The Gospel

INTRO:

ILLUS: Andrew O’kelly’s Daughter

hopeless situation

received great news

This is what the Gospel does

Gospel = Good News, for news to be good it has to invade dark spaces

A Need for the Gospel

Romans 1:16 ESV

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

It is the power of salvation

Need to be saved - there is a situation of hopelessness

What is this hopeless situation?

Share 2 passages - see two words that stick out from both passages

Psalm 53:2–3 ESV

2 God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all fallen away; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

All

Fall or fallen

You and I have rebelled against a holy God

We have robbed Him of His due glory and the very nature of God demands justice for this.

Still doesn’t seem like a need

Why do I need the Gospel?

The Promise of Wrath

Romans 1:18 ESV

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

All ungodliness and unrighteousness:

anything against God

anything that is not right by God’s standard invokes His WRATH!

We choose to do this…the natural bend of a person’s heart is not to God but to self

Wrath comes against this blasphemy - that I am God

What does this wrath look like? Is it

Romans 6:23 ESV

23 For the wages of sin is death….

The wrath is your destruction

the only suitable punishment for the robbing of God’s glory

God’s very nature dictates that He has to punish sin

This situation is hopeless

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Good News

Christ came and He reveals God’s love and mercy in the midst of His justice

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While you were still rebellious Christ died for you!

Christ bore the guilt and shame that was yours

Isaiah 53:5–6 ESV

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

His death pays the price demanded by God’s justice

Recap: The Gospel is

Infinite, Almighty, All-knowing, All-powerful God created everything

Each of us have at one time or currently have belittled His glory, His name

Believe that our way is better than God’s

Fail to acknowledge or give Him glory for all He has given

Question His rule and authority

God being Just, Right and Holy

Does not allow the belittlement of His name

God not able to spare wrath sends Christ in the flesh and crushes Him

Pours out His wrath for the children of God onto the Son KILLING HIM

God raises Him from the dead and the same power gives life to us who would believe

APP:

We have a hopeless situation

God in love and mercy gives us hope

Repent and believe the Gospel

A life forged in Gratitude to love God