Undomesticated Gospel: Power in Persecution and Assurance

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel's Jagged Truth

The gospel is not a smooth, familiar message but a jagged truth that sustains us in the darkest times. It challenges us to move beyond comfort and embrace its transformative power. In a world filled with uncertainty and fear, the gospel stands as a robust anchor, offering hope and strength. It is not meant to be domesticated or diluted but to be embraced in its full, raw power. This truth calls us to let the gospel challenge and transform us, rather than merely comfort us. [02:56]

"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)

Reflection: What areas of your life have you allowed the gospel to become too familiar and comfortable? How can you invite its transformative power into those areas today?

Day 2: The Foundational Good News

In 1 Corinthians 15, the gospel is defined as Christ's death and resurrection for our sins. This foundational truth reconciles us to God, granting eternal life. However, there is a danger in allowing this message to become too familiar, losing its transformative power. The challenge is to continually rediscover the depth and significance of this good news, allowing it to shape and redefine our lives. It is a call to remember the profound impact of Christ's sacrifice and resurrection, and to live in the light of this truth. [11:22]

"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 can you intentionally reflect on the significance of Christ's death and resurrection in your daily life? What practices can help you keep this foundational truth fresh and transformative?

Day 3: The Gospel's Power in Persecution

Revelation 13 illustrates the gospel's power in the worst situations. Despite persecution and death, the gospel remains a beacon of hope, rooted in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. This chapter presents a world where Christians face immense trials, yet the gospel shines brightly as a source of strength and assurance. It reminds us that even in the darkest times, the gospel's power is undiminished, offering hope and courage to stand firm. This truth calls us to trust in the enduring power of the gospel, no matter the circumstances. [20:57]

"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." (Revelation 12:11, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you draw strength from the gospel when facing challenges or persecution? How can you be a beacon of hope to others in difficult times?

Day 4: Assurance in the Book of Life

The Book of Life offers profound security and assurance. Our names are written before the foundation of the world, ensuring that we will not worship the Beast. This truth roots our faith in God's eternal covenant to keep us. It is a powerful reminder of God's sovereignty and faithfulness, providing a deep sense of security and peace. This assurance empowers us to face whatever the future holds, knowing that God's covenant is unbreakable and His promises are sure. [29:54]

"Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will." (Ephesians 1:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: How does the assurance of your name being written in the Book of Life impact your daily life and decisions? In what ways can you live more confidently in the security of God's eternal covenant?

Day 5: Endurance and Faith in Uncertainty

The gospel equips us to stand firm in the face of persecution and uncertainty. It is a call to endurance and faith, grounded in the knowledge that God's covenant is unbreakable. This assurance empowers us to face whatever the future holds, trusting in God's faithfulness and strength. In times of uncertainty, the gospel provides a firm foundation, calling us to persevere and remain steadfast in our faith. It is a reminder that we are not alone, and that God's promises are sure. [42:25]

"Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." (1 Corinthians 15:58, ESV)

Reflection: What specific steps can you take to strengthen your endurance and faith in times of uncertainty? How can you encourage others to remain steadfast in their faith?

Sermon Summary

In our time together, I want to challenge the notion of a domesticated gospel—a gospel that is smooth, familiar, and easily pocketed, yet insufficient for the tumultuous and terrifying realities of our world. The aim is to undomesticate the gospel, revealing its jagged and unfamiliar edges, so that it becomes a robust anchor in moments of sleeplessness, confusion, and instability. The gospel must be more than a comforting idea; it must be a powerful truth that sustains us through the darkest times.

We began by examining 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul defines the gospel as the death and resurrection of Christ for our sins. This is the foundational good news: though we are alienated from God, Christ's sacrifice reconciles us, granting eternal life. However, this familiar message can become too comfortable, losing its transformative power. To counter this, we turned to Revelation 13, a chapter filled with imagery of the Beast and persecution, to illustrate how the gospel explodes with power in the worst situations.

In Revelation 13, we see a world where Christians are conquered and killed, yet the gospel remains a beacon of hope. The key is verse 8, which speaks of the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. This book contains the names of those who will not worship the Beast, written before the foundation of the world. This truth offers profound security and assurance, rooting our faith in God's eternal covenant to keep us.

The gospel is not just a message for comfortable times; it is a rugged, controversial truth that equips us to stand firm in the face of persecution and uncertainty. It is a call to endurance and faith, grounded in the knowledge that our names are written in the Book of Life. This assurance empowers us to face whatever the future holds, knowing that God's covenant is unbreakable.

Key Takeaways

1. The gospel must be undomesticated to reveal its true power. It is not a smooth, familiar message but a jagged truth that sustains us in the darkest times. We must let it challenge and transform us, rather than merely comfort us. [02:56]
2. In 1 Corinthians 15, the gospel is defined as Christ's death and resurrection for our sins. This foundational truth reconciles us to God, granting eternal life. Yet, it must not become too familiar, losing its transformative power. [11:22]
3. Revelation 13 illustrates the gospel's power in the worst situations. Despite persecution and death, the gospel remains a beacon of hope, rooted in the Book of Life of the Lamb who was slain. [20:57]
4. The Book of Life offers profound security and assurance. Our names are written before the foundation of the world, ensuring that we will not worship the Beast. This truth roots our faith in God's eternal covenant to keep us. [29:54]
5. The gospel equips us to stand firm in the face of persecution and uncertainty. It is a call to endurance and faith, grounded in the knowledge that God's covenant is unbreakable. This assurance empowers us to face whatever the future holds. [42:25]
** [42:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:14] - Opening Prayer
[01:05] - Aim of the Message
[02:00] - The Challenge of a Domesticated Gospel
[03:35] - Personal Reflections on Current Events
[07:51] - Approach: From Familiar to Unfamiliar
[08:41] - Starting with 1 Corinthians 15
[11:22] - The Basic Good News
[13:01] - Turning to Revelation 13
[15:02] - The Beast and the Dragon
[18:01] - The Saints and the Beast
[20:18] - The Gospel in Revelation 13
[23:24] - Observations on the Book of Life
[30:26] - The Keeping Power of God
[35:35] - The Controversial Doctrine
[40:32] - Praying for the Future
[43:28] - Invitation to the Thirsty
[45:21] - Closing Prayer

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:

1 Corinthians 15:1-4
Revelation 13:1-10

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Observation Questions:

In 1 Corinthians 15:1-4, what are the key elements that Paul identifies as the gospel? How does he describe the response required from believers? [08:58]
According to Revelation 13:7-8, what happens to the saints, and what assurance is given to those whose names are written in the Book of Life? [20:57]
How does the imagery of the Beast in Revelation 13:1-10 illustrate the challenges faced by believers? What role does the dragon play in this scenario? [16:18]
What does the term "slain" in Revelation 13:8 signify about the nature of Christ's sacrifice? How is this different from simply saying "died"? [26:09]

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Interpretation Questions:

How does the concept of a "domesticated gospel" contrast with the gospel's portrayal in 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 13? What implications does this have for believers today? [01:28]
In what ways does the assurance of having one's name written in the Book of Life provide security and confidence for believers facing persecution, as described in Revelation 13? [38:01]
How does the sermon suggest that the gospel should be a source of strength and endurance in the face of modern-day challenges and uncertainties? [42:25]
What does the sermon imply about the relationship between God's eternal covenant and the believer's ability to stand firm against the Beast? [40:09]

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Application Questions:

Reflect on your understanding of the gospel. Has it become too familiar or comfortable for you? How can you allow it to challenge and transform you rather than just comfort you? [02:56]
Consider a time when you faced a difficult situation. How did your faith in the gospel help you endure? What can you do to strengthen your reliance on the gospel in future challenges? [20:57]
The sermon discusses the importance of having a gospel that is "jagged" and "unfamiliar." How can you cultivate a deeper understanding of the gospel's power in your daily life? [42:25]
How does knowing that your name is written in the Book of Life affect your perspective on current events and personal trials? How can this assurance empower you to live boldly for Christ? [29:54]
Identify one area in your life where you feel instability or fear. How can the truths from 1 Corinthians 15 and Revelation 13 provide you with peace and confidence? [03:13]
The sermon mentions the importance of endurance and faith. What practical steps can you take to build endurance in your spiritual journey? [20:18]
How can you share the undomesticated gospel with others in a way that highlights its power and relevance in today's world? [01:05]

Sermon Clips

The aim of this message is not only to make the Christian Gospel clear and single one gospel but to undomestic the gospel and to show it to be Jagged and unfamiliar not smooth and familiar because my concern is that for many of us you've heard something that you associate with the gospel and it's so smooth and it's so familiar and it's so domesticated you can just slip it right into your pocket and carry it around and it hardly makes any difference at all. [00:01:05]

I have felt a not in my stomach reading and hearing and watching about the 130 people killed in Paris when was that November 13 the same not with 14 people gun down in San Bernardino I have this kind of trembling as I get up my phone that another announcement from the Center for Law and Justice is going to be there which there is almost every day telling me of another kind of trity against Christians in the Middle East. [00:03:35]

The gospel is how the gospel becomes yours becomes real for you makes a difference for you and then third by which you are being saved verse two so gospel good news you hold it fast when you hear it you believe it you Bank your life on it and it saves you so the basis of the saving according to this text is Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures he was buried he rose again. [00:10:01]

The good news is that though we have sinned alien iated ourselves from God cut ourselves off destined for destruction God steps in sends his son the son dies for sin takes the place sins are forgiven righteousness is imparted eternal life is granted and you spend forever in joy in the presence of God that's the basic good news of First Corinthians 15 very very familiar to many of us. [00:10:54]

The point for this message is the clarity and power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we saw in 1 Corinthians 15 Christ dying for sins Rising again according to the scriptures so that sins are forgiven and eternal life is granted that gospel breaking in in this horrible situation in verse 8 so that it not quite as smooth and familiar as it was back then. [00:20:18]

The book of the life of the Lamb who was slain so this is a gospel reality when the lamb is slain life happens life is taken away from the lamb life happens for somebody somebody gets life because of the slain lamb so the book is called the book of life it's what it's called in chapter 20 at the end where the Book of Life is open and if your name's not in the book you're thrown in the Lake of Fire. [00:27:00]

The reason you don't worship the Beast is because your name has done something your name being there has moved God evidently to keep you from worshiping the Beast this is real precious to me I'm going to turn 70 in January and as I look back over seven decades few things are more precious to me than the keeping power of God. [00:30:26]

The blood that was shed by the lamb is the blood that bought my life and my life is eternal and therefore I won't worship the Beast it's the blood it's the blood blood that's holding me and inclining God to say he's mine I won't let him go so I think the answer in observation six here is the reason the people in the book don't worship the Beast is because the name of the book is the book of the life of the Lamb that was slain. [00:32:51]

The gospel is a relationship in which God Almighty commits himself in a covenant that cannot be broken to hold on to you and he holds on to you by real relational Dynamics like faith and warfare against sin it's a beautiful thing so you were bought if your name is in this book and he will not lose his possession. [00:33:20]

The truth that the names of the Saints are written in the book of the life of the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world is because he intends to give them the deepest security and the deepest confidence imaginable he's going to take their confidence and their assurance and sink it as deep into eternity as he can. [00:37:51]

If you walk in there knowing my name's been in the book a million years you can't touch me you'll stand which brings us now to this moment at at the end of uh 2015 again I don't know I don't know how you pray I'll tell you how I pray about your future not live long enough to see too much happen probably but you will uh maybe I don't know whether God's going to give America another wonderful Great Awakening with explosive conversions churches overflowing Holiness embraced love for the gospel evangelizing the world righteous and holy living. [00:40:32]

The biggest question facing you at the end of this year is is your name in The Book of Life and guess what you cannot know that by peeking you can't know it by peing it's closed it will be opened according to chapter 20 at the great white throne it will be opened the books will be opened and the book will be open you can read about that tonight if you want you can't know if your name is in the book by peing you can know if your name is in the book by how you respond to the lamb who was slay if you take him if you receive him believe him stand with him you're in the book that's why you took him he took you. [00:44:28]

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Undomesticated Gospel: Power in Persecution and Assurance

Devotional

Day 1: The Gospel's Jagged Truth

Day 2: The Foundational Good News

Day 3: The Gospel's Power in Persecution

Day 4: Assurance in the Book of Life

Day 5: Endurance and Faith in Uncertainty

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Chatbot

Undomesticated Gospel: Power in Persecution and Assurance

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