What Is the Gospel?

 

 

A question that needs to be addressed

Especially in our time

Since in pulpit practice

We see aberrations of every kind.

 

Some minor, some major,

Some totally out of sync,

Some so grossly misrepresentative,

It’s difficult to think.

 

But where do we begin

To address such a critical issue?

I would think via the Holy Scriptures,

Wouldn’t you?

 

And in this poetic discourse

There is no place better to start

Than at Romans, the very first chapter

Which is at the very heart.

 

Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,

Called to be an apostle,

Separated unto the Gospel of God,

Which he had promised afore by his prophets

In the holy scriptures.

 

In the holy scriptures

Therein is the full picture!

And now for the current feature.

 

 

 

In the Law or the Torah:

In the book of the beginning,

God dictated to his prophet, Moses,

What would be the ending.

 

The ending of the arch enemy

We’ve come to know as Satan,

Once regarded as Lucifer, son of the morning,

In the heavenly kingdom.

 

Cast down from heaven

Headlong into to the earth,

Disrupted communion and communication

Bringing about sin’s birth.

 

And with sin came death

Which in the first instance was spiritual

But not along after the Fall

Became physical.

 

The soul that sins shall die

Was the sentence given

Unless of course, a plan could be put in place

For that soul to be forgiven.

 

And thus came the first pointer

Of the lifesaving Gospel

Which having been fulfilled in Christ

Is available to all people.

 

Turn in the holy scriptures

To Genesis chapter 3

And there at verse number 15

You will clearly see.

 

The first verse of promise

Concerning the Gospel of God,

Yes, it is right there and then declared

Immediately after the Fall.

 

 

 

And I will put enmity between thee and the woman,

And between thy seed and her seed;

And it shall bruise thy head,

And thou shall bruise his heel.

 

Bruise is better rendered as crush

Signifying a fatal blow

And this would materialize at Golgotha

Which the scriptures show.

 

In this first ever court case

Sentences were given to three:

First to the serpent then the woman

Then to the man finally.

 

The serpent was the cause

Of the woman being deceived

And the man being an accessory after the fact,

A just sentence received. 

 

Thus, sin originated

And by way of sin entered death

And for both the man and the woman

Ended that Sabbath day rest.

 

For in it while God had rested

Man’s rest was disrupted

And on account of man’s disobedience

All else was corrupted.

 

 

 

Fast forward through millennia

To welcome a new born babe

Which was born of a virgin peasant

In a virtual cave.

 

She had known no man

Yet this maiden had conceived,

It was the incarnation of the Christ child

Though many did not believe.

 

He shall save his people from their sin

His very name had meant

And straight from the heavenly throne room

This divine babe was sent.

 

Sent by the Heavenly Father

To be the Gospel of God

For unto you is born, the angel did say

That night when they called.

 

They announced to shepherds

The arrival of the Saviour

That prophets had foretold of long ago

To fulfil God’s pleasure.

 

For it pleased God

To bruise his own begotten Son

That through his death and resurrection

Our salvation would be won.

 

 

 

So, what is the Gospel

If I may ask you again?

It is the power of God unto salvation

Paul stated unashamed.

 

Quite unlike the Galatians

Who had quickly turned away

From the path in which he had pointed

Back in that day.

 

Perhaps they were confused

Or maybe were ashamed

Of the power of God unto salvation

Paul preached in Jesus’ name.

 

 

 

For salvation is in no one

Other than Jesus the Christ

Who crushed the head of the serpent

In his once-for-all sacrifice.

 

Herein is the Gospel of God

Aka the Gospel of Christ

Who in his own body on a cruel cross

Paid sin’s ultimate price.

 

In the words of a sacred hymn

And worthy of review,

I now share its Gospel message

In a verse with you.

 

There was no other good enough

To pay the price of sin;

He only could unlock the gate

Of heav’n, and let us in.

 

“I am the door,” said Jesus,

“By me if any man enter in,

He shall be saved and shall go in and out,

And find pasture.”

 

So, what is the Gospel?

It is, God’s kingdom has come

And is made manifest in the work

And person of the Son.

 

In those days came John the Baptist,

Preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

And saying, Repent ye:

For the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

 

Spoken of by Isaiah the prophet:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,

Prepare ye the way of the Lord,

Make his paths straight.”

 

 

 

Thus, John seeing Jesus coming to him

Said, “Behold the Lamb of God,

Which taketh away

The sin of the world.”

 

From that time

Jesus began to preach and to say,

“Repent: for the kingdom of heaven

Is at hand.”

 

For some, at hand means

In another two thousand years

But for that 1^st Century audience it meant

Virtually here.

 

The king had arrived

And with him the kingdom had come

In the person and work

Of Jesus, God’s Son.

 

And thus, we have the Gospel

In a proverbial nutshell,

‘Tis the person and work of Jesus Christ

Which the prophets did foretell.

 

This is what the Gospel is,

How oft do you hear it?

I have some disheartening news for you,

Not in many a pulpit.

 

What the Gospel is not

Is mostly what is spoken

And there is a dire need to present

More than just a token.

 

 

 

The Gospel of God

Is the Gospel of Christ,

Is the Gospel of the kingdom of heaven

And eternal life.

 

How beautiful are the feet of them

That preach the gospel of peace,

And bring glad tidings

Of good things!

 

Stewart Russell © October 15, 2025

 

Better All the Way

“A temple is to be built”

I hear some say,

“But the Muslim sacred dome

Is standing in its way.”

 

That dome must be moved

Can’t be there still,

The temple will be there

Believe me it will.

 

It will be the signal

Of Israel’s Messiah’s coming

For which devout Jews

Are currently looking.

 

Sacrifices must restart

So, the temple is a must,

Dispensationalists believe it

And do make a fuss.

 

Israel will be in charge

As nations go up to her,

This will follow the tribulation

To which the Bible refer.

 

Thus, a new temple

And animal sacrifice

Though this in the first place

Did not quite suffice.

 

There’s no temple need

Or for animal sacrifice,

Jesus’ once for all atonement

More than sufficed.

 

 

Why return, I ask,

To the beggarly elements

After the veil in the temple

Was permanently rent?

 

Showcasing for all

A much better way,

Jesus’ once for all sacrifice

Speaks to a better day.

 

A better High Priest

Than any before him,

The only High Priest ever

That can forgive sin.

 

Jesus is our temple

And our sacrifice,

He is also our High Priest

That gave his life.

 

This is borne out

In the book of Hebrews,

Go there I recommend

For a better view.

 

Better than the angels

And of better things,

We are so wonderfully blessed

We’ve a right to sing.

 

A better blessing

And a better hope,

Jesus is a better testament

Please take note.

 

 

A better covenant

Built on better promises,

The heavenly things themselves

With better sacrifices.

 

A better country

With a better resurrection

God providing a better thing

To bring us salvation.

 

Jesus is the mediator

Of this better covenant

That speaks of better things

For the elect remnant.

 

 

Better all the way:

From the Old to the New,

For the Jew and the Gentile:

For me and for you.

 

Better here and now

And still better to come,

Heirs to the kingdom of God

Through Jesus, His Son.

 

 

 

Christ the new temple,

Believers his lively stones,

Built up in Jesus the Christ

As the Spirit tones.

 

Go to Hebrews now

To study the word better

And see how Jesus shines

In this descriptive letter.

 

To God be the glory

And praise to the Son,

Honour to the Holy Spirit:

Three yet one.

 

Stewart Russell © July 12, 2024

 

The Author of Freedom

 

 

What is the author of freedom?

Who wrote its book?

It was written by a unique author;

Let’s take a look.

 

Now, freedom is not earned

Freedom is a gift

Yet many have futilely fought for it

If you get my drift.

 

Yes, though fought for,

It has remained at large

And the pseudo freedom that ensued

Was a bully in charge.

 

A freedom with limitations

Imposed by the strong

Lording it over the less fortunate,

Forced to go along.

 

A freedom with few rights

Like the “wild Indians”

That were free to live out their life

On stipulated reservations.

 

This is not the freedom

To which I am referring

But a freedom that actually releases

The one who is hurting.

 

Its author is not obvious

To the unforgiving

But a step in the right direction

Improves one’s living.

 

 

 

It is forgiveness:

The author of freedom,

The author of freedom is forgiveness!

See the problem?

 

Forgiveness releases me

To get on with my life,

Setting me free from the bitter humbug

And its attendant strife.

 

‘Tis the problem

That we see in the world:

Engulfing individuals and communities

Its tentacles unfurl.

 

‘Tis no ethnicity

Its tentacles reach not

And from generation to generation

They teach the lot.

 

Fathers ate sour grapes,

Set children’s teeth on edge

And unforgiveness separates us all

Like an evil wedge.

 

The quest for freedom

Is a futile affair

But when forgiveness shows up

Bondage must disappear.

 

The wars that we fight

Did not start yesterday

But they all have their genesis

In an original fray.

 

And this festered

And grew alarmingly,

Its wedge going deeper and deeper

Diminishing unity.

 

Unforgiveness set in

And forgiveness receded

Thus, real freedom was thwarted,

Its cry not heeded.

 

Both parties in a bind

Not to mention also blind

And freedom sought remains at large

In unforgiveness’ grind.

 

 

 

I dare say it matters not

Who was wronged,

Forgiveness is that critical first step

In the liberty song.

 

To forgive and forget

Though the latter takes time

But let forgiveness be uppermost

In the mind.

 

“And forgive those,”

The model prayer instructs

Thus, hastening the freedom we need

And for which we look.

 

The only freedom there is

Is freedom in God

And He has designed the path thus:

Forgiveness is His call.

 

Stewart Russell © October 10, 2025

 

Defeated at the Cross

 

 

Defeated at the cross

Our primary adversary,

Not to come as some believe

But proven in history.

 

It is finished!

The shout of victory,

Not of defeat or delirium

Because of agony.

 

Satan the Prosecutor

Defeated at the cross,

Thus, to the victor the spoils

And recovery of the lost.

 

The scathing criticism,

The mocking and the scorn,

Transformed in but a moment,

Antichrists, be warned!

 

 

Oft we bind the devil

Who is already bound,

Note, captivity was led captive;

The victory resounds.

 

Do not fear the devil

Who thought he had won

But have faith in Christ Jesus

For the work is done.

 

King of kings is he

And Lord of lords as well,

The prince of darkness is defeated

Listen to his death knell.

 

Defeated at the cross

Satan and his demons,

And this for the believer means

So great salvation.

 

 

Defeated at the cross:

Hope for you and me

And all that believe in Christ

Shall live eternally.

 

No more prosecutor,

Satan is out of work,

He’s bound as bound can be,

Liberty to the Church!

 

No need for justice

Where there’s no accuser,

God’s mercy and His grace

Vanquished the abuser.

 

 

Defeated at the cross,

Satan’s head is crushed,

Tell me, if you truly believe this,

Why do you still fuss?

 

If Jesus said it’s finished,

What more is there

Other than to walk in victory

Rather than in fear?

 

Stewart Russell © February 2, 2025

 

My Best Hour of All

  

 

“I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears

And palms before my feet.”

 

The poet got it right

Regarding that Palm Sunday,

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem

Palms in the way lay.

 

Not only palms as told,

But people’s garments too

And that donkey carrying Jesus

Was also in view.

 

 

 

From parody to prominence

From a scourge to a song:

The wonderful shouts in adoration

As King Jesus rode along.

 

No horse as of a king

Or horse drawn carriage

But a scourge and derided donkey:

A parody of marriage.

 

O what elevation,

The donkey enjoyed that day

When the creator of all donkeys

Travelled the Calvary way!

 

 

 

For these adoring Jews

Would soon change the tune

And the Redeemer of the human race

Would be interred in a tomb.

 

 

 

But not before crucifixion:

A slow and horrendous death,

Sentenced for your sins and mine

Bringing eternal rest.

 

It was the donkey’s hour

Shared with the King of kings

As they journeyed into Jerusalem

And heard the people sing.

 

Temporary though it was,

None can take it away:

There were palms beneath its feet;

Shouts about its ears.

 

 

 

G. K. Chesterton got it right

Hence, his poem I quote

About the donkey’s greatest hour

That he also wrote.

 

Gone down in History

A donkey without a name

But featured that first Palm Sunday

And when the Saviour came.

 

The journey to Bethlehem

Bearing an unborn child,

Whose mother and father later on

Would have to hide.

 

No doubt another donkey,

To Egypt took them

When King Herod’s crazy decree

Caused a dire problem.

 

 

 

But the best hour of all

Was in the Master’s control

When she carried the King of kings

Walking fearless and bold.

 

“For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears

And palms before my feet.”

 

Stewart Russell © March 29, 2026