Lesson One: Everlasting, Glorious & Unique, Revelation 14:6, 2nd Corinthians 4:4, 11:4 & Galatians 1:6
The word “Gospel”, is an English word derived from the ancient Anglo Saxon words, “gode” & “spell”, simply meaning ‘good story’. The 1611 English translation of the Greek New Testament, used ‘gospel’ to translate the original Greek word euaggelion. We all love good stories, this one is the best because it’s God’s story about how good He is to anyone and for anyone in Christ Jesus. The Bible itself claims that it’s good news is eternal. This is seen in John 1:1, 14, Genesis 1:26, Revelation 14:6 & Ecclesiastes 12:13. When you study these verses in their context synonymously, you can readily understand why the gospel is infinitely everlasting. We need to tell our friends, that the good news is ALWAYS good for this very reason, it’s divine in Jesus. God’s message comes alive in Jesus and lives forever. Glory is a misunderstood word, many people equate glory to beauty or light. But for our friends of the world, we need to let them know they are not always the same thing. Glory is the way in which something or someone influences everything in it’s environment. For example, the Sun influences the Moon by shining on it. Yes the Sun has power in the form of light, but how does that power/light affect the moon? In a good way or bad way? From our perspective, we see the Stars having different levels of glory, not just because some are more brighter than others, but because the different affects are small, medium & large on their environment. Move the earth just a mere 10 miles and the affect is drastic, see 1st Cor 15:41. How does God influence us? How does the gospel influence us? His message is like light, it’s able to guide us in His wisdom and knowledge, Psalm 119:105 and Jesus said He is the light of the world, John 9:5. So the gospel truly is glorious in that it enlightens us about what is right & wrong, guiding us to God’s deliverance. If our friends cannot see the gospel’s glory, it is due to either of two reasons: 1- Because Satan has veiled their minds from seeing the light of the gospel, 2nd Corinthians 4:4, 11:4. OR, 2- Because we who have been influenced, refuse to show & grow, Heb. 5:12 & 6:12.The original gospel is preserved by The Spirit of Truth. Many Christians in years past have tried to translate it, copy it and spread it faithfully, but all our work has not proved to overcome our enemies attempt to destroy it. There must be a Spirit greater than us at work in keeping the gospel genuine and alive, that Spirit is God, John 16:12-15. The apostle Paul says that if anyone changes the gospel it really isn’t good news at all, it’s actually bad news. This principle is what makes the original gospel unique, Galatians 1:6.
Lesson Two: …About The Resurrection, Mt. 28:1-8, Mk. 16:1-8, Lk. 24:1-8, Jn. 20:1-10 & 1st Cor. 15:1-3.
The problem with raising the dead, is that death must be faced again, unless your raised immortal. This is why the resurrection of Jesus is good news. He makes a way for us to be raised immortal. Remember that people in ancient times were merely raised to die again. Our biggest fear is conquered here.
A. Son of the Widow of Zarephath by Elijah, 1Kings 17:22
B. Son of the Shunammite by Elijah, 2nd Kings 4:35
C. Dead man restored to life at the touch of Elisha’s bones, 2nd Kings 13:21
D. Son of the Widow of Nain by Jesus, Luke 7:15
E. Daughter of Jairus of Capernaum by Jesus, Matthew 9:25, Mark 5:42, Luke 8:40-56.
F. Lazarus of Bethany by Jesus, John 11:44
G. The Saints after Christ’s Resurrection in Jerusalem by the Spirit of Christ, Matthew 27:52.
H. Tabitha of Joppa by Peter, Acts 9:40
I. Eutychus of Troas by Paul, Acts 20:9-12
The main difference between those listed above and the resurrection of Jesus, is they all needed someone else to raise them, whereas, Jesus raised & ascended Himself! By this, Jesus proves He is God’s Son. Romans 1:4. For us personally, the amazing fact is that Jesus made a way for His resurrection to be linked by faith with our spiritual death to sin. Compare John 3:3-5 & Romans 6:3-7. Peter & Paul both teach that a Christians baptism is linked by faith to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, 1st Peter 3:21. This is good news! In the world, we do not like to pay the ransom money to free victims. We are afraid the kidnappers will get what they want. But God paid the ransom money because the resurrection guarantees the kidnapper (Satan) will not get you.
The Resurrection is Real
1. The change in Saul and the early Apostles prove it beyond doubt!1st Corinthians 15:1-17 & 2nd Corinthians 11:22-28
2. The Completed work of the Holy Spirit is spiritual not physical. All the apostles & disciples expected physical
Israel to be physicallyempowered by the Messiah. Jesus empowered spiritualIsrael with the resurrection. The Holy Spirit as a gift, empowered them and us to grow His fruit and prove the message of the Messiah true to this day. Physical Israel will never will be empowered as in the days of David. The Kingdom is spiritual, Luke 17:21-22. We are the circumcision, Philippians 3:3. The ascended and resurrected Messiah, made this possible, John 14:16-17 & Acts 1:8.
3. His Empty Tomb, guarded by Jewish Temple Soldiers that had personalconcerns, is proof of His resurrection’s reality. Matthew 27:58-66.
Lesson Three: …About Peace Between God & You, Romans 10:15 & Ephesians 6:15-19
How often do parents and children find themselves arguing and even fighting between themselves? Sometimes, entire families are torn apart by bitter words and hateful actions. We have all been there to a lesser or greater degree. Why is it, we humans tend to hurt the ones we love the most? This is a global phenomena between every person and God Himself. We have all found ourselves at odds with God our Father. Sometimes we even accuse Him, blaming Him for the evil in the world which ruins our happiness and hurts us beyond words. What can anybody do about this problem? The Good News is that Jesus is and has the answer to being angry, bitter or even an enemy of God.
Here are the facts of life every human needs to know:
1. God is the Father of our human spirit. Hebrews 12:9.
2. Every responsible adult (human spirit) commits sin. Romans 3:10 & 23.
3. Sin’s deceitful nature creates a war between our body and spirit. Romans 7:20-24.
4. The war makes us enemies to our Father, as we fall in love with the world. James 4:4.
5. But God loves the world (enemies) and He proved it in the Passion of Jesus, John 3:16.
6. Jesus invites us to love Him in return by obeying God. John 14:15-17, Romans 5:8.
7. If we obey and are given the Spirit of Christ, our Peace with God begins. Eph. 6:15-19, Acts 2:38-39 & 5:32,
Ephesians 2:13-17.
Of course, there are many more details attached to these facts, which make up the entirety of the gospel.
Understanding the Shoes of Preparation, (Eph. 6:15), which make our feet perform PERFECT TIMING (which is beautiful), Romans 10:15. Don’t forget the illustration of team players coordinating a goal with their feet in soccer. What better way to create peace/friendship with God, than to be on His side and helping the SCORE! The reception of the gospel into someone’s heart is the very first step forward in God’s strategy to save them and WIN their soul. Compare 1st Peter 3:1 & Philippians 3:8.
Lesson Four: …About The Lordship of Christ, Romans 15:19-29 & 2nd Corinthians 9:13, 10:14, 2nd Ths. 1:8.
Many people mistakenly think that making Jesus Lord of their life, is a great sacrifice and takes away from our enjoyment of this world. But the opposite is actually true. The Lordship of Christ over our lifestyle is the greatest blessing we can incur in this world. It is good news to know that the God of Love rules and dictates our priorities and actions. Life in this world is hard for everyone in one way or another, the rain falls on the good and the evil, it’s not how the rain affects us that counts, but rather, what you do with it that really matters. When we do what Jesus would do with the rain of life, it’s a real blessing. It is good news to know what Jesus would have us do. If we can learn from this, we can truly know how GOOD it is to have Jesus Lord over our lifestyle. To call someone “Lord” doesn’t mean much today, as Festus called Agrippa “lord”, shows how the word is used flippantly in politics, Acts 25:26. But how is the words Lord used in your everyday speech? Jesus is Lord over terrestrial forces, he proved this first in the making of wine from water, Jn. 2:1-12. And in instantly creating loaves & fishes for over 9,000 people in different occasions, Jn. 6:1-4, Mk.8:1-10, and also for instantly withering the fig tree, he proved his sovereign judgment in nature, Mt.21:18-22. And over celestial forces, proving this when he walked on water, Mk. 6:45-52, Jn.6:15-21. And over our climate, he proved it when he stilled the storm & sea, Mk. 4:35-41, Mt. 8:23-25. And over animals, showing instant control in riding the young colt of a donkey, never trained nor ridden on before, during the triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Lk 19:28-40. And of the sabbath, fulfilling the old law of Moses with it’s prophecies and making null & void all of it’s commandments against us on the cross, Lk 6:1-5, Col. 2:14. And over the demons, proving this when demons cried out for mercy in His presence, and He showed them none, Luke 8:26-39, 11:24. Jesus is also Lord over the human body, the most complicated and amazing of His creations, He proves this in the many marvellous healings of human weaknesses and deformities in His miracles, Mat. 4:24 & Jn. 21:25.
Is Jesus truly Lord over you? Here are 4 people who recognized Him as their Lord, how did it change their life?
Elizabeth expressed her faith in the Lordship of Jesus, when she greeted Mary as the mother of her Lord, Lk 1:43. Because of her faith, she raised John the Immersionist, giving the world a fulfilment to prophecy and one of the best examples of godly zeal. Mary of Magdalene wept for the body of her Lord, thinking it was stolen, Jn. 20:11-13. Because of her love for her Lord, she was strengthened by the Lord himself and given the privilege of being the first witness of his resurrection. Remember 2nd Tim. 4:8. Paul the Apostle knew that to call Jesus his Lord meant sacrifice, Php. 3:8. Thomas the Apostle knew Jesus as The Lord and expressed his personal and public dedication to Him as offering his own life, Jn. 11:15-16, but The Lord Jesus was not truly his own Lord, until he saw Jesus resurrected, THEN, Thomas said, “My Lord, My God”, Jn. 20:28. Secular history records Thomas as a lifelong faithful apostle and left this earth as a martyr for his Lord. We may never physically see Jesus, but we do have the mind of Christ in His word, 1Cor. 2:16, and the Spirit of Christ in our heart, Rom. 8:9. If you are looking when both His word and his promised Spirit is displayed, you can see His Lordship, Eph. 1:18.
Epaggelia 