Celebrating the Good News

Celebrating the Gospel

Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the Christ.
His birth was announced by angels.
They brought good tidings of great joy for all people.
(see Luke 2:10)

The word used for “good tidings” in Luke 2:10 is the same word translated “gospel” in Mark 1:15 “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (NASB 2020)

The word means “good news.”
“Gospel” means “good news.”

The birth of Jesus was indeed good news.

Listen to Mark’s account:

Mark 1:14-15 (NASB)
Now after John had been taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

At this early stage of His ministry, Jesus was preparing people for the coming covenant of grace.

Do you see it?
He was preaching the gospel and telling people to repent (change their minds) and believe the gospel.

This is the reason Christmas is such a big deal.

Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law and establish a new covenant dictating new terms for our relationship to God.

It would be a unilateral covenant—a covenant made by God alone.
It would be a covenant in which we have no obligation other than simply believing that God will keep His covenant.

It’s the best news ever because God has done everything necessary for us to become His children. We need only to rest in His finished work.