Introducing the Gospel - Romans 1:2-3

So that, as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is no maybe in this gospel that is good news. Yes, we have all drunk from the polluted stream of Adam's race but there is another one who has begun a new race a race all justified men and women Boys and Girls Club accepted the gift of righteousness every person to has been born same sin can escape it. We can't cure ourselves of it and its effects are fatal.

If someone were to ask you to explain the gospel where would you begin the cross.

The virgin birth, creation will today unwisdom for the heart Stephen Davey re-introduces you to the gospel story from beginning to end. This is a powerful reminder of the grace of God and the solution he offers to the problem we all share.

Stay with us for this lesson. Stevens calling introducing the gospel. Adam stands at the fountainhead of humanity, and he has polluted the stream of mankind from his day until the end of days. We are polluted and you say will that's not fair. I didn't eat that fruit in the garden. Well you might not have eaten the forbidden fruit because you weren't there personally, but you have taken of forbidden sin, you may not have eaten that proverbial Apple but you might've stolen one. In other words, you've committed your own sins that prove that you have indeed been infected by the polluted nature of Adam all of us are born into the family of Adam and our case is terminal. Reason the gospel was first given was because of that cursive. You can imagine Adam and Eve standing there about to be expelled by God from the garden, God will post Angels to make sure that they don't get back in. Imagine their washed over with guilt and shame, and yet it is in the midst of that exile that God promises a calming Redeemer. He will be bruised by the deceiver. Genesis 3 tells us, but that coming Redeemer will crush the head of the deceiver is a ladies and gentlemen.

The reason is you have to be born again is because you're born the first time in the wrong family and condemned to death exacting Johnny 44 the Lord says that the father of that humanity, all humanity is the devil, he is the father of lies. And so we, as his children find it just as he finds it in his own tongue the lie so we live. We prove the fact that we are polluted. Members of this family see you had bigger family problems, and you thought you did. You had a problem with a relative of yours that you might not of thought about. We have as a human race been infected.

We have drawn from the polluted river. We are terminally infected with sin, and so you need to be adopted out of that dieting infected family into a living whole family so you are no longer the son or daughter of Satan, as it were, who has rights to humanity. You are now the son or daughter of the living God, the religions, men and women of this world do nothing more than try and build filters for polluted water religions of the world have become masters at masking the effects of the disease they've attempted to produce spiritual medicines that keep pain and guilt and shame at a bare minimum. They produce cosmetics to make the soul look better than it really is even invented ways to deny our condition and to talk of positive things and to create self-improvement plans to make us feel better about our infected terminal condition several years ago in India. I was in a Hindu temple waiting area noticed a plaque on the wall. I scribble it into a note declared their way of dealing with fallen humanity read he who desires to cross the painful ocean of worldly life, which is full of the crocodiles of anger, greed and infatuation should catch hold of the big Bonita which is thereby which has the disciplines of action, devotion and wisdom as it soars it will easily take him to the land of liberation or the land of Nirvana. Their heaven.

This was their gospel get a hold of the ORs and hold on tight to discipline action and devotion and wisdom. And maybe if you hold on tight to the ORs you will make it through the crocodile infested waters of life. Maybe ladies and gentlemen, maybe is not good enough cycle you have to do is study further discover the within their system of belief. Every person will spend time in one of 21 hell that will burn away bad karma once purged your soul will be recycled a higher life form. The process begins again. If you been particularly bad in the previous life you might be condemned. One of the lower Hells, where you will be cooked in jars or eaten by Raven. Buddhism is in much better even though it's growing in this country. It has its own seven hot Hells, complete with torture chambers and quagmire, and then for those who were a little better than the rest.

There are seven cold Hells where you won't burn you'll freeze frankly all of the man-made religions of the world are similar in that none of the man-made religions of the world are good news. The Western world has concocted its own religious system. They may not threaten you with being cooked in a jar or eaten by Raven but they're not much better there equally hopeless and empty in the system that they promote up self-improvement and self salvation. When I think of the world religions.

I think of the Emperor to that story you heard as a kid who was duped by a couple of very shrewd man into believing that they could make clothing for him and course they did know how to make clothing in the didn't have any fabric and so they fill them in the believing that they were making this clothing out of exquisite fabric, but only the sophisticated could say a Saudi King went along while Jan sophisticated so sure looks beautiful. Then the day came where he was to display his new clothing to the crowd of his kingdom. Anyone out basically in his birthday suit and is walking around in the people of his kingdom are watching him silently afraid to reveal their own lack of sophistication that they can say is clothing until finally a little innocent boy says to his mommy, mommy.

The Emperor has no clothes see the children of God have a message for the religions of the world. Basically they have no they cannot cover sin they cannot cover guilt they cannot cover shame a person within those man-made religions are still exposed than they could before the one true God, before whom they stand condemned in there soon. A few years ago I showed you a clip from my trip to India and it was a video clip of a priest he was washing in the polluted water of the Ganges River covering himself with some kind of soap and then washing himself, believing that he was washing soon away.

The reason there is so much religion in the world where you go is because the human heart knows there's something wrong. The human heart knows intuitively that they have broken the law learned later, the human heart knows that it needs something outside of itself for cleansing. Some ritual there must be some ritual there must be some tradition there must be some ceremonies, some way to silence the guilt there must be something or someone who can diagnose our terminal condition and provide a QR. Paul will be the one the horizon shows God and he will show us the way to God ways the sum and substance of the gospel which is good news. Is it any wonder that the word gospel of the Greek Bible is a word that literally means good news, yes there is sin yes there is shame yes there is guilt yes there is condemnation. Yes, there is a coming judgment but there is good news to Paul summarizes the good news would you look over in Romans five in verse 17 and imagine again that camp side scene by the water for if by the transgression of the one referring to Adam death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ. So then, as through one transgression there resulted condemnation, wall men, even so through one act of righteousness. There resulted justification of life to all but Denver's 21 so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. There is no maybe in this gospel and that is good news. Yes, we have all drunk from the polluted stream of Adam's race but there is another one who has begun a new race a race all justified men and women Boys and Girls Club accepted what he refers to here as the gift of righteousness. There is a way to have and to know that you have the way to eternal life, and it is through this one, Jesus Christ our Lord.

There is such a thing today as the gospel truth.

My friends in an age of deception in an age of lying and distrust in an age of religious confusion and manipulation in pious terms. Here is at last the gospel truth.

Why did he come because of the curse, because mankind is infected with a terminal disease called sin.

The second point is an important question, where the gospel come from. So in the last part of verse one Paul declares this is the gospel of God, you can render that construction so that it would read this is the gospel whose source is God see Paul has to establish the divine source of this gospel otherwise will not have credibility to a world it's already filled with novel systems of faith and religion and superstition.

In fact, during the days of Paul. There were even before the first century ended there were other novel forms of the gospel. So Paul in second grade 11 for warns of men who will preach a different Jesus, a different spirit a different gospel. In other words, they will talk about the gospel but will be a different God talk about Jesus, but it will be a different Jesus, talk about the spirit that'll be a different spirit segment is 11 for Galatians 17 Paul further warned the believers along the same eye when he wrote there are some who are disturbing you. The church in Galatia and he wanted to start the gospel of Christ is on the same words. By the way, the need to be heard today more than ever. But even though we are an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so I say again now if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed. One of the few instances Paul ever repeated himself in the same paragraph is here the word contrary, if an angel preached you a gospel contrary to the man preach to you a gospel contrary, the word can be translated in addition to more than Paul was more than likely referring to the Judaizers, who were not essentially denying Christ, but they were trying to add to Christ the works of the law they were adding to the gospel. It was Jesus plus something in Paul's day and still the same way today is Jesus. For most people lease in the Western world.

Plus something whenever I see a copy of Mary Baker Eddy's key to understand the Scripture or the book of Mormon which claims is another testament to add to the New Testament. I think it is worth.

The irony is that Joseph Smith, the founder Mormonism claimed it was an angel from heaven, who led them to the place which, translated, provided new Revelation regarding the gospel gave in addition to the gospel.

What is Paul say again in verse eight, even if an angel comes from heaven and delivers to you a gospel in addition to the gospel you have in the past tense already receive, let him be accursed is why Paul's introduction of the gospel truth is so critical. This is in Paul's gospel. This is something he made up his and something an angel delivered to this gospel's source is God, and it is good news. By the way, it is not good advice. It's good news.

Now, if it's truly from God, then it isn't something new or novel right.

Paul anticipates that question by answering who told us about the gospel he gives us the messengers of the gospel, Paul's answer would be what the prophets we converse wanting. In the latter part gospel resources God which he promised beforehand through the prophets in the holy Scriptures. In other words, he wants them to know this is not a new thing this is not a new gospel. This gospel from God was not thrown together rather hastily after Adam and Eve sin. God wasn't up in heaven watching Zhang oh no don't need that. All I can't believe they hate that fruit. Now what in the world are we going to do another never been an emergency meeting of the Trinity.

First Peter one tells us of the plan of redemption preceded the formation of the world. The lamb was slain before the foundation of the world was a lie. God has planted a any like to do that if we cooperate and then he has if we don't cooperate plan be no God is arranged and designed all to glorify him in the prophets since the time of Moses had been prophesying of his coming. In fact, the first coming of the Redeemer has about 330 prophecies in the Old Testament to speak of him. And when Paul dictated the book of Romans to his secretary tertius he will quote from Genesis 5 times Exodus, four times Leviticus twice. Deuteronomy 5×1st Kings twice. Psalms 15 times Proverbs twice a quote from Isaiah 19 times and easy kill ones from Hosea twice from Joel ones from name ones from Habakkuk 110 from Malachi 1 Luke 24 versus 25 to 27 says of Jesus, beginning with Moses and all of the prophets. He, Jesus explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. There is an interesting incident.

You might want to turn you on hold your finger here within John chapter 5 verse 18. The religious leaders are really upset with Jesus. Why because he committed a miracle on the Sabbath day is interesting to me how they always ignore the miracle place they failed to get involved in the party that follows in are concerned about the ritual will in their back-and-forth Jesus compared himself to God the father and then when he did that. Of course he wanted to kill him. He said to them in verse 39 you search the Scriptures implication is continuously like the way Barnhouse paraphrasing you always get your nose stuck in the Bible for you think that in them you have eternal life implication is that is true, and it is good by that would have your nose in the Bible but he is on.

It is these Scriptures that bear witness of me.

In other words, Jesus say that the Old Testament was showing the way to eternal life and was pointing the Messiah and the Messiah was Jesus and they just get out of the word truth of the word. They were always studying, never able to come to the truth because on in verse 45 a saying do not think that I will accuse you before the father.

The one who accuses you is Moses and whom you set your hope for if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me than the make you want to dig back in the Genesis and Exodus and find out where.

Well he says Moses was speaking of me. Could the Lord make it any clearer. Willie goes further in verse 47 but if you do not believe Moses is writing his writings.

How will you believe my word what were those writings of Moses, by the way, when she same with me, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, stop. In other words, if you can hear the truth of God about the Messiah in Genesis. You're not gonna believe the truth of the Messiah and Matthew. If you can believe the first verse of the Bible you will not believe any verse of the Bible. I think that's why it's so important to understand that Satan has, through the centuries leveled so much of his attack against the first book of Moses the book of Genesis, and that very first verse say with me in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

Can you imagine the debate that raged over that one over why he says here in John if you believe that when you can believe any of you cannot choose an pick your way through this book and say well I believe that passage but I'm like I believe the other passenger. That's for me, but the rest is not for me know it is one book from the first burst through the last verse, the gospel of God is been revealed. So you need to discover the gospel truth.

John Wesley, a church leader in the 1800 sometime around 1870 wrote these profound words. Listen, I am a creature of the day passing through life as an arrow through the air a few moments.

Hence, I am no more scene.

I dropped into an unchangeable eternity. I want to know one thing, the way to heaven. Had a land safe on that happy shore God himself is condescended to teach me the way for this very end he came from heaven.

He has written it down in a book. Although give me that book at any price give me the book of God. I have it here is knowledge enough for me.

Let me be a man of one book here that I am far from the busy ways of man. I sit down alone. Only God is here, in his presence. I open and I read this book for this end to find the way to heaven. Paul declares in his opening sentence.

This is the gospel truth. This is the good news you heard about it through the prophets. This is not something novel.

This is been something promise, having established the need for the gospel and the source of the gospel in the first messengers of the gospel. Paul now moves to the content of the gospel truth. Paul now wants to answer the next question. What's the gospel about and he tells us this is the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. None of verse three concerning his son was born of a descendent of David according to the flesh now.

Why mention that he's related to David is an impressive enough to to say that he's the eternal son of God, not unless is Paul fully understands you know the importance of the royal connection that qualifies the true Messiah as the one who could buy lineage have the right to sit upon David's throne. The prophets had declared that the Messiah would be a direct descendent of the tribe of Judah descendent of David, so the true Messiah must be a descendent from the royal line of David. Legally, the rightful heir to the throne. That's why the very beginning of the gospel of Matthew.

What you have get that thing we usually skip over.

It's the genealogy it's critically important because it traces Jesus back to King David or something even more fascinating about Christ's human lineage. In Matthew chapter 1. The genealogy is actually that of Joseph and it traces his line from Abraham through David and then through Solomon got it promise David in first Chronicles 22 the Solomon throne would be established in Israel. Thus, the future King would be descendents of David through Solomon. Solomon was of the oldest. There was another. His name was Nathan. He was born in Jerusalem second Samuel 514 that is the line of David through Nathan across the column of your notes that ultimately produced the little girl name Mary. Here's the beauty of God's sovereignty. Nathan, the son of David, had a lineage that ran on until it culminated in the birth of a girl named Mary, a man who could pass on to her son.

The legal right to sit on the throne. Solomon another son of David the one who would been given the promise of royalty.

The promise of the throne at a lineage that produced a boy named Joseph, a man who had the royal and historical right to pass on to his son, who could then be the king of Israel. And guess what in God's design. Those two lines culminated in those two cousins became engaged. That meant that had there been a throne in Jerusalem. Their first born child had both legal and royal rights to sit on the throne of David. In fact, remember the Christmas story we call it how Joseph and Mary had to travel back to the home of their forefathers and so they went where it would to Bethlehem because that was David's Home Pl., Joseph was from the house of David and so they went back didn't look much like royalty. The throne had long since disappeared but yet the baby was born that night and wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in a straw filled manger was no one less, than the one who had legal and royal right to sit upon David's throne when there is a slight problem centuries before the birth of Joseph in his direct lineage of his forefathers had been cursed a curse from God placed on then the line of Solomon. Even though God had promised the line of Solomon to be the one to sit upon the throne. You now have a break in that in the curse in Matthew's genealogy discover that ancestors name is Jack Anaya. If you go back to Jeremiah 2230 we want for time, but we read where the Lord said that he would not prosper. Jeff and I will not prosper in his day, for no man of his descendents well will sit on the throne of David, or rule again and Judah, and not object denies the seven son given the throne of David, will Joseph, a direct descendent of Jack Anaya's. Therefore, any follow this any biological son of Joseph can't sit on David's throne because of this curse body so that problem God's sovereign design was so masterful.

Mary and Joseph were betrothed or married Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit's overshadowing of her womb and Joseph would become not the biological father. But the adopt father, thus allowing Jesus to circumvent the curse and yet still receive the legal and royal right from his father and mother to sit on the throne. So the virgin birth of Jesus Christ is of paramount importance for many reasons.

And here is one of those important reason centuries earlier.

Isaiah the prophet declared, behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel, or God with us.

Isaiah 714, Matthew and Luke both plainly tell us that Mary was a virgin. Even though the critics have pummeled Isaiah 714 and saying the word virgin did not mean true virginity.

So Matthew and Luke plainly reveal that Mary was a virgin. In fact, they give us the details that Joseph was going to put her away. Why because he figured that she had fornicated she had violated her betrothal vowed to him because she was pregnant and would take a vision and then IH for Joseph to learn that this was the miraculous conception by means of the Holy Spirit. And now you know why are one of the reasons why that was so important because any biological son of Joseph could not sit upon the throne of David Bussey could not be the true Messiah. So Jesus was the young cursed Messiah, the legal Messiah. True Messiah. So the apostle Paul as he begins to deliver the content of the gospel introduces to us the Messiah was legally and royally the rightful heir as a son of David, so you read in Romans 13 the gospel concerns the sun and he says I want you to understand. He was born, descendent of David according to the flesh. This is the beginning of the gospel. The gospel message is for and I hope you've responded to it. If not today can be the day you've tuned into wisdom for the heart. The Bible teaching ministry of pastor and author Stephen Davey the lesson you heard today is entitled introducing the gospel we have this lesson posted on our website so that you can listen to it again or you can download and read Stephen's printed manuscript. Both of those resources are absolutely free.

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