THE GOOD NEWS: WHY WE PREACH IT

WHY DO WE PREACH THE GOODNEWS?

If you knew something that could completely change someone's life, would you keep it to yourself? If you knew there was hope for the hopeless, forgiveness for the sinner, reconciliation with God, and eternal life through Jesus Christ, would you tell somebody? This is at the heart of why Christians preach the Gospel. The Good News was never meant to stop with us. When we hear the Gospel, repent and believe in Jesus Christ, and receive salvation by grace through faith, we become recipients of something far greater than ourselves.

We have heard the message of what God has done through His Son - and now we have a message worth sharing. Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes...” - Romans 1:16 (NKJV). We do not preach because we think we are better than everybody else. We preach because Jesus saves.

THE GOSPEL IS A MESSAGE THE WORLD NEEDS

Every day, people are searching for answers. Some search for identity in relationships. Others look for fulfilment through money, success, possessions, status, careers, or approval. Some appear to have everything together outwardly while privately carrying pain, guilt, loneliness, fear, or questions about the purpose of life. But humanity's deepest problem goes beyond what can be fixed through greater success, better circumstances, or self-improvement. Our deepest need is reconciliation with God. Sin has separated humanity from God, and we cannot save ourselves through our own goodness. This is why the Gospel is such Good News, and before we can share it clearly, we need to understand the message we have been entrusted with.

THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL

Before we can share the Gospel, we need to understand the message we are sharing. The Gospel begins with the truth that God is holy and we have all sinned against Him. Scripture tells us, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” - Romans 3:23 (NKJV). Sin separates us from God, and we cannot make ourselves right with Him through good works, religious activity, or simply trying to become better people. But God did not leave us without hope. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world, lived without sin, died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. Paul identifies Christ's death for our sins, burial, and resurrection as central to the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1–4. Jesus did what we could never do for ourselves. So, how do we respond? Jesus said, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.” - Mark 1:15 (NKJV).

We are called to turn from sin towards God and place our faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in who He is and what He accomplished through His death and resurrection. Salvation cannot be earned. Ephesians 2:8–9 teaches that we are saved by God's grace through faith, not through our own works. This is the message we preach: we have sinned and need a Saviour; Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose again; and God calls us to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Through Him there is forgiveness, reconciliation with God, salvation, new life, and the hope of eternal life. That is the Good News.

WE PREACH JESUS, NOT OURSELVES

Sharing the Gospel should never become about showing people how knowledgeable, spiritual, or righteous we are. The centre of the Gospel is Jesus Christ. Our testimony may help somebody, our experiences may open a conversation, and our knowledge of Scripture can help us explain the truth. But ultimately, we are not trying to convince people to follow us. We are pointing them towards Him. The Gospel is not, “Look how good I became.” It is, “Look what Jesus has done.” That distinction matters because Christianity is not a message about human beings earning their way towards God. It is the Good News of God's grace and what He has accomplished through Christ.

HOW WILL THEY HEAR?

Romans asks a powerful question: “How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard?” - Romans 10:14 (NKJV). People need an opportunity to hear. Someone may never walk into a church building. They may never open a Bible on their own. They may never search online for a sermon. But they might meet you. They might work beside you, sit next to you, be part of your family, follow your page, read something you have written, hear your testimony, or simply ask why you live differently. Sometimes evangelism begins with one conversation, and we may never know how God will use a simple act of obedience.

JESUS TOLD US TO GO

Sharing the Gospel is not simply an idea Christians developed over time. Jesus commissioned His followers to take the message to others. “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” - Mark 16:15 (NKJV). The word go requires movement. For some people, going may mean travelling across nations as missionaries. For others, their mission field may begin much closer to home - with family, neighbours, workplaces, communities, schools, online spaces, or the person God places directly in front of them. Not everybody will preach from a pulpit, and not everybody will become an evangelist, but every believer can be prepared to point somebody towards Jesus. Your mission field may be closer than you think.

WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST

Scripture gives believers another powerful description: ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador represents someone greater than themselves. They do not carry their own message; they represent the one who sent them. Paul writes, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us...” - 2 Corinthians 5:20 (NKJV). That changes how we think about evangelism because we are representing Christ.

Therefore, how we communicate matters. We can speak truth without becoming cruel. We can stand firmly on Scripture without treating people as enemies. We can share the Gospel with boldness while remembering that the person standing in front of us is someone created in the image of God and someone who needs the same grace we needed. Truth and love do not have to compete with one another.

DON'T BE ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL

One reason we may hesitate to share our faith is fear. What if they reject me? What if they ask a question I cannot answer? What if they think I'm strange? What if I say the wrong thing? What if they don't believe me? These fears can keep us silent, but sharing the Gospel does not mean we must know the answer to every theological question. If you do not know something, it is okay to say, “I don't know, but I can look into that.” Start with what you do know. Know the Gospel, continue growing in Scripture, and be prepared to explain the hope you have in Christ. Your testimony can also help show what Jesus has done in your own life.

Paul's words in Romans 1:16 remind us that we do not need to be ashamed of the Gospel. We can share Jesus with humility, wisdom, compassion, and courage. We do not need to shout at everybody we meet or turn every conversation into an argument, but neither should fear keep us silent. Our responsibility is to faithfully share the truth. We cannot force somebody to believe.

NOT EVERYONE WILL RECEIVE THE MESSAGE

This is something we need to understand when sharing the Gospel. Not everybody will respond positively. Some may listen, some may ask questions, some may reject the message, some may laugh or become uncomfortable, and others may hear something that stays with them long after the conversation has ended. Our responsibility is not to manipulate someone into making a decision. We share Christ faithfully, respectfully, and truthfully while recognising that genuine faith cannot be forced.

Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 3:6–7 that one may plant and another may water, but God gives the increase. This helps remove the pressure of believing every Gospel conversation must immediately end with somebody accepting Christ. Sometimes you may plant a seed and someone else may water it later. Be faithful with the opportunity God gives you and trust Him with the outcome.

OUR LIVES SHOULD SUPPORT THE MESSAGE WE PREACH

Preaching the Gospel involves our words, but our lives should not continually contradict the message coming from our mouths. People may notice how Christians respond when offended, how we treat people who cannot benefit us, how we handle conflict, how we conduct business, how we speak about others, and how we behave when nobody is applauding us.

This does not mean Christians must be perfect before sharing the Gospel. If perfection were required, nobody could preach it. We need God's grace too. But as followers of Jesus, our lives should increasingly demonstrate repentance, humility, forgiveness, love, integrity, and obedience to Christ. Our lives do not replace the Gospel message, but they should point towards the One we preach.

SOMEONE SHARED IT WITH YOU

Take a moment and think about your own journey. How did you first hear about Jesus? Maybe your parents taught you, somebody invited you to church, a friend shared their faith, you heard a preacher, you read Scripture, or somebody simply had enough courage to begin a conversation with you. However, it happened, somewhere along the way, the message reached you. Now think about the person who has not heard. Someone carried the message before us, and now we have the privilege and responsibility of carrying it forward.

DIG DEEPER

Romans 1:16 shows us that Paul was not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Think about what this means personally. Have I allowed fear, embarrassment, rejection, or the opinions of others to stop me from speaking about Jesus? Do I remember that the power of the Gospel does not depend upon my ability to impress somebody?

Romans 10:14 reminds us of the importance of people hearing the message. Who has God already placed around me? Am I prepared to explain the Gospel clearly if somebody asks what I believe? How can I become more intentional about recognising opportunities to point people towards Christ?

2 Corinthians 5:20 describes believers as ambassadors for Christ. An ambassador represents the one who sent them. Consider your own life: What does the way I speak, respond, work, serve, and treat others communicate about the Jesus I represent?

Finally, consider 1 Corinthians 3:6–7. One may plant and another may water, but God gives the increase. How does understanding this remove the pressure to force someone to respond? Can I faithfully share the Gospel while trusting God with what happens afterwards?

PUT IT INTO PRACTICE

This week, begin by praying for someone who does not yet know Jesus and ask God for wisdom and a natural opportunity to speak with them. Prepare yourself by making sure you can explain the Gospel simply and biblically. Listen rather than assuming what another person believes or needs. Share Jesus with humility, truth, and love when the opportunity arises, and then trust God with the outcome, remembering that your responsibility is faithfulness, not forcing a response.

You may plant a seed that somebody else waters later. You may answer one question that causes someone to begin searching. You may share your testimony and open a door for a deeper conversation. Whatever the opportunity looks like, point people towards Jesus rather than yourself.

A REMINDER & ENCOURAGEMENT

You may never stand behind a pulpit or preach to thousands of people, but you can still share the Good News. It may happen across a kitchen table, while having coffee with a friend, through your testimony or writing, in your workplace or community, or during an unexpected conversation.

Ask God to help you recognise the opportunities He places before you. When an opportunity comes, remember that you do not have to make yourself the centre of the conversation. Point them to Jesus. Share what Christ has done. Explain repentance and faith. Tell them about God's grace and that salvation cannot be earned. Because the Gospel was never meant to stop with the person who received it. We receive it. We believe it. We live it. And we share it.

REFLECT 📝

Take some time with God and consider these questions:

• Who first shared Jesus with me?

• Is there somebody God has placed around me who needs to hear the Good News?

• Has fear of rejection or not knowing what to say kept me silent?

• Can I clearly explain the Gospel from Scripture?

• Does the way I live support the message I share?

• Am I trying to point people towards Jesus or towards myself?

Don't rush through these questions. Allow God's Word to examine your heart and consider what practical response you can make.

BEFORE YOU GO

Maybe you already know Jesus but have become hesitant about sharing your faith. You do not need a platform, microphone, ministry title, or perfect theological knowledge before you can tell somebody about Christ. Know the Gospel, continue growing in God's Word, pray for wisdom, and be prepared when opportunities arise.

But perhaps you began this study wanting to understand why Christians preach the Good News and have realised that you have never personally received it. Before the Gospel becomes a message you can share, it must first become a message you receive.

You have seen the message throughout this study: we have sinned and need a Saviour; Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again; and God calls us to repent and believe in Jesus Christ. Salvation is received by grace through faith, not earned through our own goodness.

If you do not yet know Jesus, the Good News is for you too. Turn from sin towards God and place your faith in Jesus Christ. Through Him there is forgiveness, reconciliation with God, salvation, new life, and the hope of eternal life. And once we have received that Good News, may we never forget that someone else still needs the opportunity to hear it.

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FURTHER READING 📖

• Romans 1:16 - The Gospel is the power of God to salvation.

• Romans 3:23 - Humanity's sin and our need for salvation.

• Mark 1:15 - Jesus' call to repent and believe the Gospel.

• 1 Corinthians 15:1–4 - Christ's death for our sins, burial, and resurrection.

• Ephesians 2:8–9 - Salvation by grace through faith, not by works.

• Romans 10:9–15 - Believing, confessing, calling upon the Lord, and the importance of hearing the Gospel.

• Mark 16:15 - Jesus' commission to preach the Gospel.

• Matthew 28:18–20 - Jesus' commission to go and make disciples.

• Acts 1:8 - The Holy Spirit empowering Jesus' disciples to be His witnesses.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 - New life in Christ, reconciliation, and being ambassadors for Christ.

• 1 Corinthians 3:5–9 - Planting, watering, and God giving the growth.

• 1 Peter 3:15–16 - Being prepared to give a reason for our hope with gentleness and respect.

  
  

Read beyond the individual verses where possible and consider the surrounding chapters so you can understand each passage in its biblical context.

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A PRAYER FOR YOU 🕊️

Father, thank You for the Good News of Jesus Christ. Thank You that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. Thank You for the people You used to bring the message of Jesus into our own lives.

Help us never to become ashamed of the Gospel. Give us wisdom, courage, compassion, and discernment when opportunities arise to share Jesus with others. Keep our hearts humble and remind us that we are not better than the people we speak to. We need Your grace too.

Help our lives reflect the message we share. Teach us to speak truth with love, to listen well, and to represent Christ faithfully. Open doors for conversations and help us recognise them when they come.

When we are afraid, remind us that we do not have to know everything.

Help us simply to be faithful with what You have entrusted to us and to trust You with the outcome.

And for anyone reading who has not yet received the Good News for themselves, open their heart to the truth of Jesus Christ.

Lead them to repentance and faith in Him, and may they come to know the forgiveness, reconciliation, salvation, and new life that are found in Christ.

May the Good News continue to go forward, reaching people, families, communities, and nations with the message of Jesus Christ.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

BE ENCOURAGED.

ALL GLORY TO GOD MOST HIGH 🔥

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