The Gospel 101

I am assuming, at least hoping that we have all heard of the “Gospel of Jesus christ? Today, I am going to be leading into the Christmas season, the birth of Jesus season, really touch on the entire story concerning Jesus and the Cross.

Each of the four gospels presents Jesus’ life in a different way with different themes, showing different nuances of Jesus the man and of the various groups who encountered him during Jesus’ lifetime.

Matthew’s Gospel is a Jewish Gospel. It shows us how Jesus fulfilled the Torah and provided the final understanding of it. It represents Jesus as the descendant of Kind David which then fulfills the OT promises for the Messiah.

Mark’s Gospel centers on Jesus as Messiah and Son of God. Mark reports the disciples’ difficulties. They misunderstand and fall as they try to follow Jesus. Mark shows the nature of true discipleship through characters who appear briefly, like the woman from Phoenicia, the father of the demon-possessed boy and blind Bartimaeus.

Luke has more on the subject of social concern than any other Gospel. Luke was very well educated, a Doctor and a gentile. Luke highlights the importance of prayer, the Spirit and worship. He shows how through Jesus, God has worked out his salvation in human history and become Lord of all.

In John, Jesus is the living revealer of God who encounters all people with the “light of the world” and the “bread of life” and with the need to believe. Jesus in the “unique One, who is himself God” and has entered this world and brought the glory of God’s presence into the world and among his own people.

Each Gospel is meant to be studies on it’s own. Each one has a unique way to tell the story of Jesus and each one challenges readers in important ways.

As Pastor Tom read earlier, most of our scripture comes from the book of John 1:1–14

The Gospel of John presents the personal side of Christ’s ministry. He was known as the “bosom disciple.” He gives a first hand account of the life of Christ. John did not write his Gospel until a generation after Matthew, Mark, and Luke. He was the last disciple to die. It is believed that he was around one hundred years old when he died on the isle of Patmos. Remember, John was the writer of Revelations.

I. THE PERSON of Jesus Christ.

1. John tells us about the Past—“In the beginning was the Word.”

2. John tells us of the Power of Christ—“And the Word was with God.”

3. And John explains to us the Person of God—“And the Word was God.”

4. We read and know from John the existence of God—“He (Jesus) has always been alive and is himself God.”

John 1:1–2 “1 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God.” ANY QUESTIONS? John is direct and to the point of God, Jesus was in the beginning, created the beginning Period!

Now I want you all to absorb this next verse, John 1:3 “3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.” Could that be anymore direct?

I don’t know about you all, but I am all in for our Father, the son Jesus and the Holy Spirit, are you?

B. Creation—Also In v. 3. All things we see, and the unseen was created by Him. All the stars, planets, moon, sun, etc. were made by Him.

Colossians 1:16–17 tell us” 16 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

C. what happens when we are converted:

John 1:4 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

We hear of “this” light all the time in church, don’t we?

Christ is the light spoken of in:

Isaiah 9:2–3 “2 The people who walk in darkness Will see a great light; Those who live in a dark land, The light will shine on them. 3 You shall multiply the nation, You shall increase their gladness; They will be glad in Your presence As with the gladness of harvest, As men rejoice when they divide the spoil.” This was 740 B.C. by Isaiah,

D. Do you think God is in total Control?

Remember when the disciples and Jesus was on the sea of Galilee? Jesus was asleep, a storm came up, all was petrified except Jesus. They woke him and He calmed the storm. They said to each other, who is this that even the wind and waves obey?

Also, Christ is greater than all the darkness. Though sin may be great and increasing, He is above all sin.

Anyone in here today experience any darkness last week? When darkness starts to creep into my life, I try to ask my heart to pray. I try to immediately give this darkness to Jesus.

II. THE PREPARATION for Jesus started in the beginning of time and in the OT however, God sent someone before Jesus to make way for Jesus.

A. The method, Notice the wording “sent from God.” John was an evangelist. God sent in the church evangelists, the big hitter to introduce His only Son,

Ephesians 4:11–12 “11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ;”

Paul told Timothy to do the work of an evangelist.

1 Timothy 4:11–12 “11 Prescribe and teach these things. 12 Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.”

God still works through man to evangelize man!

John 1:5–8 “5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.”

John gave witness, or proof of Christ, so that all men, through Him might be saved.

Have you ever been with someone, maybe someone famous and see a friend or family member? Don’t you want your friend to know who you are with? Doesn't it make you feel good? John was so very humble, “not worthy to untie Jesus’ sandal straps

C. The messenger—v. 8. John was not the Light spoken of in Isaiah 9:2. He was just sent to give witness of this Light.

Scripture tells over and over, John is not the light, John even tells the people he is not the one sent.

D. The man—v. 9. The Man Christ Jesus. He would give light to all mankind. Later, Jesus said He was the Light of the world—John 8:12.

III. THE PEOPLE—vv. 10–12

A. Jesus was a Resident—v. 10. Jesus was resident with God when the world was created, yet the world did not accept Him.

B. In the OT, over and over, God letting the people know that the Messiah is coming through the prophets, they were rejected, —v. 11. He came to His own Jewish people, but they rejected Him. He was even rejected by His own family.

C. Some however did Reception Him—v. 12. Those who received Him were made sons of God. They became sons of God by believing on His name.

IV. WHAT ABOUT THE PERSONALITY OF GOD?

John 1:13–14 “13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

This was the new birth spoken of by Jesus in: I am going to close this morning with this story, a meeting with Nicodemus:

John 3:1–8

1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 “Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Closing statement concerning the Gospels:

AMEN