Arnie and Fred continue in this last episode to discuss more facts about the gospel. We finish up the fact that the gospel is verifiable. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to give the apostles the ability to perform miracles in order to confirm what they taught as coming from God. We can now verify the gospel through the written record that the inspired writers provided us in our Bibles. We next talked about the fact that the gospel is understandable by reading it. We looked at what Peter said about some of what Paul wrote as being hard to understand. We discussed how we can understand these hard writings. We next moved to the credibility of the gospel. Mathew, Mark, Luke and John all noted this. We talk about the places they wrote about this. The gospel is also universal. Jesus had commanded the apostles to go into all the world teaching and preaching the gospel. We discuss the passages that indicate they were successful in obeying the Lord's command in this regard. We close out this episode noting how essential the gospel is to one's salvation. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode for your convenience.
Arnie and Fred continue in this last episode to discuss more facts about the gospel. We finish up the fact that the gospel is verifiable. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to give the apostles the ability to perform miracles in order to confirm what they taught as coming from God. We can now verify the gospel through the written record that the inspired writers provided us in our Bibles. We next talked about the fact that the gospel is understandable by reading it. We looked at what Peter said about some of what Paul wrote as being hard to understand. We discussed how we can understand these hard writings. We next moved to the credibility of the gospel. Mathew, Mark, Luke and John all noted this. We talk about the places they wrote about this. The gospel is also universal. Jesus had commanded the apostles to go into all the world teaching and preaching the gospel. We discuss the passages that indicate they were successful in obeying the Lord's command in this regard. We close out this episode noting how essential the gospel is to one's salvation. Take about 30-minutes to listen in on our discussion. Have your Bible handy so you can verify what we are saying. There is a transcript of this Buzzsprout episode for your convenience.
This is a presentation of the Woodland church of Christ meeting at 3370 Broad Street in Sumter, South Carolina. We meet for worship on Sunday at ten thirty am and five thirty pm. We meet for bible study at nine thirty am on Sunday, and seven pm on Wednesday. If you have questions or comments on this lesson, you may email them to Fred Gosnell at fgosnell@ftc-i.net Or to Arnie Granke at agranke440718@twc.com.
Arnie:Ah good afternoon. This is Arnie Granke. And Fred Gosnell, this is what does the Bible say? And it's brought to you by the church of Christ at Woodland, in Sumter, South Carolina,; Fred and I are both members of that congregation. And if you happen to be in the Sumter area, either touring around, or here on a military assignment at Shaw Air Force Base, why we would certainly welcome you and encourage you to drop in, worship with us. Join us in Bible study on the Lord's day, on Wednesday evening. And we would certainly look forward to to having you with us. We've been talking about some facts about the gospel. For example, we've spoken spoken about the gospel being unique, about it being immutable, that human changes can't be made to it and certainly would invalidate something that someone was teaching if he claimed it to be the gospel. It's eternal. And we finished our last session talking about it being verifiable, Paul said. And John, rather said to try the spirits in First John chapter four. And also in in Revelation chapter two, we discussed that. And then Paul, in second Corinthians chapter 12, spoke in terms of of the signs of the apostles, he said, Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you, in all patience in signs and wonders and, and mighty deeds. So what we want to think about here at this particular point is what would be something that would identify an individual with certainty, as being an apostle. And Fred, you have a passage of Scripture, I think?
Fred Gosnell:Yeah. Arnie, in Acts Eight, the apostles, in verses 14 through 21, tells us that they had heard that the people in Samaria had received the word of God. And so beginning in verse 14 says, Now when the apostles which are at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they were come down prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet he was falling upon none of them only they were baptized in the name of the Lord. Then lay they, course Peter and John, lay they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw that, through the laying on of the apostles hands, the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money, saying, Give me also this power that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Spirit. But Peter said unto him, thy money perish with thee because thou has thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. So it would appear that from the statement there, that the apostles were the only ones that could give the Holy Spirit to someone. The text says that the none of the people who had, were there had received the Holy Spirit. It says, only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. So baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus is not Holy Spirit baptism, as some might think. So Simon, course Simon was a sorcerer. He was a magician there and he had fooled a lot of people. And of course, they had obeyed the gospel. And then when the apostles, Peter and John came, Simon noticed that when they laid their hands on them, then the people received the Holy Spirit. So he wanted to buy this, this ability. And of course, Peter said Thou hast neither lot nor part in this matter. Of course, the significance of that was that when Judas was replaced there in Acts, at the end of Acts chapter one, the, there were two people that met the qualifications to become an apostle. And so they cast lots and the lot fell on Matthias. So So, so Simon didn't have any lot in that, he so he didn't have any part in that he wasn't an apostle, so he didn't have any ability, and you couldn't buy, you couldn't purchase this ability. So only the apostles, one of the signs of the apostles was was that they were the ones that could lay their hands on people and provide them, give them the Holy Spirit.
Arnie:And I think it's important for us to just keep in mind at the present time, at the present day, that no one has this, this ability. And there are people that claim to have spiritual gifts, Well, where did they get them from, unless unless they died and met an apostle and came back or something,which which wouldn't have have occurred. So somebody else does not have the spiritual gifts, they can't speak in tongues, they can't receive revelation, themselves. And there are a lot of people that claim that they can do either or both of those, those things, and you need to watch out for them. They're false teachers. They're they're certainly not teaching what the Bible the word of God says, so be aware, and recognize that as as a dangerous sign there. The gospel is verifiable as it's in the Bible, that the Holy Spirit gave it, and nothing's to be added to it or, or taken away from it. The gospel is also something that's understandable, it's not so complicated, that people have difficulty understanding Jesus ministry, and his death, and his burial and his resurrection, and, and those facts about the the gospel. And and no one should be at all confused, about what does it take to become a Christian? How do I have my sins, washed away and and become a, a child of, of God? No difficulty about that. It's very clearly laid out in the Bible that what that involves, and like we said, there's there's no other book that provides that information other than the New Testament, as far as becoming a Christian, In the the Ephesian letter in Ephesians in chapter three. And begin, beginning in, in verse one, as we're thinking about it being understandable. Paul writes, he said, For this cause I, Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you Gentiles, if you've heard the dispensation of the grace of God, which is given me to you- ward, how that by revelation he made known unto me, the mystery, those would be the unknown things that that God had not yet revealed. That the mystery, as I wrote afore in few words whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of man, as it is now revealed unto His holy apostles and prophets, by the Spirit. So, the things of the gospel, they there were things that had been prophesied, but a lot of the details had been kept secret, until the gospel was opened, after Jesus resurrection, and, and he gave it to the apostles to, to carry on after him. So it's, it's certainly something that's, that's understandable.
Fred Gosnell:Yes. And, and of course, Peter noted that in Second Peter chapter three, verses 15 and 16. He said, there, And account that the long suffering of our Lord is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him, hath written unto you as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable pervert as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction. So Peter says now there are some things that are hard to be understood it doesn't say they cannot be understood. He said some of the things Paul wrote are hard to be understood. Well, of course, of course Paul told us how to overcome that. When he wrote to Timothy, I think it's in second Timothy chapter 2, 15. He said, Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. So, so yes, there are some difficult things in the Bible, but they are not things that cannot be understood. By study and by persistence and by study of the Scriptures, you can understand the,. And after what you read, Paul said, By reading, you may understand my knowledge. So how do you understand Paul's knowledge? Well read what he
Arnie:Read what he had to say and study it. Study the Old said, Testament too though, because it contains prophecies that are fulfilled in the in the New Testament. So it's important to, don't, don't get the idea that just the New Testament is of value. It is God's revelation that's in effect in in our day, but the Old Testament also gives you the background that the New Testament is is built upon. Ephesians five, let me let me take us back to to the Ephesian letter again and Ephesians in chapter five verse 15, beginning Paul said, See then that you walk circumspectly. Circumspectly means, you know, if you're if you're going somewhere and you feel like you're in a dangerous section of town, you probably would be keeping your eyes peeled looking around what's ahead of me, what's beside me, what's, occasionally taking a look behind you, just to make sure that some danger was not about to come upon you, unexpectedly. And so we need to walk circumspectly, spiritually as well. Because there are a lot of false teachers out there. The first thing you know, if you're not careful, will sneak up on you, and have you believing something that's contrary to God's God's word. So be keeping your eyes open, based on the study that you've done of the of the New Testament. Not as fools. but as wise, Redeeming the time, you know, you're not wasting your time, you spending your time profitably in studying and and applying God's word. Because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And and if somebody has something that they want to tell you is a part of the will Lord, that God has revealed, demand book, chapter, and verse, and check it out. If it's not what the Bible says, you've got a problem there in that in that individual, you need to be careful not to listen to him.
Fred Gosnell:Exactly. Yes. And of course, you know, some, some people say, Well, you know, why should I believe what the Bible says, you know, was written by a bunch of many 1000 years ago? And and how can I know that that's true? Well, the Bible is credible. And John writes about that at the end of his letter, in John 20, 30, and 31. He says that, And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you might have life through His name. Of course, the he says that Jesus did many other signs and miracles, He He raised people from the dead, He, those that were sick, He healed and and those those that were with him saw that. So there were plenty of miracles and signs that he performed, that prove that what he was saying was true. And then he ends that he says, Well, you know, there's a lot of things that he did that are not written in this book, but these are written. And the evidence is there, John says, so that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and then that believing you might have life through his name. So Jesus is the only one that was raised from the dead when he said he would be and of course, there were witnesses that saw that, saw him after he was raised from the dead, that they were with him for 40 days. So it's credible. What the Bible says is credible. The gospel is credible. We can believe it. We can have confidence in it because of what the witnesses saw and what they wrote about and what we have now.
Arnie:And it's important that you that you do believe it, if believing you might have lived through His name. Fred, you probably do some underlining or highlighting and whatnot in your, in your Bible, and I do as as well. And I've underlined that you may have life through His name, I've underlined that in red, my myself, and it's important for us to understand that believing and applying God's word as he intended it to be done, is necessary for, for eternal life. I'm looking, I'm looking in Matthew chapter 10. Matthew chapter 10, is when Jesus gave what we speak of as the limited commission. And at that particular point, he bestowed some spiritual gifts upon the apostles, and he was sending them out to a limited audience, for a limit in a limited geographical area for a limited amount of time. And, and with a limited message as well. That's the reason why we speak of it as, as the limited. Commission. In Matthew 10, verse one, it says that And when he called unto him that his 12, apostles, his 12, disciples, He gave them power, against unclean spirits, to cash them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. So that was, that was what they were going to use as the evidence that their message was, was given by God, something that was miraculous, would would verify that, that these were legitimate preachers of God's word. Down in verse five, These 12, Jesus sent forth, it in the pass, the verses that are in between one and five there, tell you who they are, and of the 12 apostles. These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans, enter ye not. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand, heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely you've received freely give. Provide neither gold nor silver, nor brass, in your purses, nor script for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves, for the workman is worthy of his hire. So that's the basis of, of what they were being commissioned for a brief period of time and, and a brief message to a brief audience in a in a brief geo or a small geographical area. And that's what they were to do.
Fred Gosnell:Of course, then he told them basically the same thing, Mark 16, 15, and 16. He said unto them, in verse 15, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature, He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, He that believeth not shall be condemned. And course, as they went, and he, they performed the miraculous things that Jesus told them to do, that would provide the evidence to those that they were preaching and teaching to, that, that their message was not just their opinion, their their message came from God, and came from from the Lord who gave them the instructions, right before He ascended to heaven. Of course, we have, we have the record there. In Acts chapter two, Jesus had told them I think, Luke gives us the record, Luke 24, told them to go to go to Jerusalem and wait there until they were endued with power from on high. And then of course, in Acts two, we find what what happened there. Of course, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, the 12 on on Pentecost, in Acts two verses one and two. And then Peter did the first gospel sermon there and he convicted them of crucifying the Messiah. And when he got down to, we read down in verse 37. We begin, it says, says Now when they heard this, the Jews there, They were pricked in the heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? And then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, for the promise is unto you and to your children to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words, did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized, and they were added into them about 3000 souls, and they continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, and fellowship and in breaking of bread and in prayers and fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. And of course, there's the there's the evidence that the apostles gave that what they were preaching and teaching came from God, the gospel is credible, and the evidence was provided. And on Pentecost, there were 3000 people that accepted the message, and obeyed the gospel, just as Peter told them, and the Lord added them to his church, based upon their obedience.
Arnie:Well, we spoke about the limited commission a little while ago. Now let's talk about the Great Commission. And the fact that the gospel is, is universal. It's not just intended for a small group in a, in a limited area of the world. Matthew 28. And beginning in in verse 18, Jesus has met with the Apostles in a in a mountain, up in up in Galilee. And verse 10, said that, rather, verse 18, said that Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. And lo, or look, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. So now he has begun to send his apostles out and and it's a universal gospel, now everywhere is to be, is subject to the to the Gospel, every every human being is is to be taught and so that they can decide whether to obey the gospel or, or disregard it. Romans chapter 10, and verse 18, tells us, Paul's writing and he said, But I say, have they not heard? Yes, their sound went out unto all the earth, and their words unto the end of, of the world. And in Mark chapter 16, and verse 15, there's a sort of a another statement with regard to the to the Great Commission, He said unto them, beginning in verse 15, He said unto them, Go ye into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature. Of course, he's not talking about dogs and cats, and, and cattle and all of that. He's talking about every human being, He that believeth and his baptized shall be saved. But he that believeth not. Listen to this carefully now. He that believeth and his baptized shall be saved, but he that believeth not shall be condemned. So it's essential that every individual obey the gospel.
Fred Gosnell:Well, and Jesus said, basically the same thing in Luke 24. And this is just right before He ascended, and he gives the apostles some instructions there beginning in verse 44, he said to them, These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in law of Moses and the prophets in the Psalms concerning me. Then opened He their understanding that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written and thus it obligated Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarry the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And of course, they did that and then in Acts chapter 2 the power came on Pentecost, the Holy Spirit fell upon them on Pentecost. And then of course, Peter, preached remission and, repentance and remission of sins in Acts chapter two verse 37, and 38. So it's, the gospel is universal. And it began in Acts chapter two on Pentecost in about AD 33. And Paul said that it went everywhere, just like Jesus said it would I think there's some more he says about that.
Arnie:Well as as a matter of fact, in in Matthew 24, Jesus promised that the gospel would be preached throughout all over the world, and then would come the end. He's not talking about the end of time, but he was talking about the destruction of, of Jerusalem. And when Paul is writing to the Colossians, he says, in Colossians chapter one, beginning in verse three, We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which you have to all the saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in Heaven, whereof ye heard before, in the word of the truth of the gospel, which is come unto you, as it is, in all the world, The Gospel has come into all of the world is the point that he's making there. He says, And bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you since the day ye heard of it, and knew the grace of God in in truth.
Fred Gosnell:Well, Paul continues there in verse 20, of Acts (Colossians) chapter one. And beginning there, he says, And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by Him to reconcile all things unto himself by him, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven, and you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled in the body of his flesh, through death to present you holy and unbelievable and unreprovable in his sight. Then he says, If you continue in the faith, grounded and settled and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, and here's the key, Which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature, which is under heaven, whereof I Paul am made a minister. So So in before AD 70, before the end of the Jewish state came, the Gospel went everywhere, to the ends of the earth, to every creature, as Paul said, in response to the order that the Lord had given the apostles, so that they accomplished their mission. They preached the gospel everywhere. And Paul said, Whereof I am made a minister, and of course, he was a witness to it.
Arnie:I think it's essential that we emphasize the fact that the gospel is essential that is, that it must be believed, that baptism, repentance and baptism must occur, absolutely necessary. In Mark 16, beginning in verse 15, we read a little while ago, that Jesus had said, Go into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, he that believeth and as baptized shall be saved, He that believeth not shall be damned. I think verse 16, is, it is one if you mark and highlight things in your Bible, that you should you should highlight that. He that believeth in is baptized shall be saved, He that believeth not, shall be shall be damned. And I would I would point out also, in John chapter eight, John, Jesus is at the temple at this particular time, he's in the treasury, there of the of the temple, and and he makes a statement, really a warning to the Jews there who who disbelieved Him, and verse 23 said unto them, Ye are from beneath, I am from above, you are of this world, I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, That you shall die in your sins. For if you believe not that I am, ye shall die in your sins. It's absolutely essential, that we understand that and that we believe that. And because obedience is required of the gospel. Second Thessalonians chapter one beginning in verse six. Paul said, It's a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction, from the presence of the Lord, from the glory of His power, when He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe, because our testimony among you was believed in that day. Let's, let's not pass the opportunity by. Life is short. We don't know how much time we have here on earth. We encourage you to obey the gospel while that time is available to you. But we hope that this has been a helpful series of lessons for you. We look forward to being with you again next Lord's Day. Have a good week.