When the apostle Peter preached the gospel to the Roman centurion named Cornelius, it was the very first time the good news was shared with non-Jews. Peter’s message included the following statement.
And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. Acts 10:39 (NLT)
Many Old Covenant scriptures predicted the ministry that the Messiah would have, especially the book of the prophet Isaiah. Below are some examples.
On that day the deaf will hear words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see. 19 The afflicted also will increase their gladness in the LORD, And the needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 29:18–19 (NASB95)
Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. 6 Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah. Isaiah 35:5–6 (NASB95)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; Isaiah 61:1 (NASB95)
Jesus referenced snippets from the above verses to reassure John the Baptist that he was indeed the Messiah of Israel.
John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, 3 “Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?” 4 Jesus told them, “Go back to John and tell him what you have heard and seen— 5 the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. 6 And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.’” Matthew 11:2-6 (NLT)
Everything Jesus did confirmed his identity as Messiah. The problem was that people expected something different. They thought the Messiah would come to liberate them from Roman oppression and restore political prominence to Israel.
Most did not understand God’s larger purpose – to redeem all mankind and liberate creation from the bondage brought upon it by Adam’s sin.
Jesus, the Messianic King, revealed the nature of God’s kingdom by liberating people from the tyranny of darkness and bringing them into God’s marvelous kingdom.
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, Colossians 1:13 (NASB95)
A proper gospel presentation will show people how Jesus’ earthly ministry fulfilled Old Covenant prophecies and revealed that he is the Jewish Messiah whom God sent to save the whole world.
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB95)