Category: Gospel Centrality

Double Shot of Gospel (Part 2)

notepad and coffee

Would you like a gospel refill?

Yes, Please!

 

By Grace Through Faith And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved

Ephesians 2:1-5 ESV

 

 

“We have an unchanging gospel, which is not today green grass and tomorrow dry hay; but always the abiding truth of the immutable Jehovah.”

C.H. Spurgeon

 

“As the early church fathers delighted in saying, Christ took what was ours so that we might receive what was His.” 

Sinclair Ferguson, In Christ Alone

 

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Ephesians 2:8-9 ESV

 

“The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.”

C.H. Spurgeon

 

“The gospel is not ‘God loves us,’ but ‘God loves us at the cost of his Son.’”

Derek Thomas

 

“Preaching the gospel to myself each day mounts a powerful assault against my pride and serves to establish humility in its place. Nothing suffocates my pride more than daily reminders regarding the glory of my God, the gravity of my sins, and the crucifixion of God’s own Son in my place. Also, the gracious love of God, lavished on me because of Christ’s death, is always humbling to remember, especially when viewed against the backdrop of the Hell I deserve.” 
Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians

 

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8 ESV

 

“Grace-driven effort is violent. It is aggressive. The person who understands the gospel understands that, as a new creation, his spiritual nature is in opposition to sin now, and he seeks not just to weaken sin in his life but to outright destroy it. Out of love for Jesus, he wants sin starved to death, and he will hunt and pursue the death of every sin in his heart until he has achieved success. This is a very different pursuit than simply wanting to be good. It is the result of having transferred one’s affections to Jesus. When God’s love takes hold of us, it powerfully pushes out our own love for other gods and frees our love to flow back to him in true worship. And when we love God, we obey him. The moralist doesn’t operate that way. While true obedience is a result of love, moralistic legalism assumes it works the other way around, that love results from obedience.”

Matt Chandler, The Explicit Gospel

 

“Never lose heart in the power of the gospel. Do not believe that there exists any man, much less any race of men, for whom the gospel is not fitted.”

C.H. Spurgeon

 

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23 ESV

 

“Let this be to you the mark of true gospel preaching – where Christ is everything, and the creature is nothing; where it is salvation all of grace, through the work of the Holy Spirit applying to the soul the precious blood of Jesus.”

C.H. Spurgeon

 

“When I begin my train of thought with the gospel, I realize that if God loved me enough to sacrifice His Son’s life for me, then He must be guided by that same love when He speaks His commandments to me. Viewing God’s commands and prohibitions in this light, I can see them for what they really are: friendly signposts from a heavenly Father who is seeking to love me through each directive, so that I might experience His very fullness forever.”
Milton Vincent, A Gospel Primer for Christians 

“If God does not save men by truth, he certainly will not save them by lies. And if the old gospel is not competent to work a revival, then we will do without the revival.”

C.H. Spurgeon

A Double Shot Of Gospel, Please

coffee beans

It’s what I need. I wake up in the morning and my dry soul must have it. “A double shot of Gospel, please”! Because, I am dull and I forget the glories of what Christ has done for me. Today is a new day in which I am inclined to drift towards my works and efforts. I want to trust in myself. And so…. I need to be reminded of Christ’s work on that cross! The gospel is a double shot for my soul. I need it daily, regular, and often. “Why”, you ask? Because it seems that while I slept last night gospel truths began to lose its grip on me. Like the sand I hold in my hand at the beach, it slips through my fingers.

So, join with me and refresh your soul with the truths of the gospel.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand:
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand.

Stuart Townend & Keith Getty Copyright © 2001 Thankyou Music

The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.

1 Timothy 1:15

“If the Lord’s bearing our sin for us is not the gospel, I have no gospel to preach.”

C.H. Spurgeon

“The man who does not glory in the gospel can surely know little of the plague of sin that is within him.

J.C. Ryle

Outside of the cross of Jesus Christ, there is no hope in this world. That cross and resurrection at the core of the Gospel is the only hope for humanity. Wherever you go, ask God for wisdom on how to get that Gospel in, even in the toughest situations of life.  

Ravi Zacharias 

The Righteous Shall Live by Faith For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…

Romans 1:16 ESV

The best news of the Christian gospel is that the supremely glorious Creator of the universe has acted in Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection to remove every obstacle between us and himself so that we may find everlasting joy in seeing and savoring his infinite beauty.

John Piper

“If we think the main mission of the church is to improve life in Adam and add a little moral strength to this fading evil age, we have not yet understood the radical condition for which Christ is such a radical solution.” 

Michael Horton, Christless Christianity

The Righteousness of God Through Faith But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.

Romans 3:21-25 ESV

“If you believe what you like in the gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.”

Augustine

 

“The reason that marriage is so painful and yet wonderful is because it is a reflection of the gospel, which is painful and wonderful at once. The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” 

Timothy Keller

Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.

Ephesians 5:25-28 ESV

“My work with teenagers has convinced me that one of the main reasons teenagers are not excited by the gospel is that they do not think they need it. Many parents have successfully raised self-righteous little Pharisees. When they look at themselves, they do not see a sinner in desperate need, so they are not grateful for a Savior. Sadly, the same is true of many of their parents.” 

Timothy D. Lane, How People Change

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…

I Corinthians 15:3-4 ESV

“The marker of those who understand the gospel of Jesus Christ is that, when they stumble and fall, when they screw up, they run to God and not from him, because they clearly understand that their acceptance before God is not predicated upon their behavior but on the righteous life of Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death.”

Matt Chandler, The Explicit Gospel

6 Convictions Needed When Approaching God’s Word

Bible

God’s Word is…. well God’s Word and because it is, we would do well to read it with a set of convictions. Below are 6 of those convictions. Certainly, there are more. Feel free to comment below on convictions you have when you are sitting down to read the very Words of God.

1.) It is GOD’S Word

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

Scripture is the God breathed out Word of God.

What does that matter?

Well, if this is our conviction it will affect how we approach or even if we will approach God’s Word.

When this is our conviction we will approach God’s Word not seeking to impose my thoughts and will on it. Rather, our desire is that the Word brings to us the thoughts and will of God for our lives.

If it is God’s Words than it is my Authority! While my thoughts can tend to be shifty, God’s Word remains. It is objective and unchanging! Shifty people need an anchor for the soul!

Consider: Without this initial conviction:

What do you have?

What is the Bible?

How does your view of the Bible affect how you read it?

2.) God’s Word Is Understandable

The Word of God is not veiled. It does not need someone to come along and decipher the code! God intends us to “get it”.  He is a revealing God.  He is not a code to be cracked – He is the God who reveals Himself on every page.  Through His Word He makes known to us, who He is and what He has done for fallen man.

3.) God’s Word Is Useful

2 Timothy 3 (see above) shows us not only that the Word is God breathed, but that it is useful.

…….profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

4.) God’s Word Is Effective

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:10-11 ESV)

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)

How effective is the Word of God!

5.) God’s Word Should Be Approached In Humility

  • Am I the authority or is He?
  • Do I Submit to God’s Word or Does the Word submit to me?
  • My life vs Gods Word – what must change?
  • Feelings vs Truth – subjective vs objective – fleeting vs never-changing

“I’ve heard the story of a man who was in Paris visiting the Louvre. He was particularly interested in seeing Leonardo Da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. After examining the painting for some time with a critical eye, he announced, “I don’t like it.” The guard stationed there replied, “Sir, these paintings are no longer being judged. The viewers are.” It is the same with God’s Word, which is not what is being judged. Its readers are.”

Bullmore, Mike (2011-08-02). The Gospel and Scripture: How to Read the Bible (The Gospel Coalition Booklets) (Kindle Locations 163-167). Crossway. Kindle Edition.

6.) God’s Word Is About Christ

The entire Word of God is about God redeeming fallen man. That redemption comes through God the Son, Jesus Christ. As we read the Word with Christ in view, we will see that everything prior to Jesus death anticipates Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. All that we read post Christ’s death looks back to that event. God’s Word is about…. Christ!

 

For further study check out this easy to read booklet:

The Gospel and Scripture:  How To Read The Bible By Mike Bullmore

 

The Gospel Song (With John Piper)

Typically, I plan to be posting on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays.  But, given this weeks topic…. I can’t help it!  I am creating a few extra posts this week in light of yesterdays post: What is the Gospel?  Getting that question right is the most important thing we will do in this life!

Below is a favorite song of mine. It is one of the ways I preach the gospel to myself.  It is both profound and yet so simple.

Continue reading The Gospel Song (With John Piper)

Connecting The Gospel To Singing

Connecting The Gospel and Singing

 

 

Bob Kauflin
Bob Kauflin

It’s Friday morning and that means it is time for me to introduce you to new and old friends that are making gospel connections.  In todays post Bob Kauflin helps us to connect the gospel to worship and singing.

This post was previously posted by Bob on his blog: Worship Matters.  The post was titled:  Can singing about the gospel become rote?
Thank you Bob for allowing me to use of this post!

What’s A Gospel Disconnect? (Part 2)

gospel disconnect part 2

 

Deadly Gospel Disconnect #2: Knowing the Gospel Factually. Before reading today’s post, please take a minute and please read: “What’s A Gospel Disconnect”. This will help you better understand today’s post.

So, as you read in the last post, I am no electrician! But what if I was an electrician and what if I had electrical knowledge? What if I was a Master Electrician (Allen L, Tony L, Chad S, and Justin B….stop laughing!) and yet, I did not practice safety? Odd right? More than odd! Try…..STUPID! Continue reading What’s A Gospel Disconnect? (Part 2)

Meet Mike Bullmore

image

Mike BullmoreOn Fridays I hope to introduce to you some friends who are making Gospel Connections.  Today, meet Mike Bullmore Pastor of CrossWay Community Church in Bristol, WI.  Mike’s sermon titled:  The Functional Centrality of the Gospel has been a favorite of mine for quite a few years.  I have listened and read this sermon a number of times and have benefited from it in so many ways.  I am hopeful that Mike’s sermon will serve you in helping you understand further what I am driving at here on the Gospel Connections blog.  So, grab a coffee and notepad, or download this and listen to it during your commute and…. enjoy!

Continue reading Meet Mike Bullmore