"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." 2 Timothy 3:16,17
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Why The Gospel Is Good News
I. The Gospel (Good News) Is God Coming Near:
II. The Gospel Is God Showing His Love For Man:
III. The Gospel Is God Filing For Adoption:
IV. The Gospel Is God Paying A Debt For Us.
V. The Gospel Is A Story Of Humility And Sacrifice.
Conclusion: The Gospel Must Be Taught And Obeyed!
Introduction
A. Today, I want us to take a scriptural look at why the gospel is good news.
1. “Gospel” means “good news”, “Glad tidings.”
2. Being given the opportunity to hear and accept the news about Jesus is life’s greatest privilege.
3. But, not everyone obeys the Gospel:
2 Th 1:7-8 "And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"
4. Could it be that many will reject the gospel because they do not understand why the gospel is such good news???
B. Let us notice today that the Gospel is:
1. God Coming Near:
2. God Showing His Love:
3. God Filing For Adoption:
4. God Paying A Debt For Us:
5. A Story Of Complete Humility And Sacrifice.I. The Gospel (Good News) Is God Coming Near:
A. When Jesus came to this earth, God came to this earth.
Mat 1:23 (KJV) "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us."
John 1:1-4 (KJV) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men."
John 1:9-14 (KJV) "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth."
B. If we will receive and obey the Gospel, we will dwell closely with God and He with us forever!
John 14:23 (KJV) "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."II. The Gospel Is God Showing His Love For Man:
A. More than any other act of God, sending Jesus to this world demonstrates the undying love that God has for His creation.
John 3:16 (KJV) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
B. God demonstrates AGAPE: Love which “acts” to seek the good of those who do not deserve it (helpless).
Rom 5:6-10 (KJV) "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life."
C. There will be a judgment of God against sin, but through Jesus, He has shown that He does not want anyone to perish there, but to come to repentance.
2 Pet 3:9-11 (KJV) "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,"
D. It is a practice of this same agape love that will be a key sign of our faith in Christ:
John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
III. The Gospel Is God Filing For Adoption:
A. The Story of Jesus is the story of God seeking to make us a part of His family and glory forever.
Gal 4:4-7 (KJV) "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5 To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7 Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ."
Eph 1:3-7 (KJV) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: 4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, 6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. 7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;"
B. God sought us and has made a way to call us His Children.
1 John 3:1 (KJV) "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: ...”IV. The Gospel Is God Paying A Debt For Us.
A. The Gospel Is Christ bore the penalty of death so that we might be saved from our sins.
1. Note that the word “sin” seldom comes us in the discussion of “Christmas”.
2. We must also remember the debt of sin was a debt we could not pay on our own.
Isa 53:4-10 (KJV) "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."
Heb 10:10-14 (KJV) "By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."
Heb 9:24-28 (KJV) "For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: 28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
B. Christ’s sacrificed himself because of love and we are to imitate His sacrifice love.V. The Gospel Is A Story Of Humility And Sacrifice.
A. The greatest gift that anyone could offer to another is their life.
1. The greatest demonstration of love possible is that of offering our life.
2. Nothing in this world could show love more than the offering of one’s life.
3. Would we offer this gift for those who were lost and in sin?? (Rom. 5:8,9).
4. We are to practice this same love and sacrifice.
John 15:12-14 (KJV) "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."
1 John 3:16-18 "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."
B. The Gospel Story is not only good news for the faithful, it should also be a magnet which draws us, a story of such goodness and blessing that we strive constantly to imitate.
Phil 2:1-13 (KJV) "If there be therefore any consolation (to call along side - exhortation) in Christ, if any comfort (beside- speech) of love, if any fellowship (communion, sharing, association, common) of the Spirit, if any bowels (affections) and mercies, 2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.”Conclusion: The Gospel Must Be Taught And Obeyed!
A. The Gospel is so much more than celebrating the birth of Jesus, we must understand and submit ourselves to the whole will of God.
Rom 1:16-17 (KJV) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Rom 10:17).
1 Cor 15:1-4 (KJV) "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:"
1. Not compromised:
Rom 3:3-4 "For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged."
1 Pet 1:22-23 "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever."
B. Will you fully experience the Gospel by placing your faith in Christ, repenting of sin and being baptized into Christ?
Mark 16:15-16 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."
Rom 6:3-4 (KJV) "Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."C. May we never forget the many reasons why the Gospel is Good News!!
