John 1:4 "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men."

John 8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”

 John 14:6 "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." 

MONTHLY LESSONS DESIGNED TO CONVERT.

November, 2018 - NEW KING JAMES VERSION

“The Power of God!”

There are many in the world today that claim that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is both controversial and offensive. The Gospel claims to be the word of God, and as such, reveals His expectations for men to achieve righteousness (being right with God). Since the beginning, those who find satisfaction in themselves and their desires have been at odds with the expectations of God.

They fail to understand the very nature of the word Gospel and its true intent. The word ‘Gospel’ is actually from the Greek, “Euaggelion”, which meant originally, ‘those blessed for brining good news’.

Our English word Gospel has its entomology from the Anglo-Saxon, “god-spell”, or “good tidings”. As such, the very nature of the Gospel is not of controversy or offenses, but the delivery of that which is good.

The point of the focus in the Gospel – the center where all rays meet from which they were issued; is Jesus Christ.

There is a unified illustration painted by the “Good News” found within the pages of the Gospel, one which Jesus the Christ of God is a Savior, Pattern, and the Ruler of all those who would come to God through Him!

1.       The Christ Had to Come –

Luke 19:10 “for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

The recognition is simple, man was lost! He needed to be saved! He needed a Savior!

Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

The Christ had to come to demonstrate the righteousness of God, both in that His promises had to be kept (to define trust); and then to reconcile His creation to the state He originally considered them.

Romans 3:23-26 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, ²⁶ to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

Good News! Jesus came to bring life to those who had no hope. Even those who lived before He came and trusted the righteousness of God all died looking forward to the day the Savior would come and eradicate their sins and transgressions. Yes, the Christ had to come! 

1. 2.The Christ had to Overcome –

The Christ had to come as the Lamb of God; that is, as a sacrifice for the sins of man that God would readily accept on behalf of the sins of man (Hebrews 10:5-10). In addition, He also had to provide an example of how to overcome in this life, as expected by the Creator, to achieve the salvation that righteousness results in.

Hebrews 5:8-9 “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him”  

Good news! Christ not only died for our sins, but provided an example that we should follow!

Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶ Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Good news! Christ not only died for our sins, provided an example, but has true understanding!

3. 3. Man Must Come to God –

Just as the Christ had to come for man, in turn man must come to God through Christ Jesus.

Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”

4. 4. Man Must also Overcome –

Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

• When we hear the word (Acts 2:37), we overcome prejudice!
• When we believe the word (Mark 16:15-16), we overcome doubt!
• When we repent to the word (Acts 17:30), we overcome self!
• When we confess the name of Jesus the Christ (Romans 10:9-10), we overcome the fear of men!
• When we are baptized into Christ Jesus for the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38), we overcome human wisdom!
• When we live faithful until death (1 Corinthians 15:58), we overcome this world!

So, where does the controversy and offense to this good news come from?

John 3:19 “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”

Is the Gospel controversial? Is the Gospel offensive?

NO!

It is the Power of God!

Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”