I spoke about the gospel at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU). I gave this 15 minute message at the Wednesday night spiritual program called “The Spot” on April 26, 2006.

Download the podcast (mp3 file)

[Picture on the right from flickr user gotigersjf]

Here’s the notes I used:

The gospel. What does it mean? Aren’t Christians called to…

• preach the gospel
• share the gospel
• accept the gospel
• believe in the gospel
• even die for the gospel

Gospel in Greek means “good news.”

GOD is perfect and just

Ps. 7:11 = God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.

It is clear that when we think of the word “wrath” as applicable to God, it must be divested of everything that is like human passion, and especially the passion of revenge. It is one of the most obvious rules of interpretation that we are not to apply to God passions and feelings which, among us, have their origin in evil. [God’s wrath] is the opposition of the divine character against sin; and the determination of the divine mind to express that opposition in a proper way, by excluding the offender from the favors which He bestows on the righteous.

We admire the character of a father who is opposed to disorder, vice, and disobedience in his family, and who expresses his opposition in a proper way. We admire the character of a ruler who is opposed to all crime in the community, and who expresses those feelings in the law. Why shall we not be equally pleased with God, who is opposed to all crime in all parts of the universe, and who determines to express His opposition in the proper way for the sake of preserving order and promoting peace?

Albert Barnes

MAN is sinful

sIn results in our self-addiction
what do I think about? Me, my hopes, my dreams
Who am I concerned about? Me
who needs to feel superior to everyone else? Me

others – character defects me – excuses

Lust example (that guy is a pervert; but for me, that girl was dressed immodestly)
Adam and Eve example (adam blames eve, eve blames the serpent)

Here’s the problem, we inherited sIn from Adam. It’s not like we can get away from sin.

It’s who we are. Our hearts are filled with sIn. We are sinners.

Think about it this way. Every human born into this world gets Adam’s heart. Picture a heart with “sIn” in the middle. [show pic of sinful heart]

Here’s the bigger problem.
God is perfect and holy. He is opposed to anything that is not perfect.
He’s opposed to selfish people. Anyone here ever acted in a selfish manner?
He’s opposed to liars. Anyone here told a lie?
Because of our sinful hearts [show pic of sinful heart] from Adam, we lie and steal and act selfishly and think lustful thoughts and hate others and say hurtful things.

God is opposed to us because we’re sinners.
This may sound harsh, but in a very real sense, God can’t stand us. His holiness can’t stand our sInfulness. His perfection can’t stand our imperfection.

JESUS died for our sin

Still, God allows us to live. Adam’s sin marred the universe, and God could’ve destroyed Adam and the human race would’ve never continued. None of us should’ve existed. Yet God allows the SINFUL human race to exist. God allows SINNERS to exist in His otherwise perfect universe.

Why? Because God is not only a just and perfect God, but He is a loving God.

So, God provided a way to save us from our sin [show pic of sinful heart] through Jesus. He keeps us alive because He WANTS to save us through Jesus.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
If you asked God what He wants, He would tell you that He wants everyone to be saved.

He wants the murderer, the liar, the pervert, the prideful, the rich, the poor, everyone. He wants everyone to be saved. And anyone, no matter who you are or what you’ve done, anyone can be saved, but it’s ONLY through Jesus.

God sent His only Son, Jesus, on a rescue mission 2000 years ago.

Jesus, the Son of God, became a human to show that He and God really want to be with us.
He lived a sInless life to satisfy God’s holiness and justice.
He died in our place, taking our punishment of death.
And then, He rose from the dead to show that He has conquered sIn and death.

This is the gospel, the good news = GOD is perfect and just, MAN is sinful, JESUS died for our sin

Therefore, we have a choice

This is awesome. Because of what Jesus did, I have a very real choice.

I can continue to live in sIn, or I can trust Him with my life.

If I trust Him with my life, God cancels my sIn [show pic of sinful heart] and replaces it with Christ’s perfect life. [show pic of cross in the heart]

So, I’m not stuck anymore [show pic of sinful heart] but Christ has saved me from sin and now He lives in my heart. [show pic of cross in the heart]

If there is anyone here that has never trusted their life to Christ, I invite you to do that now.

If you’ve already trusted your life to Christ, I encourage you not to look elsewhere for your salvation. Continue to look to Christ and Christ alone for your salvation. Not on your feelings. Or your friends. But Christ and Christ alone.

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