Hello beloved,
Today, let us learn more as Jesus tells His disciples about His death and resurrection:
From there they went out and were going through Galilee, and He was not wanting anyone to know about it.
— Mark 9:30
Once again, we see a familiar pattern: Jesus did not want anyone to know about the exorcism He had just performed on the boy with the unclean spirit. This was because the time had not yet come for the good news to be proclaimed widely. Instead, Jesus turned His attention back to teaching His disciples about the events that must happen before the gospel could be shared with the whole world.
For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise again three days later.”
— Mark 9:31
Here we notice how deliberate Jesus was in sharing the gospel with His disciples. These were men who had been with Him for about three years, learning from Him daily. Yet, time and again, the central theme of His teaching was the gospel. This shows us the centrality of the gospel in Jesus’ ministry.
Sadly, many times we overlook the gospel. Today, it is more common to hear self-help advice, financial tips, and teachings on family or relationships in place of the core message of the gospel. Some have even assumed that the gospel is only for unbelievers, and once a person becomes a Christian, they no longer need to hear it. But this is contrary to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles.
Paul expressed this clearly:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.”
— Romans 1:16–17
Paul shows us that the gospel is not only essential for salvation but also for the ongoing growth of believers.
He emphasized this again to the Corinthians:
For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God.
— 1 Corinthians 1:18
The gospel is not just for the unsaved. The Holy Spirit uses the truth of the gospel to sanctify those who are already in Christ. Through constant hearing of the gospel, the believer is shaped and transformed:
Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.
— John 17:17
This is why it is dangerous for the church to set aside the gospel. It must be at the center of everything we do—in our songs, our prayers, our preaching, and even in our fellowship. One of Satan’s strategies is to convince the church that the gospel is no longer necessary. Sadly, many gatherings have become nothing more than social meetings instead of places where the saints are nourished and sanctified by the gospel.
The author of Hebrews reminds us of this truth:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, laying aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
— Hebrews 12:1–2
This was the very message Jesus was teaching His disciples—that after His perfect life, He would be delivered, tortured, and killed, but on the third day, He would rise again and ascend to the Father.
This is the core of the gospel: Jesus suffered in our place. He bore the punishment that we, as sinners, deserved under the wrath of God. By His death and resurrection, He secured righteousness for us through faith.
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”— in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
— Galatians 3:13–14
But sadly, many people remain in the same place as the disciples when they first heard these words:
But they did not understand this statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.
— Mark 9:32
Here we see two issues. First, the disciples were ignorant. They did not understand that Jesus had to live a perfect life, suffer, die, and be resurrected to fulfill God’s promise of salvation. Second, though they knew they did not understand, they were afraid to ask.
Ignorance can be corrected by seeking knowledge, but fear that keeps us from asking questions leaves us in a dangerous state. Some hear the gospel and do not understand how Jesus’ death and resurrection matter to them. Others are afraid to explore further. Both lead to spiritual blindness.
If we find ourselves not fully understanding the significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, let us press in. Let us ask, seek, and believe. For the gospel is not just for unbelievers—it is the very means by which the Spirit sanctifies the saints.
I pray that both believers and unbelievers alike would be curious and eager to know more about the meaning of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. May we never lose sight of the gospel, for it is God’s power to save and to sanctify.
Grace and peace.
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