The Gospel
Notes
Transcript
The title of the message tonight is: “The Gospel”
The gospel is another word for the “good news”
Our entire purpose as believers is wrapped up in this “good news”
The only thing we can give the world to help them is the news of a Savior
This is the basis of our faith
The power, the hope,
Everything we do as a church should be focused on spreading it
it must be the basis of everything we do
And we as believers have a responsibility to live it out in our lives
My hope for this message is that we will come to a better understanding of what the gospel is and place our faith in its life changing power
Nothing else can replace what it can do
Tonight we will light the advent candle that represents faith
What is faith?
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It is the confident assurance that something we we want is going to happen
And it is the certainty of what we hope for, yet not seen, is waiting for us
It is the rock solid assurance that something we cannot see is going to come to pass because God has declared it
Our faith is in what Christ did and His imminent return
My hope tonight is that you will find renewed faith in the gospel message and it’s life-changing power
Luke 2:8-12
Who is the good news for? (Verse 8-12)
Who is the good news for? (Verse 8-12)
Notice who is given the message: The Shepherds
king David was a shepherd boy, but it was not a desired occupation
Being a shepherd was more of a description
Shepherds were despised by people in Israel
Chosen because of their lowly status
They were dishonest
They were unclean according to the Law
They represent the low life’s of today’s society
“living in the fields”
I’m am sure baths were not a regular thing
I am sure they smelled of animals
Society turned their noses up to them when they saw them on the streets
But these are the first ones God proclaimed his gospel to
They were chosen because of their lowly status
Just like Jesus who was born in a manger
The gospel is for the humble, not the proud
And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
These shepherds represent the lowly and humble who respond to God’s message
No man can be saved if his heart is filled with pride
Its pride that keeps many people from reaching heaven
Pride keeps people in the pews when God is calling
Pride is silent
Its often unoticed
Its deadly
It takes child like faith to know Jesus
It takes any man or woman willing to get down on their knees whether in private or in public and confess their need of Jesus
Our walk with Jesus is personal, but it was never meant to be lived out in private
Just like these angels in this verse proclaimed the good news so are we to be witnesses of what He has done
Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Live out your faith before people in this world!
Be humble in your walk with Christ
Being humble means making yourself vulnerable to Him
Give when prompted
Weep when broken
Make Him your only audience
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
Let God have His way with you
“The gospel is for all the people” verse 10
In no way should we overlook someone because of the way they look, who they are, or because of the kind of life thye have lives
There is nothing that should prevent us from telling someone about Jesus
Homeless people need to be saved
Poor people need to be saved
Rich people need to be saved
Bad people need to be saved
Alcoholics need to be saved
Drug attics need to be saved
Everyone deserves to hear the good news
God visitation of salvation comes not to the religious rulers of Isreal, not to the rich, but to the poor and humble in spirit
What is the Good News? (Verse 11)
What is the Good News? (Verse 11)
“A Savior, Christ, the Lord” All three of these words describe the same person but in three different ways
All three of these words describe the same person but in three different ways
A Savior
Chosen because of their lowly status
Who needs a Savior? ALL PEOPLE!
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
There is not a soul today that does not need saving
No one is good enough that they don’t need a Savior
And no one is bad enough that they cannot be saved
The New American Commentary: Luke The Lukan MessageA final Lukan theme is the divine visitation to the poor and humble of Israel. God’s visitation of salvation comes to the humble (1:48, 52) and hungry (1:53), not the proud (1:51–52) and rich (1:53). Thus those present at the birth of God’s Son were not this world’s rulers or its religious leaders. Rather the angelic invitation was extended to shepherds on the fringe of society, and they were present to see the birth of the Lord Christ.
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”
That word Savior means deliverer
In my nine years of being a Christian, I have only seen one thing truly deliver a man and that is Jesus
Who the Son sets free will be free indeed
Did God know there would be no room available for Him?
The enemy has dominion of the world
Adam gave him that to him in the garden of Eden when he sinned
Adam lost our dominion
Adam was sent out of the garden
Death entered the world
Satan was cursed
When Jesus came, he was not born of the seed of a man, but of the seed of God
Jesus had no earthly father, because in Adam all die
But Jesus, conceived of the Spirit of God gives life to all those dead in Adam
I told you last week, without the virgin birth we would have no salvation
Jesus became a man so he could take back what Adam lost in the garden
Had Jesus not came, there would be no salvation
Had Jesus not stepped down into the flesh of a man we would be dead in our sins
Christ
This points to his role as the Messiah
Another word for it is anointed one or promised one or the HOPE
Jesus was fully God and fully man
He was not half God and half man
He was all God and no man
The fulfilment of the Law
He was the God-man!
He is not less than the Father but completely equal to the Father
The fulfilment of God’s plan of salvation
He and the Father are ONE
He is the CHRIST
THE HOLY ONE OF GOD
Lord
This represents his sovereign authority
This represents his role as King
This morning we talked about God’s sovereignty
Does anyone know what that word means?
It means supreme ruler
Now God is the Supreme Ruler of the entire universe
Adam gave him that to him in the garden of Eden when he sinned
Adam lost our dominion
Adam was sent out of the garden
This title is given to Jesus because Jesus is equal to the Father
Death entered the world
Satan was cursed
When Jesus came, he was not born of the seed of a man, but of the seed of God
Jesus had no earthly father, because in Adam all die
But Jesus, conceived of the Spirit of God gives life to all those dead in Adam
I told you last week, without the virgin birth we would have no salvation
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Listen the same Child that those Shepherd seen as a baby is the same person who created the world
Jesus was older than his mother Mary while he was still in the womb
Heres the point, HE IS THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS!
Everything belongs to Jesus
Everything is coming back to Him
What is the good news?
Jesus became a man so he could take back what Adam lost in the garden
Had Jesus not came, there would be no salvation
Had Jesus not stepped down into the flesh of a man we would be dead in our sins
What is the good news?
Its that this Child, the Son of God, the Christ, the Savior took back what Adam lost in the garden to redeem us from spiritual death and in Him we have life!
In Him we have dominion
In Him we have freedom
In Him we are freed from the bondage of sin
In Him we are SAVED
NKJVFor our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Did God know He wold be born in this manner?
Was God’s Hand still protecting His one and only Son?
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
The New American Commentary: Luke CommentsOne should not romanticize the occupation of shepherds. In general shepherds were dishonest (Sanh. 25b) and unclean according to the standards of the law. They represent the outcasts and sinners for whom Jesus came. Such outcasts were the first recipients of the good news.
Shepherds were out in the fields with their flocks usually during the months of March to November.Glory of the Lord: This is the manifestation of God’s presence among His people (v 9)(v 10) “I bring you good news” means to preach the good newsToday means the beginning of the messianic salvation (v 11)He would be for all THE people (likely referring to Israel)
NKJVFor our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
Savior (points to his role as Deliverer) Acts 4:12
:12Christ (Messaih)Lord (King) Jesus at His birth was already both Christ and LordThis verse gives a brief summary of the gospel messageIt says that the gospel readers, both past and present, are the kinds of people that needs a Savior (Verse 14) NIV “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”Spontaneous obedience by the Shepherds (Verse 15) “So they hurried off”The amazement of those who heard the news (Verse 17-18)Marys reflection over the events (Verse 19)
Christ (Messaih) points to his role as the promised anointed one
Lord (King) Jesus at His birth was already both Christ and Lord; Insicstes his sovereign authority
This verse gives a brief summary of the gospel messageIt says that the gospel readers, both past and present, are the kinds of people that needs a Savior
Jesus at His birth was already both Christ and LordThis verse gives a brief summary of the gospel messageIt says that the gospel readers, both past and present, are the kinds of people that needs a Savior (Verse 14) NIV “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”Spontaneous obedience by the Shepherds (Verse 15) “So they hurried off”The amazement of those who heard the news (Verse 17-18)Marys reflection over the events (Verse 19)
(Verse 14) NIV “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests”
Spontaneous obedience by the Shepherds (Verse 15) “So they hurried off”
The amazement of those who heard the news (Verse 17-18)
Marys reflection over the events (Verse 19)
What do we do with the good news? (Verse 15-17)
What do we do with the good news? (Verse 15-17)
They made him widely known what was told them concerning the child
“made widely known”
What have I done here tonight? I have told you what that means to the world today
Your job is to make Him known
Why didn’t God just send the angels to tell the people?
Why didn’t God go and speak to them Himself?
God uses humans to spread the gospel
The gospel is to be spread through human vessels
Don’t ever think it is someone else’s job to share Jesus
Notice the first things they did with the good news is take it to other people
We are commissioned by the Word of God to GO!
Verse 18-20
The Joy of Sharing God’s Greatest Gift (Verse 18-20)
The Joy of Sharing God’s Greatest Gift (Verse 18-20)
The shepherds returned praising God
The greatest joy outside of your own salvation is to have the joy of watching someone else receive it
If you have truly been saved you will not be able to contain what God has done for you
Its like a little kid who has gotten the most wonderful toy for Christmas
It was better than he ever expected it could be
He cannot wait until he sees his brother to tell him about that toy
We share the good things that happen to us everyday
Lets not forget what Christ has done in us
Tell people about Jesus
Tell them of what God has done for you
The shepherds heard, they saw, and they testified
Go and do likewise
Marys Pondering
Marys Pondering
~PRAYER~
Luke 2:1–21 portrays Jesus’ birth with a simplicity that belies the event’s universal significance. The birth of the Davidic Savior and Messiah occurs in a room normally reserved for animals. His crib is a feed trough. And yet the birth in Bethlehem is the beginning of the fulfillment of God’s most significant act for humans. From this simple setting emerges the Lord Jesus, the focus of all of God’s promises and of all human hopes.
Fundamental to this section is the Christology of 2:11. Jesus’ life is introduced in terms of three titles: Savior points to his role as deliverer; Messiah points to his office in terms of the promised Anointed One of God; and Lord indicates his sovereign authority. Both Messiah and Lord will be key titles in the presentation of Luke’s two volumes. Jesus’ birth is set in the middle of Roman history, in the reign of Caesar Augustus. However, for Luke the key historical figure is not the powerful Roman ruler; it is the frail child, Jesus, the Christ, who is Lord.
In the angelic exchange with the shepherds, the major point is heaven’s testimony to simple folk. The shepherds seem to represent humankind. After hearing angelic testimony of heaven’s joy over the birth, they respond admirably and go to see the child. They share the joy of heaven upon fulfillment of the word. They see, hear, and testify. Other bystanders at the event marvel at what is happening as the birth produces a variety of responses. In Jesus, heaven and earth come together.
Mary represents the response of a faithful one. She sees the events and contemplates their significance. She wrestles to understand all that is happening. We know she is faithful because the name revealed by the angel in 1:31 is now given to the child. She is intimately acquainted with these events, and yet she too struggles to understand what it all means.
Events often happen “just as was spoken” by the angels. This concept dominates the account and leads to the emergence of two ideas: God is in control of these events, and God’s word comes to pass just as he promised. Here is the note of assurance for Luke’s reader. God can be believed.
Joy surrounds all the events, whether it be in the angelic call to glorify God or in the shepherds’ praise. All are to share in the joy of Jesus’ coming. These are special events; God’s hand is actively and uniquely at work. Just as the heavens rejoice, so should the earth.