The Gospel (2)

The Gospel

Introduction – Hey Jude and classical music

· Today we are starting a series called, “What is the Church.”

· We will be answering the following questions regarding the Universal Church

· What is the Biblical definition of Christ’s Church?

· Why does the church exist?

· Who constitutes members of the church.

· What are the characteristics and qualities exhibited by members of the church?

· What are the marks of a healthy church?

· What are Spiritual gifts comprised in a community of Believers?

As we answer these questions from Scripture, we will be looking at TBCC’s mission, mandate, and vision that God revealed to me as a unique local church here in Upton.

Goals

· And to clear up any misconceptions we may have regarding the Church.

· For us all to be on the same page understanding God’s plan and purpose for the Church as a universal body of Christ.

· Then be informed of God’s plan and purpose for TBCC here in Upton during this time in history.

· And with a clear Biblical understanding of the church, we can walk side by side as we carry out God’s will powerfully and effectively as the church.

Prayer

Today

· God’s plans and purposes in creation centers on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

· For individuals to come to faith in Christ.

· And even more important, a community of believers, the church, to be Christ’s representative here on earth.

· The church cannot exist without the Gospel. The church begins and ends with Jesus’ work on the cross.

· If this is true, the individual members of the church must come to faith in the Gospel message if the church is to exist.

· So today, we are going to take an in depth look at the Gospel from an individual point of view and all that Christ has accomplished for us on the cross.

· Coming to faith personally is the prerequisite for the church to be a powerful witness for Jesus and to proclaim the Kingdom of God.

· Basketball Team Illustration

· Think of it this way.

· If Upton’s boys and girls basketball teams consisted of players who don’t know what basketball is and has never seen it played, do you really have a basketball team?

· Individuals must first learn all about the game and then develop all the skills necessary to play the game.

· Only then you can have a successful team.

· Here is a progression of the impact that occurs when a person comes to faith in Gospel. It has a multiplication effect.

Personal Transformation

Family Transformation

Extended Family and Friend Transformation

Community Transformation

Christ’s Church

Main Message

· In the last 2 months, we’ve been talking about the Gospel; Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and accession and the impact it makes during times of crisis for those who have come to faith in Jesus.

· But it has been done in a more general way.

· So today, we going to take an in-depth look at all we receive through the Gospel

· Remember: God’s overarching plan of redemption and salvation is through grace; it is the free gift of God.

· We are saved:

· By grace ALONE.

· Through faith in Jesus ALONE.

· Having no false notion that we contribute to our salvation through our works.

12 Gifts We Receive From Christ when we come to saving faith – I have separated the, but in truth they all interrelate to one another

· As we go through each of the 12 points, I will read Scripture passages to reinforce these truths

1. Jesus is Our Victory

· Before we came to faith, we were under the control of Satan, full of sin that leads to death.

· But, through Christ’s death and resurrection, He defeated Satan and death once for all freeing us from our slavery to them.

Hebrews 2:14-15

14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

2. Jesus is Our Redeemer

Ephesians 1:7

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

Romans 6:23

23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

· When living in sin, we are spiritually dead, a walking corpse.

· This ultimately leads to eternal separation from God upon our physical death.

· But Jesus redeems us with His blood for the forgiveness our sin.

· The result is that we now are spiritually alive.

· And ultimately, we have eternal life with God upon our physical death.

3. Jesus is Our Great High Priest and Our Mediator

· Last week we talked about the O.T. Jewish high priest who offered animal sacrifices every year for the forgiveness of sin – Never permanent.

· But Jesus, the Lamb of God, became our everlasting High Priest by sacrificing Himself, atoning for sin once for all.

Hebrews 9:11-12

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.

Hebrews 8:1

1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.

· Jesus is also our mediator and advocate between us and God.

· Jesus is the means by which we have direct access to God the father.

1 Timothy 2:5-6

5 For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave himself as a ransom for all, which is the testimony given at the proper time.

4. Jesus Justifies Us

· Doctrineof Justification

· We are no longer condemned by the Old Testament law.

· The Divine Judge has declared us “not guilty.”

· Because Jesus satisfied God’s wrath and the penalty of disobedience to God as he bore our sins on the cross

Romans 3:21-24, 26

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

26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

5. Jesus is Our Righteousness

2 Corinthians 5:21

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

· There are 2 aspects of righteousness

· First, God imputes His righteousness when we first come to faith.

· This means He now deems us to be Holy and righteous.

· But we know living on Earth, we are never fully holy and righteous until we go to Heaven.

· But God sees us holy and righteous because He is looking through the lens of Jesus and His work on the cross.

· God also imparts righteousness on us.

· This means that we are empowered to live the rest of our Christian life in a Christlike manner that glorifies God.

6. Jesus is our Propitiation.

· Doctrine of propitiation

· It means that Jesus stood in our place dying for sin and turning God’s wrath away from us

· We deserved to be on that cross but Jesus said I will take your place, I will do this for you.

1 John 4:10

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

7. Jesus is Our Expiation

· Another Doctrine.

· Expiationrefers to Jesus washing away our sin and making us cleanby cancelling the debt of our sin.

Isaiah 1:18 – Speaking to Israelites that He will redeem them when they turn from forsaking God and return to Him

18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool.

8. Jesus Paid Our Ransom

· Before Faith, we were living in darkness.

· We were in bondage, a slave to sin unable to free ourselves.

John 3:19

19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

· So, Jesus steppedin and paid the ransomto free us from this slavery.

1 Peter 1:18-19

18 Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

9. Jesus Reconciles Us

Romans 5:1, 10-11

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

· Before we came to faith, we are eternally separated from God because of sin.

· But when we do come to faith, Jesus brings us into a right relationship with God the Father because of His death and resurrection.

· We have peace with God.

10. Jesus Sanctifies Us

· Sanctificationmeans that we are “Set apart and made Holy.”

· There are 2 types of sanctification

· First, when we are born again, we are immediatelysanctified, set apart for God.

Hebrews 10:10

10 And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

· We are also continually sanctified. Which means we continually grow throughout our Christian life as we become more and more like Jesus Christ.

· This is the lifelong process of sanctification.

Hebrews 10:14

14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

1 Timothy 2:21

21 Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy (sanctified), useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

11. Jesus Regenerates Us to New Life

2 Corinthians 5:17

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

· We are a new creation, a new person in Christ.

· And we put to death our old identity that we established for ourselves based on worldly values.

· Jesus now becomes our new identity.

· We also put to death our old self, the sinful self.

· This means that just as Christ was crucified, we crucify our old life to live for Him.

Galatians 2:20 – Apostle Paul says:

20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

12. We are now part of God’s Kingdom, Sons and Daughters of God the Father.

This truth is revealed by the Triune God

1. The Holy Spirit Bears Witness to this Truth

Romans 8:14-17

14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.

2. God the Son, Jesus, accomplished it.

John 1:12

11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

3. God the Father Calls Us His Own

1 John 3:1

1 See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.

Application

· Jesus’ work on the cross is the most significant and most important event in all of history. History past and future history.

· This is the Gospel message.

· And these 12 Biblical truths identify all we receiveaccording to all Jesus accomplished by His work on the cross when we come to faith in Christ.

· But to receive and embrace these truths, we must understand them and own them in the most inner part of our being.

· But we must realize that this is not possible in just a 45 minute sermon.

· So, since the Bible is our authority, written and inspired by the Holy Spirit, we must spend time in God’s Word.

In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, The Apostle Paul tells us

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

· All 12 truths are on your bulletin along with the scripture references.

· I encourage you to read them this week. Take them to heart and reflect upon them.

· Study them prayerfully asking God to make them a reality in your life.

And then take time to reflect on these questions:

· What impact can these truths make in every arena of your life?

· How can they wonderfully change and transform your life knowing we have a precious Savior who loves us in a way that surpasses all human understanding?

· A love that never changes, without measure, and is everlasting.

· And last, think of the impact TBCC can make in our community when we walk in a manner worthy of the Gospel?

· Guys, God is doing a great work here in Upton

· And as a church, we are called to His great work as a catalyst to transform our community.

Prayer