This week, I received word of
some wonderful news that I want to share with you. This week, a baby boy was born
into this world. I don't know his parents. I don't
know his family. And neither do you. Good news was pronounced. For Psalm 127 says, lo, children
are an heritage of the Lord, and the fruit of the room is
his reward. But as I told us all this news,
and as soon as we heard, we don't know who these people are that
have had a child, we immediately lost interest. It's good news,
a child has been born. but it's not good news to us.
It has no effect on me, it has no effect on you. We all want, we all desire, and
we all seek to receive good news. But what is it in the news that
we receive that causes it to be good? Is it the details of
the news? Is it relative news to other
news that makes it good. Let's say I come and tell you
there's a good paying job. You're perfect for it. You've
been recommended for the job. All you've got to do is show
up and the job is yours. Is that good news? Well, it depends. Do you have a good job that you
like, that you enjoy being in? You're not necessarily interested
in another job. It's news. Maybe not be good
news. But I know someone. I'm good friends with someone
that doesn't have a job. They're in the same field. They'll
be interested. I'm going to pass that word along. But if that news comes to you
and you're without a job and the bills keep coming in one
after another and you have no means to pay, if you hear there's
a good job and all you've got to do is show up and the job
is yours, that's good news. This morning, I pray and ask the Lord that
he will send us good news. The word gospel means good tidings,
good news. And from these few scriptures
in Romans 1, pray the Lord will be pleased to reveal to us why
we need good news, when the good news was given, who the news
concerns, what he did, and what it means for us. Now the gospel, the good news
for us is Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. That
sums it up. Are you interested in this news? Do you, do I receive this word
as good news? Or is it news as of that stranger
having a child It's good news, but it's not really for me. Christ Jesus came into the world
to save sinners. That last word, sinners. Has the Lord laid to our heart
our condition before the holy and just God? What is our standing? What is our condition before
Almighty God? In a word, guilty. Hold your
place here and turn over a page or two to Romans 3. Romans 3, verse 10. Our condition before the just
and holy God, Romans 3, 10, As it is written, there is none
righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They are all gone out of the
way. They are together become unprofitable. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. And skip down to verse 23. For all have sinned and come
short of the glory of God." We are guilty. We are sinners in
God's sight. Now, what does the justice of
God declare concerning those who are guilty before His law? From the beginning, the penalty,
the wages of sin, has been the same. In the day you eat thereof,
thou shalt surely die. The wages of sin is death. Apart from our Lord Jesus Christ,
this is my condition, this is my children's condition, and
it's our condition. We walk according to the course
of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the
mind, by nature, children of wrath." In the eyes of Almighty
God, we stand guilty, condemned, deserving nothing but death. The news against us is bad. When
I consider this heart, my heart, all I find is death, hatred,
destruction, and condemnation. If you find the same to be true,
I know that you really, just your heart desires to hear some
good news. Now who do we need to hear good
news from? Can we receive news from just
anyone? Can a man stand up here and say,
you've done the best you can. All is well for you. Imagine this scenario, if you
will. We've all been here. In a moment of aggravation, moment
of anger, frustration, temper flares, you say something hurtful
about your best friend. who overhears you. They've walked
in, and they hear you. And you turn, and you see them,
and you know immediately they heard you. And your heart breaks. I didn't mean it. As you watch
them walk away. What do you immediately start
seeking, start searching for? What do you want from that person
as soon as that happens? You want a kind word from them.
You want them to come and say, I get it. You were mad. You didn't really mean it. All
is forgiven. We have sinned. We have offended
God. If we are to receive good news,
good news that is beneficial to us where we are, it must come
from Him. It must come from God. Look back
here at Romans 1, verse 1. Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ,
called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God. Paul is about to declare to us
the good news of God, of God. The gospel, this good news is
of God, meaning it originates with God. It comes from God. It is caused by God. It is God who we have offended,
but thank God He has good news for those of us in need. When did this gospel come to
light? Was it a contingency plan that
God had to suddenly devise when Adam fell? Back in our text,
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated
unto the gospel of God, verse 2, which he had promised of four
by his prophets in the Holy Scriptures. The gospel of God was promised
before. In Genesis 3.15, we read of the
promised seed of woman. Is that when the gospel began,
after Adam sinned? Hold your place here and turn
to Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1, verse 3. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath
chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should
be holy and without blame before him in love. And over in 1 Peter
1, 1 Peter 1, verse 18. 1 Peter 1, 18. For as much as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from
your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without
blemish and without spot, who verily was foreordained before
the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last
times for you. The gospel of God was established
before the fall of man, before the creation of man, before the
foundation of the world, The gospel of God was in the beginning,
who is our Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 22, 13 says, I am
alpha and omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the
last. This is no new gospel. It has always been. Turn back
to Romans 1. Romans 1 verse 2 is a parenthetical
statement, so we can leave it out without changing the meaning
of the sentence. So we're going to read verses
1 and 3. Romans 1 verse 1, Paul, a servant
of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the
gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which
was made of the seed of David according to the flesh. The gospel
of God concerns the person and work of God the Son, God Almighty. second person of the Trinity,
God the Son, concerns the person and work of God the Son that
he accomplished in the body prepared for him as Jesus, the man who
walked this earth. Concerns the person and work
of God the Son Jesus Christ, the Christ, the Mediator between
God and men, our Lord, our Sovereign, our King. I absolutely love that there
is no mention of anyone else here. Paul says the gospel of
God concerning his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, and he doesn't
follow that up with, and those who help him or those who love
him. The gospel of God concerns only
God the Son. The start and the end, the only
good news we who need it can hear, is built solely upon the
foundation that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. God the Son
is the good news of God for those guilty sinners in need. In John
3, both our Lord Jesus Christ and John the Baptist declared,
He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. God testified
of himself in Isaiah 55, 9, as the heavens are higher than the
earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts
than your thoughts. Sinful man, to be saved, must
believe on and in God the Son, who dwells in the light which
no man can approach unto. Is it possible for a man, a sinful
man, to know this God, who has declared, O the depth of the
riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable
are His judgments, and His ways past finding out! For who hath
known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been His counselor?
or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto
him again. For of him, and through him,
and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Romans 1 through 8, the gospel
of God concerning His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of
David according to the flesh. God the Son, we read in Philipsians
2.7, made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of
a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. The good news
that we endeavor to declare from God's word is, I know a man. I know a man who has done all
things well. I know a man who saw those that
he loved lost, needy, undone, And he came and made himself
a man. He fulfilled all righteousness
for those that he came to save. And by his shed blood and his
resurrection, he has made peace between God and men. I know a man. and I want you
to know this man. He is altogether lovely. How did our Lord Jesus Christ
accomplish this? How did he make peace between
the holy, just, eternal God and sinful men? Back in our text,
Romans 1 verse 1, Paul a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be
an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which he had promised
afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning his
son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David
according to the flesh. and declared to be the Son of
God with power, according to the spirit of holiness by the
resurrection from the dead. How did Christ make peace between
God and men? He made Himself a man. He came
into His creation. He bound Himself to uphold and
fulfill His law. And he did all that was required
of the law as a man. He walked perfectly in it. There was no fault found in him
in his hour was calm. He was taken. And we. We men. We, by wicked hands,
laid hold on the Lord of Glory and we nailed him to a cross. For what sin was he slain? For
what wickedness that he did, did he deserve such a death?
None. There was no fault to be found
in him. He has done all things well. He was delivered up. He was nailed
to the cross. He shed his precious blood for
the sin of his beloved people. for my sin, for my guilt. In his body, he endured the shame
and the judgment and the death that my sins deserved. He of
his own will laid down his life. He was laid in the tomb, and
because of who he is, because he is righteous, Because he is
God the Son. He wasn't made to be God. Jesus
Christ, that man, is God. He didn't come and as he walked
this earth, he became God. He is God. He made himself man. He is declared God the Son. Because he is righteous, because
he paid the sin debt of his people, he arose the third day. What does this mean for you and
me? To those who the spirit of God
has revealed our guilt, our condemnation of our natural estate, what does
this gospel of God mean to us? The gospel of God concerning
His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who is God manifest in the likeness
of sinful flesh, who has redeemed us to God. What is our estate
in Christ? Verse 7. To all that be in Rome, beloved
of God, no longer enemies, but beloved. called to be saints. Grace, not judgment or condemnation,
but grace to you and peace, not enmity of our carnal mind, but
peace from God, whom we have offended. Our father, by Christ
Jesus, we are adopted into his family. and the Lord Jesus Christ. In closing, turn with me to Ezekiel
16. The gospel of God is indeed good
news for those who need it. for those who are lost, who are
undone, who do not have any ability to do for themselves, who cannot
approach God. We who are in need of redemption
hear the proclamation, the gospel of God concerning His Son, Jesus
Christ, our Lord, and it rejoices the heart. In closing, I want to tell it
one more time. Ezekiel 16, verse 1. Again, the word of the Lord came
unto me, saying, Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations. And say, thus saith the Lord
God unto Jerusalem, This gospel is given unto a specific people. Unto Jerusalem, thy birth and
thy nativity is of the land of Canaan. Thy father was an Amorite,
and thy mother an Hittite. From our birth, we are ruined
by our heritage. We're not included in the promise
of God. Verse 4, And as for thy nativity,
in the day thou wast born, thy navel was not cut, neither wast
thou washed in water to supple thee, thou wast not salted at
all, nor swaddled at all. None, I pitied thee, to do any
of these things unto thee, to have compassion upon thee, but
thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy
person in the day that thou wast born." There's nothing about
us. There's nothing good. There's nothing to make us appealing.
Now notice from this point forward, it is the Lord Lord Jesus Christ,
that Saul, Lord that spake, that increased, that loved, that entered
into a covenant, that washed, that clothed, to him be all the
glory. Verse six, and when I, when I,
God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. When I passed by thee, and saw
thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, When thou wast
in thy blood, live. Yea, I said unto thee, When thou
wast in thy blood, live. I have caused thee to multiply
as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen
great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments. Thy breasts are fashioned,
and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and
looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love. And I spread my skirt over thee,
and covered thy nakedness. Yea, I swear unto thee, and entered
into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest
mine. Then washed I thee with water,
yea, I thoroughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I appointed
thee with oil. I clothed thee also with broidered
work, and shod thee with badger skin, and I girded thee about
with fine linen, and I covered thee with silk. I decked thee
also with ornaments, And I put bracelets upon thy hands, and
a chain on thy neck, and I put a jewel on thy forehead, and
earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus was
thou decked with gold and silver, and thy raiment was of fine linen
and silk and bordered work. Thou didst eat fine flour and
honey and oil, and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou
didst prosper into a kingdom. And thy renown went forth among
the heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comeliness
which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God." May God be pleased
to cause his gospel concerning his son, Jesus Christ our Lord,
to be good news. to us. Amen.