Discipleship Seminars (DS) presents DC2 Essentials of Discipleship (EOD) Seminar 4: The Gospel GBC Vision: A disciple-making church that transforms lives with the gospel and love of Jesus Christ. Personal Data Protection Act: This session is filmed and uploaded onto the Grace Baptist Church (GBC) website for private use by church members. By attending the class, you are giving us consent to film you. 1 (1) UPDATED DS SCHEDULE Due to changes in the upcoming GBC service schedule, here is the most updated DS schedule: # Date Topic 4 26 Jul 15 The Gospel 2 Dn. Leow Wen Pin 02 Aug 15 Mak & Narola (Sharing) 5 09 Aug 15 Church 2 Dns. Ngo Thian Chye & Leow Wen Pin 6 16 Aug 15 Discipleship 1 Pastor Oliver Chia 7 23 Aug 15 Sanctification (& God's Law) 2 Pastor Oliver Chia 30 Aug 15 06 Sep 15 CG Ministry Activity Church Anniversary 8 13 Sep 15 Who is God the Holy Spirit? 2 Elder Eddie Tan 9 20 Sep 15 The Bible 1 Elder Wee Thiem Heng 10 27 Sep 15 The Children's (Lord's) Prayer 1* Chan Kong Wah & Matthew Koh 04 Oct 15 Buffer for Church Move 11 11 Oct 15 The Ordinances 1 Senior Pastor Arnold Wong 12 18 Oct 15 Leadership and submission 1 Elder Tan Chong Tien & Matthew Koh 13 25 Oct 15 Future Hope 1 Tan Yee Kiat 14 01 Nov 15 Sharing the gospel 1 Pastor Bobby Lee 15 08 Nov 15 Sharing your testimony 1 Dn. Leow Wen Pin 16 15 Nov 15 Disciplemaking using the NCC 1 Elder Jonathan Yao & Dn. Leow Wen Pin (2) SELF-REFLECTION No. of Sessions Lesson Taught By Q1. You are having a chat with a non-believer friend. You sense that God has created an opportunity to share the gospel with your friend, but just as you ask, Can I tell you about the gospel, your friend interrupts you and says, Why should I care about what you have to say? How would you answer? Q2. After you sit through an evangelistic sermon, a young person comes up to you and says, I already know the gospel. These evangelistic sermons have no more value for me. How would you answer? will be uploaded. Page 1 of 7 1 If you are not comfortable being recorded, please inform the videographer and he will omit you from the final video that
(3) TODAY S BIG LESSON Today s Big Idea The gospel of Jesus Christ is crucial to our and to our daily. In order to elaborate on this, we will: Clarify what the gospel is. Learn how to meditate upon and apply the gospel throughout our lives. (4) WHAT IS THE GOSPEL? 4.1 Introduction I like the comparison of John s Gospel to a pool in which a child may wade and an elephant can swim. It is both simple and profound. It is for the veriest beginner in the faith and for the mature Christian. Its appeal is immediate and never failing. 2 The quote above, from theologian Leon Morris, was applied to the book of the Gospel of John, but it can equally be applied to the gospel message itself. Therefore, for Christians, it is crucial for us to be able to (a) present the gospel in a manner understandable by the most unchurched of our friends as well as (b) meditate upon the deep depths of the gospel throughout our lives. This section seeks to discuss (a) the core of the gospel that can be understood by anyone. 4.2 The Gospel Core 3 At the core of the gospel is the good news about what Jesus Christ has done to reconcile sinners to God. Christians in recent years have come up with many succinct and memorable ways to remember and present this gospel core. Here we will present one particular four-fold way: God Man Christ Response What do these four elements mean? Well, the last three lessons have already laid a partial framework for us to begin to understand these four elements and so a little revision is in order 4 : God Man Christ Response Session 1. We saw as we studied Psalm 19 that: 1. God is the c of all things (Gen. 1:1). 2. The one and only God, who is holy, made us in his image to k him (Gen. 1:26-28). 3. He is glorious, righteous, holy and worthy of all worship (1 John 1:5, Rev. 4:11). 2 Leon Morris, The Gospel of John, Revised ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1995), 3. 3 Mark Dever, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2007). 4 The following material in this section is partially adapted from the following helpful website: 9Marks, What Is the Gospel?, 9Marks, accessed July 25, 2015, http://9marks.org/answer/what-gospel/. Page 2 of 7
God Man Christ Response Session 2. We saw as we studied Romans 5 and 7 that: 4. All people, though created good, have sinned (Gen. 1:26-28, Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:23). 5. Through our sin, we have cut ourselves off from God. He will justly punish us (Gen. 3; Rom. 2:5-8). 6. The punishment for sin is physical and spiritual death (Rom. 5:12). NCC Question 28 Q: What happens after death to those not united to Christ by faith? At the day of judgment they will receive the fearful but sentence of condemnation pronounced against them. They will be cast out from the favourable presence of God, into, to be justly and grievously punished, forever. God Man Christ Response Session 3. We saw through the Bible that: 7. Jesus Christ is fully God and fully man and lived a sinless life (John 1:1, 1 Tim. 2:5, 2 Cor. 5:21). CHECK YOUR LEARNING Without looking at the NCC, answer the following two questions: Q22: Q22: Why must Jesus be truly human? Q23: Why must Jesus be truly God? Q23: 8. Died on the cross to bear God s wrath in the place of all who would believe in him. Rose from the grave in order to give his people righteousness and eternal life (Rom. 3:21-26). NCC Question 24 Q: Why was it necessary for Christ, the Redeemer, to die? Since death is the punishment for sin, Christ died in our place to deliver us from the power and penalty of sin and bring us back to God. By his substitutionary atoning death, he redeems us from hell and gains for us forgiveness of sin, righteousness, and everlasting life. Page 3 of 7
God Man Christ Response 9. Jesus now calls us to repent of our sins and trust in Christ alone for our forgiveness. Acts 17:30-31. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." (Act 17:30-31 ESV) John 1:12-13. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. NCC Question 29 Q: How can we be saved? Only by faith in Jesus Christ and in his substitutionary atoning death on the cross; so even though we are guilty of having disobeyed God and are still inclined to all evil, nevertheless, God, without any merit of our own but only by pure, imputes to us the perfect righteousness of Christ when we and in him. 10. If we repent of our sins and trust in Christ, we are born again into a new life, an eternal life with God which we begin living out right now. John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. NCC Question 34 Q: Since we are redeemed by grace alone, through Christ alone, must we still do good works and obey God s Word? Yes, because Christ, having redeemed us by his blood, also us by his Spirit; so that our lives may show love and gratitude to God; so that we may be assured of our faith by the ; and so that by our godly behaviour others may be won to Christ. 4.3 Summary Verse A helpful way to consolidate the fourfold God-Man-Christ-Response approach is to memorise Romans 3:23-25 as summary verses: 23 [F]or all have sinned and fall short } Man of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood } God } Christ } } } -- to be received by faith. } Response Page 4 of 7
(5) FACETS OF THE GOSPEL As Leon Morris reminded us earlier, the gospel is a pool in which an elephant can swim. And that is because while the core of the gospel is simple enough to be summarised by four words (God-Man-Christ- Response), the different aspects of the gospel and their implications for our daily living take a lifetime to understand and live out. In this sense, the gospel is like the diamond below in three ways. First, it is a treasure given to the Church (2 Cor. 4:7) that must treasured. Second, like a cut diamond, there is often one large surface that is most prominent and shiny that is the gospel core. Third, nonetheless, the gospel also has different facets that also contribute to the attractiveness of the gospel. Thus, as we study the gospel, just as when we study a diamond, we start to see its beauty in different aspects and dimensions. Gospel Core Facets of the Gospel To see this, let us consider one such facet of the gospel (before looking at some others). Consider the following passage: Romans 3:20-31 20 no one will be declared righteous in God s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. 21 But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished 26 he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus. 27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. 28 For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 29 Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law. Notes THINK! How would you summarise the message that Paul is trying to convey to the Roman church (comprised of both Jewish and Gentile believers) in this passage about the gospel? Your Answer: Page 5 of 7
(6) APPLICATION TEACHING SKILL When teaching Bible memory verses, make sure you carefully study the context of the verse first. Then, teach the context along with the Bible verse to ensure that the verse memorised is meaningful. If not, we may commit the error of either (1) teaching the verse out of context or (2) not teaching the verse in a manner as helpful as it could be. Today s Big Idea The gospel of Jesus Christ is crucial to our witness and to our daily living. 6.1. Concrete Steps for Application Step 1. Know the gospel well (e.g. by using God-man-Christ-response approach) so that we are ready to share and teach the gospel at any time to both believers and non-believers. 2 Tim. 2:8-9; 4:2 (ESV). 8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. (see also Col. 4:3-6) Step 2. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that the gospel is. a. The gospel core is simple, not simplistic. b. The gospel is the pinnacle of the Christian faith. It is like a multi-faceted diamond we can gaze into each day and see surprising new implications for our living. Step 3. So, by gazing daily into the gospel diamond, seek to lead lives. Php 1:27-28 (ESV). 27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. How do we do so? i. During your Bible reading ii. During prayer and reflection iii. During decision making at work, in the family etc. Page 6 of 7
6.2. Conclusion We are now in a better position to see why the GBC Vision statement makes sense: A disciplemaking church that transforms lives with the gospel and love of Jesus Christ. Thank God for leading us towards this gospel-centred direction in GBC. Let us make sure that we do our own part in leading lives worthy of the gospel and stand united in the gospel with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel (Php. 1:27-28). Access to Notes/Videos. All notes are available online at: http://english.gracebaptistchurch.sg/ds. Access is for GBC members & DS attendees only. You can request the password from any DS team member or through the email below. Contact Us. If you have any queries, please contact us at discipleshipseminars@gmail.com. Answers to the Check Your Learning Section on Page 3 Q22: Why must the Redeemer be truly human? Ans: That in human nature he might on our behalf perfectly obey the whole law and suffer the punishment for human sin; and also that he might sympathize with our weaknesses. Q23: Why must the Redeemer be truly God? That because of his divine nature his obedience and suffering would be perfect and effective; and also that he would be able to bear the righteous anger of God against sin and yet overcome death. Page 7 of 7