What Makes The Good News So Good

Introduction

We have been dealing with the topic of Evangelism

Evangelism in and of itself has no power, what puts the power in Evangelism is the Gospel.

That’s the euangelion = The Good News

It goes by different names in the bible.

Gospel of Christ/God

The message of truth

The Gospel has the power to save!

The notion that the GOSPEL has the inherent power to accomplish the act of salvation is firmly established by the NT.

Rom 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

Thats why Jesus said in Mark 16:15-16 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”

There are three (3) aspects of this salvation

There is the initial rescue that takes place Eph 2:8 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”

The Corinthians were taught that it is something they need to persist in 1 Cor 15:1-2 “Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are (being) saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.”

The bible is also clear that there are eternal ramifications of the gospel 2 Thes 1:8-9 “dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”

What Am I saved from?

I am convinced that I will never have the fervour needed to complete this mission until I fully understand the place I was saved from.

Luke 7:40-47. Who will love me more???

When we go back to the garden we can clearly what we were saved from. THIS IS WHY THE GOOD NEWS IS SO GOOD!!!

What are going to look at?

The Gospel addresses our problem AND it gives us the power to conquer the problem when it comes up later!!!!

#1 - Man got a SIN PROBLEM

Sin becomes a problem because it cuts man off from God.

God is light, life, healing, blessing, mercy, grace, compassion. . .to be cut off from God is nothing to think lightly off.

Isa 59:1-2 “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear.”

What makes the GOOD NEWS, so Good, Is that it can deal with your sin problem.

How does it feel to have a problem that you can’t deal with. [hepless, hopeless, despondent, frustrated]

But. . .Jesus handled that problem when He went to the cross

Col 1:13-14 “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” [Redemption, God wants you so bad, He pays whatever it costs to get you] Jn 3:16

Why redemption? Because sin comes with a cost, a cost that you can never pay. It’s a debt that you can’t pay off.

Jesus paid it off Mk 10:45 ““For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.””

#2 - Man got a DEATH PROBLEM

“the wages of sin is death”

Notice when man sinned God asked “where are you?” Sin separates

This is what DEATH is. “In Adam we die” 1 Cor 15:21-22.

Eph 2:1-3 “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.”

Eph 2:4 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,”

Eph 2:5-6 “even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”

What God did in Christ, he does in us through salvation.

Sin kills me, but Jesus makeas me alive. This is why the good news is so good!

#3 - Man Got a DEVIL PROBLEM

The devil is the adversary. This means He is in constant opposition to God’s will.

He seeks to undo everything that God has done

He does not match God in power, presence, knowledge. . .

But he’s just as fierce in his desire to get us. . .

Lk 19:10 ““For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”” vs. 1 Pet 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

Eph 2:20 “having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,” vs. Luke 22:31-32 ““Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you [pl.] like wheat; but I have prayed for you [sing.], that your faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.””

Jn 8:49 “Jesus answered, “I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me.” vs. Mt 4:9 “and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.””

Satan has gripped society, but we can take it back with the gospel, the message of truth.

THE GOOD NEWS IS TOO GOOD TO NOT BE SPOKEN OFF!!!