The Power of the Gospel Pt. II

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Power_of_the_GospelSunday 4/12/15

 

Series: The Power of the Gospel II

 

Message – The Gospel According to Power.mp3

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Easter Sunday was all about Christ being crucified in weakness and raised in Power and the resulting power of His Kingdom.

This week we are looking at the power of the Gospel.

 

Our key text is taken from Rom 1:16-17,

(16)  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God UNTO salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

(17)  For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

 

Connecting last week’s teaching to this week

Last week, we discussed WHY righteousness was the thing accounted to Abram as a result of his trusting God.

 

Forgive me the length of this quote from scripture but it provides indispensable evidence to the fact that righteousness was and is the result of having placed one’s trust into God,

“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE LAWLESS DEEDS ARE FORGIVEN, AND WHOSE SINS ARE COVERED; BLESSED IS THE MAN TO WHOM THE LORD SHALL NOT IMPUTE SIN.” Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised. For the promise that he would be the heir of the world was not to Abraham or to his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.”
(Rom 4:1-13)

God’s accounting righteousness to Abram was NOT an arbitrary reward, for trust – it was necessary. In fact, given the nature of relationships, it was the ONLY thing which we have reason to expect to result from placing ones trust into God…or anyone for that matter.

 

By responding to the wooing, nudging, encouraging words of the Holy Spirit by which He seeks to influence our hearts, we are placed into right relationship with God by trusting what the Spirit convinces our hearts concerning.

 

Question > What does the Spirit convince the heart of?

Answer > What the Father has done to restore us to Himself through His Son Jesus.

 

Question > What kind of relationship does God want with man?

Answer > One of knowing and trusting!

 

Question > How do we know that?

Answer > Jesus came to bring and preach ETERNAL LIFE through TRUST.

 

I’m going to offer you several scriptures revealing this truth…but first, let’s review what I believe to be one of the freshest, clarifying revelations I have ever learned and taught just to place this whole truth inside the context of a story…the story God is telling.

 

Question > Why did satan rebel? What did his own words reveal about the inner thoughts of his heart?

Answer > He was filled with pride because of his beauty – not taking into account and humbly recognizing and acknowledging that his beauty had a source outside of himself.

Theological_corner

Satan has many names in the Bible, but his original name was Lucifer which means, “son of the morning”. Contrary to what most people think, Lucifer was not an angel, but a cherub and evidently a rather particular kind of Cherub called a “covering Cherub”. It would seem that an example of a covering Cherub would be those God had designed and placed on the Ark of the Covenant. The wings of the Cherubs “covered” the lid of the ark and that was said to the the seat upon which God sat. Is is also referred to as the Mercy seat.

“You were the anointed cherub who covers; I established you; You were on the holy mountain of God; You walked back and forth in the midst of fiery stones. You were perfect in your ways from the day you were created, Till iniquity was found in you. “By the abundance of your trading You became filled with violence within, And you sinned; Therefore I cast you as a profane thing Out of the mountain of God; And I destroyed you, O covering cherub, From the midst of the fiery stones. “Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor; I cast you to the ground, I laid you before kings, That they might gaze at you.” ~ Ezek. 28:14-17

 

There is some speculation here, but it would seem that in his pride Lucifer asked himself some questions….like, “Why should I serve you?”

 

However, I believe the core of his rebellion was rooted in distrust – they very thing he attempted to instill in Adam and Eve.

 

We see it in his dialogue with Eve,

“Did God really say…?” ~ Gen. 3:1

“No! You will not die,” the serpent said to the woman.
“In fact, God knows that when you eat it your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.“ ~ Gen. 3:6

 

Question > So why righteousness by faith?

Answer > The only way to have a real (or right) relationship with ANYONE is by coming to know them and as a result placing your trust in them. Consider these obvious facts…

  1. No one can be considered to be in good relations with ANYONE if they do not know them.
  2. No once can be considered to be in good relations with ANYONE if they do not trust them.

This is why it is impossible to BE in good relations with untrustworthy people, because knowing them is the SOURCE of your distrust.

 

This whole “concept” is wrapped up in the New testament phrase “Eternal Life”. As you have heard me say many times, Jesus defined it Himself.

 

“When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” ~ John 17:1-3

 

This is why Eternal Life is so important – IT IS relationship with God and you cannot trust a God you do not know.

Some basic facts about Eternal Life

It is only found in Him

“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about Me,” ~ John 5:39

 

It is the command of God – to know Him

 “For I have not spoken on My Own authority, but the Father Who sent Me has Himself given Me a commandment–what to say and what to speak.

And I know that His commandment is Eternal Life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told Me.”~ John 12:49-50

 

Jesus taught it and His words were the means of obtaining life

“The Spirit is the One Who gives life. The flesh doesn’t help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. But there are some among you who don’t believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning those who would not believe and the one who would betray Him.) ~ John 6:63-64

Peter said it, “Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,” ~ John 6:68

 

Eternal Life is to those who KNOW and TRUST – this offers salvation

 “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name bear witness about Me, but you do not believe because you are not part of My flock.

 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 

 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” ~ John 10:25-28

 

The Gospel IS the Power of God towards Eternal Life

“But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him. And Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken first to you. Since you thrust it aside and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, “‘I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord, and as many as were appointed to eternal life believed.” ~ Acts 13:45-48

 

 

Question > What was accounted as righteousness to Abram? HIS TRUST!

Answer > Trust about what? – salvation through Christ alone? No, not specifically, but concerning the promise of God for an offspring through which the entire world would be blessed.

 

We we see that righteousness (good standing with God) comes through trust.

 

Again, you CANNOT be in right standing with ANYONE you don’t trust and you cannot trust someone you do not know!

 

So when Paul made the exclamation,

Rom 1:16-17

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

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

he was saying so much more than one normally discerns from a surface reading.

 

Salvation (Sozo) means to save, deliver, make whole, preserve safe from danger, loss and destruction.

 

Question > Saved from what?

 

Answer > Destruction which according to 2Thess. 1:1-10 is the state of those who do not know God. Their destruction is in part defined by eternally existing separated from the presence of the Lord.

 

So we require a Gospel which not only has, but IS in itself POWER….REAL, REDEMPTIVE, RELATIONAL and RESURRECTION POWER which enables us to KNOW God!

 

There is a link between salvation and godliness and last week when we were talking about  the power of the resurrection we touched on it…. 2 Tim. 3:5.

 

This talks about people who have a form of godliness, but who deny the power of godliness. That is where we will be going in our teachings next week.

 

I hope this teaching will challenge you and encourage you to discover genuine and place your trust in the God of the Gospel of Power..

If you have been spiritually fed by this ministry and wish to give to its ministry, you may do so here.

 

Blessings!

Pastor Mark

View posts by Pastor Mark

Hi my name is Mark and though I am opposed to titles, I am currently the only Pastor (shepherd/elder) serving our assembly right now.

I have been Pastoring in one capacity or another for nearly 30 years now, though never quite like I am today.

Early in 2009 the Lord revealed to me that the way we had structured our assembly (church) was not scriptural in that it was out of sync with what Paul modeled for us in the New Testament. In truth, I (like many pastors I am sure) never even gave this fundamental issue of church structure the first thought. I had always assumed that church structure was largely the same everywhere and had been so from the beginning. While I knew Paul had some very stringent things to say about the local assembly of believers, the point of our gatherings together and who may or may not lead, I never even considered studying these issues but assumed we were all pretty much doing it right...safety in numbers right?! Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong!

So needless to say, my discovery that we had been doing it wrong for nearly two decades was a bit of a shock to me! Now, this "revelation" did not come about all at once but over the course of a few weeks. We were a traditional single pastor led congregation. It was a top-bottom model of ministry which is in part biblical, but not in the form of a monarchy.

The needed change did not come into focus until following 9 very intense months of study and discussions with those who were leaders in our church at the time.

We now understand and believe that the Bible teaches co-leadership with equal authority in each local assembly. Having multiple shepherds with God's heart and equal authority protects both Shepherds and sheep. Equal accountability keeps authority and doctrine in check. Multiple shepherds also provide teaching with various styles and giftings with leadership skills which are both different and complementary.

For a while we had two co-pastors (elders) (myself and one other man) who led the church with equal authority, but different giftings. We both taught in our own ways and styles, and our leadership skills were quite different, but complimentary. We were in complete submission to each other and worked side-by-side in the labor of shepherding the flock.

Our other Pastor has since moved on to other ministry which has left us with just myself. While we currently only have one Pastor/Elder, it is our desire that God, in His faithfulness and timing, may bring us more as we grow in maturity and even in numbers.

As to my home, I have been married since 1995 to my wonderful wife Terissa Woodson who is my closest friend and most trusted ally.

As far as my education goes, I grew up in a Christian home, but questioned everything I was ever taught.

I graduated from Bible college in 1990 and continued to question everything I was ever taught (I do not mention my college in order to avoid being labeled).

Perhaps my greatest preparation for ministry has been life and ministry itself. To quote an author I have come to enjoy namely Fredrick Buechner in his writing entitled, Now and Then, "If God speaks to us at all other than through such official channels as the Bible and the church, then I think that He speaks to us largely through what happens to us...if we keep our hearts open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear Him, He is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, His word to each of us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling." ~ Fredrick Buechner

Well that is about all there is of interest to tell you about me.

I hope our ministry here is a blessing to you and your family. I also hope that it is only a supplement to a local church where you are committed to other believers in a community of grace.

~God Bless!