Trinity XI - 08.17.2026

What Is the Gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:1-10  &  Luke 18:9-14

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

What is the Gospel? Some might think that’s a silly question, but it really is not. Why is not it a silly question?  Because there are so many false ideas of what the Gospel is.

Some say that the Gospel is preached when we’re told that Jesus’ died for sins. If they stopped there, that would be great, but they add things which are completely in error. Most say the Gospel is knowing what Jesus did AND includes the things that you need to do to earn that sacrifice.

Others falsely teach that the Gospel is preached when you are told what Jesus has done to win your salvation – AND that you must decide to accept Jesus into your heart.

Some believe the Gospel has nothing to do with Christ’s suffering and death, but only His resurrection.

Some teach that the Gospel is nothing more than telling of the life, suffering, and death of Jesus as the story of God’s love for us. They claim nothing happens. The Gospel is only proof God loves all people and everyone goes to heaven.

We also talk about the GospelS, the first four books of the New Testament. They tell the life, work, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Truly, the Gospel is Jesus’ life, suffering, death, and resurrection. But if we stop there, without applying Christ’s work of redemption to anybody, we miss the greater purpose for which the Son of God took on human flesh, suffered, died, and rose again.

When I ask the question in our gathering today, “What is the Gospel?” Specifically, what did God inspire Paul to call the Gospel in our Epistle: Now I would remind you, brothers, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you.

What is this Gospel by which they stand, indeed by which all Christians stand, and is the only way of salvation? 

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Paul delivers this – that Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and died for our sins! Christ’s resurrection fulfills those prophecies, showing that death could not hold Him. He who by His sinlessness did not deserve death, died in our behalf. His resurrection declares the sacrifice accepted as the victory over death.

By God’s inspiration, Paul began this letter saying he is determined to know nothing among them except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. God moves Paul to first mention the resurrection in the fifteenth chapter.

Some complain they already know they are sinners, they have been told it all their lives, they do not need to hear it anymore. “Tell us the good news,” they proclaim, “preach the Gospel.”

Almost all who make this claim do not like the crucified Christ. They want baby Jesus – or Easter Jesus – but not the crucified Lord. Yes, there are folk who erroneously believe the Gospel is only about Jesus’ birth and resurrection. They do not want – and believe they have no need for – the crucified Christ.

How do you approach God? Do you approach as the Pharisee or the tax collector in our Gospel lesson? Do you stand before God with the list of the good things you have done? Or do you fall on our knees with repentant hearts, appealing solely to the merciful grace of God?

We would never say it this way, but we want to be Pharisees! We know we are sinners, but we want to work out our own salvation! We are independent! We know what it takes to succeed! Easily applying such thought to our faith life like to conclude that we have to do our share. 

To believe that your salvation, your forgiveness, your status before God is based upon anything you do is called works righteousness. This is trusting in self and is actually against the Gospel. Believing that we should be obedient to God’s Law is good, we are live in accord with God’s will, obedient to His. But nobody is saved by fulfilling the Law – because no can do it perfectly.

Jesus declares that only one of the two in the temple went home justified. Only one went home in a right relationship with God. The one who humbled himself and begged for mercy, declaring himself a sinner. The one who deemed himself unworthy even to lift his eyes to heaven.

He recognized his sinfulness and begged for mercy. He wanted nothing but the Gospel, God’s mercy to grant forgiveness! He trusts God’s forgiveness is given, not because of the worthiness of the individual, but because of the riches of God’s grace.

When we believe that we contribute anything to our salvation – we are trusting ourselves to keep the Law. Saying, “Jesus died for you, now you must do your part and trust in Him,” is a law statement. Any prescriptive command of what we must do for God, is law. No one is saved by works of the law. 

Do you remember from your catechesis that the law functions as a curb, mirror, and rule (or guide). The police officer who stops crimes is an example of the law functioning as a curb, stopping outbreaks of sin – both with believers and unbelievers.

When people are shown their sinfulness, that is the law functioning as a mirror. The law functions as a mirror to both believers and unbelievers.

Lastly the Law functions as a guide or rule for Christian life. Yes, the Law tells us how to live every aspect of our lives in thankfulness to God for all the He has done for us.

But none of these uses of God’s Law is the Gospel. Even that third use is NOT the Gospel. Yes, God desires us to live in accordance with His Law. You might even say that knowing what Christ endured and suffered for us should motivate us.

But requiring us to do things to earn our place before God is to trust our works in the Law. To say that anything we do determines our standing before God is to base salvation on works in the law.

The Gospel is the good news of what God has done in Christ Jesus to win for you the forgiveness of sins. But if it is nothing more than an explanation, it does you no good.

The Gospel is Christ delivered to you. Paul says, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.”

Christ is God in your flesh who by His perfect life fulfilled Torah in your place. Christ, the perfect sacrifice, died to redeem you – to buy you back from the wages of sin. He buried your sin in His flesh that forgiveness might be yours.

This Gospel is not just in a book. The Gospel is not just about Jesus. The Gospel is not simply talking about forgiveness. The Gospel is the forgiveness of sins Jesus purchased for you and delivers to you.

You can try and live by the law.

You can point to how good you are – especially compared to your unbelieving neighbor.

You can wait to be told how to live a better life, but you already know what to do.

When we are honest, even knowing what we should do, we still fail to do it.

That is why trusting these approaches brings about a very disappointing last chapter.

Christ’s desires you to be like the tax collector, honest and truthful, “God be merciful to me, a sinner.” That is exactly what we did earlier. Together we confessed that we are poor miserable sinners!

Knowing how badly you need it, hear the Gospel.

You would be lost without it.

Without the Gospel we are all lost – unworthy even to look up at heaven. Knowing his sinfulness, the tax collector trusted solely in God’s grace and went home justified, right with God, forgiven and redeemed.

What is the Gospel? It is the forgiveness of sins which Christ purchased for you and delivers to you in water and the word as Scripture declares, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.”

What is the Gospel? It is the forgiveness of sins Christ purchased for you and delivers to you the word Christ commanded your pastor to declare, “Whosoever sins you forgive, they are forgiven.”

What is the Gospel? It is the forgiveness of sins Christ purchased for you and delivers to you, “Take eat, this is My body. Take drink, this cup is the new testament in My blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

What is the Gospel?  It is the forgiveness of sins Christ purchased for you and delivers to you in the preached word as Christ commands “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

What is the Gospel? It is the forgiveness of sins Christ purchased with His innocent suffering and death. It is the eternal life which He sealed with His glorious resurrection.

The Gospel is not about forgiveness.

The Gospel is not just about Jesus.

The Gospel is Christ delivered to you. It is the forgiveness He purchased for – and delivers to – you. For wherever there is forgiveness of sins, there is life and salvation.

Dearly beloved of God, live in the Gospel. Bask in the glory of the forgiveness Christ purchased and delivers to you. It is the merciful gift of your gracious God to you! The Gospel is your confidence unto life everlasting.

In the name of Jesus! Amen.