What Is the Gospel About?

Text: Isaiah 49:1-13

 

I.         There is no end to the people who like to tell preachers how to do their job and what they are allowed to say or not say

            A.        For many, they don’t want to hear about things like sin and its consequences, they don’t want to be told how to live a godly life, so they tell preachers to just stick to the gospel.

            B.        You see this all over the world. Many churches are more interested in numbers. A full disclosure of the truth is going to offend some, so they water down the truth until it is vague generalities and messages about feeling good about yourself.

            C.        When Jesus said to preach the gospel in Mark 16:15, what did he mean by it?

            D.        The word “gospel” means “good news,” so what good news are we taking about?

II.        The good news about Christ

            A.        The first four books are called the Gospels because they give an account of God coming into the world - Mark 1:1

                        1.         It is the wonderful news that God lived among men - John 1:14

            B.        It is not just the history of a man, but the good news of what the Son of God did for us - I Corinthians 15:1-4

                        1.         The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is the core of the gospel

                        2.         Jesus died for our sins to make an atonement - I John 4:9-10

                        3.         His resurrection proves that God accepted his sacrifice - Romans 4:23-25

                        4.         He arose that we might believe that we too will be raised one day - I Corinthians 15:20-23

                        5.         God gave us a gift of eternal life through Jesus - Romans 6:23

            C.        The gospel shines forth the glory of Christ - II Corinthians 4:4

III.       The good news about the kingdom

            A.        Jesus preached it - Mark 1:14-15

            B.        It is the exciting news that God has chosen men from every nation to be His special people - Isaiah 49:6-8

            C.        Offered to the Gentiles - Romans 15:16

                        1.         Bring all into the kingdom - Ephesians 2:11-13

            D.        It was preached all the way back to Abraham - Galatians 3:8

            E.        The riches of Christ, that the Gentiles were fellow heirs - Ephesians 3:1-8

            F.        Called by the Gospel - II Thessalonians 2:14

IV.      The good news of God’s grace

            A.        The gospel is the news of salvation - Acts 20:24

            B.        The gospel of our salvation - Ephesians 1:13-14

            C.        It is the power God uses to save people - Romans 1:15-16

            D.        We are born through the gospel - I Corinthians 4:15

            E.        Life and immortality is revealed through the gospel - II Timothy 1:10

            F.        It is what we hope in - Colossians 1:23

V.        The good news of God’s teaching

            A.        The gospel is what we believe in - Mark 1:15

            B.        It is what people died for - Mark 8:35

            C.        It is what people gave up for - Mark 10:29-30

            D.        It was what people confessed by their living by it - II Corinthians 9:13

            E.        It was preached everywhere

                        1.         Jesus preached it - Luke 20:1

                        2.         The apostles preached it - Acts 8:25; 14:7, 21; 16:10

            F.        It was defended - Philippians 1:17

            G.        It was the word of the gospel - Acts 15:7

                        1.         It is the word of God - Romans 10:15-18

                        2.         That makes it the Truth - John 17:17

                        3.         The word of the truth of the Gospel - Colossians 1:5

                        4.         It cannot be altered - Galatians 1:6-12

            H.        It was revealed to bring obedience of faith - Romans 16:25-27

            I.         It convicts people of sin - I Timothy 1:8-11

                        1.         Notice, too, that Paul called it sound doctrine (teaching)

VI.      The good news is the entire Bible

            A.        The gospel was preached to the Israelites, but they did not benefit from it - Hebrews 4:2

            B.        The fact that Jerusalem would be destroyed - Matthew 24:14

                        1.         It was evidence for the nations that the gospel was true.

            C.        The record of what the early disciples did - Matthew 26:13

            D.        What is the Gospel? It is the Word of God - I Peter 1:22-25

                        1.         It is the Bible, old and new, but especially the New Testament

            E.        It is what we will be judged by - Romans 2:16

                        1.         If not obeyed, we die - II Thessalonians 1:8

                        2.         I Peter 4:17