Sermon Tone Analysis

This sermon is part of the Gospel Shaped Church Curriculum created by the Gospel Coalition.

Information about it can be found at http://gsc.thegospelcoalition.org or www.gospelshapedchurch.org

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We are in our 5th week of the Gospel Shaped Outreach Series by the Gospel Coalition and this sermon is called “What is the gospel plan?” and our main passage will be Mt.

28:18-20.

This message is about discipleship.

Let us pray.

So before we get into the passage let’s zoom out and look at the big picture starting at the beginning…

Creation —

Fall —

there was a promise

We see that satan will deal a lethal blow to a descendent of Adam and Eve but that descendent will also deal a lethal blow to Satan.

Then we see God promising that all the people of earth will be blessed through the lineage of Abram/Abraham.

Then God promises that there will be a king who will descend from David who will reign forever over an everlasting kingdom.

And this coming King/Messiah will establish a kingdom that will not only redeem the people of Israel but all of creation as well.

And this coming King would somehow restore our relationship with God by being punish in our place for our sins so that by his wounds we would be healed and have peace with God.

Redemption —

The Messiah came and God’s promises were fulfilled in Jesus

Restoration —

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So we live in the already-not-yet.

The kingdom of God has arrived and is here in our midst but it has not been fully consummated yet.

It will be when Jesus returns in the heavens and puts an end to this world as we know it

but

so He has appeared for the forgiveness of our sins and indwells us with the Holy Spirit during these last days on earth until He returns.

Let’s recap — Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration

So we know what’s behind us, where we are, and what’s ahead of us.

We eagerly look forward to what’s ahead of us, but we must be patient.

We must stay focused on where we are and what we must do now while we eagerly look forward to what’s to come.

While we are still living in this flesh, on this fallen planet what are we to do?

How are we to live?

What should our relationship with God look like?

Well, He told us what to do.

We are to faithfully grow as disciples and make more disciples.

He told us how to live.

We are to live like Christ.

Our Goal is to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and made into the image of Christ.

Disciples are those who learn from a teacher in order to be like that teacher.

Jesus said

God calls us to live holy lives because He is holy.

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Under the Old Covenant we see certain people like Saul, David, the Judges, Prophets receive the Holy Spirit, but under the New Covenant God says every believer will receive the Holy Spirit

If the Spirit of Christ is not in you, you are not saved

The Holy Spirit will change you and cause you to obey God

The Holy Spirit will enable you to conquer sin

I could read these passages all day because the Bible is FULL of these passages, every page is warning us to not abandon God as our God and worship false Gods that will let us live as we want to live but to submit to God as our God and worship and love Him alone and to live holy lives before Him because He is holy.

So what is our focus?

Discipleship.

We are to grow as disciples in holy living before our God and worship and serve and love Him and share His good news with others and help them live holy lives before God.

We don’t have time to talk about endurance and not giving up on our walk with God but you can go back and listen to the message “Who Are We” Week 3 on 7/29 for the importance of perseverance and not abandoning your walk with God.