The Appeal of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Appeal of the Good News of Christ

Hopewell Baptist Church

12-15-19

Opening Illustration – Last Sunday, a friend of mine, a pastor of over 30 years at his church in Cape Coral Florida, Tom Ascol collapsed, unresponsive, while ministering to his congregation. At 62 years old, he’s been pastoring for more than half his life, with most of that at Grace Baptist Church. However, what strikes me so greatly about what happened, was the sentiment of the church he pastored. They knew, and many said, that Tom would want them to worship God; he’d say to trust Christ and His gospel.

Transition – While Tom had a brush with death, a death that he was okay with dying, this month, we celebrate life, a life none of us were or are ever worthy of: The life of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Big Idea: And it is the coming of this life, the Word became Flesh, that is worth every ounce of our repentance and rejoicing.

I. The Announcement of the Savior –

a. Now after John was arrested

i. – Why he was arrested

ii. This is not necessarily the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, Mark just didn’t write down anything that may have happened before it.

b. Jesus came into Galilee

i. Jesus traveled to the region of Galilee to minister there

ii. Galilee is where Jesus grew up

iii. Galilee is home to his disciples

c. proclaiming the gospel of God

i. proclaim => to announce, to make known important news publicly and loudly

ii. gospel => Greek word for “Evangelion” or evangelical. Positive information about recent and important events!

1. This good news is that the kingdom of God is at hand! (v.15a).

2. This good news can be found and IS found in the Old Testament prophecies that point towards a coming savior (, , , , etc.).

II. The Appeal of the Savior –

a. The time is fulfilled

i. Time- the time has come, the opportune moment set forth by God in eternity past has come

ii. Fulfill – to reach a climax, a point of culmination – the timing is perfect (see point on Time)

1. Pax Romana – Roman Peace

2. Roman Roads

3. Greek Language

4. The Census, etc.

b. and the kingdom of God is at hand;

i. The announcement of God’s kingdom at the arrival of Jesus

ii. At hand – the actualization of the end times is at hand, is coming (Jesus’ 2nd Advent, that He is coming back) and repentance and faith are God’s requirement of us in response to such good news

III. The Message of the Savior –

a. Repent

i. To repent is to abandon the former disposition resulting in a new self.

1.

b. and believe in the gospel

i. believe – have faith, to trust in

ii. gospel – euangelion (evangelion) -> Good news proceeding from God, the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for sins ( – to save his people form their sins). And His installation of Himself as King.

1. The second coming of Christ, His return as King over everything.

IV. Application – So What? If the coming of Christ (both 1st and 2nd Advent) is worthy of repentance and rejoicing…

a. As individual Christians, our lives must be ripe with repentance and belief in the gospel, and in such a way that it is plainly evident to all those around us, Christian and non-Christian alike.

i. The appeal of the savior must be evident

b. As Christians, we must realize, know, and stand on the fact that the only way to be saved is by repenting and believing in the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ.

i. No other name by which we are saved –

ii. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life…

c. As Christians, we must know that the same gospel that Jesus preached here, in , is the same Gospel from God that we preach now, in 2019, and will preach in 2020 and years to come.

i. Regardless of who you are; male or female, young or old, where ever you may be from, the Gospel is always going to be the same, the call of the Gospel will always be the same.

V. Invitation:

a. So if you’re here and you’ve never heard the Gospel before, or you have but you’ve never responded to the call of it on your life, to repent of your sins and believe in the Good News of Christ our Lord, I urge you to do that now. I will be up front in a couple minutes and relish the opportunity to share more of the gospel with you and pray with you and for you.

b. If you’re here and you have called out to God in repentance but have never followed up in believer’s baptism, I urge you to take that step of obedience to make not only a public statement that you are a Christian, but so we, Hopewell Baptist Church, can affirm that and come around you as you become a part of our church family.

c. If you are here and you feel the call of God on your life to enter ministry, whether it be full time as a pastor or missionary, or just a couple hours a month in the nursery or teaching Sunday School, I implore you to surrender your life to that calling, making a difference on lives in the power of Christ.