[Dear God, please bless Your gospel, and help it to go through humble, willing vessels such as ourselves. And just give strength and the right tone and the right spirit to the deliver of Your message. Amen. ]
We have a combined dream.
A God-given dream. A synchronized dream.
A vision of weaving unity into a tightly-knit fabric of teamwork of gospel-goers,
to cover the word.
This dream is not from within myself.
Here is a vision of the world saturated with the single simple message of salvation.
Rescue.
How will this dream come to fruition?
God has a will. God has a way. God has a plan. God has a pattern. And God has a people, ready. God has a team, with energy. God has a message for His team to carry.
God wants everyone knowing about the Light of the world. Most of this world is sadly, right now lost in the darkness: yet the Light of the world is Jesus! The gospel flips that switch from spiritual darkness to glorious light.
Have you met Him?
God wants everyone knowing that He is the Creator, in fact THEIR Creator, from the beginning.
Our Heavenly Dad wants everyone knowing that He is the Source of abundant life.
God wants everyone knowing that only through Jesus Christ the Son can salvation be obtained.
God has a crystal clear message.
Salvation? My Son!
That simple. 19 one-syllable words lay it out elegantly. “He hath the Son hath life, [comma: pause to breathe,] but he that hath NOT the Son of God hath NOT life.”
“Not life?”
Line it up!
Life on the right.
Not-life on the left. Massive separation between.
Are we clear? What is God’s message to all inhabitants of earth? Here we see God, “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come onto the knowledge of the truth.” First Timothy 2:4.
What then is truth? Better stated, Who embodies truth? Pilate had the same question for Jesus, in John 18:38 (KJV)
“Pilate saith unto Him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find … in Him no fault … at all.”
Jesus, the God man had just clearly answered that question to Pilate in the sentence directly above: Jesus clarified to Pilate, ”To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth … My voice."
God is the truth.
And God wants everyone knowing His truth.
Receiving His truth.
Processing His truth.
Acting on His truth.
Ephesians 4:21 says it so beautiful, “If so be that ye have heard Him, and have been taught by Him, as the truth is … in Jesus”
Have you been to that class?
The truth is simple. By nature.
Truth is nearly unavoidable.
It takes major mental gymnastics and physical gymnastics to avoid, and resist the truth.
The gospel is God’s DNA.
The gospel is the core-essence of what God wants you to hear and do.
What does God want me to be?
Saved. “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22.
What does God want me to do?
Trust the Son. “That we may know Him that is true, … even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.” I John 5:20.
There’s a lot going on in that verse!
One message. One channel. One concept. The gospel.
One harmonized singing army belting out the joyful sound: Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Would you like to join this humble chorus as we attempt to carry out the Great Commission of God?
Bear THIS news to ev'ry land,
Climb the steeps and cross the waves;
Onward! 'tis our Lord's command;
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Give the winds a mighty voice: [Everybody sing it now.]
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Let the nations now rejoice: [Hey, bring that news on over here.]
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
SHOUT salvation full and free,
Highest hills and deepest caves;
This our song of victory:
Jesus saves! Jesus saves!
Have you joined this melodious marching choir covering every hill and cave?
That hymn was authored by Priscilla Owens.
What should we do then with the gospel?
Let’s let the Bible tell us.
Matthew 4:23 (KJV)
“And Jesus 1. went about all Galilee [He went], 2. teaching in their synagogues, and 3. preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and 4. healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”
I am not God. You knew that already. I cannot heal you. I do not have that gift. If I did, everyone would know. But because I do NOT, everyone knows that also. And let’s all stop pretending that we can do the healing, please. Otherwise we’d put the hospitals out of business. Jesus-style healing: He healed everyone. That’s NOT happening right now. God can heal, but not in this way. He chooses not to temporarily. We’re not going to argue. You clear out one hospital, and then we will believe you have that gift.
Back to the Bible.
What can I do?
But I can go all about Galilee. I can “went” just like Jesus went. I can loopidy-dupe my region carrying that same gospel.
Notice the second action Jesus took: I can teach in “their" synagogues. Go specifically to where the smart people hang out. Go find the crowd of curious people in today’s Social Square which is most likely: social media. And teach them the truth of the gospel plainly.
What else did Jesus do with the gospel?
#1) He carried it with Him throughout all of Galilee.
2) He taught the gospel in the teaching spaces and places of His day.
3) Then He preached the gospel.
Understand, please. Preaching is the next level. Preaching brings out pathos.
Preaching is teaching with a tear in the eye. Preaching is teaching set on fire of Heaven.
Preaching is explaining the truth with the Holy Ghost lit.
Preachin’ is where God lets loose and makes connections happen beyond well our human limited capacity.
Preaching is where more than just that guy up there is doing the talking internally. Somethin’s burning up on the inside!
Preaching illustrates, and makes the truth memorable.
Preaching compels a response.
Preaching pulls you forward!
Preaching appeals to your spirit and your soul and your intellect and your emotion and your willpower simultaneously.
Preaching is one person fully persuaded, attempting to persuade … the yet unpersuaded.
Chose Christ!
How can I be like Jesus?
He carried the gospel.
He taught the gospel.
He preached the gospel.
And He followed up with doing acts of kindness; helping their problem. His actions were supernatural. Today… we can still do something … kind. It might not be physical healing. But we can be gracious. We can be present. We can be thoughtful. We can be a listening ear. We can be a helping hand. We can be available. We can solve a some problems.
Acts 10:38
“How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with Him.”
I can go about doing good with God‘s help. I do not have divine healing power, however. That would be nice. But I don’t have it. God is with me. Nevertheless, the gospel is with me. I can still have the power of the Holy Ghost with me. Why? For the furtherance of the gospel.
Here it is again in another verse. Same pattern. Same Person: Jesus Christ. Establishing a sequence for us to follow. Explaining how to do it. Here He’s living out the model.
Matthew 9:35 (KJV)
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.”
Sounds like the same verse, but it’s not. It’s the same pattern repeated for our benefit.
Here notice, please. Christ keeps going. He went about. He covered all the cities. He covered all the villages. Systematic. He went where the people were. Outreach. Outgoing. Out walking. Out talking. Outside. Out of Himself. Not stuck in a basement. Going. Giving. Delivering. On the gospel campaign trail. He’s out with the humans, live, face-to-face.
What should we do then, with the gospel?
Is it my property?
Entrusted to my care?
Give Gospel to the ones most hungry to hear it.
Matthew 11:5 (KJV)
“The blind receive their …
[You know what the blind man wants more than anything?] their sight,
and the lame [What does the cripple or amputee wish for physically?] walk,
the lepers [What do the diseased and filthy and corroded, corrupted, cancerous, eaten-up, decrepit, terminally-ill patients crave?] are cleansed, and the deaf [Let’s ask a deaf person if they would prefer to experience the world of sound] hear, the dead [What would the dead like? Probably to stay dead in Heaven. But for the sake of their family and friends… ] The dead are raised up, and the poor [Notice: everything up to this point is a physical malady. Something uniquely deformed about our body. My eyes don’t work. My ears don’t work. My skin is falling apart. My body stopped functioning. I have a physical ailment that needs direct attention from God. Up till this point. What is the difference here with the word: “poor”? Why did this category even make it on the same list? The poor, awe, they need a solution desperately. Just like all the people above. The poor are seeking for a singular answer. The poor know they are poor. They admit they have a problem. Maybe not in their pocketbook. But in their spirit. Poor in their soul. Poor without peace. Poor without confidence. Poor without a certain future. Poor without a Friend in Jesus. What do the poor crave more than anything to satisfy their poorness? ... the poor … have the gospel preached to them.”
What is the good news to the poor? Jesus provides. Jesus eternally rescues your soul. Your poor state temporarily will not matter eternally. We have the solution to your situation of poverty. Christ, Who is riches offers you an inheritance inconceivable.
“that I should preach … the unsearchable riches of Christ;” Eph 3:8.
Jesus wants to share “the riches of the glory of His inheritance” Eph 1:18.
“In Whom [in Christ] also we have obtained an inheritance” Eph 1:11.
That we did not earn.
“To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,” 1 Peter 1:4.
Who did Jesus bring the gospel to primarily? Those who wanted it most.
If you’re going to bring eyesight to an audience… Who is your target demographic? That’s right: the blind.
If you’re going to cause super-natural healing, you need to find … the sick.
If you’re going to provide a solution for the soul of humanity, you need to find a seeking, hungry soul that wants what you have to offer.
Sure, bring the message to every address, and especially target those who express desire to receive the good news gladly.
We’re just going verse-by-verse in Scripture and putting the gospel into action.
Read the verse and take the action.
Matthew 24:14 (KJV)
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.”
Well Hallelujah, let’s wrap it up down here. Bags all packed. Jumpin’ shoes on. Ready to hop into the arms of Jesus. Carry me away.
What is God’s action plan for His gospel in this verse?
Proclaim!
Preach the gospel in all the world for a witness onto all nations. Double emphasis on that focal word: all! "gospel … preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations”
[Sounds like I should help.]
Witness is a court term. We’re gonna bring up the next witness. An eyewitness. And in-your-face witness. A truth-telling witness. “Do you swear and affirm …” Someone who knows that which they’re about to express to the jury. A witness must have personal, first-hand eyewitness knowledge of the facts of the case otherwise they would be no benefit to be called to the stand.
Witness to all the world. Witness to all nations.
Who is God? And what does God want us to know about Himself?
Witness the gospel to all men and women and children everywhere.
The gospel brings the knowledge of God and His simple salvation.
What does the Gospel of Mark say about the gospel of Jesus?
Mark 1:1 (KJV)
Right out of the box.
“The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger [John] before Thy face [of Christ], which shall prepare Thy way before Thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight …
And [this voice of one came &] preached, saying, There cometh One … mightier than I … after me,”
What can we learn from the launchpad of this blessed gospel of Mark?
Some of us can be that spirit of Elijah, that filled John Baptist in declaring the arrival of the Lord. Be ON the preparation team. Carry the banner: “There cometh One mightier than I after me.”
That’s a tee shirt! Hit print!
Get people ready for the big event.
You can participate in the gospel in this way:
I’m here to help you get ready.
You’re about to be introduced.
There’s Someone I need you to meet.
I’d love you to shake hands with my Friend here. You can have a Friend in Jesus.
Allow me the privilege of properly introducing the two of you.
John came to get us ready.
John, the forerunner. [maybe that’s you?]
John, the preparer.
John, the declarer.
John, the paver of smooth roads to walk on.
John, the straightener of that which is crooked.
John, the identifier of that which would prevent a proper connection with the soon-coming Christ.
Let’s straighten some things up, folks. He’s coming right behind me. Make way.
And … you’re going to want to take specific action to be ready for Him. Just change your … attitude.
“Well John, who is this guy? Why should I meet Him?”
Who is He? Well He … He is the Gospel.
He is … the good news come from heaven. You want to meet Him.
He is … your only rescue plan.
He is … your Redeemer personally. He wants to purchase you.
Let’s all become like John!
Point and guide the attention of the audience!
Behold! The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world; trigger boom.
[Make that connection happen. Can you connect people with Christ? You can do that.]
Behold, the Innocent Substitute sacrifice … for you.
Behold, the only One willing and available and capable of settling the score, and paying that massive bill that you owe all by yourself … to the Judge who is also your Creator. And He says He’s going to collect on that bill.
You owe God … and this Man … is your payment. You want to meet Him now?
The declaration of the gospel of God. It’s really good news.
We carry this gospel on fragile yet functional lips.
Jesus is “Declared to be the Son of God with power.” in Romans 1:4.
You can tell your world, Jesus is coming!
What does God say we should do with His gospel?
Mark 1:14 (KJV)
Now after that John was put in prison, [Slam. Lock that guy up, he’s a loudmouth!] Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe … the gospel.”
What was His message?
Wake up. It’s time. Right now. We’re rolling. Live on the air. Time is filled-up. The alarm went off. Do you hear it? The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God is at hand. I’m right here … right now. Therefore, change your mind. Become alert. Make a real smart decision. Believe the gospel.
Let Me explain it to ya.
I AM the Gospel.
Who is the gospel?
Christ is the gospel.
“Believe that I am He” John 13:19. That’s good. “Believe that I am He.”
This world does not need … additional violence.
This our world does not need … more confusion.
This world does not need … escalation of evil events.
This world does not need … another fake distraction claiming to be a “trustworthy system” of religion, while actually leading toward destruction and away from Christ.
Instead:
We each need … the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Every day. Meditate therein. Think about it. Let the gospel sink down into your ears.
So it becomes a part of who you are. So it just flows out of you.
Christ becomes your life.
Mark 8:35 (KJV)
“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's [sake] , the same shall save it.”
I don’t know what all that means. But it sounds like winning.
Sounds like a lot of believing is involved.
Apparently, my life means more when it’s invested in the gospel’s sake.
Life given … for the sake of Christ … life invested for the sake of the gospel. That same individual shall preserve and protect their real life. The true life. The one that matters most.
Do not hold back.
Burn up that midnight oil!
Give every last measure of devotion.
Ask God to help you pour out your life energy for His sake and for the sake of His gospel.
Mark 8:35 (KJV)
Mark it down, son. Grab your highlighter.
For whosoever will save [are you saving?] his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for My sake and the gospel's [sake], the same shall save it.
Save your life by giving your life for the sake of Christ and Christ’s gospel.
We Have A Dream