The Eternal Gospel

Do you keep up with the news? What was in the news this week? What were the big headlines? One such item is speculation that the White House is working on reparations of at least $450,000 to each of those who have crossed our boarders illegally, who were separated from their families. As one might expect, this is coming with all sorts of criticism. Then another big item in the news is the governors race in Virginia. Another headline was conflict at school board meeting and the Attorney General embroiled in conflict with the Senate.

Reporting and journalism is a competitive business; people always want the very latest, the next twist and turn, the newest stories and revelations. But even the hottest of stories soon fade. They become “yesterday’s news.” Interest wanes. Everyone moves on to a different topic, to a different message, to some new news.

Today we celebrate some news, some good news, that is completely different from all this. In contrast to the news on TV or newspaper, this news never grows old. It never grows stale. It is never outdated, outmoded. It never becomes “yesterday’s news.” This good news is the enduring, life-giving, salvation-bestowing Gospel of Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate the bright enduring Gospel—the good news of forgiveness and salvation in Christ, freely bestowed to sinners by grace, through faith in Christ. This is the gracious work of God. And this gospel no new invention, but the same good news God has always been sending forth in the world. So today our readings should inspire great joy and confidence to confess that

God Keeps Sending Forth the Gospel of Christ to Sinners—from the Beginning to the End of the World!

Today’s text from Revelation pictures an angel flying in mid-heaven proclaiming

The Eternal Gospel of the Lamb

The Good News of the Lamb of God, whose blood washes away sin, and whose life rescues humanity of death and hell is unlike any other message.

First, it’s a heavenly message—so different from the deceptions of earth (Matt. 16:17; Gal. 1:11).

This is reminiscent of Jesus’ words to Peter after his confession of Christ: “Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven” (Mt 16:17).

Consider also Paul’s words: “The gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ” (Gal 1:11, 12).

Second, it’s a Gospel message—good news, joyous news! (Rom 1:16; 2 Tim 1:10; Lk 2:10–14; many others)

“Gospel.” The angel has eternal good news εὐαγγέλιον (Noun) for evangelizing εὐαγγελίσαι (grammar: verb — infinitive of purpose) the inhabitants of the earth. Like the boy from yesteryear selling newspapers — “Extra, extra, read all about it!”

It is the Gospel “of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24),

“of his Son” (Rom 1:9),

“of the glory of Christ” (2 Cor 4:4),

“of your salvation” (Eph 1:13),

“of peace” (Eph 6:15),

of “life and immortality” (2 Tim 1:10).

This Gospel is “the power of God for salvation” (Rom 1:16), which proclaims “the hope laid up for you in heaven” (Col 1:5) and bestows the inheritance and promises of Christ (Eph 3:6).

As here in Rev 14:6, the Gospel is the proclamation of God’s saving reign in Christ to (and for!) all the nations (Mt 24:14; 26:13; Mk 13:10; 16:15; Acts 15:7; Rom 15:16; Col 1:23). Therefore, this good news brings joy on earth and among the heavenly angels (Lk 2:10–14; 15:10) and will one day chase all “sorrow and sighing” away forever (Is 51:11). It is a good-news message like no other.

“To every nation and tribe and language and people.” The angel’s Gospel is addressed to all, because by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb has “ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation” (Rev 5:9), and he desires that all people hear and believe this good news (Mt 28:18–19; 1 Tim 2:3–7).

Third, it’s an eternal message—it endures, it’s sufficient and unchanged, throughout the whole history of the world and throughout all eternity.

From the foundation of the world, the Lamb would be slain for sinners (Rev 13:8).

Already in Eden, God proclaimed Gospel hope in the triumph of this Lamb (Gen 3:15).

Through ancient days, God testified to the saving Gospel of this Lamb through Old Testament types like the Passover Lamb (Exodus 12) and the priestly sacrifices (Lev 17:11), and through the promises spoken by his prophets.

This same Gospel will be proclaimed until the end of the world (Mt 24:14).

“Because the hour of his judgment has come.” This proclamation of God’s final judgment is an intrinsic part of the eternal Gospel: it is in the face of divine judgment that the blood of the Lamb cleanses and covers sinners, so that they escape from the guilt and divine destruction which they and their perishing world have deserved.

This follows the same pattern of John the Baptist’s and Jesus’ own preaching (Mt 3:2, 10, 12; Mk 1:15).

It is an eternal Gospel, leading to eternal life and eternal praise. In the new creation, the story of the Lamb and his saving work will be on our lips and in our songs forever.

The good news of the Lamb slain for sinners has existed from before the foundation of the world (Rev 13:8).

It is a singular and unchanging message of hope and salvation in Christ, which will be proclaimed throughout the world, until the very end of the world (Mt 24:14).

It is a message of eternal life with Christ, who was dead but who now lives and reigns forever (Rev 1:18; 5:13; 22:5).

And it is a universal message—to every nation and tribe and language and people (Rev 5:9; Mt 28:18–19; 1 Tim 2:3–7).

The Eternal Gospel is Good News!

Why is it such a comfort to us that this joyous Gospel is pictured here in Rev 14:6–7 as a heavenly, eternal, universal Gospel? Because in every age, the great enemies of God and his Gospel are seeking to extinguish this message!

Already in the apostle John’s day:

The preceding chapter, Revelation 13, speaks of two evil beasts, deceiving and murdering.

These picture severe opposition to the Christian faith that would arise throughout the subsequent centuries.

We saw this happen In the Early Church:

Believers faced Roman persecution, martyrdom, opposition from Jews, false teachers in the Church.

They must have been asking, “Can the Church continue? Can the Gospel endure?”

But God’s Gospel kept flying. The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church, and the eternal Gospel spread throughout the empire and across the world.

500 years ago In Reformation times:

Muslim armies — they called them the Turks — threatened to overrun Christian Europe, while the Roman Church and Christian sects clouded the Gospel with false teaching.

The faithful must have been asking, “Can the Church continue? Can the Gospel endure?”

But God’s Gospel kept flying. He raised up reformers like Luther and others who pointed clearly and unmistakably to Jesus Christ as the Savior of sinners. God put into Luther’s heart and into his pen and onto his tongue not some new message for the world, but the eternal Gospel of the Lamb.

The enemies of God in our day are trying to extinguish the gospel message:

Violent Islamic groups, false teachings in the Church itself, governments that forbid or restrict the true Gospel of Christ (even, increasingly, in our own country) are all imminent dangers.

Missionaries missing in Haiti;

In a pandemic era restrictions on gatherings, like worship — society urging people not to gather for worship. Not to sing. Not to receive the eucharist (holy communion);

There are also threats of church closure, threats of potential arrest of Pastors/leaders if they teach certain things that do not conform to societies demands.

And with all these, we ourselves are often apathetic, loveless, self-centered, and seduced by the idolatry of the day.

Can the Church continue? Can the Gospel endure?

Behold this image, this consoling vision from the Book of Revelation: Beasts may deceive and murder, and God’s people may seem to falter, but God still has his angel flying in mid-heaven.

God Keeps Sending Forth the Gospel of Christ to Sinners—from the Beginning to the End of the World!

The Eternal Gospel is for Everyone!

We observe the Festival of Reformation today because God used preachers, like an angel flying in mid-heaven, to bring this bright, heavenly, joyous, eternal Gospel also to us, and to many others.

So hear the message:

Jeremiah Chapter 31

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. 33 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Romans Chapter 3

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.

Ephesians 2:8 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Christ Jesus became your substitute by standing before God to bear the punishment of your sin, in order for you to be set free, to be declared “not guilty”. To be guaranteed entrance into Paradise. In order for you to be justified before God as His dear child. The only thing that can mess this up is for you to walk away from it. BUT, in Christ you are now children of the heavenly Father.

We give thanks that God continues to have his eternal Gospel proclaimed through many faithful witnesses and pray that God will keep us in the one true faith unto life everlasting and will preserve the preaching of the Gospel among us and for our children and their children.

Friends, the angel is still flying in mid-heaven with the eternal Gospel. And though threats and enemies continue to surround God’s dear flock, God is still sending us his eternal Gospel, and by his grace, he will continue to do so (LSB 656:4).

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.