Imagine that you are in a hospital room, calling on an unbeliever who is at
death's door. You have time for only 25 words to communicate the Gospel.
After the 25th word, the patient will pass away. What would you say in this
situation?
Are you able to express the Gospel so concisely that if the mortally ill person
responds properly, he is saved? Do you comprehend the Gospel sufficiently to
put the saving message in these few words?
(This idea originated in Dr. C. Ryrie's Theology class)
It is vitally important to know exactly what the Gospel is for three reasons:
1. We are commanded to preach the Gospel (Mark 16:15).
2. A curse is pronounced upon anyone who would twist, add to or delete
from the Gospel
(Gal. 1:6-9).
3. A person's eternity depends on it!
The word "Gospel" (euangelion) simply means "good news" or "good
announcement" or "good message."
The word euangelion is used in the New Testament to describe:
-- any good news (I Tim. 3:6)
-- good news about the Messiah's arrival and His establishment of the
promised Kingdom
(Mt. 3:1-2, 4:17, 10:5-7)
-- the good news of the grace of God (Acts 20:24)
What exactly is the Gospel?
Paul in I Corinthians 15:3-4 describes the specific contents of the Gospel
message. "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried,
and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."
The Gospel is succinctly this:
The two basic facts of the Gospel are these:
A. Jesus DIED (crucifixion) (I Cor. 15:3)
Four key words describe Christ's redemptive death:
1. SACRIFICE (The Essence of the Gospel)
"Christ died"
2. SUBSTITUTE (The Graciousness of the Gospel)
"for our sins"
The word "for" is the Greek word huper which means "on behalf of"
or "in the place of." (see page 11 for an expansion and illustrations
of this vitally important aspect of the Gospel)
3. SINS (The Necessity of the Gospel)
"for our sins"
"our" - This word shows that the sinner is personally
responsible and accountable for his
own sins
"sins" - This word points to the fact that the sinner has missed
the mark of God's perfect moral standard (Rom. 3:23)
4. SCRIPTURES (The Foundational Basis for the Gospel)
"According to the Scriptures"
Our authority as we witness the Gospel is solely God's Word, the
Bible. Some Old Testament Scriptures that predicted Christ's
death for sinners are Genesis 22:8, Isaiah 53:5-12, Daniel 9:26
B. Jesus LIVES! (Resurrection) (I Cor. 15:4)
Christ's resurrection is a vital element of the Gospel because if He did not
arise from the dead, His claims of being the Messiah and Savior are
invalidated, and He would have no power to save anyone (15:17).
Note: The reference to Christ being "buried" validates the fact that He
literally died, and that His resurrection was a literal miracle.
C. BELIEVE IT! (I Cor. 15:1-2)
This Gospel must be genuinely believed ("received" - v. 1) in order for
one to be saved (v. 2)
"Received" - v. 1. Aorist tense - points to a once and for all personal
reception of the Gospel (a whole-hearted taking to oneself; a glad welcoming). No one is
converted if they do not personally take into their hearts the Gospel message (Rom. 10:9-10).
This involves the exercise of their will. No one is saved against their will (Rev. 22:17).
Important Tips So You Do Not Force a Person Against Their Will
1) Go as far as the Spirit leads in your presentation of the Gospel
(if they object, don't persist against their will; try again some
other time)
2) Don't manipulate or twist anyone's arm to believe
3) Ask the person if he would be willing to sincerely receive Jesus
Christ as His Savior (perhaps remind him: "Don't make this decision to
please me or to get me off your back; but if you genuinely want to, you
can receive Christ.")
Remember:
"A person convinced against their will remains an unbeliever still."
|
"Wherein ye stand" - Perfect tense - one who genuinely received the Gospel will never
forget it, but will remain standing on it and saved by it!
"By which (Gospel - v. 1) also ye are saved" -
"Are" - presently and continually saved
"Saved" - passively by God; not yourself
The Gospel saves a person if his faith was no "in vain."
How does one "believe in vain"? He insincerely "believes" without purpose. He believes
without meaning it. He goes through the motions but never really receives the reality
(Ex: Simon the Sorcerer - Acts 8:13, 21-23).
True faith evidences itself by persistence in the faith.
"If ye keep in memory" = If you firmly hold on to (cp. Jn. 8:31; Col. 1:23)
Anyone who departs from the faith never really believed it to begin with (I Tim. 4:1).
The Gospel presentation must include these three basic ingredients:
1. Man's problem (sin and resultant condemnation)
2. God's provision (Christ died for sin and arose)
3. Your personal reception (you must believe
The Gospel in 25 words:
"Friend, you have sinned.
But Christ died for your sin
and rose again.
Trust Him alone
and He will save you eternally.
Do it now!"
|
How did "Christ die for my sins?"
|
Perhaps the most essential part of the Gospel, and the most misunderstood, is
the statement that "Christ died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3).
Christ did not die merely to "set an example" as most unbelievers think; His
death actually accomplished something. It is important that the soul-winner
make it perfectly clear that Christ died as our substitute; He took our place, He
paid our punishment; He suffered the equivalent of our eternal damnation; He
died on our behalf.
This concept of Christ dying on our behalf is the crux of the Gospel and the
emphasis of the New Testament.
Scriptures emphasizing the fact of Christ's substitutionary death
(using the word huper):
"This is my body which is given for you" (Lk. 22:19)
"This cup is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you" (Lk. 22:20)
"The bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the
world" (Jn. 6:51)
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep"
(Jn.10:11)
"I lay down my life for the sheep" (Jn. 10:15)
". . . He (Caiaphas) prophesied that Jesus should die for that nation. . . and not for
that nation only . . ." (Jn. 11:51-52, cp. 18:14)
"Christ died for the ungodly" (Rom. 5:6)
"Christ died for us" (Rom. 5:8)
"He . . . delivered him up for us all" (Rom. 8:32)
"Christ died for our sins" (I Cor. 15:3)
"For he hath made him to be sin for us" (II Cor. 5:21)
"Christ . . . gave himself for our sins" (Gal. 1:4)
"Christ . . . loved me, and gave himself for me" (Gal. 2:20)
"Christ [was] . . . made a curse for us" (Gal. 3:13)
"Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a
sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour" (Eph. 5:2)
"Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it" (Eph. 5:25)
"Our Lord Jesus Christ. . . died for us" (I Th. 5:10)
"Who gave himself a ransom for all" (I Tim. 2:6)
"He by the grace of God should taste death for every man" (Heb. 2:9)
"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat
down on the right hand of God" (Heb. 10:12).
"Christ also suffered for us" (I Pet. 2:21)
"Christ also hath once suffered for sins" (I Pet. 3:18)
"Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh" (I Pet. 4:1)
"He laid down his life for us" (I Jn. 3:16)
|
Here are some ILLUSTRATIONS
to help you explain how Christ died as our "SUBSTITUTE."
|
|
The Judge & the Criminal - Suppose on the streets of our city was a man with a
gun. This man one day pointed the gun at an innocent person & shot him and killed him. He
then attempted to run away, but a police officer caught him, arrested him, and brought him to
jail. The day finally came when he was to go to court to stand trial for his murder. After
hearing the evidence, the jury found him clearly guilty of cold-blooded murder. The Judge then
rendered this verdict: "Because of your crime, you will have to pay for it with your life
- You will have to die in the electric chair!" The convicted criminal went back to his
prison cell to wait. Finally, the dreaded day came for him to be executed. The guards brought
him over to the electric chair, strapped him in, and the officials were about to pull the lever.
Suddenly, a stranger entered the room. The officials noticed it was the city Judge, the same
one who had found this man guilty and given him the death penalty. They asked the Judge,
"Sir, why did you come here?" To which he replied, "Do you see that man? He is guilty
of murder, and there is no doubt in my mind that he deserves to pay for it with his life."
With a tear rolling down the Judge's cheek, however, he said, "But I love that man, and I
would be willing to take his place." The room was silent. The man in the chair could not
believe that someone would love him so much. [Rarely would anyone die for a good man; never mind
for a criminal - Rom. 5:7-8] But suppose the Law allowed such a transaction. The man in the
chair got up, and the Judge sat down in his place. The lever was pulled and the Judge was
electrocuted, giving his life for the criminal so that he could go free.
Even though we have never heard of such a thing, that is exactly what Jesus Christ did for you.
You see, He is the Judge of the universe. And the judge Himself stepped down from His throne in
Heaven, came into this world -- all for the purpose that He might die on the cross and take your
place and pay for the sin you committed. He became your substitute. He paid your penalty so
that you could be free from the wages of your sin. Jesus died on your behalf so that you
wouldn't pay for your sins yourself in the Lake of fire! What love! What a sacrifice!
The Wise & Just Ruler - A wise and just ruler established a series of laws for his
people to follow. One day his mother broke one of the laws and was brought to the ruler after
being caught. The penalty was twenty lashes. How could the ruler remain just and still fulfill
the demands of his love for his mother? He chose to take the lashes on his own back. Justice was
satisfied, while love was revealed in full measure.
The Rescue Dog - A man was lost in the Alps. The owner of the lodge where he had
been staying sent out his best rescue dog to look for him. The dog found the man half-conscious,
grabbed him, and started to shake him in order to wake him up. On coming to his senses the man,
seeing the dog and thinking it was a wolf, stabbed the animal. The dog let go and returned to
the lodge, where it died shortly thereafter. The dog's owner followed the trail of blood, came
to the lost man, and saved him. The dog had given his life so that another might live.
The Burnt Hen - One day a certain farmer saw that a fire had ignited in his wheat
fields, and was being blown toward his barns by the wind. To save the stored grain there, he lit
a backfire, in hopes that it would impede the progress of the other flames. After both fires had
subsided--and the barns had been saved--the farmer walked out through the smoldering ashes of the
nearby fields. There he discovered the dead body of one of his hens, which had been caught in
the blaze. Sadly, he turned over her black, charred body with his foot--and out from underneath
ran four baby chicks. Her sacrifice saved her young ones. Such is the work of Christ on the
cross, a place where the love of God dealt with the justice of God, where God's mercy matched
God's wrath. Our Lord's sacrifice has saved us." (attributed to Donald Grey Barnhouse)
The Bridge - Gus was the proud operator of a draw bridge over a busy river. Each
day, he yanked the levers that would elevate the old railroad bridge to allow the ships below to
pass through. One Saturday several years ago, Gus invited his 10 year old son Peter to spend the
day with him at the bridge. Peter whooped with excitement. He'd always marveled at the bridge
and its levers and big gears. His dad had the best job in the whole world, he figured. An old
fishing boat eased up the river toward the bridge that morning, and Gus showed his son how the
levers performed. Peter watched with delight as, with a grinding hum and a few creaks, the old
bridge separated and rose toward the sky. Gus began watching his gauges and jotting notes in his
report book. Then came the unmistakable sound that sent Gus back to his levers: the piercing
whistle of the 10:05 southbound train. The 10:05 was a little early, and a little late in
blowing its warning whistle. Gus knew he must the lower the bridge quickly to avoid a tragic
train crash. As Gus' big gloved hands grasped the levers and pulled, he looked over his shoulder
for Peter. Where was the boy? "Peter!" Gus' stomach knotted as his eyes nervously darted
up and down the bridge. "Peter!" The bridge began its descent so that the train could
cross. "Daddy! Daddy!" Frantic with worry, Gus peered over the edge and saw his son
atop the huge bridge gears. The giant teeth of the rotating machinery had consumed the boy's
jacket. Now his hand and arm were being devoured, slowing pulling his entire body into the
grinding gears. Gus reached for the levers to stop the machinery. But there came the 10:05 train
loaded with passengers, whistle howling, roaring toward the bridge. "Daddy! Help me!"
The terror of the boy's voice seemed to pound within every muscle of his father's body. Gus
glanced at the train, then at his helpless son. In that split second, Gus was faced with
deciding between the life of his pleading son, or the hundreds of lives aboard the rushing train.
Gus pulled firmly on the levers. The bridge continued its merciful descent for the passengers of
the train. Gus wept as the machinery squeezed the life from his only son. As the boy's shrieks
melted into echoes, the 10:05 sped across the old bridge. The vacationing passengers had no idea
what had just transpired below the bridge. In air-conditioned comfort, they waved and smiled at
Gus as they whizzed by.
Two thousand years ago, a similar situation faced a loving Father. Much more was at stake back
then. But confronted with that awesome decision, the Father chose to allow His Son to die so
that we could live.
|
