Gospel Proclamation

Yesterday I began a series of sermons in our church that I am calling "Gospel Commitments."  The hope is to guide our focus as a church as we move into 2014.  You can find the audio from the first sermon here.

I intend use this series to present five gospel commitments.  Yesterday's sermon was on gospel proclamation.  Over the next four Sundays, we will tackle gospel holiness, gospel justice, gospel giving, and gospel unity.  I will attempt to write a blog post each Monday giving an overview of the sermon from the previous day.

In talking about gospel proclamation we looked at 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5.  Consider Paul's instruction to his son in the faith, Timothy, in that passage.

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 4 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. 3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

I have considered this passage many times before.  However, I have often considered the end of chapter three by itself, and the beginning of chapter four by itself.  Chapter and verse divisions are helpful, but it is very easy for us to allow these divisions to cloud our exegesis as I have been guilty of doing in the past with this passage.

It should be clear that Paul's instruction to Timothy regarding the nature of Scripture in chapter three leads naturally into his instruction to preach the Word.  Therefore, my sermon presented three requirements of gospel proclamation:

1) Gospel proclamation requires a commitment to the Bible (2 Timothy 3:14-17).

2) Gospel proclamation requires speaking the truth of the Bible (2 Timothy 4:1-2).

3) Gospel proclamation requires a willingness to allow the Bible to offend (2 Timothy 4:3-5).

This passage makes it very clear that the Bible is the very Word of God.  Paul says that it is "breathed out by God" (vs. 16).  We must understand that the Bible has God for its author.  Once we understand that truth, we are able to recognize the clear implications of this reality. 

If God wrote a book, and God does not make mistakes, then we must conclude that this book is without error.  We must also conclude that this book has authority in our lives as it comes from God, our Creator.  Paul speaks of this authority when He says that the Scriptures are useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness (vs. 16).

Paul is also clear in this passage that Bible is the instrument of true saving faith.  He writes here that the sacred writings are able to make one wise for salvation (vs. 15).  He also says in his letter to the Romans that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (Romans 10:17).

This all leads naturally into Paul's instruction to "preach the Word" (vs. 2).  Paul does not tell Timothy to preach on the current events or the latest psychology.  He tells Timothy to "preach the Word."  Why?  Because it is the very Word of God.  Because it is able to make one wise for salvation.  Because the Bible has authority in our lives.  God has spoken, and therefore, we must speak.

The final point is likely a bit controversial.  But notice how it is worded.  I did not say, "Gospel proclamation requires using the Bible to offend."  No, I said, "Gospel proclamation requires a willingness to allow the Bible to offend.  Paul explains this requirement in verses three and four when he says that people will not endure sound teaching, they will accumulate teachers to scratch their itching ears, and they will turn from truth into myths (vs. 3-4).

Much of this neglect of truth was probably already going on at the time, and Paul seems to indicate that it would only increase.  This is what we continue to witness in our own culture.  People are busy saying that wrong is right in the areas of abortion, homosexuality, adultery, fornication, pornography, and much more.  People are busy saying that right is wrong as well.  If you support protecting the life of the unborn you must hate women.  If you stand for the family you must be a bigot.  Unfortunately, because many who claim the name of Christ have long forsaken the authority of the Bible, this is true of them as well.

We must be reminded that the gospel is an offense.  The gospel begins with the message that there is a God who created everything for His glory.  That message is offensive in a culture that teaches us to watch out for ourselves.  We are told that the greatest good in life is to be happy.  Lies!  God has told us that we were created by Him for His glory.  That is offensive.

The gospel continues with the message that God's good creation rebelled against Him, creating enmity between God and man.  We are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  Because we are sinners, we deserve God's punishment, eternal death (Romans 6:23).  That is not a popular message either.

The gospel also teaches us that there is only one way to be reconciled to God and that is through Jesus Christ, the slain Lamb of God.  Wait, what?  Blood must be shed for the forgiveness of sin?  There is only one way to God and that is through Jesus Christ?  Offensive, no doubt!  Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:18 that the gospel is folly to those who are perishing, but that it is the power of God to those of us who are being saved.

There is no doubt that believers in the Lord Jesus Christ must be dedicated to gospel proclamation.  We must be dedicated to gospel proclamation in our homes, churches, the workplace, and wherever else we may go.  We have been called out by God as ministers of reconciliation proclaiming the message, be reconciled to God!

How can you grow in your commitment to gospel proclamation?