Category: The Gospel in a Minute

Gospel in a Minute: Jesus Is the Messiah

Gospel in a Minute

Here Luke encapsulates the gospel in four words spoken by the apostles: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. 42  And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.” Acts 5:41-42 (NLT)

Principle: Jesus is the Messiah

Modern consumerists have turned the gospel message from Jesus being the messianic King of Kings into his being our personal savior. This is no small thing. A personal savior has no real impact on the larger world. He only saves individuals from their personal sins, rescuing them from damnation and giving them eternal life. For the individual, this is great news, but not necessarily life changing.

The announcement that Jesus is Messiah and Lord over all creation is a game changer. One cannot believe that and continue to live as before.

An encounter with the risen Lord quite naturally produces the desire to become his servant for life.

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Gospel in a Minute: The Ascension Is Part of the Gospel

Gospel in a Minute

In Acts Chapter Five, once again the Jewish religious leaders threatened the apostles for preaching the good news about Jesus. In response, Peter delivered a brief summary presentation of the gospel to his persecutors – a bold move.

The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead after you killed him by hanging him on a cross. 31  Then God put him in the place of honor at his right hand as Prince and Savior. He did this so the people of Israel would repent of their sins and be forgiven. 32  We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” Acts 5:30-32 (NLT)

Principle: The Ascension Is Part of the Gospel

Peter mentioned three reasons for his hearers to repent in their attitude and actions regarding Jesus. He was put to death unjustly. God raised him from the dead, and he is now seated at God’s right hand, reigning as the Prince of Peace over Israel and Lord over all creation. Peter does not directly say that Jesus ascended into heaven, but it is assumed. How else would he have gotten there? The result of his consequent glorification was that he sent his Holy Spirit on Pentecost. The Spirit indwells, empowers, and seals all those who confess Christ as Lord.

It is of foundational importance for us to include Christ’s ascension into heaven and the outpouring of the Spirit in our presentation of the good news.

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Gospel in a Minute: Pray for boldness to preach the gospel.

Gospel in a Minute

After being threatened and commanded to keep quiet about Jesus, the disciples met for prayer.

And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. 30  Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31  After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness. Acts 4:29-31 (NLT)

Principle: Pray for boldness to preach the gospel.

When we face threats and intimidation, it is time to pray for even more courage and boldness.

Someone once said that there are no “closed” countries, only intimidated disciples. What if those first believers had been shut down? What if they had gone “underground”? We don’t know how the Spirit would have handled that, but thankfully they refused to buckle to pressure. Their boldness eventually cost almost all of them their lives. Jesus knew this would happen, but he called them to be his witnesses nevertheless. He is calling you and me as well. Will we be faithful to this challenge? We can start by praying for boldness to preach the gospel, ask for and receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and then be about it. The world is waiting.

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Gospel in a Minute: Preaching the gospel requires great courage.

Gospel in a Minute

The Jewish leaders applied pressure on the apostles to shut down their bold preaching.

“What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17  But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18  So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. 19  But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20  We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:16-20 (NLT)

Principle: Preaching the gospel requires great courage.

Satan and his allies do everything in their power to keep us from believing the gospel, but once we see and believe that Jesus is the risen Messiah and Lord of Lords, their next attempt is to keep us from telling others the good news. Evil spiritual forces use cooperative people to accomplish their agenda, but our battle is never really with human beings. (Ephesians 6:12)

The gospel is God’s powerful means to liberate the captives held by the kingdom of darkness. (Isaiah 61:1 and Romans 1:16)

Satan cannot nullify the gospel’s power, but he does try to keep it from ever being spoken. He mocks, threatens, and persecutes those who proclaim the glorious good news. (2 Timothy 3:12) It is our responsibility to refuse to cower to this intimidation.

God wants us to be like Peter and John who feared God more than what might be done to them. Like Moses of old, they valued the reward for serving God more than the temporary tranquility that comes from making peace with the devil. (Hebrews 11:24-27) The Spirit of God filled them with boldness and courage.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)
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Gospel in a Minute: Jesus is the only way to God.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter capped his brief gospel proclamation with these startling words about Jesus.

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."Acts 4:12 (NASB)

Principle: Jesus is the only way to God.

Modern versions of universalism push the concept that Jesus is one of many ways to God. If this were true, Jesus was terribly misguided. When the disciple named Thomas asked Jesus to show him the way to God…

Jesus *said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:6 (NASB)

Jesus taught that he is the only way to God. Peter got the message. If Jesus is not the only way to be saved, then why did he have to die as God’s Lamb on the cross? If he did not have to pay the penalty for our sins, then nothing stands between us and God that needed to be overcome.

If nothing is wrong between us and God, then any path will do and Christianity is a complete lie that misrepresents God. But it is true. Jesus is the only way to God, which the gospel resolutely declares.

For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 2:5 (NLT)
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Gospel in a Minute: Help your hearers understand how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter quoted Psalm 118:22 to explain how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy in order to convince his hearers that he is indeed the promised Messianic Son of David risen from the dead.

He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNERstone.Acts 4:11 (NASB)

Principle: Help your hearers understand how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecy.

Jesus had previously quoted this passage in reference to himself.

Jesus *said to them, "Did you never read in the Scriptures, 'THE 
STONE WHICH THE BUILDERS REJECTED, THIS 
BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone; THIS 
CAME ABOUT FROM THE LORD, AND 
IT IS MARVELOUS IN OUR EYES'? 43  "Therefore I say to you, the 
kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the 
fruit of it. 44  "And he who falls on this stone 
will be broken to pieces; but on whomever it falls, it will scatter him like 
dust." Matthew 21:42-44 (NASB)

By referencing the Old Testament, Peter and Jesus gave their hearers an opportunity to “connect the dots” and realize Jesus’ identity.

We owe it to our hearers to show how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament scriptures so they too can make the connection and see that Jesus is indeed the Promised Messiah of Israel, the Savior and Lord.

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Gospel in a Minute: Be ready to boldly share the gospel when opportunity knocks.

Gospel in a Minute

The religious leaders demanded that Peter explain himself before the council.

The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. 6  Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. 7  They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” 8  Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers and elders of our people, 9  are we being questioned today because we’ve done a good deed for a crippled man? Do you want to know how he was healed? 10  Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. Acts 4:5-10 (NLT)

This gave Peter a perfect opportunity to restate succinctly the gospel message.

Principle: Be ready to boldly share the gospel when opportunity knocks.

In his first letter, the apostle Peter encourages all disciples to be ready to share the gospel at any moment.

But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. 15  Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. 16  But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. 1 Peter 3:14-16 (NLT)

Obviously he wrote this passage with reference to the incident in Acts 4. Peter told the leaders what they did not want to hear, but what they needed to know. The realization that it was in the council’s power to harm them did not intimidate them into silence.

People take note when disciples show the courage of their convictions. We should be ready to boldly share the gospel when opportunity knocks.

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Gospel in a Minute: Gospel proclamations upset some people while saving others.

Gospel in a Minute

Peter’s second gospel presentation, which was precipitated by a miraculous healing, caused a great stirring among the people. It also “greatly disturbed” the religious leaders, the ones who had crucified Jesus.

As they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to them, 2  being greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.Acts 4:1-2 (NASB)

The Sadducees were a sect that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead.

Principle: Gospel proclamations upset some people while saving others.

Jesus told his followers that he would cause division among people.

“Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. 35  ‘I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36  Your enemies will be right in your own household!’ Matthew 10:34-36 (NLT)

Jesus is a king. His kingdom is real and is opposed by the forces of evil in the world. People will come down on one side or the other. Those who appear not to care, the ones Jesus called “lukewarm,” are actually opposed to the kingdom because they refuse to acknowledge and serve the king.

We should not be surprised when we encounter hostility when we preach the gospel. In fact, we should expect it. If we properly present the gospel, we will stir things up, not because we are trying to cause trouble, but because our message is authoritative and demands a response of submission to the King.

Some will respond properly. Others will be hostile. At least the hostile ones are not lukewarm.

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Gospel in a Minute: Repentance – gateway into God’s blessings or death to fun?

Gospel in a Minute

Peter concluded his second preaching of the gospel message by calling for his hearers to turn away from sin.

When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways. Acts 3:26 (NLT)

Principle: Repentance – gateway into God’s blessings or death to fun?

The Greek word normally translated as “repentance” is metanoeo, which simply means to change the mind. The gospel is intended to bring us to a radical change of mind because we finally understand that God is in charge of our lives, not we. This shows us our enormous need to be forgiven for our previous acts of defiance and rebellion against God. When we have such a change of mind, we are said to “repent.” It is impossible for us to repent properly without God’s help. The Holy Spirit opens our hearts and minds and motivates us to take this absolutely critical step. Repentance is a gift. (Acts 5:31, 2 Tim. 2:25) True repentance will always change how we live. As Peter said, we will turn back from sinful ways.

Sin carries within it the sentence of death. It always breeds sorrow and destruction. When we turn away from sin, it opens the door to God’s many blessings in our lives. Jesus is the fountain of life, fulfillment, and joy. The gospel restores us to our heavenly Father, from whom all blessings flow. (James 1:17)

Those who are at the threshold of making the decision to follow Christ should be told that turning away from sin brings blessing and life. The devil and their own sinful minds will be telling them that following Jesus will ruin their lives and steal all their fun. They could not be more wrong!

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Gospel in a Minute: Jesus is God’s plan to bless the entire earth!

Gospel in a Minute

Peter connected the gospel message to God’s promise to Abraham found in Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 22:18.

Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25  You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ Acts 3:24-25 (NLT)

Principle: Jesus is God’s plan to bless the entire earth!

The entire Bible points to one person, Jesus the Messiah. He is its grand theme. He is God’s wonderful purpose. As Paul put it:

God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. 10  And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1:9-10 (NLT)

When we communicate the gospel message, we have the opportunity to let people know about God’s amazing Son, the eternal Word of God who became a human being in order to pay the penalty for our sins, reconcile us to God, and rescue the entire creation from the chaos of sin and death!

Jesus is God’s plan to bless all the families of the earth. He is the One through whom all blessings flow. For those who receive him as Lord and Savior, he is the fountain of life itself.

But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14 (NLT)
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