What is the Gospel?

What is the Gospel?

Intro

It is an honor and privilege to get the opportunity to come before you in an attempt to teach you God’s Word and hopefully provide you with a fresh, deeper, and lasting perspective and understanding on what the gospel is. A word about my perspective and intent, I assure you that I do not see myself as better than anyone here and as I fully know that by my own conviction I am the chief sinner of all. My intent is to build up the body of saints and exhort them to holy living. It is easy for people to be offended by some of the things I am going to be sharing and how they will be shared. So I want to remind you of this verse

1Pe 4:11 If anyone speaks, let it be as the words of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as of the ability which God gives, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory, and the might forever and ever. Amen.

That said, before anyone feels justified in disregarding my words by thinking that I am just a self righteous person, I would encourage you , get to know me better before you accuse me vocally or in your heart. I am going to be teaching today on the topic of ‘what is the gospel?’ and the reason for this is that most people even among the congregations of America today are ignorant to what the gospel is and the fact that the gospel is not just the entrance into christianity but that the gospel is a part of the christian life and Godly living. Teaching the gospel is quite different than preaching the gospel, I am hoping to teach you an understanding of the gospel that you would be better equipped to preach to those around you and live out a fuller life in Christ.

While I am teaching please scratch down any questions that may come to you or any that you would simply like to ask, when I am done hopefully we will have some time for some Q & A, but even if we don’t I will be happy to sit with you after the service. This message may challenge some of you here and I would encourage you that we want to distant ourselves from the modern message of today that says do not question your salvation, but rather as God’s Word declares (2 Cor 13:5) we should be examining ourselves to see if we are in the faith and (2Pe 1:10) make our calling and election sure. If any of you are struggling with assurance, I take this very serious and would be happy to talk with you during the Q & A or after the service. So then, lets begin.

First off I would like to help you to understand that the gospel has 5 points to it. They are as follows…

I. Who is God

  1. Exo 34:6-7 “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, 7 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children’s children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.
    1. Take note to the fact that there is a switch from the character of God to the things that He does. The switch is at verse 7 which are the things that He does, not who He is. I know that this is not all of the attributes of God, for that is another study, but this raises the question of how important is it to rightfully represent God. Num 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.  (Num 20:8 God told Moses to speak to the rock, yet he smote the rock.) (Lev 10:1 Nadab and Abihu because of strange fire were killed.) 1Pe 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:
    2. God is good and this is the biggest problem for man because man is not good.

II. Who is man

  1. How God sees man Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. Joh 2:24-25 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, (25) And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.
  2. Why the world hates Jesus and the true offense of the gospel.
    Joh 7:7 The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.
  3. Learning correct perspective of sin
    Rom 3:10-12
    (10) As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
    (11) There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
    (12) They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
    (share story about perspective of sin)

III. The judgement to come

  1. Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
  2. Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
  3. Exo 20 The Ten Commandments are to grant understanding of what is deserved under judgment. (use 3)
    a. Teach condemnation under the law. (James 2:10)
    b. Teach purpose of the law (Rom 3:19-20, Gal 3:24)

IV. What God did in Christ

  1. Born of a virgin
    Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
  2. lived sinless life
    Joh 8:46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
  3. Willingly laid down His life
    Joh 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
  4. He rose again on the third day
    Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;
  5. He ascended to the right hand of the Father
    Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

V. How to enter in to salvation

  1. Repentance and faith
    Mar 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
  2. Repentance is absolutely necessary
    Luk 13:2-3 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? (3) I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
  3. The faith needed for salvation.
    Gen 15:6 And he believed in the LORD; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
    Rom 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.
  4. One must be born again
    Joh 1:12-13 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
    Joh 3:5-6 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

 

Sermon by Rudy Lister