THE GOSPEL

 

1.    It is common knowledge that words sometimes change.

2.    In a period of just a few years, words can take on totally new different definitions.

3.    What we sometimes see with words is exactly what we find in the New Testament.

 

BIBLE WRITERS USED WORDS WHICH HAD BEEN AROUND FOR A LONG TIME, AND MANY OF THESE TERMS HAD UNDERGONE A CHANGE IN MEANING.

 

a)      One such word was “gospel.”

b)      Hundreds of years before Jesus came into the world, the word gospel was used.

 

2)      Ancient people understood “gospel” as a reward for bringing a good message.

3)      In ancient times people wanted news from a battlefield.

4)      Today we turn on CNN or another news outlet and listen for this kind of information.

5)      In ancient times these options did not exist. 

6)      If a battle had been won (or lost), a messenger was dispatched with that news.

7)      People who relayed this kind of message were “bringing the gospel” and were often rewarded.

 

8)      Lots of time passed and we come to the first century; the time for the New Testament.

9)      Bible writers were inspired by God to also use the word gospel.

10)  This term is used as both a noun and a verb.

11)  My intention is to look at the noun form of this word today and the verb form next week.

 

WE WILL NOT LOOK AT EVERY PLACE WHERE THIS TERM OCCURS, BUT WE WILL LOOK AT SEVERAL PLACES AND TRY TO CONSTRUCT A FRAMEWORK TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS TERM AND SEE HOW IT TIES TOGETHER MANY PARTS OF GOD’S WORD.

 

1)      Mk. 1:1 says “the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

2)      If we decide to read through Mark, we might overlook this introductory comment.

3)      Let’s pause to think about what it says.

a)      Mark tells us that Jesus is connected to the gospel.

b)      If we want to be associated with the Lord, we cannot neglect the gospel.

c)      Jesus and the gospel go together.

 

4)      A little later in Mk. 1 (verse 15), the text says people were to “believe the gospel.”

5)      At this point Mark has not told us what the gospel is.

6)      We only know that God wants us to believe it, and that it is somehow connected with Christ.

7)      Furthermore, from Mk. 1:1, 15, we get the impression that the gospel is pretty important.

8)      Our third passage, which will be read, leaves no doubt about the importance of the gospel.

9)      If you turned towards the first chapter in Mark, let’s move to Mk. 8.

a)      Mk. 8:34 is where Jesus said His followers must take up their cross and follow Him.

b)      Verse 35 is a place where He spoke about losing and saving our lives.

c)      In presenting this point Jesus specifically mentioned the word gospel.

d)      Mk. 8:35 – READ.

 

10)  Jesus said the gospel is so important that it is worth our literal life.

11)  Whatever the gospel is, it is worthy of any sacrifice or cost.

12)  Our final reference in Mark helps tie together all the passages used thus far.

a)      One account of the great commission is found in Mk. 16.

b)      Jesus said in Mk. 16:15, “go into all the world and “preach the gospel.”

c)      According to this passage, the gospel is teaching—a message that has come from God.

d)      No matter what the cost, Mk. 8:35, telling people about and following the gospel is God’s will.

e)      For people like the apostles, taking the gospel to the world was costly.

f)        Being committed to the gospel meant severe persecution and in some cases death.

g)     Yet, these men did as they were told (Mk. 16:20—they went forth and preached the gospel).

 

13)  One man who went into the world with the gospel was Paul.

14)  Rom. 1:9 says he “served the gospel.”

15)  A few verses later Rom. 1:16 (which has this same term) adds something else.

16)  Paul said he presented the gospel “without shame.”

17)  This man didn’t feel embarrassed or humiliated when talking about God’s message.

18)  There were some reasons for this.

19)  In Rom. 2:16 he says that the gospel will judge people.

a)      God has given us His word (the gospel) and it is a guide for the life of every person.

b)      Heaven’s word contains facts to be believed, Mk. 1:15.

c)      There are commands to be obeyed and promised to be received.

d)      All either obey or disobey the gospel.

e)      God has set the rules and Christians simply inform people what those rules are.

 

20)  It is sad, but there are people who look at the gospel and say “no thank you.”

21)  Next on my list of references is Rom. 10;16.

22)  If you have the KJV the text of this passage says “gospel.”  In the ASV it says “good tidings.”

23)  The gospel is a message of good news, just as ancient messengers delivered good news.

24)  Here is Rom. 10:16 – READ.

25)  As God’s word is presented, some say “yes it is good news we want to obey” and others say “no.”

 

26)  What happens when a person says “yes” to God’s message—the good news?

27)  We have an answer to this question in the next book—Corinthian letter (1 Cor. 4:15).

28)  Everyone should know some key verses in the Bible.

29)  In the Corinthian letter, three key verses are found in the fourth chapter—verses 15, 16, and 17.

30)  These three passages can help us time and time again.

31)  Here is how verse 15 reads – READ.

32)  When a person says “yes” to the gospel, he or she is “begotten.”

33)  In other words, a person is “born of the Spirit” (Jn. 3:5).  Part of the salvation process is complete.

34)  The salvation process is not done for Jesus also said in Jn. 3:5 that we must be born of water.

35)  Hearing and accepting the gospel is part of the process of salvation.

36)  A further explanation of how the process works is found in 1 Cor. 15.

37)  When Paul wrote this section of the Corinthian letter he gave a basic definition of the gospel.

a)      Paul came to the city of Corinth to establish a congregation.

b)      An inspired preacher came to teach people, and he preached the gospel.

c)      What did he preach?

d)      I will read the first four verses in 1 Cor. 15 – READ.

 

38)  Several points emerge from these verses.

39)  First, there is the word “Christ.”  If we are going to preach the gospel, it is all about the Lord.

40)  We have preachers who get on t.v. and do nothing but ask for money.

41)  Others rave on and on about how we are in the last days.

42)  Jesus is the focus of gospel preaching, and a beginning point is that the Lord came to this earth.

43)  After establishing that Jesus came (and this implies explaining why He came), we have point # 2.

44)  Jesus “died.”  His death was “according to the Scriptures.”

45)  Point 3 is found in verse 4—Jesus was “raised.”  In its most basic form this is the gospel.

46)  Jesus died, was buried, and then raised on the third day.

47)  If we look at other texts like Rom. 6, we see why Paul summed up the gospel in this manner.

48)  Jesus died; in Rom. 6 Paul said we also die (die to sin after we believe).

49)  Stated another way, we repent.

a)      Jesus was buried; Paul said the Christians at Rome had also been buried (by baptism).

b)      Jesus was raised and Paul said Christians at Rome were also “raised” (after baptism).

c)      After being immersed in water, the Christians at Rome had been raised to walk in “newness of life.”

d)      If we are going to preach the gospel, we are going to teach faith, repentance and baptism.

e)      We cannot get around these basic facts.

f)        Too, we must also teach that Christ built a church.

g)      Too, we must also teach that Christ built a church.

h)      We must teach this because 1 Cor. 15 says Jesus was “raised.”

i)        Think about Jesus’ resurrection in view of Mt. 16:18.

j)        Jesus said He would “build His church and the gates of Hades would not prevail against it.”

k)      Would did the Lord mean when He spoke these words?

l)        He meant death would not keep in the grave; He would return and He would construct His church.

m)    Jesus did return, He built His spiritual body, and we preach this if we preach Christ and the resurrection.

n)      Not only do we preach these points, we preach Christian living.

o)      Jesus died, and we also die (to sin).  That death means living as a child of God.

p)      Let’s also not miss from 1 Cor. 15:3 the words “first of all.”

q)      We need to say that Jesus died, was buried, and raised—that’s first.

50)  After these facts have been presented and obeyed, there are many other things in the gospel.

IF THE GOSPEL IS AS POWERFUL AND IMPORTANT AS THE BIBLE DESCRIBES, WE MIGHT THINK EVERYONE WOULD (1) FLOCK TO IT, AND (2), ONCE FINDING IT, WOULD NEVER LEAVE IT.

1.      Let’s see if  this is true.  From Corinthians I am flipping to Galatians.
2.  Our noun form of “gospel” is used twice in this chapter, Gal. 1:6, 7.
3.  Both verses will be read, but not at the same time.
      a.        Gal. 1:6 – READ.   
      b.  Here were people who had received the right gospel.
      Christian.  They had been taught about Christ and all that that this meant.

4.   Guess what?  They reached a point where they were ready to trade it in for something else.
 5.  What did Jesus tell us about the gospel in Mk. 8:35?
 6.  Did He not say that His gospel is so valuable and important it is worth our life?
 7.  We do not know what these people were exchanging God’s word for, but they were getting a bad deal.
 8.  Their deal is described in verse 7 – READ.
         a.  In life, imitations are not always a bad thing.
          b.  We can find off brand products that are just as good as name brand goods.
          c. According to the Scripture, there is only one gospel from God.
          d.  Anything more than that or anything less than this is a perversion.
          e.  Gal. 2:5 associates the gospel with the word “truth.”

        9.  If we combine Gal. 1:6-7 and 2:5, we find a compelling point.
        10.  If a person is not preaching the gospel (the truth), they are preaching something else.
        11. What is being taught is a perversion of the truth (Gal. 1:7) which is a lie (the opposite of the truth).
        12.  This conclusion will not sit too well with most people.
        13. Most prefer to say something like, “we all have our various interpretations.”
        14. This is not God’s view of the matter.  He gave us His word, and He says it is the truth.
        15. If we are not holding to that, we are  involved with a lie and it will condemn us.
        16. Back in 1 Cor. 15 Paul said we will be saved if we “hold fast the gospel.”
        17. God placed a condition upon salvation.  We must know, obey, and hold to the gospel.
        18.  Furthermore, Eph. 1:13 speaks of the “gospel of our salvation.”
        19.  If we do not have and follow the right gospel (God’s gospel), salvation will not be ours.
        20.  Other references also show a Christian’s relationship to the gospel.
                a.  The gospel is for all; women are specifically joined with this term in Phil. 4:3.
                b.  Christians need to be prepared to defend the gospel, Phil. 1:16-17.

1. Our hope is based upon the gospel, Col. 1:23.
2. Telling people about the gospel will make some people angry, 1 Thess. 2:2.
3. God calls people through gospel (2 Thess. 2:14).
4. God’s gospel is “glorious” (1 Tim. 1:11).
5. The most important information in the world is the gospel.
6. There may be many things we do not know or understand, but the gospel is absolutely critical.
7. For this reason we hope you have had a chance to study it and know what it says.