01 The Gospel Story: The Reign of God – Mission Community Church Collective

We will Discuss the Teaching you worked through the previous week. This is the place to ask questions that arise from the content, talk about what challenged you, and how it made you think.
We will Read through the Bible to further connect the Teaching to what the Bible says.
We will Apply all that we have discussed and talk about action steps that we can take to have the Gospel mold and transform our life, our community, and our world.

The Teaching may take you a few hours each week. Be sure to split it up and do not feel like you have to tackle it one day. The beginning of each session will give you an estimate on how long the teaching should take you to work through it all.

TEACHING

What is the Gospel?

This first teaching is the longest session. You may need to take it in multiple parts. There are breaks to signify a good place to stop. A bit of it has been drawn from Scot McKnight’s book, The King Jesus Gospel.

Reading Time: ~25 minutes
Video Watching: ~1.5 hours

Re-Hearing “Gospel”

When we talk about the “Gospel” what do we actually mean?

“Gospel” is a part of the Christian vernacular: we read the Gospels—those first four books of the New Testament; listen to Gospel music; live in Gospel community; share the Gospel; receive the Gospel; serve the Gospel; so-on and so-on. It is pretty common in the church and Christian community to use the word “Gospel” as though everyone has the same understanding of what it means. Sure it is “Good News”, but what is that news?

The problem for many of us is that we have understood the Gospel in relation to its effects (salvation or going to heaven)—what has come to be called the Simple Gospel. This “simple Gospel” is described by Tim Keller:

A generation ago evangelicals agreed on “the simple gospel”: (1) God made you and wants to have a relationship with you, (2) but your sin separates you from God. (3) Jesus took the punishment your sins deserved, (4) so if you repent from sins and trust in him for your salvation, you will be forgiven, justified, and accepted freely by grace, and indwelt with his Spirit until you die and go to heaven.
Tim Keller, “Tim Keller Explains the Gospel” (Acts 29, 2008)

A few problems about this Gospel is that:

It is completely individualistic—meaning the only one affected by the gospel is the one who receives it;
It can lead to what some have called “divine child abuse”—an angry God who punishes His own Son because of humanity (not exactly a God many would want to worship);
Why do we have the whole Bible when “the Gospel” is summed up in Gen.1-3 and the cross of Jesus? Or, even more simply, Romans 1-5 (what has been named the “Romans Road”)?
It has zero effect upon our life here and now—the only effect is when “you die and go to heaven”;
As Keller rightly points out in the article: there is no such thing as a “simple gospel” because the gospel is always contextualized.

In Gospel Formation we will focus on the first four issues on how, by re-hearing the Gospel, the Gospel is…

About more than just me;
It is about a God who is wholly worthy of our love, devotion, and worship;
The Gospel is much bigger (not more complex) than what the “simple Gospel” offers
And it completely effects every part of our lives.
(The final issue is worked out in BLESS: Incarnational Living).

What is “Gospel”

“Gospel” (euangelion—lit. “good message or news”), with its cognates—so the gospel, to gospel, and gospeller—is used 140 times in the New Testament; needless to say, this is an important idea to the authors who composed the first accounts of Jesus and the early church. The Apostle John seems to be the only author who does not use “Gospel”, but instead just calls it the “Message” and focuses more on the Person giving the message.

During the time the New Testament was being written (mid to late 1st century AD) “gospel” was a common word used to describe the announcement of a king—either coming to power or his proclamations. A herald (AKA, gospeller) would show up in a town, go to the center square or market, and often in a “called assembly” (ekklesia, same name for church) of the city, and proclaim the king’s message. Here is an example of this common “gospel” about Augustus Caesar from 9BC (roughly 40 years before Jesus’ public ministry). Imagine a gospeller coming into the town square and announcing this “good message”:

The province which has ordered the whole of life, showing concern and zeal, has ordained the most perfect consummation for human life by giving to it Augustus, by filling him with virtue for doing the work of a benefactor among men, and by sending in him, as it were, a savior for us and those who come after us, to make war to cease, to create order everywhere…; the birth of the god (Augustus) was the beginning for the world of the glad tidings that have come to men through him…
The inscription was found in Priene on the Asia Minor coast: Priene Inscriptions, ed. by F. Hiller von Gärtringen, 105, 40.

When you think of “the Gospel of Jesus”, is this what you imagine? Is this not the same message that the angel announced at the birth of Jesus—in many ways in contradiction to Caesar?

The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for see, I am bringing you good news (Gospel) of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord… Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!”
Luke 2.10-11, 14

The Plan of Salvation

The “Plan of Salvation” is what is ascribed to how someone ‘gets saved’. It is summed up typically by the following:

GOD — Good and holy, Creator of everything.
SIN ― Humanity, as God’s image bearers, falls in sin.
CONDITION — Humanity is under God’s judgment due to sin.
JESUS ― Through the atoning death of Jesus humanity has forgiveness of sins.
FAITH ― We need to respond in faith to be saved by Jesus (Faith alone in Christ alone)

This sounds like the ‘Simple Gospel’ because this is what many equate with the Gospel. However, I am going to say something quite controversial: this is not the Gospel. The Plan of Salvation is true, but it, in and of itself, is not the Gospel. The Gospel is much bigger, much further-reaching, and much more good news.

This Plan of Salvation, when it is “the Gospel”, causes a “who’s in-who’s out” mentality. People are placed in one of two camps: saved and unsaved. There is no need for discipleship, following Jesus, justice ministry, sharing Jesus, compassion ministry, or serving Jesus. The only thing of importance is to be in the saved camp. Oftentimes this Salvation Culture simply associated with being ‘saved from’ (saved from hell, condemnation, penalty of sin) at the disregard of being saved for a purpose. When we read the Bible and look at church history, we see that the latter takes prominence, while still giving credit to the former.

There is a story that is the foundation for the “Plan of Salvation”. If our understanding of that story is misplaced then our “Plan of Salvation” will be skewed: what then will be the “Good News” we are trying to communicate?

A Story-Formed People

In the absence of story we create one.

Think back to the last time you saw someone cut you off while driving, or weave dangerously through traffic, or whiz by you on the highway. Most of the time we create a story to either condemn or justify what they are doing:

“They must be trying to get to the hospital; their wife is in labor and they’re rushing to get there in time!”

Or maybe, more pessimistically:

“They are lunatics who don’t care about other people’s safety!”

When we don’t fully understand a situation, or why certain events take place, we will create a story. This story is formed through our understanding of the world. This is called a “worldview” and is simply how we interpret and understand the world as we know it. We project our experiences, our understandings, our views upon the void of story.

Perhaps you were the person having to rush to the hospital for whatever reason; or perhaps you were hit by a crazy driver—these stories from our life we then reflect onto our situations, experiences, and events.

We are story-formed people. Each of us are born and begin the story of our life, affected by the story of our parents, our community, our country, and, yes, the world. In trying to understand the Gospel, we must place it within the context of its proper story. Then God’s story can form us into all that God wants us to be and engage in—the fullness of human life.

Now, take this idea, “in the absence of story we create one”, and place it in the context of the our faith, the Bible, and the “Plan of Salvation”—what happens when we don’t know the story beneath it?

The “Plan of Salvation” is like a building, built on top of a foundation of story: so what story is its foundation?

The answer to the question is very important! For if we have a faulty foundation we will fashion a Jesus after our likeness or our community; we will read the Bible through the lens of my life; and the “Plan of Salvation” is placed intomy story—the way I understand the world. The problem with this is that you and I are not the center of the story for we did not create the universe. Our life exists within a story, and it is not our story, it is God’s.

When we begin to realize and understand our lives as a part of God’s overarching story (the fancy word is metanarrative), we can begin to understand who we are, our purpose within the story, and can interpret the world around us much better because we know the Gospel story and our place within it.

Our identity is not formed in a vacuum. Story is the context of where our identity is received. Just like your story is formed by where you were born, experiences that you have had, and by other’s stories, like your parents’ and grandparents’.

The message the angels announced to the shepherds in Luke 2 is told from within the context of a story. The story is the reason the shepherds responded in the way they did. If the story behind this announcement was unknown to them, they probably would have stood there dumbfounded.

So, what Story is the foundation for our “Gospel”?

Hidden Worldviews, by Steven Wilkens and Mark Sanford, outlines eight worldviews in Western Culture that commonly play into our understanding of the world around us—and ultimately our faith. Each of these worldviews has truth to them, but ultimately each distorts the gospel in one way or another.

As the demon-leader, Screwtape, writes to his fellow demon nephew, Wormwood, in The Screwtape Letters, “Everything has to be twisted before it’s any use to us. We fight under cruel disadvantages.” We must understand that each of these can disguise themselves as truth, but there is a twisting in each of them that will send us off in a bad trajectory.

Individualism — the story that I am the center of the universe

Consumerism — the story that I am what I have

Nationalism — the story that my nation (or political party) is God’s nation (or political party)

Moral Relativism — the story that there is no absolute truth

Scientific Naturalism — the story that only matter is important

New Ageism — the story that we are gods

Postmodern Tribalism — the story that only my “tribe” or worldview is what matters

Salvation Therapy — the story that you can find salvation through inner exploration

The story founding our “Plan of Salvation” is often skewed because we do not have a proper understanding of the story of the Bible. We read the Bible, but our reading of the Bible is through the lens of these worldviews or our own experiences instead of allowing the Bible to read us and form our story.

The Bible

Many reflect on the Bible as a list of “rules and doctrines”, or perhaps deeper as “a jumble of history, poetry, lessons in morality and theology, comforting promises, guiding principles, and commands.”

In actuality, the Bible is “a unified and coherent narrative that records the unfolding of God’s purpose” centered around the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus—as Tim and Jon from the Bible Project say: “it is a unified story that leads to Jesus.”

From the Old Testament looking forward, to the New Testament looking back, it is the testimony of Jesus and reveals the good news of what God has accomplished, is accomplishing, and will ultimately accomplish.

A testimony is a story. Think of a courtroom where a witness is called up to give their account, their testimony, their story, of what took place. The Bible testifies of the Gospel of the kingdom of God which forms, not simply Christians’ understanding, but is the story of all creation, all people, all nations, all tribes, everywhere. This is the uniqueness of the Christian faith—it tells the story, not just of one people group, but of the whole earth. It resonates with all humanity because it makes the claim of the God who made everything and His purpose for everything.

So when we read the Bible, we don’t read it trying to discern what God is speaking to me. We read it to know God, who He is, centered on the person and work of Jesus by the Spirit. It is through knowing God and His purpose for the world that shapes who we are and our understanding of the world. Don’t ask, “What are you speaking to me?” As if I am the center of the Bible revelation. Ask, “How are You revealing Yourself to me?”

Sometimes this can be difficult to discern because the Bible was written 2000-3000 years ago in another language, culture, and worldview. This is where those who have studied the Bible, its language, culture, and worldview can help it make sense to us!

The Kingdom Story

When Jesus came on the scene and announced “I must proclaim the good news (Gospel) of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, for that is why I was sent.” (Luke 4.43), he was announcing the climatic work of God’s story coming to fulfillment. This one phrase, ‘the kingdom of God’, is shorthand for “the story of God’s reign over creation”. This Story of God can be summarized in these five words:

RESIDENCE → REBELLION → REDEMPTION → RESURRECTION → RESTORATION

RESIDENCE — The Triune God creates everything, and declares it “good”. He does this to live and dwell with His people as sovereign King (Gen 1.1; 3.8)! Humanity, as His image bearers (1.26-27; 2.7), are His priests (2.15) and subsovereigns given the purpose to reign, subdue (1.26), carry God’s image throughout the earth (1.28), and to create by cultivating and caring for the beauty of creation (2.15).

REBELLION — Humanity, however, rebelled against God (Gen. 3.16-17; 3.6) and sin entered the world. Sin, in its simplest meaning is a twisting of God’s purposes. It causes separation from God (3.23-24), because God created everything to dwell with His creation; it causes broken relationships (Gen. 4), because God created humanity to live in peace and harmony (shalom) with one another; it causes exploitation of the earth (11.3-4), because God created it for good and for His praise. Ultimately, sin causes death—complete separation and the opposite of creation (Gen. 2.17; Rom. 6.23).

REDEMPTION — However, God did not want His good creation to see corruption because of sin so He made a plan to Redeem it from sin, Reconcile humanity to Himself, and Restore creation to the fullness of His purpose for it. Beginning with Abraham, God set a plan in motion so that all the earth would be blessed. The rest of the Old Testament testifies to God’s movement towards this work. Forming the nation of Israel who God would be their King and through their purpose as priests and lights to the world, they would bring about God’s blessings.

RESURRECTION — However, the people of Israel constantly fell back into rebellion. This plan finds its climax in the person and work of Jesus—the High Priest and Light of the world. Who, having lived the life humanity was intended to live as the perfect image of God, He died on the cross at the hands of evil, but death could not reign over Him—He arose from the dead—defeating the power of sin and reconciling humanity back to God through Himself.

RESTORATION — Now the new creation has come in Jesus (John 20; 2 Cor. 5). God’s new creation project has begun as He restores the earth to what He originally intended for it: a place of justice, peace, and joy (Rom. 14.17; Rev. 11.15). A place where He will dwell with His people (1 Cor 15; Rev. 21), they will serve Him as priests, reigning as we were intended to, spreading His glorious image across the globe, cultivating creation to the praise of Him, and caring for it to bring about its blessing. This will come to its completion at Jesus’ return—when the high priest and true King reigns over all and in all.

Read “The (Short) Story of God” and watch one of the following videos on the Story of God.

NT Wright: “Sweep of Scripture” (~1hr)
- Highly recommended. Listen to it on Podcast if it better suits you. Spotify Link
- If you want to skip Wright’s Intro about Platonism, Enlightenment, and Epicureanism, jump to 10:30.
Bible Project: “The Story of the Bible” (~5min)

STORY OF GOD

The Kingdom Plan

God has a plan for His creation, and it’s not destruction! This plan is to restore everything in Christ Jesus and establish the (re)New(ed) Creation: where heaven and earth will be united (Eph. 1.10). Yes, there is an end with fire. But this is not the fire of destruction and obliteration, it is the fire of refinement. Like a silversmith, God purifies His creation—removing its impurities and imperfections—until He sees His own reflection in it (Mal. 3.2-3). Yes, the justice of God will prevail, but not at the expense of His good creation, but rather for its healing and restoration.

‘Salvation’, then, cannot be reduced to being ‘saved from hell’ or even being ‘saved from sin’. In its fullness, ‘Salvation’ can be understood in terms of ‘deliverance’ and ‘freedom’. It is about being saved, delivered, and set free from the penalty, the power, and (eventually) the very presence of sin; and saved, delivered, and set free to the restorative work of God’s reign in Jesus. Our understanding of ‘salvation’ must be found from within the Kingdom Story. When the Kingdom Story is left out, we have no foundation for the Plan of Salvation and we lay it upon whichever story we most relate to:

Individualism—God saved me so I can go to heaven
Consumerism—God saved me so I can be prosperous
Postmodern Tribalism—God saved only me and my people; or God saved all people, whether they come under Jesus or not

However, if we remove the Plan of Salvation from the foundation of the Kingdom Story, we are left to build our own way of salvation. This is in many ways what the Humanist Movement and the Social Gospel have done. Humanity can be its own savior.

We need both, the Plan of Salvation settled on top of the foundation of the Kingdom Story. When these two are together, then the message of the Gospel can have its full and awesome effect upon our life, our family, our community, and to the ends of the earth.

The Good News of God’s Reign in Jesus

What then is our gospel? It is the announcement, made in the of the Spirit, that the crucified and risen Jesus is Lord. This announcement constitutes a summons to all people to discover the true fulfillment of every human aspiration and every human dream, by the paradoxical route of taking up the cross and following Jesus. This will mean giving up the idols that promise the earth, and embracing the God who promises new heavens and a new earth as the true fulfillment of the present creation. It will mean summoning the powers that at present rule the world to give place to the wise and healing rule of Jesus. There should, of course, be no minimizing of the cost involved in worshiping the true God when surrounded on all sides by idolatry. Aspirations and dreams will find themselves put to death before they can rise again. But this gospel calls human beings, individually and corporately, to find, in cross, resurrection, and Spirit, the gift of genuine humanness. This is the gospel we are called to believe and announce.
NT Wright, Bringing the Church to the World, p.206.

Watch this short video on “Jesus is Lord” by Alan Hirsch.

Conclusion

These three words summarize the Gospel: “Jesus is Lord”. If Jesus is Lord, then I am not. If Jesus is Lord, then He is worthy of my wealth. If Jesus is Lord, then my nation is not. If Jesus is Lord, then He is absolute truth. If Jesus is Lord, then He is Lord of heaven and earth. If Jesus is Lord, then only He is God. If Jesus is Lord, then only His worldview matters. If Jesus is Lord, then freedom is only found in Him.

He has proven His Kingship over all, proven His way is the Way, and proven that He has reconciled us back to God through His death on the cross by raising from the dead. He was exalted to the right hand of God and now the loving and healing rule of Jesus, which is full of justice, peace (shalom), and joy (Rom. 14.17), can be received—affecting our lives, our community, and the entirety of His creation. The Good Message is that Jesus is King and He has made a way of redemption from the power of sin and evil, reconciliation with God and one another, and restoration of God’s true purpose for His creation.

HUDDLE

DISCUSS IT

What challenged you in the teaching?
What questions were raised in the teaching?
How does this affect your understanding of the “Gospel”?

READ IT

1 Corinthians 15

What are the elements of the gospel according to Paul?
What does Paul spend most of the time writing on in relation to the gospel? Why is this point so important?
What is the connection between Resurrection and New Creation?

*1 Cor 15.29 – This is a very strange verse. Many have offered perspectives into what it means, including the Mormons who actually baptize themselves on behalf of those who have died. The two likeliest ways to understand this passage, however, are:
1) Paul is saying that continuing to baptize others into the faith and ministry of the church is pointless if the dead are not raised. Baptism here is more a reference to succession in ministry than coming into the family of God.
2) Paul is focused on the people being baptized themselves, for their own death. Baptism is the symbol of dying and resurrecting, so Paul’s argument is that baptism is completely pointless if there is no resurrection.

APPLY IT

How does this understanding of “Gospel” affect your daily life?
What needs to change in your life to come under Jesus’ Kingdom?
How do we go about revealing the reign of God in Jesus?

CONTENTS

The Gospel Story

The Reign of God

Gospel Formation OVERVIEW

PART 1 – Re-hearing the Gospel

PART 2 – The Gospel and the Person

PART 3 – The Gospel and the Community

PART 4 – The Gospel and the World