The Tension of the Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Yesterday Danny let me use his backrest. As we were putting it and I was tightening the bolts, I got to thinking about the amount of torque needed for the bolts. How tight is tight enough. Not tight enough and the bolts will eventually rattle loose. Too tight and the bolt may break.
What is needed is the right amount of tension.
We tend to think of tension as a bad thing, but it is necessary.
If there was never tension in your relationships, you would quickly come to the conclusion that you don’t need that relationship. Our differences are what attract us to each other, and make us better.
Too much tension, however, can drive us apart.
In pistol shooting using two hands is the most accurate way to shoot. There is a tension between you left and right hand. Push Pull. Causes stability. Too much causes shaking.
This morning we are going to examine the tension found in the Gospel and give you the answer to how to to make sure you don’t allow that tension to become so much that it damages your understanding of Christ.
We will start in Acts 13.
Paul and Barnabas sent.
Paul and Barnabas sent.
1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
I know every time I talk about fasting, Shane gets to sweating and his stomach starts growling.
You don’t have to fast to be a Christian.
We are not commanded to fast in the NT.
It is a powerful spiritual discipline. I would recommend that if you have fasted for the purpose of prayer or spiritual growth, you try it.
4 So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia and from there they sailed to Cyprus.
In Salamis- Bar-Jesus (Elymas)
9 But Saul, who was also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, fixed his gaze on him,
10 and said, “You who are full of all deceit and fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease to make crooked the straight ways of the Lord?
11 “Now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and not see the sun for a time.” And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.
Saul/Paul
Antioch /Sabbath.
Men of Israel and you who fear God.
Moses/Judges/Saul/David - Jesus.
38 “Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you,
39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.
40 “Therefore take heed, so that the thing spoken of in the Prophets may not come upon you:
41 ‘Behold, you scoffers, and marvel, and perish;
For I am accomplishing a work in your days,
A work which you will never believe, though someone should describe it to you.’ ”
The people wanted to hear more.
The Next Sabbath nearly the whole city assembled.
The leaders accused them of blaspheming.
46 Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.
Then he quotes from Isaiah 42:6 and 49:6
47 “For so the Lord has commanded us,
‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles,
That You may bring salvation to the end of the earth.’ ”
48 When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
had been appointed
had been appointed
predestination
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.
11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,
Did God choose you? What about the people he hasn’t chosen?
Calvinism
Total depravity
Unconditional Election
Limited Atonement
Irresistible Grace
Perseverance of the Saints
The Tension
16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
11 “Say to them, ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’
9 The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.
How do you deal with that tension?
Do what He says.
13 for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
14 How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?
15 How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!”
16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?”
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.