The Marvellous Message
Notes
Transcript
Qualified technician
Rights to have support
Mechanic - MOT - Passed
Doctor - patient:
Bad news and Worse News
24 hours to live
I should’ve told you yesterday
We like good news. We want to know there is hope!
The Purpose
The Purpose
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!
The Message
Paul preached - Proclaim - made others aware
Gospel:
evangelizo - Announce good news
There was one message that compelled Paul to proclaim: THE GOSPEL!
1 Cor 15:1-4
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Paul knew the power of the Gospel in his own life
Acts 9:1-8
And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw no man: but they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus.
What happened to Saul, also called Paul?
Acts 9:17-21
And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized. And when he had received meat, he was strengthened. Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. But all that heard him were amazed, and said; Is not this he that destroyed them which called on this name in Jerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bring them bound unto the chief priests?
Saul’s life was changed - He went from someone who was filled with evil intent, to one who could not be silenced about Jesus!
His name would change to Paul to better enable his outreach amongst the Gentile nations
Paul would preach the Gospel in prisons, to rulers, to the religious pharisees, to the poor, to the rich, to the atheist, to the idolater, to the skeptic, to the agnostic
Paul knew what the Gospel could do!
Believed in the Gospel?
God sent His Son to die voluntarily on the cross.
He paid for every sin mankind has ever committed or will ever commit.
He suffered, He bled, and He died
He defeated sin and death and rose again.
John 11:25-26
Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Jesus paid the price! Trust Him! Believe in Him.
Chair standing on the chair - Know what the chair can do, but until I exercise faith and place my trust in this chair I do not truly believe in this chair!
The Price
1 Cor 9:16
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!
Paul recognised that the message of good news was nothing he could glory of.
Remember, in previous verses Paul spoke of how we could glory or boast that he had the right to work vocationally or bi-vocationally in the church
He boasted to the church that he did not take a salary from the church
Paul had something to state about his work ethic, but when it came to the Gospel he did nothing to earn salvation
Eph 2:8-9
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
He recognised that:
Jesus, God Himself, paid the price for our sins
God Himself presented the Gospel to him
God saved him, removed the penalty of sin, eternal death in Hell
God gave him new life and eternal life
Gal 6:14
But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
The Necessity
1 Cor 9:16
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!
Paul’s heart was burdened to get the Gospel to the world
It was necessary for him
Jonah
On his way to Nineveh - he had just spent 3 days and nights in a whale’s belly - the “belly of hell”
Gastric juices that burned his skin
imagine stopping by an inn:
Hello stranger. What’s your destination?
Nineveh
Nineveh, eh? A great city! You a merchant?
No. I’m a preacher.
You surely are not going to preach in Nineveh! Why, man, they’ll flay you alive or impale you on a spike! Let me give you some advice, stranger. You’ll get in trouble if you go and preach in Nineveh.
Trouble? For preaching in Nineveh? Here, bring that candle. Look at my face! I’ve had trouble enough for not preaching in Nineveh!
Ezekiel
God gave him a warning to preach! The compulsion to preach the Word of God even to people that would not hear or receive what he was saying!
Ex 3:17-21
And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey. And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand. And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favour in the sight of the Egyptians: and it shall come to pass, that, when ye go, ye shall not go empty:
Paul was compelled to tell people the Gospel!
The great men in history that stood and proclaimed the Gospel are many.
They knew the cost of the Gospel and their tongue couldn’t be silenced!
The Choice
The Choice
For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
Willingly
Reward
When we tell others the Gospel willingly, God gives a reward
Eternal rewards
John 4:36
And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.
Unwillingly
Dispensation - task n. — a specific piece of administrative work required to be done as a duty.
Committed - to be entrusted (state) v. — to be or become the recipient of something placed into one’s care.
He is looked at as someone who is entrusted with care of the Gospel
New parents versus parents receiving the 3rd or 4th child
One is looked at as loving and zealous
The other is looked at as faithful and honourable
The choice
Paul said, my reward? Reward is the word pay or wages
I wanted people to know that when I preached the Gospel it would be without charge
Paul did not ask someone, do you want to know about Jesus, then please pay me for the next bit of information.
The Gospel was not for sale! It was freely given! He wasn’t going to abuse his authority or rights in the Gospel to charge men to hear the good news!
Paul said, I preach the Gospel no matter if it’s my job or my passion
I MUST tell Jesus!
If you are listening this morning and you have never heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ, may I implore you to put your whole hope, belief, and faith in Him!
How?
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Would you confess it right now?
PRAY
Saved?
Tell someone else about Jesus
If it’s your passion, you would find a way