The Good News of God

The Promise of the Good News v2

Nothing catches God by surprise.

Paul is saying that before the world was ever created he was part of Gods plan, just like us.

It is not by some random event that we are here, it was ordained by God that we would all be in this spot here now at this very moment.

Paul had a lot of critics during his ministry.

He was often accused of teaching a gospel that was different than that of mosses and the prophets.

Here he is saying that the good news that he is teaching is really the old good news, but that it has been fulfilled through Jesus Christ.

When he says Holy scriptures he is referring to the OT.

Often times during these days rabbinical writings would be held in the same regard as that of the OT.

While these writings often did not have much to say about the Gospel the OT did nothing but point to the Gospel.

This was such a problem that even Jesus had a hard time of breaking this habit with His followers.

this is seen in Luke 24:25

Luke 24:25 ESV

And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

The word of God has always and will continue to be the true standard that we must follow, not the writings of man.

The Person of the Good News vv 3-4

In these two verses Paul is showing both of the sides of Jesus.

He was fully man.

Jesus was a descendant of David from His mothers side of the family and from His earthly fathers side as well.

He was born into a human family and shared human life with all other humanity, identifying Himself with fallen mankind, yet living without sin.

In doing this he became the perfect sacrifice that was needed to wash us of our sins.

He was also fully God.

He showed His power many times.

People often have a hard time understanding the fact that Jesus was both. Human and divine at the same time.

To discount one or the other is to take away the whole work of Christ.

The Provision of the Good News v5a

In these 2 verses Paul mentions 2 important provisions of the good news:

1.) Conversion (Grace)

It is by Grace that we are saved.

Grace is the loving mercy, through which He grants salvation as a gift to those who trust in His son.

When any person places his trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, God sovereignly breathes into that person His own divine life.

If it were not for the Grace of God most of us would not be here today.

A quote from the preacher Donald Grey Barnhouse said: “Love that gives upward is worship, love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace”.

2.) Vocation

We often think of our vocation is what we do to earn money.

But what if we thought of our vocation as that of a servant of Christ who’s sole job is to tell others about Christ and His grace.

Of course we have to still earn a living, but what if we put everything that we do as secondary to telling others about the Gospel the “Good News”.

Last week we look at what it means to be an Apostle and how that title ended with the 13 in the NT but be are all called and sent out to tell others.

In the greek the word Apostle simply means “to be sent out”.

We are “sent out” to tell others and anyone we come into contact with about the Good news of Christ.

What if we stoped looking at our job as our calling and started looking at it like it was a platform for our true calling which is to tell other people about Christ.

The Proclamation of the Good News v5b

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck then its a duck.

If you are a follower of Christ then you will act like one, talk like one.

True faith is verified in obedience. (Noah)

Obedient faith proves itself true, whereas disobedient faith proves its self false.

The Purpose of the Good News vv5c-6

This is simple The reason for the Good News is for the Glory of God.

Our salvation is simply a by product of God’s grace: its main focus is to display god’s Glory.

He saves us not because He has to but because He can and wants to.

The Privileges of the Good News v7

The privilege of being called by God is to live and dwell in His grace and favor forever.

We look at everything from the view of eternity.

the view changes from the earth to heaven. (stadium)

No matter how hard or bad things get here we are going to see our eternal reward some day.

How do we see ourselves in the light of the Good News?

Who do we need to tell about the Good News?

What are we going to do with the Good News?

Benedictions 018 Benediction

018 BENEDICTION

May the Lord send you help from His sanctuary

And grant you support from on High,

May grace and peace be to you from the God

Who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age.