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We Are Not Ashamed of the Gospel

Presentation 1By Samuel E. Ward

Pastor, Covenant Baptist Church

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Think about this observation by J. K. Johnston.

Christ met unbelievers where they were. He realized what many Christians today still don't seem to understand. Cultivators have to get out in the field. According to one count, the gospels record 132 contacts that Jesus had with people. Six were in the Temple, four in the synagogues and 122 were out with the people in the mainstream of life.

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So far we have noted two elements connected to our responsibility as communicators of the gospel: A. We Are to Communicate the Gospel with Our Mouths.B. We Are to Communicate the Gospel with Passion and Conviction. 

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There are more elements. A third element is that . . . 

C. We Are to Communicate the Gospel as Teachers with Life-Changing Truth.

The key content of the gospel preached in the book of Acts was that there will be a resurrection from the dead, the need for repentance and forgiveness, Jesus is the Christ, the word of the Lord, the need of people to repent and turn to the Lord, and truth about the Lord Jesus Christ, Himself.

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Perhaps the best summary of the content of the gospel is to be found in Acts 10:36-43. (Acts 10:36-43 NIV) You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, telling the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. {37} You know what has happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached--

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{38} how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. {39} "We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a tree, {40} but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. {41} He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen--by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.

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{42} He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. {43} All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

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D. Some Were Communicators of the Gospel as Eye-witnesses to the Ministry of Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 15:3-8 NIV) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, {4} that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, {5} and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

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{6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. {7} Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, {8} and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

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1. They were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and its significance to those who believed, Acts 2:32; 3:15; 4:33.2. They were witnesses to Jesus’ earthly ministry, Acts 10:39.3. They were witnesses to Jesus post- resurrection appearances, Acts 13:29-31.

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E. We Are to Communicate the Gospel by Reading and Explaining it to Others, Acts 8:30-34.

We are to use the Scriptures to explain Who Jesus is and what He came to do. This would include the Old Testament and especially Messianic prophecy.

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(Acts 8:30-35 NIV) Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. "Do you understand what you are reading?" Philip asked. {31} "How can I," he said, "unless someone explains it to me?" So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. {32} The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

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{33} In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who eunuch asked Philip, "Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?" {35} Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

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1. Jesus read and explained the Scriptures in this manner (the disciples on the Emmaus Road), Luke 24:25-27.2. The Apostles read and explained the Scriptures when they preached,

Acts 2:14-40.3. Stephen, the first martyr, reviewed the whole history of Israel to bring conviction to those who had put God’s Righteous One to death, Acts 7:2-53.

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4. Paul emphasized the importance of reading and explaining Scripture for the purpose of offering examples and giving hope, Rom 15:4. (Rom 15:4 NIV) For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

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5. Paul wrote that the Scriptures are particularly essential to train disciples in the ways of Christ after they come to belief, 2 Tim 3:16-17. (2 Tim 3:16-17 NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, {17} so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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F. We Are to Communicate the Gospel with Persuasive Arguments for Its Truth- fulness, Acts 9:28-29;18:27-28;19:8-9. 

1. Saul (Paul) talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, Acts 9:28-29. 

(Acts 9:28-29 NIV) So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. {29} He talked and debated with the Grecian Jews, but they tried to kill him.

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2. Apollos was vigorous in his debates with the Jews, Acts 18:27-28. (Acts 18:27-28 NIV) When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. {28} For he vigorously refuted the Jews in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.

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3. Paul argued persuasively concerning the kingdom of God, Acts 19:8-9. (Acts 19:8-9 NIV) Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. {9} But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus.

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Paul, Apollos, Philip, Peter, and many others in the New Testament had made themselves conduits of the gospel in a variety of scenarios, venues, groups, and situations. They had decided to be obedient to the Great Commission to take the gospel to the world.

Each of us are under no less obliga-tion to Christ to be the conduit between sinners and God through which the power of the gospel can flow through to connect people to God and eternal life.

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Will you allow the power of the gospel to pass from God, through your mouth, to the ears and heart of an unbeliever that they might find Christ and eternal life, even as you have?