What is the Gospel?

Me:  What is the "Gospel?"
         No, really, what is it?
         What is the Gospel?

"B":  Good News

Me:   Sure, ok, it means "good news", but so what, who cares, why is it good news?

"B":   well, it's about Jesus coming.

Me:   uh, huh...

"B":  That he was the son of God and he died

Me:  So it's 'good news' that the son of God died.  Brilliant.

"B":  well, yeah, right?

Me:  Are you asking or telling?

"B":  I'm not sure

Me:  So what is the gospel again?

"B": God's rules for living

Me:  So the good news is a rule book?  awesome.

"B":  I didn't mean it like that

Me:  ok, how did you mean it?  Why in the world would anyone think rules were
        'good new'?

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Now, I'm not picking on anyone, I'm attempting to teach someone to fish instead of giving them fish.  What good is your faith if you only know it because someone told you?  it's not.

So think for a minute, how would You answer that question? What is the gospel?
and not how you'd answer it to your preacher, but if one of your peers walked up to you out of the blue and asked "what's the gospel and why do I care?"  how would you respond?  How would you explain it?


Then, perhaps even more importantly, once you've come up with your answer, really, truly look at it, examine it, meditate on it, and decide:
Is this this your answer?  Or is it your parents answer, your pastor's answer, your preacher's answer, your youth minister's answer, your family's answer... or is it yours.  Do you own it?

What is the Gospel (and why do you care)?