Jesus is the Perfect Image of God: The Gospel Itself

So you're walking around in the year 14 AD in Jerusalem. It's a normal day. Caesar Augustus is king over all of the Roman Empire, which includes Israel. Suddenly, trumpets blast and everyone is called to attention. A royal announcement is about to be made. The messenger stands in a high place and shouts "The Gospel (Good News) According to Rome! There is a new Caesar, Tiberiuus Augustus! Long life to Caesar, and to Rome!" You have just heard a gospel message. Gospel, in the days of Jesus, was a technical term meaning that either a new heir was born or a new king was crowned. I think the Gospel writers were very particular when they chose the term "Gospel" to describe Jesus. The Gospel itself is a coronation story. Hebrews 1:1-3, our passage from Sunday, describes Jesus in a coronation process. He was not born a king, He did not live a king, but was raised to kingship because of the cross and resurrection (making purification for sins).

That's not the Gospel I so often hear, frankly, and that's a little disturbing. The themes are familiar, forgiveness and purification for sin. But the kingdom part is usually used as a synonym for Church-related stuff. Usually, the Gospel message is that of an evacuation from a disaster area. That is, things are so bad that we need to escape to a "heaven above" to get out of this irredeemable creation. So we get our forgiveness, which is our ticket of entrance, and we get out of Dodge before the real disaster begins.

That's not good news. At least it isn't Gospel good news. That's bad news. If we are waiting for the eradication of the material universe for an eternal existence in heaven, we are looking at the failure of the Creator to sustain material creation. That doesn't sit well with me.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, however, is that there is a new king in this world. A conquering king, if you will, although his "weapons" are love, compassion and service. There is a man in heaven, who sits on the throne, and His name is Jesus. It is this moment of Jesus' coronation that Isaiah gets so excited about in chapter 9 (click Isaiah for the passage I'm talking about).

This Gospel screams good news. This Gospel is hope, this Gospel is motivation and energy. This Gospel rings true, and I hope it rings true for you as well.