The Good News of God
After introducing himself and providing us with the three marks of an effective Christian, his being a submissive servant, his being sent as God’s ambassador, and his being set-apart unto the gospel, Paul tells us in verses 2-4 of the Promise and the Person of the Good News.
I. The Promise of the Good News (2)
A. Not a divine afterthought
i. “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1:4)
B. Not first taught in N.T. (not Christian vs. Jew)
C. Promised by God beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures (O.T.)
• Prophets – O.T. writers in general
• The Holy Scriptures – Paul is contrasting the divinely inspired O.T. from the many rabbinical writings that were followed more closely than was the Scriptures
• A defective traditional Judaism was to blame for Messiah’s rejection.
o Man-originated
o Man-centered
• Jesus denounced the man-centered tradition of the Jews (Mt. 5:21, 27, 33, 38, 43; 15:6)
1. Estimated that the O.T. contains at least 332 prophecies about Christ, most of which were fulfilled at His first coming.
2. Jesus taught nothing contrary to the O.T. (Mt. 5:17,18)
D. The Gospel is an awesome promise
(1 Pet. 1:10-12)
II. The Person of the Good News (3-4)
Both verses emphasizing the sonship of J.C. – great mystery
A. In His humanness Jesus was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh
i. Both Mary, His natural mother, and Joseph, his legal father were descendants of David.
ii. This was a requirement of prophecy (Jer. 23:5-6; 2 Sam. 7:12-13)
B. Jesus was declared the Son of God at the time He became a human being.
i. Son – an incarnational term
ii. Declared – horizo – carries the idea of marking off boundaries. Eng. Horizon (Ps. 2:7; 2 Sam. 7:14; Heb. 1:5)
iii. According to the Spirit of holiness – another way of saying “according to the nature and work of the H.S.”
Here, then, is the Person of the good news. He is fully man (a descendant of David) and fully God (declared to be the Son of God). Throughout His ministry, both Jesus’ humanness and His divinity were portrayed. When asked to pay taxes, Jesus complied. He explained to Peter that, as God’s Son and the rightful ruler of the universe, including the Roman Empire, He was rightfully exempt from taxation. "But lest we give them [the tax collectors] offense," He went on to say, "go to the sea, and throw in a hook, and take the first fish that comes up; and when you open its mouth, you will find a piece of money. Take that and give it to them for you and Me" (Matt. 17:27). In His humanness He willingly paid taxes, but in His divinity He provided the payment supernaturally.
One evening after a long day of teaching Jesus got into a boat with the disciples and they set out for the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus soon fell asleep, and when a storm arose and threatened to capsize the boat, the frightened disciples awakened Jesus, crying, "’Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’ And being aroused, He rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ’Hush, be still.’ And the wind died down and it became perfectly calm" (Mark 4:38-39). In His humanness Jesus was exhausted just as every person becomes exhausted after a hard day’s work. Yet in His divinity He was able to instantly calm a violent storm.
As He hung on the cross, Jesus was bleeding and in severe agony because of His humanness. Yet at the same time, in His divinity He was able to grant eternal life to the repentant thief who hung nearby (Luke 23:42-43).
This Son of God and Son of Man who was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit was Jesus Christ our Lord, Paul declares. Jesus means Savior, Christ means Anointed One, and Lord means sovereign ruler. He is Jesus because He saves His people from their sin. He is Christ because He has been anointed by God as King and Priest. He is Lord because He is God and is the sovereign ruler of the universe.
Is He your savior? Is He the ruler of your life?
