The Ministry of the Gospel
Notes
Transcript
Bible Passage
Bible Passage
14 I am fully convinced, my dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well you can teach each other all about them. 15 Even so, I have been bold enough to write about some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder. For by God’s grace, 16 I am a special messenger from Christ Jesus to you Gentiles. I bring you the Good News so that I might present you as an acceptable offering to God, made holy by the Holy Spirit. 17 So I have reason to be enthusiastic about all Christ Jesus has done through me in my service to God. 18 Yet I dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me, bringing the Gentiles to God by my message and by the way I worked among them. 19 They were convinced by the power of miraculous signs and wonders and by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ from Jerusalem all the way to Illyricum.
20 My ambition has always been to preach the Good News where the name of Christ has never been heard, rather than where a church has already been started by someone else. 21 I have been following the plan spoken of in the Scriptures, where it says,
“Those who have never been told about him will see,
and those who have never heard of him will understand.”
Admonish = Teach, instruct.
“that the offering of the of the Gentiles might be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit (v16).”
Rough Outline
Rough Outline
14, 15 - Paul gave all that he had taught them in the previous chapters as a reminder of the things they already knew.
16 - God had called Paul for the purpose of preaching the gospel to them and presenting them to God as an acceptable offering.
17,18 - Even though Paul was very enthusiastic about all Christ had done through him, he did not want to be boasting about how good he was at it, rather he sought to boast in al that Jesus was doing in and through him.
19 - It was the work of the Holy Spirit that led them Gentiles to believe in Jesus Christ. Paul extended himself where he could, the rest he left up to Jesus.
20, 21 - Paul would rather preach the gospel to the unchurched in the hope that they would believe.
Big Idea
Big Idea
We can have absolute confidence that Jesus is able to do all things through us, in enabling us to present the gospel to a lost generation.
Ephesians 3:20–21 (NKJV)
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, 21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Jesus has chosen you for this very purpose. He has chosen you to join Him in His work to take the gospel and present it to the world.
Two truths ring true for the church today:
We all play a part in the administration of the gospel.
Both prayer and preaching is how we play our part in the administration of the gospel.
2 Corinthians 5:20 (NKJV)
20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
Colossians 4:3 (NKJV)
3 meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Acts 1:8 (NKJV)
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
1 Thessalonians 1:5 (NKJV)
5 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.
20 For the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.