Gospel in a Minute
Peter referenced Moses’ prophecy found in Deuteronomy 18:15-19.
Moses said, ‘The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from among your own people. Listen carefully to everything he tells you.’ 23 Then Moses said, ‘Anyone who will not listen to that Prophet will be completely cut off from God’s people.’ Acts 3:22-23 (NLT)
Principle: The gospel is a gem set in the context of God’s history with Israel.
Someone once said that if you cannot put your theology on a napkin, something is amiss. I have presented the “four spiritual laws” in this fashion, which is an effective way to explain what some call the “plan of salvation.” But napkin theology is not the gospel.
The gospel is the story of Jesus Christ set in the context of God’s dealings with Israel. Jesus’ incarnation, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and return were all promised in the Old Testament scriptures. A proper presentation of the gospel will reference these promises in an effort to provide context and corroboration of the truth of the gospel.
Jesus did not just “show up” out of nowhere. He came to fulfill God’s eternal plan on our behalf and to bring his Father great glory. If we want to become more accurate and effective gospel communicators, we will make the effort to study how the apostles preached the good news and follow their lead.
