The Beginning of the Gospel

It's been such a blessing being with you all this weekend. See the Lord's work here and I'm very thankful. Thankful for this group, thankful for your pastor and your witness of the gospel. I'm going to attempt to bring. A message I've entitled the beginning. Of the gospel. Now I realize there's a very real sense in which the gospel has no beginning. It's called the everlasting gospel in the book of Revelation. It's an eternal gospel. It never had a beginning. It will never have an end.

But what I would like for us to do is look at the first verse of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts. Matthew chapter one, verse one. First words of the new Testament, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Now would you turn to Mark one verse one. the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Luke 1, for as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us."

John 1.1. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. And the word was God.

Acts chapter one. The former treatise, he's speaking of Luke. This is Luke who wrote the Acts as well. And he says, the former treatise or word have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach. The beginning of the gospel. Look back in Matthew chapter one, verse one, that's my prayer. that the Lord will make himself known to each one of us this morning through this message and the message Brother Greg is bringing as well. Interesting, the first words of the New Testament are the book. The gospel is about this book.

There is no understanding of the gospel or the character of God without this book we call the Bible. We look to the scriptures alone as our only ground of faith and practice. The only way we can know the character of God is through this book, the Holy Bible. Now there are things we can know about God without the Bible.

You can look at creation and you can see some glorious things about God. The invisible, Paul said in Romans 1 20, the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly understood or clearly seen being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse. No man has an excuse to not believe God just by light of creation, but we can't know his true character without the Bible.

I want you to turn to second Timothy chapter three. I'm so thankful for the scriptures. Verse 16. This is a verse that perhaps most of you are already familiar with, but let us look at it again. All scripture. Genesis one, one through revelation 22, 21, all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.

Literally, God breathed. That's the Bible. That's what it claims for itself. God breathed. Every word said exactly as God would have it said. We don't look to men's thoughts. We don't look to what Men's religion has to say, we look only to the scriptures. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, literally God breathed. Now, this is either the word of God or it's the word of man. There's no in between. And the scripture claims to be the very word of God. Notice what it says next. All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable, is beneficial for doctrine.

What do we believe? What the book says. We don't try to prove what we believe and then go to the book to prove it. We go to the book to find out what to believe. It's profitable for doctrine. And then it's profitable for reproof or evidence What makes me think something's true when I hear it? I've got to go to the scriptures to see if it's what the scriptures is actually teaching. It's, it's for reproof or evidence. I like this next word for correction.

You know, we're all like a plane. There's an arc that goes from here to there, and while it's flying, the wind's continually beating it back and forth, and the people in the control tower correct us. That's what the scripture does. We're always beat back and forth, having a tendency to look everywhere but Christ. And the scripture beats us back, it corrects us.

And for instruction in righteousness. Christ, here's what only the Bible says. Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. The only righteousness I'll ever have is the righteousness and merits of Jesus Christ as my personal righteousness before God. How beneficial the scripture is.

Turn to 2 Peter 1, this is another passage of scripture regarding what the Bible has to say about itself. Verse 16, this is Peter speaking. He says, for we have not followed cunningly devised fables. Second Peter chapter one, verse 16. For we have not followed cunningly devised fables when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. And he's speaking of the man of transfiguration right now when the Lord appeared to them, and the scripture says, his face shined as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And Peter and James and John experienced this. I love reading about it.

When he appeared, Peter made, I suppose, what is one of the most stupid statements a man has ever made. He said when he saw Moses and Elijah, let's make three tabernacles. One for thee, one for Moses, one for Elijah. Peter, no. Todd, no. You know, have you ever been worried about saying something stupid?

Well, you will. I will. Peter did. Thank the Lord that he put this about poor old Peter. I love it when it says Peter answered. Nobody asked him anything, but he answered, Lord, it's good for us to be here. Let us make three tabernacles. One for thee, one for Moses, one for Elijah. Look in verse 17.

For he received from God the Father honor and glory when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Notice he didn't say with whom I'm well-pleased. He said, in whom I'm well-pleased. If I'm in Christ, God is well-pleased with me right now. Verse 18, this voice which came from heaven, we heard when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. We have something that's better than that mountaintop experience. You know, with regard to all the religious experiences you and I have had, don't trust them. Don't trust them.

Peter says, this is more sure than that was. Now you're talking about a great experience. Wouldn't you have loved to have been there on the mount and beheld that? Of course you would. But Peter says, this is better. This is more sure. Now listen to this. We have something that's more sure, me and you, we have something that's more sure than what Peter experienced on the Mount of Transfiguration. We have also a more sure word of prophecy. Where until you do well that you take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place into the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts, knowing this first.

This is what's most important. This is where we begin. Knowing this first. That no prophecy of the scriptures of any private interpretation. Somebody said, well, that's your interpretation of it. Here's my interpretation. Doesn't work that way. The Bible declares what it means. It's not up for private interpretation. Here's my view. Nobody cares what your view is. Well, here's my view. You don't care what my view is.

What does God's word say? Knowing this first that no prophecy of the scriptures of any private interpretation for the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Now that is what the Bible says about itself. This is the living word. The Holy Scripture and all we know of the character of God and his salvation is from the Holy Scripture.

We don't need men's confessions and all that stuff that goes along with it. I think it is somewhat amazing that men love confessions of faith. How can you beat the Bible? What could be better than the Bible? Well, we're going to simplify it. You can't simplify the scripture. It's only got one message. And this is the book we look to. Don't you love the way the new Testament begins with the book, the scriptures. Now. This book is a closed revelation. There are no new inspirations. There are no new prophecies. There are no new revelations. Nothing can be added to it. Nothing can be taken from it. To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it's because there's no light in them.

Thank God for the Bible. the book. Now look what he says next in verse one, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham, the Genesis, the origin of Jesus Christ, the son of David. Now, what is the significance of that? The son of David. Well, God promised that the Christ would come through David and Abraham. That's where it's began. And David was a direct descendant of Abraham. And Paul said in Romans one, that Christ was made of the seed of David, according to the flesh, a direct descendant of King David. The Lord asked the Pharisees once, what think ye of Christ? And I want to ask myself and you the same question. What do you think of Christ? Well, somebody says, well, what does Christ mean?

Well, it's the New Testament word for the Old Testament word, Messiah, the Christ, God's prophet. This has to do with the offices. You know, in the Old Testament, there are three offices, prophet, priest, and king, and no mere man could have all three of them. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one who had all three offices as prophet, priest, and king. Now, this is exactly what I need.

I need a prophet to bring me the Word of God. Christ is that prophet. A prophet's somebody who brings the Word of God to men. Well, Christ is the Word of God brought to men. He is that great prophet. He is the Word. I love his name, the Word. When God speaks, what does he say? The Word, Christ Jesus. He is the Lord.

I need a priest. A priest, a prophet brings men, God's Word. A priest brings men to God. I need somebody to bring me God, to God because I can't get there on my own. I'm separated because of my sins. I need somebody to do it all. And he's the priest that brings me into the very presence of God.

The third office is the King. Jesus Christ is King of Kings. He's not, it's not an empty title with Him. He has inherent power as King of Kings. His will is always done. And I need Him in all three of these offices. I need Him to be the word from God to me. I need Him to bring me to God. And I need Him's kingship to cause me to believe, to persevere in the faith. Now, do you remember what the Lord said to the Pharisees? What think ye of Christ? What do you think of Christ? His offices was my only hope. What think ye of Christ?

Whose son is he? The Pharisees replied, Well, he's the son of David. Everybody knows that the promise Christ is going to come through the seed of David. And the Lord replied. How then did David in spirit call him Lord? saying, the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand until I make thy foes thy footstool. Jesus Christ is the son of David. He came through David. You look throughout the scriptures. What did the men cry when they were seeking mercy? Jesus, thou son of David. Have mercy on me. Now, when they said Jesus, our son of David, they're saying you're the Christ, you're God's appointed Christ.

Now, would you turn to Mark chapter one? Each opening verse brings us something different. Mark chapter 1 verse 1, the beginning. Now, as I said, this is not speaking of a time, a place in time when it began, because this is the eternal gospel. Just as God is eternal, His gospel is eternal. It has no beginning, it'll have no end. But the beginning, the origin of the gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God. In the first verse, we read, he's the son of David. He came through David, but here we read that he is the son of God. Now, just what does that mean?

We'll turn with me for a moment to John chapter five. Verse 17, but Jesus answered them, this is after he had made that man whole on the Sabbath day, and they were accusing him of wrongdoing in doing that because he did it on the Sabbath day, which shows you how ridiculous men's religion is. They were going to criticize him for making a man whole on the Sabbath day. Verse 18, but Jesus answered them, my father worketh hitherto and I work My Father works, I work, we are one in our work.

What He does, I do. What I do is what He did. There's no separation. My Father works, I'm working. So mysterious, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. One God and three distinct persons. Here the son says what the father does, I do. Verse 18, therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him because not only had he broken the Sabbath, but said to that, but also said that God was his father making himself equal with God. The Son of God is equal with God because He is God. Yes, He's the Son of David, the promised Messiah. He's the uncreated, eternal Son of God. I'm going to read, if you want to turn to Hebrews chapter one, this is a glorious description of him, the son of God.

God, Hebrews chapter one, verse one, God, who at sundry times And in diverse manners, different ways of speaking, speaking in times passed unto the fathers by the prophets, sometimes through dreams, sometimes through revelation of himself to them, where he would appear to them. He spoke in different ways to the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days, we're in the last days right now.

It's been the last days ever since Christ was resurrected and went back to the Father. We've been in the last days. These may be the last of the last days. Won't you be happy if they are? Lord might come back today. He might come back tomorrow. He might not come back for a hundred years. I don't know. Nobody knows, but we look for his coming in eagerness. Even so, he said, behold, I come quickly. Even so come Lord Jesus. We earnestly await his return. Verse two has in these last days spoken unto us.

By his son, and his son is so clearly identified, whom he hath appointed heir of all things. Now that means everything belongs to him, including me, including you. He is Lord, both of the dead and the living. He owns everybody and everything. He is God's heir. By whom also he made the worlds. Jesus Christ created the universe, by whom also he made the worlds.

Who, being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself, no help from me or you, when he had by himself purged, put away, made not to be our sins. He sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high. The Son of David is nobody less than the Son of God. Great is the mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh.

John 1.14, the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Now somebody says, why did the Son of God have to become flesh? I mean, He's eternal. Why did He become flesh? God is holy.

One of these days I'll know, well probably not till I get to glory, while I have some understanding of this word, but he's not like me and you. He's other. He's not a part of this created universe. He is other. Man, me and you, we are sinful. full of sin. Now that is true whether or not you and I understand this or not. Did you know according to the scriptures all you and I do is sin? Non-stop. First John 1 verse 8 and verse 10 describes that very clearly.

If we say we have no sin And there the word sin is a noun, talking about our nature. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. And the truth is not in us. That person has lost all credibility. And then in verse 10 it says, if we say we've not sinned, we make him a liar. And there the word's a verb. That means with regard to everything you and I do, it's a sin. because of who did it. That's the problem. Every one of us are sinners. God is holy. Me and you are sinners. Saying he's holy means he's absolutely just, he's absolutely righteous, and God must punish sin.

Now somebody says, why can't he just sweep it under the carpet? Why can't he just forgive it? Why does he have to punish it? Well, what would we do about a judge who said, I'm a merciful judge. I'm a gracious judge. I'm just going to pardon that person who killed people. And I'm going to let him back out into society? Why, he would be an unjust judge. He would be a wicked judge. He would be a judge we would get rid of. Shall not the judge of the earth do right? God is a just judge. He must punish sin. If he does not punish sin, he would no longer be just.

Man must die because of his sin. The wages of sin is death. The problem is man's death cannot satisfy God. Our sin is too great. That's why hell is eternal. God can never say with regard to the death of a sinner, I'm satisfied. That's enough. Man cannot satisfy God. Only God can satisfy God. God cannot die. Now here we have a It takes death to satisfy sin. Only God can satisfy God. God cannot die. Man cannot satisfy. God cannot die. The God-man did both. He completely satisfied the justice of God and he died. How he did that, I don't know, but if the wages of sin is death, when he was made sin as a substitute for his people, he put away that sin.

Now that's the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He's the son of God, the uncreated son of God. He's the son of David. The man, Christ Jesus, fully God, just as if he were not man at all. Fully man, just as if he were not God at all. The man, Christ Jesus. Now would you turn to Luke one. Verse one. Luke is writing to a man by the name of Theophilus. His name means lover of God. I don't know whether this is a pen name to all lovers of God or an individual. I'm not sure, but that's who he's writing to.

And he says, for as much as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us. Now who's the us? The same us as if God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all. This is to God's elect, those who are in this Group us, the things that are most surely believed among us. Somebody says, I don't surely believe, then you're not part of the us. If you're part of the us, these are things that are most surely believed among you.

Number one, I've already stated this, but we begin with the Bible. We surely believe that the Bible is written by God. Now, everybody in this room probably has been taught all their lives that the Bible is the Word of God. I have, from a little boy, I was taught that the Bible was the Word of God.

But I always thought, how do you know? You thought that, of course you have. How do you know it's the Word of God? Well, I'll tell you when you know, when you know the message of this book, you know it's the Word of God. When you know the gospel, you know it's the word of God. Men couldn't have written this book.

This is most surely believed. And I think this is interesting, that word most surely believed is generally translated persuaded. Persuaded, like Paul said, I know whom I have believed and am persuaded. God persuaded me of this. If you believe something, it's because God, by His Spirit, gave you a new heart and persuaded you and you believe. Abraham staggered not at the promise of God, but was, through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God, being fully persuaded that what God had promised, he was able also to perform. Are you fully persuaded? the things most surely believed among us. Well, real briefly, to try to talk about the things most surely believed, it's every word of God, no question about that, every word of God, but we believe that God is as the Bible declares him to be.

In the beginning, God, created the heavens and the earth. God is spoken in the plural tense. Why is that? Because God is one God in three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Now, would we know this if the Bible did not tell us this? No. What do you think God's like? Well, I think He's one God in three different persons. That wouldn't even come into our mind.

But according to the Bible, He's one God in three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. I love His name, Jehovah. You know, when you read the Old Testament, you see LORD in all caps, it is Jehovah. The translators thought the word too holy to say, so they just translated LORD.

Whether they should have done that, I don't know. We ought to tremble when we take his name, because every time I take his name, I'm aware of taking his name in vain, not having the proper reverence and fear, just taking his name into my mouth. But Jehovah means the self existent one. He has no needs outside of Himself. We believe God to be as the Bible declares Him to be. All of His attributes come out of His self-existence because He's self-existent and has no needs. He doesn't need something to happen before His will can be done. He's sovereign. He's all-powerful. He's immutable. All of his attributes come out of his self-existence.

We believe God to be as he reveals himself to be, and we believe that man is as the Bible declares him to be. Now, all that God is, the Bible declares him to be, we believe man is, me and you. We believe man is as God declares him to be. Now, man is created in the image of God. That's why we have a moral consciousness. We were created in the image of God.

And men can do some very noble things. You know that. You've had men do noble things for you. You've had women do noble things for you. And men are capable of many great things. Look at the technology and the buildings and so on. Man was created In the express image of God, that's what the scripture says. But not the express image, the image. Christ is the expressed image of God. Man was created in the image of God. Therefore, he is what he is. But man is, according to the scriptures, a fallen creature.

God said to Adam, in the day you eat thereof, talking about the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of the good and evil, in the day you eat thereof. He didn't say if you eat, he said when you do. In the day you eat thereof, you shall surely die. Adam didn't die physically, but he died spiritually. Something about him died and was no longer there. He no longer had spiritual life. Oh, he had physical life. He had emotional life, but he didn't have spiritual life.

As Paul described, dead in trespasses and sins. Dead, graveyard dead in trespasses and sins. Genesis 6, 5, God looked at the, and God saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Jeremiah 17, 9 says the heart, the heart you have, that's not talking about the part that pumps blood, it's your mind, it's your affections, it's your will, The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately, incurably wicked.

That's me. That's you. There is none righteous, no, not one. No man can save himself. We can't contribute in our salvation. Now the scripture teaches. Now we believe what the scripture says about God. He's absolutely sovereign, holy, just, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. He's not bound by space or time. He's spirit, he's, oh, he's other, isn't he? He's other, he's just not like me and you. He's altogether glorious. Man is, as the Bible describes him to be, dead in trespasses and sins, and salvation is, as the Bible describes salvation to be. If a man is saved, if a woman is saved, It's because God the Father, before time began, chose them to be saved.

What's our response? Why me? Why would he set his affection on me? Now I realize a lot of people say, well, that's not fair. We're in trouble when we sit in judgment on God and say, well, I don't agree with that. God is. Whatever he does is right, just, and holy, and true. Our reaction to God the Father electing a people Why me? God the Son redeemed those people. He came and worked out a perfect righteousness for them, and by His death, He redeemed them. God the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Blessed Trinity, gives spiritual life.

That's what the new birth is. You're given a life you never had before. It's not that you're changed, you're given a new life. You still got the old life. You still got the old man you were born with. It's just as bad, it'll never get any better. But you got a new man that believes the gospel.

We believe that salvation is as the Bible declares it to be. Christ is salvation. Salvation is of the Lord. Christ, let me say this is, Simeon held that eight day old baby in his hand. And he said, Lord, now let us thou thy servant depart in peace. For mine eyes hath seen in that one he was holding, he is God's salvation. Don't look within for salvation. He is God's salvation. Those are the things that are most surely believed among us. Well, we most surely believe everything in the word of God, but turn to John one.

Verse one in the beginning. That's when time began. There was no time before this beginning. In the beginning. Was the word. Now, in the beginning, the word was already there eternally. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God as a distinct person face to face with God. And the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. This is the word that is quick and powerful and sharper than any two edged sword. I love the way the Lord Jesus Christ is called the word. He is the word of God. Timothy, preach the word. the word from the word that reveals the word. Timothy, preach the word. Turn to Acts chapter one. This is the last verse we'll look at. Acts chapter one.

The former treatise, it's the same word that's generally translated word, the former word, have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach. Now, this covers everything, doesn't it? All that Jesus began both to do and to teach. Now the first word I would like to consider out of this is the word all. All that Jesus began both to do and to teach.

You leave out any of it, And you no longer have the truth. You omit any of it. And you no longer have the truth. And it's been stripped of its saving power by this omission. God never blesses anything but his word. When someone takes from it or adds to it, there's no saving power in it.

You see, the saving power is in the word. all that Jesus began both to do and to teach. Well, I love to think of all He began to do. And you gotta start before the foundation of the world. You know, if your understanding of my understanding of Christ begins in Bethlehem's major, we missed it. He stood as the surety for God's elect before time began, and he's the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. My hope of being saved is because he's the lamb slain from the foundation of the world. In time, well, he began time after that. I realize what I'm saying. I don't understand. I'm just saying things that I believe and don't understand.

But he created the world. And then he came into this world as a man, as a representative of his people. He kept God's law perfectly. He was nailed to a cross. and suffered and died, why? Because the sins of the people he came to represent, that he stood as a surety before time began. Now understand this, when Christ agreed to be your surety, everything God required of you, he looks to his son for. He doesn't look for a thing out of you. He looks for all of it from his son. Oh, he's so satisfied with what his son did.

His son died on a cross, put away the sins of his people, was raised from the dead. The scripture says he was delivered for our offenses. He was raised again for our justification. God was satisfied with what he did, satisfied with me. I stand before God without guilt because of what he did. He ascended back into heaven. Right now, he's seated to the right hand of God, interceding for his people, ruling and reigning, and he's gonna come again.

When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found, Dressed in his righteousness alone, Faultless to stand before God's holy throne. On Christ the solid rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand. all that Jesus began both to do and to teach. Now, what could I say about all that he began to teach? It's the whole Bible. But let me give you one scripture that represents all he taught.

John chapter 14, verse 6, Thomas said, show us the way to the Father, and it suffices. He said to Thomas, I am. the way. Not I'll show you the way. Not I'll lead you along the way. I am the way. If you're in the way, you're already at the destination in Him. I am the way.

I am the truth. Jesus Christ is the truth. Now if I said I'm the truth, oh what a lie. What a lie. I'm made of lies. I know myself. I'm made of lies. Not him. He is the truth. I am the truth. I am the life. The only life that God will accept is the life of Jesus Christ. If his life is not my life, I will not be accepted. I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life.

No man comes to the Father but by me. He is the way that excludes all other ways. He's the truth that excludes all other truths. He's the life that excludes all other lives. The only way we can come to the Father is by Him. Now, what that means more than anything else, I know we think that, well, I plead nothing but him, and I plead nothing but him. But what that means more than anything else is when he came to the Father, I did too. No man cometh to the Father but by me. And he still says, come unto me. Not the preacher, not the church, not religion.

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, heavy laden under a burden of sin. That's what he's talking about. You're sin-full-ness. You're full of sin. Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ceasing from your own works, resting in his. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me. For I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy. He bears all the weight, and my burden, light. Thank you, Caleb.

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The Beginning of the Gospel

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