What is the gospel? Mark 10:29

[atassina]

Mark 10:28-31
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news [gospel],30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

How do I evangelize Catholics and non-Catholics with the gospel? Tell me, what is the gospel, the good news? What have you said, what do you say and what will you continue to say when you are evangelizing? Who, what, where, how, when?

I just don’t know what to say. What did the early Christians say? The old time missionaries? Some help would be great. I am looking more for actual experience rather than an academic or theoretical answer.

 

[Amandil]

Mark 10:28-31
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news [gospel],30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

How do I evangelize Catholics and non-Catholics with the gospel? Tell me, what is the gospel, the good news? What have you said, what do you say and what will you continue to say when you are evangelizing? Who, what, where, how, when?

I just don’t know what to say. What did the early Christians say? The old time missionaries? Some help would be great. I am looking more for actual experience rather than an academic or theoretical answer.

The Gospel is basically that God has sent His Son into the world to save the world. That the Son of God is Jesus of Nazareth, known as the Christ. That He suffered torture and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and that in His sacrifice He atoned for my sins and your sins and for the sins of the world. And that this Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion, and He appeared to many people, and after a time ascended into heaven.

And He will come once again to judge the living and the dead, and bring His kingdom into its fullness for all eternity.

 

[chefmomster2]

Mark 10:28-31

How do I evangelize Catholics and non-Catholics with the gospel? Tell me, what is the gospel, the good news? What have you said, what do you say and what will you continue to say when you are evangelizing? Who, what, where, how, when?

I just don’t know what to say. What did the early Christians say? The old time missionaries? Some help would be great. I am looking more for actual experience rather than an academic or theoretical answer.

One of my favorite quotes is this:
“Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.”
― Francis of Assisi

For me, the Gospel is not so much preached as lived. I want to live my life in such a way that others will ask, “What is your secret? What gives you such serenity? Such a positive sttitude? What gives you the strength to do so much for so many?” I want my choices and actions to demonstrate my faith in God. I don’t claim to “be there” yet. I am still a work in progress. But, I have found that my attempts at being Christ-like have resulted in many opportunities to talk about my faith with others.

I never “preach”, I witness. I tell them what the Gospel means to me and how much meaning I have found through life in Christ. I go slow. I encourage. I step back. I use few words. IT WORKS! Christ is able to work through me if I just keep quiet and let Him shine.

Just my opinion! All the best to you!

 

[MaryT777]

…I look forward to answers from those better at evangelizing than me. Great question.
Mary.

 

[atassina]

momster2, I found your reply helpful. the OP

 

[PeaceInChrist]

That quote isn’t really from St Francis. We, as Catholics, are called to both preach and live the gospel. We are called to be witnesses by both action and word. (Edited) Read the Pope’s most recent apostolic exhortation, evangeli gaudium, to better understand evangelizing. Bear in mind that preaching doesn’t have to be “in your face” like Protestants often do it, but rather with love. If the apostles never preached, no one would have converted. In fact, the first thing they did after Pentacost was preach (see Acts 2).

The gospel is essentially this: God created us out of a plan of pure goodness and love to share in His blessed life (see paragraph 1 of the catechism). We sinned and destroyed our relationship with Him. God continually drew close to us (through prophets and the Old Law), and, when the time was right, sent His beloved Son, Jesus, to die for our sins. Only His perfect sacrifice could pay the wages of sin, which are death. Mankind has been reconciled to God through Jesus, and now we must choose whether we will accept His offer by following Him and the Church that He left as His authority, or reject it.

You can then ask them if they’d like to commit to following Jesus more closely, and then lead them in a prayer asking Jesus to help them do so, and surrender to Him. Rejoice with them; this is a big deal and the first step.

Continue to invite them to mass, adoration, ect. Pray with them (lectio divina and Ignatian prayer are particularly powerful) and share your life with them.

Read Forming Intentional Disciples for more on evangelizing.

God bless your efforts and zeal. He is with you!

 

[Mike_SoCal]

The Good News Simplified

John 3:16
Rom 10:9
Mark 16:15,16
Eph 2:8
Heb 8:12

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Hebrews 8:12
For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

 

[COPLAND_3]

There are numerous examples in the Bible about evangelizing. And since we’re all gifted with different kinds of gifts, then that means that there is not a one size fits all way to evangelize. Some people can follow the example of St Peter who was more of an up front out-spoken kind of guy who can boldly speak up in front of lots of people and proclaim. Some are more comfortable with following the example of the apostle who noticed the Ethiopian eunuch stumped on a passage of Scripture and helped clarify its meaning. Some have the gift of hospitality like Dorcas whose ministry was sewing cloths for the poor. Some are intellectuals like St. Paul who had the gift of dialogue with other intellectuals. Some people can simply just be like the blind man who said he doesn’t have all the answers but that he was blind but now he can see, and just give their testimony how God has changed their lives. We all have a special gift to spread the good news but we need to find out what it is. If youb are a gifted speaker like Bishop Fulton Sheen, or compassionate and caring like Mother Theresa, or intellectual like St. Thomas Aquinas, or gently shining the light of love like Pope John Paul 2, etc. then find a way to let your light shine. I’ve made the mistake in the past trying to minister in ways that I was not gifted in and it was not productive. Don’t be led to believe that there is a one size fits all way to evangelize. Take what you are good at and learn to use it for the glory of God.

 

[chefmomster2]

There are numerous examples in the Bible about evangelizing. And since we’re all gifted with different kinds of gifts, then that means that there is not a one size fits all way to evangelize…We all have a special gift to spread the good news but we need to find out what it is… I’ve made the mistake in the past trying to minister in ways that I was not gifted in and it was not productive. Don’t be led to believe that there is a one size fits all way to evangelize. Take what you are good at and learn to use it for the glory of God.

Thank you for this very beautiful description! It is a kind, wonderfully stated and Christian response to the OP.

 

[MaryT777]

There are numerous examples in the Bible about evangelizing. And since we’re all gifted with different kinds of gifts, then that means that there is not a one size fits all way to evangelize. Some people can follow the example of St Peter who was more of an up front out-spoken kind of guy who can boldly speak up in front of lots of people and proclaim. Some are more comfortable with following the example of the apostle who noticed the Ethiopian eunuch stumped on a passage of Scripture and helped clarify its meaning. Some have the gift of hospitality like Dorcas whose ministry was sewing cloths for the poor. Some are intellectuals like St. Paul who had the gift of dialogue with other intellectuals. Some people can simply just be like the blind man who said he doesn’t have all the answers but that he was blind but now he can see, and just give their testimony how God has changed their lives. We all have a special gift to spread the good news but we need to find out what it is. If youb are a gifted speaker like Bishop Fulton Sheen, or compassionate and caring like Mother Theresa, or intellectual like St. Thomas Aquinas, or gently shining the light of love like Pope John Paul 2, etc. then find a way to let your light shine. I’ve made the mistake in the past trying to minister in ways that I was not gifted in and it was not productive. Don’t be led to believe that there is a one size fits all way to evangelize. Take what you are good at and learn to use it for the glory of God.

Fabulous thoughts on evangelization. Well stated.
Mary.

 

[fhansen]

Mark 10:28-31
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news [gospel],30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

How do I evangelize Catholics and non-Catholics with the gospel? Tell me, what is the gospel, the good news? What have you said, what do you say and what will you continue to say when you are evangelizing? Who, what, where, how, when?

I just don’t know what to say. What did the early Christians say? The old time missionaries? Some help would be great. I am looking more for actual experience rather than an academic or theoretical answer.

Evangelization flows naturally from one’s faith in and love for God. The good news is that God exists, God, the foundation of the universe, is goodness, trustworthiness, and love itself, personified, and He has nothing but sheer uncompromised goodness and happiness eternally in store for those who love Him. That’s what Jesus came to reveal.

 

[Fuego]

Mark 10:28-31
New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)
28 Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news [gospel],30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

How do I evangelize Catholics and non-Catholics with the gospel? Tell me, what is the gospel, the good news? What have you said, what do you say and what will you continue to say when you are evangelizing? Who, what, where, how, when?

I just don’t know what to say. What did the early Christians say? The old time missionaries? Some help would be great. I am looking more for actual experience rather than an academic or theoretical answer.

For the early Christians (and for Christ Himself) the gospel, or good news, they were proclaiming to the world was the coming establishment of the Kingdom of God. The New Testament is replete with passages about Jesus and His disciples proclaiming the coming of this Kingdom.

Here is what The Anchor Bible Dictionary has to say about this: “The ‘Kingdom of God/Heaven’ is a subject of major importance in the Bible for two primary reasons: Its frequency in the first three canonical (synoptic) gospels of the NT, and the conviction that it stands at the very center of the historical Jesus.”

The Oxford Companion to the Bible concurs by saying, “There is clear agreement among the synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark and Luke] that the Kingdom of God was the principal theme within Jesus’ message. In aggregate, they present some fifty sayings and parables of Jesus concerning the kingdom…. It is, then, a matter of consensus within the canon that the kingdom constituted a primary focus in Jesus’ theology.”

What happened was that this gospel of the Kingdom was later replaced by a gospel about Christ, the gospel we are now hearing from the Christian world. Notice this from “A Dictionary of the Bible”: “In the mouth of Christ and those who, while He was on earth, He sent forth to proclaim it, it was the good tidings of the kingdom of God which He had come to establish… After Christ’s death and resurrection, it became the tidings about Christ.”

 

[fhansen]

For the early Christians (and for Christ Himself) the gospel, or good news, they were proclaiming to the world was the coming establishment of the Kingdom of God. The New Testament is replete with passages about Jesus and His disciples proclaiming the coming of this Kingdom.

Here is what The Anchor Bible Dictionary has to say about this: “The ‘Kingdom of God/Heaven’ is a subject of major importance in the Bible for two primary reasons: Its frequency in the first three canonical (synoptic) gospels of the NT, and the conviction that it stands at the very center of the historical Jesus.”

The Oxford Companion to the Bible concurs by saying, “There is clear agreement among the synoptic Gospels [Matthew, Mark and Luke] that the Kingdom of God was the principal theme within Jesus’ message. In aggregate, they present some fifty sayings and parables of Jesus concerning the kingdom…. It is, then, a matter of consensus within the canon that the kingdom constituted a primary focus in Jesus’ theology.”

What happened was that this gospel of the Kingdom was later replaced by a gospel about Christ, the gospel we are now hearing from the Christian world. Notice this from “A Dictionary of the Bible”: “In the mouth of Christ and those who, while He was on earth, He sent forth to proclaim it, it was the good tidings of the kingdom of God which He had come to establish… After Christ’s death and resurrection, it became the tidings about Christ.”

What are the “tidings about Christ”?

 

[Fuego]

What are the “tidings about Christ”?

From the Zondervan Pictorial Dictionary: “One may conclude that the facts of Jesus’ life constituted the Gospel, which was interpreted and applied to suit the occasion on which it was preached” (Article, Gospel, p. 319).

Basically what Amandil says of what the gospel is all about:

The Gospel is basically that God has sent His Son into the world to save the world. That the Son of God is Jesus of Nazareth, known as the Christ. That He suffered torture and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, and that in His sacrifice He atoned for my sins and your sins and for the sins of the world. And that this Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after His crucifixion, and He appeared to many people, and after a time ascended into heaven.

 

[fhansen]

From the Zondervan Pictorial Dictionary: “One may conclude that the facts of Jesus’ life constituted the Gospel, which was interpreted and applied to suit the occasion on which it was preached” (Article, Gospel, p. 319).

Basically what Amandil says of what the gospel is all about:

I guess either could be looked upon as tidings about Christ, but it seems the former definition is probably a description of modernism’s desire to gut the gospel of its power and turn in into a sort of comfortable “feel good” what-does-it-mean-to-me message that informs, challenges, and changes no one in the end.

 

[mikekle]

” 29 Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news [gospel],30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. .

Im curious, do we know for a fact that those that followed this direction…that they did indeed receive 100fold IN THAT AGE?

This is important because God clearly tells them they WILL receive this NOW and in the afterlife.

 

[chefmomster2]

Im curious, do we know for a fact that those that followed this direction…that they did indeed receive 100fold IN THAT AGE?

This is important because God clearly tells them they WILL receive this NOW and in the afterlife.

Just my guess…

In those times wealth, status, etc. were considered a sign of God’s approval. Someone who has the many things mentioned would someone of whom God must greatly approve. If a Christian left this wealth and its approval behind, God would grace them with 100x this presumed approval. Better yet, it is the “real thing” since we know that wealth is not truly a sign of God’s favor.

I can only assume that given the great spiritual faith and grace exhibited by the early apostles and disciples in spite of cruel persecutions, that they definitely received 100x or more!