Preaching the gospel; elements of gospel

 TEXT:  1 COR. 15:1-22

INTRODUCTION: God gives a very solemn warning in Ezekiel 33:8 and 9. He says “if thou dost not warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thy hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” If you profess to be a true Christian today, when was the last time you witnessed to an unsaved person? Have you ever told them what Christ has done for you and what He can likewise do for them? When was the last time you passed out a Gospel tract? It is easy for us to criticize the cultists (who erringly claim to be Christians) who knock on our doors from time to time, but could teach us something about zeal. We’re the ones who should be knocking on doors to tell the unsaved of their need of Christ as their own and personal Saviour.

ELEMENTS OF THE TRUE GOSPEL

When you preach, these are some of the most important message God expects you to communicate…..

A. CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED FOR OUR SINS….

In love God offers His Son as a “propitiation” (sacrifice) for our sins! (1 Jn.4:9-10). This is fundamental to the gospel Paul preached (1 Cor.15:1-3). It was as foretold by the Old Testament scriptures (Isa.53:4-6). Why did Jesus die for our sins? Because we are all sinners! (ROM.3:23) and the wages of sin is death! (Rom.6:23).

B. CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD….

Raising Jesus verifies the justification offered on the cross! (Rom.4:25). This also is fundamental to the gospel Paul preached (1 Cor.15:5-8). It was also proclaimed by Peter in the first gospel sermon (Acts 2:22-32). Christ was seen by many eyewitnesses (1 Cor. 15:5-8).

C. CHRIST IS EXALTED AS KING AND SAVIOR…..

God has made Jesus ruler over the kings of the earth! (Rev.1:5). He is now both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:33-36). He is head over all things (Eph. 1:20-23). All authorities and powers are now subject to Him (1Peter 3:22).

D. CHIST IS COMING AGAIN…..

His coming will cause many to mourn, while others rejoice (REV. 1:7; 22:20), as promised when He ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9-11). Christ is coming to offer both rest and tribulation (2Thess. 1:7-10); rest to those who responded to the call of the gospel (2Thess.2:13-14) and tribulation to those who obeyed not the gospel (2Thess.1:8-9).

YOUR FIRST LOVE…. What Happened?

In Matthew Chapter 10 and verses 32 and 33, Jesus said, “Whosoever, therefore, shall confess Me before men, him shall I confess also before My Father, which is in Heaven. But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in Heaven. “Perhaps the reader of these words is a professing Christian who was once noted for their spiritual boldness in witnessing for their professed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but today you are silent. For various reasons, known but to you, God and Devil, you’re no longer a faithful testimony to God’s love, mercy and grace expressed in His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember what the Lord said in Revelation 2:4, “Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” HAVE YOU LOST YOUR FIRST LOVE?

Discuss: Why many Christians do not evangelize. What are the practical ways out of this?

MEMORY VERSE: 1 Corinthians 9:16.

Church of Eternal Life Jos, Plateau State.

THE IMMINENT RAPTURE, BE WARNED!

Do you care for the Rapture? How often do you think about the Rapture? Or rather, are you prepared for the Rapture? Better still, do you have clear understanding of what Rapture is all about? It’s unpopular topic in churches today, and so many Christians care less about it because it’s not as sweet and motivating as prosperity, breakthrough, new things, favors, blessings and earthly success.
But Rapture is a daily expectation and thought for the wise Christians while prosperity and earthly blessings are the focus for the foolish Christians. Rapture is the catching away of the saints, which will happen within seconds and any moment from now. It’s the first event of the end time advents when the angels of God will blow the trumpets, only Christians who are waiting for it, expecting it and preparing for it will make it. The simple clarification for self-examination here is that if you are thinking, waiting, preparing or expecting prosperity, miracle or anything more than Rapture, you will not make the Rapture. Only those who earnestly, eagerly wait and prepare for His appearance more than anything else will eventually make it, just like the 5 wise virgins in Matthew 25. Rapture is a glorious event of all generations; it’s going to be splendid, wonderful and rewarding for the saints more than any event in the history of the world. But then it will leave behind grooming, dooming and destructive reign of the Anti-Christ (666) for all who miss the Rapture. Jesus Christ gave us the signs which will show that Rapture is very near, that should warn the wise to be more prepared.  

The two major signs are already present: CARE OF THIS WORLD through false preachers & GLOBAL WARMING. Read what Jesus Christ said: CARES OF THIS WORLD, “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man: They ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.” Luke 17:26, 27. “Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:11, 12. The cares of this world has overcome
many preachers, many churches and many Christians. It’s not just the work of the devil; it is the sign of end time. The syndrome of prosperity, breakthrough, earthly blessings, and focus on being rich, having cars, houses, big businesses, etc; the care for money, mansion, make-ups, partying, obsessing football are signs of end-time. It takes being wise to be warned. GLOBAL WARMING & CRISIS, “And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.” Matthew 24:6-8. 

The global crisis, massive weapon building are not just political or matters of misunderstanding, and it’s to be naive and ignorant to see the present global warming of flooding, overheating, weather irregularities, earthquakes, etc as just scientific; but it’s a global “warning” of the eminent rapture. The physical will see it global warming, the spiritual will see it “global warning”; the ordinary will call it scientific but the wise calls it prophetic.
Are you ready and prepared for the rapture? You can become wise from here by repenting and totally
rededicating your life to Jesus. Surrender all, be a different Christian of old, biblical standard in your
family, your church, your place of work, your business, your school, everywhere. Let your primary purpose be to please God, your primary focus to make heaven and your primary expectation to be raptured. Even if you can’t remember when last your pastors preached about the Rapture
and Second Coming of Jesus, you should remember Lot’s wife. MATTHEW 24:42-44 Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed
his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you
do not expect.