Scripture Reading: Isaiah 55:6-13
The Gospel of Christ
Things Concerning Christ (#4)
Intro.
1. Not everyone knows what the gospel of Christ is (euangelion: “Good news, good message”).
2. Some limit "gospel" to the news about Christ (not His teachings given through His apostles). (Carl Ketcherside quotations)
a. Gospel is “sound doctrine”, 1 Tim. 1:10-11.
b. Gospel also preached to Christians, Rom. 1:15 (1 Ths. 2:9; 3:2).
c. Gospel does not exclude the epistles, cf. Gal. 2:2, 5.
3. The importance of the gospel cannot be overstated, Mk. 16:15.
-What is it? Who is it from? What does it say to me? What do I do with it?
4. We should want to know the gospel so that we can believe it and obey it for the saving of our souls.
I. THE GOSPEL IS GOD’S MESSAGE TO MAN, Gal. 1:11-12; 1:6-9.
-Good news of a Messiah and His kingdom, Lk. 2:10-11 (Matt. 4:23; 24:14).
-Good news of salvation through Jesus Christ, 2 Ths. 2:13-14.
-Good news of grace available and obtained, Titus 2:11-12.
II. THE GOSPEL IS THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, 1 Cor. 15:1-4.
-Preached (By the apostles; be mindful of their words, 1 Pet. 1:12; 2 Pet. 3:2; 1 Cor. 14:37.
-Received, Acts 18:8; 2:41; 8:12-13 (2 Cor. 11:4).
-Stand, Rom. 5:1-2; Col. 2:6-7.
-Saved, Rom. 1:16; 2 Ths. 2:10; Jas. 1:21; 1 Pet. 1:22-25.
-Facts to be believed, Jno. 20:30-31 (Mk. 1:1).
-Commands to be obeyed, Matt. 7:21; 2 Ths. 1:8. Gospel is “sound doctrine”, 1 Tim. 1:10-11.
-Promises to be received, Titus 1:2; Col. 1:5 (Eph. 3:6).
IV. THE GOSPEL IS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD, Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 10:34-35; Matt. 28:18-20.
-Alien sinners, Mk. 16:15.
-Christians, Rom. 1:15; 16:25.
III. THE GOSPEL IS NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF, Rom. 1:16 (1 Tim. 2:4; Jno. 3:16; Heb. 5:9).
-To be ashamed of the gospel is to be ashamed of Christ, Mk. 8:38.
-To be ashamed of faithful brethren is to be ashamed of the gospel, 2 Tim. 1:8, 16.
-Boldly proclaim the gospel, Eph. 6:19 (1 Pet. 4:11).
-From the pulpit and in the house, 2 Tim. 4:2-5; Acts 20:20.
V. THE GOSPEL IS THE MESSAGE OF PEACE:
-With God, Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:16-18; Rom. 10:15, 16-21.
-With man, Eph. 2:14-15; Isa. 11:6-10; 65:25.
-With self (Phil. 4:4-7).
VI. THE GOSPEL MUST BE OBEYED (2 Ths. 1:8; Matt. 7:24-27; 7:21).
-Immediately, Acts 16:33; Heb. 3:12-13.
-Completely and always, Jas. 1:22.
-Profitable when mixed with faith, Heb. 4:2; Rom. 10:17.
-Calls sinners to repentance, Acts 3:19; 26:20.
VII. THE GOSPEL ENDURES FOREVER, 1 Pet. 1:23-25.
-Do not wait for a different message or a “more convenient season” (Acts 24:25).
VIII. THE GOSPEL WILL JUDGE US IN THE LAST DAY, Heb. 2:1-3 (Jno. 6:63, 68); Jno. 12:48.
Conclusion
"Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel…" (Phil. 1:27)
WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?
Carl Ketcherside:
“What is the gospel? Before one can designate a thing as ‘another gospel’ he must be able to identify the original gospel. The gospel, by etymology, is good news. It is not a system of doctrine, a philosophy of life or a code of ethics. It is good news about a person and what that person has done for us in our helpless, hapless and hopeless condition. It is not a message for the saved but for the lost. It is never addressed to the church but to the world. It is designed to make believers instead of providing food for them.” (The Twisted Scriptures, “Another Gospel”, Mission Messenger Publication, 1965, pp. 4, 7-9)
The gospel “consisted of the life, death, burial, resurrection, ascension, coronation and glorification of Jesus.” (Mission Messenger, Dec. 1972, p. 180)
Not one apostolic letter is a part of the gospel of Christ…the Roman letter was not a part of the gospel...the letter to the Galatians was not a part of the gospel.” (Mission Messenger, Feb. 1973, p. 20)
By: Joe R. Price
Posted: August 29, 2014