Ep 8 – Power of the Gospel

Hi there, Welcome back to its old greek to me with Tom Harris and I’m going to get into one of the greatest and most exciting words that I’ve ever studied and heard in the greek language, the word Evangelion, the Gospel. And I want to really dig deeper into that particular word and look at it from all different places in the scriptures. When I think of the word Gospel, I can immediately think of Mark chapter 16 in verse 15, where Jesus, our Lord commands us to go into all the world and to preach the Gospel to every single person. What’s amazing is that he began his ministry, jesus Our Lord. That is in Mark chapter one verse 14 and 15 by declaring to everyone in the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe in the Gospel. So here you have the repentance methodology to change our minds and our hearts about the way we’ve been living, and then to believe in the Gospel. Why? Because the Gospel Evangelion is made up of two greek words, the prefix eu which means good, and then angulos, which is a messenger or a message. And so the glad tidings, the good tidings, the great message. And why should that be a great message for those people who want to repent? Change their mind. Their hearts are broken hearted. They want to turn around and go the other way, but they need God to be merciful and gracious and loving and forgive them. And the only way that can happen is by the Gospel. Now, when you go to the Book of First Corinthians and chapter 15 and you read in chapter 15 verse one, it says this about the gospel, the Apostle paul is speaking and he says that the gospel is made up of several things, several components that christ died for our sins according to the scriptures that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures. Let me read you the the actual text. Now I make known to you brethren the Gospel. So he’s talking about this message, Evangelion and he says which I have preached. So the apostle paul not only uh taught it, but he preached the critics, he was, he forcefully proclaimed it, which you also received. So these people, he was writing to receive the Gospel. Uh they accepted the message and what was that message that in which also you stand, they not only received it, but they were still strong in their position and their commitment towards the Gospel and he explains all this and by which you are saved. So the Gospel was preached by paul, jesus christ preached at all his apostles and disciples preached that jesus christ commanded people to repent and accept this good message. This great message. And the Apostle paul is following that command and to the Corinthians who were Greeks back in Corinth very, very needy city really messed up wicked city and they not only heard it, they accepted it, they were strongly standing in that conviction in that belief and buy it. It says uh unless you believed in vain. So listen, you have to continue standing, you have to continue believing. You have to continue walking in this message unless it was in vain that we believed it. And then he says, for I delivered to you first of all, first of importance and this is what the most important part of the gospel is that what you received, that christ died for our sins. That’s the most important part of the gospel of Jesus christ. There were many people that were dying by crucifixion in the first century. The romans were killing people. You know, they may deserve it, they may not deserve it, but they were killing people by the thousands. Jesus christ died not for his own sins, but he died for the sins of others. He died for your sins. He died for my sins as the lamb of God, that takes away the sins of the world. So this is the most important part of the gospel that christ, the messiah christos died physically. He didn’t faint, as many religions believed that he really didn’t die there. Some religions believe that, you know, I’m not gonna go into all the different error that’s surrounding the person of jesus christ, but the man jesus, the christ christ. The messiah died for our sins on the cross. It says here in verse 3 1st Corinthians 15 and verse three christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Now what scriptures, That’s the old testament that predicted that the messiah would bleed and die for our sins. This is prophecy and all throughout the old testament. He and Daniel chapter nine and verse 24 5 and six, it talks about that the messiah literally names him that he would die for the sins of the people that he would, he would make atonement for sin. Isaiah 53 talks about all we like sheep have gone astray. Each of us have turned to his own way, but the Lord Jehovah God, yeah, we put all of our iniquity, all of our sins upon him, Jesus, the messiah, the christ and by his stripes, we are healed in psalm 16. It talks about how he died for our sins, you know, but he was not kept in the grave psalm 22 actually quotes jesus on the cross. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me 1000 years before jesus was born. So according to the old testament scriptures, I’ll stop right there. It says he died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried, He was buried for three days physically, he was buried in the tomb And it says on the 3rd day he, according to the scriptures, he was raised an aesthetic, he was able to stand again on his own power. The father, the son the holy spirit, he was raised from the dead. Think about this, this is the exact message of the gospel that christ jesus, the man who was born in Bethlehem and grew up in Nazareth. He grew up to be the perfect man and went to the cross and shed his blood for all of our sins combined. Human race from Adam until the very last child Of Adam, all the people, eight plus billion people on the planet today. All of the centuries and thousands of years before christ and after christ, jesus christ bled and died for our sins. He is the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. He was buried and physically bodily was raised from the dead according to the scriptures. Now you can read the rest of this chapter and identify all the wonderful things that the bible teaches about the resurrection And how they were witnesses 23 times in the book of Acts of the resurrection. This was what it meant to be a witness that these people were able to see the crucified christ that hung on the cross and was buried, rose from the dead and they were able to testify and many of them to their death, every one of the apostles died that way, confessing and professing that he was the one who died was buried and rose again. Incredible. Let me remove my hand here for a few minutes now this message Evangelion, which is the gospel is what I want to talk about. It’s the good news. It’s the good news because we got a bunch of bad news. Like for instance, if you get news from your doctor that you have cancer or you have bad news from your boss, that you’ve lost your job or maybe some other terrible thing has happened like a war In this world, the Second World War, you know. And on uh in the May eight and 9th, it came to a halt in September two. There were three actually days that when the war ended, in September September 2, 1945, the war was ended. Do you know how much of great news that was to the whole world? They had, they were partying down in Wall Street. They had parades everywhere. They were kissing one another in paris in London in new york, all over the world. Why? Because a terrible thing. Some people think as many as 100 million people died because of that uh monstrous war. Now it was all over. And now there’s a greater war in the spirit world where satan and his demons have attacked the person of God and the people of God. And that war was ended at the cross of jesus christ. He he said it is finished that Alyosha, I have conquered over sin, over satan over death over the world. And that is through the Gospel. That’s the good news. That’s what we call evangelicals evangelicals of people of the Gospel, I want to talk about the Gospel now, it’s a fabulous, fabulous thing to think about my life’s verse in the bible is romans one and verse 16, I am not ashamed of the gospel. The good news Evangelia because it is the power of God, the Vietnamese to say the power of God on the salvation Santeria for all who believe To the jew first because Jesus yeah, he was Jewish and he came to the Jewish people first. He who came to his own in John 1 11 Mhm. Those who were his own received him not, but as many as received him to those he gave the power and the right to become the Children of God even to those who believe on his day. So the war was over at the cross, satan was defang literally, he, his power was broken. The blood of christ cleans us from all sin. And jesus christ shed his blood, he gave his life. He died literally and physically on the cross. He was buried and physically bodily arose again from the dead bodily. And he is alive today. He ascended up in heaven and this is the good news that we could proclaim throughout the world, whether people believe it or don’t believe it, it matters not. Some people actually did not believe that the Second World War was done. There were people 20 years later fighting in the jungles thinking the war was still going because they had no news that it had that it had ended. Just because you don’t think that the war is over the Spiritual war. Because satan continues, he’s given some time on this planet. But the spiritual atomic bomb literally went off on Lucifer’s head and all the demonic forces and and the powers of darkness, when jesus christ bled and died on that cross was buried and physically bodily arose again from the dead. Now, I wanna take you through some interesting things about this word, Evangelion. Follow me if you would. It is the power of God. It says in romans one verse 16 and also first Thessalonians one and verse five. Now, I’m from Thessaloniki. I love this verse because first Thessalonians one verse five says for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit. And with full conviction, just as you know, what kind of men we prove to be among you for your sakes. I love this because of the personal element here. It’s our gospel. Now, the gospel that I once heard as a confused drug user hippie, all the junk that I was involved in, it was somebody else’s gospel. It was God’s Gospel. In fact, let me just take you through the various uh, the various descriptions of the Gospel. It is referred to as the Gospel of the Kingdom. Vasilyeva. Now the Kingdom, you know, they’re they’re gonna be five, they’re different kingdoms in the book of Daniel, it identifies the Kingdom of the Babylonians, the Middle Persians, the Greeks, the romans, and then finally the Kingdom of the Lord, jesus christ uh and his kingdom is an eternal kingdom and it will never, it will never end. It is an eternal kingdom. And that kingdom is, has a main rule or a main uh power over the kingdom. It is the gospel of Jesus christ who died for our sins was buried and rose again. In fact, Jesus gives this Gospel to Peter and tells them, I give you the keys to the kingdom. Will see that in a moment, it’s referred to as the Gospel of Jesus christ in Mark chapter one, in verse one, it’s referred to as the Gospel of God in Mark chapter one in verse 14 and 15, it is referred to as the Gospel of the Grace of God. That means that God kindly gives us what we don’t deserve hotties that he is coming to people who are his enemies who have violated his laws and God. The gospel is good news for people who absolutely need it. And the Gospel is the Gospel of the hottest with the Gospel of the Grace of God. It’s also referred to as the Gospel of the power of God, First Thessalonians 15, as we mentioned in romans 1 16, Vietnamese dynamite ability to change things in a person’s life and transform him from the inside out or transform her in Second Corinthians 44, it’s referred to as the Gospel of light. That in the face of jesus christ, we see the light of the Gospel that he brings us good news that he died on the cross. He was buried and rose again again. It refers to it as the Gospel of Truth Ephesians 1 13 In him, you also after listening to the message of the Truth, the Gospel of your salvation, having also believed you were sealed in him with the Holy Spirit of Promise, which is a pledge who is a pledge of our inheritance that we have until the day of redemption. So here we have insights, specific adjectives and that are associated with the Gospel. So far, we’ve looked at the fact that the Gospel is concerning the Kingdom of God and the and jesus christ Gospel and the Gospel of God and the Gospel of the Grace of God and the Gospel of the power of God and the Gospel of the light of God. The truth of God. And here in Ephesians in chapter six, it’s referring to the Gospel, not only of the truth of God, but the Gospel. That that is that that brings us out of the lies and into the truth the truth Ephesians chapter 1 13, The Peace of God Ephesians chapter six and verse 50 that we bring on our feet, our feet are shod with the preparation of what the Gospel of peace. So the Gospel. Yes, some people will reject you, but it brings peace to people who are hurting the people who are uh really uh no peace, no joy in their life. They’re searching for love. They’re looking for it in a bottle. They want to smoke it, they want to find it in a bed. They want to buy it. But there’s no peace, no peace to the wicked and the Gospel. It’s amazing, isn’t it? That the Gospel is referred to as the Gospel of Peace in Ephesians 6, 15. When you put on all the armor, when you take on the helmet of Salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the sort of the spirit, the shield, uh faith, your your and then your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace. So when we go, we don’t go beating people up and pushing people around, we go and produce peace with this incredible good message. Good news that creates peace and harmony with people, even our enemies. It also refers to it as the Gospel of Faith in Philippians. Chapter one in verse 27. Let me let me go quickly. It also refers to it as colossians 1 23 as the Gospel of Hope and and also of the Divine Gospel to Divine revelation throw Evangelia in Galatians three and verse eight, It talks about the fact that before the bible was even written before this, before we even had an old testament and the new testament. God personally, in a divine revelation, came to Abraham and spoke to him, he told him he was going to give him a son and that son would be the air, the seed by which the Gospel was gonna come to the whole world and be a salvation for the whole world. And he called it the pro Evangelion. The Gospel before the scriptures were written. Think about it, It’s fabulous. And then and then it refers to it in revelation 14 6 as the eternal Gospel. So we’re not going to just stop talking about this in eternity. But the very theme of the Gospel to Evangelion, It’s gonna be what we’re talking about, you know, 10 billion years from today. If time could be measured that way, because an eternity, there’s no time. We’re in eternity. But the main theme of eternity is what it’s the gospel. It’s the fact that the creator of the universe, he steps down and becomes a man in order to redeem men. It says in Galatians chapter four and verse four, in the fullness of time, God sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law to redeem Exxaro Razo to buy up and out of the bondage of the law and the breaking of the law and the sin and the punishment of the sin and the devil and the all the junk that goes along with it. He came to redeem us the bias out of that because that was his mission as our savior as our messiah. In first Thessalonians one in verse five. And when it talks about the fact that our Gospel did not come in word only but in power and in the Holy spirit, I want to I want to look at that verse and just kind of unpack it. The Gospel is personal and he says he he refers to it in First Thessalonians chapter one verse five, The Apostle paul says My Gospel our Gospel. He also says this in second Thessalonians 2 14 and also in second timothy 28, he calls it my Gospel. You see when you have been intimately impacted and touched by the Lord, jesus christ. When he comes to you like the woman at the Well and he exposes your whole life and he lets you know who you are. She she had five husbands. The guy she was living with wasn’t her husband and the woman at the well was like, wow, how do you know all this stuff when jesus christ in your circumstance and in your life comes and walks to you and touches your life and exposures your thoughts and your words and your life and your actions the spirit of God convicts you and me of sin and righteousness and judgment. It is the gospel he uses to penetrate our soul that he loves us, that he died for us, That he was buried that he arose again. He wants to forgive us. It’s good news. It’s not bad news. And that’s why all these adjectives concerning this incredible word the Gospel. That it’s truth that it’s grace that it’s peace that it’s love. It’s incredible that it’s power first. It’s my gospel now it’s our gods. It’s personal number to this Gospel is precise. Did not come to you in word only. Yes it is in words but it’s not just in words and yes it is in words because the words are very very important that like we said in first Corinthians chapter 15 that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures according to the words that were already written down and prophecies that he would come this way where he would be born and how he would be raised and where he would be raised and what he would do and how he would die and how he would rise from the dead. Very precise. Not in word only though but it goes further. Not only did he die but he physically bodily arose again. The Gospel is also positive. It’s good news. E. U. Stands for good in the greek language like eulogy good words at a person’s death they talk about all the wonderful things he’s done. And this word you Evangelion means you Angeles or a message that is good and that’s exactly what this word means. So it’s a the gospel is positive. Number one, the Gospel is personal. The Gospel is precise, the Gospel is positive. It’s not a negative message. It’s a positive message to those who are sitting in darkness. They see a great light to those who are sad. He cheers them up to those who are broken, he puts them back together to those who are thieves. No longer do you need to steal God gives you his riches, Those who are searching for peace and love, God pours his love through the Holy Spirit that is given to us. And so and also the Gospel is powerful. I’m not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God hear the word of the Gospel came in power. That’s what it says here, doesn’t it? In first Thessalonians one in verse five, and then the next thing, it’s a partnership and and with the Holy Spirit. So, you know, I read in my new testament in the Book of Acts, in uh in the Book of Acts in chapter five and verse 32 it says we are witnesses of these things that his death, his resurrection, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. So, you have to understand this is not something that we’ve made up, This is not something that we’re taking the lead on. No, it’s God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit who anoints the Church in the Damn Pentecost and now empowers and gives gifts to the church so that the church can go now out and reach others with this incredible message of the Gospel and then the Gospel is also has a lot of proof with paul says here in first Thessalonians 15 and you know the kind of people we were among you, we don’t just talk these things, we don’t just have theology, we’re not talking about going to catechism or instruction, we have lived these things. We know jesus, he’s changed our life like the woman at the well she left her water pots and ran back to tell everyone who he was like the blind man who got his eyesight. He was gonna tell everyone who Jesus is like the demo neac that that was totally transformed and changed in five different ways in many more ways than that. But he was going to tell everyone what Jesus had done for him, Jesus said, hey, go tell them what your your your relatives, your friends, what great things God did for you. He went and said to everyone and preach to everyone in the Coppola’s 10 cities. What great things Jesus had done for him, won an incredible that that’s the the gospel is is going to be given proof and what is that proof that transformed lives that are gonna testify now to what jesus christ has done for them and then the Gospel is practical people all around us in a practical way. You’re going to see the impact of that in our life. If we were lazy, if we didn’t work, if we were thieves if we would just he changes us we begin to have the right value system that is eternal. That you go by with the old testament and the new testament is all about. The gospel is pretty practical. You know whenever you read in the bible concerning the Gospel, you always have these gospel grace words that I that I say. And in first Thessalonians noticed the first one is grace and then peace and then faith and then love and then hope empower, enjoy all related to The Gospel that’s found in 1st Thessalonians chapter one. And and every every time you go into the new testament or in the old testament and you hear about the miracles of God God is bringing these wonderful attributes out of our life, those of us who know what the dark side is like, what the night is like, what the sinful life is like. We know when we are born into the family of God and the gospel touches us to Evangelion. The good message of God comes to us through it could come through a child. It could come through through a written message, it could come through a radio program or a T. V. Program but the message is very clear. It’s gonna bring life to us, it’s gonna bring love to us. It’s gonna bring uh the light of the Gospel is gonna shine the face of jesus christ. We’re going to get peace, we’re going to get joy. We’re gonna get power in our life, grace in our life, these are the Gospel, Grace words. Now, you’ve heard the gospel what you need to do. And if you know the Lord, jesus christ and you’ve been walking with him, don’t just flippantly use the word evangelical Evangelion. But realize when you say that it’s about the total person of jesus christ that he bled and died for our sins according to the scriptures that he was buried and that he rose again from the dead and that jesus preach the gospel and went everywhere telling people to repent and believe the gospel that he bled for their sins to forgive them and then we need to go to everyone we know and live our life in such a way that they would believe our message as we preach to them the Gospel Mark chapter 15 and verse 16, it’s uh it’s phenomenal isn’t it? I believe I believe Mark, I’ll close with this one verse Mark chapter 16 and verse 15 and he said to them go into all the world and preach that is the word politics. Not not not just you know have a bible study that’s great. Like we’re doing right now. But to forcefully in a compelling way let people know God loves you, jesus christ came into this world. He died for you. He was buried, he rose again and to preach and to compel them to get out of the darkness and to believe the gospel and come into the light of the love of God. God bless you and we’ll see you next time with It’s all greek to me. Yeah. Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah