The gospel is good news – that is what 'gospel' means.  It is the announcement that what God had promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – He has completed in Jesus.  The religious leaders of Jesus’ day refused to recognise that they were witnessing the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies.  But His birth, life and death were just as they had been foretold - clear evidence that He is God's Messiah.  Also, His resurrection was incontrovertible proof of His divinity and the efficacy of His sacrifice for sins (Acts 2:22-32).

Paul quoted the Old Testament prophecies (Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 55:3; Psalm 16:10).  They all affirmed that the crucified Christ, although He would die, would not decay but be raised again.  Those verses also tell us about His family relationship with Father God.  He is God the Son; He is the Christ; His life is unending: these are all unique characteristics which are not shared with any other person.

The Son is an equal partner of the eternal Godhead who lives in a dynamic relationship with the Father (John 10:30).  He shares all of the Father's nature and is able to express the Father to human beings (Hebrews 1:3).  He has also been anointed ('Christ' means 'Anointed One') to receive and pass on all the blessings promised to King David (Hebrews 1:9).  He is not dead: He is alive for evermore.  So, to welcome and follow Jesus, is to have a dynamic relationship with the living God … rather than trying (and failing) to adhere to the ethical teachings of a dead wise man.

The gospel is still pivotal to the eternal destiny of our family, friends and colleagues.  There is only one Gospel of Jesus, and it focuses on His two appointments to die and to rise.  Nobody else had ever been raised from the dead, never to die again.  We may be used to these facts; but for the unbeliever, the possibility of being forgiven by someone's death, and be given new life and an eternal relationship with the Creator, is amazing news.  Do not assume that people know and understand.  Tell them the truth about Jesus and let Him draw them to Himself.