BibliologyBibliologySunday, July 2, 2006Sunday, July 2, 2006

What is the What is the main message main message of the Bible?of the Bible?

The Gospel!The Gospel!

What is the What is the gospel?gospel?

The gospel is The gospel is good news!good news!

Yes, but what is Yes, but what is that good news?that good news?

To answer this To answer this question let’s look at question let’s look at how the word how the word “gospel” is used in “gospel” is used in scripture.scripture.

Use of “gospel” in the Use of “gospel” in the BibleBible

The noun “gospel” occurs 77 times.The noun “gospel” occurs 77 times. The verb “preach the gospel” occurs The verb “preach the gospel” occurs

77 times.77 times. In most cases the meaning of the In most cases the meaning of the

word is assumed rather than defined.word is assumed rather than defined. But there are enough defining uses But there are enough defining uses

to give a clear picture of what the to give a clear picture of what the gospel is. Let’s look at these…gospel is. Let’s look at these…

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? First,First, The good news includes the truth that The good news includes the truth that there is a living God who created heaven there is a living God who created heaven and earth.and earth. Act 14:15Act 14:15 – –

““Men, why are you doing these things? Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you and we bring you good newsgood news, that you , that you should turn from these vain things to a should turn from these vain things to a living God, living God, who made the heaven and the who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in themearth and the sea and all that is in them.”.”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 22ndnd

The good news includes the truth The good news includes the truth that God is the King of the Universe.that God is the King of the Universe.

Isaiah 52:7Isaiah 52:7 – – “ “How beautiful upon the mountains How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of him who brings are the feet of him who brings good good newsnews, who publishes peace, who , who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Zion, ‘Your God reignsYour God reigns.’” .’”

That is, the reign of God has That is, the reign of God has broken into this world to set things broken into this world to set things right for the sake of his people.right for the sake of his people.

Mark 1:14-15Mark 1:14-15 – – ““Now after John was arrested, Jesus Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospelgospel of God, and saying, ‘The of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe God is at hand; repent and believe in the in the gospelgospel.’”.’”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 33rdrd

The good news is that Christ has The good news is that Christ has come to earth to be our savior. come to earth to be our savior.

Luke 2:10-11Luke 2:10-11 - - ““And the angel said to them, And the angel said to them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good newsgood news of a great joy that will of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.’”Lord.’”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 44thth

The good news is that Christ died The good news is that Christ died for our sins.for our sins.

1 Corinthians 15:1-31 Corinthians 15:1-3 – – ““Now I would remind you, Now I would remind you, brothers, of the brothers, of the gospelgospel I preached I preached to you…. For I delivered to you as to you…. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the sins in accordance with the Scriptures.”Scriptures.”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 55thth

The good news is that Christ is The good news is that Christ is risen.risen.

1 Corinthians 15:1-41 Corinthians 15:1-4 – –

““Now I would remind you, Now I would remind you, brothers, of the brothers, of the gospelgospel I preached I preached to you….that he was buried, that to you….that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” accordance with the Scriptures.”

2 Timothy 2:82 Timothy 2:8 – –

““Remember Jesus Christ, risen Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my David, as preached in my gospelgospel.”.”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 66thth

The good news includes the promise of The good news includes the promise of the Holy Spirit.the Holy Spirit.

Luke 3:16, 18Luke 3:16, 18 – – ““John answered them all, saying, ‘I John answered them all, saying, ‘I baptize you with water, but he who is baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. So with many Holy Spirit and with fire. So with many other exhortations he preached other exhortations he preached good good newsnews to the people.’” to the people.’”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 77thth

The good news includes the The good news includes the promise of salvation.promise of salvation.

Ephesians 1:13Ephesians 1:13 – –

““In him you also, when you heard In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the the word of truth, the gospelgospel of of your salvation, and believed in your salvation, and believed in him…”him…”

Romans 1:16Romans 1:16 – –

““For I am not ashamed of the For I am not ashamed of the gospelgospel, for it is the power of God , for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” to the Greek.”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 88thth

What the cross purchased makes What the cross purchased makes the cross good news.the cross good news.

Matthew 4:23Matthew 4:23 – –

““And he went throughout all And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the synagogues and proclaiming the gospelgospel of the kingdom and healing of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction every disease and every affliction among the people.”among the people.”

Luke 4:18Luke 4:18 – –

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to because he has anointed me to proclaim proclaim good newsgood news to the poor. He to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."Lord's favor."

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 9th9th The good news includes the The good news includes the

message that we have peace with message that we have peace with God.God.

Acts 10:36Acts 10:36 – –

““As for the word that he sent to As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching Israel, preaching good newsgood news of of peace through Jesus Christ …”peace through Jesus Christ …”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 1010thth

The good news includes the The good news includes the message that we have eternal life.message that we have eternal life.

2 Timothy 1:102 Timothy 1:10 – – ““[God’s grace] has been manifested [God’s grace] has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to and brought life and immortality to light through the light through the gospelgospel.”.”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 11th11th The message of good news The message of good news

embraces all peoples.embraces all peoples. Galatians 3:8Galatians 3:8 – –

““And the Scripture, foreseeing And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospelgospel beforehand to Abraham, beforehand to Abraham, saying, ‘In you shall all the saying, ‘In you shall all the nations be blessed.’”nations be blessed.’”

Ephesians 3:6Ephesians 3:6 – –

““This mystery is that the Gentiles This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through promise in Christ Jesus through the the gospelgospel.”.”

What is the gospel? What is the gospel? 1212thth

The good news includes the The good news includes the message of the grace of God.message of the grace of God.

Acts 20:24Acts 20:24 – –““[Paul] But I do not account my life [Paul] But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the testify to the gospelgospel of the grace of the grace of God.”of God.”

But…But…

These precious These precious gospel events and gospel events and gospel blessings gospel blessings DO DO NOT SUFFICENOT SUFFICE to make to make the gospel “good the gospel “good news.”news.”

What makes the What makes the gospel finally and gospel finally and supremely good news supremely good news has not yet been has not yet been mentioned.mentioned.

The good things The good things mentioned as essential mentioned as essential parts of the gospel are parts of the gospel are not the final good of the not the final good of the gospel and would not gospel and would not prove to be good for us prove to be good for us at all if the unmentioned at all if the unmentioned supreme good were not supreme good were not seen and embraced.seen and embraced.

That good is God That good is God himself seen and himself seen and savored in all his savored in all his glory!glory!

““Focusing on the facets of Focusing on the facets of a diamond without seeing a diamond without seeing the beauty of the whole is the beauty of the whole is demeaning to the demeaning to the diamond.”diamond.”

- John Piper- John Piper

If the hearers of the If the hearers of the gospel do not see the gospel do not see the glory of Christ, the image glory of Christ, the image of God, in all the events of God, in all the events and gifts of the gospel, and gifts of the gospel, they do not see what they do not see what finally makes the gospel finally makes the gospel good news.good news.

““If you embrace everything If you embrace everything mentioned before about the mentioned before about the facets of the gospel, but do facets of the gospel, but do it in a way that does not it in a way that does not make the glory of God in make the glory of God in Christ your supreme Christ your supreme treasure, then you have not treasure, then you have not embraced the gospel.”embraced the gospel.” - John Piper, - John Piper, God Is the God Is the GospelGospel

““Until the gospel Until the gospel eventsevents of of Good Friday and Easter and Good Friday and Easter and the gospel the gospel promisespromises of of justification and eternal life justification and eternal life lead you to behold and lead you to behold and embrace God embrace God himselfhimself as as your highest joy, you have your highest joy, you have not embraced the gospel of not embraced the gospel of God.”God.”

- John Piper- John Piper

The acid test of The acid test of biblical God-biblical God-centeredness—and centeredness—and faithfulness to the faithfulness to the gospel—is this…gospel—is this…

Do you feel more loved Do you feel more loved because God makes because God makes much of you, or much of you, or because at the cost of because at the cost of his Son, he enables you his Son, he enables you to enjoy making much to enjoy making much of him forever?of him forever?

The acid test:

Christ proclaims the Christ proclaims the news that he has news that he has purchased by his death purchased by his death 10,000 blessings for his 10,000 blessings for his bride. But none of bride. But none of these gifts will lead to these gifts will lead to final joy if they have final joy if they have not first led to God.not first led to God.

John Piper -John Piper -

““A man-centered view of love A man-centered view of love permeates our culture and our permeates our culture and our churches.”churches.”

““Our fatal error is believing that Our fatal error is believing that wanting to be happy means wanting to be happy means wanting to be made much of.”wanting to be made much of.”

““We are willing to boast in the We are willing to boast in the cross as long as the cross is a cross as long as the cross is a witness to our worth.”witness to our worth.”

The supreme The supreme demonstration of God’s demonstration of God’s love was the sending of love was the sending of his Son to die for our sins his Son to die for our sins and to rise again so that and to rise again so that sinners might have the sinners might have the right to approach God right to approach God and might have the and might have the pleasure of his presence pleasure of his presence forever.forever.

The supreme The supreme demonstration of God’s demonstration of God’s love was the sending of love was the sending of his Son to die for our sins his Son to die for our sins and to rise again and to rise again so that so that sinners might have the sinners might have the right to approach God right to approach God and might have the and might have the pleasure of his presence pleasure of his presence foreverforever..

Psalm 73:25-26Psalm 73:25-26

““Whom have I in heaven but you?Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. I desire besides you.

My flesh and my heart may fail,My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strength of my but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”heart and my portion forever.”

Psalm 16:11Psalm 16:11

““You make known to me the path of You make known to me the path of life;life;

in your presence there is fullness of in your presence there is fullness of joy; joy;

at your right hand are pleasures at your right hand are pleasures

forevermore.”forevermore.”

Psalm 27:4Psalm 27:4

““One thing have I asked of the One thing have I asked of the Lord,Lord,

that will I seek after:that will I seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,Lord all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the to gaze upon the beauty of the LordLord

and to inquire in his temple.”and to inquire in his temple.”

Psalm 63:1Psalm 63:1

““O God, you are my God; O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;earnestly I seek you;

my soul thirsts for you;my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.”there is no water.”

Would you be happy Would you be happy in Heaven if Christ in Heaven if Christ were not there?were not there?

1 Peter 3:181 Peter 3:18

““For Christ also suffered once for For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, unrighteous, that he might bring that he might bring us to Godus to God.”.”

Why is it good news Why is it good news to you that your sins to you that your sins are forgiven?are forgiven?

What’s wrong with What’s wrong with these answers?these answers? ““I want to go to heaven.”I want to go to heaven.” ““I don’t want to go to hell.”I don’t want to go to hell.” ““My conscience has been My conscience has been

relieved.”relieved.”

Isaiah 40:3-5Isaiah 40:3-5

““A voice cries:A voice cries:‘‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;make straight in the desert a highway for our make straight in the desert a highway for our God. God. Every valley shall be lifted up,Every valley shall be lifted up,and every mountain and hill be made low;and every mountain and hill be made low;the uneven ground shall become level,the uneven ground shall become level,and the rough places a plain. and the rough places a plain. And the glory of the Lord shall be revealedAnd the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,,and all flesh shall see it together,and all flesh shall see it together,for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’”for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’”

Isaiah 40:9Isaiah 40:9

““Get you up to a high mountain,Get you up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good news;O Zion, herald of good news;

lift up your voice with strength,lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good news;O Jerusalem, herald of good news;

lift it up, fear not;lift it up, fear not;

say to the cities of Judah,say to the cities of Judah,

‘‘Behold your God!Behold your God!’” ’”

GOD IS THE GOD IS THE GOSPEL!GOSPEL!