This raises the question what is the Gospel? So, what is the Gospel? Here is what is interesting as I came down to the last phrase in Romans Chapter 9, after being saturated in this book hearing the Gospel, the gospel, the gospel, I asked myself how would you communicate the Gospel in a succinct manner? As I am thinking through it, Paul makes this statement, he looks at several passages in Isaiah and he brings them together in this statement; look at what he says in verse 32: Rom 9:32 Why? Because [they did] not [seek it] by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. There are 2 ways; it is either faith or works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone. Then here is the statement, Paul is not saying this is the Gospel but if you look at the elements in the statement that he makes what you see are the elements of a gospel centered statement. I will explain that in a minute; look at verse 33: Rom 9:33 As it is written: "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." There is the difference between the 2. The difference is that the gentile has come based upon this truth that we find in the Old Testament. "Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, And whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." That is a succinct statement that has all of the major elements of the Gospel. Let me explain, Paul makes a statement in Romans Chapter 1, please turn there. Romans Chapter 1 verse 16: Rom 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. This is the thesis statement for the book of Romans basically. Everything else that I am about to say is about this right here. What is the Gospel, how is man made right before God, the Jew and also the Greek? Now in verse 17: Rom 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." How are we right before God? The answer is the Gospel. The Gospel is that power that makes us right before God. So what are the main elements? I will give these 5 things that I believe you see here in this statement, it has all of these characteristics that will help us to remember what the Gospel is: 1. The Gospel is News. How does he start his statement out? Behold, listen up, and hear ye hear ye, I am making a statement, I am making a declaration, and the Gospel is news. The Greek word for Gospel is euaggelion which means good news. The Gospel is news. Let me put this footnote here, we do not live the Gospel, we cannot live the Gospel. You don’t live news! For me to say that I am going to live out the Gospel is like me saying that I am going to live out the front page story in the newspaper yesterday. If I came to you and said “hey man, I decided that I am going to live out the front page story in the paper from yesterday” what would you say? Actually that is news that happened yesterday and you can’t live it out. You don’t live the Gospel. So if somebody walks up to you “Like St. Francis said, preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” You say you don’t know what the Gospel is because anyone who knows what the Gospel is would never say such foolishness. You have to use words to preach the gospel, whether written or spoken you have to use words. Why, because the Gospel is news! That would be like saying “Give the news at all times and when necessary use words!” Then you turn on the TV an there’s just a bunch of people sort of living their lives and you look at it and have to somehow determine what the news is. Are you following me? Is it beginning to register? You don’t like what I just said because you have heard it so often that you have accepted it and maybe have begun to say it yourself; you just have to live out the Gospel. Folks, you can’t live out the Gospel. Now, you can live in light of the Gospel, you can live because of the Gospel, but you cannot live the Gospel.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Sep 2013 10:14:18 +0000
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