We Speak Of The Gospel Series

HoHum:

One day I was looking for something in our medicine cabinet at home. I was amazed to see how many different types of pills that were in there (remember to bring pills from home). I’ve brought a few examples to show you. Take a few samples and talk about them.

As I looked at these pills, I started thinking, wouldn’t it be wonderful if someone could develop a pill that would cure everything! No matter what was wrong with us, this one pill would cure it. That would be wonderful, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a pill that would help people with every problem? What kinds of problems do we have? Well, thanks to God there is such a pill. It is called the “Gos-pill.” It is the “Gos-pill” of Jesus Christ. The word gospel means “good news.” What is some good news that we like to get?

The best good news is that Jesus loves us, died for us, wants to forgive us our sins, and He is able to take away the suffering and pain today and especially in heaven. The one pill that can help us through all the hurt and pain in our life is the “Gos-pill” of Jesus.

WBTU:

Last week we Speak of a Savior. Focusing on 1,2 Timothy and Titus.

This week we speak of the gospel.

Thesis: Ask 5 critical questions

For instances:

What is the gospel?

From Greek culture- Good news from the battlefield, good news from the palace, good news about a treaty between differing parties, Paul uses the gospel the most in his writings in NT

Means simply a good message, “The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.”” Galatians 3:8, NIV. From the Jews came Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ, this blessing of Abraham is extended to all Christians. Bless the nations through the gospel.

2 Timothy 1:8-10: Jack Cottrell- The Gospel- the good news about the saving power of Christ- is the Gospel truth that dispels Satan’s lies and brings light and lift to all the world

2 Timothy 2:8: The crucified, risen Lord Jesus Christ is at the heart of the gospel.

“Mark Rutland recalls a survey in which Americans were asked what words they would most like to hear. The first choice: ‘I love you.’ Number two was ‘I forgive you.’ The third choice: ‘Supper’s ready.’ It dawned on Rutland that these three statements provide a neat summary of the gospel story. We are loved by God, forgiven by God, and invited to the banquet table.

In the 1490’s a Catholic monk and the personal physician to King Henry the 7th and 8th, Thomas Linacre, decided to learn Greek. After reading the Gospels in Greek he wrote in his diary, “Either this is not the Gospel… or we are not Christians.”

How do we secure the gospel in our lives?

Entrusted with the gospel and Guardian of the gospel for Paul

1. Entrusted- 1 Timothy 1:11.

Entrusted means to be the one who has a sacred thing handed to us and we steward this thing

Paul was the chief of sinners, and yet God saved him and entrusted him with the awesome responsibility of proclaiming the gospel to others. The solemn truth is that God does not save us so that we might live happily for ourselves and go to heaven. He has left us on this earth to proclaim His gospel message.

2. 1 Timothy 6:20; 2 Timothy 1:14; Guard- Alert soldier, watch over so that it does not get lost or damaged or stolen. A true treasure is worth sharing, worth guarding, worth living for and worth dying for. The gospel of Jesus Christ is that good deposit, that good thing committed to us, our true eternal treasure and we must preserve this sound teaching from being corrupted by any means. We must defend it and never let the message of the gospel be diluted or distorted.

In our zeal for the gospel we can become doctrine snipers or truth cops. Had one man who said that in Acts of the Apostles they emphasized the resurrection so that is what we need to emphasize. In the letters they emphasize the cross so we need to emphasize the cross. Others say that is fine but we need to emphasize the response to the gospel. The gospel is a beautiful and magnificent wall, take out section of the wall and the wall collapses.

““Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people the full message of this new life.”” Acts 5:20, NIV.

What does it mean for us to suffer for the gospel?

2 Timothy 1:8- Paul was in prison for the gospel. “Finally, let no-one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.” Galatians 6:17, NIV.