The Power of the Gospel

Alfred Nobel, the founder of the Nobel Peace Prize, also was the man who created dynamite. When he came up with this new, explosive kind of technology, he needed a name. So he spoke with a friend who knew the Greek language well and asked him what the Greek word for "explosion" was. That word was dunamis, and so Nobel named his invention "dynamite."

When the apostle Paul wrote in Romans 1:16, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes," the word "power" is translated from that same Greek word: dunamis.

So think of dynamite, think of something dynamic, think of an explosion, and you will have an idea of what Paul was saying. There is explosive power in the simple message of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There is an explosion when the gospel goes out. And the way it goes out is through preaching. As 1 Corinthians 1:21 says, "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe."

I preach the gospel because I am a man under orders. My commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ, has commanded me to go into all the world and preach the gospel (see Mark 16:15).

Some might say, "That’s right! So go do it, Greg, and we will pray for you!"

But I am not the only one who has been commanded to do this; Jesus has given this command to all of us. And though not all of us are called to be evangelists, all of us are called to evangelize. That means you. And that means me. We all have a part to play.