Reiterating the Gospel: Truth, Unity, and Remembrance
Summary
In this sermon, I emphasized the importance of the gospel and the need for it to be reiterated in every sermon. I acknowledged that some may feel this is repetitive, but I stressed the importance of this repetition as a means of reminding us of the core tenets of our faith. I pointed out that we are forgetful beings and need these reminders to keep us grounded in our faith. I also highlighted the fact that the act of reminding is a theme throughout scripture, with the word 'remember' being mentioned over 250 times. I then went on to explain the gospel, emphasizing that every person, regardless of their perceived goodness, is separated from God due to sin and that it is only through Jesus Christ that we can be reconciled with God.
In the second part of the sermon, I expressed my passion for the unity and transformation that is taking place within our church community. I shared my concern about the potential for deception within the church, drawing parallels with the deceit that took place in the Garden of Eden. I stressed the importance of being aware of those who may not have the right agenda at heart and the need to know not just what we believe, but why we believe it. I concluded by stating that truth needs a memory, and that it is through the constant repetition and reminder of the gospel that we can keep this truth alive in our hearts and minds.
Key Takeaways:
- The gospel needs to be reiterated in every sermon as a means of reminding us of the core tenets of our faith. ([20:11])
- We are all separated from God due to sin, and it is only through Jesus Christ that we can be reconciled with God. ([23:02])
- It is important to be aware of potential deception within the church and to know not just what we believe, but why we believe it. ([26:30])
- Truth needs a memory, and it is through the constant repetition and reminder of the gospel that we can keep this truth alive in our hearts and minds. ([19:41])
Study Guide
Bible Passages:
1. Jude 1:3-4
2. 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
3. 1 Peter 3:15
Key Points from the sermon:
1. The importance of contending for the faith and standing firm in the truth of the Gospel.
2. The need to identify and expose false teachings and ideologies that infiltrate the Christian community.
3. The necessity of understanding not just what we believe, but why we believe it.
Observation Questions:
1. What does Jude 1:3-4 say about the purpose of Jude's letter?
2. According to 2 Corinthians 11:13-15, how do false prophets and deceitful workers present themselves?
3. What instruction does 1 Peter 3:15 give to believers?
Interpretation Questions:
1. What does it mean to "contend for the faith" as mentioned in Jude 1:3-4?
2. How can we identify false prophets and deceitful workers based on 2 Corinthians 11:13-15?
3. How can we apply the instruction in 1 Peter 3:15 in our daily lives?
Application Questions:
1. How can we actively contend for our faith in our daily lives?
2. What steps can we take to identify and expose false teachings in our community?
3. How can we deepen our understanding of why we believe what we believe?
Devotional
Day 1: The Importance of Remembering the Gospel
The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ, His life, death, and resurrection. It is the foundation of our faith and the source of our hope. Remembering the Gospel is not just about recalling facts, but about living in the reality of God's love and grace every day.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - "Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."
Reflection: Reflect on the last time you intentionally reminded yourself of the Gospel truths. How did it impact your day or situation? How can you make this a regular practice in your life?
Day 2: The Gospel as the Heart of Faith
Our faith is not based on our works, but on the grace of God through Jesus Christ. This is the heart of the Gospel, the good news that we are saved not by what we do, but by what Christ has done for us.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast."
Reflection: How does the understanding of being saved by grace through faith shape your daily life? Can you recall a recent situation where you were reminded of this truth?
Day 3: The Urgency of Contending for the Faith
Our faith is not a passive acceptance of truths, but an active struggle to live out those truths in a world that often opposes them. We are called to contend for the faith, to fight the good fight, and to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel.
Jude 1:3 - "Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people."
Reflection: Can you identify a recent situation where you had to 'fight the good fight of faith'? How did you respond and what did you learn from it?
Day 4: The Gospel as the Absolute Truth
In a world of relative truths and shifting morals, the Gospel stands as the absolute truth. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him.
John 14:6 - "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'"
Reflection: How does the understanding of Jesus being 'the way, the truth, and the life' influence your decisions and actions? Can you share a recent example?
Day 5: The Simplicity of Faith
Our faith is not about complex rituals or lofty theology, but about simple, everyday acts of justice, love, mercy, and humility. This is the heart of what it means to walk with God.
Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God."
Reflection: Reflect on your daily actions. How are you demonstrating justice, love, mercy, and humility in your walk with God? Can you identify any areas where you need to grow?
Quotes
1. "Jude has two very urgent purposes to his letter. Purpose number one is he wants to expose these false teachers for all the right reasons, these false teachers and their ideas and their ideology that have infiltrated that Christian Community. Purpose number two is to encourage Christians to stand firm, to contend, to agonize and to fight for the truth, for the faith, for the Gospel of Jesus Christ." 03:57
2. "The worst type of wickedness consists of perversions of the truth. Satan is a master at this. He takes some of the truths of scripture but just enough of it to grab the attention of those that are not filled up with the spirit and Truth and then puts enough of a lie in there to just drag us away." 18:00
3. "Is your faith, the Gospel of Jesus Christ which I hope has transformed your life, anywhere on the list of things worth fighting for? And if it's on the list, where is it in priority? Because I believe Jude would come along and say it's of the utmost importance to contend for the faith." 05:16
4. "Not every fight is worth your time and effort. But this one is. We live in an age of outrage. It's easy to get pulled into arguments that divert our time and energy from the few things that matter. We must know what we believe and why we believe it." 06:26
5. "Preaching is not designed to teach us something new every sermon, but to put us in remembrance, to call to mind things forgotten. Church attendance is not important just so we can check it off the box and say how holy we are, it's to come back in to the truths of God corporally, be able to worship him, but to just be reminded over and over and over of the basic tenets of our faith that we cannot waver." 21:14
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