Gospel

“Gospel” translates the Old Testament Hebrew verb bisser and the noun besorah. The Greek New Testament equivalent is euangelion, which is a compound word. Eu means “good,” and angelion means “announcement.”
(via The Bible Project)

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is God’s saving power for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

What’s the Gospel in Seven Words?

God, through Jesus Christ, welcomes you anyhow.

The gospel begins and ends with God. Jesus makes God’s action good news. But the word “Jesus” alone doesn’t help me; such Jesus is a nice guy, but I need Jesus Christ, God’s anointed. God welcomes (or “accepts,” etc.) you. According to Luther, the words “for you” are the most important in the sacraments (and preaching). “Anyhow”–fill in sin, guilt, pride, the misfires of “spirituality”–implies that you weren’t welcome without this transaction, and that you bring nothing to it.

– Martin Marty, Lutheran Theologian, writing in The Christian Century (2011)
                                                                                                                                               

Reflection and Prayer

The Formula of Concord, one of the key Lutheran confessional writings, describes the Gospel as “nothing else than a proclamation of comfort and a joyous message.” How is the good news of the Gospel a comfort to you? Among the many sources of news and information vying for your attention every second – how can this news be received anew again today?