Posts Tagged ‘ Gospel ’
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1, ESV
Christ has freed us from the hold of sin that we might choose to serve God and love others with His love.
Only in Christ can we find true freedom. Let us share Him with everyone.
I have started a small group series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). I am sharing my notes in case anyone else wants to use them with their group.
Matthew 5:1-2:
Jesus wants to teach the crowds: Who are they? Jewish disciples: People who understand the
Scriptures (at least to a point). Notice from 7:28 the crowds still came along, but this teaching is for His disciples.
What does “blessed” mean?
Based on the first twelve verses, blessed means realizing our own wretchedness and need for a Savior. In other words, it is becoming/being a Christian.
Matthew 5:13:
Properties of salt:
• Made from stuff that can kill us (chloride, as in chlorine, which is poisonous to us; sodium is not very good for us by itself)
o No one can see God’s face and live (Exodus 33:20), yet we shall see God face to face through Christ (1 Corinthians 13:12)
• Enriches flavor
o 1 Peter 2:12 – We make life better as we point others to God’s Hugh standards.
• Preserves
o 2 Peter 3:9 – God withholds His wrath until all who will be saved are saved.
• Can melt ice
o Romans 10:13-14; Ezekiel 11:19 – The preaching of the gospel can change people’s hearts (via the Holy Spirit) from hardness to receptivity (see also Parable of the Sower/Seeds [Matthew 13:1-23], implying God may change the soil of the heart)
• Is used to make soap
o 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 – We help cleanse the world through defending and spreading truth over lies of evil spirits/demons/Satan
• Has a high melting point (it is not easily melted/burned: paradoxically lowering the boiling point of water while making it harder for water to boil)
o Isaiah 43:1b-3a – We hold back God’s wrath (see “Preserves” earlier) as the world gives more reason for His wrath to come. Further, we pull people from the fires of damnation (see Jude)
Can we lose our saltiness? (Refer, again, to Parable of the Sower – holding to the understanding that the first three refer to unsaved people [“churchians”?]) (Short answer: not really. Salt does not become not salt. It either is salt or is not.)
But how do “we” save them?
Matthew 5:14-16
• Firstly, v. 16: what does it mean to shine our light?
• It is there: “see your good works and glorify …”
• Secondly, What does it mean to glorify God?
• Mark 12:32-34; 1 Samuel 15:22; Hosea 6:6; Micah 6:8
• Glorifying God means obeying Him and showing love and mercy.
• We share the Gospel – Romans 10:13-17; Matthew 28:18-20
• Hebrews 11:6 – It is impossible to please God, to glorify God, if we do not believe in Him properly if at all. So we share the Gospel. Our greatest good work.
How we shine:
• Ephesians 5:1-21
• Philippians 2:12-16
• 1 Peter 4:1-11
“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;”
Joel 2:12, ESV
Our sin should drive into humble seeking of God and His righteousness. It is to our benefit, His glory, and a light to the world.
Because God forgives those who mourn their sin and repent.
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21, ESV
Many in this world pursue their own agendas and hurt many others, but we are called by Christ to show love and compassion to all. Even those who revile us.
“no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”
Isaiah 54:17, ESV
When found in Christ, the worst people can do to us is kill us, for they would be sending us to God.
And we have truth on our side, so we can preach with boldness.
I have started a small group series on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). I am sharing my notes in case anyone else wants to use them with their group.
Matthew 5:1-2:
Jesus wants to teach the crowds: Who are they? Jewish disciples: People who understand the
Scriptures (at least to a point). Notice from 7:28 the crowds still came along, but this teaching is for His disciples.
What does “blessed” mean? How do you understand it?
The word “blessed” appears 306 times in the ESV Bible (in 288 verses; 302x in 287 vv. in KJV)
Happy (definitely deeper than this), Revered, Content, Worshiped, Made holy, Fortunate, Well-off
Matthew 5:10-12:
The first several verses tell us it is blessed (brings joy, contentment, peace) to find salvation in Christ
What then happens in the life of the Christian?
Now we read:
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10-12, ESV
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
v. 10-11: Firstly, notice the first phrase to be repeated: “theirs is the kingdom of heaven?” (from v. 3)
• We mourn their sin as we mourn our own. It is no longer “me vs. the world” but “Here am I, send
me!” (Isaiah 6:8)
• We are letting God change us – Romans 12:1-2
When we allow God to change the way we see, think about, and interact with our world, it becomes
easier to live out these qualities and not act like the world.
(Doing/believing/teaching what is right – by GOD’S STANDARD)
[READ 2 Timothy 2:22-26]
[READ 2 Timothy 2:22-27]
Taking a stand for truth (The Gospel and God’s standard) forces the world to face their sins. Do we like being told we’re wrong?
Seeing their sin results in lashing out: verbally, physically, emotionally
• 2 Timothy 2:8-12; 1 Peter 4:12-19 (Romans 1:16-17)
So, we show compassion. What does compassion mean? (Feeling with others, joining in their experience. “I was you. I, too, rejected God and sinned.”)
So, then, what does it mean to be blessed, I light of these 10-12 verses?
To join in Christ’s passion: His suffering, His sacrifice, His love, His grace. It seems Jesus speaks of
those who find contentment in life as they are made holy.
Jude 17-25
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Isaiah 55:11, ESV
We faithfully share the Gospel. God uses it in ways we may never know to change hearts and minds to His glory.
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57, ESV
In Christ, Death has no more hold on us. Hold firm to His promises, and fear not what people may do to us, for we await eternal life with our Lord.
a simple man of God 