Do you believe the gospel?
Notes
Transcript
It is the good news!
It is the good news!
It is the good news Jesus wanted everyone to hear (ref: Mk16:15)
Good news that brings man to act to be born again (1Pt1:23-25)
23 for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduring word of God. 24 For, “All flesh is like grass, And all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, And the flower falls off, 25 But the word of the Lord endures forever.” And this is the word which was preached to you.
It has a primary fact we must believe (1Cor15:1-3)
1 Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
(Transition) today is resurrection Sunday, many gather today to celebrate the resurrection of the Christ, we celebrate it weekly in partaking of the Lord’s Supper, but our focus today is on the gospel, the gospel we need to hear, the gospel we need to believe.
The Gospel we need to believe!
The Gospel we need to believe!
That Jesus died for our sins.
Sin is defined as a transgression of God’s law (ref: 1Jn3:4)
It is knowing the good, and not doing the good (ref: Jm4:17)
But, bible clearly says all have sinned (ref: Rom3:23) so do not deceive yourself (ref: 1Jn1:8, 10)
Consequences of sin is death (Rom6:23); sin separates you (Isa59:2); then consider this (Rev21:8)
8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
So, it comes down to this at this point, do you believe you are a sinner.
There is a sin solution:
Jesus died for our sins (ref: 15:1-3) according to scripture, also can see (Isa53:4-6, in fact let’s turn there.
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore, And our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, Smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. 6 All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
Jesus died for our sins because God loved us, even when we were sinners Christ died for us (ref: Rom5:6-8).
God offered Jesus as the propitiation for our sins (1Jn4:9-10)
God sent Jesus to satisfy God’s righteousness (God’s justice) (Everyone turn with me to Rom3:23-26)
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
So, now, coming from the question do you believe you are a sinner, do you believe that God loves you and that Jesus died for your sins?
The Gospel we need to believe
The Gospel we need to believe
There is the fact of the resurrection
everyone turn to (1Cor15:4-8)
4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.
His resurrection as seen in the scriptures (1Cor15:4) foretold in scriptures (Ps16:10-11)
It was attested to by witnesses (1Cor15:5-8)
This is supported by empirical (verifiable) evidence
To the apostles (Act1:3, 10:39-41, 1Jn1:1-4)
To five hundred at one time (1Cor15:6)
That they, the witnesses, were willing to suffer for their belief (2Cor6:4-10)
So from do you believe you are a sinner, to you believe Jesus is the solution for your sin problem, that He died for your sins, now to do you believe he was buried and rose again? This is an imperative! (expand)
The significance or the resurrection
Turn with me to look at the important faith fact here (turn to 1Cor15:14-19)
14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.
His resurrection verifies that His blood is what justifies us (Rom4:24-25, Mt26:28)
It gives us hope concerning our own resurrection (turn to 1Thes4:13-14
13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
Believe you are a sinner? Believe Jesus is the sin solution and died for your sins?, now do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? It still leaves more facts to believe.
The gospel we believe
The gospel we believe
That He has been exalted to the right hand of the father and is ruling as Lord (Act2:33-36)
That He is the king of kings, lord of lords (1Tim6:13-15; Rev1:5, and 17:14)
Do you believe that Jesus is reigning right now from heaven above?
We need to believe He has given all authority (Mt28:18) but listen to this (Eph1:20-22)
20 which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church,
All authority over our lives and the things that we do (Col3:17, 23)
Now He does have an expectation that if He is Lord and king of your life that you do what He says (Jn14:15) you will keep His commandments
Does Jesus have rule and reign, lordship over your life? Slow down, think about that, does He really, all areas?
We know that Jesus exercised His authority through the New Testament writers, writing the inspired word, showing the way to come to know, believe and obey the gospel.
Does God’s word have power in your life today? Do they help to transform you from sinner separated from God to a saint reconciled through the blood of Jesus? For we know.
Jesus is coming again
Jesus is coming again
Attested by the angels at His ascension (Act1:9-11)
9 And after He had said these things, He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. 11 They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”
Attested by the writers of the New Testament (1 Thessalonians 4:16)
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
He is coming to receive you as His own (Jn14:1-3)
1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. 3 “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.
Do you believe that He is coming again? When He returns it will be to judge the world in righteousness (Act10:42)
42 “And He ordered us to preach to the people, and solemnly to testify that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
May we remember (Act17:30-31)
30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, 31 because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.”
Invitation/benediction.
There it is, the bottom line, the times of ignorance have past. He is coming to judge the world in righteousness. So, do you believe you are a sinner? Do you believe that God loves you and made a way for your sin to be forgiven? Do you believe Jesus is the way? That he died, was buried and rose again? Do you believe that He has all authority and that He is coming again then may we close with this:
“May the everlasting Word of God, which endures forever, bring transformation and hope to all who hear it. May the gospel of Christ, proclaiming His sacrifice and resurrection, ignite faith and love in every heart. May we embrace His authority and reign, living obediently to His commands. And may we eagerly await the return of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who will come to judge the world in righteousness and gather His own to dwell with Him eternally.
Go forth with the assurance that God loves you, that if you are a Christian than your sins are forgiven through Christ, and that you have the promise of everlasting life through His resurrection. If not made that decision yet, may you make that decision today and obey the gospel. I ask these things, In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
