Not Man's Gospel

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Christianity is Reality: The Gospel Lives  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  28:09
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God graciously makes himself known to humanity since people cannot discover him on their own. He achieves this in many ways, but supremely through his Son Jesus Christ.

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Galatians 1:11–12 ESV
11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
Sermon Idea: God graciously makes himself known to humanity since people cannot discover him on their own. He achieves this in many ways, but supremely through his Son Jesus Christ.
Introduction:
[let’s first look at…]

The Necessity of Revelation

We’ll discuss 3 reasons for the necessity of revelation...
God is hidden from human view because of sin
People are ignorant of God
People cannot know God unaided
[our first reason is…]

God is hidden from human view because of sin

Isaiah 59:2 ESV
2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
See also Dt 31:18; Is 1:15; Is 45:15; Is 64:7; Eze 39:23; Mic 3:4
[Paul speaks to this, in our second reason…]

People are ignorant of God

Acts 17:23 ESV
23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you.
See also Ex 5:2; Jdg 2:10; Je 4:22; Jn 4:22; Jn 15:21; Ga 4:8; Eph 4:18; 1 Th 4:5

People cannot know God unaided

Matthew 11:25–27 ESV
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. 27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
See also Job 34:29; 1 Co 1:21
1 Corinthians 1:21 ESV
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
So this is not man’s Gospel because He cannot know God unless God Himself has revealed Himself.
[Understanding that it is of necessity God has revealed Himself, let’s look at…]

The Means by Which God Has Revealed Himself

God has revealed Himself in a variety of ways, we will briefly look at...
through scripture and this is the chief means of His revelation today
through the Holy Spirit
supremely in Jesus
through creation
through the Prophets
through visions and dreams
through signs, wonders, miracles

In the Scriptures

Psalm 119:105 ESV
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
See also Ps 19:7–10; Ps 119:130; Ps 147:19; Pr 6:23; 2 Ti 3:16; 2 Pe 1:19–21
2 Timothy 3:16 ESV
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
2 Peter 1:19–21 ESV
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

By the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:17 ESV
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him,
See also Ne 9:20; Lk 2:26; Lk 12:12; Jn 14:26; 1 Co 2:10; 1 Co 2:12; 1 Jn 2:27
John 14:26 ESV
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
1 Corinthians 2:10 ESV
10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12 ESV
12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

Supremely in Jesus Christ

Hebrews 1:1–2 ESV
1 Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.
See also Jn 1:18; Jn 8:26; Jn 12:49; Jn 14:10; Jn 17:6

In the creation

Psalm 19:1 ESV
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
See also Ps 97:6; Ac 14:17; Ac 17:26–27
Romans 1:20 ESV
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Through the prophets

Amos 3:7 ESV
7 “For the Lord God does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.
See also Nu 12:6; 2 Sa 7:17; 2 Sa 7:27; Is 22:14; 1 Pe 1:12

In visions and dreams

Daniel 1:17 ESV
17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
See also Ge 15:1; Is 1:1; Eze 11:24; Da 8:1; Na 1:1; Mt 1:20; Mt 2:12; Mt 2:22; Ac 9:10; Ac 16:9; Ac 22:17–18

In special signs

Hebrews 2:1–4 ESV
1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.
Jdg 6:36–40 Gideon’s fleece; 1 Ki 13:3–5 an altar split apart; 2 Ki 20:9–11 a shadow moving backwards
There are many examples of revelation through visions, dreams, signs, wonders and miracles, please understand that there time has passed...
1 Corinthians 13:8 ESV
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.
It isn’t that God is impotent or incapable of doing these things.
Those things were the infancy of God’s revelation, now is a time of maturity in God’s scheme of redemption and salvation...
Paul continues from 13:8 to say...
1 Corinthians 14:20 ESV
20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
This is certainly not man’s Gospel.
He did not originate it, for instance make up God to subdue the masses
Man’s creative story telling would not be full of the discoverable ancient truths discovered in the Bible over time.
Man did not write this book, God used man to write this book
[We also see God’s self revelation in Jesus Christ…]

The Nature of God’s Self-Revelation in Jesus Christ

Through the Good News we are shown Jesus true identity
Scripture confirms Jesus as the image of God
We are also told of a Glory yet to be revealed

God reveals Jesus Christ’s true identity

Matthew 16:17 ESV
17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.
See also Mt 3:17; Mt 17:5; Jn 1:31; Ga 1:15–16; 2 Pe 1:17–18

Jesus Christ is the visible image of God

Colossians 1:15 ESV
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
See also 2 Co 4:4; Php 2:6; Heb 1:3

Jesus Christ’s glory is still to be fully revealed

Lk 17:30; 1 Co 1:7; 2 Th 1:7; 1 Pe 1:7; 1 Pe 1:13; 1 Pe 4:13
Luke 17:30 ESV
30 so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.
1 Corinthians 1:7 ESV
7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Peter 4:13 ESV
13 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

The mystery of the gospel

Eph 3:2–3 “mystery” in the NT means “something previously hidden, undiscoverable by human means but now revealed by God”.
See also Mt 13:11; Ro 16:25–26; Ga 3:23; Eph 3:5–6; Col 1:26–27; 2 Ti 1:10
Romans 16:25–26 ESV
25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—
Ephesians 3:5–6 ESV
5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. 6 This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Colossians 1:26–27 ESV
26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
2 Timothy 1:10 ESV
10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
Man is not the author of God - God is the author of man
[lastly…]

God’s Revelation is According to His Own Sovereign Purpose

Isaiah 65:1 ESV
1 I was ready to be sought by those who did not ask for me; I was ready to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that was not called by my name.
See also Da 2:30; Ro 10:20; Ga 1:11–12
Romans 10:20 ESV
20 Then Isaiah is so bold as to say, “I have been found by those who did not seek me; I have shown myself to those who did not ask for me.”
Galatians 1:11–12 ESV
11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ.
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