What Does the Bible Say About the Gospel?

We begin this episode by noting what Paul says in Romans 1, verse 16 about the gospel. We talk about what Jesus commanded His apostles to do concerning the gospel and where that was to begin. Paul explained to the Corinthians what the gospel was. We look at that explanation. Next we note what Peter said to those who were in Jerusalem on Pentecost in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit sent Philip to Gaza to teach the gospel to the Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way back home. We look at that discussion and what the eunuch learned and did from it. We talk about what Jesus told Saul when he was on the road to Damascus intending to persecute Christians there. We note particularly what Paul was told to do by Ananias there. Later on Paul was in Philippi where he met a woman named Lydia. We note what Paul taught her to do. We begin a discussion about Paul and Silas when they were in prison in Philippi where there was an earthquake that opened the doors of the prison. We started to look at what the prison jailor did, but ran out of time before we finished. We will start the next episode at this point. 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 provided for your convenience.

Transcript

Fred Gosnell: 0:00

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 or to Glenn Landrum at scbamaboy2003@yahoo.com

Arnie: 0:42

Oh, good afternoon. This is what does the Bible say that's brought to you by the church of Christ at Woodland here in Sumter, South Carolina. We're about two miles east of the Shaw Air Force Base main gate on highway 76 378, and we would certainly welcome you coming and visiting with us and and if you happen to be in the Sumter area, and we're glad to have you listening to us here on the on the radio and the program of what does the Bible say? We want to talk about the gospel a little bit. That sounds a little broad, doesn't it? Let me pass you to Glenn, and then Glenn will pass you to Fred, and I'm Arnie, and we'll see what we can tell you about the gospel now,

Glenn: 1:36

In the past several weeks, maybe even several months. So we've been talking about things that really are a little bit more in depth as as far as the basics of Bible understanding. But today we're talking about the gospel, and we'll be talking about the plan of salvation. So these are basics, and these are, these are things that we all need to know in in accordance to please God and to to be saved. But the gospel. We hear people talking about the gospel a lot, and we there really some, some loose definitions of the gospel. When we're talking about the gospel, a lot, many times, we could say that the gospel is the four first books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Those are called the Gospels, or the gospel, But the gospel is actually defined in the in the New Testament. We'll get to that in a few moments. But Romans, 1, 16 Paul said, For I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is power of God and salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first and also the Greek. So Paul is saying that you know this gospel, that we're going to be talking about the same gospel saying that he's not ashamed of it, and we shouldn't be ashamed of it either, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believe it, the gospel. The the word is uag or euagggelion in the Greek, and it's a noun and it's bringing good news, which is from in Strong's Thesaurus is number 2095, if you were looking that up. But it means good, well to proclaim. The complete word study Dictionary gives many things on that, and we can learn more by that. If you were looking at that. The gospel in what we read just a moment ago, we read power. That word is dunamis in the Greek, and it's power used relatively it denotes an inherent ability, a capability, an ability to perform something. And in this case now we're saying that Jesus Christ is able to do those things which he has said he's able to do. Specifically, he's able to save us. Salvation. That's when I just mentioned he's able to save us. Save salvation denotes a deliverance, a preservation. Salvation is is used in the New Testament of material and temporal deliverance from danger and apprehension. That danger and apprehension that you would be talking about is the grasp or the sin that we get caught up in, and we are slaves too. That's what we are being saved from. We're saved being saved from that life of sin. I'm going to pass on to Fred now.

Fred Gosnell: 5:01

Well, in Mark 16, Jesus has, of course, been resurrected. He's been with the apostles and his believers for 40 days, and in Mark 16, he had spoken to them. In verse 15, he says that, He said to them, to his apostles, he said, Go into all the world, preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned or condemned. Now Matthew, another version of that he was there and in Matthew, 28, 19 and 20. Well, let's read 18. First 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, the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo, I'm with you, even to in end of the world, Amen. So So Jesus command to them was to go and preach the gospel everywhere. And he specified all nations, specified all creatures, all all human beings. And he the part of the gospel is baptizing them, and then in the name of or by the authority of the Father Son, the Holy Spirit. So in Luke 24 there Jesus told, told his apostles again in verses 46 through 49 he said them to them. Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead and the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. Then he said, Behold, I send the promise of the Father upon you, but tarry you in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high. So Jesus has has instructed the the apostles to go and preach the gospel everywhere. And he told them it's going to start in Jerusalem. So then, of course, after that, he was ascended. And then they went to Jerusalem, and it was about 10 days later that the power came.

Arnie: 7:26

Well, I've got another passage of scripture. This one is from what we speak of as the epistles, and it was, it was written by Paul and writing to the Corinth, to the Corinthians, these were people who had already obeyed the gospel. And he is sharing some information that he had gathered over a period of of time, and actually several of his epistles are for that very purpose and to other disciples in various cities. But in first, Corinthians, 15, beginning at verse one, Paul wrote, and he said, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received and wherein ye stand. So he recognizes that they were, that they were being faithful to what they knew, and he's sharing some additional information with them now. Verse two said, By which also ye are saved if you keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless you have believed in vain, For I delivered unto you, first of all, that which I also received, how the Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried and that he arose again the third day according to the Scriptures. And like I indicated there, there are several, several places where you find information to that, to that effect, and this is just one of of those. Glenn, I think that you've got a couple there in the book of Acts.

Glenn: 9:21

Well, first of all, we'll talk a little bit about what you just read.

Arnie: 9:24

Okay.

Glenn: 9:26

You know, this is basically the gospel defined. This is the good news that we need to know. This is the good news that that is the saving Gospel, the saving news of of the word it's that Christ died, he was buried and he arose. That that's the good news. Most people, I think, when they are thinking of the gospel and the good news the first thing they think about is the birth of Christ, and they think about that time as being the good news of Jesus, Christ. Yet that is not the news that saves us. The news that saves us. The good news that saves us is realizing that Christ died for our sins, that He was buried, he was dead and buried, and He rose again to live again. That that is the good news of the gospel, the good news of the of God's word. But acts 2, 38, is an important verse for us. Says then, after Peter had been preaching that first gospel sermon. This is on day of Pentecost. People were in Jerusalem from from all over the world at that time, in Acts two, it lists about 17 countries that people were there in Jerusalem from, for Yeah, from where they were from, and they were there for the day of Pentecost. Now these people, they spoke different languages. And then we, we've read before, and we judged where the the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, they were able to speak in other languages so that all these people could understand. Peter preached that first gospel song sermon, and then after he preached it, they were convinced and convicted that they had done things that would cause Christ to have to be crucified. And they asked Men, brethren, what shall we do? And in Acts 2, 38, Peter answered that he 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. So Peter told them what to do. He said to repent and be baptized. And every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of their sins. It's important that we understand that phrase there for the remission of sins. Baptism is a is a controversial point among people who consider themselves Christian, and many would tell you that baptism is not required, but If baptism is for the remission of sins, that means that we can't have our sins remitted or forgiven unless we are baptizo Fred, well, then

Fred Gosnell: 12:39

Well then, what you'll recognize that we're we're doing here is we're going to to several places in the New Testament to to see what the apostles taught and what the people did based on what they were taught. So when we move to Acts Eight, in Acts Eight, we have Philip had gone to Samaria and and there was a Simon, a sorcerer there, and who the people believed in, but Philip preached the gospel to those people. And when we go to verse 12, I invite you to read the context for yourself. But in verse 12, says, When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ. They were baptized both men and women. So then what we recognize as well is when you preach the gospel, you're preaching something about the kingdom. That's another subject, but notice that that's what was said. And of course, there's a Simon noticed what was done there, and then he noticed that those people obeyed what Philip said. And of course, Simon had some questions about that. And ultimately Simon obeyed the gospel as well. And verse 16, or verse I'm sorry, when Simon saw what they had done, Simon was baptized in verse 13, he believed also. And when he was baptized, he continued with Philip and wonder beholding the miracles and the signs which were done. And there's a discussion there about the Holy Spirit. But then notice, in verse 25 says, when they had testified concerning Philip and the apostles that were there and preached the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem and, notice preach the gospel in many villages of of the Samaritans. So they continue to preach and and teach other other people. But notice what those people did when they obeyed the gospel. They were baptized

Arnie: 14:56

Well, Acts chapter eight, of course, also. Uh speaks, speaks of this. Fred was, Fred was in chapter eight, and we want to, we want to look at a couple of verses after that he read verse 25 for us. Verse 26 informs us that the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, arrive and go toward the south under the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert you're going to find that Philip's about to have another adventure here. He had finished his work up up north and in Samaria. And now he's, now he's going to go down toward Gaza. So verse 27 says, He arose and went, and behold a man of Ethiopia. Now stop and think about where that is, that's in Northern Africa, so that we're covering a quite a span of geography there. So he arose and went and behold a man of Ethiopia, Opia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, and was returning in his and sitting in his chariot, read Isaiah, or Isaiah, as the King James has it, Esaias, the prophet. So a little bit later from that in in Acts, chapter eight and verse 29 Philip receives a message. The Spirit said unto Philip, Go near and join yourself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip, that he would come up and sit with him. Do you suspect that Philip is going to explain the meaning of what he has just read? You're exactly on the mark. Glenn, you want to talk about that?

Glenn: 17:29

Yeah, we're still in Acts Eight, beginning in verse 32 and it reads, The place of the scripture which he read was He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb, dumb before his shearer, so he opened not his mouth, and Continuing in verse, 33 and then 34, In his humiliation, his judgment was taken away. And who shall declare his generation for his life is taken from the earth? And the eunuch answered Philip and said, I pray thee of whom speaketh the Prophet this of himself or some other man? What the eunuch was reading was he was reading from Isaiah 53 verses seven and eight, as are the ones that are mentioned here. But he is reading in Isaiah 53 which is a great prophecy of Jesus Christ, that Isaiah had prophet prophesied some 700 years prior to Jesus being being on earth. Then continuing in verse 35, Then the Philip opened his mouth and began at the same scripture and preached unto him, Jesus. Now this is important that we understand this. What he said, what this says, He preached to him, Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came to a certain water. And the eunuch said, See, here is water. What does hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still. And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. Some important points. I told you that it was important that you, that you understood this, that he preached to him Jesus. Now we're not told that he said, said anything to eunuch about baptism, although the eunuch understood that when they came to some water, that he needed to be baptized. Therefore, obviously Philip preached or taught him about the need to be baptized, because when they came to the water, he said, See, here is water. What does hinder me to be baptized? Peter told him, said, If you believe with all your heart, then you may and so he was baptized. And that's important point that we we understand that.

Fred Gosnell: 20:08

Well, and when we move on to chapter nine, we find Paul, Saul still, and he was on his way to Damascus there, and he was going to persecute some Christians and arrest them and take them back to Jerusalem. So in Acts nine, three through six, says, As he Paul journeyed, he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shown around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? And he said, Who are you Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. So he, Paul, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do you want me to do? And the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. Then when we get to go through the verse verse seven, course it tells us that there were some there were some men with him that they heard a sound. They but heard a voice, but they couldn't see anybody. So then verse eight, I'm sorry. Says Paul rose from the earth, and when his eyes were open, he saw no man, but they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And Paul, Paul couldn't see anything, so he was three days there without sight, verse nine, and neither did eat nor drink. So there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias. To him, said the Lord, in the vision, Ananias, and he said, Behold, I am here Lord. The Lord said to him, Arise and go into the street, which is called Straight, and inquire in the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus. For behold, he prayeth and has seen, in a vision, a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him that he might receive His sight. So then Ananias answered and said, Lord, I have heard by many of this man how much evil he's done to the saints at Jerusalem, and here he has a sought authority from the chief priests to bind all that call on his name. The Lord said, Go thy way, for he is chosen, a chosen vessel to me to hear my name before the Gentiles and kings and children of Israel, for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. So Ananias went his way, and he entered into the house, and putting his hands on him, said Brother Saul, the Lord even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, has sent me that thou mightest receive thy sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. So and immediately there fell from his eyes as if had been scales. And he received sight. Forthwith arose, and he was baptized. So. so then we have another example here that Paul needed to be baptized. And he explained this later on in Acts chapter 22 to a number of people there. And he had Acts 22 verses 16, and I think we'll read 14 through 16. And of course, Ananias ,Paul's relating what Ananias said. He said, The God of our Father hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know His will and see that just one and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth, for thou shalt be a witness to all men of what thou hast seen and heard. So then Ananias says, And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. So here we find out that baptism is something that washes away our sins. And I think Glenn mentioned what Peter said in First Peter, or Acts 2, 38 he told those people to arise and be baptized, baptized for the remission of your sins. So we find a consistent message that is given to the people that the apostles teach. And it always involves in they hear the Gospel, then they believe what is said, and then they are baptized.

Arnie: 24:32

Yeah, you know, I'm just looking at Acts, chapter 22 and verse 16 there, and the statement, Why tarriest thou, Arise and be baptized, and he doesn't stop with that. He explains what baptism does and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the of the Lord. So it's important for us to understand. And I was thinking a little while ago. Go about the fact that when we're saying the word baptizo, some people think that that involves maybe sprinkling or pouring some water over somebody's head or something along that that line, that's not what it is. The word baptism in in the Greek was actually the word for a dyer, a dyer that would that would take clothing and put it in dye and change the color of the of the clothing or or the fabric that was going to be made into, into clothing. And he wouldn't just sprinkle that on there. He would dunk the thing entirely in and push it down with a with a spindle of some sort to entirely wet it in the same color. Otherwise it would be different come out in different different shades. So when, when people think, well, I can just, I just be sprinkled, or maybe that, maybe the pastor will just pour a little bit of water on my head, or something along that line. That's not what baptism means. It's not sprinkling or pouring. It always means to to immerse. And having said that, I'll passit on to Glenn.

Glenn: 26:22

Ah well, we'll move on now to Acts 16, and looking at verses nine and 10, this is the account of where Lydia was was baptized. And it says, Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran straight course to Samothrace, and the next day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of the part of Macedonia colony where we were staying in that city. Am I reading it right?

Fred Gosnell: 26:54

Yes, you're just not there yet. Yeah, talk about the vision.

Glenn: 27:00

Okay, I'm sorry. Looking I think I was right. I thought I was reading the wrong place. So in verse 12, seven said, And there, from Philippi to the foremost city, which is a part of Macedonia, a colony, and where we were staying that city for some days. And on Sabbath day, we went out in the city on the riverside, where prayer was customarily made, and we sat down and spoke to the woman who we met there. Now, a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God the Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul. And when she had and and her household were baptized, and she would beg to say, If thou have judged me, be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay so she was persuaded. So once again, we see that when one heard the gospel, heard the good news, that that the good news we talked about, about Jesus, death, buried on resurrection, Lydia, she responded, and she was baptized for the remission of her sins.

Fred Gosnell: 28:09

So then, when we go on a little further there, in Acts, chapter 16, in verse verse 22 we find that there's a multitude that rises up there. Of course, Paul has been teaching the gospel there, and they're upset because what Paul is saying is contrary to the idols that they believe in. So so this multitude rose up in verse 22 and together against them and the magistrates ran off their clothes, commanded to beat them. Then when they had laid many stripes on them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. So then the jailer received this charge in verse 24 thrust them into the inner prison, made their feet fast in the stocks. So at midnight verse 25 Paul and Silas, they were praying. They were singing praises unto God and the prisoners. And there was a great earthquake. Do you notice some of these examples we have, we have miracles that occur. But there was an earthquake so that the foundation of the prison were shaken immediately, all the doors were opened, and everyone bands were loosed. So the keeper of the prison there, he woke up and he thought that everybody was gone, so he just threw out his sword and he would have killed himself. He knew that's what was going to happen if his bosses found out. So he thought that the prisoners had fled. So verse 28 so Paul told the jailer that, no, he says, we're still alive, and you know, we're at 29 minutes. So I think we're going to have to finish this next week for our listeners, but we would invite you to read that context there, and we're going to be talking about the gospel. In next week, so take a look and we'll see you then,

Arnie: 30:05

Alright, sounds sounds good. We'll be looking forward to it.