Adding to the Good News in the Gospel

 

The Gospel is plenty good!

 

John 5:24 “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

 

Titus 3:5,6  He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,

 

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ died for sins once for all,

the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.    

                          

Issues: 

 

God reels us in to Himself starting with our minds, having received His Word.  Faith is the light turning on. 

 

 

Coming to God and being received by Him is like a good washing – like going into the tub/shower absolutely filthy and coming out absolutely clean.  Coming to God is becoming born again: starting over.

 

The key is the cross. 

Jesus did not die to demonstrate courage or a good example.

He died for sins – He suffered God’s wrath for my moral crimes – justly.  Punishment paid, criminal free

to come to God without the disqualifying baggage of sin.

 

 

Jesus taught that the good news to you is more than salvation through the cross. 

 

God is so good. 

Had forgiveness in exchange for trust  been the whole story, we would be most happy.  But God piles it on! 

…Blessings we do not deserve and would never expect.

 

Benefit #1:  John 14  The Holy Spirit

 

John 14:16  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you for ever — the Spirit of Truth.

 

We need a Helper, Comforter, Advocate…  (all good translations of the Greek word "paraclete")

Psychology says we need some sort of therapy (nothing against therapy.)  I wish good thinking would straighten us out and answers come from within.  It not only does not happen, it leaves God out of  view. 

 

We are inclined to live wrongly: mishandling moods, drugs, money, sex, mouths…  At conversion direction is changed but all those old patterns are expected to be continued.

Humility still must be learned!

Learning to trust God is a process!

Covetousness – learning to not over reach takes time!

Patterns of anger learned over a lifetime do not evaporate!

We are a piece of work and we need help.

  

The first hint that the Counselor / Comforter/ Helper is good is who it comes from: 

The Father.  The one who designed life knows we have problems and responds out of love with more than just information. 

Jesus would send the HS to manifest His love and care to people who are saved but do not have their act together. 

Like people everywhere, we need help. More than information, we need a helper – a coach on the spiritual level.   The good news is that the help we need comes from a God of love.

  

For ever.   Our God is a foul weather God. 

Right when you think He is nowhere to be found,  He’s there.  Long tough days of pain and illness – no joy – He’s there.  These things do not separate us from the love of God. 

 

John 14:26,27  But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

 

We are good at turning difficulty into distress, anxiety and depression disproportionate to the trouble.   

Good things do not emerge from the darkness and despair.  Things can go from bad to worse!  We magnify the bad.  Attach it with more meaning than it deserves.                          This is what we do.  But we cannot stay like this.  Answering the call is either speculative therapy

or Biblical wisdom.

 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to

you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled

and do not be afraid.

 

Take this away and there is no great commission; there is no church.  Without Holy  Spirit  produced peace in the lives of the persecuted, Christianity has no advertisements before a watching world.  The good news is the presence of God in the midst of trouble.  (Otherwise, the good news is all after death.  That is not the New Testament and it is not Christianity.)

 

The Holy Spirit is teaching. 

He brings the Word of God to life.

The Word of God teaches the folly of self counsel and the wisdom of  godly counsel:

 

Negatively:

1.  We were grasshoppers in our own sight. (Numbers 13:33) (The issue before Caleb, Joshua and the other spies)

= Making the problem bigger in our heads.  

 

2.  I am the man that has seen affliction  (Lam 3:1)

Jeremiah thought is was worthy to note and important for all to know that he really had it tough! 

 

Positively:

 

1.  My foundation is the solid rock.  Right? 

Mt. 7:24-27  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew

and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

 

The storm may blow in the window and blow off some shingles.  I will suffer loss, but, my foundation has not moved and God shall build upon it!

 

2.  My focus: not on self thoughts and emotions but my example: Jesus. 

Hebrews  12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men,  so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

 

The Holy Spirit will take the example of Jesus and internalize a better perspective. 

Its usually not exactly an infusion of peace out of nowhere.  Remembering helps us.  Forgetting does not.

 

Hebrews 12:4-7  In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons… the Lord disciplines those he loves, Endure hardship as discipline;

 

The good news of the gospel is also this:

Struggle and peace go together. 

Struggle:  that is life. 

Peace: the Helper brings it.  We bring the two together and God is honored… and we are happy!

 

 

Benefit #2  Faith

 

Romans 12:3   For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 

Ephesians 2:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God — not by works,

 

On that day you received the promise of eternal life, you received the gift of faith.  A measure of saving faith – that faith is capable of lots of things, including and especially  forgiveness – that is the good news. 

The bad news:  its small. 

Small like a seed.

 

Matthew 13:31,32 “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.” 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.”

 

From heaven’s side, faith is a gift.

From our side it’s a challenge to do something new: 

trust in the will and wisdom of Another. 

 

First believe in the terms of salvation

and then the terms of discipleship. 

That is when we experience Him as real.

In both cases real faith is a relationship with a person and with the Word

 

(Bible: as close as we can get to the mind of God) 

Hebrews 11:1 Now  faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of   what   we do not see.

  

Faith begins like a seed.

If a seed could talk, be assured that it would prefer staying a seed.  It does not want to be ripped open, destroyed and transformed into something else. 

Sorry, but that is the plan.  And it’s a good plan. 

Anyone who would prefer to stay the way you are (unsanctified) is a resistant seed. 

 

How tempting it is for Christians to rebuff the good news of faith if that means change.  i.e.

“Please Faith, just get me saved, hear my prayer, comfort me when I’m losing it – just don’t expect anything radical; out of the norm.  I’ll change with time and new experiences.  Let’s call that ‘growth.’” 

That fits with the world’s definition; not God’s.

 

When John Bunyan wrote “Pilgrim’s Progress” 

for centuries the most printed book next to the Bible, 

he had many characters who never  went beyond small faith.  Word has it, all these characters were at one time Bunyan Himself! 

Mr. Ready to Halt, Mr. Fearing, Mr. Despondency, Giant Despair…

and Little Faith-  absolutely sure of heaven… then lives a life of playing it safe.  No stretches.  No faith initiatives.

 

Today we would say Little Faith is, “Mr. No new ventures, No risky phone calls,

Mr. No volunteering for something I’ve never done before, Mr. No long days, nothing that might produce stress.

Mr. Unless I can rationally foresee a predictible and pleasant outcome, I will quietly not obey. 

 

Then something happens to Little Faith no one expects. 

That “hope of heaven” which at first was solid is now  doubted. 

He says, “I do not feel like a Christian.” 

And he is right!  Why should he? 

If I am not walking the walk, why should I be feeling the feel and have an inner witness of assurance???? 

 

Faith in Christ is sufficient but Little Faith’s 1 cylinder engine does not seem to get him all the way to the gate. 

What business does Little Faith have staying little faith?

 

There is another character in Pilgrim’s Progress called Great Faith.  Great Faith knows the same as Little Faith, but,  Great Faith climbs mountains!

(like Pisgah – the peak Moses scales at 120 before he died,) 

Little Faith  enjoys the protection of the valley. 

Great Faith treks mountains and becomes  stronger (no surprise)   more enjoyable sights and smells;  better vision and perspective and the light of the sun brighter and warmer.

 

How does faith grow?

Not on a retreat. 

Not with a good Bible time.

 

In the Bible there is this strange association between mountains (hill country) and Great Faith/ Growing Faith.

Moses met God on Mt. Sinai. 

So did Elijiah. (Mt. Carmel.)

Caleb had great faith and his land was the hill country. 

He begged Joshua for the mountains.

(Lot asked Abraham for the valley of Sodom.)

Nehemiah on Mt. Zion, “The joy of the Lord is our strength.”

 

Jesus did spiritual warfare on the mountain. 

Literally, it was a mountain.

 

For us, warfare gets intense in times of trouble (our mountain) and it is in times of trouble… faith grows.

 

Jesus showed his strength on the pinnacle of the temple on Mt. Zion:  “Throw yourself down and angels will bear you up.”  What does being noticed have to do with anything significant?  Is it important to you to be noticed? 

If it is, Satan may have a customer!

 

Then the devil took him to a very high mountain. “All the kingdoms of the world I will give you if you worship me.”

Be gone.  You know who gets the worship!

 

Little Faith might say, “let me weigh the plusses and minuses; the advantages…. Maybe I should back off this living by faith in this case and go with what’s reasonable…” 

 

“Back off?!”

 

  There are few things God expects of us.  He did the work for eternal salvation.  Not our concern.  Our  concern is stewardship with our measure of faith / the gift of faith.  You have heard about stewardship of money, time, abilities…  Today, its our faith.   

The further we get away from life as God designed it (the good news!)  the further we drift from the abundant life Jesus promised.

 

Faith, like the seed does not want to grow.

Its time for a tighter relationship and sharper faith.

 

Sticking with the metaphor of seeds

 

Four perils:

 

Mark 4:17-19 Unrooted seed:  When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.                      Withdrawing into self, like an animal with a wound.       More of eyes on the storm, not on the sovereign.                 Like water to paint; watered down faith.                             Money can take the simplicity out of life,               Distractions, misplaced priority and focus.

 

Adding the image of “running the race: 

Hebrews 12:1,2  Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,

Four components to a growing faith:  Its like running and racing

Rest :  time off, recovery 

Endurance: aerobic, Doable, long term, consistent work.

Speed: Stretched capacity. Not grueling.

Races:  special events to measure how far you have come. 

 

All four!

(Many present Christianity as grueling and pain filled.

 – both critics and zealous Christians… Seldom the case.)

 

1.  Rest= Worship- public, private, reflect, disengage, nurture.            For many people, like athletes, not easy!

2.  Endurance=Service- Little faith does not fit this in to thee weekly routine.  “What do I do for others on Jesus’ behalf?”  It’s a discipline.  Who. When. What?

3.  Speed=The extraordinary service.  The Long Day.    You can’t keep this up.  It’s a short term stretch.    Anaerobic service is for all.  For runners its about once a week.

4.  Races=The event.  (Events and speed tend to go together.) 

 

Out of love God gives us faith -  designed to grow.

 

Benefit #3  God’s Presence.

 

Not a dry, dull statement of fact. 

 

Isaiah 41:10  So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

 

A promise of God to His people Israel.

At the time, not at all clear. 

Israel, kingdom to the north, was evil, faithless and about to be invaded and carted off in exile as slaves once again.

They were in their last generation. 

Judah, to the south, still had another 150 years - most of them good -  before their invasion and exile.

When people, like them, are not inclined to receive the promise, the promise is not withdrawn!!! 

 

There is nothing you can learn more life changing than this!  The omnipresence of God is true.  Its not exciting. 

He is with hezbullah, al-queda, death row.  – a philosophical fact. God can be everywhere. Not the point. 

 

The point: We have the privilege of  involving the ever present God, in our lives, each and every day.  We have been promised the daily presence and interaction with God!  …an intuitive relationship with God.

 

But not if we do not know how it works.

 

When God saved you, a new life began – not a life run by self but a life looking to the Author of Life.  Some like to think they got their ticket punched for heaven. More accurately, God started to write a book, “What I did with____.” 

We all have the same story line:  what God did in me, for me with me…for His glory / honor.

 

The “old man/ sin nature” has a different story line: comfort, success, long life.  God says, comfort is good, success needs to be redefined and life comes in varying duration so take nothing for granted and give thanks for every day. 

Some of us will die early. 

The tragedy is when the stinger is still in the death:

 No preparation for death or eternity.  Little thought given to living in Spirit and Truth then…or now! 

 

When God said,  “Fear not I am with you,” Israel was about to be judged.  Some would call it a disaster.  Really, it was a new chapter in God’s book.  God’s book has many tough sections in it.  Our transformation needs tough times.  Eternity is the great equalizer.  For now, pay attention to God.

 

Trouble comes.  Do you think, “God where are you?  Why me?”  Or can you keep your focus on the God who says, “Fear not, I am with you.”  

This addresses

the fear of the future;  fear of lots of things;

Because if He with you, something is coming up. 

He is creating a story line that honors Him with the details of your life.  Can you believe that?  Believe it! 

To the person on auto pilot or just playing religion, life can be a story of judgment (actions and consequences.),

but to the one trusting Him,

its a story of action and consequences and learning and faithfulness and building character.  I become a person through which God does a work.  With that goal, I fear not.

 

Romans 8:27-29  …The Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. And we know that in all things God works[TOGETHER] for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son.

 

And we know to the ones loving God all things work together for the good [of God.]  Perhaps the NIV a bit too quick to limit the # of words.  TOGETHER they work for the good.

 

For Paul, maybe there was not much good about his persecution; the arrest, shipment as a prisoner in a boat,

the storm that demolished his ship,

getting bit by a viper after washing up on an island

but together – it led to a powerful testimony to the other passengers, crew and all whom he spoke to in Rome.

God was writing a story.  Sorry for the trouble but it makes it interesting.  More importantly, its where we learn knowing God and living by faith.

 

For Joseph there was not much good about being hated by his brothers, left in a pit, sold as a slave, falsely accused,

going to jail, but together God was writing a life story on what he can do when trusted.

 

What is good about a chipmunk chewing through my spark plug wires?  Good conversations with mechanics, new wires and plugs plus learning where not to park my car.

 

Not much good about losing a job, becoming ill, being on the receiving side of sin, losing sleep, being lonely, rejected, etc.  All things work together for the good to those who love Him!

Fear not, I am with you.

 

From the birth we learn to focus on self,

nurse our wounds and

find fault in others.

From new birth,

we learn to seek first the Kog; (Mt.6:33)

we accept the truth that we are being transformed “to the image of His Son;” (Rom. 8:29)

we remember that because He is God we will never fully figure out Him or His ways.

Life now =           the kingdom;        

transformation;

drawing closer to our Creator/Redeemer with His recorded word and will.

 

You do not want to say, “What’s happening to me?  Why me?”  You want to say,

“Lord, now what do we do?  I do not see the big picture. 

It is simply not available.  Its also not important. 

What are you chipping away?

 

In this how shall I demonstrate trust and obedience

because I know You are a good God

and evidently, you like playing games!”

 

You have heard in Christian media challenges to claim the blessing, the prosperity, the victory.

 

There is no greater blessing, prosperity and victory than a soul that has learned to trust…and wants to be like Jesus!  The blessings of providence come; they come second. 

Is that OK?

 

The infinite God has pledged to walk through life with you.  Its interactive.  Very.  Praying, listening, paying attention.

He will not be what you want Him to be.

We will learn humility…and confidence…

and offset our fears,

and at the end of the game, experience “abundant life.”

God gives friends, support, reveals Himself as provider;

Its also called getting ready for heaven.

 

The Good News is salvation; the hope of heaven though faith in Christ.  There is more: the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the gift of faith and knowledge of God’s ongoing presence.