The Gospel

Introduction

Lots of “Oh yeah!” moments.

Reteaching what was forgotten over the lazy summer months.

Remember what multiplication is?

Remember what the periodic table is?

Remember what the three branches of the government is?

Remember how to play that note on your instrument?

Paul was finding that the church was needing one of those “oh yeah!” moments concerning the Gospel.

This word that means...

The Gospel means Good News.

Certainly our culture has lost what that word means… if you were to ask someone on the street to define what the Gospel is.

Many people use it to talk about what what is true. Which is a good start! But certainly not how the New Testament uses this word.

It is helpful for us to be able to define it well for a culture that has become more and more biblically illiterate.

But, the church, we as Christians, need to also be occasionally reminded what the Gospel is and the effect it should be having on our lives.

The Proclamation of the Gospel

vv. 1-2

Paul begins with this reminder that he has taught them the Gospel, but much of this letter is used to remind them that they aren’t living out the Gospel.

He reminds them that they know all the components of the Gospel.

They received it. They stand in it. And they are still being saved by it.

Notice the present active verb there. It isn’t something that just happened in the past. Not a one time event!

Salvation continues its work on us.

This is why we must remember it.

What effect does remembering the Gospel have on us?

To begin, for those who forget the Gospel it leads to pride. They forget they are sinners saved by grace. Leads them to be judgmental.

We’ve probably all been around those types. Scripture is used as a hammer to beat other people down.

But, when we remember the Gospel, it increases our compassion, our mercy, and our grace towards others.

Remember you still need the Gospel.

The Parts of the Gospel

vv. 3-9

Parts are important… Back when I’d do the maintenance on my old truck. Changing brakes and I’d have a few pieces left over.

Makes you a little nervous! One missing piece could lead to disaster down the road!

Paul wants the church to have all the pieces that together build the Gospel.

But, what does Paul mean by The Gospel? He answers the cultural question by defining the whole by its parts.

To begin with, he identifies its primary position. Without The Gospel, nothing else matters!

Three parts, each of them necessary for the Gospel to be complete:

Christ Died.

Christ was buried.

Christ was resurrected.

Christ died…For OUR Sins. According to Scripture (God knew we’d sin, and created us anyway).

Jesus died as our Substitutionary Atonement. This required the incarnation.

Christ was buried. Proof of death. Those that would believe He just swooned…just seemed to have died.

Christ was resurrected. Notice this is a passive verb. God raised Him back to life.

This shows that God accepted His sacrifice.

Paul offers proof of His resurrection - vv. 5-7.

And then references his personal testimony with the resurrected Christ in vv. 8-9.

This is what Jesus went through for you. Excruciating death, burial, and resurrection.

Remember all Jesus did.

The Power of the Gospel

vv. 10-11

I’ve seen a lot of my friends post pictures of dropping their kids off at college for their freshman year.

Common theme is that they are all dressed in the new gear.

For me, with Johnny at Carl Albert, I’m expecting an influx of red into my closet.

A transition brings about a transformation.

This is so true for us when we become a Christian:

An internal transition causes an external transformation.

For Paul, this was from persecutor of the faith to a proclaimer of the faith. Huge!

How did Paul experience that? By grace.

This new life of meaning and purpose was not something that Paul deserved!

I think this led him to talk about this to the Colossian church:

Colossians 3:8–14 ESV

8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. 12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

Paul sees this transformation that should be common to all believers.

Remember you are changed.

Conclusion

I love movies with a twist or a big reveal.

The great things about these movies is that it changes how you rewatch the movie.

Once you know that Darth Vader is Luke’s dad, now when you re-watch it changes it.

A moment when Vader states, “I sense something; a presence I’ve not felt since...” Then just leaves it!

On the first viewing you might think it is Obi-Won… but once you know that Vader’s son is on the ship...

From that point on that Vader utters that infamous, and misquoted line, “No, I am your father” you watch their interactions differently.

So many movies are like that where once I’ve watched it, I want to immediately go back and watch it again and look for all the clues!

That information changes how you watch it.

How much greater is the power of the knowledge of the Gospel!

Once you know it, you’re not the same.

Once you know that you have broken God’s law, but because of His love for you He sent His Son to die on the cross.

He did this to save you from your sin and give you forgiveness and a new hope.

Then when you’ve accepted Salvation and turned from your sin, you’re not the same.

You’ve heard the Gospel, now you must respond to it. Either rejecting it for now or trusting in Jesus to save you.

Respond to the Good News.