Today's inspiration comes from:
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Today's inspiration comes from:
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Editor’s note: Do you ever feel like you get lost in the weeds when you read the Bible, or that you don’t understand the story arc from beginning to end, or you don’t know how what you’re reading applies to your regular life? Zach Windahl breaks it down for us in The Bible, Simplified. Enjoy this excerpt.
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The second half of the Bible is what we call the New Testament. This half stands out from the Hebrew Scripture in that it tells the story of Jesus and the development of the church in the first century AD.
The first section of the New Testament is called the Gospels.
The Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of John
And each of these Gospels is a biography of the life of Jesus. But what is a gospel? And why do we have four of them?
The word gospel in Greek is euangelion, meaning “good news.”
A gospel was an announcement or a proclamation regarding a change of leadership within the kingdom. So in the case of the Greek Empire or the Roman Empire, when the emperor died and their successor was decided upon, a herald would go into every region, city, and town square announcing the “good news” of who their new emperor was, what their kingdom would stand for, and how the change would benefit those listening.
Caesar Augustus had a gospel message.
Alexander the Great had a gospel message.
This is how the region spoke of their emperors — with phrases and words that Jesus would later take for Himself so people could comprehend what He was there to do.
Jesus entered each new city claiming that He was now King. A new Kingdom had arrived. And what was the good news of Jesus’ Kingdom? The blind could see, the lame would walk, people with leprosy were cleansed, the deaf could hear, the dead were raised, the poor were taken care of, and the sins of humanity were forgiven.
The Kingdom of God was very good news. In His Kingdom, Heaven and earth were being merged.
Now, when you read the Bible and come across the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, you’ll understand that each of these authors had his own perspective on his gospel announcement.
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A gospel is the proclamation of good news that a new and better Kingdom — the Kingdom of God — is here.
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A gospel is the proclamation of good news that a new and better Kingdom — the Kingdom of God — is here.
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Matthew
The first gospel in the New Testament is from Matthew, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples.
Matthew was a Jewish man who worked for the Roman government, but he knew the Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament) very well.
So Matthew’s gospel was written with a Jewish audience in mind. He emphasized that Jesus was a new, greater version of Moses, and the true King of the Jews. Matthew focused on the teachings of Jesus more than anything else to show how Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
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Mark
The second gospel is from John Mark, who actually didn’t know Jesus very well (if at all), but he was close to the apostle Peter. Think of Mark’s gospel as a written version of Peter’s firsthand account. It’s quick and to the point, written almost like a news broadcaster describing the life of Jesus to a television audience.
Mark focused on Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, who didn’t come as a political leader but as a servant who would suffer on behalf of all humanity. Mark is the shortest of the Gospels and was written primarily to a Gentile, Roman audience.
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Luke
The next gospel is from Luke, a doctor who did not know Jesus personally. He compiled his gospel based on interviews from a bunch of people who knew Jesus or were around Him.
Luke was a Gentile, which is a word for someone who isn’t Jewish. He was close friends with the apostle Paul, whom we’ll learn a lot more about when we get to the section on the early church. Luke wrote this gospel kind of as a part one, with the book of Acts as a part two. He wrote them for a man named Theophilus (also a Gentile) as an account of the life of Jesus. As a doctor fascinated by the miracles Jesus performed, Luke focused his gospel on the humanity of Jesus.
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John
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels because they all shared a lot of the same stories, but the Gospel of John is over 90 percent unique compared to the others. John wrote his gospel decades later, so he had time to think through what the other gospels had missed and what was important for the early church to know about Jesus.
Known as the “Beloved Disciple,” John was one of Jesus’ closest friends. He focused his gospel on the claim that Jesus was God in human form, offering humanity eternal life through His sacrifice.
Each gospel was written in a unique way for a specific audience, but they all announced that the Kingdom of God was at hand and would positively impact the entire world.
Today, our access to these incredible messages means we can easily learn more about Jesus and the Kingdom He began.
This is very good news.
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One-Sentence Recap
A gospel is the proclamation of good news that a new and better Kingdom — the Kingdom of God — is here.
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If you’re a new believer, the best thing you can do is read the Bible and learn everything you can about God’s Word. If you’re a long-time believer, the best thing you can do is read the Bible and learn everything you can about God’s Word! Dive in and listen to God’s voice today! ~ Devotionals Daily
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Go from feeling lost with the Bible to becoming confident in your faith
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The Bible, Simplified: Learn the Story, Live the Story
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+ Free shipping over $20 with code LD20
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Feeling overwhelmed and confused by the Bible? Bestselling author Zach Windahl breaks down its entire storyline in The Bible, Simplified, making Scripture clear, accessible, and life-changing so you can gain confidence in your faith.
You want to understand the Bible and feel a deeper connection to God, but busyness, relationships, and everyday distractions seem to crowd out Bible reading most days. Not to mention it’s hard to know where to start—and deep down, you might even wonder if the Bible is relevant to your modern life. It’s overwhelming. It’s confusing. And it’s easy to feel frustrated on your faith journey.
Too often, you find yourself walking away from reading Scripture, feeling lost instead of encouraged, something Zach Windahl experienced firsthand. Even though he grew up going to church, his Bible often remained on the shelf. It wasn’t until he discovered the joy of reading the Bible that he became passionate about helping others do the same. In his relatable and easy-to-read style, Zach has simplified Scripture to help you—especially if you’re a new Christian—understand the Bible’s message in a way that’s approachable and life-changing.
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In The Bible, Simplified, you will learn how to:
- Understand the entire storyline of the Bible
- Gain clarity and confidence in your faith
- Incorporate the Bible’s teachings into your daily life
If you’re feeling lost with Scripture, this book will be your guide. You no longer need to be confused, disconnected, and overwhelmed in your faith. Take the first step to understanding God’s story—and your remarkable role in it.
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"If you are overwhelmed by the Bible or don’t know where to start, this is the book for you! It provides the entire storyline of the Bible with clarity, structure, and context. It’s an easy read with easy-to-understand short chapters. Sometimes we don’t know how to tackle the whole library of the Scriptures. After reading this book, you will have more understanding and feel less overwhelmed when it comes to the Bible. Definitely a must read!" — GraceLee
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"I would recommend reading this along with your Bible, especially if you're reading the Bible for the first time. Even for readers with a better understanding could take something away from this book." — Ashley P.
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+ Save on the study materials!
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The Bible, Simplified Study Guide plus Streaming Video
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The Bible, Simplified Video Study
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NIV, Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible, Red Letter Edition
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The Lightning-Fast Field Guide to the Bible
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No More Boring Bible Study
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5 Minutes with Every Book of the Bible—New Testament
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Daily Scripture Guidebook
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Unbreakable Courage Online Bible Study
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If you've ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or ready to give up, this is the Bible study for you!
In Max Lucado's newest book & Bible study, Unbreakable Courage, we'll discover how God replaces fear with faith, steadies anxious hearts, and gives us the courage to face whatever comes next.
Join the Online Bible Study and get FREE access to all 6 teaching videos with Max, plus bonus resources and a vibrant online community to support you along the way!
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this devotion with someone who needs it today
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