad tidings of good things!” (Rom. 10:15).
The gospel is the glad tidings and the good news of great joy, which God asked His servants to announce to men.
II. THE CONTENT OF THE GOSPEL
Jesus Christ—“Bringing the good news of Jesus as the Christ” (Acts 5:42). The chief content of the gospel is Jesus Christ, the Son of God (John 20:31). He is the One who is both God and man (Rom. 1:1-4), who has become the sinners’ Savior (Matt. 1:21).
“The gospel which I preached to you…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor. 15:1-4).
Christ’s death, by which He bore our sins, His burial, and His resurrection are also the main contents of the gospel. What Christ is, His person as the God-man, and what Christ has done, His work of redemption, constitute the contents of the gospel.
III. OTHER DESIGNATIONS OF GOSPEL PREACHING
Witnessing—“Be My witnesses…unto the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
Leading people to the Lord—“Andrew…found first his own brother Simon…He led him to Jesus” (John 1:40-42).
Sowing—“Gathers fruit unto eternal life, that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together” (John 4:36).
Reaping the harvest—“Beseech the Lord of the harvest that He may thrust out workers into His harvest” (Matt. 9:38).
Paying a debt—“I am debtor…to [men]…I am ready to preach the gospel to you” (Rom. 1:14-15).
Fruit-bearing—“I [the Lord] chose you, and I appointed you that you should go forth and bear fruit” (John 15:16).
In the foregoing six portions of the Scripture, witnessing for the Lord, leading people to the Lord, sowing, reaping the harvest, paying a debt, and fruit-bearing are the other designations of gospel preaching.
IV. THE LORD’S CHARGE
“Go therefore and disciple all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19).
“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all the creation” (Mark 16:15).
After the Lord Jesus accomplished the redemption God had planned for His chosen people through His death and resurrection, and when He was about to leave the earth and ascend into heaven, He charged His disciples to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all the creation, discipling all the nations and baptizing them into the Triune God. This is a solemn charge. It was given not only to the disciples who were with the Lord but also to all those who have believed into Him and have been saved throughout the generations. We must, therefore, receive seriously this charge to go and spread the Lord’s gospel.
V. THE SPIRIT OF GOSPEL PREACHING—REVEALING THE ATTITUDE IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL
Burning in spirit—“Being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus” (Acts 18:25).
Being provoked in spirit—“His spirit was provoked in him as he beheld that the city was full of idols” (Acts 17:16).
Not being ashamed—“For I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one…” (Rom. 1:16).
Willing to sacrifice our status—“For though I am free from all, I have enslaved myself to all, that I might gain the more…To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. To all men I have become all things, that I might by all means save some. And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it” (1 Cor. 9:19-23).
Gladly spending and being spent—“But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent on behalf of your souls” (2 Cor. 12:15).
Not being afraid of suffering evil—“Suffer evil with the gospel according to the power of God” (2 Tim. 1:8).
Leaving all—“One who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My [the Lord’s] sake and for the gospel’s sake” (Mark 10:29).
Burning in spirit, being provoked in spirit, not being ashamed of the gospel, willing to sacrifice one’s status, gladly spending and being spent, not being afraid of suffering evil, and leaving all, as mentioned above, are the attitudes we should have in preaching the gospel. May the Lord give us grace that we may imitate the beautiful and excellent patterns of the early saints.
VI. THE PERSONS WHO PREACH THE GOSPEL
Being worthy of the Lord’s gospel—“Conduct yourselves worthily of the gospel of Christ” (Phil.1:27).
Abiding in the Lord—“He who abides in Me [the Lord] and I in him, he bears much fruit” (John 15:5).
The conduct of one who preaches the gospel must be worthy of the Lord’s gospel. He also must be one who abides in the Lord and allows the Lord to abide in him, living together with the Lord without any barriers between him and the Lord.
VII. THE AUTHORITY FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL
The authority of the resurrected Christ—“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and disciple all the nations” (Matt. 28:18-19).
The authority for gospel preaching is all the authority of Christ in heaven and on earth, which transcends all, rules over all, and controls all.
VIII. THE POWER FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL
The power of the consummate Holy Spirit— “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be My witnesses…unto the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
The power for gospel preaching is the very Spirit of power, who is the consummate expression of the Triune God, including the Triune God and all the processes which He has passed through.
IX. HOW TO PREACH THE GOSPEL
Praying—“And as they were beseeching…and spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). For the gospel preaching to be effective, one must be a praying person.
Being filled outwardly with the Holy Spirit— “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). To fulfill our prayer for the preaching of the gospel, there needs to be the outward filling with the Holy Spirit.
Following the Spirit—“And the Spirit said to Philip, Approach and join this chariot. And when he ran up…” (Acts 8:29-30). To be able to preach the gospel, express the Lord’s life, and bear the fruit of life, one must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Being ready in season and out of season— “Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Tim. 4:2). In order to preach the gospel with results, one cannot be limited by time.
Loving people, spending and being spent for them—“But I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent on behalf of your souls, even if loving you more abundantly, I am loved less” (2 Cor. 12:15). Loving others, spending and being spent for them, is also a wonderful and excellent way to preach the gospel.
Speaking the word of God—“…spoke the word of God with boldness” (Acts 4:31). Speaking God’s word and not our own is a great secret to successful gospel preaching. To this end, the booklet “The Mystery of Human Life” published by Living Stream Ministry is highly recommended.
Visiting from house to house to find the sons of peace—“The harvest indeed is vast, but the workers are few; therefore, beseech the Lord of the harvest that He would thrust out workers into His harvest. Go on your way…And into whatever house you enter, first say, Peace to this house. And if a son of peace is there, your peace shall rest upon it” (Luke 10:2-6).
X. THE REWARD FOR PREACHING THE GOSPEL
Being rewarded—“…preach the gospel. For if I do this voluntarily, I have a reward” (1 Cor. 9:16-17).
The reward here surely includes the crown of righteousness mentioned by the Apostle Paul (who also wrote these words) in 2 Timothy 4:7-8. It is difficult to ascertain what else this reward will include. In any case, it will surely be glorious.
XI. THE LOSS OF NOT PREACHING THE GOSPEL
Being woeful—“Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:16).
This is a word spoken by the Apostle Paul, who was faithful through his whole life to preach the gospel for the Lord. He said that woe would be to him if he did not preach the gospel. We do not know what woe may come, but surely it will not be a comfortable or honorable thing. This should serve as a warning to us!
2. Being taken away—“Every branch in Me [the Lord] that does not bear fruit, He [the Father] takes it away” (John 15:2).
These are the Lord Jesus’ personal words of warning to us, saying that the Father will take away every one of His branches which does not bear fruit; thus, this one will lose all the supply and blessing of being His branch and of abiding in Him. What a warning this is!
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