Category: The Gospel

Gospel in a Minute: The gospel promises salvation for the entire creation, not just individuals.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter informed his listeners that Jesus will return as the Messianic King who now waits in heaven until his Father’s appointed time to restore his creation to its original intent.

Then times of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah. 21  For he must remain in heaven until the time for the final restoration of all things, as God promised long ago through his holy prophets. Acts 3:20-21 (NLT)

Principle: The gospel promises salvation for the entire creation, not just individuals.

One of the tragedies of the consumerist packaging of the gospel is that its enormous scope has been lost.

People conceive of Jesus merely as some kind of “personal savior,” whose impact is reduced to bringing peace and security to individuals who turn to him for forgiveness of sins. This is indeed one of the many benefits of declaring allegiance to the risen Lord, but it does not do justice to who Jesus is and what he accomplished on the cross and through his resurrection. People who put their faith in Christ are made new creatures, children of God, who will live and rule with him for eternity over a new creation.

And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. Colossians 3:4 (NLT)

The restoration of the creation to God’s original intent under God’s benevolent rule will bring God enormous glory and satisfaction at the culmination of all things at Jesus’ return.

For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 20  Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21  the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22  For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans 8:19-22 (NLT)

This is an important part of the gospel message.

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Gospel in a Minute: Sharing the gospel strips away people’s excuses.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter issued a call to repentance to his listeners.

And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 "But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; Acts 3:17-19 (NASB)

Principle: Sharing the gospel strips away people’s excuses.

One of our most natural sinful tendencies is to avoid, deny, and suppress the truth when it comes to our sin. Jesus addressed this flaw in our nature.

This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20  "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. John 3:19-20 (NASB)

The gospel strips away people’s excuses and shines a light on the sin of refusing to honor and glorify God by acknowledging his right to ownership of our lives. Mankind’s rebellion against God’s rule climaxed at the cross. We were all responsible for what happened there. Jesus carried all our sin, not just that of the Jewish leaders and Roman soldiers.

The gospel offers each hearer an opportunity to lay down arms and surrender to the God who created, who sustains, and who redeemed us.

Those who repent from their sin and rebellion will find forgiveness and refreshing.

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Gospel in a Minute: The Jesus who forgives sin is the same One who heals.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter told his hearers that faith in Jesus was the key to the miracle they just witnessed.

And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. Acts 3:16 (NASB)

Principle: The Jesus who forgives sin is the same One who heals.

The Bible makes it clear that forgiveness of sins and physical healing are linked. When Jesus was being interrogated by Jewish leaders for having the audacity to declare that a man’s sins were forgiven, he asked the crowd:

"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, and walk'? 6  "But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—then He *said to the paralytic, "Get up, pick up your bed and go home." 7  And he got up and went home. 8  But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men. Matthew 9:5-8 (NASB)

Rather than accept the challenge to provide the Holy Spirit with an opportunity to demonstrate Jesus’ power to forgive sins by offering to pray for the sick, many sharers of the gospel theologically choose to divorce his authority to forgive sins from his power to provide physical healing, something the Bible does not do. Is this because we are afraid he will not heal?

Jesus understood that to us physical healing seems more difficult, which is why he still uses it to convince people of the truth of the gospel.

The Jesus who forgives sins is the same One who heals.

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. Isaiah 53:5 (NASB)
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Gospel in a Minute: The gospel calls people to declare allegiance to Jesus the Messiah.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter packed a lot into the two sentences below.

The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. 14 "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15  but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.Acts 3:13-15 (NASB)

Principle: The gospel calls people to declare allegiance to Jesus the Messiah.

There is no middle ground when it comes to the gospel. We either declare allegiance to the Lord Jesus or we end up denying or disowning him. One of the core meanings of the Greek word “pistis,” which is translated “faith” in our English Bible, is allegiance. (For a well-reasoned argument in support of this, read my summary of Salvation by Allegiance Alone by Matthew Bates.) Faith responds to the gospel message by repenting from a self-directed life and turning in trust and obedience to Jesus, who is Savior and Lord.

Those who are indifferent or hostile to the gospel, end up disowning the Lord of Life. They will be disowned by him at the Last Judgment.

We must help people understand the gravity of their decision, just as Peter did.

"Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33  "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33 (NASB)
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Gospel in a Minute: Divine healing opens the door for the gospel.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter launched his second sermon, found in Acts 3, by praying for a lame man who was immediately healed.

But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!" 7  And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8  With a leap he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9  And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10  and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. 11  While he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement. 12  But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, "Men of Israel, why are you amazed at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? Acts 3:6-12 (NASB)

Principle: Divine healing opens the door for the gospel.

Someone once said that the gifts of the Spirit are the “dinner bell” for salvation. When our kids were small, we rang a large bell to call them to supper. No matter where they were in the neighborhood, when they heard its clear sound, they came running, knowing that a good meal awaited them. When God heals people, it gets their attention. We make the best use of the manifestation of God’s gracious gifts when we take advantage of people’s interest to preach the gospel.

Demonstrations of God’s power break past the intellectual and emotional barriers men and women erect in their hearts and open them to the truth about Jesus.

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Gospel in a Minute: Give clear instructions to those who respond.

Gospel in a Minute

When Peter concluded his gospel message in Acts 2, some of his hearers immediately responded. There are three ways people may respond to us: apathy, hostility, or interest. In the category of interest, there are the possibilities of a passionate response or a measured one. Peter’s hearers ardently responded, which is the best possible outcome.

Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" 38  Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.Acts 2:37-38 (NASB)

Principle: Give clear instructions to those who respond.

When the Holy Spirit opens someone’s heart, there will be a response to the gospel. Be ready to “close the deal” if the opportunity presents itself. Peter gave clear instructions to his respondents.

  • Repent – This is the fundamental required response to the message that Jesus is Lord. It means we acknowledge Jesus’ claim to be Lord and willingly submit our lives to him.
  • Be baptized in water – Water baptism is a public declaration of  faith – our trust in and allegiance to Christ. It combines inner belief with a public confession.
  • Receive the baptism or gift of the Holy Spirit – This baptism done by Christ himself equips and empowers disciples to be bold witnesses.

We should never leave our hearers wondering what to do with our message. Give clear instructions regarding how to begin the discipleship journey.

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Gospel in a Minute: The Core Gospel Declaration Is the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah

Gospel in a Minute

Peter concluded his Acts 2 gospel presentation by declaring unequivocally that Jesus is Messiah and Lord.

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ—this Jesus whom you crucified." Acts 2:36 (NASB)

Principle: The Core Gospel Declaration Is the Lordship of Jesus the Messiah

This is where many modern “gospel” presentations go wrong. Many of us have bought into the consumerism that plagues the church with the result that we present the good news as a sales pitch encouraging our hearers to take advantage of God’s magnificent offer of forgiveness and eternal life. These are amazing benefits attached to believing the gospel, but it is not the core message. Rather than selling a life assurance plan, gospel preachers must declare to the world that Jesus is Lord of Lords to whom we are accountable for how we live. The hearer is advised to make the one reasonable response: surrender to Jesus the Lord.

The gospel calls us to turn away from a self-directed life and choose to serve Jesus the Lord.

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NLT)
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Gospel in a Minute: The Outpouring of the Spirit Was Further Proof of Christ’s Exaltation

Gospel in a Minute

Peter continued his explanation of what his hearers had just witnessed.

Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear. Acts 2:33 (NASB)

Principle: The Outpouring of the Spirit Was Further Proof of Christ’s Exaltation

What happened on Pentecost proved that Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf was fully accepted by his Father in heaven. Not only did God raise Jesus from the dead, he installed him on his throne in heaven. The Spirit was given to demonstrate Christ’s exaltation and rule. Jesus is now Lord of the Harvest, having commissioned his followers to preach the gospel and make disciples all over the world until his return.

This fulfilled John the Baptist’s prophecy that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and fire. The Spirit baptism empowers and equips God’s people to be Great Co-Missionaries.

Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, "Which," He said, "you heard of from Me; 5  for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now... 8  but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." Acts 1:4-8 (NASB)
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Gospel in a Minute: Listen Up, Everyone!

Gospel in a Minute

The first gospel proclamation after Christ’s ascension into heaven took place on Pentecost in Jerusalem. Peter and the other disciples came out of hiding after being filled with the Spirit and boldness. The following verse contains the first words of Peter’s address to the throngs in Jerusalem for the feast.

But Peter stood up with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem, know this and listen carefully to what I say. Acts 2:14 (NET1)

Principle: Listen up, everyone!

When we share the gospel, be aware that it is a divinely authorized proclamation, similar to a trumpet blast. Peter raised his voice to be heard. It is the announcement that Christ, the crucified One, has risen from the dead and is Lord of everything! He ascended into heaven, where he waits for the appointed time when he will return to judge the living and the dead. To him all will be held accountable before God for how they respond to this message.

The gospel announcement deserves to be heard. It deserves our best effort to properly present it and our listeners’ most careful attention.

We should be aware that we are providing people with the most important and consequential information that they will ever receive. It is life to those who believe and receive it, but a sentence of death to those who reject it. Let us reflect the seriousness of the message with our earnest presentation.

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Gospel vs. Culture: How the Gospel Confronts the Culture’s Idols and Lies

 

 

 

 

The Gospel

The gospel is a proclamation of truth about God, mankind, Jesus the Messiah and Lord, and the coming judgment. It offers a way of escape from the judgment that has been pronounced upon the world through the cross. It offers an opportunity to join God in ruling over a new creation at the end of time.

By nature, the gospel confronts the sinful status quo – the embedded lies and rebellion against God found in the human soul and the prevailing culture.

The gospel is powerful and is God’s designated means to overthrow Satan’s rule in individual lives and ultimately in nations and cultures.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. Romans 1:16 (NLT)

 

Culture, Idolatry, and Lies

One definition of culture is that it is…

…a shared vision of the nature of reality. This vision must include some understanding of both the immanent and the transcendent orders. It will incorporate unseen actualities and accepted moral verities that are believed to affect the arrangement of both the natural and social world. In short, a culture incarnates and expresses a religion. (From Sharper Iron Blog)

From the gospel’s perspective, cultures and the people who live in them thrive to the degree they embrace the truth about God and put into practice the values that define godly living. We see this historically. Those cultures that have embraced Christianity have thrived; whereas, those who reject the Bible’s testimony about God languish. Those cultures which attack the Jews and Christians descend into darkness, inhumane practices, and depravity.

Cultures degrade in proportion to how much they suppress truth and reject biblical norms. (Romans 1)

Human beings are idolators by default as a result of the Fall. We were designed by God to be dependent creatures, who are programmed to worship and serve him. When we turn away from God, the drive to worship and serve will be transferred to an inferior replacement for him, what the Bible calls an “idol.” Idols are products of the sinful human desire to have a “god” who protects and serves us, while condoning our sinful and rebellious behavior toward the true God.

In other words, idols are gods created in our own image which never confront our sin.

The Bible teaches us that we become like whatever we worship. (2 Corinthians 3:18) If we worship God, we become like him. If we worship something inferior, we degrade from God’s created purpose for us. This is by God’s design. God’s purpose is for humanity to reflect God’s glory as we worship him, but when we bow down to and serve an idol, we are transformed into that corrupt image. Idols are not always images made of metal, wood, or stone. Idols can be as subtle as devotion to the pursuit of wealth, if that pursuit displaces our worship of and reliance upon God who is our Provider. Jesus called this serving “Mammon.” In America, the pursuit and deification of “liberty” has led us to believe that freedom in and of itself is worth putting on a pedestal. Freedom apart from God, however, inevitably leads to slavery to our own sinful desires. True freedom is found in obeying God and always results in worshiping and serving him.

Our modern secular culture has major embedded idols and lies. Here are a few that I will cover in this article.

  • There is no God, and we got here by ourselves. The denial of God’s existence is the chief lie. It is intended to eliminate our accountability to our Creator and elevate us to godhood status, the pursuit of which was the original sin. We want to run our own lives without reference to God. A necessary corollary to atheism is self-creation or spontaneous evolution. This bold lie elevates man to the highest rung on the developmental ladder in a godless and amoral universe, giving him a virtual godlike status. Self-worship is the ugliest form of idolatry. Because of the deification of self, Satan receives our worship, too. Our culture has become grossly narcissistic.
  • Truth, sin, and morality are fluid human constructs. Having thrown out God and elevated man to be the measure of all things, our culture maintains that truth, morals, and laws are human constructs which can be changed or discarded at will. The first domino to fall was the belief that truth is absolute. If there is no God, then truth does not come from him. Once truth falls, everything else is up for grabs. Our concept of sin can no longer derive from what God says it is. Instead, sin is viewed as a violation of a societal norm, something changeable. Morality is the next domino to fall, as man attempts to redefine what it means to be good or right. Once again, self-worship is behind it all, propelling the culture to slide into behaviors and beliefs that ultimately destroy it from within.
  • We are accountable only to ourselves. If there is no God, we not only get to make our own rules, but we are accountable to no one but ourselves. The idol that this lie engenders is pure power. Cultures that reject accountability to God slide into totalitarianism.

How the Gospel Confronts the Culture

The gospel directly confronts each of these lies. The proper delivery of the gospel should challenge and refute whatever idol is being worshiped by the hearers. Remember, the gospel presents Jesus as the Lord of Lords, not simply as Savior.

The devil and the anti-god world system seek to encapsulate the gospel and render it impotent in a way that is similar to how a human body walls itself off from infection. The powers that be tell us that all religions are created equal, and therefore, none can issue a moral imperative. None have the “right” to tell people what to do or believe, since no religion is “right.” We are told that what we believe is a private matter and has no inherent authority in the secular public square.

The culture and ruling powers are not usually too upset with the gospel’s claim that Jesus forgives sins. What it hates and fights against is Jesus’ claim to be God, the sole arbiter of truth, the judge of all mankind, and the ruling eternal king.

There Is a God

The Bible declares up front that there is a God who is the Creator. Paul wrote that the entire creation unequivocally declares the existence and power of God for all to see. The only way people can arrive at the position that denies God’s existence is by deliberately suppressing the truth. (Romans 1:18-20) Deep down everyone knows there is a God. The gospel calls its listeners to acknowledge that he exists but that it is to him we owe our existence.

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2  He existed in the beginning with God. 3  God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. John 1:1-3 (NLT)

Unless we come to grips with God’s existence and preeminence, we can go no further. The gospel confronts the lie of atheism first of all and calls people back to our obligation to worship, serve, and glorify God the Creator. Our greatest joy in life is experienced in returning love to the God who loves us past comprehension.

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Ephesians 3:19 (NLT)
We Are Dependent on our Creator

Not only is there a God, but everything we see and experience came from him and is sustained by him.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, 16  for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17  He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Colossians 1:15-17 (NLT)

This gospel truth strikes a fatal blow at man’s desire to be his own god. As dependent creatures, we are humbled to admit that we need God every moment. Coming back into alignment with the truth about our relationship with God allows us to once again draw life, direction, and wisdom from our Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer. This gives us the greatest joy, freedom, and fulfillment.

Truth Originates in God and Is Absolute

Jesus the Messiah called himself “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” (John 14:6) Truth exists because God is truth. Truth is defined by and comes from God. God is unalterably true in his words and deeds. He means what he says and says what he means. He never lies. The gospel confronts us with the truth about God, ourselves, our sin, judgment, life, and the our eternal destiny. Unless we repent of our lying ways and accept God’s truth, we cannot be saved. This includes accepting the gospel as God’s true testimony about himself, his Son, and his offer of salvation.

He [the devil] will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11  So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12  Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (NLT)
Sin Is Real and Produces Death

The Bible clearly teaches that every person born from Adam is a sinner. (Romans 3:23) All sin derives from our inborn rebellion against God, which is demonstrated by our choice to live on our own terms instead of in humble cooperation with and dependence upon God. Separation from God results from sin and always produces death. (Romans 6:23)

When we knowingly align ourselves with that which brings death, it produces a terrible tension and guilt within us. God gave us consciences to help us be aware of our terrible situation. When confronted with the truth, if we refuse to repent, our consciences can become unfeeling and useless. People become hardened in their rebellion against God, which darkens their ability to think clearly and correctly. (Romans 1:21) Many such people develop philosophies and theologies that agree with their sinful position in an attempt to soothe their guilty consciences. None of this works because we do not get to define sin for ourselves. All it does is keep people alienated from God and reserved for the coming judgment. (Acts 13:46)

The gospel identifies and confronts our sin. It calls us to turn away from our sins and reach out to God in faith to receive the complete forgiveness that Jesus died to give us.

Morality Is Part of God’s Order

Morality, the culture’s accepted standards of good conduct and justice, is woven into God’s creation order. We do not get to determine our own versions of what is good and virtuous. One reason God gave Moses the Law was so that we would have a written standard that reflects God’s righteousness. Society and individuals generally adopt a morality that agrees with their sinfulness. The further from God a culture drifts, the more its morals become skewed. The gospel calls the culture back to God’s moral order and gives people the transformative grace to live according to God’s ways.

We Are Accountable to God Who Will Judge All People

The last major lie confronted by the gospel that I will cover in this article is that people have no ultimate accountability to anyone but themselves. This untruth is a logical derivation from the lie that there is no God. Even people who acknowledge God’s existence often live as functional atheists, which means that by looking at how they live you would never know they believe in God.

The gospel directly confronts this lie by announcing that Jesus is coming back to judge the living and the dead.

“God overlooked people’s ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. 31  For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:30-31 (NLT)

The gospel calls all people to repent and receive forgiveness and then live in a way that brings honor and glory to God.

Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” 40  Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Acts 2:38-40 (NLT)

The Second Coming of Christ

The Second Coming of Christ is an integral part of the gospel. When we proclaim that Jesus is coming back again, it enables us to establish several important truths.

  • Jesus, eternal Word of God who created all things, became a man who died for our sins as God’s Lamb and rose again as Lord of Lords.
  • His Second Coming will finally and completely establish is God’s rule over the earth.
  • He is the glorious Son of Man prophesied by Daniel who will judge the living and the dead.

Once he appears in the sky, every aspect of the gospel will be proved true. Then it will be too late to get right with him. Today is the day of salvation. Now is the time to repent and believe the good news that in Christ God is offering to reconcile us to himself!

The gospel is not merely a presentation of what Jesus did on our behalf to save us from our sins. The gospel reestablishes who God is so that we can come into proper alignment with him through repentance and faith. The gospel affirms the honor and glory of the risen Lord. The gospel is a declaration of war upon the lies and idolatry of mankind. The gospel is a clarion call to become part of God’s eternal kingdom, which will eventually destroy all opposing kingdoms.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14  He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (NLT)
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