Romans chapter 3 Romans chapter 3. Thank you Aaron Romans chapter 3 We have been talking about for many many weeks How God is moving how God is? Something how God is moving how God is working how God is dealing with people and we've talked about You know two two main groups. We've talked about the Jew and and we've talked about the gentile and uh... i know many of you can see this uh... but for the jew the law of moses the law of moses was god's way of dealing with his people those were the terms that was like the grounds of the relationship you say what was the way that god was going to deal with his people he was going to deal with them on the basis of the law But then we talked also about the Gentiles. And the Gentiles is pretty much everybody else. And the Gentiles, God was going to deal with the Gentiles on the basis of their conscience. And that was the way God was going to have a relationship with man without the law, through their conscience. That was the way that he was going to bring them into a right relationship with him. Now look at Romans chapter 3, look at verse number 9. The Bible says, What then? or now he's just talked about gentiles in chapter one jews in chapter two and now he's going to step back and draw a conclusion about jews and gentiles and he says what then are we meaning jews better than a meaning gentiles no one no wise we have before proved both jews and gentiles that they are all under sin As it is written, there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after God. So both Jews and Gentiles are sinful. Amen? Still in the right library. They're both sinful. And because they're sinful and in a fallen relationship, for these sinful beings to have any kind of fellowship with a holy God, they had to be brought into a right relationship with God. And God had different terms. He had the law for the Jew. He had the conscience. for the Gentile, but now if you go to Deuteronomy chapter 6, Deuteronomy chapter 6, Deuteronomy chapter 6. So many chairs, red chairs, yellow chairs, blue chairs. Deuteronomy chapter 6, and look at verse 25. Now the Israelite, the Jew in other words, and I don't say that derogatorily, I'm just saying, not a Gentile, but the Jew, the Hebrew, the Israelite, the Israelite was accountable to the law for righteousness. That's what God laid down would be the way that he could have any kind of relationship with him. You had to come to me by that law. You had to keep that law. Look at Deuteronomy 6.25. It says it right there in the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 6.25, which is Moses' law, one of the five books says, And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us. So what did a Jew under the law have to do to be made right with God? He had to keep those commandments, which meant even when he blew it and messed up, there were contingencies in the law and sacrifices to bring so he could still keep the law. Keeping the law did not mean you were sinless. Keeping the law did not mean you were perfect. Keeping the law mean that you just You kept up the payments. You kept up the payments and God could keep you. You know, he didn't have to default on his relationship with you because you were in good standing. You kept the payments up. You messed up, you brought that offering. You had that day of atonement. You brought those things and you kept those feasts that God said would keep you in a right relationship with him. Now, go to Genesis chapter 4. What about the Gentile? Well, the Gentile had a law too. It wasn't in stone tablets. It was written on his heart. And God said, if the Gentile would follow his conscience, and be honest to his conscience, and be honest to the light that God put inside of him, and the law that he wrote on his heart, then God could have a relationship with a Gentile. Genesis 4-7, there are no Jews yet. Everybody's a Gentile in Genesis chapter 4. And so Cain is all upset. Cain's upset that God didn't like his turnips. And he's upset that God rejected his asparagus. And he's just sitting there singing, if you'd like to talk to tomatoes. And God's like, I'm not into veggie tales just yet. And God says to Cain in Genesis 4-7, he says, if thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? He's looking, Cain, if you do right by the light that I've given you, I'll accept you. Now, Cain should have known that God wanted a blood offering. Adam had handed that down. Clearly, Abel knew it. And Cain thought, no, I'm going to do it my way. And God said, I'm rejecting that offering. But if you do well according to the light I've shown you, I'll accept you. Look at Romans chapter 2, another verse on that, Romans chapter 2. Romans chapter 2, I'm going to have to take this phone out. Romans chapter 2, look at verse 14. The Bible says this, Romans 2.14, Romans 2.14, I'll drink while you turn or scroll. Romans 2 14 the Bible says for when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves which show the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. So the Jew was accountable to the law to be right and the Gentile was accountable to his conscience to be kept right. But, look at Romans chapter 10. The death of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary changed all that. God said, okay, we got the conscience for the Gentile, we got the law for the Jew, but when Jesus Christ dies on that cross, God says, hey boys, there's a new way of making people righteous today. I don't want the law anymore. I don't want your conscience anymore. I want you to look to my son now. And that Jesus Christ's death on the cross of Calvary is a major change. I mean, all of history hangs on Jesus Christ's existence, right? Is 2024 from what? not from the common era, but from Jesus Christ. And so, he changed history because God changed the way he was going to deal with man going forward, because now Jesus Christ dropped a sacrifice that couldn't be matched by anything else. And in Romans chapter 10, verse 4, you'll notice that number one, he says, okay, we're done with the law now. God says, I'm not going to make people righteous by the law anymore. Romans chapter 10, verse 4, he says, we've looked at it before, for Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. everyone that believeth. So Christ is the end of the law for righteousness. Notice the context of this is Israel. See verse 1? Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved. Verse two, for I bear them record, Israel, that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. Number three, for they, Israel, being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. And then God drops the hammer and says, Christ is the end of the law. So for all those Jews that are zealous of the law and self-righteous and think that they could just do it by themselves and just show themselves right by God by keeping the Sabbaths, God says, I'm done with that, man. Christ died on the cross. That's my righteousness. That's where I set the bar now. Now go to Acts chapter 17. Acts chapter 17. we'll came here see people you not swooning are you debbie and i swooning back there he's swooning and it's a recent to be up here acts seventeen if anybody wants to try to figure out open a window i don't know you could try acts seventeen uh... verse number twenty nine acts seventeen twenty nine this is talking to gentiles god's talking to gentiles now it's paul preaching on mars hill and he's talking to these greeks these athenians and he says to the next seventeen twenty nine he says For as much then as we are the offspring of God, and you are all God's offspring the moment you're born, you're not God's children, but you're God's offspring. You're a creation of God, but not a child of God. For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold or silver or stone, graven by art, man's device. And the times of this ignorance, God winked at. But now commandeth all men everywhere to repent, because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, and that he hath raised him from the dead. So Christ is not just the end of the law for righteousness, Christ is the end of the conscience for righteousness. He says, all you guys that were just worshiping trees and berries and rocks and, you know, trying to do the best you could, God just kind of winked. God just turned a blind eye for all those years. But he says, but now that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, God says, that's the one that's going to judge you and that's the mark. So, you see, the cross is the end for both of them. God says, I want people looking to my Son now. Amen? That make sense? Now, that means, and the context of this, if you look at verses 22 down through 29, it's Gentiles, right? He's on Mars Hill. He's talking to the Athenians. They're making devotions to the unknown God. He starts talking about God in 24. He's talking about all men in verse 26, right? Hath made of one blood all nations of men, black, white, polka-dotted. God says you're all one blood, sinful blood, and you need one sinless blood to save you, Jesus Christ. So the Jew and the Gentile now is all accountable to Jesus Christ. That's the bar now. Something has changed. So the law of Moses then, that we talked about for the past few weeks, is in effect until the death of Christ, right? Those are God's terms with Israel until the death of Christ. So from like Exodus 20, to probably John 20, that's how God is dealing with his people. Now he's got the Gentile over here, he's dealing with them according to their conscience, so God's got a program for everybody, God doesn't leave anybody out. So he's got a program for the Gentile, but the main people he's working through is the nation of Israel. Abraham's descendants, then that nation is formed under Moses, and they become a nation when they get laws, hello, they get a nation when they get laws, and from Exodus 20, all the way through John 20, when Jesus Christ rises from the dead, those Jews are accountable to the law. That means Joshua and all the judges were under the law. Barak and Jephthah and Gideon and Samson and Samuel, they're under the law. That means the great kings of Israel and the kings of Israel were under the law. Saul and David and Solomon, when Israel became established as a kingdom and a world superpower, they're accountable to the law. That means the division of the kingdom, the descent of Israel, their destruction from Rehoboam on all the way down to Zedekiah. That means all those kings, all those prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah and Zephaniah and Habakkuk, and all those guys that are preaching to the kingdom while they're falling apart, they're all subject to the law. That means when they go into the exile, and then they come out of the exile and they try to return to the land in Ezra and Nehemiah and Haggai and Zechariah and Malachi, those post-exile books, when that little remnant has gone back to the land, guess what? They're still accountable to the law. It's still the terms of the agreement between them and God. Even during the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, before the death of the cross, people are still accountable to the law. Because the Testament is in effect until the death of the testator, Hebrews 9. So until Jesus Christ dies, that law is in effect. So I know your Bible says New Testament when you flip past Malachi chapter 4. But that's not where God turns the New Testament on. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, doctrinally, are in the Old Testament. they're still under the law I'll show you look at Matthew chapter 5 I'll show you that I'll just show you a few verses I'm probably not gonna finish this but that seems to be a theme lately Matthew chapter 5 I'll just show you how Jesus Christ under the law didn't break the law Matthew 5 ready Matthew 5 look at verse 17 Matthew 5 17 here's Jesus speaking right A few pages to the left, your Bible says New Testament. Probably. Your editor put New Testament there, but let's look at Matthew 5, verse 17. The Bible says, Jesus speaking, think not that I am come to destroy the law. I am not come to destroy, or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. So Jesus Christ comes and he tells them, don't break the law. I'm not coming to destroy the law. I'm coming to fulfill the law. The law's still in effect. He was dedicated to God. All those things that a faithful, obedient Jew had to follow, Jesus Christ followed. He fulfilled the law. Look at the book of Mark, chapter 1. I'll show you one out of Mark. Mark, chapter 1. This leper comes up to Jesus. He recognizes his power. He sees his ability. He says, you know, you can make me clean. He says, sure I can. And he makes him clean. And in Mark, chapter 1, verse 44, after healing this leper, look what Jesus says to him. He says, let's go sing Amazing Grace, brother. Let's go sing Washed in the Blood, brother. No, he says this, he says in Mark 144, and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man, but go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded. He's telling this man who's been healed, keep the law. The law says you're supposed to bring an offering when God forgives your sins. Hey, you better bring that offering. You better recognize that God has just done something for you. Keep the law. That's interesting. How about the book of Luke? Let's go to Luke. Let's just go right through all four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Luke, chapter 10. Luke 10, verse 25. You see, I know some of this might get dry, and I try not to make it too academic, but people, if I can get to my conclusion, you'll see why I get fired up about this. If you don't know what God's doing, you don't know what you're doing. If you don't know what God's doing, how are you helping somebody else? Because you don't know what God's doing, so you're telling somebody something, you're going to make them two-fold more child of hell than yourselves. The blind leads the blind, they both fall into a ditch, Jesus said. So it's important that we search the scriptures and figure out where are we in God's timetable and where are we in God's dealings so we don't mess ourselves up and even worse, mess somebody else up. So I know this is not a great sharing and this is not really relevant and it may not make you know, I need, there is a stool here. I could sit on this stool. But this is like stuff that's not just for your head, it's for your heart. Like I want to know what my father's doing. What is my father up to? Right? Little kids might watch their dad like, Dad, what are you up to? My nephew, Nico, you know, loves his daddy, Joe. And you know, and Joe's always working with tools. You know what Nico's always got? Tools. Nico's always, he comes over my house and Joe's, you know, plumbing a wall and putting a door in it. Nico's just like, he's trying to do it too because a son wants to know what his daddy's up to. And you're supposed to want to know what your father is up to. Like, father, what are you doing? What's your hand? How is your hand moving? God's like, I'm showing you. Just study to show thyself approved and I'll show you. Look at Luke chapter 10, verse 25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up. Stephen, stay seated. A certain lawyer stood up. and tempted in saying master what shall i do to inherit eternal life here it is banned i mean could that answer be what would we say if somebody else is that What do I do to get saved? We'd be like, sit down, don't move, let me just explain this to you. We'd probably talk about the cross, we'd talk about faith, we'd talk about the atonement of Christ, we'd talk about the sealing of the spirit, we'd talk about it being finished, we'd talk about the baptism of the Holy Ghost being put into the body of Christ, we'd talk about all this stuff with this person so they get it, right Jack? So we get it, we understand like how to be saved and how to get saved, right? You got it. You don't look at me, you make me nervous, right? Right? That's when we tell the person. That's not what Jesus said here. he's got a candidate he's just opened up the bay doors man I mean beep beep back the truck up jesus here it is what must I do to inherit eternal life look what he says he said unto him what is written in the law how readest thou And he answering said, thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neighbor as thyself. That's what Moses said in Deuteronomy chapter six, was really all the commandments hung on those two precepts. Verse 28, and he said unto him, no, stupid, it's believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, thou shalt be saved. No, man, you gotta get washed in the blood. No, Jesus said, thou hast answered right. This do, and thou shalt live. I've heard all kind of preaching on this. Well Jesus was setting him up to show him that he couldn't keep the law. God is not the author of confusion. This guy's asking, what do I do to inherit eternal life? Keep the law. What's written in the law? You do that, and you live. Why? Because that was the terms of the deal under the law, and that law is still in effect in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. He's pointing a lawyer to the law to get life. Oh, the irony. Go to John, chapter 15. One more in the book of John. Even in the book of John? Yes, in the book of John. The book of John, chapter 15. Jesus is speaking. And in John 15, verse 10, look what Jesus says here. John 15, 10, Jesus says, If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. Jesus is testifying that I'm keeping the commandments too. He wasn't breaking the law. He was fulfilling the law. So Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, until Jesus Christ dies on the cross, God's dealing with them under the law. But at the cross of Jesus Christ, God is shifting the way he's gonna deal with man. God is changing the way he's gonna deal with man. He is shifting to a new, what we call dispensation. A new way of dealing with man. And this dispensation would have a new gospel to preach, right? This dispensation would have a new gospel to preach, the gospel of the grace of God, which we're gonna talk about tonight. This dispensation would have a new administrator. Administrator. The Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost would be in charge. The Holy Spirit of God would now be the administrator of the Church. We'll talk about that one week. Some could call this the dispensation of the Holy Spirit, perhaps. And God would now have a new emphasis. He is no longer working on forming a political nation. He is now forming a spiritual body, the body of Christ, the Church of God. And what I want to do over the next few weeks is talk about, Lord willing, Lord willing, talk about these shifts. the shift in the message, the shift in the Holy Spirit, and then the shift in the emphasis from Peter to Paul, from Israel to Gentile Church, from Kingdom of Heaven to Kingdom of God, and that'll land you right where you are in 2024 with what God's doing. So if you have your little handy-dandy handout that somebody so graciously made, I would like to talk about the gospels they sell great let me open up to the book of matthew not not so fast i don't mean what your editors called the gospels i want to talk about the gospels in the bible because i might rock your world right now but there is more than one gospel in the bible he's not yet as matthew mark luke and john not slow down son i'm getting somewhere no there are four gospels in the bible i know what you think in matthew mark luke and john No, no, no, no, no. There have been four messages that God has given to man that qualify as good news, that have a specific audience. a specific time and location and a specific good news and a specific subject that was to cause people to rejoice and i think you need to know that because if you don't know that you might be preaching i'm not i'm saying you in a general sense but you might be preaching the wrong gospel because the only one of those four gospels is the gospel for this age so let's go to Galatians chapter three And let's look at the first one. Galatians chapter 3. You see it on your sheet, so I don't have to write it up here. But the first gospel is the gospel unto Abraham. The Bible talks about the gospel unto Abraham. That old man Abraham, you know Father Abraham, he had many sons. He was given some good news called the gospel. And it wasn't written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. It was long before Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John ever existed. Galatians chapter 3 verse 8 of verse 7 says, know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham, and the scripture," ooh, watch this one, this would be a great verse to preach on, but I won't do that now, the scripture, foreseeing, ooh, that means that book is alive and foresees things, but you know, I'm just reading it, I'm just reading it, the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith preached before, the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So Abraham, in his land of sojourn, as he's coming from Ur the Chaldees and headed toward the promised land, he is given some good news of a promised seed. Go back to Genesis 22, let's look at it. It's in 15 and 22, but I'll pick it up in 22. Let's go to Genesis 22, Genesis 22. and you know that but you did you know i was called the gospel god calls that a gospel god calls that a message every of of good news god calls that glad tidings genesis twenty two fifteen he has just uh... he has just offered up his son isaac i was willing to offer up his son isaac and in genesis twenty two fifteen the bible says in the angel of the lord called into abraham out of heaven the second time and said by myself have i sworn sayeth the lord is the oath he made the promise this is the oath for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son, thy only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven and as the sandwiches upon the seashore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, watch it, and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." There's the gospel. That's what Galatians calls the gospel unto Abraham. Your seed is going to bless the world. God promised that Abraham would have a seed. His wife's womb was dead. He was old in years. How is this going to happen? It was going to be a miraculous thing that God would do to produce a seed that would not just bless him and his wife, but bless all nations. And if you go back to Galatians chapter 3, should have told you to stick your thumb there, Galatians chapter 3. Bible tells us very clearly that that seed is Christ. That seed that would come from the loins of Abraham would be Jesus Christ, and that seed would bless the whole nations. It would come through Abraham. Galatians 3.16 shows you how careful God is with his Bible, that every letter is important. He says in Galatians 3.16, Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not unto seeds. So Ishmael, you're out. Not to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ." Christ is the seed that came through, right? Abraham is a Shemite. Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and that's who Jesus Christ is a descendant of, and that would bless the whole nation. Isn't that good news? Think about it. if i told you i said monday christian had his one-year checkup at sloan-kettering you know your heart always skips a beat every time he goes up there you know hopefully you'll never have to experience that i hope you don't but once i know the blood is taken my hand is on the app just refreshing like this my kids are like daddy it's gonna be fine oh i know i just need to keep right brother matt understands i just need to see it i need to see that the white blood counts okay but what if i said your son What I said, I said, Mario, your son is not only going to beat cancer, but he's going to find a cure for cancer that's going to heal the whole world. I mean, that would be like, whoa! That would be good news for Mario. That would be amazing news. That would be some glad tidings. He could tell people, somebody that comes from my loins and in my descendants is going to beat cancer. And Abraham is old and infirm, and he's got no heir in his house up to this point. His servant is his heir up to this point. And God steps up to him and he listens, man. You believe me? I'm going to have one of your descendants heal the world of death. I'm going to send forth a seed that's going to conquer death the same way I could bring a seed out of your wife's dead womb. I'm going to bring forth a seed that's going to rise from the dead." And he didn't understand all that, but we do. And he just saw something that the whole world could be blessed by this seed. That is good news. Let's go to Hebrews 4. Let's look at the second one. How about the gospel unto Israel in the wilderness? Hebrews chapter 4. Hebrews chapter 4 verse 1. you see any handout this is the gospel onto israel when they were in the wilderness by katish barney a numbers chapter thirteen numbers chapter fourteen right they've wandered for a while for about eleven days they could go into the land it's promised is there they could go in there and this was the good news of the promised rest you guys have been slaves and now god's gonna give you a land we you can have rest Hebrews 4, now this is somebody after Christ saying, let us therefore fear, the ones that lived at the time of Christ, lest a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. Watch this. For unto us, the people at the time of Christ, was the gospel preached as well as unto them. He's referring to the people under Moses. But the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. He says, Jesus Christ came to offer us rest, just like in Moses' day, they were offered rest. They were offered the promised land. They were offered a place where they could have peace and safety. Look at verse nine. The whole context is the promised rest. Hey, if you've been slaves as a people for 400 years, Rest is good news. Safety from your enemies? Good news. Hebrews, verse 9. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. That's about somebody missing it. And Jesus Christ, I'm sorry, Moses and Christ were both offering it. But at Kadesh Barnea, Moses was offering it, and then Jesus was offering it at his time. Go to Exodus 33. I'll show you this. I'll show you how God was promising Israel rest. He wanted them to have rest because they'd had such affliction and sorrow. Exodus 33. Aren't you glad the Lord knows your sorrows? What a great verse in Exodus 6 when he says, I've come down, I've heard their sorrows, I'm touched with their affliction. In Exodus chapter 33, the Lord is talking to Moses. and it says in Exodus 33 down by verse 12, and Moses said unto the Lord, See thou sayest unto me, Bring up this people, and thou hast not let me know whom thou wilt send with me. Yet thou hast said, I know thee by name, and thou hast also found grace in my sight. Now therefore I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, Show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight. And consider that this nation is thy people. And he, meaning God, said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest. That's the promise. Guys, I'm going to give you rest. Look at Deuteronomy chapter 12. Let me show you in Deuteronomy 12 what that rest meant. What that rest included, what that rest was all about, that when they went into that promised land, God would help put down their enemies and they'd have a place of their own because they'd been sojourners in the land of Egypt for 430 years and slaves for 400 years. They had no place of their own. God says, I'm going to give you a place of your own. I'm going to help put your enemies down and you can have rest. Deuteronomy chapter 12, verse 10. But when ye go over Jordan, right, this is, Joshua's gonna lead him over. But when ye go over Jordan and dwell in the land which the Lord your God giveth you to inherit, and when he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about you so that ye dwell in safety. See, that rest promised safety for Israel, for all our enemies. That's good news, isn't it? That's great news. Wow, I get to have rest from your enemies, right? I get to have rest from my enemies. Praise the Lord. That's fantastic, right? Rest. Now, watch that word safety, my brethren, because that's the word Israel's throwing around right now. for when they shall say peace and safety. and now you got people on news saying, Israel's gonna have peace and safety. I'd buckle up and put my trade tables in the upright position. Because when you start hearing them start saying peace and safety, they're saying it now. Safety, safety, safety, safety. Now, Israel's not gonna get safety from the Iron Dome or the Iron Laser. They're gonna get safety from Jesus Christ when he brings them into that land. But they're talking about it now. You say, you're setting a date. I don't know, what is today? I don't even know what today's date is. I'm not setting a date, but I'm just saying, You're getting closer every day to the Lord's return. Because they're saying things that God said He'd give His people. Israel is... Google it. It's in the news. We're going to put down Hezbollah. We're going to put down Hamas. And we're going to have peace and safety. Where have I read that before? when they shall say, exactly, when they shall say, peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as a woman in travail. That's Israel in the tribulation, and they shall not escape. So they're gonna think they're gonna get it, and then God's gonna whack them, and then he's gonna bring peace and safety, because there is no peace without the Prince of Peace, but way back under Moses, he was saying, you guys have been afflicted, you've been tortured by these taskmasters, I'm gonna bring you into this land, and you'll be safe. You know, we're in a school right now. You know one of the biggest things they say in schools is, you can't learn if you don't feel safe. I've been teaching for 24 years. School safety is such a big deal because if a child doesn't feel safe, he or she has a very difficult time learning. Right? That's like 101. Education 101. If a child doesn't feel safe in a home, he has a hard time functioning or growing or thriving. Hey, God wanted his people to thrive and prosper and multiply. They had to be safe. He had to bring them in a place where they would be safe. That was a gospel. That was good news. Now go to Mark chapter 1. Let's go to gospel number 3. Mark chapter 1. Gospel number 3. Mark chapter 1. Mark chapter 1 verse 14. This is the gospel unto Israel in the land of promise. This is at the time of Christ. And Jesus Christ is preaching the gospel to them, too. And it's a lot like the one that Moses was preaching. It's the promise of a king and his kingdom. Because now they're there in the land, but they're just waiting for the king to show up. And he's like, I'm here. The king is here. This is good news. Mark chapter 1 verse 14. Jesus says this. Mark 1.14, now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom, the gospel of the kingdom, the good news of the kingdom. Look at Matthew chapter four. Go to Matthew chapter four now. Go to Matthew chapter four. Matthew chapter four. Making sense so far? All right. Matthew chapter 4, look at verse 17. I'm showing you a lot of verses so you don't just take my word for it. If something's confusing, please call me, text me, tackle me. I'll try to explain it. I'll try to unpack it because I know I talk too fast and sometimes it's hard in the whole group to slow down and make everything clear, but we record everything, it's on YouTube, it's on Sermon Audio, you can re-listen, re-watch, you know, get it down, ask me a question, I'll sit down with anybody and try to explain it, to try to make it clear, so you get it. I might need to see something differently too, I'm not by any means infallible, ask my dog. Matthew chapter 4, verse 17, from that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Now you say, but where's the word gospel in there? In verse 23. And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom. The gospel of the kingdom was, the kingdom's at hand, because the king is here. That was the good news to Israel in the land of the king and his kingdom. Go to Matthew chapter 10. Go to Matthew chapter 10, look at verse 5. This, this is what Jesus Christ was preaching. This is what the disciples were preaching. They weren't preaching what you're preaching. This is what they were preaching. It was a different message before the cross. Matthew 10, verse 5 says, These twelve, he's just picked his twelve apostles, these twelve Jesus sent forth and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles. Then we're all, we're pretty much all stuck here, right? Don't go to any Gentiles, just preach this to the house of Israel. Really? We're supposed to preach to everybody, aren't we? verse six but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of israel and as you go preach saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand heal the sick cleanse the lepers raise the dead cast out devils freely you have received freely give please notice that this was preached by jesus christ and his disciples before the cross and according to verse number six it was intended for israel And according to verse number eight, it was accompanied by signs to confirm the word to Israel. How are they going to know that this guy wasn't just another Joe Schmo claiming to be the Messiah? He says, watch this. Boom. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, et cetera, et cetera. That's for the Jews require a sign. That's how God raised that nation. Ever since the book of Exodus, when Moses was given a similar command to go tell the people they'd be free, Moses said, how are they gonna believe me? He says, pick up that staff and throw it down. Watch this, boom. He gave them signs and wonders. He was teaching those people, how do you know the guy's telling the truth? Watch the miracle, see if it confirms the word, right? Now, go to Acts chapter three. Now, this is something I've got to talk about probably in many weeks, but this gospel was preached by Christ's disciples for a short time after the cross. Because there was still like a little window where Israel could have received Christ, where Israel could have repented. So in this like Acts 1 to 7 window, it's very much in flux. Like God was, it was after the cross and God did have another plan in the back of his head, but he was still making this offer to Israel so that the apostles like Peter, James, and John, they didn't know really what God's mystery plan was. So they're just, they're still preaching kingdom of heaven. They're still preaching the king is coming. They're still preaching. The Messiah is going to bring us into the promised land. Look at Acts chapter 3. Now, Acts chapter 3, Peter, the best way he knows how is preaching this, which sounds a lot like what he was preaching before the cross. He says, Repent ye therefore and be converted. Now watch this. That your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. And he shall send Jesus. which before was preached unto you, whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things." Now, that's really not what we preach today. You know, we take somebody and we talk to somebody and say, man, here's how you get to heaven. We don't say, repent, and when Jesus comes, he'll take your sins away. That's not our message. Right? Our message is, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. That's the message. The message here in our time is, when you get saved, Jesus Christ, and if you're happy, let your face know, but when Jesus Christ saves you, He takes all your sins away. Right? I mean, that's a blessing, right? I'm not waiting for Him to come, but Israel is a nation was waiting for the Messiah to come to take their sins away. They didn't realize it. So Peter, he's still going with that old program and he's still telling them, listen guys, if you receive him, he'll come back. That was a legitimate offer. I know it's a little confusing. I'll unpack it more. But that was a legitimate offer. If Israel had repented and received Jesus Christ, the second coming would have come 2,000 years ago. You say, how would it have worked? I'm not sure. God would have worked it out. but he would've gotten somehow the tribulation, the rapture, somehow it would've all worked in. There was an antichrist there already, Judas. There would've been an Elijah there already, John the Baptist. Everything was in place so that first coming could've been the second coming if Israel had received him. So when he makes that offer, he says, repent and he'll send Jesus and he'll take away our sins. That's what the nation wanted. That's what the nation longed for. That was still being preached up until, you know, Acts chapter 15, when they all got their heads on straight. And Paul said, yo, yo, yo, yo, this is what God's doing now. And we'll talk about that in a few weeks. How by Acts chapter 15, the apostle Paul said, guys, this is what God is doing now. And they're like, oh, got it. But for that little intermediary time, there's still a little bit of fuzziness going on. Look at Matthew chapter 24. All right, Matthew chapter 24. I am not getting to part two of this. Matthew chapter 24. Matthew 24. Now, Matthew 24 is all future. It's all tribulation. So please don't try to expound it and apply it to yourself. Matthew 24 is basically mainly about future events. And in the heart of Matthew 24, he says in verse 13, Jesus speaking, and he said unto them, verse 13, I'm sorry. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come. The gospel of the kingdom is, when you're going through the tribulation, if you just hold on, you'll make it. If you resist the antichrist, you make it. If you don't take the mark, you'll make it. And if you endure to the end, you'll be saved. And then the end will come, and he'll send Jesus, which will take away your sins. Is that the gospel that I'm preaching and you believe? I hope not. That's not good news for us. Just make it through the tribulation, and then you'll be okay. That's not good news. Maker through starvation, famines, the mark of the beast, somebody getting my head cut off, that's not good news today. Good news today is salvation by grace through faith plus nothing. Hallelujah. Amen. In the tribulation, it's guys, you better hide in the rocks, you better stay away from that Antichrist, you better resist unto blood, sin, Hebrews chapter 12, and then if you do, Jesus Christ will come and get you. Right? That's not the gospel for today. That's not. Right? Now go to Acts chapter 20. Let's do the last one. This is probably the last drop of attention span I'll get out of myself and you and we'll probably end right here. I'll park a caboose right there and I'll do part two. I really wanted to get to part two but I can't. Acts chapter 20. Let's just call this groundwork. we're gonna be in this dispensation for a long time. If law was five weeks, I think this one's gonna be like twice as long, because this is the one that most applies to us and what we're living in, so I don't know, I got nowhere to go. The only thing that could interrupt us is the rapture, and that'll be good, because then he'll sort it out. He'll be like, by the way, just forget what Pat said, this was, okay, that'll be perfect, right? Acts chapter 20, Verse 24, this is the Apostle Paul now. Now we're swinging and now we're dealing with the gospel, not just to Israel, not to Abraham, not dealing with Moses. This is the gospel to all the world. This is the gospel for the present church age, not the promised seed, not the promised rest, not the promised king, but the promised grace. that God would show to all people, that he would be that light to the Gentiles, like Isaiah said. Look at Acts 20, 24. Now Paul is near the end of his ministry. He's about to be arrested. The church age is fully established and about to really Unleash on the world. And he says there in Acts 20, 24, But none of these things move me, neither count on my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify of the gospel of the grace of God. Not the gospel of the kingdom, not the gospel unto Abraham, and not the gospel of Kadesh Barnea, but the gospel to all the world about the grace of God that brings salvation. Now look at Romans chapter 15. I'll give you a few more verses, then we'll quit. Romans 15. Special grace was given to Paul to understand and preach this mystery. Doesn't mean Paul was the only one that had grace. I talked about that a few weeks ago. That is wrongly dividing your word. Noah found grace. Moses found grace. It's grace that God even thinks twice about us. but Paul had to be given special grace because he's a Pharisee who's basically preaching against everything he's taught before, and he's like, I'm gonna need some grace because everybody wants to kill me. So God gives him a special grace to have the ability to understand and preach this mystery to the world. Romans chapter 15, verse 15, he says, nevertheless, brethren, I have written the more boldly unto you in some sort as putting you in a mind because of the grace that is given to me of God. Oh, you mean Paul's the only one under grace? No, no, no, no. That I should be the minister of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, ministering the gospel of God, that the offering up of the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost. So Paul's like, I had to be given some grace so I could be this minister to the Gentiles and get this Gentile bride ready for Jesus Christ. Something different. Paul would say, you don't have to flip there. Yeah, go to 1 Corinthians 9. Yeah, flip there. We can flip there. 1 Corinthians 9, I got a couple of stops left. 1 Corinthians 9, verse 17. Paul actually calls it a dispensation. 1 Corinthians 9.17, he says, for if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward, but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. He's like, God gave me an administration. God dispersed some grace to me so I could be the minister of this new dispensation and lay this groundwork for this new dispensation. That took a lot of grace from God. Go to Galatians 1, couple of books to the right, and Paul, got this gospel for all the world from Jesus Christ himself. He didn't get it from Moses. He didn't learn it from Peter. He got this one when he was out there in Arabia for 14 years or so. He got this one at the base of Mount Sinai when he was all alone with Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ gave him direct revelation. That's amazing. That's why nobody believed him. That's why the Corinthians didn't believe him. That's why he always had to prove that he was an apostle, because they're like, who are you? We know about Peter, James, but who are you? You say you got this message from God? He needed some special grace to get through that, some ability and blessing from God to get through that. Because in Galatians 1, verse 11, he says, but I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ." See that? Paul received this gospel from Jesus Christ himself. Look at chapter 2, chapter 2 verse 1, then 14 years after, after that time in Arabia, I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas and took Titus with me also, and I went up by revelation and commuted unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles. If they knew, if they were all preaching the same thing, why did Paul have to tell them he was preaching something different? He said, I got something from Christ to preach to all the world, and I had to go into Jerusalem and say, Peter, James, John, come on, sit down, I gotta tell you something. This is what God's doing now, right? Look at chapter, verse six, same chapter, verse six. but of these who seem to be somewhat meaning that the jewish apostles like peter james and john whatsoever they were it make it no matter to me god accepted no man's person today who seem to be somewhat in conference and nothing to me so we all got together and peter shared his favors and james gave me his little exit jesus and john talk about his devotional for the day i just was like that's that's that's that's cute that's nice you know He didn't give me anything new. He's being humble here, but he's like, they're not adding anything that I didn't already know, because I got the revelation from Christ himself. And he says there, he keeps going, he says, But contrarywise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision, that I was going to the Gentiles, was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision, Peter was going to the Jews, was unto Peter, for he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles. And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, they were the top dogs in Jerusalem, they were the ones running the show, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship, that we should go into the heathen, and they into the circumcision." He says, we said, all right, Paul, you go to the goy, and we'll keep going to the Jews. we'll preach Christ crucified by Acts chapter 15 they're square they got it all sorted out Paul got their heads on straight they got it they said all right we're gonna minister to our people you go to the heathen and they shook on it and they went now go to Romans chapter 2 now this that's the gospel that we're preaching now Look at Romans chapter 2. Paul was so zealous and jealous over that gospel. Paul was so careful about that gospel that he called it my gospel. Not because he owned it, not because he conceived it, because Jesus Christ had given it to him. Right? Your children are not yours. Children are an inheritance of the Lord. They're gods. He gives them to you. But they're so precious to you, you say, that's my girl. That's my boy. But they're not yours. The Bible tells you they're God's. They're a heritage of the Lord. But they're so precious to you, you say, that's my son, that's my daughter. That's how Paul is with the gospel. Christ gave it to him. It was Christ's gospel. But he's like, he gave this to me to give to the world. This is my gospel. This is the one I've got to preach. This is the one that's so special to me that Christ gave it to me to give to the world. And he says right there in Romans, did I tell you to go to Romans? Thank you. I don't even know what I'm talking about right now, so I need somebody to hold me accountable. Romans chapter 2. You'd be my accountability partner, Stephen. Romans 2 verse 16. In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Look at Romans chapter 16. Romans chapter 16. I'll show you another one. He says it a bunch of times. I'll show you just one more. Romans chapter 16 verse 25. Romans chapter 16 verse 25. Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel." My gospel. But go to 2 Corinthians now, just keep going to the right. But it wasn't really Paul's gospel. Paul's not our Savior. Paul didn't die for you. Paul's just the minister that gave you the truth. Hallelujah. Praise the Lord. I'm thankful for him, but it's Jesus Christ who died and rose again. So Paul does call it my gospel out of affection and entrusted to him, but he still calls it Christ's gospel because he knows where it came from. Look at 2 Corinthians 2, verse 12. See what it says there? 2 Corinthians 2, 12. 2 Corinthians 2, 12. Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel. Oh, it's my gospel because it's been given to me, and it's important to me, and I've been entrusted with it, but it's Christ's gospel. It's about Him. It points to Him. It's His work. It's His message. It's His grace. It's His power. It's His love. It's His sacrifice. So don't get that screwed up. Paul was very jealous over the gospel, like you should be, but he knew it was Christ's gospel. because Jesus Christ had entrusted it directly to Paul for this age. You say, what's that message? We'll end in 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Go back to 1 Corinthians. Here's the message. Remember the gospel unto Abraham? The message was, your seed will bless the world. Remember the gospel at Kiddush Barnea? The message was, I'll take you into the land and you'll have rest and safety. The gospel in Jesus Christ's day, the gospel of the kingdom was, the king is here, get ready for the kingdom. The gospel of grace, the gospel of the grace of God, is this right here, 1 Corinthians 15, verses 1 to 4. Paul says, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached, my gospel. which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain." Here it comes. Here's the gospel of the grace of God. Here's the good news that we put on people's doors, that we take to fairs, that we put on tracks, that we tell people at the church, that we put in cards around Christmas time. This is it. not our church, not our good deeds, not our good works, not our efforts. Here it is. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This gospel is the death, the burial, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That's what we preach. That's the message for this age. Is that important to you? Because folks, if you don't know what God is doing, how will you know you're preaching the right good news for this age? This is where God is at right now. Paul said, we preach not ourselves, but Christ crucified. I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We don't try to make a big deal about our church. We've got to put a name on the track so somebody can call us if they need help, but I'd just as soon not put one on there. We've got to put a name on the sign so they say, what's your church called? I just as soon not even have a name. That shouldn't bother you. I know I get it. People got to have a name because then who are you? I'm everyone. I don't know. But you know, but I get the, but the truth is it's Christ and Him crucified. That's, that's got to be so important to you that that's got to be my gospel. That's what saved me. It might not be important to you because you're not saved. You see, if you were cured, you'd say, wow, that's really important to me. Like I've used his name before, but Dr. Nirav Shukla at Sloan Kettering, he's my guy. because he helped my son, and he's a great guy, helped my son through leukemia, so he's got a special place, right? I've, you know, I've been with him at the bedside. Jesus Christ's just a name in a storybook somewhere, then yeah, I guess he's not a big deal to you. But if Jesus Christ has saved you, and you've seen the change in your life, and your heart, and your everything, that's pretty important to you. That's, you know what that is? That's my gospel. That's the good news that God gave to me. And now you know what the natural reciprocation is? Hey, have you heard about Jesus? That should be the natural reciprocation should be, I want to tell somebody else because if he did that for me, how could I not tell it to the world? You've been entrusted with not just the cure for cancer or AIDS or Ebola. You've been entrusted with the cure for death. You've got the one who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Which gospel? That one. And that's the one we're supposed to preach to the world. And if it's not important to you, maybe you need to check your salvation. And if you are saved, maybe to check your heart and say, Lord, make this a bigger deal to me that I would be more careful about this gospel I've been given. And next week, Lord willing, we'll talk about some of the differences in the gospel and talk about preaching the right gospel and try to pivot into the Holy Spirit a little bit. But thank you for being here tonight, for rolling with the punches, and we'll have a word of prayer and we'll be dismissed. Father, we love you tonight. We thank you. We praise you for the Lord Jesus. We just pray, Lord, these things made sense to you and to your people. Lord, give the understanding. Help me to understand it better, Lord. I'm saying it, Father, help the gravity of it and the seriousness of it and the joy of it, Lord, to really hit me. Help us, Lord, to be just As somebody told me years ago, just a little gospel, our Father, just help us to take the gospel with us, tracts in our pocket, joy in our heart, and just go spreading gospel seeds everywhere we go. Give us open doors, Father, in the nursing homes and flea markets and all the places we come and go, Father, help us to just preach one message. Jesus Christ died, rose again for our sins. I pray this now, Lord, for your hand upon your people. In Jesus' name, amen. Amen, amen, amen.