Getting The Gospel Right Ii

Title: Getting the Gospel Right II “What is the Gospel?” Script: Rom. 1:3-7

Type: Series Where: GNBC 1-17-21

Intro: Begin this am by quoting from a sermon by Anglican pastor Peter Fischer from a sermon he wrote in 2018: “I was listening to the radio on the way home from work on Wednesday evening and Archbishop John Sentamu was saying a few words about Billy Graham who had just died. He didn’t have long and I don’t remember all he said, but the few words that struck me were that he said of Billy Graham “He just said ‘the bible says’, ‘the bible says’, ‘the bible says’, he never put his own views in the message. He was the first person since St. Paul to do that.” That is the job of an evangelist, and a preacher. When I stand here and speak to you my job is to tell about Jesus and speak the good news that his life, death and resurrection are to us, allowing us to be with God forever. It is not to tell you about my good ideas about how to run the world, or to explain from my limited experience about how the world could be better for everyone. I am here to speak the gospel, the whole gospel and nothing but the gospel.” Reading Romans 1 today, I am sure Paul would give a hearty “Amen”!

Prop: Examining Rom. 1:3-7 we’ll realize 4 significant elements of the Gospel.

BG: 1. Have you ever seen one of those long limousines, the “stretch” kind? They are unusual, and they catch our attention. Paul’s greeting, in verses 1-7, is what I call a “stretch version”. It is the longest greeting of any of his epistles.

2. Written 56AD+/- when Paul was on 3rd Miss. Journey in Corinth.

Prop: Exam w/me Rom. 1:3-7 so as to realize 4 significant elements of the Gospel.

I. 1st Element: The Subject of the Gospel vv. 3-5a

• Paul lists 5 Important Ideas About Jesus in vv. 3-5

A. 1st: Jesus is God’s Son. V. 3a

1. Jesus’ relationship to God the Father as His Son recognizes Christ’s Deity. the important thing to keep in mind is that the idea of Jesus Christ being God’s eternal son precedes any thought of his role in salvation history and the incarnation. He is first of all, the very son of God, before he assumed human nature.

2. vv. 3-4, was probably a creed in the early church, relating to His incarnation, work of salvation according to promise, and His subsequent exaltation. First and foremost, Paul lists the subject of the Gospel is Jesus Christ, the Son of God!

B. 2nd: Jesus is David’s Son 3b

1. Jesus’ relationship to King David as his Son secures Christ’s humanity and His Royal Lineage as “The Son of David”.

2. Christ’s connection with David is important on two levels. 1st: It makes plain that the eternal Son of God took on full humanity (John 1:1, 14; Phil 2:6-11) w/o which there can be no good news for the sons of Adam. 2nd, the special link with David is not just to suggest his humanity, but also makes clear Jesus’ special relationship to the line of promise. Jesus alone met the qualifications of the promise of 2 Sam.7:12-16 (Davidic Covt.) could be made.

C. 3rd: Jesus is Risen v.4a

1. The Res. of Jesus validates the message of the Gospel. Illust: Having spent a bit of time in the British Isles, it is common to the stamp “By Appointment to HM the Queen” on everything from Twinings Tea to Cadbury’s Chocolate. The stamp is called the “Royal Warrant, and it communicates the message that the product is the best of the best and approved by Elizabeth II. The Res. was God’s “Stamp of Approval” upon Xst. We know from the Bible that all 3 Members of the Trinity were involved in securing the Res. of Christ.

D. 4th: Jesus is the Savior 4b

1. The name, “Jesus Christ” isn’t like our “John Smith”. He wasn’t Jesus from the “Christ family” like in our Western tradition. Rather, His names meant something. The Name Jesus meant: “Jehovah Saves”. “Christ” comes from Gk: “Christos” meaning “anointed one”, which was used to translate the Hebrew, “Messiah”. Friend, the Name Jesus Christ is not a swear word. Rather, it is the most beautiful, saving name that we know. It explains His Saviorship. What the Apostles fearlessly proclaimed in Acts 4:12 needs to be proclaimed w/equal vigor today: “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”

2. Illust: In this era of political correctness, gender stereotypes for names and occupations remain, says James Bruning, professor of psychology at Ohio University. In Bruning's latest study, young adults were asked to predict the success of 16 people entering new careers, based on information provided about those job applicants. Study participants forecasted that women with more feminine names -- Emma, Marta, Irma and Winifred -- would be more likely to have successful careers if they pursued traditional female occupations -- such as nurse, hair stylist and interior decorator. Men with more masculine names – Frank, Sam, Hank -- were expected to be successful with traditional male careers: plumber, truck driver and electrician, according to the research.( Published: Journal of Social Psychology). Bruning, has spent 20 years studying the psychology of names, found that these types of name stereotypes begin as early as kindergarten. This study suggests those assumptions follow kids into adulthood. The stereotype success of Christ didn’t start at Calvary friend, it started in eternity past as Christ co-existed w/ Father and the Holy Spirit.