180805 The Gospel Paul Preached

1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, ² and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

Paul had spent several years fighting against “The Way” that became the Christian church. During those years he, of course, opposed the gospel. He met the living Lord Jesus on the road to Damascus where he intended to arrest believers and take them back to Jerusalem for trial. Over the next three days Saul of Tarsus, as Paul was known then, turned from being an enemy of Christ to be one of the greatest supporters of the gospel. In fact, he didn’t just call it “the gospel” he called it “my gospel”! (Romans 2:16) What is that gospel?

Perhaps the greatest presentation of the gospel was given by the Lord Jesus himself. Only a few hours after his resurrection Jesus met two disciples on the road to Emmaus. When he first met the two they were kept from recognizing him! That allowed him to discuss the things that had happened in the last few days. I sincerely wish that we had a text of that conversation. However, I understand that everything can’t have been written down. In fact, John the Apostle said: “even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25b). What we do have written about this conversation tells us that Jesus wanted them to understand…

The gospel is a divine plan. Let’s look at the words of Jesus found in Luke 24:25-27. And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶ Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷ And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus wanted them to understand that none of the things that had happened surrounding his death was a surprise. In fact, all of the things that had happened to him were necessary. To the surprise of some people, all of these things are found in the Old Testament! It is a real tragedy when we put aside the Old Testament and attempt to build a narrative without it. As Luke reported Jesus interpreted to them IN ALL THE SCRIPTURES the things concerning himself. We need to remember that the entire Bible teaches us about Jesus — the Christ — the son of the living God — the creator of the universe — the sin-bearer! Nothing happened to Jesus that was not under his control.

Beginning in the Garden of Eden the very first promise was made to Satan. God said to him, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15). Later, God told Abraham, “in you all the families the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). That promise was repeated often throughout the descendants of Abraham.

Even the price that Jesus was valued by “they weighed out as my wages 30 pieces of silver.” And what would happen to those 30 pieces of silver, “so I took the 30 pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord, to the potter.” (Zechariah 11:12-13) These are just examples of Old Testament statements that we now refer to Jesus because they are used as such in the New Testament!

On the day of Pentecost Peter spoke of the necessity of the gospel when he said that Jesus was arrested, beaten and crucified according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God (Acts 2:23).

Jesus himself said that he held his life in his own hands and would lay it down at the right time and would take it up again (John 10:10-18). In this passage, Jesus very specifically stated, “No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I’ve received from my Father.” The good news, that we call the gospel, was decided by the triune God before the creation of the universe. The gospel was not an attempt to “fix” the problems created by Adam and Eve in the garden. From the very beginning, the gospel was a divine plan.

When Jesus left the two disciples whom he met on the road to Emmaus (as soon as they recognized him he disappeared) he came into the city of Jerusalem and entered the locked room where most of his disciples were hiding. We do not know exactly how Jesus went about entering that room. Did he simply appear in the upper room? Did the locked door open for him? We are not told, and no matter how curious we are, we probably do not need to know. If we did have a need to know this, or any other item, we would’ve been told.

In order to establish his identity, he showed them the scars. He went on to invite them to touch him and see that he was real. To give a final confirmation that he was really raised from the dead he asked for some food to eat.

Then he affirmed…

The gospel is a historical event. Let’s continue to read in Luke 24:44-47. Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

Jesus reminded them of the words that he had spoken to them. In order for them to understand, he had to open their minds. Today, men and women all over the world are coming to understand the gospel because God, the Holy Spirit, opens their minds to understand.

In order for the divine plan to be carried out there had to be a historical event. In order to fulfill the prophecies, the Christ had to be arrested, beaten and tried. During this time Jesus took the sin of the world into his own body. He laid down his life in order for us to be forgiven! He had no sin of his own and could not have died if he had not taken our sin. That had been the plan from the very beginning!

The good news that leads to our salvation was a divine plan leading to a historical event! Even though it cost Jesus an unbelievable price…

The gospel is a free offer. Jesus stood in the temple and gave this promise found in John 7:37-38. On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸ Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

Have you ever wondered why everyone doesn’t come to Jesus? It’s because they are not thirsty for spiritual life. There’s an old saying that has lost circulation because very few people know anything about caring for horses. That saying is, “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink”. I remember hearing my dad say, “I can make him drink. Put salt in his oats and he will drink”. We need to pray for our unbelieving friends that their spiritual oats would be “salty” causing them to come to Jesus to drink! “Spiritual oats” could be most anything in your life. It could be your work environment, the atmosphere in the home or even attendance at church! God can use anything a person is going through to make him thirsty for spiritual things. Everyone has spiritual beliefs. Satan tries to satisfy those beliefs with anything other than the gospel. The divine plan was carried out just outside the city wall of Jerusalem about 2000 years ago. The bad news is that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God! The really bad news is that the wage of sin is death (Romans 6:23). The good news is the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. We need to remember it’s all about Jesus.

In 1865 a woman named Elvina Hall was listening to her pastor pray when she felt inspired to write: “I hear the Savior say, thy strength indeed is small, Child of weakness, watch and pray, find in me thine all in all. Jesus paid it all, All to him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain, he washed it white as snow.”

The historical events leading up to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection confirming the gospel was not a human achievement. We are repeatedly told throughout Scripture it is not by works of righteousness that we have done it is the work of God. We need to remember…

The gospel is a divine achievement. Let’s turn to Jesus’ words in John 10:14-18. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, ¹⁵ just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶ And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. ¹⁷ For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. ¹⁸ No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

The analogy that Jesus uses is that of a shepherd with his sheep. When following through with it we see that the sheep have little to say about what’s going on with their life. The shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The sheep know the shepherd’s voice and follow him. The shepherd willingly gives his life for the flock. According to the divine plan God gives to everyone who will believe salvation without cost. We cannot earn salvation it is the free gift of God. When you come to him in faith…

The gospel is applied to your heart. Turn to Hebrews 10:19-22. Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

We come into God’s presence through the blood of Jesus. He gave up his life to pay the price of admission for us. Jesus paid the debt we owed.

Ellis J. Crum wrote the song that tells the story.

He paid a debt He did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay.
I needed someone to wash my sins away.
And now I sing a brand new song. Amazing Grace all day long.
Christ Jesus paid a debt that I could never pay!

The good news is…

The gospel is fellowship with God. Let’s look at 1 Peter 3:18. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,

Since we have accepted the gospel, our goal should be to be like Jesus all of our life. We should come to our death with a strong trust in him and him and love and forgiveness to others. Jesus became a man like us in order to live as our example. Because of his sacrifice, we can come into God’s presence and pattern our life after his.

We are forgiven so that our guilt does not keep us away from God. We are justified so that our condemnation does not keep us away from God. We are given eternal life now, new bodies in the resurrection, so that we have the capacity for enjoying God to the fullest. Why do you want forgiveness? Why do you want to be justified? Why do you want eternal life? Is it because you want to enjoy God eternally?

God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself! We are ambassadors for Christ! We call on you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. Today is the day of salvation!

All scriptures quotes are from: The Holy Bible: English standard version. 2001. Wheaton, Ill, Standard Bible Society.