We Keep the Gospel Central (Romans 1:16; Genesis 2-3)

INTRO: 2016.02.07 We Keep the Gospel Central (Romans 1:16; Genesis 2-3) About a month ago Planet Fitness opened a new facility over on Highway 54. Because PF is a gym it wants to do what all gyms do help people develop healthier lifestyles. Every gym has that same goal. But Planet Fitness has a unique vision of how to accomplish that goal along with a clear set of values. When you walk in, there s no mistaking what those values are. They re plastered all over the walls (picture). They re spelled out on every treadmill and machine. They even tell you before you sign- up that they want to reach people other gyms don t. Their vision is that people of all levels of fitness can work out in the same facility without feeling like they re going to be criticized, especially by those who are in better shape. That s why they don t allow what they call gymtimidation, i.e. slamming weights on the ground, heavy grunting, wearing real slinky outfits that reveal body parts not meant to be revealed in public places. Some people don t like Planet Fitness for these very reasons. They get criticized from time to time, but they understand people have options and their gym isn t for everyone. They have a clear vision of who they are and why. Let me give another example of why vision matters. As you know Owensboro has about 60,000 or 70,000 people depending on how you want to count and around 40,000 pizza places. Every pizza joint has the same goal they want to make good pizza for their customers. But they each have a different vision for how to reach that goal. Little Caesars (picture) is focused on convenience Hot and Ready Pizza, you don t even have to order, walk in, $5, they hand you a pepperoni and cheese, and you re on your way. On the other hand, a place like Fetta Pizza (picture) isn t focused on convenience; Fetta is all about creating a unique experience their first location was downtown, they began with limited seating, they offer specialty pizzas, liked the Smothers Park Special or Sarah s favorite, the mashed potato pizza. Then you have a large chain like Dominos (picture), who sells pizza but right now is on a push to tell everyone they re not just pizza anymore. All of these places have the same mission, but that mission is uniquely expressed based upon their vision and values. When I came to OCC almost three years ago, the leadership gave me a document that had been filled out by Bill Anderson, a former staff member. One of the questions was What is the number one thing at this point in time that must change for your church to be true to who you say you are and what you have been called by God to do? 1

This was Bill s answer. We must define clearly what it means to live out our mission. It must be defined in a strategic plan and then incorporated into every ministry within the church. Just like how every gym wants to help people become healthy, OCC, like every other Bible- believing church, wants to help people grow to Love God and Love Others as Jesus said. Just like all pizza places have a mission to make good pizza, OCC, like all churches, has the mission of Reaching the World and making disciples. That s why we talk here a lot about Love God, Love Others, and Reach the World. But as we shared in the video how these things are uniquely expressed at Owensboro Christian Church will be determined by the unique wiring God has given us. TRANSITION: That s why the Eldership and Leadership Team have been praying and processing these topics for a long time. Recently the entire staff began to process our vision and values as well. We re now continuing that conversation with you. This series, in some ways, is about who we already are as a church but may never have really stated; in others ways it s about who we want to be as a church. When we entered the process, we said as a leadership, wherever we land, we have to keep the main thing the main thing. So unashamedly and without reservation, we said the most important value for us as a church is We keep the Gospel central. WE KEEP THE GOSPEL CENTRAL: 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16, ESV). We are not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. We do not shrink back from teaching the Bible. We do not blush at speaking about the power of Christ. But to experience the Gospel's full power, we must first understand its full scope. When people hear the term Gospel they immediately supply a story. Often these stories sit beneath the surface and are so ingrained we don t even know they re there. 2

ü If you grew up in in an evangelical church, you likely hear Gospel and think of Personal Salvation, i.e. God rescuing you from your sin and hell through the cross. ü If you grew up outside of the faith, you may hear Gospel and think it s all about Behavior Modification. Someone who believes faith is a good thing might say, The Gospel teaches people to live moral lives and this is good. If you re skeptical of faith and religion, you might say, The Gospel attempts to control people by modifying their behavior to a prescribed norm and that s bad. ü If you re driven by the compassion to help others, you may hear Gospel and think of what s sometimes called the Social Gospel, i.e. the idea that the Gospel is about curing systemic injustice more so than it s about curing personal sin. ü And if you were hurt by the church or someone who said they were a follower of Jesus, or if you re skeptical of the Bible s claims, you might think of the Gospel as a crutch, i.e. a story people tell themselves to feel better about their lives. Or an excuse people use to do whatever they want and then get away with it through forgiveness. All of these, except perhaps #4, bear some level of truth. But none of them alone are what we mean when we say, We keep the Gospel central. I want to explain what the Bible means when it speaks of the Gospel or the Good News. THE GOSPEL S FOUR FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS: The Bible tells the story of Creation twice first in Genesis 1 and then again in Genesis 2. In chapter one the Bible describes creation as a song. There is a rhythm, repetition, and beat. If you look at the text, God speaks, what He says happens, and then God calls it good. God speaks, what He says happens, and then God calls it good. And when God finishes He steps back and calls it all very good. This may be a new idea for some of you. Under God s original design there was no pain, no hurt, no broken families, no gossip He created it good. Additionally, God created the world without any sense of duality. Some of us live with the mindset that the material world is bad and the spiritual world is good. A few major religions and philosophies even teach that your body is evil. Some people think this is what Christianity teaches. But we learn from the opening pages of Genesis that isn t God s design. In fact, God designed this world with four primary relationships. 3

4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens. 5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up for the LORD God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground 7 then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil 15 The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die. 18 Then the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. 19 Now out of the ground the LORD God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said, This at last is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed (Genesis 2:4-9, 15-25, ESV). As I said, Genesis 2 identifies four key relationships that make up life. The first relationship is Man & God. ü God creates man. God gives the man a home the Garden of Eden. God gives the man responsibility tend the land and take care of the animals. This is why work, contributing to society, is fundamentally good. 1 In a few weeks we ll talk about the value, We do hard, honest, excellent work. When you work hard you honor the Creator. God wove this into the fabric of the world. 1 See Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavor; also John Ortberg, The Me I Want to Be, 224-31. 4

ü But God doesn t simply give the man work, He also gives him boundaries. He says, Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God establishes morals/ethics. There are things you should do and things you should not do. Which means, God desires our wellbeing. As Creator, He s the boss. That s relationship #1 man & God. The second relationship is Man & Creation. ü God creates the Adam (the Hebrew word for man, person, or human) from the adamah (which means dust, earth, or soil). So even linguistically there is a connection between humanity and the earth. ü The connection between man and creation is also seen when God instructs Adam to name the animals. This isn t simply a game caterpillar, octopus, and cockroach. In Scripture, when you name something you are demonstrating some level of authority (Abram à Abraham, Simon à Peter, Saul à Paul). The naming of the animals is part of God s command for mankind to steward creation. God wants us to make something useful and sensible out of His world. That s relationship #2 man and creation. The third relationship we find in Genesis 2 is the relationship between Man & Others. ü In Genesis 2:18, God declares that even though the world He created is good, it is not good for the man to be alone. So God makes the man a companion, a wife. ü Now as you know not everyone marries. Paul wasn t married; Jesus never married. Some of the greatest leaders in church history were never married either. The Bible actually says, Singleness is wonderful because it allows you to have a greater focus on the Lord s will for your life. The point is married or single, as human beings, we weren t created to do life alone. We were all created for community. That need is embedded within us because God is a communal God. As Father, Son, and Spirit, God himself has existed in perfect community for eternity. We bear that same image, so we all need relationships with others. That s relationship #3 man and others. Finally, the last relationship we find is Man & Himself. And it s summed up with one word Naked. 2 Genesis says when the man and woman first saw each other they were 2 See Donald Miller, Searching for God Knows What (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2004). 5

completely naked and yet neither of them felt any shame. They had nothing to hide. There was no pretense. There were no walls. No saying one thing and meaning another. There was no wondering if I m fully myself will this other person reject me. They were completely comfortable in their own skin. These are the four relationships identified in the creation story in the book of Genesis Man & God, Man & Creation, Man & Others, and Man & Self. I m not the first to notice these relationships. Francis Schaeffer called them God, people, place, and self. 3 Everything you do happens in the context of these four relationships. You can t escape it. This is where you live, eat, sleep, breathe, play, laugh, skip, sing, dance, compete, and listen to music. But watch what happens next. Gen. 3:1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, Did God actually say, You shall not eat of any tree in the garden? 2 And the woman said to the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die. 4 But the serpent said to the woman, You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, Where are you? 10 And he said, I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself. 11 He said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat? 12 The man said, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate. 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, What is this that you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate (Genesis 3:1-13, ESV). When sin causes God s good creation to begin unraveling notice that: 3 Francis Schaeffer, Death in the City, 263; cf. Zack Eswine, Preaching to a Post- Everything World: Crafting Biblical Sermons that Connect with Our Culture (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008) 42. 6

The man blames the woman & God the woman You put here God She made me do this! The woman blames the creation the serpent deceived me! No one blames themselves. The result is isolation. A life severed from God, others, and the world around us. This is the painful reality that we all experience when you sense there s more to life but you can t quite put your finger on it, when you feel empty and distant from what you were created for, when you seek identity in people or projects only to find they don t satisfy, when you experience unresolved conflict with others, when you look in the mirror and hate what you see, when you hide behind carefully constructed masks, when you try to find salvation in a relationship only to realize that person is also flawed, when you read of wars and water crises and abandoned children and the murder of the innocent, you re experiencing the effects of sin. You re longing for a recovery of God s good design in each of these four relationships. Sin has messed up not just one thing but everything. But everything sin seeks to destroy, the Gospel promises to redeem, restore, and renew. We are not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS OF THE GOSPEL: We often have too narrow a view of the Gospel. 1. Again, some people think the Gospel is only about Personal Salvation. The Gospel is about my personal relationship with God, yes. But the Gospel also wants to rescue me from my selfishness. And one of the most selfish twists we put on the Gospel is this idea that if you were the only person who ever lived Jesus would have come and died for you. I m not saying it isn t true. I m simply pointing out that that wasn t the scenario. That thought emerged from a society obsessed with the self. Jesus did die for you but not only for you. The Gospel is bigger than you. The Gospel is about how God is restoring all of creation through Christ. That doesn t make you less important it magnifies the importance of Christ. 7

2. Some people think the Gospel is only about Behavior Modification. It s true the Gospel wants to bring our actions into alignment with God s will. Just like how your car gets where it s going a lot better if it s in alignment, when you re living in alignment with Christ, not only do you get where you want to go but the ride is much smoother. But at the same time, the Gospel is about more than making you a moral person. The Gospel brings you freedom. Not freedom to sin, but freedom to no longer be a slave to sin. No longer a slave to your own performance. It gives you the freedom to trust that your relationship with God is no longer based on what you do but what Christ has done. 3. Some people talk of a Social Gospel, as if Jesus only cared about correcting systemic sin and injustice not personal sin, e.g. taking care of the planet and working against things like poverty but not your own greed or lust. God cares a great deal about matters of social justice. That s why one of the values we ll talk about in a few weeks is fighting for forgotten. But think about it, if you repair the bones of a society while leaving its broken soul, wouldn t you say the work was superficial? Wouldn t you think there are going to be more problems down the road? The Gospel says make your community stronger while remembering its greatest need is Jesus Christ. 4. And finally, some people think the Gospel is a crutch, an excuse for Christians to do what they want when they want and then just fall back on forgiveness. The Gospel is about forgiveness, but it s not a cheap or wimpy forgiveness; the Gospel is messy. The Gospel says people are so valuable and these four relationships are so valuable, you cannot dismiss sin. You cannot gloss over sin as if it were no big deal. Sin must be exposed and dealt with. At the same time you have to look at the person who has wronged you as someone created in the image of God and loved by God. You cannot write them off forever. The Gospel isn t an easy way out, it requires hard things like accountability, love, truth telling, exposure of sin, forgiveness, and then a slow working towards restoration. We are not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. That s why as a church we keep the Gospel central in all things and at all times. To illustrate the power of the Gospel, I want to share with you this story Dan s Video. 8

CONCLUSION: What a wonderful story of the power of the Gospel. I love Dan and his family. And I particularly loved what he said about how we no longer have to hide. When we bring our baggage into the light, Christ begins to heal us and make us new. We are not ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for salvation to all who believe. Tim Keller, a pastor and author in New York City, writes, It is one thing to have a ministry that is Gospel believing and even Gospel proclaiming but quite another to have one that is Gospel centered. 4 Our commitment to keeping the Gospel central led to the vision Redeem, Restore, Renew. Redeeming lives, Restoring Relationships, and Renewing communities through Jesus Christ. Lord s Supper à Prayer 4 Tim Keller, Center Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012) 21. He goes on to say I urge you to be as thoughtful as possible in your Gospel presentations. The danger in answering only the first question ( What must I do to be saved? ) without the second ( What hope is there for the world? ) is that, standing alone, the first can play in the idea that religion exists to provide spiritual goods that meet individual spiritual needs But the danger in conceiving the Gospel to strictly as a story line for the renewal of the world is even greater. It tells listeners about God s program to save the world, but it does not tell them how to actually get right with God and become part of that program (p. 32). 9

Resources Eswine, Zack, Preaching to a Post- Everything World: Crafting Biblical Sermons that Connect with Our Culture (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008). Keller, Timothy, Center Church (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012). Keller, Timothy, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's World (New York: Riverhead Books, 2012). Ortber, John, The Me I Want to Be (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010). Schaeffer, Francis, Death in the City, Francis Schaeffer Trilogy (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1990). 10