Explicit Gospel 2 The Gospel that Saves You

Big Problem. God’s Solution.

What is the problem with our world according to the Bible?

Genesis 3 - The world is broken. The world has fallen from its “good” state.

Romans 8:19-23 - All of creation has been cursed through the Fall, subject to futility, is in bondage to corruption, and is groaning to be set free.

The natural disasters of this world point us to the brokenness of this world and the results of sin. The world is in pain. Creation groans for release. It was good, but it no longer the “good” that is was.

Romans 1:18-25 - People are made for worship, we are a worshipping people, and they chose to worship the creation instead of the Creator. There is no fear of God and there is a longing to satisfy the cravings of the flesh with that which is called creation.

People think they are smarter than God. People fail to acknowledge God in all their ways (Proverbs 3:5-6) but instead choose to glorify themselves and follow their owns ways.

With all that is made to point to God and to lead us all to worship… we take all we can get for our glory and our story, to satisfy our desires and not God’s.

Romans 3:20 - No one is justified in God’s sight. No one is able to keep the law, but even if they could, they would not be justified in His sight.

Isaiah 64:6- Our righteous deeds are like filthy rags before holy God. Ephesians 2:1-5 - We are dead in our sin and trespasses. Our works are dead works with wrong motives and intentions.

We owe a debt we cannot pay. For the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). All have sinned and have “fallen” short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Therefore, all are worthy of death.

(Pg. 37)

1.Do we take sin seriously enough? Why or why not?

2. How vile is it to worship creation over the Creator?

*All of creation was made to glorify God. All of humanity was made to glorify God and worship God. Mankind attempts to take away God’s glory and write their own story without a God to obey.

Now does this make sense: Romans 1:18-25 - The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness...

Romans 11:22 - Consider God’s kindness and severity...

(pg. 41)

The heavens shudder at the sight of people doing this to God (Jeremiah 2:11-12).

The betrayal of God’s glory is a severe action and God is severe in His dealing with it.

Jesus talked more about hell than heaven, painting a picture of a burning trash dump. This is a repulsive, deadly, smoldering and blazing place. It is dark and endlessly burning.

Hell is for everyone that robs God of His glory and sins against Him.

1. Why do we have a problem with that statement or reality?

2. What does Romans 3:19 say to us?

3. We deserve the worst because God is ______________.

Read Isaiah 6:1-7 - In light of God’s holiness Isaiah cried out like a dead man. He needed atonement and he knew it.

4. In light of this account, what may be our greatest need?

(pg. 44)

So now, in light of God’s holiness, we see our desperate state and cry out for kindness in the midst of this deserving severity. And without deserving His kindness… He gives it.

This is what makes the Gospel so Great and Good. In light of the severity, the blackness of our state, the Light of Christ becomes a beacon of Hope and Life.

*To iterate: Exodus 34:6-7 and Proverbs 17:15 - God must punish the guilty and cannot let them go free.

A Life comes to offer life. A Life comes to lay down His life to save ours. A life has come to take our sin debt and punishment. A life has come to take our place and to take our hell.

The blood has always reminded God’s people of the severity of sin. Blood flowed from the substitute, not from the sinner. The wrath was poured out on the sacrifice, not the sinner.

On the Cross, Christ took our place and the wrath of God was poured out on Him to save us from it.

Read Romans 3:23-26 - What did the Cross do?

The Cross is where love, holiness, kindness, grace, wrath and severity met and provided the way for the sinner to be saved.

The Cross changes everything.

(finish with 2.5)