The Greek word used in the New Testament for "Gospel" is εὐαγγέλιον (transliterated: euaggelion), literally meaning, "the good news." As Tim Keller writes, "The Gospel is not advice about how to live a good life or find God, but the NEWS that God is here! He has brought salvation, which needs to be proclaimed, the way one would tell the world about a cure for cancer or the end of war. Indeed, the Gospel is the cure for our sickness and the end of our war with God" (source).

The Gospel is good news worth proclaiming. Jesus - fully God, fully man - came to earth. He lived a life we could not live and died a death we should have died. Amid the hustle and bustle of shopping and traveling, it is the coming of our Savior that we celebrate this season. Ironically, many will sing of his coming this month - "Joy to the world! The Lord is come!" - and hear incredible theology blaring over store speakers - phrases like, "His law is love and His Gospel is peace." - yet have no idea what these words mean. Likewise, across the world, our Uttermost representatives are surrounded by people who have never even heard of the name of Jesus. It should break our hearts that these people - whether shopping in Target or living in Tanzania - have no idea the reason for which we celebrate.