Staying True to the Hope of This Gospel

Introductory Thoughts:

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 4721 That Recording Angel

4721 That Recording Angel

Macartney in his Illustration, writes: “Delayed once for several hours in the town of Dijon in France, I went into the venerable cathedral there. What I remember now about the cathedral is the finely-wrought stone pulpit, and just beneath it the figure of a recording angel, holding a tablet in one hand and a pen in the other, with face upward turned toward the pulpit, waiting to hear and record what the preacher says.

“Always the angel stands below our pulpits. He is not waiting to put down things which the congregation might like to record—in pleasure or displeasure—but whether or not the words of the preacher are true to the gospel with which he has been entrusted.”

—Ministers’ Research Service

As we enter the New Year, we really are plagued by a desire for new and innovative things. Whether it is technology or health or even spiritually. Some people are asking for and looking for a new spiritual experience. What do we say to this? How do we respond?

As we enter the New Year, we really are plagued by a desire for new and innovative things. Whether it is technology or health or even spiritually. Some people are asking for and looking for a new spiritual experience. What do we say to this? How do we respond?

In Colosse, lying teachers had come in and begun to teach heresy that undermined the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. It would seem that a void had been filled among the Colossian people, and Paul sees it important enough to write this letter from prison.

The letter of Colossians

The supremacy of Jesus

Colossians is a letter that Paul wrote from prison. In this letter, Paul emphasizes the supremacy of Christ. The reason he needed to establish this is because the young believers had been influenced by some false teachers.

The church in Colosse needed to know that this was the true gospel because there were false teachers who had attempted to re - subjugate the Colossians believers to ascetic practices and possibly some cultural worship blend.

You see, there is only one gospel. There is only one God. There is only one Jesus, and there are not any variations. Jesus himself was clear about this. So, Paul is writing this letter to show the the message of Jesus is what makes a person complete; and you don't have to add anything. The Colossians don't have to add ascetic practices. They don't have to abstain from meats. They don't have to observe certain days...etc

is an admonition to stay grounded and settled in the hope of the gospel, but how does this admonition ward off what they were being told? How does this admonition ward off what we might here in our culture?

Our Culture:

You see, in our culture, we are bombarded with inherited religion. There are legal teachings that would re-enslave us and cause us to undermine the sufficiency of Jesus. [illustration: Pastor Green’s testimony often reminds me of how he came out of works salvation].

Our culture also influences us with philosophical questions. [Illustration: Movie Nacho Libre in discussion with his wrestling partner about getting saved. His partner responds, I believe in science…etc]

Our culture also influences us with ethnically-based religion. These are superstitious beliefs that are held religiously by our culture…possibly idols. The idols of education, money, success has long plagued mankind and believers specifically.

Proposition:

And, so, to us today, as enter a New Year, there could be no better admonition for us than to stay true to the hope of the gospel!

Why is the gospel so important for these believers?

1. It is the hope of the gospel which they had heard

What they heard was Paul preaching what had been in the OT -

What they heard was Paul preaching Christ alone, the hope of glory -

Principle:

The hope of the gospel which they had heard was all-inclusive, while the message of the false teachers required additional accessories.

Illustration:

Catrina received some candles....batteries NOT included.

Application:

This simplifies what we can make complex (post-salvation). While we preach that salvation is by faith in Christ, we often talk as if salvation is based upon the behaviors that we see someone do after salvation. Our judgments are often superficial and based on extrapolating scriptures to fit our moralistic upbringings. What this does is cause people to sub-consciously revert back to basing their feelings of salvation, not on the completeness of Christ, but on the completeness of their obedience.

The obedience that should matter is obedience that shows forth the completeness of Christ. This is obedience that does not engage in ritual for the sake of feeling right with God but obedience should engage in ritual because they sense their completeness in Christ. This is the kind of gospel that we should want to preach. It is a gospel that liberates the individual from the sinful pursuits of righteousness in self and sees, understands, and lives in the reconciled state in Christ.

Question:

Are you staying true to the gospel? Rather, do you find yourself obeying Christ because of your delight in Christ or out of drudgery?

1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 842: Loving to Say Yes

LOVING TO SAY YES

Topics: Brokenness; Christian Life; Evil Desires; God’s Love; Obedience; Sin; Temptation

References: Galatians 2:20; 5:16–25

I cannot continuously say no to this or no to that unless there is something ten times more attractive to choose. Saying no to my lust, my greed, my needs, and the world’s powers takes an enormous amount of energy. The only hope is to find something so obviously real and attractive that I can devote all my energies to saying yes.

One such thing I can say yes to is when I come in touch with the fact that I am loved. Once I have found that in my total brokenness I am still loved, I become free from the compulsion of doing successful things.

—Henri Nouwen, “Hearing God’s Voice and Obeying His Word,” Leadership (Winter 1982)

2. It is the hope of the gospel that was worthy of being preached to every creature.

The preaching to every man was to warn them

The preaching involved teaching them in all wisdom

The preaching involved teaching them in all wisdom

The preaching with warning/wisdom is to present every man complete/mature in Christ Jesus -

The preaching with warning/wisdom is to present every man complete/mature in Christ Jesus -

Principle:

The hope of the gospel which was preached to every creature under heaven shows that it was irrespective of custom (whether Jew, Greek, or ethnic oriental mysticism) because it was all-inclusive in Jesus.

Illustration:

Application:

This confirms that the same message can be preached to all people and should be preached to all people.

Question:

Are you staying true to the gospel? How does your involvement in getting the gospel to all people prove or disprove your claims?

3. It is the hope of the gospel that was worthy of service

It is a service where Paul is striving, according to God's work in him.

Principle:

The hope of the gospel which was preached by the subservient Paul reveals that the gospel is so all-inclusive that it deserves and demands a complete loyalty to the rejection of all prior adherence(s).

Illustration:

Demas was a faithful worker with the apostle Paul, but towards the end of Paul’s ministry we read in that Demas had forsaken Paul, having loved this present world.

Application:

This presents a greater motivation to subservience to this gospel...; but this gospel hope is worthy of this kind of commitment, and this is the only gospel hope that can sufficiently complete a man before God (and keep him complete). It's like dispensing riches that never lose value.

This presents a greater motivation to subservience to this gospel...; but this gospel hope is worthy of this kind of commitment, and this is the only gospel hope that can sufficiently complete a man before God (and keep him complete). It's like dispensing riches that never lose value.

Question:

Are you staying true to the gospel? Would you say that your commitment to the gospel is such that there are no rivals to the gospel? When people hear you speak, see you live - do they see and hear the gospel? Do they see someone who really believes in the sufficiency and supremacy of Christ?

Conclusion / Decisions to Make:

(1) Decide that you will remain true to the gospel: by learning to delight in obedience because of the sufficient gospel.

(2) Decide that you will remain true to the gospel: intentionally getting the gospel to every creature because you’re convinced of the sufficiency of the gospel.

(3) Decide that you will remain true to the gospel: being so committed to the gospel in your service because you’re convinced that the gospel is sufficient.

Illustration:

Cold Stone Ice Cream shop has tremendous flavors, but each time that I go there I get the same one. It’s called the “Founder’s Favorite” - I’ve tasted, and I have been convinced. Each time I go, I taste again, and I am convinced again.