"A Good View Of The Good News!'

"A GOOD VIEW OF THE GOOD NEWS"

Romans 1:1-7 and II Timothy 4:2-5

If you’ve ever listened to Paul Harvey’s radio program you know that many times he recognizes couples who are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Occasionally I’ve heard him recognize those celebrating their 75th anniversary.

That’s a long time to be together! Just think, for 50 or 75 years, where you see one spouse you see the other. 75 years in the same home. 75 years eating at the same table. 75 years looking at the same face when you wake up in the morning!

I heard of a couple who, as they were paying for groceries in the check-out line, were discussing their soon to be 50th wedding anniversary, when the young cashier interjected by saying, "I can’t imagine being married to same man for 50 years!"

The wife wisely replied, teaching the young girl a lesson at the same time, "Well, Honey, don’t get married until you can ."

I want to introduce to you a couple -- a couple that epitomizes true togetherness. Where you see one, you’ll always see the other. For almost 2,000 years this couple has never been separated -- Paul and the Gospel. Theirs is a marriage made in Heaven and consummated on Earth. I want to share with you "A Good View of the Good News!"

Romans 1:1, describes the relationship: "Paul ... ’separated unto’ the ’Gospel of God’ … "

You cannot mention Paul without mentioning the Gospel … and when you mention the Good News, you can’t mention it without mentioning Paul. How they go together and compliment one another!

As in any other relationship, this one had a beginning and a progression:

As Saul the Pharisee, Paul was at first furiously antagonistic toward the Gospel;

As Saul on the Road to Damascus, Paul was favorably attracted to the Gospel;

As Paul the bond-slave of Jesus Christ, Paul was forever attached to the Gospel.

Not only was Paul’s named changed from Saul, but he also received a new job -- Jesus asked him: "Saul, wouldn’t you like to change from being a cantankerous old Pharisee and be an evangelist and preach about me, sharing Good News with everyone?"

What made Paul so attracted and then attached to the Gospel? I believe the union started and continued as a solid relationship because Paul at first:

Marveled at It’s Promise; then became Married to It’s Person, and finally was Motivated by It’s Purpose.

This attraction began when …

I. The Evangelist Received

THE PROMISE OF THE GOSPEL OF GOD (Romans 1:2)

A) The Gospel of God comes in fulfillment of a Promise by God:

The O. T. Scriptures consistently point beyond themselves. When you read the O. T. you are reading a "Promissory Note" from God.

In Genesis 3:15, God promised that the Serpent would bruise the heal of Eve’s offspring but Eve’s Offspring would crush the Serpent’s head.

Many of the Psalms are Messianic and portray The Coming Deliverer.

Jeremiah, spoke of a New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34).

B) God made these promises through His Prophets:

Holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. Then the messages were recorded by being written down. What the Prophets wrote down became Holy Scripture. Let me summarize all this for you:

God’s promises came by Scripture; Scripture originated with God; God used Prophets to communicate His promises and will; The Prophets accomplished that purpose by writing down what God revealed; The result is Scripture that is Holy!

It is not by accident that everything Paul the Evangelist tells us concerning, sin, salvation, sovereignty, service, and soul-winning, has not only its inspiration and foundation, but also its application in the Holy Scriptures.

Paul was not only favorably attracted to the Gospel of God, but he was also forever attached to the Person of the Gospel of God …

II. The Evangelist and

THE PERSON OF THE GOSPEL OF GOD (Rom. 1:3)

A) It should go without saying that the Gospel of God concerns The Son of God, The LORD Jesus Christ, for the Gospel is forever tied and tethered to this God Man.

Gospel means Good News and without Jesus it is never Good News and you can’t help but have good News when you preach about Jesus!

B) The Gospel of God was conceived in Jesus. It was with great joy that the angel, on the night of Christ’s birth, announced with excitement, " …behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord …"

It was news of great joy, not just because a child was born, but because a Savior was born – the long awaited Messiah!