Week 1, Day 1: What is the Gospel?

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We invite you to watch the video, as Michael Oh, Lausanne Movement Executive Director, shares on the topic of “What is the Gospel?”

“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints…I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world…I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine…I have often intended to come to you…So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”

Romans 1:7-15

It is interesting that Paul, speaking to Christians in Rome, says that he is “eager to preach the gospel to you”.  Why would he say that?  Is it because he was concerned that some of the Romans were actually unbelievers?  Perhaps. But more than this, Paul understands that the Gospel is the beginning and ending of our life in Christ.  At every point in life we need the truth and fruit of the Gospel. It is our lifeblood.  It is, as Paul says in the next verse “the POWER OF GOD”.

Let us speak the Gospel to each other…hearing again and again the Gospel of Christ preached to us as believers…to recall what God has done for us! Indeed, this first week of our prayer emphasis we will look again and again in wonder at the power of the Gospel, and at the wisdom and graciousness of our God in what he has done to reconcile the world to himself (2 Corinthians 5:19).

Have you lost your joy of God’s salvation?  Have you relied on your own strength instead of what he provides?  Have you taken credit for what God has accomplished?  Have you allowed the Gospel to continue to shape you since you first put your trust in him?  In ways that we have not lived in the overwhelming confidence and faith in Christ’s sacrifice, let’s confess it to God.  Together, let’s declare again to him our need, and let’s give praise to the only one worthy – our savior Jesus Christ, the God of our salvation.

Father God, forgive us for forgetting the joy of the knowing your Son as personal Savior.   Renew yourself in our hearts and minds.  Restore our passion and our energy for sharing you.  Amen.

This blog is a part of the Lausanne Global Prayer Focus. We invite you to journey with The Lausanne Movement in prayer throughout the month of May. This journey will be a personal one, and a collective one. It will be focused on the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, his good news for all people.

In week 1, we are focusing on The Message of the Gospel. pdfDownload a prayer guide for the week, or visit lausanne.org/pray to access the new content daily. You may also enter your email on this page to be sent a weekly email reminder with the new prayer content each week of May. Be sure to select “Prayer” as a Topic Interest.