The Only Gospel, Only the Gospel

Transcript

GRM 989
11/11/2007
The Only Gospel, Only the Gospel
Selected Verses
Gil Rugh


We're studying I Corinthians 15, the resurrection chapter in the Bible and we will in coming weeks get to that great section dealing with the resurrection of the body of the believer and the translation of the body of believers alive at the glorious coming of Christ. I want to do something a little bit different from our normal pattern today. We've been studying the gospel as Paul unfolds it in the first part of chapter 15, and I want to read some of these verse with you. Then rather than moving on through the chapter, I want to look at some other passages of scripture. So we'll be moving through several passages of scripture that reflect the ministry that Paul is talking about in I Corinthians 15 with the subject of the gospel.

Our great concern as a church is that we be faithful to the truth. Paul told Timothy that the church is the pillar and support of the truth. The church stands unique as a gathering of God's redeemed people, and these redeemed people are to be a truth center, a place where the truth is proclaimed, where it is defended, where people can hear what God has to say. That being the case you can expect that the devil who opposes the work of God in every way, in every place, at all times opposes the ministry of God's truth, even in the church. And our concern is to be careful that we are being biblical. Paul unfolds the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is at the heart of all that God has said and done. And then he says that this is the only message that any of us apostles have to preach. It's not this message plus something else. This is the message. I was reminded of the importance of this this week with a couple of books that I read. And they were making the point that really the preaching of the gospel is wonderful, but they redefine the gospel. The gospel is preaching the death and resurrection of Christ and doing social work. We must bring the social dimension to our ministry. I think that really is a corruption of the gospel, and it ultimately ends up being an attack on the gospel.

Note what Paul says in I Corinthians 15:1, now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which you also received, in which also you stand. By which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. This is the only message of salvation. There is no other way to be saved, but to hear the message of the gospel. And when you hear that message and receive it by faith, your life is totally transformed, you are made new. You are not the old person you were, you are a new creation in Christ Jesus. And as we noted when we studied these verses, that faith is not just something that happens in a point in time. That faith has its beginning at a point in time but it is ongoing. So those who truly believe continue to hold fast to that Word, the Word of God.

The substance of the gospel he set forth beginning in verse 3. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. And that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, then to more than five hundred, and so on. Last of all, Paul said, He appeared to me. Then he comes back to the basic issue, verse 11, whether, then, it was I or they, so we preach and so you believe. So no matter whether it was Peter or James or others, we only have one message. The message we are preaching is the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the ministry God has given to His followers today. That is a ministry God has given to the church of Jesus Christ today.

I want to look at some of the follow through on this message as it is unfolded. But first I want to take you back to Matthew 28, what is known as the Great Commission. I want to read you a quote from an expositor of a bygone generation, Donald Grey Barnhouse. Some of you may be familiar with Donal Grey Barnhouse's ministry, has a wonderful commentary on the book of Romans, a multi-volume commentary, really sermons. But your soul would be refreshed by those writings on Romans. And I thought of that when I thought of Paul with the city of Corinth, I thought of Paul's ministry to Rome. Listen to what Donald Grey Barnhouse said in his writings on Paul to the Romans. Paul was not ashamed of the gospel as he moved toward Rome. It was a city of slaves, but he would not center his preaching in slavery. It was a city of lust, but he would not center his preaching on moral reform. It was a city of economic injustice, but he would not center his preaching on monetary palliatives. It was a city built on war's rapacity, but he would not center his preaching on pacifism. You know the problems that we see in our world and the issues are not new, but Paul's message always remains the same. And that message should not change today, and the ministry of the church should not change today, either. It is a ministry of God's Word, it is a proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Great Commission given at the end of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry. The resurrection has occurred, we are almost to the time when He will ascend to heaven in Acts 1. And at the end of the gospel of Matthew we have recorded what is called the Great Commission. It is recorded basically in all four gospels in one form or another. He's meeting with His disciples in Galilee. And when they see Him, Matthew 28:17, they fall down and worship Him. The angels will not accept worship. When John the apostle falls down to worship an angel in the book of Revelation, the angel rebukes him and tells him you only worship God. But here Jesus Christ is worshiped and receives that worship. Then He said to them, verse 18, He came up and spoke to them saying, all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations. Now here is a unique focus in the purpose and plan of Christ for His disciples. Earlier in the gospel of Matthew when He chose His disciples, He told them, don't go to the Samaritans, don't go to the Gentiles, go only to the Jews. During His earthly ministry a Gentile woman came up and asked Christ to do something for her. He said, I didn't come to give the bread that belongs to the Jews to dogs. You're a Gentile dog. You see His earthly ministry was not focused on Gentiles, it was focused on the nation Israel. But now following His death and resurrection, His followers are told to carry the message concerning Him to all nations. You are aware the command here is to make disciples, and there are three participles that modify that command—go or going or perhaps as you are going make disciples of all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all that I commanded you. And lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age. That clearly indicates this instruction was not just for those immediate disciples, this ministry is to go on down through this age until Christ returns. The basic command is to make disciples, and disciples are to be publicly identified with Christ through baptism. Then these disciples are to be taught and instructed in the entire counsel of God, all that God has revealed, all that Christ has commanded.

And you'll note the connection here. First they are to be made disciples through the preaching of the gospel, as we will see, as Paul unfolded it and we just read in I Corinthians. The death and resurrection of Christ, Christ died for our sins and He was raised from the dead. Now you preach that message, and through that you make disciples because those who hear and believe become followers of Jesus Christ. That's what a disciple was. Then they are publicly identified with Christ and then they are taught. You'll note who is to be taught to observe everything that Christ commanded—those who have become disciples. There is no ministry and message here for the disciples of moral reform, of the change of society, of improving our world. It is a message of salvation that is to be proclaimed.

Turn over to the gospel of Luke, Luke 24. Luke records this same Commission. He demonstrates to them that He has truly been raised from the dead, bodily. He shows them that it is the same body that was crucified, that has been raised from the dead. That He has flesh and bones, He's not just a spirit. He is a resurrected physical body. Then He eats some fish with them to show again that He has a resurrected physical body. Then He says to them in verse 44, these are my words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and Psalms must be fulfilled. Scriptures must be fulfilled. And what particularly about the scriptures? He goes on, He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and He said to them, thus it is written that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day. You'll note, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. Jesus said to understand God's purposes and plans as revealed in the Old Testament scriptures, you must see that God said that His Son, the Servant, the Messiah would suffer and die to pay the penalty for sins, and would be raised from the dead. And the message to be proclaimed to all peoples throughout the world is that by believing, turning from your sin, repenting of your sin, believing in Christ and His death for you sin and His resurrection, you would have forgiveness. Now that's to be proclaimed anywhere anytime, everywhere, all the time to all the nations. This is not a culturally shaped message. It is going to be the same for everyone everywhere.

Turn over to Acts, written by the same man who wrote the gospel of Luke. Luke also wrote the history of the early church, the book of Acts. We're going to Acts 1 and then to Acts 2. In Acts 1 Jesus is preparing for the ascension, He's going to leave earth, return to heaven, and He'll remain in heaven until He returns at the Second Coming to establish His kingdom. He tells them in verse 5, John baptized with water, you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. They want to know, is it going to be now that you're going to restore the kingdom to Israel? He says, that even is in the Father's hands, on His timetable. Here is what your ministry is to be. You will receive power, verse 8, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the remotest parts of the earth. Your ministry is not to be about establishing the kingdom, your ministry is to be about proclaiming the message concerning Me. The Father will establish His kingdom on earth in His time. You'll note their message is to be His witnesses throughout the world. Same thing we saw in the Great Commission as recorded in Matthew and Luke. The message of the death and resurrection of Christ must be proclaimed, and that message includes repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

I want to look at just some of the sermons preached in the book of Acts, beginning in Acts 2. The first sermon preached in the new church after the Holy Spirit comes, and Jesus told His disciples in Acts 1, you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses. What does it mean to be His witness? Well, here's what Peter does. He stands up and tells them about Jesus Christ. After the introductory matters relating to what has gone on on the Day of Pentecost, in verses 14-21. Verse 21 concluding, it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Repentance for the forgiveness of sins is preached in His name. Reminds you that the Old Testament anticipated and prophesied and promised that everyone who calls on the names of the Lord will be saved. Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you know. This man, now note this, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God , you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. But God raised Him up again. You see the heart of the message? Christ was crucified, He was raised from the dead.

He goes on to support that by various Old Testament scriptures, beginning in verse 25. And then he shows that those Old Testament scriptures could only be referring to Jesus Christ. Remember when at the end of Luke we're told that Jesus opened the eyes of His disciples to understand the Old Testament scriptures, Moses and the Psalms and the prophets, how they prophesied of Christ's death and resurrection. Peter, now, who understands God's plan, is unfolding that. Because the Holy Spirit is come so he could be a witness of Jesus Christ. And he says, verse 31, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of Christ, when David wrote these Old Testament passages. Verse 32, this Jesus, God raised up, the One you put to death. Therefore, having been exalted to the right hand of God, having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you see and hear. Verse 36, therefore, let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart. They asked Peter and the others, what should we do. Peter said, repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

You see what happens? The message of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection is proclaimed. Men are called to repent, the Spirit of God takes that message and pierces the heart. When they heard this, they were pierced to the heart. That's God's plan of salvation. We present the message of Jesus Christ, the Spirit of God in sovereign grace carries that to the heart and mind of some of those who hear, and they repent of their sins and place their faith in Christ, and they are saved. There is no other way. These are those that crucified Christ. Peter told them in verse 23, you nailed Him to the cross by the hands of godless men. God raised Him from the dead. You see what he's saying? You are the enemies of God, you crucified His Son, but God raised Him from the dead. You're guilty, He's the Savior. Repent and believe in Him. That's it. Don't you think that's rather abrupt to stand up and tell people, you're guilty. The only thing you can do is repent.

Acts 3, Peter preaches a second sermon. This is following the healing of a lame man by Peter and John. And Peter uses this occasion to do what? Preach the gospel. Verse 12, Peter saw this and replied to the people. Men of Israel, why are you amazed as though we had the power to heal somebody? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers has glorified His servant, Jesus, the One whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the holy and righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you. But put to death the Prince of Life, the One whom God raised from the dead. You see the message? The crucified and risen Christ, you're guilty. Verse 19, therefore repent and return so that your sins may be washed away. Could the message be any clearer? What is it about? Christ died for our sins according to the scripture. He was buried, He was raised again on the third day according to the scripture. He appeared to witnesses.

Turn over to chapter 4. You know this message of the death and resurrection of Christ and the requirement that men and women repent of their sins and believe in Christ, was not a popular message. We get to chapter 4, Peter and John are arrested. Why? Verse 2, because the Jewish leadership was greatly disturbed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. So the next day you gather all the religious leaders of Israel, the priestly family, the members of the Sanhedrin. They are named here. Verse 5, their rulers, elders, scribes, Annas the high priest, Caiphas, John, Alexander, all who were of high priestly .................. Anyone who was anyone in Jewish leadership is here. What's Peter going to say now? We move from common people to these people. Peter filled, verse 8, with the Holy Spirit said to them, rulers and elders of the people. Verse 10, let it be known to all of you and all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, it was by Him that this man was healed.

No change in message. Doesn't matter these are the important people, the influential people. We haver to demonstrate that we are people of some standing ourselves or intellectual capabilities. No, same message. Doesn't matter whether you are dealing with common people, so to speak, or people who are supposedly something above. Let me tell you, this Jesus whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, He healed this man.

And what does that mean? Verse 12, there is salvation in no one else. For there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved. This is it. He's the Savior, He died for our sins, He was raised from the dead. There is no other Savior. There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. He's not a Savior, He is the only Savior.

They can't understand it. These are just common ordinary people that have been with Christ, and we're reminded here. We preach the message. The apostles, the disciples preach the message. That doesn't mean people got saved. Sometimes they did, sometimes they didn't. You know what the response of the leadership was? Verse 18, they summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. Don't do anymore preaching. So Peter and John realize that probably developing a social thrust would soften people to eventually want to hear the gospel. No. Peter is right upfront. Verse 19, whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge. You think we're going to listen to you or to God? God said go preach Christ, you say don't preach Christ. Who do you think we're going to listen to? We can't stop speaking about what we've seen and heard.

So the leaders further threatened them and then let them go. They went back and reported to other believers what had happened. Verse 24, when they heard this, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord and said, oh, Lord it is you who made the heavens, the earth, everything in it. All of this is part of your plan. You know what we'd be doing? We'd be sitting there doing an evaluation, what did we do wrong. Obviously, if we had done it properly, if we had done everything right, they would have believed. That's not the way these followers of Christ looked at things. Even the rejection of the message of Christ was in the sovereign plan of God. All of this was done according, verse 28, to what Your hand and Your purpose had predetermined.

So what should we do? Preaching Christ causes a lot of trouble. Is there another way? We want people to like us, we want them to know that we don't have ulterior motives. I was reading an article this week about a man in another country. He's there as a missionary, he preaches the gospel, and he seems clear on these things. But he says, our mission organization got involved in helping with tsunami work, and we agreed that we would do this but we would not preach to convert people while we did it. So for four months we diverted all our resources to do nothing but social work. Then when we got that done, we went back to our ministry. What a sad, sad commentary. We're going to help people and let them go to hell? Peter and the apostles don't have some idea, if we alter something, if we add something or take something away, if we change our approach. Verse 29, now, Lord, take note of their threats and grant that your bondservants may speak your word with all confidence. Lord, don't let us get timid; Lord, by our grace empower us to speak with boldness your Word. Verse 31, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the Word of God with boldness. Verse 33, with great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and abundant grace was upon them all. Now they go on and they do carry on a ministry of helping other believers. And there's a place for that, we ought to provide help for fellow believers. The ministry of the church is not a social program, it's the by-product of our normal life as individual believers, our responsibility of caring for one another as the family of God. But our ministry is one of the truth of God and the proclamation of His Word.

Look in chapter 5, and in chapter 5 Peter is preaching again. And you know it's an interesting ministry that they have. Too many people were coming to affiliate with the church that didn't really belong, because they hadn't truly believed, hadn't truly come to submit themselves in faith to Jesus Christ. So verse 13 tells us, none of the rest dared to associate with them, however the people held them in high esteem. They recognized they are preaching a message, but we don't want to be part of that. Interesting. But we come down to verse 17, again the high priest rose up and all his associates, that is the sect of the Saducees. They are filled with jealousy, there go the apostles back to jail again. Every time these things happen in church, the church turns in on itself, become introspective and so self-critical, we must be doing something wrong. We offend more people than we win, something is wrong. You know what the apostles did? They took this as a sign of God's hand upon them. We ought to be careful that we see things as God sees them.

So they are arrested. Verse 27, when they ultimately end up before the council, the Sanhedrin, the governing body of the Jews, the high priest questioned them. He says, we gave you strict orders not to preach and teach in the name of Christ. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us. Peter's answer here is _________, we didn't intend to offend you folks, we don't want you to think you are guilty. No, he says, we have to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you put to death by hanging on a cross. No, Peter, you aren't winning any friends. Have you ever read the early version of Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People? Peter, this isn't the way to get it done. You are in jail, you've been imprisoned a couple of times, you've been commanded not to preach and you stand up with these men and they remind you. And you say the problem is God raised up Jesus, the Jesus that you hung on a cross. He's the One whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and as a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. You know the difficulty with the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ? It always, always works. Sometimes by God's grace the Spirit of God takes that message and pierces the heart and mind of a person, convicts them of their sin, and they turn in faith to Christ. Sometimes it comes in its convicting power and they are enraged.

So verse 33 tells us they were cut to the quick, they were cut right into the heart. And they intended to kill him. You see in both cases the Word of God has penetrated the heart. But to one it is penetrating and convicting and drawing men to salvation by repentance and faith in Christ. To the other it has brought them under conviction but there is no turning from the sin. And now they'd like to kill the messenger because they can't stand the message.

Again, where would the church be today? Well we'd be having a conference, we'd be talking and saying, I don't know why we always go around offending people, I don't know why everybody has bad things to say about us. Well, you know what the apostles did? Verse 41, they went on their way from the presence of the council rejoicing that they had been considered to suffer shame for His name. And every day in the temple and from house to house they kept right on teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. No alteration, no change. Now understand, our intention is not to be offensive. There are a lot of ways to offend people. Our intention is to proclaim as clearly as we can the gospel of Jesus Christ. And we know that will offend more people than it attracts. You say, well, you attract more flies with honey than vinegar. But you know we're not attracting flies. Sometimes we think in doing these things, that's the problem. And if we did it right they would want it. There is an element, you could see we know the beauty of the message of Christ, we know the wonder of salvation. And sometimes you think, everybody would want this. We fail to remember the issue is the sin of man's heart. There can be no alteration to the ministry that we have, no adjustment, no change. We have to keep on preaching Christ. We know we will offend more people than we draw because Jesus said the gate and the way to destruction is broad and there are many who go through that gate and travel that road. But the gate and the road to life is narrow and there are few that go that way. So I know that the vast majority, the overwhelming percentage of the people are going to be offended by the message of the cross of Jesus Christ. I'm saddened by that, but that's the way it is. It's because of their sin. But God has sent me to preach Christ, He has sent us to give the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And count it a privilege that we would be considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.

Come to chapter 10. We're going to change the setting now. Up until now the message has been preached to Jews or Samaritans who were half-breed Jews in Acts 8. Now Peter is going to take the message to Gentiles. In Acts 10:34 Peter begins at the house of Cornelius with a grouping of Gentiles and says, I most certainly understand now that God is not One to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him. The word which He said to the sons of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ, He is Lord of all. And he goes on to talk about Jesus' ministry on earth. Verse 39, we are witnesses of all the things which He did in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. God raised Him up the third day, granted Him to become visible, not to all the people, but to witnesses. That's what we saw in I Corinthians 15. You'll note the substance is the same—Christ died for our sins, He was raised from the dead. He ordered us, verse 42, to preach to the people and to solemnly testify that this is One who has been appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. Of Him all the prophets bear witness, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. While He was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on those who were listening to the message.

We tell you about Jesus Christ, and I've come to realize that God's salvation is not just for Jews, it's for Gentiles also. This Jesus who came to this earth demonstrated Himself to be the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God. He was crucified, put to death by hanging on a cross. God raised Him on the third day, He appeared to many witnesses. We can testify to that. And He ordered us to preach and to solemnly testify that God has appointed Him as judge. Not just Savior, but judge. Of Him all the prophets bear witness, everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. You know what? At that moment those people by God's grace believed in Him, the evidence being the Holy Spirit came upon them. They are converted, they are saved. They get baptized to testify that they have trusted in Christ and become His followers. What happens when you change from preaching the message to Jews to preaching the message to Gentiles? Nothing, absolutely nothing. You preach to this Roman soldier and his family and friends the message of Christ the same as you preach to Jews.

Come to Acts 13. The Apostle Paul was saved in Acts 9 and now he has been entrusted by God to carry this message to Gentiles in various places in the Gentile world. So in Acts 13 we are on what is called the first missionary journey. And on this trip to preach to Gentiles Paul often would start with Jews. Go to a Gentile city, but you could go to a Jewish synagogue because there you had a starting point, because the Old Testament scriptures of the Jews prophesied about a coming Messiah, and so on. So Paul often started there. Here he's coming to Gentile areas but he's preaching the same message. Verse 26, as the brethren, sons of Abraham's family, those of you who fear God, God-fearing Gentiles who had really converted to Judaism to one degree or another. To us the message of this salvation has been sent. He's giving a little bit of history leading up to the coming of Christ. For those who live in Jerusalem, their rulers recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. Though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that he be executed. When they carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. But God raised Him from the dead and for many days He appeared to witnesses.

Verse 32, so we preach to you the good news of the promise made to the Fathers. He reminds them again of the Old Testament scriptures of the death and resurrection of Christ. Verse 38, therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things which you could not be free through the law of Moses. Hard to tell whether Peter is preaching or Paul, isn't it. Remember what Paul said in I Corinthians 15:11, whether it's the other apostles or whether it's me, it's the same message we're preaching. What's he preaching? Forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. How? You believe in Him, the One who was crucified, the One who was raised from the dead. And when you do, you are freed from things, things you couldn't be freed from under the Mosaic law. Isn't it sad there are people still ................. You ask them, do you think you're going to heaven? They say, yes. Well how do you know? Well, I try to keep the Ten Commandments. Where have you been for the last 2000 year? You know the Bible says you can't be freed from your sins by keeping the law of Moses, of which the Ten Commandments are a part. You understand you can't be freed from your sins by baptism, by going to church, be being good, by trying to honor the religious traditions of your parents or family. It's only one way, there is only one way. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me. So you find these out presenting one message, the message of Jesus Christ crucified and raised from the dead.

Goes on, the next day, verse 44, the whole city assembled to hear the Word of God. You know what happens when you preach the Word? You divide people. Remember Jesus said, I didn't come to bring peace on earth, I came to bring a sword, I came to divide families. Families will be divided two against three, three against two; parents against children, children against parents. We think we have to do something with unity, we don't want to fracture our family. You know, family for me is most important. Well you can't be a follower of Jesus Christ if family is most important to you. Jesus said, he who loves father or mother or sister or brother more than Me is not worthy of Me. You can't become a follower of Jesus Christ by giving Him second or third place in your life. He says, I go right to #1. If it costs you your parents, relationship with your parents, so be it. If it costs you a relationship with your kids, so be it. If it costs you relationship with friends, so be it. So here you have division.

Verse 45, the Jews are filled with jealousy, they begin speaking against Paul and blaspheming. Verse 46, Paul says we must be doing something wrong, we keep offending the Jews. No, he says it's their decision. Verse 46, it was necessary that the Word of God be spoken to you first since you repudiated and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we'll take it to the Gentiles. The problem is not with my preaching of the message as long as the message is what God says. You are a sinner, you are under condemnation, Christ died for our sins, He was raised from the dead. You must repent and place your faith in Him. There is not salvation in anyone else. A person who refuses to believe that judges themselves as unworthy of eternal life. I'm sorry, that is your decision, but I'm sorry. You judge yourself unworthy of eternal life. I'll go tell someone else this message. So they go to the Gentiles.

Note verse 48, when the Gentiles heard this they began rejoicing and glorifying the Word of the Lord. And as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. And the Word of the Lord was being spread through the whole region. But the opposition grew and ultimately Paul and Barnabas are driven out of the area. God's Word never returns void, it accomplishes His purposes. You'll note the end of verse 48, as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed. We're not going on a sidetrack here, we don't have time right now, but we have been entrusted with the gospel. It's not my decision who believes. My responsibility, my accountability before God, our accountability as a church before the Lord of the church will be to faithfully present the truth concerning Him. But that didn't work, Lord. Too many people were offended. With some changes and adjustments to our ministry, people would like us and then they would be receptive to hear about you. Does that not sound blasphemous to think I am wiser than the Lord? Should that not trouble us greatly that we think we know better than He knows? You entrusted us with the message that inflames people against us and against our Savior. We came up with a plan that has people loving us and liking us. Lord, I recommend that you adopt our plan. Nobody is going to say that, no, we just go ahead and do it and try to cover it up as though we're being faithful, because look at all the people now who have come to like us. Remember what Jesus said? Woe to you when all men speak well of you. That's what they did of the false prophets in Old Testament history. Sadly, sadly, but it is a revelation of how sinful the human heart is. The message of God's truth is offensive to sinful human beings, and it will take a supernatural work of grace in intervening in the life. Remember when Jesus said in Matthew 16 concerning the coming of the Holy Spirit? I will send Him from heaven, He will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. We give forth the message, it's the Spirit of God whose job it is to do the convicting. Sometimes it will be a convicting to bring them to salvation, sometimes it will be a convicting to confirm them in their lostness. But woe be to the servant who decides he will try to replace the Holy Spirit. So we find Paul following just as Peter did wherever he went, preaching the same message, going to prison, being driven out of cities, not deciding here is another plan. There is no other plan. Go preach Christ crucified, raised from the dead and demand repentance and faith in Him. Those who reject, they judge themselves unworthy of eternal life and move on.

Come to chapter 17. I've been bringing these passages we're going through every week for the last number of weeks we've been in I Corinthians 15. My plan each week was I'm going to include these passages with these sermons. And every week I run out of time, so I decided before we get any further I will get these in. And at the rate we're going, we're going to do about half of them. Be of good cheer, we could do them all. Acts 17. Paul now moves to a totally different setting, a different culture with a different audience. We've gone to a different continent. Paul is now in Greece, he works his way down through the land of Greece, he comes to the city of Athens, a Greek city, a center of Greek culture. And he comes to Mars Hill. In verse 22, he stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, men of Athens, I observe you're very religious in all respects, for while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, To an Unknown God. In other words the Greeks had multitudes of gods, many gods, and they would make statues and temples to these gods. And they even made a statue to an unknown god, an altar there because they didn't want to miss any of the gods because they might be offended. So you not only have the gods that are well known and well familiar, but here's an altar to an unknown god because you wouldn't want to offend him. When he looked there and said, they honor all the other gods, they don't honor me. I guess I'll punish them. And Paul uses that point to bring them the message of the gospel.

I saw an altar to an unknown god, and you're right, you don't know the living God. I want to tell you about that God that you don't know. And He's not like any of the gods you worship. He goes on to tell them, He's not made with human hands, He's created everything. And He's the omnipotent, omnipresent God. And since He created us we wouldn't think He's a piece of stone or a piece of silver or a piece of gold, down in verse 29. So you see a different culture, different setting, but here he comes with the same point. I just want to tell you, you don't have any idea what God is like, you don't have any idea who He is. Well I'm going to tell you. You've been living in ignorance. Well that's a really catchy line when you want to reach the unbeliever. Start out by telling him, I just want you to know how ignorant you've been all your life.

Verse 30, therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. The disciples and the apostles did not have a problem of addressing the unbeliever about the subject of judgment for sin. Here Paul cuts right to it, you have to repent because God has appointed a day in which He's going to judge you. And the judge is the Man who died on the cross and was raised from the dead. The proof that He is the judge is He was raised from the dead. You know why he picks the resurrection from the dead? That's a touch point with these Greeks. They believed in the immortality of the soul, but they did not believe in the resurrection of the body. We're getting a development of the bodily resurrection in I Corinthians 15 written to the church at Corinth. Here Paul in the city of Athens cuts right to what the issue is. He's not saying, we're not going to talk about resurrection for a while because I know that will just drive my audience away.

When they heard the resurrection of the dead, they began to sneer. Others said, we'll hear about this later. There are a few converts, but Paul moves on to Corinth where the Corinthians are. You know what? Most of the people in Athens evidently judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. There are a few that get saved—Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them. But no record of a church being established at Athens. But was Paul a failure or a success at Athens? Depends on your measurement. When he leaves, there is no church there, evidently a few believers. He served to bring division by preaching the resurrection. Why didn't he come in and do some groundwork here? And just show these people he really cared about them. Maybe have some social things, go to the down-and-outers. They had them. Show he didn't just come to want to convert their souls, he had an interest in the whole person. Forget it, he had one consuming passion—preach Christ.

On to Corinth, we have the ministry of Paul at Corinth and he unfolds the details of that in the opening chapters of I Corinthians when he said, when I came to you I determined to know nothing but Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I don't care what the Jews want, I don't care what the Greeks want. I preach Christ, that's it. So here he is now in a Greek city with this Greek culture. How different could this be than the city of Jerusalem? No change in the message at all. It's not well the Jews believe in resurrection, I can show from their Old Testament scripture the prophecies concerning resurrection, so I preach that there. But the Greeks don't believe in resurrection, so there's no sense in dividing the city and making enemies. No, I only have one message. Here I am in Athens and they don't believe in the resurrection of the dead. What am I going to do? I guess I'll have to tell them how wrong they are. You've been living in ignorance, but that doesn't mean you are not guilty. And there is a Man who will be your judge and God proved it by raising Him from the dead. We're right at the heart of the message again.

Look at Acts 26. Now Paul is standing before King Agrippa. When Herod the Great died his empire got divided among his sons and so his successors appear at different times, four sons if I remember correctly. One of them proved so incompetent that he was replaced by a Roman governor, one of whom was Pontius Pilate for that region. Formerly it had been under Herod the Great, then given to one of his sons when he died, that son was so incompetent that the Romans just replaced him with a Roman governor. But here you have Herod Agrippa, and Paul is now before King Agrippa. What do you do here? You don't just want to storm before the court of the king and no sense in making an enemy where you don't need to. I mean, with a little bit of tact he could maybe at least develop a friendship with Agrippa. Now if he develops a friendship with Agrippa, think of the doors that could open. So Paul presents his case to Agrippa, very respectfully. Paul honored earthly authorities, he saw them as appointed by God. He give his personal testimony of how he hated Christianity and the followers of Christ and how he was so dramatically changed on the Damascus Road. And he said at that time when he confronted the risen Christ, Christ told him He was going to send him to the Gentiles, Acts 26:18, to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of satan to God. That they may received forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in me. I tell you, he was right at the heart of things here. So King Agrippa, I didn't prove disobedient, and I kept going everywhere, to Jews and Gentiles alike. The end of verse 20, telling them that they should repent and turn to God. And then conduct themselves in a way that is consistent with their repentance, doing the works that would be manifestation that a person had turned from their sin and trusted in God.

So then I was arrested, verse 21. Verse 22, so having obtained help from God I stand to this day testifying both to small and great. You'll note there, it doesn't matter, you may be the king. You get the same message that the lowest get. Small and great. Stating nothing but what Moses and the prophets said was going to take place. In case you don't know what that is, Christ was to suffer, that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim life both to the people, the Jewish people, and to the Gentiles. I mean, Festus, the Roman governor here, he can't take it anymore. Paul, you are out of your mind. Remember I Corinthians 1? What is the preaching of Christ to Greeks? It's moronic, foolishness, we get the word moron from that word. Festus, here, the Roman, says you're out of your mind, you've gone crazy. Your great learning is making you mad. I'm not out of my mind, excellent Festus, I utter words of sober truth.

And we're not done with Agrippa. Verse 27, King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? Do you believe this message of Christ? I know you must, you have to. King Agrippa said, within a short time you will persuade me to become a Christian. Paul says, I wish I could. The passion of my heart is that everyone would become like me, a follower of Jesus Christ. I don't want them to be in prison like I am, but apart from those chains, I wish everyone would come to believe in Christ.

What a message, what a ministry. You see the consistency. You know the problem with a human being, it's not their social conditions, it's not their poverty, it's not their riches, it's not their environment, it's not that people don't do enough nice things to them. It's not that believers in the church don't do enough social programs so that people are more receptive to us. Jeremiah 17:9 said it clearly. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked above all things. That's the problem. Jesus reiterated that in Matthew 15 when He said it was out of the heart of a man that proceed all kinds of evil things, and He lists those things. Repeated also in Mark 7. You know we lose sight of the problem. We think, well if I do these nice things, they'll be softened to hear the gospel. I'm not saying you shouldn't treat people nicely, I'm not saying you can't acts of kindness and so on to people. But the real problem is not anything but a sinful heart. And the church's role is simple and clear—present truth, present truth, present truth.

I have great respect for some men, but I am tragically disappointed by some. I was reading one, he said you have to understand the gospel has two prongs—it is the message of the death and resurrection of Christ, so that's a message of salvation, and it's a message of social reform. That's not the gospel that the Bible presents. I'm saddened by that man. That's not the gospel. The gospel is Christ died for our sins, He was raised from the dead, you must repent and believe it. Have you? Wouldn't it be tragic if you come and sit and hear the message of the gospel, you get up and go out and you're not saved. You say, I went to that church, I heard that message, I know it, I can say it. Have you ever repented and turned from your sin to believe in Jesus Christ so that the Spirit of God came into your life, washed you, made you clean, made you new. And now you live for Him. You can sit in this church, be baptized in this church, teach Sunday School in this church, sit on the Board in this church, give all your money to this church and die and go to hell. Because you can't be saved by your works. That's the testimony of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Savior, salvation is a free gift. And it's a paradox. It's a free gift, you can do nothing to get it, but it will cost you everything. Have you believed in Him?

Let's pray. Thank you, Lord, for your grace, thank you for your gospel. Thank you for its clarity, its simplicity. Lord, may we as the church of Jesus Christ in this place be faithful to the truth, to proclaim that truth, to not be distracted by things that we think would be good or helpful. But to stay on track with the simple message of the gospel, that gospel which is your power for salvation to everyone who believes. May it be true of those who sit here in this auditorium, as well as those whom we share it with in the days ahead. We pray in Christ's name, amen.