What is the Gospel?
Notes
Transcript
We find the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the Word of God. Not using a word search and seeing where the New Testament writers used the word gospel, but also looking at how and what they said about the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Why can we go to the bible for this answer? The bible is what we call the breath of God, 2 Tim 3:16
Our testimonies are not the gospel, but they can point to the gospel.
Our feelings are not the gospel.
Our good deeds are not the gospel.
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
While we ask the question “What is the Gospel?”, lets look at the best description of it in Romans 1-4.
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.
This is where Paul starts with the message that he is proclaiming. Why we need the gospel and why we should be unashamed of it.
And it is structured in a way that is used repeatedly throughout the New Testament.
God. Man. Christ. Response.
God - The creator of heaven and earth. Since He created us, He has the right to demand our praise and worship. (Rom. 1:21 “21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” )
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
We are not self-created. Since we did not create ourselves, we are not self-reliant nor self-accountable. God has created everything in this world, including us.
Since He created us, He has the right to demand our praise and worship. (Rom. 1:21 “21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” )
Paul makes a reference to humanity, saying that we thought of ourselves greater than God.
We are made by Him, owned by Him, dependent on Him, and therefore accountable by Him.
Man - They rebelled against God. They did not honor God and give thanks to Him as they should have. Rom. 1:23 “23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”
All of humanity has sinned against God. Rom. 3:9
9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin,
Paul indicates that even the Jews who were boasting and judging the gentiles, people who are not jews, that they too are under sin. No one is out of sin.
Then tells them that no one can play the ignorance card. Rom. 1:20
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
All up to this point has sounded like nothing but bad news. Hearing that we have rebelled against a judging God who created us, is not good news at all.
You have to first give the bad news, so you can pave the road for the good news. “I am saving you” does someone no good if they don’t know that they are needing saving.
Where does the good news come into play, right here.
Christ - Rom. 3:21-22
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:
There is now a way for man to be made right with God. To be declared innocent instead of guilty. It has nothing to do with living better or doing better, because it comes “apart from the law”.
How can this be? Romans 3:24
24 Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
All have sinned and fallen short, and ALL are justified by God’s grace through, Jesus Christ.
Through Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, we are saved from God’s wrath that was rightly deserved.
How exactly is that good news for me?
4. Response - How is this good news for me and not just for someone else? By trusting in Christ, believing that He did die and rose again from the grave, and lives. Rom. 4:5
5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Jesus tells us in Mark 1:15
15 “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!”
Repent and Believe. Romans 4:18-21
18 Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” 19 And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this he brought glory to God. 21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises.
Believing - having faith - is not just empty believing, but it is putting your belief on a strong rock foundation, on truth, God’s word.
Repentance - very crucial in our response. It is a response towards our sin. “an act of war” against our sin.
This does not bring perfection. We will continue to struggle with sin, but we are saying we will not be at peace with it anymore. We dedicate to resist it by God’s power on every front in our lives.
Many Christians struggle with this aspect, thinking that when they repent all the urges to sin magically go away. When reality sits in and they continue struggle it, they question their faith.
Do we hate sin and war against it, or do we cherish it and defend it?
We are called to share this goodnews. Matthew 28:18-20
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The Gospel of Jesus Christ when responded, offers eternal life. 1 Cor 2:9
9 But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—