Honey I Shrunk The Gospel

Honey, I Shrunk the Gospel What is the difference between the gospel of the kingdom and the gospel of the atonement? The gospel of the atonement is that your sins can be forgiven and will one day go to heaven The gospel of the kingdom is that you can now live in the kingdom of God What is the practical difference? The primary intent of the gospel of the atonement is produce believers. Discipleship is an option John 3:6 is treated as emphasizing going to heaven and not going to hell The primary intent of the kingdom gospel is produce apprentices of Jesus, trusting Jesus, and not just his death on the cross alone, but the person of Jesus -- learning from Him every day to live their lives the way He would live it if he were them. John 3:16 is having life now in the kingdom of God Is the kingdom of God really that important? The kingdom of God – 67 x in the NT The kingdom of heaven—31x all in Matthew There was a man of the Pharisee sect, Nicodemus, a prominent leader among the Jews. Late one night he visited Jesus and said, “Rabbi, we all know you’re a teacher straight from God. No one could do all the God-pointing, God-revealing acts you do if God weren’t in on it.” Jesus said, “You’re absolutely right. Take it from me: Unless a person is born from above, it’s not possible to see what I’m pointing to—to God’s kingdom.” “How can anyone,” said Nicodemus, “be born who has already been born and grown up? You can’t re-enter your mother’s womb and be born again. What are you saying with this ‘born-from-above’ talk?” Jesus said, “You’re not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the ‘wind-hovering-over-the-water’ creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it’s not possible to enter God’s kingdom. When you look at a baby, it’s just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can’t see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit. “So don’t be so surprised when I tell you that you have to be ‘born from above’—out of this world, so to speak. You know well enough how the wind blows this way and that. You hear it rustling through the trees, but you have no idea where it comes from or where it’s headed next. That’s the way it is with everyone ‘born from above’ by the wind of God, the Spirit of God...” “No one has ever gone up into the presence of God except the One who came down from that Presence, the Son of Man. In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life. “This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life. God didn’t go to all the trouble of sending his Son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was. He came to help, to put the world right again. John 3 (the message) Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mark1:14-15 The kingdom—when and where? Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, “The kingdom of God doesn’t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God’s kingdom is already among you.” Luke 17:20-21 (The Message) After the cross and resurrection He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Acts 8:12 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Acts 14:22 And he entered the synagogue and for three months spoke boldly, reasoning and persuading them about the kingdom of God. Acts19:8 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. Acts 28:31 What is a lost soul? When Jesus arrived in the villages of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “What are people saying about who the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some think he is John the Baptizer, some say Elijah, some Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” He pressed them, “And how about you? Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter said, “You’re the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus came back, “God bless you, Simon, son of Jonah! You didn’t get that answer out of books or from teachers. My Father in heaven, God himself, let you in on this secret of who I really am.Mt.16:13-18 (The Message) What was the hope of Israel for the Christ? Then Jesus Jesus made itmade clear toithisclear disciples was now necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, submit ordeal Then to that his itdisciples that it was now necessary for himtotoango to of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, and then on the third day be raised up alive. Peter took Jerusalem, submit to an ordeal of suffering at the hands of the religious leaders, be killed, him in hand, protesting, “Impossible, Master! That can never be!” 23 Butand the “Peter, third get dayoutbeof raised alive. Peter tooknohim hand, protesting, Jesusthen didn’ton swerve. my way. up Satan, get lost. You have ideain how God works.” “Impossible, Master! That can never be!” But Jesus didn’t swerve. “Peter, get out of my way. Satan, get lost. You have no idea how God works.” How does God work? Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? Mt.16:21-26 (The Message) Question to ask ourselves: Does the gospel we proclaim produce believers or disciples? Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” Mk.1:14-15 IT’S NOT, “If you were to die tonight, would you go to heaven?”, but rather, “If you don’t die tonight, what are you going to do tomorrow?” Correct answer: “I’m going to trust Jesus with all my life, with everything.” That will allow you to live in the kingdom of God Here’s another good intro question: “How are you doing with your kingdom (the effective range of a person’s will)?” It is crucial that my actual real life is the focus my apprenticeship to Jesus. I am learning from Jesus how to live my everyday ordinary life The simple gospel is: Jesus is available to trust, and what you need to do is trust Jesus What is eternal life? And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Jn.17:3 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Luke 1:34 You only have I known of all the families of the earth Amos 3:2 Eternal life is an interactive relationship with God. When you trust Jesus, you trust him for everything, including forgiveness. John Ortberg: Where does the forgiveness of sins fit in the gospel? Do you make that less central than other formulations of the gospel make it? Dallas: I wouldn’t say it is less central. It is essential, and you will not enter the kingdom of God without the forgiveness of sins. It’s like the story of Abraham, see? He believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. When you put your weight on Jesus and the kingdom, all of that is taken care of. One of the things that made people maddest about Jesus was his talk about how easy it is to forgive sins. Well, if I may say so, and I hope I don’t mislead anyone, to forgive your sins is a load off God’s mind. He is happy to do it And he (God) brought him (Abraham)outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness. Gen.15:5-6 The Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.” Gen.18:17-19 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Mt.13:44 VIM Vision Intent Method Immerse yourself in the gospels Develop the practice of spiritual disciplines Solitude Silence Study Don’t focus on perfection. Focus on progress You cannot do it yourself But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. II Peter 3:18 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. II Cor.12:9 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. I Cor.15:10 We grow in grace (God empowering us to do what we cannot do ourselves) as we grow in knowledge (in our interactive relationship of discipleship) of Christ