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Wave Women – You Asked For It – The Basics of the Gospel

May 26, 2016

WAVE WOMEN – You Asked For It

The Basics of the Gospel Blog by Sandy Hopkins

When you read the Bible there are 3 things that once established – will help you view the Word the way it’s meant to be..

  1. Jesus is for you
  2. God is good and only does good
  3. There is a bigger picture (God is at work weaving us all together in His plan)

The Gospel simply means the good message or good news of Christ.

Matthew, Mark, Luke & John are also referred to in the New Testament as “The Gospels”.

This passage of scripture gives us a perfect representation of the gospel in action.

Luke 5:17-26 NIV

“One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.””
The end result from this encounter with Jesus is the declaration that this man’s sins were forgiven and with that he arose and began to walk. A great picture of the gospel! Humanity has been crippled from sin and death. Jesus declares freedom from sin and now life can begin. He says 3 things in this passage that I want to focus on…

  1. Get up 

– Your sin has been forgiven. You are no longer crippled by your sin. The debt has been payed
once & for all by Jesus

– God has given us free will. Now that you have chosen Jesus & invited Him into your life, He
comes in – no matter whether you feel different or not. Stop blaming yourself and moping
around

– Get up! His spirit is present to empower you

  1. Pick up your mat

– The mat represents your life. Take responsibility for your life. Get help if necessary to clean up
the mat of your life. Jesus & you are a team now. He’s come to partner with you to make you
whole

– That thing you have been lying in (the filth on the mat) – represents the mess that you made of
your life, the mess that was your old life

– That thing that was your comfort. That dirty stinking thing you relied on up till now (the mat
that represents your life) – clean it up!

  1. Walk home

– Walk back into community and family. The warmth of relationship is waiting for you & is what
you need. We were made for relationships. Family, community, fellowship – these are the
things we were made for. The best things in life aren’t things – they’re people!

– You have the power to forgive and be free, learn what it is to walk in that freedom. You may be
a bit wobbly at the start, you may need some help to stand and walk but you have been
commanded to walk, so all you need is available & you won’t need people helping you do that
forever soon you will be helping others

– Walking home represents your choosing to go back into family & relationships

NOW notice the last part!!! Take up your bed and walk and HE WENT HOME!!

  • IT’S NOT A REQUEST – IT’S A COMMAND!!

Get up

Pick up your mess

Start walking

Come home

 

Notice he took his mess with him. There was a part he had to play. There is God’s part and our part!

Now let’s look at the key role we play in the gospel…

Matthew 5:14-16 MSG

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”

As Christians we’re meant to be shining our light for others. The Bible refers to this as being witnesses…

Acts 1:8 NIV
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Challenge to us all…

  1. When was the last time you shared your story/testimony?
  • Sharing our story & speaking about the goodness of God & what He has done in our lives should be something that flows from our lips often. We all need to practice & get good at telling our story – this is how we are witnesses.
  1. Are you living on assignment for Jesus?
    2 Tim 1:9 NIV
    He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time
    – You have been saved & called for purpose. Expect God to speak to you, expect God
    to expect you to do things for Him. God has purpose for your life – there are people
    in your future awaiting your obedience to God for eternity’s sake.
  2. What are you believing God for today?
    – Are you still believing God for miracles in your life? Is God still actively at work in

        you? Do you still have recent accounts of something God has done for you? If
not – why not?


Here are some important scriptures to memorize that will help you share the gospel with others. Not so you can quote scripture to them, but so that you can show them where the Bible says this & put it into everyday language for them. As a Christian we need to know the importance of the Bible & help disciple others.

Rom 3:23 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

John 10:10 NIV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Romans 6:23 NIV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 John 1:9 NIV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

John 3:16 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

2 Cor 5:17 NIV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

2 Timothy 1:9 NIV

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time

Romans 8:39 NIV

neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:11 NIV

And if the spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his spirit who lives in you.

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

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