The GOSPEL is foundational to Everything!
Who we are and what we do
vs.
Who God is and what He has Done
What is the GOSPEL!? |
What does the GOSPEL mean for us as a church? |
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Understanding the Gospel
The truth is that many professing Christians get confused on what the Gospel really is. We often fall under one of our culture's greatest lies. The lengthy big word for this is "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism". This could also be called "Cultural Christianity". Its the adoption of the following understanding: 1. God exists and created the World and watches over human life on earth. 2. God wants people to be good and nice to each other, as taught in the Bible. 3. The central goal of life is to be happy and feel good about oneself. 4. God is needed in one's life mainly when He is needed to resolve a problem. 5. Good people go to heaven when they die.
However, the Gospel really paints another picture! The Gospel is not what God requires. The Gospel is what God provides. The Gospel is not about human action, it’s about divine achievement. The gospel is not a moralistic “DO!” The Gospel is a merciful “Done!” The Gospel isn’t good advice – it’s good news. The Gospel is not the diving board that we spring off from to dive deeper into something else. The Gospel is the pool itself that we dive into!
It is best to see the Gospel as a redemptive grace-filled story than a simple event. It is more than Jesus loves you and died for your sin! The Gospel is the story of how the just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who turn and trust in Him will be reconciled to God forever. It can be broke down into 4 main points:
God
The just and gracious God created us and we are accountable to Him.
Gen. 1:1.26-27 | Ex. 34:6-7
Man
Man has rebelled against God, deserving eternal death. We are helpless in this and can do nothing on our own to reverse this
Rom. 3:10,23 | Rom. 6:23 | Ex. 20
Jesus
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who repent and believe in Him will be reconciled to God forever.
John 1:14 | 2 Cor. 5:21| Isa. 53:6
Response
By a God-Given repentance (a change of mind…a new heart), and faith in the finished work of Christ, we are saved.
Mark 1:15 | Acts 20:21 | Eph. 2:8-9
However, the Gospel really paints another picture! The Gospel is not what God requires. The Gospel is what God provides. The Gospel is not about human action, it’s about divine achievement. The gospel is not a moralistic “DO!” The Gospel is a merciful “Done!” The Gospel isn’t good advice – it’s good news. The Gospel is not the diving board that we spring off from to dive deeper into something else. The Gospel is the pool itself that we dive into!
It is best to see the Gospel as a redemptive grace-filled story than a simple event. It is more than Jesus loves you and died for your sin! The Gospel is the story of how the just and gracious God of the universe looked upon hopelessly sinful people and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who turn and trust in Him will be reconciled to God forever. It can be broke down into 4 main points:
God
The just and gracious God created us and we are accountable to Him.
Gen. 1:1.26-27 | Ex. 34:6-7
Man
Man has rebelled against God, deserving eternal death. We are helpless in this and can do nothing on our own to reverse this
Rom. 3:10,23 | Rom. 6:23 | Ex. 20
Jesus
God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, to bear His wrath against sin on the cross and to show His power over sin in the resurrection so that all who repent and believe in Him will be reconciled to God forever.
John 1:14 | 2 Cor. 5:21| Isa. 53:6
Response
By a God-Given repentance (a change of mind…a new heart), and faith in the finished work of Christ, we are saved.
Mark 1:15 | Acts 20:21 | Eph. 2:8-9
Become a Follower of Christ
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