The Gospel

how good is the gospel?

That is the good news of who God is and what he's done in Jesus.

How good is God?

Because God is the gospel.

God is the good news.

But I guess the question is, is he good news in your life?

Now, we know what the answer should be, or at least the gist of it.

You know, he's great.

He changes everything.

I wake up every morning singing psalms of joy.

But is God in reality making a difference to your anxiety or your fear?

Is God in reality satisfying you, filling you with joy?

Is he so good that you can't help but tell other people about him?

Is he so good that you're busting to tell your non-Christian friends about Jesus

because you know he's the answer to the questions that they're asking?

Again, we know the answer should be yes.

But for many of us, that's not our day-to-day experience of following Jesus.

We read in the New Testament that the fruit of the Spirit,

that is the fruit of God's presence in our lives,

is love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, self-control.

But then we live lives marked by fear, anxiety, worry, anger, hurry, and depression.

Why the gap?

Well, I want to suggest two possible reasons.

Firstly, we don't actually know the gospel that we claim to believe.

Now, we know about Jesus,

but we don't actually understand who he is or what he did

and how that changes everything.

Or, second reason,

we don't actually believe the gospel that we claim to believe.

So we say we believe we've forgiven,

but then when we sin,

we're crushed by guilt

and we feel like we can't pray or read our Bible to God

until we've kind of done some good deeds to balance the ledger.

We say we believe that God's in control,

but we are dominated by fear and anxiety

and the apparent instability and uncertainty of our lives.

The message that we carry,

the centre of our mission,

the message we have heard and responded to,

if you're a Christian,

is good news for us,

but first, it's good news about God.

Which is then, because of God, good news for us,

but at its core,

the gospel message,

the good news,

is good news about God

because God himself is the gospel.

And so much of our Christianity,

so much of our faith,

so much of following Jesus

and our church culture suffers

because we skip what is first and most important

and instead focus just on how

and if the gospel is good news for me,

good news for my circumstance,

and we miss the goodness of a God

who is the very definition of good.

We focus on the results of the gospel

rather than its foundation and power.

So we measure the goodness of God,

we measure the goodness of following God

based on the circumstances of my life

rather than measuring the circumstances of my life

and the goodness of them

based on the immovable goodness

of God's incredible character and faithfulness.

We focus on the results and miss the foundation.

Now, just to be clear, there are results.

The gospel works.

The gospel does something in your life,

but if you start there and you focus there first,

you miss the power of the God

who brings the results

and brings the transformation,

and then when you miss that power,

you don't actually get the transformation.

If all you're looking for is the result and change,

you miss it.

What I want to do this morning

is take us back to our roots,

to the gospel,

to what it means to believe in and follow Jesus.

If you're a Christian,

this is the immovable foundation

that we must never depart from.

You will never graduate this.

You might think,

gospel, I've got this,

I've heard it,

I know this,

but we need to hear this and hear it again

because this is everything.

If you're not a Christian,

first off, I'm just glad you're here.

I'm glad you are in the room.

I want to tell you,

this is what we believe as Christians.

This is the message of the gospel.

This is what it means to believe,

and it's yours to decide what you do with it.

But I firmly believe

that in the gospel,

you will encounter a God who is better

and more generous and more loving

than you ever imagined.

So let's get stuck into the passage.

We're going to open up in Luke 18,

which is one of the biographies of Jesus.

And in chapter 18,

we find a number of parables.

In fact, I think Steve opened up

the parable of assistant widow last week

from this same passage.

Parables are stories that Jesus tells

to give us a glimpse of himself

and the nature of what it is

that he is doing in the world.

And this short story,

just a few verses,

gives us the core

of what it means to be a Christian

and certainly the heart of the message

of what you believe and preach

here as a church at St. Paul's.

So let me run back through this passage with you

and pick out the main bits.

First off,

you've got two people going to pray.

Two very different people,

but they're both going to pray.

On one side,

you've got the Pharisee.

Now, just to be clear,

in this story,

the Pharisee is the good guy.

We're so trained in hearing this

that we kind of skip to the end

and go,

I know how this plays out,

the Pharisee's bad,

but actually in the story,

the Pharisee is the good guy.

He's done the good things.

He has a resume of goodness

that he brings to this story.

I mean, the Pharisees in Jesus' day

were the guys who worked hard to be good.

They kept all the rules

that you and I try and keep

as followers of Jesus

and the ones that we've given up

and said they're completely unattainable.

If you knew them now,

you would look at them

and be impressed.

On the other side,

we have a tax collector.

This is the bad guy in the story.

Don't think employee of the ATO.

Think qualified,

military-sanctioned thief.

In Jesus' day,

tax collectors had military backing

and clout

to not only collect the actual taxes

they were supposed to collect,

but also,

on top of that,

whatever they wanted for themselves.

So they got rich,

ripping off their neighbours

and friends

and countrymen.

They were universally hated.

Think kind of like

a parking ticket inspector.

Have you ever seen somebody

put a parking ticket

under your windscreen wiper

as you got back

just too late

and thought,

I'm so glad

that they are fulfilling

their duties

with faithfulness.

You probably have

some less spiritual thoughts

at that moment.

That's the tax collector.

So everybody listening

to this story

is clear on who

the good guy is

and who the bad guy is

and they're thinking,

we know where this story

is going to go.

This story is going to end well

for the good guy

because Jesus is supposed

to be the good guy.

They expect

if they're both going to pray,

God's going to hear

the good guy's prayers.

In fact,

the moral of the story

might be something like

the tax collector

misses out

and so be good

so God hears your prayers.

But that's not where it goes.

Jesus finishes

in verse 14 there,

I tell you,

this man went down

to his house,

pointing to the tax collector,

this man went down

to his house justified

rather than the other

for everyone who exalts himself

will be humbled

but the one who humbles himself

will be exalted.

So two people go to pray

but the tax collector

goes home justified

and only the tax collector,

not the good guy.

So how do we make sense

of this story?

Let me show you two things

that the story teaches us.

First one,

we all need mercy.

We all need mercy.

In 2006,

which is getting to be

quite a while ago,

a documentary was released

starring the former

United States Vice President

Al Gore.

It chronicled his attempt

to raise awareness

of the dangers

of global warming

and the need for a change

in the way that humanity lives

and uses the planet.

It was titled

An Inconvenient Truth.

There's been a sequel

because no one wanted to hear

that inconvenient truth.

No one wanted to believe him

regardless of what evidence

he put out,

regardless of what evidence

has come since

because if it was true,

it meant that there would be

a loss of money,

a loss of lifestyle,

that there would be

painful change

and to put it bluntly,

no one could be bothered.

In the same way,

at the core of the gospel message,

the message of this story

that Jesus shares

is an inconvenient truth.

Namely,

that we are all sinners

who deserve God's punishment.

That's uncomfortable to hear.

Something the Bible teaches us

repeatedly is that

the issue with our world

is that people,

all people,

sin.

Romans 3.23 says,

all have sinned

and fall short

of the glory of God.

Now again,

pay attention.

Notice it says,

all have sinned.

The Pharisee,

the tax collector,

me,

you,

all have sinned.

And so even as we speak

the gospel,

as we go on mission

to speak about Jesus

to a world

that doesn't want to hear

that it is a sinful world

in need of mercy,

we must do it

with humility

and self-awareness

that knows

that that inconvenient,

uncomfortable truth

is true for us too.

We need mercy.

All the hurt

and pain

and brokenness

we are surrounded by

and experience

in our lives

is the result of sin.

But what is sin?

Because when the world

hears Christians

say something

is sin,

they know it's not good,

but what does it

actually mean?

Because often people

inside the church

and outside the church

tend to think of sin

as a list of naughty things

that we're not supposed to do,

that we're to avoid

if we want God

to love us.

And with that misconception

comes the understandable

offence

when something

is called a sin.

Because it has this

self-righteous

be more like us vibe,

don't do that thing,

do what we do.

And nobody wants that.

Nobody wants to be told

they're not as good.

Nobody wants to be told

they're less than.

And when we do that,

sin becomes this competition,

this comparison sport,

which is exactly

what is happening

in this story

between the Pharisee

and the tax collector.

The Pharisee looks

at the bad guy

and figures,

by comparison,

he must be

a good guy.

But that's not

what the Bible means

when it talks about

it.

It uses the word sin.

In fact,

the story Jesus told,

you've got two guys

that are clearly

being set up

against each other,

as opposite alternatives.

And if sin

is merely a list

of things you shouldn't do

or good things

you should have done,

then the story makes no sense.

Because the Pharisee

is the good guy

who's done good things

and the tax collector

is the bad guy

who's done bad things.

But notice

what the tax collector

prays.

He says,

have mercy on me,

a sinner.

Sin is an identity marker.

Sin is a relational category.

It describes

your relationship

to God.

See,

when sin enters

the human story

back in the beginning

of the Bible,

the infamous forbidden fruit,

in that moment,

not only are they

disobeying God

and a rule

that he gave them,

what they're saying is,

God,

you don't get to decide

what's right and wrong,

we do.

So they look at the fruit,

it looks good,

and so instead

of listening to God,

they figure,

we know best,

our way makes more sense

than yours does

and so they do

what they want to do.

Now,

that's not just

naughty

or wrong,

it's actually

a break in relationship.

It's a rejection

of God.

See,

we either do

what God says

and enjoy all the benefits

of that

or we reject him

and we live

with the consequences.

That's what sin is.

It's rejecting

God

and his right

to rule

and as a result,

we find ourselves

alienated from him

and deserving

of his judgment.

And again,

that's every

one of us.

Not bad people

out there,

good people in here,

all sinners,

all in need

of mercy.

And here's the thing,

we actually know that.

Whether you're

a Christian or not

in this room,

you know it.

Our world

and our lives

are marked

by a restlessness.

So much

of our division

is fuelled

by fear

and a need

for some

external validation

of who we are

and how we live.

We talk

like we're independent,

like we need

no one,

like others' opinions

doesn't matter,

you do you.

follow your heart.

But the insecurity

that we feel,

the offence

we feel

when someone

questions us

doing us

is evidence

that the choices

that we're making

are not dealing

with the restlessness.

Redefining

right and wrong

hasn't delivered

the peace

that it promised

it would.

We still

clearly long

for that

external approval.

And so sin,

that is,

our separation

from God,

our opposition

to Him,

is the problem.

And when you hear

the Bible say

that you are a sinner,

don't be offended

because it's calling

out a specific action

in your life

or a lifestyle

or an orientation.

It's bigger than that.

When you hear

Jesus tell this story,

when you hear

the tax collector

who recognizes

his identity

as a sinner,

as the good one,

as the justified one,

when the Bible says

that you are a sinner,

it is not saying

you do things

that are wrong.

It is saying

you are an enemy

of God

in need of His mercy.

Not based

on your sexuality

or any other number

of hot-button topics,

but because you reject

the God

who made you.

Back in the garden again,

Adam and Eve

didn't get in trouble

for eating the fruit.

They got in trouble

because eating the fruit

was their way of saying,

God, we want your job.

We want to be in charge.

We want to choose

right and wrong.

And the gospel

is uncomfortable

and maybe even offensive,

but not in the way

people are usually offended.

If you hear right,

the gospel message

is a bunch

of forgiven sinners,

that is sinners

who have received mercy,

telling a bunch

of not yet forgiven sinners

that they need

to receive mercy

as well.

And the crazy good part

of the gospel message

and this story

is that God provides

the mercy we need

even though we don't deserve it.

That's the whole point

of this story.

God offers mercy.

So the tax collector

asks for mercy

and goes home justified.

That is,

he's declared innocent,

his guilt is gone,

he's forgiven,

he's loved,

he's brought into the family.

Why?

How?

Because he asks God

for what he needs.

If anything,

this is the scandalous part

of the gospel.

Not that the gospel

calls you out

as the one

who has rejected God,

but that despite that,

God seeing you

and knowing everything

about you,

knowing your deepest,

darkest secrets,

your hidden guilt

and shame,

the things you hope

no one ever finds out

about you,

seeing all of that,

knowing you've rejected him

and still offers mercy

and love to all who ask.

I've been following Jesus

for 26 years now

and this still blows my mind.

I don't care if you've been

a Christian for a week

or for your whole life.

This is a scandal.

God knows you.

You need mercy.

You don't deserve mercy

and yet he offers mercy.

It's even on offer

for the Pharisee.

I mean,

God is so good

and so generous

that his grace

is enough for anyone.

For the tax collector,

for the liar,

for the racist,

for the thief,

for the murderer,

for the adulterer,

even for me

and even for you.

The reason the Pharisee

misses out

on God's mercy

and grace

in this story,

the reason anyone

misses out

on the mercy

and grace of God

in the gospel

is not because

they are worse

but because

they are unable

or unwilling

to recognize

that they too

are a sinner

in need of mercy.

One of my favorite

old TV shows

and I'm dating myself

although it's back

on Netflix now

is The Simpsons

and there's this

amazing episode

of The Simpsons

where Homer,

the dad kind of character

is,

and this is classic him,

he's driven by impulse,

led by his stomach,

he gets his arms

stuck in a vending machine

and a rescue crew

is called in

to kind of help him

get his arms out

and they're sitting there

strategizing,

trying to figure out

how they can do it

and then suddenly

one of them

realizes and asks

and says,

Mr. Simpson,

are you still holding

on to the food

in the vending machine?

To which he sheepishly

releases

and takes his arms out.

He is able to be free

from his trap

if he lets go

of the food

that is inside.

This is a picture

of how we engage

the grace

that God offers us.

We are trapped

in the habit

of trying to bring

something to God,

trying to present

this resume

of how good we are,

how worthy we are.

We bring our

serving in ministry record,

we bring our evidence

of all the money

that we've donated,

kind of the good things

that we've done

and the result is

that we miss mercy.

Our hands are so full

of what we are bringing

to God

that there is no room

left to receive

what he is offering,

to receive the thing

that we actually need.

We feel like somehow

we can contribute,

we can convince God

to give us mercy.

But in trying to do that,

we actually stop ourselves

from taking

what has been provided.

Receiving mercy

means coming

with empty hands.

In fact,

worse than that,

it means the only thing

we bring

is our sin,

our failure,

our worst bits

and trust

that his mercy

is enough.

The Christian message

is not first

about you or me.

It's about Jesus.

It says that you are not

good enough,

you are not excited,

you are not appealing enough

and yet he is glorious

and he is gracious

and he is loving

and he is merciful

and he meets you

exactly as you are

and if you would just

ask,

he would give you mercy.

He would meet you

as you are

and offer you

the security

of a mercy

and love

that meets you

at your lowest

and so is sure

in every circumstance

and situation.

the Christian message

is all about Jesus.

The cross

is the picture

we get.

It is the moment

in which Jesus

takes the punishment

we deserve

and even as he dies,

hanging there

on the cross,

he is praying

for the very people

who put him there,

who crucified him.

His mercy is sufficient

for everyone

in every moment.

His mercy is offered

to anyone who asks

and his love

is sufficient

for the worst

of sinners

and when he has

forgiven you

there is no longer

any condemnation.

There is no longer

a need to fear

your failure.

There is no longer

a need to pretend

that you are better

than you are.

There is no longer

a need to come to God

only when you feel

like you have something

to offer

because that's not

how he works.

He is the one

who brings mercy

the mercy

that we need

and long for

is found only

in Jesus

and finding it

in Jesus

means letting go

of the delusion

that you can make

yourself good enough.

Letting go

of the lie

that you aren't

as bad

as anybody else.

Hearing the truth

of the gospel

that you are a sinner

in need of mercy

and coming to Jesus

empty handed

not with a resume

like the Pharisee

but with an honest

cry for help

like the tax collector.

I love

that you guys

take time

each year

for mission month.

I love

that you come back

and want to hear

a fresh God's call

to mission

locally

and globally.

I love the heart

of this church.

I was formed

by the heart

of this church

in my time here

and I've been

incredibly blessed

and encouraged

by your generosity

as we have sought

to be on mission

on the Gold Coast

but I want to finish

our time

in this passage

with a warning

and a call.

The risk

of any talk

about mission

is that you

walk away

from this month

feeling guilted

into doing

what you are

supposed to do

or you walk

away from this month

with a new set

of things

that you can take

to God

instead of empty hands.

You walk away

priding yourself

on what you do

for Him.

you feel a pressure

to satisfy

His demands

on you

but that is not

the Gospel.

In the Gospel

in Jesus

we meet

God

and we meet

a God

who is gracious

and merciful

and generous

and even the call

to mission

is a good gift

of His mercy.

Carmen expressed

it just before

it is something

that He invites us

into

for our sake.

it is a chance

for us

to be reminded

to encounter

afresh

that His mercy

is available

to all

and is sufficient

for all.

True Gospel

mission

whether that's

as a missionary

in Japan

a scripture teacher

in Chatswood High

an engineer

a teacher

a nurse

a full-time parent

or a church planter

on the Gold Coast

true Gospel

mission

only happens

as a result

of

and the overflow

of

an encounter

with the mercy

of God

in the Gospel

of Jesus.

The call

to mission

is a call

back

to the Gospel.

It's a call

back to God.

You don't come

to mission

with full hands

you come to mission

dependent

on God's mercy.

This moment

this month

like every moment

is a call

to recognize

our need

for mercy

to confess

our sin

before God

because He

is faithful

and just

and sufficient

to forgive

and cleanse you.

The call

to mission

is a daily

cry

for mercy

and grace

because you

and I

need it

as much

today

and tomorrow

as we ever

have.

To not

live

every day

every moment

every breath

in a posture

of humble

dependence

on the mercy

of God

is to deny

the Gospel.

It is to

reject

the mercy

that God

offers

in His grace.

And so

the way

forward

the next

step

for every

person in

this room

whether this

is your

first time

hearing the

Gospel

or your

millionth time

hearing the

Gospel

the way

forward

the next

step

for you

as an

individual

and for

us as a

church

community

is to

cast

ourselves

on the

mercy

of God

and find

Him

sufficient.

It is to

let go

of the

things that

you think

make you

attractive to

God

and recognize

that His

love for

you

is enough.

It is

to confess

again

and find

Him

good

find Him

generous

gracious

and

forgiving

and

satisfying

because

when you

do

you

won't be

able to

help

but speak

of what

you have

seen

and

heard.

You

won't be

able to

help

but give

generously

you

won't be

able to

help

but serve

and forgive

and love

because

in Jesus

God has

done all

that for

you

and more

I

started by

asking you

how good

the gospel

is

how good

God is

in your

life

and wrestling

with the

distance that

we feel

between what

we know

should be

true and

what isn't

ultimately

the gap

is there

because we

come to

God with

closed hands

and stop

receiving

what He

offers.

Jesus is

enough.

for your

fear,

your anxiety,

your

uncertainty

but only

when you

come to

Him

in humble

dependence

and confession

will you

encounter

Him

as enough.

So long

as you

hold Him

at arm's

length

because you're

busy

depending

on your

ability

and your

strength

and your

gifting

and your

resourcing

and your

maturity

and whatever

else it

is that

you bring

He will

never be

enough

because

you're

busy

trusting

in other

things.

The call

to mission

is a

call back

to the

gospel.

Let me

pray for

us.

Father,

forgive us

for rejecting

your mercy

and trying to

navigate life

in our own

strength.

Help us

to see how

far short

our lives

fall of

your holiness

and majesty.

Forgive us

for our

sin and

make us

more like

Jesus.

Jesus,

thank you

for your

death in

our place,

our punishment

taken and

the promise

of your

irreversible

forgiveness

and sufficient

mercy.

Thank you

for your

resurrection.

Please take

our guilt

and our

burdens and

fill us

with the

joy of

your presence

and power.

God,

we ask

this in the

name of your

precious Son,

our Savior

Jesus.

Amen.