The Gospel: Historical Truth and Divine Relationship

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel as a Historical Reality

The gospel is not merely a story or a myth; it is a historical event that took place 2,000 years ago with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event is the cornerstone of Christian faith, standing firm regardless of personal beliefs or existence. The historical foundation of the gospel is crucial, as it affirms the reality of Christ's sacrifice and victory over death. Any attempt to dehistoricize or demythologize this event undermines its biblical significance and the truth of the gospel. The gospel's historical nature assures believers of its authenticity and the certainty of God's promises. [06:27]

"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." (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: How does acknowledging the historical reality of the gospel impact your faith and daily life today?

Day 2: The Gospel's Achievement Beyond Human Effort

The gospel's achievements are independent of human actions or beliefs. Through Christ's sacrifice, God's wrath was absorbed, our sins were paid for, perfect righteousness was provided, and eternal life was obtained. These accomplishments are central to the gospel and demonstrate God's grace and love for humanity. The gospel's power lies in what Christ has done, not in what we can do. This understanding frees believers from the burden of trying to earn salvation through works and invites them to rest in the finished work of Christ. [12:33]

"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)

Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself trying to earn God's favor through your actions, and how can you shift your focus to resting in Christ's finished work?

Day 3: Faith as the Means to Receive the Gospel

The gospel is offered to us through faith, not works. Its application is the personal experience of God's transformative work in our hearts, made possible by Christ's sacrifice. This personal application is essential for the gospel to be truly good news, as it brings the reality of God's love and grace into our lives. Faith is the means by which we receive the benefits of the gospel, allowing us to experience forgiveness, righteousness, and a restored relationship with God. This faith is not a work but a response to God's grace. [04:20]

"Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a deeper faith that allows you to experience the fullness of the gospel in your daily life?

Day 4: The Gospel's Ultimate Goal: Bringing Us to God

The ultimate goal of the gospel is to bring us to God. Without reaching Him, none of the other aspects of the gospel are truly good news. The gospel is not just about historical events or achievements but about a relationship with God. This relationship is the heart of the gospel, as it restores the broken connection between humanity and the Creator. Through Christ, we are invited into a loving and eternal relationship with God, which is the true essence of the gospel's good news. [04:54]

"For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit." (1 Peter 3:18, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to deepen your relationship with God and experience the fullness of His presence in your life?

Day 5: The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness

The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by faith, not by our own works. This righteousness is essential for our justification before God, as our own righteousness is insufficient. The imputation of Christ's righteousness is a key aspect of the gospel's achievement, providing believers with the assurance of their standing before God. This gift of righteousness transforms our identity and empowers us to live in a way that reflects Christ's character. It is a reminder of God's grace and the new life we have in Him. [22:30]

"For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

Reflection: How does the understanding of Christ's righteousness being imputed to you change the way you view yourself and your relationship with God?

Sermon Summary

The gospel is a historical event, an objective reality that stands firm regardless of our existence or beliefs. It is centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, which occurred 2,000 years ago. This event is essential to the gospel, and any attempt to dehistoricize or demythologize it is unbiblical. The gospel can be described in five ways: as an event, an achievement, an offer, an application, and ultimately, as a means to bring us to God. The event is the death and resurrection of Christ, while the achievement is what was accomplished through this event in the heavenly realms, independent of our actions or beliefs.

The gospel is offered to us not through works but through faith, and its application is the personal experience of God's work in our hearts, made possible by Christ's sacrifice. The ultimate goal of the gospel is to bring us to God, for without reaching Him, none of the other aspects are truly good news. The achievement of the gospel is central, as it involves the absorption of God's wrath, the payment of our sins, the provision of perfect righteousness, and the obtaining of eternal life.

When Jesus died, He absorbed the wrath of God, taking upon Himself the curse that was rightfully ours due to sin. He paid the debt for our sins, bearing them in His body on the cross. His death also consummated a life of perfect righteousness, which is imputed to us by faith. This righteousness is not our own but is counted as ours through Christ's obedience. Finally, eternal life is obtained through the righteousness of Christ, which is imputed to us by grace alone. This is the essence of the gospel: the historical event of Christ's death and resurrection, the achievements it accomplished, and the ultimate goal of bringing us to God.

Key Takeaways

1. The gospel is a historical event, centered on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is an objective reality that stands firm regardless of our existence or beliefs. This historical foundation is essential to the gospel, and any attempt to dehistoricize it is unbiblical. [06:27]
2. The gospel's achievement is independent of our actions or beliefs. It involves the absorption of God's wrath, the payment of our sins, the provision of perfect righteousness, and the obtaining of eternal life. These achievements are central to the gospel and are accomplished through Christ's sacrifice. [12:33]
3. The gospel is offered to us through faith, not works. Its application is the personal experience of God's work in our hearts, made possible by Christ's sacrifice. This personal application is essential for the gospel to be truly good news. [04:20]
4. The ultimate goal of the gospel is to bring us to God. Without reaching Him, none of the other aspects of the gospel are truly good news. The gospel is not just about historical events or achievements but about a relationship with God. [04:54]
5. The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by faith, not by our own works. This righteousness is essential for our justification before God, as our own righteousness is insufficient. The imputation of Christ's righteousness is a key aspect of the gospel's achievement. [22:30]
** [22:30]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:18] - The Gospel as a Historical Event
[01:17] - Prayer and Introduction
[02:11] - God is the Gospel
[03:02] - Five Descriptions of the Gospel
[05:13] - The Gospel as an Event
[07:04] - The Central Event in History
[08:14] - The Achievement of the Gospel
[10:23] - Absorption of God's Wrath
[12:58] - Payment for Our Sins
[15:27] - Provision of Perfect Righteousness
[20:43] - Eternal Life Obtained
[24:58] - Conclusion and Resources

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Galatians 3:13
1 Peter 2:24

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Observation Questions:

According to 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, what are the key elements of the gospel that Paul emphasizes? How does this align with the sermon’s description of the gospel as a historical event? [06:04]
In Galatians 3:13, what does it mean that Christ became a curse for us? How does this relate to the sermon’s explanation of the gospel’s achievement? [10:23]
How does 1 Peter 2:24 describe the way Jesus dealt with our sins? What significance does this have in the context of the gospel’s achievements as discussed in the sermon? [12:58]
The sermon mentions the gospel as an offer through faith, not works. How is this concept reflected in the Bible passages we read? [03:59]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the historical nature of the gospel, as described in 1 Corinthians 15, impact our understanding of its truth and relevance today? [06:27]
What are the implications of Christ absorbing God’s wrath for us, as mentioned in Galatians 3:13, for our relationship with God? [10:23]
In what ways does the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, as discussed in the sermon, change our standing before God? How is this reflected in Romans 5:19? [15:54]
How does the concept of eternal life being obtained through Christ’s righteousness, as mentioned in the sermon, influence our hope and assurance as believers? [20:43]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on the historical event of Christ’s death and resurrection. How does acknowledging this as an objective reality affect your daily faith and witness? [06:27]
The sermon emphasizes that the gospel is offered through faith, not works. How can you ensure that your faith is active and not just a passive belief? What steps can you take this week to live out your faith more fully? [03:59]
Consider the idea that Christ absorbed God’s wrath on our behalf. How does this truth affect your view of God’s justice and mercy? How can you share this aspect of the gospel with someone who struggles with understanding God’s character? [10:23]
The sermon highlights the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to us. How does this truth impact your self-worth and identity in Christ? What practical steps can you take to remind yourself of this truth daily? [15:54]
Eternal life is described as being obtained through Christ’s righteousness. How does this assurance of eternal life influence your priorities and decisions? What changes might you need to make to align your life more closely with this eternal perspective? [20:43]
The ultimate goal of the gospel is to bring us to God. How can you cultivate a deeper relationship with God this week? What specific practices or habits can you incorporate into your routine to draw closer to Him? [04:54]
Reflect on the sermon’s message about the gospel’s achievements being independent of our actions. How does this understanding free you from striving for acceptance through works? How can you rest in the completed work of Christ this week? [12:33]

Sermon Clips

The gospel is an event in history, totally nonsubjective, totally objective outside of you if you live, die, exist, don't exist, and change it at all. It's there in history 2,000 years ago. The Son of God died. That's essential to the gospel. Any dehistoricizing, any demythologizing that says history doesn't matter, facts don't matter, just count it out, that's not biblical. Christ died. That's the main event. [00:06:00]

The gospel can be spoken of in terms of the offer of the achievement to you and how it's offered. Is it offered to works or faith? Fourth, you can describe the gospel in terms of its application to your heart. That is, the achievement 2,000 years ago becomes yours, and you experience something between you and God because of what Christ did before you were ever born. [00:39:36]

When he died, the wrath of God was absorbed by him, or put it more biblically, to quote Galatians 3:13, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, as it is written, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree." Whose curse? God's curse. When God's law was broken in the beginning, a curse fell upon humanity. [00:10:23]

He paid the debt for our sins. 1 Peter 2:24: "He himself bore our sins in his own body." Isn't it good to have clear sentences in the Bible? Oh, this is so good. He himself bore our sins in his body. Let's go back 700 years. We esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. He was wounded for our transgressions. [00:12:58]

He provided in his dying the consummation of a life of perfect righteousness. You might want to go to Romans 5. There are about a half a dozen texts where we can make this point pretty clearly. I'll just pick this one, Romans 5:9: "As by one man's disobedience," it's Adam, "the many, that's us, were made sinners." [00:15:27]

The righteousness of Christ is imputed to us by faith, not by our own works. This righteousness is essential for our justification before God, as our own righteousness is insufficient. The imputation of Christ's righteousness is a key aspect of the gospel's achievement. [00:22:30]

Eternal life obtained, purchased. You know, if your Bible's still open at Romans 5, I want to show you something. I wasn't going to do this because it's a little complicated, but it's so significant for those of you who are pushing the edges on justification, that is, you really want to understand how it works. [00:20:43]

Christ has obeyed perfectly. God has a righteousness in his son that by grace can be counted as yours, yielding eternal life. And they hear the truth. You mean it's not my righteousness? It's his righteousness, and by grace alone is counted as my righteousness. Then let us sin that follows. [00:23:54]

The gospel is offered to us through faith, not works. Its application is the personal experience of God's work in our hearts, made possible by Christ's sacrifice. This personal application is essential for the gospel to be truly good news. [00:04:20]

The ultimate goal of the gospel is to bring us to God. Without reaching Him, none of the other aspects of the gospel are truly good news. The gospel is not just about historical events or achievements but about a relationship with God. [00:04:54]

The achievement of the gospel is central, as it involves the absorption of God's wrath, the payment of our sins, the provision of perfect righteousness, and the obtaining of eternal life. These achievements are central to the gospel and are accomplished through Christ's sacrifice. [00:12:33]

The gospel's achievement is independent of our actions or beliefs. It involves the absorption of God's wrath, the payment of our sins, the provision of perfect righteousness, and the obtaining of eternal life. These achievements are central to the gospel and are accomplished through Christ's sacrifice. [00:12:33]

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The Gospel: Historical Truth and Divine Relationship

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel as a Historical Reality

Day 2: The Gospel's Achievement Beyond Human Effort

Day 3: Faith as the Means to Receive the Gospel

Day 4: The Gospel's Ultimate Goal: Bringing Us to God

Day 5: The Imputation of Christ's Righteousness

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

The Gospel: Historical Truth and Divine Relationship

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