The Gospel: The Good News Unveiled

What Shapes Us: Gospel

WARM-UP

What is the best story you’ve seen or heard? What makes it memorable?

Recall a time when someone saved you from getting hurt or in trouble. How did it make you feel?

Think of a time when you forgave someone or received forgiveness. How was the relationship restored?

WORD

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2CO 5:21

The word “gospel” means “good news.” It is good because it is the message that God made a way for humanity to be redeemed from sin through Jesus. Since the Fall, our relationship with God has been damaged. What once were hearts that loved God were replaced with rebellious hearts before him. No matter how hard we try, our good works could never be enough to meet God’s righteousness, and every person will face an eternity of death and separation from God. This is why we need Jesus, our Savior. He lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died—in our place—so that we could be right with God. Today, let’s look at the good news that we believe and how it affects our lives.

1 Jesus Christ knew no sin.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2CO 5:21

God’s standard of holiness is unattainable for us to meet. Sin has affected every aspect of our being. Jesus, however, lived a perfectly sinless and righteous life in spite of having been tempted in every way like the rest of us (Heb 4:15). He was without sin in his thoughts, motives, words, and actions. Why do you think it is important that Jesus lived a sinless life?

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. HEB 4:15

4 Surely he has borne our griefs

and carried our sorrows;

yet we esteemed him stricken,

smitten by God, and afflicted.

Rashi

Surely he has borne our griefs—But now we see that this came to him not because of his low state, but that he was chastised with sorrows so that all the nations be atoned for with Israel’s suffering. The illness that should rightfully have come upon us, he has borne.

Yet we esteemed him—We thought that he was hated by the Omnipresent, but he was not so, but he was pained because of our transgressions and crushed because of our iniquities.

5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;

he was crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,

and with his wounds we are healed.

Rashi

Upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace—The chastisement due to the peace that we enjoyed, came upon him, for he was chastised so that there be peace for the entire world.

9 And they made his grave with the wicked

and with a rich man in his death,

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth. ISA 53:4-5, 9

Rashi

And they made his grave with the wicked—He subjected himself to be buried according to anything the wicked of the heathens (nations mss., K’li Paz) would decree upon him, for they would penalize him with death and the burial of donkeys in the intestines of the dogs.

With the wicked—According to the will of the wicked, he was willing to be buried, and he would not deny the living God.

And with a rich man in his death and to the will of the ruler he subjected himself to all kinds of death that he decreed upon him, because he did not wish to agree to (denial) of the law to commit evil and to rob like all the heathens (nations mss., K’li Paz) among whom he lived.

And there was no deceit in his mouth to accept idolatry (to accept a pagan deity as God Parshandatha).

16 That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.

17 This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.” MAT 8:16-17

2 Jesus Christ became sin for us.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2CO 5:21

Sin needs to be dealt with, and its penalty is death. God hates sin. All of humanity had sinned against God and this broke his heart. But because God is loving and gracious, he sent his Son, Jesus, to be the perfect sacrifice as the substitute for man. While we were still dead in our sin, Jesus took all our sins and died for us (Rom 5:8). Jesus—in our place— received the full wrath of God, so that those who believe in him will be saved from the just penalty of their sins. If Jesus took all of God’s wrath for us, how much wrath is left for those who have put their faith in him?

. . . but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ROM 5:8

All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have turned—every one—to his own way;

and the Lord has laid on him

the iniquity of us all. ISA 53:6

Rashi

All we like sheep have gone astray—Now it is revealed that all the heathens (nations mss.) had erred.

Has laid on—Espriad in O.F., an expression of supplication.

Has laid on him—He laid on him and was appeased concerning the iniquity of us all, that he did not destroy his world.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. JOH 15:13

3 Jesus Christ made a way for us to become the righteousness of God.

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2CO 5:21

Jesus’ perfect life, death, and resurrection made a way for us to meet God’s standard of righteousness. Anyone who believes in Jesus and his finished work is reconciled to God and declared righteous—as Jesus is righteous. This was because his perfect life and righteousness was credited to us who believe. This means forgiveness of our past, present, and future sins. We are now a new creation in him. Those who receive Jesus as Savior can experience all the benefits that God has intended to give. What does Joh 1:12 and 1Jn 3:1 say about those who believe in the finished work of Jesus?

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . . JOH 1:12

I said,

How I would set you among my sons,

and give you a pleasant land,

a heritage most beautiful of all nations.

And I thought you would call me, My Father,

and would not turn from following me. JER 3:19

Rashi

I said to myself, etc. and therefore, I caused your forefathers to inherit them.

How I would set you among my sons—I.e., how I would set you, my congregation and my nation, among my other sons, mingled with the heathens. I, therefore, selected a handsome portion, and I gave you a pleasant land.

Most beautiful of all nations—Most beautiful of all the nations.

Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. MAT 10:40

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke

Whoever receives you—Treats you kindly, receives me; I will consider the kindness as shown to myself; for he who receives me, as the true Messiah, receives that God by whose counsels and through whose love I am come.

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. 1JN 3:1

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley

That we should be called—That is, should be, the children of God.

The reason why the world does not know us—They know not what to make of us. We are a mystery to them.

8 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Rashi

How precious is your steadfast love—It is not fitting that it be extended to these wicked, but the children of men who take refuge in the shadow of your wings, they feast on the abundance of your house, etc.

9 They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

10 For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light do we see light. PSA 36:8-10

Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke

For with you is the fountain of life—This, in Scripture phrase, may signify a spring of water; for such was called among the Jews living water, to distinguish it from ponds, tanks, and reservoirs, that were supplied by water either received from the clouds, or conducted into them by pipes and streams from other quarters. But there seems to be a higher allusion in the sacred text. Ki immecha mekor chaiyim, “For with you is the vein of lives.” Does not this allude to the great aorta, which, receiving the blood from the heart, distributes it by the arteries to every part of the human body, whence it is conducted back to the heart by means of the veins. As the heart, by means of the great aorta, distributes the blood to the remotest parts of the body; so, God, by Christ Jesus, conveys the life-giving streams of his providential goodness to all the worlds and beings he has created, and the influences of his grace and mercy to every soul that has sinned. All spiritual and temporal good comes from him, the Father, through him, the Son, to every part of the creation of God.

In your light do we see light—No man can illuminate his own soul; all understanding must come from above. Here the metaphor is changed, and God is compared to the sun in the firmament of heaven, that gives light to all the planets and their inhabitants. “God said, Let there be light; and there was light”; by that light the eye of man was enabled to behold the various works of God, and the beauties of creation: so, when God speaks light into the dark heart of man, he not only beholds his own deformity and need of the salvation of God, but he beholds the “light of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ”; “God, in Christ, reconciling the world to himself.” “In your light do we see light.” This is literally true, both in a spiritual and philosophical sense.

When we trust Jesus for our salvation, we can experience a true relationship with God. We are given a new heart, are being made whole in Christ, and are promised to have a future hope with God eternally. This is the good news that we can happily share with the world that longs to experience the true joy that is only found in Christ.

APPLICATION

Have you experienced the saving and transforming power of Jesus in your life? What areas in your life still need to change?

What are some things that hold you back from talking about the gospel? How can you overcome these challenges?

To whom can you share the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus this week? How may you lead others to the saving knowledge he brings?

PRAYER

Thank God for the finished work of Jesus on the cross that enables us to be restored to a right relationship with him and follow his ways.

Pray that God would continue to mold you into the image of Christ and to make the reality of the gospel alive in you every day.

Pray that God would open doors in your community, campus, or workplace to talk about the gospel with boldness and a heart for others to know him.