Bella Vista Church of Christ
LIFELINES
09/16/2020
Jeff Grisham & Randall Caselman
The Good News Gospel
The word Gospel is found 114 times in the New Testament. The Greek is euaggelion, literally meaning "The Good News," "glad tidings." The word was used to describe news that people were anxious to hear, like the announcement of a military victory. As used in the New Testament, the word was used to describe Jesus and His coming.
It's a Gospel of Grace. "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him" (John 3.16-17).
the Gospel of Salvation. "You were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1.13).
a Gospel of Peace. "With feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace" (Ephesians 6.15). Peace with God because our sins have been forgiven, peace with others when we have the heart, disposition and behavior of Jesus toward our neighbor and enemy, peace within because "in Christ' there is no condemnation."
Perhaps nowhere is the Gospel's Good News expressed any better than in First Corinthians fifteen: “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day." Indeed, the Gospel is about Jesus: His coming, His life, teachings, doctrines; certified, affirmed by His resurrection.
So, what's so "Good"
about this Gospel, this Good News?...
First, The Gospel is God's Plan. Look at the first three verses of Titus one: "Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior." Did we catch it, our hope of eternal life, the Gospel, is a promise from God since before the creation. Because this Good News is God’s plan, it will be accomplished! The Gospel is not just another religion; it is a Revelation from God: "The gospel I preached is not something that man made up. Nor did I receive it from any man,nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ" (Galatians 1.11-12).
The Gospel is for All. "For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people" (Titus 2.11). Jesus came to give all people access to God. It doesn’t matter what our race, background, economic status, birthplace, or anything. Jesus wants all to come to Him, just as we are: O Lamb of God I come...
I come broken to be mended...
I come wounded to be healed...
I come desperate to be rescued...
I come empty to be filled...
I come guilty to be pardoned...
by the blood of the Lamb. All are not just invited, but welcome!
This Gospel Transformative. Jesus welcomes us just as we are, but we don’t stay just as we are. Through the sacrificial death of Jesus, we can be cleaned and reborn. We receive the Holy Spirit, God living within us through the Spirit He gave us. “When the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior" (Titus 3.4-6). Paul tells us that when we keep step with the Spirit, we will be transformed, different people: “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5.22).
Then finally, we must receive the Message by Faith. It was Jesus who said: "Whoever believes in God's Son shall not perish but have eternal life." The Hebrews' Writer makes the point: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Our obligation is to form an unalterable conviction to believe the Gospel Message, and fully trust in the Good News promises. Amen?
This Gospel is about the death, burial, and resurrections of Jesus. For us to receive it, there must be two deaths, two crosses, two burials, two resurrections; His and Ours! We are to crucify the old man, die to sin, be buried in New Testament baptism and be raised to walk in a new life.
—Adapted from Sermons by
Jeff grisham & Randall Caselman
