The Gospel Is...: The Good News | Ps Miles Paludan

We're in a series called the gospel is.

It's a powerful series. Sometimes we be

need to go back to basics to be reminded

of the power of what we sometimes

forget. Warning, this is not an easy

series. Not a feel good series. I'm not

here to tickle your ear. I'm here to

preach the word of God. And the gospel

is not for the faint-hearted.

It's not.

It's free. It'll cost you everything.

It's a powerful

kingdom

that Jesus brought. What is the gospel?

What What is this good news? Well, it

comes from a Greek word euangelion.

Euangelion. It means good tidings, good

news.

Uh or a good message. So, the word

gospel is mentioned 35 Sorry, 75 times

in the Bible. And we use the word to

describe the first four books in the New

Testament. Also refers to a certain type

of music. Little gospel music, anyone?

Little gospel music. And it's a way to

say something is true, gospel truth.

But it's actually far more than that.

It's more than just salvation.

And it starts with Jesus, but it

continues beyond

because Jesus is actually talking about

a kingdom.

It's a kingdom.

So, the gospel is a good news about a

kingdom.

And we need to understand from God's

word, what is this kingdom?

How do we live in this kingdom? What

does this mean for me on Monday? What

does it mean for me when I'm trying to

get my workers on time and trying to get

jobs done and trying to meet the needs

of my spouse and trying to help my kids

on their journey of faith. Well, what

does this mean, this kingdom?

Well, in Luke 13:22, Jesus went to the

Luke 13:22

towns and villages teaching as he went,

pressing [snorts] towards Jerusalem.

Someone asked him, "Lord,

will only a few be saved?" And he

replied, "Work hard

to enter the narrow door."

To what?

God's kingdom.

Where are we heading? God's kingdom.

What is life about? God's kingdom. What

is the good news? God's kingdom. What is

the gospel? God's kingdom. For many will

try to enter, but will fail. Now, the

words here, work hard, that does not

mean we're saved by our works. We're

saved by grace. It's about what Jesus

did on the cross that we're saved. But

there is something we need to do

in this kingdom. There there is a role

that we need to play. Uh there is

a responsibility that we have in this

kingdom.

And we enter the kingdom through the

narrow door, that's Jesus Christ. But

that begins once we step through that

door, a lifestyle of living in a

kingdom.

A kingdom that's different to the ways

of this world. A kingdom that's

different to maybe our ambitions or our

desires. A kingdom that's different to

everyone. It's the kingdom of God. It's

revolutionary. It's life-changing. It's

what Jesus brought to planet Earth when

he taught. That's why we've got to read

the word of God, the Bible, to

understand this kingdom, to understand

the kingmaker, his nature, his ways, our

God, so that we can be fully followers

of his kingdom.

So, there are obstacles we have to face.

That's why we need to work hard. There's

obstacles. There's resistance. There's

this

opposition and and and

boundaries and barriers that stop us

stepping into this kingdom. The first

obstacle is the world.

The world is not friendly to the kingdom

of God.

The world hates the kingdom of God.

When we sign up for God's kingdom, we're

setting ourselves to oppose the ways of

the world. The ways the world lives by

the ways of self and and and and the

little g god, which is Satan. And the

ways of the world are not the ways of

God. So, first of the obstacle that we

face is is the world. We find this out

when we go to school. We we follow the

Lord, yet everyone else is seems to be

following something else. And we have to

choose which way will we go as a a

teenager, a young adult, or an adult

life. Do Do we go the ways of the world,

or do we go the ways of the kingdom?

Number two obstacle is spiritual.

There is an enemy. His name is Satan. He

is real. He has demons and they are

there to oppose us. They hate us. They

are not for the kingdom of God. They're

actually for the kingdom of darkness.

And then there's the third obstacle.

This would be the worst one of all that

I have to face. And this is ourselves.

It's our flesh.

Although that we get saved, we still

have a flesh nature, a selfish nature.

And I don't know why. I just get annoyed

at myself because I'm so just flawed. I

just get bad attitudes. I get angry. Uh

you know, I I I just spit the dummy,

mate. I I get ungrateful. I get mad. I

get mad at people that drive slow. I

don't know why it is. It just makes me

cranky. Just go the speed limit, mate.

And then the prime minister says we're

going to drive 10 k's slower or

something. Mate, that's not helping us.

So, I get annoyed with people who are

slow, right? And don't don't get into

the fast lane if you're slow. Just get

into that right hand lane. Don't go that

left lane if you're slow. But then, just

as annoyed with the slow people, some

guy flies up round me and I get annoyed

at the guy that goes fast. I'm like,

"Why are you annoyed?" "Why?" I got this

flesh nature. I'm just human. I'm just

like you. But the kingdom of God is

about transforming us from the inside

out. It's not based on speed limits or

rules and laws. It's based on a heart

change through the power of God. So,

Mark 1:1.

Mark 1:1

The Bible says, "The beginning of the

gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."

Mark starts

his book

by declaring that the gospel starts

with Jesus.

The gospel is built on Jesus. You cannot

have a gospel, the good news, without

Jesus. Now, Mark wasn't a disciple. He

wasn't one of the 12, but he probably

knew him personally. What I like about

Mark's book that he wrote, it's kind of

fast-paced.

It's like a popular novel. It it it runs

really quickly. I like reading it. And

it was written for the Christians in

Rome, which is the epicenter of the

world power of all the different gods

and religion and belief systems. And

Mark was saying, "Okay, everything about

the gospel starts with Jesus."

1:1, first sentence, first verse,

"The gospel of what? Of Jesus Christ."

So, let's unpack this good tidings, good

message, good news. There's two thoughts

today.

It's the good news of salvation. That's

where we got to start. Maybe you're new

to church and you don't understand how

to become a member. Did you buy a

t-shirt? You know, how how do you get in

the in in crowd? You know, do you have

to drive a electric car? You know, what

I don't know. What are the rules? Well

Well, the rules are it starts with

salvation between you and God. We're

We're just here to present the Bible.

And the personal relationship is between

you and God. We're not this institution

that you got to run through man to to

get to God. You go straight to God.

We're We're here to help you and support

you, encourage you, but don't be

dependent on us as a church or a pastor.

You'll be dependent on God. And so,

imagine you owed a debt

and you couldn't repay it. Every mistake

you'd ever made, every regret, every

lie, every selfish act, every moment you

fell short was written down.

And it's just like this big bill that

just kept growing. No matter how hard

you work, you couldn't clear it. In

fact, it only got bigger every day. I

remember I was a builder and I was young

and and and I got this special credit

card and I thought, "Man, I'm I'm just

going to load this thing up." And I just

get these points if I'm using finding

everything I could buy with this credit

card to get these points. You know, I

was in my early 20s. And and I was good

at spending, mate. I was great. But a

reckoning came at the end of the month

and I'm like, "Man, I don't have enough

to pay it off." And it kept building. I

don't know if you went through those

learnings as a as a young person finding

out about credit and debt, but if you

don't pay that debt off, it grows

exponentially with interest. And then

one day you're called into the courtroom

and the case is simple. You got a debt.

And justice says you got to pay it. And

you stand there with nothing to offer.

How How am I going to pay off this debt?

It's too big. Jesus steps in and says,

"I'll pay it, judge."

And the judge says, "Uh Jesus, it'll

cost you everything including your

life."

So, your debt's paid, but wait. You go

to the funeral.

And they're reading the will.

And you find out that your name

is written in the will.

That the wealthiest man in the world,

God,

owns the cattle on a thousand hills.

You're an heir

to his inheritance. That's the gospel.

It's beautiful.

Romans writes, Paul summarizes the

gospel.

Chapter 3:21. Now, God has shown us a

way

to be made right with him

without keeping the requirements of the

law as was promised in the writings of

Moses and the prophets long ago.

We are made right with God by placing

our faith

in Jesus Christ.

And this is true for everyone who

believe everyone. No matter who you are.

I love this. As a pastor, I love this.

It's the gospel's for everyone, mate.

Everyone. Everyone. I love the gospel's

for everyone. I just want to go to the

pub and the RSL and the beach. I just

want to go out side of the church

sometimes. Just tell the people, mate,

the gospel's for you.

Um

For everyone has sinned and all have

fallen short of God's glorious standard.

Yet God in his grace freely makes us

right in his sight.

He did this through who?

Through Jesus Christ.

When he freed us from the penalty of

sin, for God presented Jesus as a

sacrifice for sin. People are made right

with God when they believe that Jesus

sacrificed his life shedding his blood.

Jesus took our place. He took that

penalty. Now, faith is not just

believing

because even the demons believe in

Jesus.

Faith is trusting God

to be your Lord and you will save you.

Why does this matter?

All of us will face our maker.

We will give an account of our life. We

have a bill.

We've all built this bill up. Some of

you got a big bill. Some of you got lots

of sin. Some of you had a big life

before you met Christ. Man, we got clubs

and drugs and you got a lot to talk

about. But the deal is even if it's a

pretty small bill, it's still a bill.

The only way it can be paid is through

Jesus Christ and we will all face God

one day and we'll give an account. And

if our book is written in the Lamb's

Book of Life, if we're saved, we go to

heaven. If it's not, we go to hell. It's

very simple,

but it's very powerful because we need

to understand we need Jesus Christ to

forgive us.

Tim Keller says the gospel is this, we

are more sinful and flawed in ourselves

than we ever dared believe. We are. It's

okay. Let's be real. Let's be honest.

We're all flawed. We're all sinful. None

of us are perfect. Yet at the same time

we're more loved.

Come on, church. You are loved. You are

loved.

More loved and accepted in Jesus than

we'd ever dared hope. So that's the

beginning. Salvation, we accept Christ.

We step into this new kingdom. This is

the beginning. It's not the end.

The second thought, number one, the good

news of the salvation. The second

thought is this good news of a kingdom.

What is this kingdom?

What is this kingdom that Jesus is

talking about? A story or an analogy is

a man plants a seed in the ground.

At first it seems small and almost

invisible, easy to overlook. Can't see

any evidence.

But over time it grows and grows and

grows until it becomes a big tree

where the birds of the air rest in its

branches and nests for its babies.

The same way the kingdom of God starts

quietly in a person's heart. It's one

decision. It's an act of faith and

trust.

Doesn't look impressive,

but given time,

it changes everything.

It grows beyond what anyone expected

bringing life shelter hope for those

around us as well.

The kingdom is more than salvation.

The So, the gospel is more than

salvation. The gospel is a kingdom.

Mark 1:14, later on after John was

Mark 1:14

arrested, Jesus went to Galilee where he

preached what? He preached God's good

news.

Here's what he said.

The time promised by God

has come at last. He announced, "The

kingdom of God is near.

Repent of your sins

and believe the good news." The good

news.

Faith in Christ gives us access to be

citizens of this kingdom. It's not a

kingdom that reigns over a geography.

It's not a kingdom that reigns with

borders.

It is a kingdom that reigns in your

heart.

There are actually two kingdoms

the Bible teaches.

There's the kingdom of God, but there's

also the kingdom of darkness.

1 Colossians 1 Sorry, Colossians 1:13,

Colossians 1:13

for he has rescued us from the kingdom

of what? Of darkness.

There's a kingdom of darkness, kingdom

of the world, and transferred us into

the kingdom

of his dear son

who purchased our freedom and forgave

our sins. Now, each kingdom or land has

laws. Each country has different laws.

And the kingdom of God has different

laws.

Some countries have got some strange

laws.

Our kingdom actually has got strange

laws.

And we can't understand it with our

natural mind because it's something

bigger than us. God's ways are higher

than us. Now, each country, if you go

traveling, I just want to help you make

sure you don't end up in jail by doing

the wrong thing. In Singapore, it's

illegal to chew chewing gum. Sorry, it's

illegal to sell chewing gum.

And you can get 2 years in prison if you

import it. So, no more than two packs of

chewy in in your in your bag because

you'll go to jail. In Arizona, it's

illegal for your donkey to fall asleep

in your bathtub.

Now, just in case you go to Arizona,

just by chance you buy a donkey

and you have a bathtub, heads up. Don't

let it fall asleep. It's an important

law. You need to know that. Portugal,

it's illegal to pee in the ocean.

I don't know how they enforce that.

How [snorts] would you know if I pee in

the ocean? Being a surfer

in the cold water,

peeing is your friend.

It It gives you another 20 minutes if

you're freezing.

Just saying.

Switzerland, it's illegal to hike naked.

If you're in Switzerland, you want to go

naked, you you nudie, do a nudie run,

don't do it. It's illegal.

Um it's cold and I don't know why

anybody would, but it's illegal. Just so

you know, Poland, Winnie the Pooh was

banned because he has no pants.

Yeah, and and and what discretion.

France, you can't name your pig

Napoleon.

Switzerland, you can't flush at night

due to noise.

So, I just if you got to do a number

two, like

Ben said earlier, just do it in the

daytime.

Um

UAE, you can't swear, not even online.

Any Victoria Any Vickies with us? I just

feel for you guys, Victorians. Anybody

going to raise your hand? Born in

Victoria or lived in Victoria. You're

all too embarrassed. Come on, there's

got to be a couple of Vickies, couple of

AFL. Come on, don't be a shy. I'm going

to make fun of you, but that's okay.

Don't be shy.

Ready? Victoria, you can't change a

light bulb unless you're a licensed

sparky.

Now, Jack, you'd be a millionaire, mate.

You You'd be getting 150 call out to

change a 60 water.

In Victoria, you can't dress up as

Batman or Robin cuz it's considering

impersonating a police officer.

And in Victoria, you can't vacuum at

night due to the noise.

No one in Victoria is going to heaven

because you need to have a clean home.

You got to be able to vacuum and get

that energy out. I'd be in jail if I was

pastoring in Victoria. Well, we do have

a church in in actually in in Melbourne.

I just got to be careful when I preach

there. Don't tell them that I clean at

night and dress up like Batman and I'm

changing bulbs, otherwise they'll kick

me out.

They'll record it and they'll send it to

someone. I'll be in jail.

Yet God's kingdom is just as shocking.

And it's kind of not easy.

It goes against our flesh.

It goes against the world.

It goes against the enemy that rules

this

land.

It's the kingdom of God.

Here's what the kingdom of God is like.

Make Jesus your Lord. Dive into the

adventure of faith. Just like in

Philippians 2:10 says, "Everything you

Philippians 2:10

have belongs to God." Feel the power in

Psalms 24:1 as you acknowledge his

Psalms 24:1

ownership. Love your enemies.

It's not just a challenge, it's a

transformative journey. Go the extra

mile for free.

Surprise the world with your generosity.

The first will be last, the last will be

first. Embrace the unexpected twists of

the kingdom in Matthew 19.

Don't

go to bed mad. Experience the freedom of

forgiveness every single day. Remain a

virgin until you're married. Celebrate

purity and commitment. Only have sex in

marriage. Discover the beauty of

intimacy

within the sacred bond. Don't get drunk.

Choose clarity and joy in your spirit.

Marry the opposite sex. Step into your

divine design for relationship. Marry a

Christian.

Unite in faith for a powerful

partnership. Turn the other cheek.

Show the world the radical grace of

love. Give 10% of your gross income

through the church. Experience the joy

of generosity. Forgive everyone

every time.

Embody the essence of unconditional

love. Have faith in God. Remember,

without faith,

it's impossible to please him.

It's all about loving God and loving

others. Step into that the law that

transform hearts. Sow

and reap. Enlarge.

Sorry, engage

with the powerful principle that impacts

your life. Enjoy the promise of

provision as you seek first the kingdom

of God and all will be given to you.

Embrace

a culture of radical forgiveness and

love. Live it out. Conquer through

humility, generosity, self-sacrifice.

Change the game. 1 Corinthians 1:27.

1 Corinthians 1:27

Become an ambassador of Christ. Live on

purpose. Live on mission.

Discover your unique assignment. Matthew

28. Be a child of God. Celebrate your

new identity as a chosen son, daughter

of God, a citizen and joiner with

Christ. Tap into the tremendous

spiritual power. Equip yourself in

transformation of community. Live a

righteous flourishing life. Dive into

the teaching of Matthew 5 and 7. The

kingdom of God is more than just rules

and regulations. Don't get lost in the

rules and regulations. It's about

principles that starts with a

relationship with God through Jesus

Christ. So, the kingdom of God is built

on relationship with God. This is what

makes it different from every other

kingdom. It's not rules and regulations

you check check off the list. It's

having a relationship with God

through Jesus Christ. It's talking to

him.

It's intimately walking with him.

It's getting to know him. It's reading

the word of God to discover the

character of God, to understand the

principles of God, to know the kingdom

of God, so you can become a citizen of

God, but it's all starts with

relationship.

Too often as men, we want to build these

rules and check these boxes, but it's

relationship.

How's your relationship with God?

How intimate are you?

Are you longing to spend time with him?

Are you trying to get away each day to

carve out intimate one-on-one time

without being distracted by other people

or other screens or other Are you Are

you just spending time somehow somewhere

intimately? It's like a a marriage or

relationship. You've got to pour in your

time, your love, your devotion.

And the kingdom of God is not easy cuz

it takes work.

It takes discipline. Love is just not an

emotion or a tingly wingley feel good in

a great song. [snorts]

Love is that commitment to follow the

Lord even when things are going tough.

Love is commitment to serve the Lord

when you don't get the answers that

you're praying for.

The kingdom of God is following the Lord

even though you don't understand. It's

trusting in his ways are higher than

your ways. That's why we must give grace

to people who accept Christ and become

these citizens of this kingdom. It takes

time for the Holy Spirit to convict and

encourage. Jesus said, "I must go so

someone greater can come that the Holy

Spirit can give us revelation of areas

in our life. The Holy Spirit can give us

peace and joy that surpasses our

understanding. The Holy Spirit can give

us faith and courage to stand firm when

everything seems to be falling apart

around us. But it all starts with a love

for God. Do you love him today?

I can't force you to love him.

But I can tell you he loves you.

I can tell you he's crazy about you.

I can tell you you are the most

important precious thing in his eyes.

That you are the apple of his eye. That

he's crazy about you. That he loves you

even though you don't deserve it. Even

though you can't earn it. His love is so

great. This is the gospel that Jesus

Christ came that he died and rose again

so we could be saved and enter his

kingdom.

2 Peter 1:3, by his divine power

2 Peter 1:3

God has given us everything we need

for living a godly life. In summary, the

gospel is about a perfect God

working through imperfect mankind

to rescue you, but more than rescue you,

to restore you.

To advance his kingdom

so others can be rescued.

The kingdom of God is a relationship

with God through Jesus.

The kingdom of God is living and active.

The The kingdom of God is so deep so

wide, so beautiful. It takes a lifetime

to master.

And it seems like the more you

understand how big God is as he reveals

the facets of his nature, the more there

is to learn and understand. We never

stop learning about the kingdom. We

continue to be students to study his

word, to understand his nature and his

character.

And we allow his kingdom to transform us

from the inside out, not through works,

not through checking the box, not

through being a perfect person, but

surrendering.

Putting him as Lord.

And we're going to sing right now and I

just want to challenge everyone in this

place as we hail

King Jesus.

Have you surrendered and made him Lord?

And this is a daily decision.

The Bible says to take up your cross

daily.

I'd love all of us to stand right now.

I'd love us to sing.

And as we sing through this, the purpose

of this time

is to ensure that Jesus

is the Lord of our lives.

That you've surrendered and continue to

surrender and to him and make him Lord.

That

he's Lord of your business.

He's Lord of your finances.

He's Lord of your marriage. He's Lord of

your children.

He's Lord of your career. He's Lord of

your future.

All hail

King Jesus.

If he's not on the throne of your heart,

would you put him on there

today?

Holy Spirit, would you minister to

people in this place?

Holy Spirit, would you do what only you

can? Maybe

you feel convicted [music] today.

Gosh, I

I've sort of been doing my own thing.

Is he Lord?

Is he Lord? I I I have to wrestle with

this.

Is he Lord

of my life? Is he Lord of our church?

Or do we just run church the way we've

always done it?

Do we just run out of it with human

wisdom and past experiences? Are we

desperately seeking

his lordship in our lives daily?

To have your way.

To guide and direct.

That I we would all be open to his

voice, to be led by his spirit

in a relationship.

Let's sing together.