Category: The Gospel

Carefully Present Gospel Truth

When God healed the crippled man in Lystra, the onlookers misinterpreted what it meant.

And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12  Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13  And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. Acts 14:11-13 (ESV)

God intended for the attesting healing miracle in Lystra to convince people of the truth of the gospel, but the people of Lystra tried to fit it into their existing pagan paradigm. Before knowing the truth about God, we like to create for ourselves “gods” that fit into our presuppositions about life and reality and allow us to do whatever we want.

God’s name, as revealed to Moses, is “I am Who I am.”

God is not who we might want him to be. He is who he is, whether we like it or not. We must change to be like him, not the other way around.

He revealed himself fully through his Son, Jesus the Messiah King of Israel.

If we want to know what God is really like, we can find out by believing in and knowing Christ.

The gospel is a presentation of the truth about God as revealed through Christ. Our responsibility as gospel preachers is to carefully present the Good News so that people will not easily misinterpret it.

Only faith in the true God as revealed in the true gospel saves. Our job is to make sure that is what people hear.

As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. 2 Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT)
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Are We Willing to Take the Risk?

Paul and Barnabas arrived in Lystra, where they preached the gospel.

Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9  He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, 10  said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. Acts 14:8-10 (ESV)

Since we believe that God’s Spirit partners with us when we share the gospel, we should be alert to signs of his activity.

At Lystra, Paul discerned that one of his listeners had faith to be healed. How did he know? Only those who have trained themselves (Hebrews 5:14) through practice to see, hear, or intuit what the Spirit is doing and saying (John 5:19) and who are willing to take the risk of possibly being wrong will be able to do this.

Being Christ’s representative is not about our looking good to people and never making a mistake. Christ expects his messengers to be faithful to him, regardless of the personal cost.

Being led by the Spirit involves an internal “knowing” that cannot be logically explained. The Spirit is an able communicator, but he speaks most often in what the Bible calls a “still, small voice,” (1Kings 19:12) that only those who believe and are open and alert will detect.

Once we discern the Spirit’s “leading,” we face the choice of what to do next.

Paul risked the entire gospel opportunity by publicly commanding the man to stand up, something impossible for him without a miracle. The risk was rewarded when God healed him. This public attesting miracle validated the message and the messengers to the people of the area and opened their hearts to the gospel message.

If we want biblical results, we must take biblical risks.

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Please don’t be offended by this article.

When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. 49  So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region. Acts 13:48-49 (NLT)

This is going to offend someone, but the Bible teaches that because of sin, none of us just naturally chooses God. Unless God does something on his end, we will never move toward him. We are his inveterate enemies until the Holy Spirit does his hidden internal work in our hearts. 

No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. 45 “It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me. John 6:44–45 (NASB95)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8–10 (NASB95)

God chose those who would become his children before he created the world.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5  God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:4-5 (NLT)

This theological truth has enormous implications regarding the gospel.

It means that when we share the good news with people, we can be confident that some will respond.

Despite our natural propensity to resist God and his Word, some will hear, believe, and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. We do not know in advance who these chosen ones are. Neither to do they. Only God knows. That being the case, we share the gospel with everyone, knowing that God is working behind the scenes in ways we cannot necessarily comprehend or perceive, preparing hearts to receive the good news about Jesus.

Our responsibility is to share the gospel with everyone we can. The Spirit’s work is to bring people to Christ.

We find out who the elect are when they respond to the gospel, but God has known all along. If this offends me, it means that I have not yet come to terms with my own sinfulness. It means that I think everyone deserves to be able to go to heaven. No one deserves anything but death because all of us have rebelled against God. Rather, let us rejoice that God did not leave all of us in a deadly state of rebellion, but mercifully saves some.

Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose, and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.” 16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it. 17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.” 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen. Romans 9:14–18 (NLT)

Thank you, Lord, for your mercy and grace! We are also promised that anyone who comes to Christ will not be turned away.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)

If something in you is drawn to Christ, it is a wonderful sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in your life.

Why not go ahead and surrender? God’s election does not render us impotent. Rather, we too have a part to play. He wants us to respond to his grace by opening our hearts to him and receiving Jesus as both Lord and Savior.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20 (NASB95)

Do your part. Open your heart to God.

Prayer

Jesus, I can sense your tug on my heart. I have resisted you for too long. Come into my life! I give you my whole being and receive all that you died to provide for me – forgiveness, reconciliation, eternal life, and your enduring presence. Holy Spirit, fill me to overflowing. Transform me on the inside and empower me to boldly tell others this good news. Amen.

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The Gospel Was Always Intended for the Entire World

When Paul preached the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia, Paul cited Isaiah 49:6 to explain that the good news was always intended for the entire world.

For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’” Acts 13:47 (NLT)

When God first announced the gospel to Abraham, he told him that one of his “seed” would be a blessing to the entire earth. In his letter to the church in Galatia, Paul explained that this promise was fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would declare the Gentiles to be righteous because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.” Galatians 3:8 (NLT) 

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not 
say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to 
your seed,” that is, Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NASB95)

God’s intention was always to reach the entire world through the Jewish Messiah. The church is not a “parenthesis” in God’s plan. The church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles, is the heart of God’s purpose on the earth for all eternity.

to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:21 (NASB95)

God loves the entire world, as evidenced in the famous verse John 3:16.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB95)

The Jews were God’s vehicle to bring the Messiah King into the world to redeem people from every people group.

To read more about this, click here.

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How We Condemn Ourselves to Hell

When Paul preached the gospel in Antioch of Pisidia, the Jewish leaders rejected his message, prompting the following response.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. Acts 13:46 (NLT)

People who object to the gospel’s claim of being God’s only means of salvation sometimes ask the question: “What about those people who never have the opportunity to hear it? Is God so unrighteous that he would condemn them without giving them a chance to be saved?”

This question reveals an arrogant presupposition: it assumes that we have a “right” to be saved. Nothing could be farther from the truth. No one has a right to anything except what our sins earn for us, which is condemnation and death.

As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. 11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God. 12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.” Romans 3:10–12 (NLT)

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 (NLT)

A more important question for anyone reading this meditation is the following: “What about those who do hear the gospel and reject it?” Paul clearly said that, if we reject God’s generous offer to be forgiven and reconciled to him, we condemn ourselves.

It turns out that God is completely righteous (Psalm 92:15), and no one goes to hell against his or her will.

The Bible says that those who seek God will find him. God never turns away any honest seeker, but will provide a way for them to know him.

You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 (NASB95)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7–8 (NASB95)

Jesus made this possible by taking upon himself the guilt and condemnation associated with our rebellion against God and dying on the cross.

If we put our trust and allegiance in him, the risen Lord, we will be released from God’s just death sentence. If we choose to reject this offer, we seal our own doom – an eternity without God. The choice is ours.

God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. 18  “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. John 3:17-18 (NLT)

Are you ready to get right with God? Here is a sample prayer you can use right now, if you want.

Prayer

Father God, the thought of spending eternity separated from you, the Author and Sustainer of life, terrifies me. Please forgive me for all my sins, especially for trying to live without any reference to you. Thank you for sending your Son to die for me. Jesus, I acknowledge that you are the risen Lord. I receive you into my life and dedicate my remaining days to your service. Holy Spirit, come live in and through me. Transform me on the inside to be more like Jesus. Empower me to be bold in telling others about how you make people right with you. Amen.

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Consider Yourself Warned!

Paul concluded his gospel presentation at Antioch of Pisidia with these words.

Be careful! Don’t let the prophets’ words apply to you. For they said, 41  ‘Look, you mockers, be amazed and die! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’” Acts 13:40-41 (NLT)

No Jew would have ever imagined that Israel would be cut off from Abraham’s promises! Their rejection of the Messiah brought judgment upon that nation in 70 AD when Titus and the Roman army destroyed Jerusalem.  Gentiles will encounter a similar judgment on the Last Day, if we reject the gospel. Those who reject the message doom themselves to a continuation of their present condition as spiritual orphans in the universe – an eternity away from God’s loving presence.

And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, 8  in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. 10  When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him. 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10 (NLT)

The presentation of the gospel puts us in a place of decision: will we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior or reject God’s amazing offer? 

With how we spend our eternity on the line, the loving thing to do is warn our hearers about the enormous consequences connected to our response to the gospel.

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The Gospel Offers Forgiveness and Reconciliation to God

Paul delivered the extraordinary good news that through the risen Jesus, the Messiah King who was rejected and crucified, God offers forgiveness and reconciliation to all who believe and declare allegiance to him.

“Brothers, listen! We are here to proclaim that through this man Jesus there is forgiveness for your sins. 39  Everyone who believes in him is declared right with God—something the law of Moses could never do. Acts 13:38-39 (NLT)

God does not hold our rebellion against his rule and our rejection of his person against us, if we repent, believe the good news, and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. This good news includes giving us a personal relationship with Father God and making us a part of his eternal family through the new birth!

This means we are able to reconnect with the Source of Life and all that is good and true! We will be spiritually reconnected to the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe through our Redeemer and Lord, Jesus!

Only a fool or a hardened rebel would pass up such an offer; yet, without the Holy Spirit’s help, that is exactly what people do. We can ask the Spirit of God to open our sin-blinded eyes, unstop our deaf ears, soften our hardened hearts, and bring us back to God.

Prayer

I have been a rebel long enough! Today I turn away from the path I have been following that leads to judgment and death. Holy Spirit, come into my life and help me. Change me on the inside. Jesus, I acknowledge that you are the Lord that I have spurned these many years. I give you my life and receive your forgiveness. Father God,  I have heard about you but never known you. Thank you for sending your Son to die for my sins. I want to know, love, and serve you from this day forward. Amen.

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The Old Testament Points to Jesus

It is important for us to include in our gospel presentation how Jesus fulfilled promises made in the Old Testament.

And now we are here to bring you this Good News. The promise was made to our ancestors, 33  and God has now fulfilled it for us, their descendants, by raising Jesus. This is what the second psalm says about Jesus: ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your Father.’ 34  For God had promised to raise him from the dead, not leaving him to rot in the grave. He said, ‘I will give you the sacred blessings I promised to David.’ 35  Another psalm explains it more fully: ‘You will not allow your Holy One to rot in the grave.’ 36  This is not a reference to David, for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died and was buried with his ancestors, and his body decayed. 37  No, it was a reference to someone else—someone whom God raised and whose body did not decay. Acts 13:32-37 (NLT)

The Old Testament points to Jesus and can only be properly understood in reference to him.

The birth, life, death, resurrection, ascension, and Second Coming of Jesus the Messiah is the goal of God’s interactions and promises made in the Old Testament. Jesus’ resurrection caused verses that seemed mysterious or unclear to come into sudden bold relief, such as the ones quoted by Paul above.

So a time was set, and on that day a large number of people came to Paul’s lodging. He explained and testified about the Kingdom of God and tried to persuade them about Jesus from the Scriptures. Using the law of Moses and the books of the prophets, he spoke to them from morning until evening. Acts 28:23 (NLT)

Once Paul’s eyes were open to Jesus’ true identity, the entire Bible came to life for him. Jesus is the focus and goal of the entire Bible. Eventually all things will be summed up in him.

For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. 17 He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. Colossians 1:16–18 (NASB95)
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How Have I Responded to the Gospel?

Paul summarized the gospel message in a paragraph.

“Brothers—you sons of Abraham, and also you God-fearing Gentiles—this message of salvation has been sent to us! 27  The people in Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize Jesus as the one the prophets had spoken about. Instead, they condemned him, and in doing this they fulfilled the prophets’ words that are read every Sabbath. 28  They found no legal reason to execute him, but they asked Pilate to have him killed anyway. 29  “When they had done all that the prophecies said about him, they took him down from the cross and placed him in a tomb. 30  But God raised him from the dead! 31  And over a period of many days he appeared to those who had gone with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to the people of Israel. Acts 13:26-31 (NLT)

Paul told his listeners and us that Jesus is the one promised by God in the Old Testament, who was rejected by the Jewish leaders, put to death, buried, rose again from the dead, and appeared to many. All that remains is to explain what this means to those who believe and receive it: forgiveness of our sins and being restored to a right relationship with God.

The gospel is a spoken or read message that requires a response.

We can hear it and believe. We can hear and reject it, or we can simply ignore it. Only one of these responses results in salvation. How have you responded?

Prayer

Jesus, I finally “get” it. You died for my sins and rose again. I receive you as my Savior and my Lord. I receive your forgiveness and give my life to you. Holy Spirit, come live in and through me. Thank you for eternal life. Help me to tell others about this amazing gift. Amen.

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God Promised Israel a Messiah Who Would Save the World

On his first missionary journey, Paul the apostle preached the gospel to Jews living in Antioch of Pisidia. He correctly assumed that they were familiar with the promises God earlier made to King David, that one of his descendants would sit upon the throne of Israel forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13)

“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! 24  Before he came, John the Baptist preached that all the people of Israel needed to repent of their sins and turn to God and be baptized. 25  As John was finishing his ministry he asked, ‘Do you think I am the Messiah? No, I am not! But he is coming soon—and I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the sandals on his feet.’ Acts 13:23-25 (NLT)

When we share the gospel with those who are not as familiar with the Bible, we have an opportunity to explain how Jesus came in fulfillment of promises made to Israel long ago.

The gospel only makes sense when we understand its historical context. God promised that one day a Savior would defeat Satan and deliver us from his dominion. This began in the Garden of Eden, continued with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, was reiterated to Moses, amplified with King David, and prophesied by Isaiah and others.

What was not understood until God revealed it to Paul was that the Messiah was sent to save the entire world, not just Israel.

He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” Isaiah 49:6 (NASB95)
For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NASB95)

By referring to this, when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit; 6 to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel, Ephesians 3:4–6 (NASB95)

One day in the not so distant future, the very real historical person named Jesus, the glorious resurrected Son of Man prophesied by Daniel, will return in the clouds with great power to judge all mankind.

At that point in time, all the earth will come to realize that the gospel is a wonderful announcement of mercy to those who believe it which is based on the historical facts relating to Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. It is also a narrative of the historical fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel.

Therefore, it is important for gospel preachers to familiarize themselves with the the Old Testament and how it points to Jesus and the glorious gospel that is offered to every person in the world, regardless of ethnicity, gender, age, or socioeconomic status. That is how the early church presented Christ, and so should we!

If you are inclined to learn better how to do this, I suggest Scot McKnight's masterpiece, The King Jesus Gospel. I wrote a summary, which you can access by clicking here.
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