The Gospel That Saves: Eric Mtimkulu

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So if you have your. Bible 10.

With me to 1st Corinthians 15. 1st Corinthians 15 now I would

remind you. Brothers of the Gospel, I

preached to you, which you. Received in which you stand and

by which. You are being saved if you hold

fast to the Word. I preach to you.

Unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of

first. Importance what I also.

Received that Christ died for our.

Sins in accordance. With the scriptures that he was.

Buried and he was raised on the third day in accordance.

With the Scriptures, our gracious.

Lord in heaven, give. Power to your word.

This morning for our. Good.

And for our sanctification. I pray that, O God, that I would

decrease. This morning and that.

Lord you. With increase.

We ask Lordy that you would please.

Instruct our hearts this morning.

Through the. Preaching and the Proclamation.

Of the Gospel, Amen. I know that in the past.

Weeks you've looked at the solars of the.

Reformation and the Solars of the Reformation.

Really a summary? Of the biblical gospels where?

The Protestants were really protesting against unbiblical.

Practices of the Catholic Church.

Some of them, of course, including indulgences.

In fact, there was a famous man during the 15th century by the

name of. Ted Zell.

He used to say when he was asking for money from the.

People who were. In front of him during those.

Days, he would say. Give your money because when the

coin in the coffer rings is sold from purgatory springs, in other

words. If you were to.

Give your money, your family member or your relative that is

in the purgatory state would then be set.

Free. You're also reminded that.

We ought. To then return to the sound

doctrine with the Protestants stood for and fought for, in

fact, Martin Luther. Himself said that I taught you

the gospel, I preach the gospel. I also drank.

Beer with my friend. The wonderful part of that quote

is. Not the beer part.

But is the last part of the quote for he says I did.

Nothing and the word. Did everything, Luther.

Reminds the audience that it is not Luther nor Calvin that

reformed the church. It is the word of the Lord that

did all the work they were. Simply jars of clay in the

hands. Of the.

Porter They were simply instrument that God used to

reform his. Church, you were also.

Reminded of what it means to preach.

The gospel to proclaim the gospel, but also to.

Witness in our culture and for you to use different strategies.

That I'm sure was shared. By many of the preachers and

Dave last week on how to effectively.

Share the gospel in our world, because that which was.

Entrusted to the Apostles has now been entrusted.

To us to go. And make disciples of all

nations. And so you may ask the question

this morning, why is that important?

All of that it's. Important because of.

The Gospel. The Gospel.

Grounds all of this for. Without the gospel.

There is no reason for the Great Commission without the.

Gospel. The work in the 14th and 15th

century of the Reformation simply means nothing.

But because of the gospel all. Of that is significant and so

this morning I want to. Look at the subject, the Gospel

that saves. And we will look at that under

few headings. As an introduction I want to

look at creation and fall. What the means?

Of God uses to. Save sinners, Christ died, and

then. Christ died for what?

Reason. For us to truly.

And firstly understand the. Gospel what it is.

We must go back to understand creation.

The Bible begins by saying God created the heavens and the

earth. In other words, the Bible begins

by announcing that. God is the Creator.

We see in Genesis 1 he creates the mountains, He creates the

fish, the birds, the valleys, everything he creates.

Secondly, we see that. God creates the universe, the

stars. The moon, the planets and the

galaxies. The Bible says he.

Spoke and everything was we must notice that God.

Creates without. Any pre-existing material, he

simply says. Let there be light.

And there's. Light.

Psalm 19, verse one. Says the heavens declared the

glory of God the sky. Above proclaims his handiwork.

When Job is complaining, God says to him in.

Response. Were you there?

When I. Laid the earth.

Foundation Creation serves as a reminder that.

God is the Creator. Why should we believe that God

is the creator? It's because the Bible tells us

so. The Bible is.

The infallible, The inspired. Word of God.

Written by human authors and yet inspired by the divine author.

We believe because the Bible tells us, though, that God.

Creates. But the climax of creation is

not simply the mountains. It is not simply the valleys.

It is not simply anything else that God.

Makes but the. Climax of creation is when God

creates human beings for the Bible.

Says so. God created.

Man in his own image, in the image of God.

He created him male and female, and so as a reminder that man is

not simply by random chance, man is.

Created. By God, and therefore man is

accountable to the Creator, Every single human being in

this. World today is a result of

God's. Idea and God's plan from the

very beginning. Then why does God even create?

Isaiah 43. Verse 7 tells us for everyone

who is called by my name, whom I create for my glory, of whom I

formed and made. Created and so.

Isaiah reminds that the reason for creation is.

God's glory, that. Humanity is created to magnify

and to display the. Glory.

Of God and to live in a way that makes God looks glorious and.

God look beautiful. In other words, humanity has no

meaning, no. Purpose outside of God, because

God. Created humanity for his own.

Glory. #2HE not only creates humanity for his own glory, he

creates humanity in to work that man had ought to.

Display the glory of God by. Working in Genesis. 2:15 He.

Genesis 2:15

Says Adam was to work and take care of the garden.

Work is not the result of the fall.

Because men worked pre. The Fall.

The way in which Adam was to work.

To take care of the. Garden and the zoo.

Was a way of. Also glorifying God #2.

The. Fall of man, God.

Creates. And makes Adam and Eve.

Now Adam and Eve, God puts them in the garden and he gives them

few instructions in this garden that you may eat from any tree

in this garden, but please do not eat from the tree of the

knowledge of good. If you eat from this tree, you

will die. Notice.

There is a tree that gives life. And there is a.

Tree that. Strengthens death, that if you

ought to eat from this tree. You will die because this tree.

Represents God's blessing, but if you eat from this tree.

It you will be. Cursed and God establishes his

covenant with Adam to remind him not to eat from this tree.

This is a good point where I think I want to pause the reason

they should not are not supposed to eat from this.

Tree is because God. Tells them not to eat.

Why? Because if.

God. Is the one who?

Decides what is. Right.

And what is wrong? God.

Is the one who desired what is wicked and what is.

Righteous. Why?

Because He is the Creator. He has the right to do so.

Then what happened? We read part of Genesis 2 that

when God created them, they were both naked and they were not

ashamed and they felt no shame. And we read that a serpent came

into the picture in Genesis chapter 3.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

Now we must notice. Here as we read.

About the serpent. That God had told.

Adam and Eve that if you eat, you will die.

And the serpent says to them. Because Eve clearly listens to

the. Serpent and the serpent says you

will not. Die.

Eat. And you will not die because.

God is strict and. Overbearing.

Don't listen to God. Simply eat and she eats and she

gives. To her.

Husband and the Bible. Says the fruit was delightful.

And they ate, and their eyes were opened for the first time.

They. Realized that they were.

Naked, And they were ashamed, and sin entered.

The world. The eating of the fruit in the

book of Genesis chapter 3 was an assault against God's law, an

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

act of defiance, and an act of rebellion against a holy.

God. Eve and even Adam, we're

rejecting God's law and declaring their independence.

Because. God had told them, do not eat

from this tree. The Apostle Paul takes it

further. To say because of this now.

All have. Sinned and fallen short.

Of the glory of God. And then he continues to say in

Romans. Three because of that.

None of us is. Righteous this is.

The bad news that because of sin.

We are totally deprived. In need.

Of a Saviour that. Sin has become the very fabric

of humanity. The Apostle Paul says for we

are. Dead in our sins and our

transgressions, and so because of.

That we have a. Problem.

Therefore, what is the? Problem.

Humanity's problem is simple. It is sin because of man's

disobedience. Romans 5 reminds us that

therefore, just as sin entered the world, through what man

death, through sin, and in all this way came.

To all people, because. All have sinned when when Eve

and Adam was eating. Guess who else was?

There, in the Garden of Eden, Ericim Chamkulu was.

There Stefan was. There, Greg was there.

Colin was there, every single one of us.

We're partaking in the Garden of Eden.

Because the author is clear that all have.

Sin. Why?

Because Adam Ripped is our. Federal head.

The head. Of humanity, and through his sin

we are all sinners. That his sin has been imputed to

humanity. Therefore we have a.

Problem of sin. Doctor Arista's process The

gospel is good. News when we understand the bad

news. So there is no way of

understanding First Corinthians 15 without understanding the

bad. News.

What I've described from Genesis chapter 3 is bad news, but Paul

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

this morning wants to give us some good news.

The centrality of. The gospel is.

Grounded in the Old Testament and provides the information we

need for us to understand the good news.

And the apostle Paul. Says Now here there is something

that I want you all to know, and in fact this is of first

importance. I want you to know the church

that when Paul writes to the. Colonist church he has.

Written on a number of things. He wrote about immorality, about

singleness, about. The Lord's Supper about the food

laws. There's many other things.

He wrote about. In none of those things he.

Ever said is of. First importance?

None. That's not to say they are not

important, but he didn't say they are.

They are of first importance, but in First Corinthians 15 he.

Tells us that. There is something that is of.

First importance. That is more important than

anything. Else that you should.

Know I was watching the other day.

A short clip of a wife. Asking her husband.

She asked her husband a very tricky question.

She said if, if, if. I was drowning.

So that's what they said. If I was drowning and our

daughter was drowning and your mother was drowning, who?

Would you say first? And the husband thought for a

moment. What do I say is?

Quite a difficult. Question and the husband

confidently answers the wife and says I would save my.

Daughter, the wife was so upset. Why would you save your

daughter? He says.

But in what way do you answer such a question?

She said, well, you should have said you'll try to save.

Me and the daughter, not the daughter alone.

And I wonder she didn't even mention the mother-in-law.

I thought maybe she doesn't like the mother-in-law.

Just her and the daughter. And the question she was really

asking to the husband is this who is more important?

Is it me? Your daughter or your?

Mother, your husbands don't answer that question.

Never answer. Either way.

You're not going to win. And so the apostle Paul says.

That there is something here of first importance that everyone

ought to know, and then he's going to tell us what it.

Is. Notice this one.

Now I want to remind you brothers of the.

Gospel I preach to you. Which you receive in which you

stand the term brothers doesn't meet male in this country it's a

term of endearment for Christian brothers and sisters, females

and males who. Love Jesus Christ.

And so he wants to remind them of this.

Gospel. What is the gospel?

The good news? That's the gospel.

So let me offer. A.

A. Definition of the Gospel.

As well. Not the best, there are many

other good definitions out there, but this is how I think

about the gospel that the. Gospel is the good.

News of. Christ.

Jesus Christ. In his.

Life, death, Burial, resurrection.

God doing for us what we're incapable of doing.

That Jesus lived a. Perfect life and willing.

Obedience to the Father. Died and taking on the fullness

of God's. Wrath was buried.

And was. Raised for our justification.

Maybe you have your own definition in mind.

In essence, we are saying, I'm saying.

The gospel is about Jesus, that Jesus.

Is the main. Character of the gospel that

without Christ. We have no gospel.

That the gospel is not good works.

The gospel is not ethics, the. Gospel is not noble.

Deeds the Those are fruits of the gospel, those.

Are implications of the Gospel, but they are not.

The Gospel. The gospel is that Christ.

Came to save sinners it's not what we.

Do. But rather, what has been done?

For us that the gospel of Jesus Christ is God.

Sending his son into. This world to be born of a.

Virgin to live a perfect life in active and in passive obedience

to die in our. Place for our sin.

And to be buried and to be. Raised for our justification.

That one day He will come to judge the living and the dead

and 'cause people today to come and repent and believe in Him

and enjoy eternity with Him. That's the gospel.

That's the character of the gospel, that it is Christ, not

just about Christ that it is. Christ, John Calvin says.

That the whole gospel. Is contained in Christ Jesus.

The gospel is Christ. It is his life.

And it is what he has done for us and the apostle.

Paul says this is of first. Importance Know the person and

the. Work of Christ.

Before you know anything else, because this is the foundation

that grounds every single doctrine of Scripture to.

Get the gospel wrong is to get Christ.

Wrong to get Christ wrong. Is to get the.

Doctrine wrong. We must get Christ right.

Notice what it says next that this.

Is the gospel that I preach to you?

And we know what. Paul preached.

From Second Corinthians verse. Chapter 4, Verse 5.

For what I preach is not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as

Lord. And and.

Ourselves as your servants for Jesus Christ, so.

Paul says to the Corinth church, the.

Gospel I preach to you so we. Do know what?

He preach, he tells. Us that the only thing I preach

was. Jesus Christ to you.

And I am only a servant. God has ordained preaching as

means. To save.

That's what God has. Ordained.

Because this is the good news, we must announce it.

We must herald the good news. Because the good news is about

Jesus. Also, it is Jesus.

And often Christians will say, no, my, you know, I want my life

to, to, to really be a, my message.

To the world. Bearing witness.

To the Gospel. Is not the gospel.

We ought to bear witness to the gospel by the way we live.

But the gospel. Must be announced.

We must say something. It is news you.

Don't keep news you. Share the news And so the

Apostle. Says announce it.

He says I preach it to you, share the gospel, this world.

Does not need my political views and opinions.

The church does not. Simply need my motivational

talk, my personal wisdom. Behind the pulpit.

Behind the pulpit. The only thing you must hear.

Is Christ that the Church? Needs more of.

Christ who? Is the very revelation of God

who reigns forever. We don't need Christ.

Less messages we need more of. Christ, Christ, Christ all.

The time, that's what. Paul, preach.

That's what he's saying We. Ought to preach Christ.

Our very. Message of the Gospel.

He says we don't command ourselves, but we command.

Christ as our Saviour, he says. This is what I preach to you,

Charles. Spurgeon says the following when

we preach. Christ crucified.

We have no reason to stutter to. Hesitate or to apologize.

How many messages behind the pulpit begin with an apology?

I'm. Sorry, but what I'm.

Going to. Say it's quite difficult before

the preacher speaks is already. Apologized, apologizing for what

is clearly communicated in the word.

Of God. Church, we don't apologize for

the truth. We stand on the truth, just like

the. Early Church Fathers.

Just like the reformers. Just like the.

Puritans, we stand on the. Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Why is this important? The reason we only preach.

Christ is because. He is the only.

Way to? Salvation there is no.

Salvation without the Gospel. It is through the Gospel that we

are. Saved.

There are many religions in this.

World. But there's only one gospel, and

that is why. The Apostle Paul to the

Galatians. Verse Chapter One verse. 8 it

says but. Even if we or an Angel from

heaven should preach another gospel other than the one we

preach to you, let them be under.

God's curse. And the Greek word there is

anathema that if another man comes and preaches a different.

Gospel. It says that.

Man is under. God's curse.

Reminding the Church of. Galatia that this is about

justification. By faith alone.

It is not rules. And regulations.

It is not the law, rather. It is about the gospel, he says.

Rest. On that, and if you preach

anything different, he says, then you are under God's.

Curse. He's bringing them back to

justification by faith alone. Why is this important?

The gospel message does not start by telling.

People how to leave. The Gospel message begins by

announcing. What Christ has.

Done to save us. There's a distinction.

It does not begin again by telling people.

How to live the Gospel. Begins by announcing what Christ

has done. To save us.

And that is where. All of us.

Must begin notice that this is the.

Gospel that I preached to you. And then he says this that on

which? You.

Have taken a stand. I love that.

And I often used to. Pass that part of this verse.

And I just reading it over again, I just realized something

here that on which you stand because he's he's reminding the

Corinthians that now you've come to the.

Truth of Christ. You know the person of Christ.

You know the work of. Christ, but.

Then make. Sure that your whole life is.

Built on the foundation of that truth, our.

Lives ought to be. Built on the Gospel of Christ

Church. Let me remind you this morning,

we never move beyond. The Gospel we.

Never outgrow the gospel. We never become too

sophisticated. For the gospel.

We never graduate from. The Gospel.

There is no next best thing, the gospel.

Is the best thing, therefore Paul says.

Stand on it. Because the gospel is.

Central. To the, to the.

Christian life. Not only that, the gospel.

Itself is the way of life. Therefore he says stand so that.

You are not like those believers in the book of.

Hebrews. Who did not stand?

Who Drifted says. But you stand.

Notice then, he says, and by which you are being saved.

If you hold fast to the Word, I preach to you.

Unless you believed in vain the first.

Part of that. Verse is striking for he says by

which you are being saved and the question.

I ask myself is. Being saved from what?

The Bible is clear what we are saved from.

If we think of Genesis. Chapter 3.

Genesis 3 · chapter mention

And if we think of the book of Romans church this morning, I

want to remind you that we are saved from the dangers.

Of hell we are. Saved from sin, we are saved

from. Death.

We are saved. From the wrath of God and

eternal separation from the love of God.

Romans 5 verse 9 says, Since therefore we have now been.

Romans 5:9

Justified by his blood. How much more?

Shall we be saved? From the Wrath.

Of God. Romans 6, verse 23.

Romans 6:23

For the. Wages of sin is.

Death, but the gift of God is. Eternal life.

In Christ Jesus our Lord. What are you saved from?

I repeat. You are saved from hell.

You are saved from sin. You are saved from.

Death, you are saved. From the wrath of God and

eternal separation from God. And then he says in verse.

Three Christ died if I delivered to you as of.

First importance. What I also received that Christ

died for our. Sins in accordance.

With the scriptures. This is.

Significant that Christ died. And there's evidence in the

biblical text that indeed Christ.

Died. Christ went through a.

Brutal beating he was. Flogged by the mob.

He was bleeding profusely. He was hungry, he was

dehydrated. In fact, they called one of the

professional executioners who was there.

Took a spear. And it went through.

His side. Punctured his heart, and the

Bible tells us that water and blood was coming out from

Christ's side, guaranteeing that indeed, Christ died.

Christ's deed died. And then he says.

He died according to the Scriptures.

That's significant because Isaiah had already prophesied

this, Isaiah 53 verse 5 says. But he was pierced.

Isaiah 53:5

For our transgressions. He was.

Crossed for our iniquities. The punishment that brought us

peace was on him and by his wounds.

We are healed. Isaiah prophecies the. 7700

years before Christ comes, that indeed Christ would die Matthew

Matthew 27:50

27 verse 50 says and when? Jesus cried out with a loud

voice. He yielded up his.

Spirit as a signal that he died. John 19 verse 30 says when Jesus

John 19:30

had. Received the sour.

Wine, he said. It is finished.

He. Bowed his head.

And gave up his spirit, in other words.

Jesus did die. But for what reason?

Why did he die? Paul tells us.

Because of your. Sins.

Christ died for our. Sins.

That's the reason he died lots of.

People die. We may.

Even say lots of innocent people die and some people die

unpleasant death, but Jesus death is different he.

Dies for our sin. This is the Incarnate Son of

God, the second person of the Trinity, who would come and die.

Our sin is weighty. Our sin.

Is costly. God is just God.

Is holy and. Because of those attributes.

God must punish sin. For the Bible says the.

Wages of sin. Is death.

And God would send his own Son to take upon himself that

punishment, that fullness. Of Wrath by.

Becoming our substitution in order to atone for our sin.

Because our sin is waiting, grace is free.

But. Grace is not cheap.

Jesus died because of our sin. Few words of.

Application. We must therefore, Church,

continue to proclaim. The gospel to ourselves.

This is the hardest. Thing to do is to proclaim.

The gospel to yourself. Charles Spurgeon once saw a man

complaining the other day. He says people have accused me

of. This and Spurgeon says to this

man, you're in fact worse than what they.

Say to you. Reminding him of his sin, and

the reformers would say in that context the term Luther used to

use. Is that we are.

Both sinners, and also. Righteous just as espicardo.

We are both just just as well righteous, therefore.

The presence of sin is still among us, and therefore each.

Day we have to constantly preach the gospel to ourselves.

Reminding ourselves of. Who?

Jesus is, and what he has done to save us, we must never allow.

Ourselves. To find our identity in anything

else. We are never called to find our

identity in our marriage. We are never called to find our

identity in our work, in our career.

We are called to find our identity in the gospel, in

Christ. We are not even called to find

our identity in ministry. Our identity is in Christ.

So every morning, every day, remind yourself and preach to

yourself this amazing and wonderful.

Gospel. With your eyes looking up.

Just like the apostles look to Christ daily.

Be satisfied. In him alone remind.

Yourself of his. Saving and sovereign.

Grace over your life. #2 Learn to rejoice in the Gospel daily.

There are many difficult circumstances and challenges.

That we. Face and perhaps even this

morning. There are people who came here

this morning and yet are going through some of the most

difficult things this morning. Very tough, whatever it may.

Be this morning you may be going through something very

different. May I remind you this morning to

rejoice. In the gospel of Christ.

Circumstances may not change, but we serve the one the.

Scriptures say yesterday, today. Life may not be.

Easy, but. Rest in Him, trust in Him,

ground your joy in Him, and meditate on His truth #3 Study

the person and the work of and, and and often.

As. Students of the Bible, we love

sometimes to study the most difficult things about the

Bible. I mean when you when, especially

when you meet a group of pastors.

They say what's your? Thoughts on a meal, post meal,

pre meal and all this sort of and sometimes we want to talk

about. All those other difficult.

Things. And yet we miss the very basics.

We must go back to studying Christ.

We must go back. To study the work of Christ.

If we miss that, I say again, if we miss that, we miss everything

else. You may want to even study the

Trinity, but if you don't know Christ, if you know.

Christ, then you. Don't know the gospel?

And so church. Let's continue to study the

person of Christ. Read the book of.

Hebrews read the Synoptic Gospels and John read in order

to understand the person. I'm also perhaps here

recommending a book by Doctor Michael Reeves titled Rejoicing

in Christ. That is my prayer this morning

as we close precious Saints. It is in creation that we ought

to understand who God is and what He has made.

It is in the fall of man. Where we realize.

How men to use DA cousin term? De Gorded God.

It is in the Gospel where we understand what Christ has done

to redeem sin. And let's never forget.

That let's not forget. That in our prayers.

Let us not. Forget that in our singing.

Let us not forget that in our conversations.

Of who Christ is the lover of our soul, our Lord.

We thank you this morning for reminding us.

Of this basic truth, the truth is that the gospel saves, that

the gospel is a person, that the gospel is Christ.

It is the work of Christ. Lord help us not to want to

graduate from this truth. But Lord help us.

To continue to remind ourselves of this truth, and not only

that, Lord, to rejoice in this truth.

But also. To share this wonderful truth

with the world around us. And we ask all.

Of this in Jesus name, Amen. Thank you for listening to

today's message. We hope you are encouraged and

challenged in your faith. If you're in the southern

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Until next time statement and keep shining your light.