Birthday Gifts: A Simple Gospel

Warren Brosi

August 25, 2024

Dominant Thought: God raised Jesus to bless us by turning us from wicked ways.

Objectives:

I want my listeners to understand the good news of Jesus is based on God raising Jesus from the dead.

I want my listeners to feel remorse for wicked choices.

I want my listeners to identify one of the character traits of Jesus to focus upon this week.

I found the following article in The Christian Standard from 1871 under the heading and title:

ISLAND GROVE, ILL. MT ZION CHURCH

Items from correspondents [organizational history of church given]. The Christian Standard, By T. T. Holton, 1871 11 F: 47

We have just closed a very joyful meeting of three weeks under the labors of our veteran brother J. Harrison Jones of Ohio. Ten persons made the good confession and were immersed. Seven wanderers from the church made public confession of their errors, and were restored to the fellowship of the saints. Our audiences were large and a most gracious influence has gone out through our community. Bro. Jones left us to join his family at Mt. Union near Alliance, O, followed by our prayers and good wishes.

This congregation known as Mt Zion was organized near this village in Island Grove shortly after 1824 by Andrew Scott who came here from Indiana at that early day and made it his first object to lift up the standard of the Cross in this, (then) wilderness. Here long years ago, the pioneer preachers of the primitive Gospel [emphasis mine] found a home and sympathy. Stone, Hewitt, Hughes, Brown, Franklin, and many others have battled for our cause. During a year or two past the congregation has not been prosperous. We are gradually gathering strength again and trust ere many years to largely increase our numbers and usefulness.

T. T. Holton

Berlin, Jan. 17, [1871]

Andrew Scott came to Island Grove as a pioneer preacher of the primitive gospel. Louie Giglio reminded me in one of the Right Now Media lessons that the early church had a pioneering mentality and not a settler mentality. I loved how T. T. Holton who wrote from here in Berlin in 1871, described Andrew Scott who help start this church as a “pioneer preacher of the primitive gospel.” Pioneers venture off the map. They cut trees down and build homes. They move rocks and plant farms and gardens. They do not things and hard things. Settlers come after the pioneers. They come after the hard work is mostly done. I pray that God will give us a pioneer to venture into new territory for His kingdom.

Andrew Scott was a pioneer preacher of the primitive gospel. Generally, the word primitive is not a compliment. It usually describing something old or outdated. Primitive comes from the Latin “primus” meaning first or first of its kind (Concise Oxford English Dictionary). Another way primitive is used is to describe something deliberately simple.

Andrew Scott preached the early gospel or the simple gospel. One of the gifts the preachers in the book of Acts gave to the church is the primitive or simple gospel. They were telling the Jesus story for the first time. The simple gospel could be told as follows: God sent Jesus who did not sin. You killed Jesus. God raised Him to life. If you change your ways and trust in Jesus, then you have life. That’s the simple gospel. That’s probably the theme of many of Andrew Scott’s sermons just a couple of miles from here when people gathered in his log cabin.

To help us understand the value of this simple gospel, let’s look at one of the sermons that Peter preached in Acts 3.

In Acts 3, Peter and John, two apostles, are going to the temple to pray when they encounter a lame man who’s begging. Peter looks at the lame man and says, “Look at us!…Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3.4, 6). Then, Peter reached out and helped the man up. “Instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God” (Acts 3.7-8).

The people at the temple that day respond with wonder and amazement because they recognized this man as the one who would sit and beg at the temple gate called Beautiful.

We pick up the story in Acts 3.11, where that man is still holding on to Peter and John, and “all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade.”

In Acts 3.12, Peter addresses the crowd in a similar way he did in Acts 2, “Fellow Israelites...” As we read through his sermon, we’ll see four characteristics of the simple gospel or the simple story of Jesus. The gospel is the good news about Jesus.

First, The simple gospel highlights the character of Jesus (Acts 3.13-15, 17-26). Peter is quick to highlight what separates Jesus from everyone else. He diverts attention away from himself and firmly toward Jesus when he says, “Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?” (Acts 3.12). Then, he shines the spotlight on Jesus.

The God of our fathers has glorified his servant Jesus (Acts 3.13). The theme of Jesus as a servant bookends this sermon in Acts 3.13, 26. Servant could also be understood as “child.” God glorified His servant or His child.

Next, Peter highlights their reactions to Jesus with several accusations: You handed him over to be killed (Acts 3.13), you disowned (Acts 3.13-14), you killed (Acts 3.15), you acted in ignorance (Acts 3.17).

You disowned the Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3.14). Not only is Jesus the servant of God or the child of God, Jesus is holy and righteous. He is pure clean and just. Instead of honoring the holy and just one, justice was upended and a murderer was released. He was graciously granted to them.

You killed the author of life (Acts 3.15). Peter describes Jesus as the author or life. Another way to describe author is trailblazer or pioneer of life. It can be used as a hero or one who established city. In Acts 5.31, Peter and the other apostles call Jesus Prince and Savior.

As we present the simple gospel, we must zero in on the hero, Jesus. He’s called a holy righteous son or servant of God. He’s the trailblazer of life who was disowned, handed over, and killed. But God… “But God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this” (Acts 3.15). The life of Jesus is the second characteristic of this simple gospel.

Second, The simple gospel announces the life of Jesus (Acts 3.13, 15-16, 21, 26). The foundation of the gospel is the empty tomb of Jesus. Peter uses the descriptions: “God has glorified His servant Jesus” (Acts 3.13), “God raised Him from the dead” (Acts 3.15), “Heaven must receive Him until the time comes for God to restore everything” (Acts 3.21), “When God raised up His servant” (Acts 3.26). At least four times, Peter circles back to the theme God raised Jesus from the dead. When you are presenting the good news of Jesus, we must declare that God raised His perfect son from the grave.

God raising Jesus from the grave is the foundation of our faith.

1 Corinthians 15:14 NIV

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

Third, The simple gospel calls for a response to Jesus (Acts 3.16-19, 26). Acts 3.16 joins a long list of famous 3.16 verses of the Bible. Sometime I invite you to go through your Bible and look at the 3.16 verses of the Bible. Not all books have three chapters and not all chapter threes have 16 verses. We recall John 3.16, “For God so love the world...” Here in Acts 3.16, we read, “By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him that has completely healed him, as you all can see.”

Peter told the lame man, “I have no money, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk” (Acts 3.6). The lame man accepted Peter’s hand. Jesus made the man’s feet and ankles strong. He jumped to his feet—walking and jumping and praising God (Acts 3.9). Those expressions display this man was completely healed. The ESV says “perfect health.” This man’s body is healed, made strong, healthy.

If you want healing, you must trust the healer. The healer is King Jesus.

Next Peter addresses the crowd to invite them to respond. Again, he says, “Fellow Israelites, I know you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders” (Acts 3.17). God foretold what that this suffering of Jesus would happen in the prophets. The most vivid prophecy of God’s suffering servant is found in Isaiah 53. A sampling of verses like Isaiah 53.3-12 speak of His suffering, offering his life for sin, and seeing the light of life.

After describing the suffering of Jesus, Peter gives two commands that function as one. He urges the crowd to “Repent and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3.19, ESV). To repent is to change your mind, your thinking, your attitude. It is the same command he gave in Acts 2.38. To help clarify this change, Peter says “turn back.” Return to God. To come back to where you were before. For some of you, this message is for you. At one time you were close to Jesus, but have drifted or wandered away. Peter said they acted in ignorance. Come back to the Lord.

We’ll see the turning imagery return in Acts 3.26 when Peter says, “God, having raised up his servant, sent Him to you first, to bless you by turning everyone of you from your wickedness” (ESV). The key theme for today is God raised Jesus to bless us by turning us from our wicked ways.

By returning to God, we trust Jesus to take away our sins. The phrase is “so that your sins may be wiped out” (Acts 3.19). The word means to wipe out or blot out. It can mean to cancel a debt (Colossians 2.14) or to wipe away tears (Revelation 7.17; 21.4).

Peter continues to tell them that benefits of returning to the Lord. When you repent and return to the Lord, then you will receive times of refreshing from the Lord Himself (Acts 3.19). Seasons of cheer, rejuvenation, joy from the Lord will come to those who return to Jesus. The times of refreshing come with the presence of Jesus who will return one day.

He is like the prophet Moses spoke about. The prophet like Moses was fulfilled in Jesus. We can read that prophecy in Deuteronomy 18.15-19.

Peter concludes his sermon with more Old Testament summary from Samuel and the prophets and reminding them of their relationship with God through Abraham (Genesis 12.3; 22.18; 26.4). This blessing is available to all people.

Nic Babbs and I were discussing the book, Gentle and Lowly, this week. In chapter one, the author offers two contrasting views of our perception of Jesus. Do we picture him looking at us with the face of a child who has just touched a slug? A face all wrinkled and filled with disgust. Or do we picture Jesus with open arms ready to receive us?

We respond to the good news of Jesus with trust in him or faith. We also respond with a change of mind and return back to Jesus because He loved us before we even knew Him.

Brother Andy Seric shared the following update on the Mathetes Mission in the Philippines (August 13, 2024). It helps illustrate the value of when just one person responds to the good news of Jesus. We writes:

Our task is to simply plant the seed and let the Holy Spirit work in their lives. You will never know who's gonna respond to the calling and be convicted but the thought of even one soul accepting the Lord Jesus is already a victory. Just for example the life of one high school student 8 years ago. His name is April Joy Labajo. We fondly called him "Bong". He was a regular visitor of the Center before. We invited him to attend bible study and activities but he always refuse. He just love to hangout in the Center but told us that he will never change religion or be convince to follow Jesus and get baptized. But because of Team's persistence and constantly inviting him to join Youth Encounter and bible study, he finally acknowledged and was baptized and became active of the Digos Church and its ministry. He later decided to go to Cebu Bible Seminary and graduated and now a Pastor for 4 years already in one of the Churches of Christ in Bohol. Isn't that amazing? Just one soul, and now reaching more souls for Christ. Praise God! Pastor Bong's conversion story is not the only one in the Center, but there are others. His story is one of the reasons why I don't lose hope in reaching to the kids in the Center. Because even just only one soul who will return to Jesus and truly follow Him, he will surely make a great impact to where he/she will be put by God. Pastor Bong have reach souls and discipled young people and adults in his church. All this happened because of the grace of God and through your generous giving and financial support of the Youth Center. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Our labor is not in vain.

The simple gospel highlights the character of Jesus, announces the life of Jesus, and calls for a response to Jesus. There is a fourth characteristic of this simple gospel and we must keep reading into Acts 4 to find it.

Fourth, The simple gospel may land us in jail (Acts 4.1-4; 5.18).

While they were speaking they were thrown in jail because they were speaking of the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 4.2). It was God’s plan for the Messiah to suffer (Acts 3.18). We should not be surprised when the followers of Jesus suffer. Later in Acts 5, the apostles were jailed and beat and they left the jail rejoicing “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5.41).

The simple primitive gospel that has been preached here in Island Grove Township continues to be the same. God sent His perfect son Jesus. He was killed on a cross, but God raise Jesus to life. We have eyewitness testimony recorded in this book, the Bible. People can respond in one of two ways: accept the good news of Jesus or reject the good news of Jesus. For those who want to accept, we invite you to trust in Jesus as your saving king and to turn back to Him in your attitude and your actions. When you do, your sins will be blotted out and your will receive refreshment that only Jesus can provide. How will you respond today?