A Gospel Focused Church

A Gospel-Focused Church

Acts 20:22-26

Theme: Three elements of a Gospel-Focused church

Introduction: Thank you for allowing me and Janet for being a part of your special celebration. It has been great reflecting on the many things God has done for the church. There was no way I could’ve known all the things God had in store for the church these last 37 years.

The reason God has done so many wonderful things here for WVBC is because the power of the Gospel. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” (Romans 1:16) This power is explosive just as dynamite explodes. It changes lives and communities.

The gospel is not just a good idea for sinners, but the gospel is a daily reality we are to live out. Pilots tell me when you fly in an airplane, you are never in the air alone unless there is a problem. The radio connects with the ground every step of the way. The gospel is our connection with heaven and when a Christian lives out his life; his connection to heaven is through the gospel which is the very foundation of his life.

How many of you have a smart phone? My father-in-law got a smart phone one time and kept it for about a month. He was so distracted by texts and new notifications that he decided to return the smart phone to replace it with his usual flip phone. It was the last one in the store and he said all I need is a phone.

Do you remember when a cell phone was just a phone? It is amazing how many people purchase a cell phone for the camera. Many want a camera that just happens to have a phone with it rather than the other way around. We now pick up our phone read our emails and check notifications that we forget, it is a phone. Strangely enough, the church can also have many distractions that we lose sight of the fact a healthy church is gospel focused. There are many good things that can cause distractions: feed the homeless, care for the needy, or being involved in social causes. These in and of themselves maybe very good, but we must be careful to not let any of these worthy causes be a replacement for the gospel. While feeding the homeless maybe a good thing, it is never a replacement for gospel.

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16)

Communicating the gospel is not just a part of what a church should do, it is the primary responsibility of the church. It is my conviction every event or activity, we give out the gospel.

Three years ago, while Janet and I were on vacation, we went to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum in Kentucky. I highly recommend you go. Every display or event was backed the underlying message of the gospel.

In Acts 20, Paul is giving a record of his ministry to the church of Ephesus. In this final farewell, he was telling them about the priority of the ministry. The audience is not just the city of Ephesus, but every time should have the priority of the gospel.

“And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.

Paul is bound by the Holy Spirit with a commission, a message to give to the Ephesians if even if means bonds or afflictions.

But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Even though things occur, the idea of being distracted or getting off course does not cause him to quit his ministry.

And now, behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see my face no more. Wherefore I take you to record this day, that I am pure from the blood of all men.” (Acts 20:22–26)

He was saying the focus is the gospel. A church can be a political force or a social club or an entertainment center rather than a place for gospel preaching. It should be the place where we are not trying to be politically correct but Biblically correct.

If the priority of the church is the message of the gospel, how do we give this message? God’s people are called to make sure the goal and purpose of the church is the gospel.

Verse 24: testify the gospel of the grace of God.

Three elements:

1. Messenger

Testify is the word marteria from which we get our word martyr. While a martyr has a violent and negative tone to it, the original word means: to give evidence as to witness in a law court or to serve as evidence or proof of something.

There need to be those who are testifying by their life and lips the gospel in their community. Whether at home or your neighborhood where you meet people, at work where you come in contact with people or when you first meet someone. As you share what is important in your life intentionally share the gospel. A message recognizes his responsibility to give out a message. We are called by God to be an ambassador giving out the message from another kingdom.

“Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

While you may not be called to full-time vocational ministry, you are called to be full time Christian who give out a life changing message of hope.

2. Message

Religion is a human effort of man trying to reach God in his own effort. Religion binds man to the human effort of fulfilling the law. Man cannot reach heaven his own way.

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;” (Titus 3:5)

True hope is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ Jesus accomplished what we could not accomplish because He is our Savior. Jesus made it possible for all of mankind to have a relationship with Jesus Christ

“For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:5–6)

In 1988, when we were meeting in the Senior Center on second street, we had a community recognition day. The church was just about 6 months and I invited all the city officials. I invited the mayor, the city council, county council, fire and police chiefs. The church didn’t have any money but we had a big heart. Somehow we scraped up enough to buy some Bibles for those who came. We sang a few songs and had a special. I got up and preached the gospel to those who came. The mayor came, two city council members came, and I believe a representative from the county. Nobody came to get saved but later one of the city council members called me to pray for him. One person came to me and said, “how can you get up there and preach like that to our city leaders?” Well, we did not have a building, we did not have great music, and we did not have any fancy equipment, but we had the greatest message ever given.

Our first revival came with Evangelist Johnny Crowson. It was at the end of the first year and we were still meeting in the senior. We did not have enough for the midweek service, so we never came in the middle week. We had enough money to rent a side room for Monday through Wednesday. One of the nights, I don’t remember which, we came for our revival meeting. The main room was full and I was excited. They did not come for the revival but we soon learned why they came. As Brother Crowson was preaching in the side room with our handful of people, we could hear through the thin curtain in the main room: B4, A8. Yes they were playing bingo. We were having a revival meeting and they were playing a game.

Johnny kept on preaching loud and strong. The focus of the church needs to be on the message of Jesus Christ. This means we are not to follow the trends of the society or the woke culture. We are to lift up Christ.

3. Messiah

The message is one of grace. It is strange how we have a message of grace, yet the church is often guilty of showing no grace. Someone falls away from the faith and we are more judgmental than helpful. A church attempts to reach those not yet Christians and Christians struggle accepting someone different than themselves.

We need to focus on the essentials that salvation is a work of grace given to us by the Messiah. We are called to tell them of Jesus and trust God to touch their hearts. We want them to respond. We are to preach the death, the burial and resurrection of a Jesus Christ our Messiah and Savior.

While I believe there should be standards, standards should not be the focus of the church, it should be the gospel. A gospel focused church has the purpose of getting the gospel to those without Christ.

The best years are ahead. The past is good to remember, but we must not get stuck in the past. We must move forward for the cause of Christ.