All right, turn with me if you
would to 1 Corinthians 9. 1 Corinthians 9. And let's read
verse 16. For though I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of. For necessity is laid upon me. Yea, woe is unto me if I preach
not the gospel. I want to begin this message
by letting you in on some questions that I was asking myself Monday
morning. Why do I preach? Is it really necessary for me
to preach? How many preachers are there
in this town? Do we really need to go through
the struggle of trying to establish another church in this town? How many churches are there in
this town already? Already established churches.
Buildings are paid for. How many? Last Sunday afternoon we all
went to our brother and sister's house. for a fellowship dinner. Wonderful time. On the way over,
I believe I counted 13 churches just on his road. Only on his
road. And I didn't travel the whole
road. I only traveled that 7 miles of it or whatever it is. 13 churches
in 7 miles. So why do I preach the gospel?
Why do I feel such a strong, strong need to preach the gospel? Here's why. This is the reason
why. It's because the gospel. Is so
hard to find. It is so hard to find. It is so hard to find. It is so rare. There is only one gospel and
it is very particular. It's very, very particular. Turn with me over to Galatians
chapter 1. Galatians chapter 1 verse 1 says,
Paul an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus
Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead, and
all the brethren which are with me unto the churches of Galatia. Grace be to you and peace from
God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself
for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the will of God and our Father, to whom be glory
forever and ever. Amen. That's the gospel. That alone is the gospel. That by itself is the gospel. But do you know that men naturally
will not preach that by itself. They won't do it. They won't
do it. They have to add something to
it. They always have to add something to it. Something that the Scripture
describes and illustrates. This description is an illustration. The Scripture calls it leaven. Something that inflates God's
declaration. God has given a declaration. But man has to insert something
into it that inflates what God has declared. And that something
is always man in his sinful condition. Man tries to somehow add man
to the gospel. Everywhere you go, that's what
you hear. Somehow, man tries to add man
to the Gospel. And as soon as you add man in
his sinful condition, in any way, shape, or form, no matter
how you add man, as soon as you add man in his sinful condition
to what God has declared to be the Gospel, you ruin it. It is no longer the Gospel. It's no longer the gospel. People
say, oh no, it's in there. Yeah, it's in there. All you
got to do, it's amidst all that other stuff. You just got to
look and peep and pull that other stuff back. It's somewhere in
there. No, it's ruined. It's ruined. It's not the gospel. The reason is because as soon
as you add man to it, it becomes man-centered. As soon as you
add man to it, man sticks man right in the middle of it. It
is man-centered. And as soon as a message becomes
man-centered in any way, shape, or form, it is no longer the
gospel. This is the greatest warning
that the Apostle Paul gave in his day. This was his greatest
warning. He said right here in Galatians
1 verse 6, I marvel that you are so soon removed from him
that called you into the grace of Christ. unto another gospel, anything
other than the grace of Christ. Grace means gift, free gift. The free gift of grace and peace
be unto you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything
other than the grace of Christ is not the gospel. It's another
gospel. Verse 7, He said, which is not
another. There's not another. Another
gospel is no gospel at all. But there be some that trouble
you and would pervert the gospel of Christ. Now watch verse eight. But though we or an angel from
heaven, he said, even if an angel from heaven. Though we or an
angel from heaven preach any other gospel unto you than that
which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." It's not,
well, you know, he's close enough and he means well and it'll all
work out in the end and let's just let everybody do their own
thing. Paul said, let him be accursed. Let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now
again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that
you have received, let him be accursed. For do I now persuade
men or God? Or do I seek to please men? For
if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. Paul said, I must preach the
one and only message of the gospel. Woe is unto me if I preach not
the gospel. Now how does a man preach the
gospel? If that is all that Paul preached,
if he said, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel, here's
my question, what did he preach? What did he preach? What was
his message? Turn with me to 1 Corinthians
1. 1 Corinthians 1 verse 17 says,
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Not
with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made
of none effect. For the preaching of the cross
is to them that perish foolishness. But unto us which are saved it
is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy
the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding
of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the
scribe? Where is the disputer of this
world? Hath not God made foolish the
wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom
of God, the world by wisdom knew not God." And what that means
is, man thought he was so wise in his own mind, He completely
blinded Himself from the true and living God. By His own wisdom,
He knew not God. Verse 21, After that, in the
wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, yet pleased God
by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign,
and the Greeks seek after wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. unto the Jews a stumbling block,
and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called,
both the Jews and the Greeks, even though the Jews see it to
be a stumbling block and the Greeks see it to be foolishness,
God is kind anyway. And He calls some of the Jews
and some of the Greeks to Himself. Verse 24, But unto them which
are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and
Christ is the wisdom of God. We preach Christ crucified. We preach Christ. We preach Christ. The message is Christ. The message is Christ. The message is Christ and then
stop right there. The message is Christ and then
leave it alone. Stop right there. Well, okay,
now I've got to go into the wisdom of my mind. Don't do it. You'll
ruin it. You'll ruin it. The message is
not what? The message is who? The message
is who? The gospel is not a system. The gospel is not a system. The
gospel is not a plan. The gospel is a person. The gospel
is a person. We preach Christ. Now this is
one of the most important things that could ever be revealed to
us. This is one of the most important things that could ever be revealed
to us, and it's going to take the Spirit of God to cause a
sinner to understand what this means. But this is one of the
most important things that could be revealed to us. The message
of the gospel, the message of the gospel, and this is a big
statement, this is not original to me. The message of the gospel is
not about Christ. And I'm gonna say that again. The message of the gospel is
not about Christ. The message of the gospel is
Christ. Huge difference. Huge difference. We don't preach about Him. Once God gives eyes to see this,
and ears to hear this, and a heart to believe this, and a mind to
understand this, this is crystal clear. We don't preach about
Him. We preach Him. We preach Him. Now I've read this article to
you many times. Some of you haven't heard it.
But this is a very good illustration of what this means. This article
was written probably 30 years ago. And it's titled, The Difference
Between Preaching Christ and Preaching About Christ. It says, years ago, I read the
following quote by an unknown author. I can appreciate the ability
of the learned botanist, somebody who studies flowers.
I can appreciate the ability of the educated botanist to give
me the scientific name of a rose, the origin of it, the various
types of roses, how and where they grow, and the number of
petals, thorns, and leaves to expect on a genuine rose. But
too often, those who become overly entangled in these things somehow
lose the most important things, the beauty and the fragrance
of the rose. What he's saying is, by being
bogged down by all of these things, they end up missing the rose. They miss the beauty and the
fragrance of the rose. The article goes on to say, I
hope in our teaching, preaching, and witnessing concerning the
gospel of our dear Savior, we do not become more concerned
with the system rather than the sweetness. with the mechanics
rather than the mercy, with the right terminology rather than
the right spirit and attitude. And the article closes by saying
one can preach about Christ and not preach Christ just as we
can know how God saves sinners and not be a saved sinner. Just
as we can know how God saves sinners and not be a saved sinner,
we can become so bogged down with our systems and so bogged
down with our mechanics and so bogged down with our terminology
that we end up missing Christ over it. We just flat end up
missing Christ. How do we preach Christ? How
do we preach Christ? Get man out of it. Get man out
of it. Get everything about us out of
it. Look right here with me at 1
Corinthians 2, verse 1. Paul said, And I, brethren, when
I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom,
Declaring unto you the testimony of God. I didn't come with big
words and all my theology and all my this and all my that.
Verse 2, For I determined, I determined not to know anything among you
save, except for Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That's it. That's it. That alone, Jesus
Christ and Him crucified. Look with me at 2 Corinthians
chapter 4. 2 Corinthians 4 verse 1 says, Therefore,
seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we
faint not. The Lord has given us the ministry
of the gospel because we have received mercy and He's going
to use the means of preaching the gospel to show mercy to more.
God's kindness in showing mercy. And he said, Therefore, seeing
we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint
not, but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking
in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but
by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every
man's conscience in the sight of God, But if our gospel be
hid, it is hid to them that are lost, in whom the God of this
world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest
the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of
God, should shine unto them." The gospel is the glorious gospel
of Christ. The glorious gospel of Christ.
And he said in verse 5, for we preach not ourselves. We preach not ourselves in any
way, shape, or form. We preach not ourselves before
His work of salvation. Well now, you know, here's what you'll commonly hear. This is
where Most people are. Now, if you want to be saved,
this is what you... We don't preach ourselves before
salvation. We don't preach ourselves in
cooperation with His work of salvation. Now He'll take the
first step if you'll take the second step. And we'll make a
cooperation out of this and get this done. We don't preach ourselves
before His work of salvation. We don't preach ourselves in
cooperation with His work of salvation. We don't preach ourselves
after His work of salvation. Now as long as you see these
things in yourself, then you can consider yourself saved.
Do you see it? Are you growing? Are you this?
We preach not ourselves. Verse 5 says, For we preach not
ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your servants
for Jesus' sake." What he's saying is we're just one beggar telling
another beggar where he found bread. That's it. Verse 6, for
God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined
in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ." Aren't you so glad that God has
given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of the Lord Jesus Christ? Isn't that so wonderful? He's revealed the truth. He's
turned on the light. The message is Christ. The message is Christ, not what
we're going to do for Christ, not what we're going to do with
Christ, not what we're going to do to attain Christ. The saving
message is Christ. Go with me now to Colossians
chapter one. Colossians chapter 1 verse 25. The Apostle Paul said, Whereof
I am made a minister according to the dispensation of God which
is given to me for you, to fulfill the Word of God. And if you have
the center margin in your Bible, you'll see to fulfill says fully
to preach the Word. I made a minister according to
the dispensation of God, which is given to me for you fully
to preach the Word of God. Even the mystery which hath been
hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his
saints, to whom God would make known what is the riches of the
glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in
you, the hope of glory, whom we preach. warning every man
and teaching every man in all wisdom that we may present every
man perfect in Christ Jesus. What that means is our calling
as ministers of the gospel is to tell God's people that Christ
has finished everything. Our calling is to find sinners
You know why I preach the gospel? Because God sent me to sow seed
to see if He purposes for any of it to meet a sinner. Find
a sinner and tell that sinner who needs a Savior, Christ has
finished everything. Christ has finished everything.
I have nothing but good news for you. Christ took care of
it. You are perfect and complete
in Christ Jesus. Our Lord asked the all-important
question to a bunch of religious Pharisees one time. He said,
They came at Him with all these, they had all these questions,
you know, they were coming up, well, what about this? You know, what
if, what if, you know, somebody dies and who are they going to
be married to in heaven and all of this and all that? He said,
let me ask you a question. What think ye of Christ? What think ye of Christ? That's what it all comes down
to. What do you think of Christ? The gospel says, and the true
believer says, He's my God. What think ye of Christ? He's
my God. He's my creator. He made me.
He's my controller. He's my king. He's my savior. He's the author of my salvation. He's the performer of my salvation. He's the finisher of my salvation. He's the perfecter of my salvation. He's my light. He's my life. He's my hope. He's my holiness. He's my purity. He's my goodness. He's my perfection. He is my payment for all my sin. He's my substitute. He's my redeemer. He's my friend. He's my brother. He's my advocate before the Father. He's my defender before all my
enemies. He's my keeper. He's my conformer. He's my comfort. He's my rest. He's all. Christ is all. He's all to me. All. What think ye of Christ? Christ
is all. He is the answer to every question. He is the solution to every problem. He is everything that God needs
concerning us, and He's everything that we need concerning God. All of that, all of those things,
every bit of that was sealed by His death on the cross. He was made to be all of that,
to us, for us, on the cross of Calvary. The gospel became good
news on the cross of Calvary. We preach Christ crucified. Woe is unto me. if I preach not
Christ crucified and what that means for every soul that God
put in him. What that means for every soul
that he was crucified for. What does it mean? We'll close
with this. Turn with me over to Galatians
chapter 2. Galatians chapter 2, this is what it means that Christ
hung on the cross for His people. Galatians 2 verse 20 it says,
I am crucified with Christ. It is appointed unto every man
and woman on this earth once to die. It's appointed once to
die. Every soul that God the Father
gave to Christ, every soul God chose and gave to Christ, was
crucified with Christ. That's where they died. For every
soul that the Father gave to Christ, their death is over. It's over. He said, whoever lives
and believes in me shall never die. When the moment comes that
this body falls down to the ground, it's going to feel like nothing.
You're going to say, where's the sting of death? It's not
there. I am crucified with Christ. He went on to say, nevertheless,
I live. I died, but I'm alive. I was raised with Him. I'm crucified
with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, I'm not preaching
myself, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now
live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God.
It's His faith. He gave to me. He performs in
me. I live by the faith of the Son
of God who loved me and gave himself for me. That's the good
news of the gospel. Woe is unto me if I don't preach
the good news of the gospel. All right, let's all stand together. Turn with me to 477.